(Natsuki)
I waited outside Nao's house for her to come out. We had a short walk to school, so we didn't bother buying cars. Then we'd have to have jobs, and that's no fun. I did really want a motorcycle though, but my mother wasn't going to have any part of that. My thoughts kept drifting back to last night, and Shizuru and Reito. I didn't know how Reito and Nao had done, because I hadn't seen her since I left her with Reito last night. Shizuru had said she'd meet him at home later, and he'd make sure Nao got home okay. Shizuru and I had a lot of things in common. First there was a common interest in all sorts of mythologies, and then other things, mostly relating to the occult. We just talked well together; we had a lot of fun. Astrology, religion, the supernatural...Nao didn't like that kind of thing much, and it was great to have someone to talk to about it. Well, someone who liked to talk about it, anyway. Our personalities were really different though, but I decided I kind of liked that.
"Oh my god, Reito is so HOT." Nao said, bounding out her door at me. "I'm in love." she said. I laughed. Of course she would decide she loved someone because they looked hot.
"So I take it you had fun?" I said, as we started walking.
"Of course! Not only is he extremely sexy, he's also smart and kind of funny." She said excitedly. "How many guys around here do you find like that? None! They SO don't make them like this in America!" she rambled. Reito? Fun?
"Are we talking about the same guy? He didn't seem very fun-ish when I met him." I said.
"Well, he didn't talk much at first, but he really warmed up to me after an hour or so. We joked back and forth like crazy. I've never met anybody who could keep up with me that well—Did you have fun with, ah, what's her name..."
"Shizuru?"
"Yeah, the chick with the freaky eyes."
"Sure. She likes all 'that weird stuff', just like I do. It's cool."
"Well I'm glad you found someone else to talk to about that stuff. It bores me to tears." She said, rolling her eyes.
"Me too. And it seems you've gone and found yourself a guy. Never thought I'd see the day."
"Well, yeah...if he really does like me. I don't know him well enough to know that, yet. But I sure am hoping. Like a lovesick puppy, man." I laughed again as we walked up the steps to the school.
"You're so dramatic about everything." I said, shaking my head.
"Keeps me entertained. You too, apparently." She said, and flashed me one of her big, cheesy grins. She looked away and frowned. "Though...Reito does seem kind of sad sometimes." she said quietly, and I looked at her.
"Huh?" I asked, as we got into our lockers.
"Nothing, really. Thinking out loud."
"You're an idiot."
"Indeed. See you next period."
3456
(Still Natsuki)
"Quiet down, we've got a new student this morning." Ms. Sugiura said loudly, and the talking quieted to a murmur.
"Is it a girl?" a voice jeered.
"Is she hot?" another joined him.
"Quiet, Kazuya, Tate." the teacher scolded. "This is Shizuru Fujino. She has transferred here from France." she said, as Shizuru entered. I couldn't help but smile when she lowered her head in embarrassment at all the catcalls she got. I spent all of last night with a red face, and it felt a little like payback. "Quiet down!" Ms. Sugiura said again, louder this time. Finally, class quieted. "Well, Miss Fujino, I hope you like our school. Go ahead and find yourself a seat." she said, and Shizuru forced a smile, looking around for an empty seat. Her eyes found me as I waved at her, and then she smiled for real. She sat in the seat next to me.
"I am so relieved." she whispered as she sat down. "I was afraid I would be left to fend for myself among all these..." She frowned, as if looking for a word. "Boys." I stifled a laugh.
"They're not all that bad, are they?" I whispered.
"Of course they are." She said, and I wondered if I heard disgust. Huh. Then another guy from class, Takeda, leaned up from behind her.
"We're only as bad as you want us to be." he said into her ear and she turned suddenly, putting her face very close to his. Now, don't quote me on this, but I swear there was some kind of...growling coming from her throat. It was barely audible, but I heard something. When she spoke again, her voice had gone deeper.
"Well, Takeda...If this is so, then I would very much like to be left alone." she said, still keeping her voice down. Takeda paled. I'm not kidding either. The color drained from his face, and he closed his mouth as he leaned back into his seat. Tate just stared at her from the seat behind me. I guess he was smart enough not to add anything. I stared at her too. She looked at me, and then grinned.
"It took me a lot of practicing before I could shoo the children away this quickly." she said, and I had to stifle another laugh.
"I've never seen anyone shut Takeda up before." Or turn him down, as a matter of fact. He was handsome. Though not as much so as Reito. He was about the same height as Reito, but he was very tan, and his dark hair fell in his face in one of those 'i-just-got-out-of-bed' type of looks that girls seemed to like. He was usually pretty serious, and so sure of himself that he made others feel sure of him too. His eyes were the color of the sky on a clear afternoon. He was also muscular, and he showed it off. If he could be without a shirt, he would inevitably be without it.
"As I said...practice, practice."
"I wouldn't know. I've never had problems with boys bothering me." I said, shrugging.
"That Nao friend of yours probably scares them away." She said, in all seriousness. I looked at her, wide-eyed.
"Nao isn't scary." I said matter-of-factly.
"That is not what I meant." Shizuru answered, giving me a small smile that meant she knew something I didn't know. "At any rate, it cannot be anything else that I can think of. You are far too beautiful not to be fantasized over." She said, and kept a straight face throughout. I fought a blush and lost miserably, then jumped when a book slammed down on my desk. I let out a little squeal, and looked up to see Ms. Sugiura. The rest of the class was laughing. A cold glare shut them up, but Ms. Sugiura just kept grinning at me.
"Miss Kuga, you're being a very bad example. I suggest you start paying attention, or I'll have to make an example out of you." I nodded and looked down at my desk, so that my hair would cover my face. It was on fire. How embarrassing. She went back to the front and resumed her lecture about the Nazis, and the rest of class was rather uneventful. Though I did notice that Takeda and Tate had stared at Shizuru for the entire period. Takeda looked pissed, and Tate looked scared. When the bell rang, Shizuru caught up to me.
"I am sorry for getting you into trouble." she said, frowning. I grinned at her.
"Hey, it's okay. Happens all the time. I hang around with Nao, remember?"
"I see. Nevertheless, I do apologize. Though my locker is the other way. Perhaps I will see you at a later time." she said, and waved as she disappeared into the mass of teenage bodies. I shook my head.
"At a later time? That chick's as formal as Reito." Nao grinned as she fell into step with me.
"Yeah." I shrugged.
"I've got first period with Reito. He sat next to me. He's so pretty."
"That all you got to say?" I laughed. "Did you even talk?"
"Yeah, till Mr. Yamada told us to shut up or we could have a nice conversation in detention today." she shrugged. "It did take me a couple of seconds to decide whether I thought alone time in detention would be a punishment, though." I laughed again.
"Sounds like my first period." We got our stuff for second period, and headed there. My favorite class, too. Mythology. Nao hated it. She'd only taken the class so she could have it with me, and got most of her homework from mine. We shuffled into the classroom as the bell rang, and took our seats. The Mythology teacher, Ms. Suzushiro, walked in and started talking in her frustratingly loud no-nonsense tone.
"Hello, class. For the next six weeks, we'll be studying the moon, and its significance in Mythology..." and I was glued to the lecture for the rest of the hour.
3456
(Shizuru)
"There you are." I said, finding Reito walking quickly toward the cafeteria. "Have you been hiding from me? I have not seen you all day." I quirked an eyebrow at him, smirking. "Or have you just been racing around after Nao?" I joked.
"I have not!" He said, suddenly defensive, and I stifled a laugh as he realized he had made himself obvious. "It's just...well...I've never met anybody quite like her before, and..."
"Be careful." I warned, worried about what would happen if he did get too attached. He stared at me angrily for a moment, but then his eyes went sad.
"Yes, Erus. Of course. I understand." He said dejectedly, and my heart hurt for him. But he could not do something like fall in love with one of them, could he? That would be a horrible disaster. It was definitely not what we were here to do. Then he suddenly smiled, looking over at me. "And I heard YOU had a run-in with Mr. Pack leader during class today." I gave him my best innocent look, again.
"I do not know what you are talking about. I would not do something so brazen only on my first day, would I?"
"Yeah, you would. You're a Fujino." He laughed, and I smiled. "And the girl, you like her, don't you?"
"Yes, she is quite refreshing. She does not lie, and always says what she is thinking. I quite enjoy her company. She amused me today, wondering why the boys do not chase her. Most of them are probably under the impression that she is together with Nao-and that girl of yours is enough to frighten any boy away." I said, giggling before looked at my companion's face and realized I was just as bad as Reito. "We both need to collar ourselves, do we not?" I said sadly, and his smile faded as well.
"Yeah..." he said as we entered the cafeteria.
3456
(Natsuki)
"This is a load of crap." Nao complained as we waited in the lunch line. "Our first day back, and I've already got homework for three different classes!"
"Ah, well. Maybe the second half of school will be relatively homework-free." I shrugged.
"Yeah, right." Nao rolled her eyes. "Freaking Suzushiro. A ten-page paper on some kind of mythology tied to the moon? CRAP, I tell you. Just because she has no life…"
"I think it's neat. I'm thinking about doing mine on werewolves or something."
"Werewolves? What a ridiculous notion." came Reito's voice from behind me, and I jumped.
"Hi, Reito!" Nao said, and if I had to describe her at the moment, I'd say, 'Foaming at the mouth.'
"Hello, Nao." He said, and gave her a smile that I'm sure melted her into her socks. Heck, he wasn't even looking at me and I was almost to melting point. Pretty, right.
"I think it's a good idea." I frowned. Reito laughed.
"I was only kidding," he said.
"It's fine." I said, and he shrugged.
"I think it is a marvelous idea." Shizuru's heavily accented French came through. "Mind if I...oh, darn it, what is that phrase..?" she trailed off, and I couldn't help but giggle. Shizuru frowned. Oh my god, she was pouting. It was freaking adorable.
"Cut in line." Reito answered in a serious tone. Shizuru grinned, her enthusiasm returned like it never left.
"Aha. Yes, that is what I wanted." Nao laughed, and I said, "Go ahead."
"Why thank you, Natsuki." she said, smiling down at me. Oh god, eye contact again…there went my face. Freaking Rudolph, I was.
"Uh...yeah." I answered dumbly.
"So, do you guys wanna sit with us?" Nao asked. Reito looked at Shizuru questioningly, which made Nao and I look at each other. Nao quirked an eyebrow. Was he asking her permission? They had a really weird best friend dynamic.
"I see no reason why not." Shizuru said pleasantly, and Reito smiled. We got our food and headed for the lunch table.
"Who're you two?" Eli, our resident computer nerd asked as we sat down.
"I am Shizuru, and this is Reito." Shizuru answered pleasantly.
"You're French?"
"Wow, was it that obvious?" Reito said sarcastically, and everyone except Eli laughed. I guess Reito could be talkative once you got to know him.
"So, does that mean you guys like...don't shave or use deodorant?" Amber asked. She's another friend, and she's blonde in the truest sense of the word.
"Amber, you idiot." I said. Shizuru laughed, which surprised most of us.
"Do not believe everything you hear." she said. "I do not know about people living in the city…we did not visit much-but we are from the country, and my mother was American-born." and everyone just looked at her. "Is there something wrong?"
"Not really." Eli said quickly. "Say, do you want to go out sometime?" He said, pushing his glasses back up on his nose. Shizuru frowned, and looked about to say something that wasn't very nice. Then she stopped, and smiled.
"I do not believe so. My apologies, but I am not..." she trailed off, and started frowning again.
"What's the matter?" Nao asked.
"I have lost my English again. Reito has been teaching me for the last year, but sometimes I cannot remember how to say certain things."
"Completely understandable." Eli said, a little put out. "Ah, well. What would a fox like you want with a scrawny little nerd like me anyway?" he said with a chuckle, and everyone laughed with him awkwardly. Shizuru still looked like she wanted to say something, but didn't know how.
"So, Reito's from France, too? Did you learn English in school?" Nao asked him, changing the subject.
"No. I was born in this country, but I left about six years ago. Speaking in French all of the time seems to have given me an accent-though I hear girls here like that kind of thing." Reito answered with a quirk to the corners of his mouth.
"They do." Nao answered, grinning.
"So, Reito, want to go on a date?" Amber asked, and I slapped my forehead as Nao gave her the look of ten thousand deaths.
"Not really. Sorry." he said, glancing at Nao, and Amber shrugged.
"Can't blame a girl for trying."
"I sure as Hell can." Nao muttered, and we all laughed again while Amber asked,
"What?"
3456
(Shizuru)
"Are you ready?" I asked Reito that night as he took off his shirt, having already changed into a pair of worn out blue jeans. I myself had put on an older T-shirt and a pair of worn out jeans. I did not particularly enjoy destroying them when we changed. Neither did Reito.
"Yeah." He said. "So, I'm covering the west side of the forest and you've got the east?" he said, making sure of the plan.
"Yes, as long as you think you can handle it." I said with a grin, and he rolled his eyes.
"I am so scared. What if that horrible Dominatus of the local pack shows up and hands my ass to me on a silver platter?" he joked, and I laughed. We both knew that Reito might have trouble with the leader, but either one of us could defeat him if it was necessary.
"Let's go." I said, and we left the house and entered the woods. "Be careful." I said, giving him a look as we separated.
"Always." He said, flashing me that smile that so often won women over as he disappeared into the darkness. I did the same.