Post by Hayate on Jan 20, 2009 16:38:40 GMT -5
“As comes natural to us as human beings, we see everything in black and white. Right and wrong. But it takes an evolved mind to analyze the nexus at which the two sides meet -- the murky grey area in between.”
Chapter 1
Monday, April 20, 2037.
Fujimino, Saitama.
Thick white clouds hovered in the turquoise skies above to greet the people below on this cool spring morn. In the vicinity of a warm residential area in west Fujimino, birds flutter swiftly overhead and a light breeze carries with it a small bundle of tree leaves and flower petals.
Closing in on one particular household in this neighborhood, a pair of individuals is seen standing on the front deck with their feet firmly planted on the porch’s wooden paneling. Standing directly before the door was a girl of 16 with deep green eyes and long, golden hair -- with just a few strands out of place that gave her the ‘smart dumb blonde’ look. To the blonde’s right was a tall, slender boy -- also of 16 -- with eyes of cherry and long hair that gleamed an exotic platinum. Both were dressed in loosely fitting school uniforms.
Whilst the white-haired boy kept a calm, cool, and collected aura about him, the blonde girl had quite an annoyed scowl to her. Raising her balled-up fist yet again, she pounds away on the door and calls out at the top of her voice, “KAZU!!! Hurry up; you’re gonna make us late!”
Luckily, the boy with silver hair was there to rein the impatient blonde in. “Settle down already, Kyoko. You want the whole neighborhood to hear you?”
“I’ll settle down when I wanna settle down, alright!? If Kazu ends up makin’ us late, I’m gonna shove my foot up his ass!”
At long last, the girl’s ‘prayers’ would be answered when the door creaks open and a boy of 17 with short, spiky brown hair walks out to greet the two. “Jeez, Kyoko, do we gotta go through this every morning?”, remarks the auburn-haired teen flatly.
The boy and girl standing on the other side of the door greet their friend -- one with a friendly grin, the other with irritably puffed-up cheeks.
Now on their way, the trio of friends walks casually towards their high school. The boy with brown hair – Kazuto Takeuchi -- walks just a few feet to the rear of his friends, letting out a prolonged yawn as he steps. “God, I’m tired…”, groans Kazuto in his heavy fatigue. “I didn’t even feel like getting out of bed today.”
With his exhausted friend in the corner of his eye, the white-haired boy -- Shiro Xion -- shows a clever smirk. “You were up all night playing The World again, weren’t you?”
“All those games are gonna rot your brain, Kazu.”, comments the blonde girl -- Kyoko Kazuhiko -- disdainfully. “You should be more like Shiro, y’know. We must’ve talked on the phone for, like, four hours.”
With a shrug, Shiro wraps a single arm around Kyoko and says, “I can’t help it, girl. I love the sound of your voice.”
“…Five points.”
“Five? Aw, c’mon, that one deserved at least a seven.”
“Keep trying, lover-boy. Hahaha!”
As Kazuto watches his friends’ little ‘routine’ from the rear, a smile appears across his face. Admittedly, it was a little amusing to watch Kyoko mess with her boyfriend’s mind. Take, for example, the act that played out just now. Whenever Shiro attempted to flatter Kyoko with sweet nothings, she would grade their effectiveness on a scale of one to ten (one being an “epic fail”, ten being a “win”). It was just one of their many ‘love tactics’.
It truly amazed Kazuto how much Shiro had opened up over the years he and Kyoko had known him. Back when they first met him during middle school, he didn’t talk to anyone and was considered a freak because of his white hair and red eyes.
“Hey, did ya hear? We got a new kid today!”
“Yeah? Boy or girl?”
“Everyone, I’d like you all to meet your new classmate…Shiro Xion!”
“…U-Um…h-hello.”
“Whoa… Check out his hair… It’s so white…like snow…”
During his middle school days, Shiro was quite the recluse and was avoided most of the time. The first and only friends he’d made were Kazuto and Kyoko. And the three were practically inseparable ever since. “…”
“…Yo! Kazu! Earth to Kazu!”
“--Huh?” His trip down Memory Lane coming to an abrupt end, the coffee-haired boy looks ahead at his friends with glazed eyes.
“Still got games on the brain, don’t ya?”, teases Shiro. “You feelin’ okay, man?”
“Yeah, I’m cool. I was just…thinking.”
With her hands on her hips, Kyoko cut in with, “Ah, whatever. C’mon, guys, we’ll get to school faster if we cut through Chuo Park.”
The cherry blossom trees in Chuo Park were in full bloom this time of year. The sight of sakura petals lightly wafting onto the tall grass below was quite a picturesque scene. It figured that Kyoko would choose this place as a shortcut, Kazuto thought. It was here where it happened.
It was the day Kazuto, Shiro, and Kyoko graduated from junior high. In spite of his plans to celebrate with his friends after the graduation ceremony, Kazuto was surprised to find that Shiro and Kyoko had disappeared. Had they left early?, the puzzled teen pondered. Through a tip given to him by a friend, Kazuto goes to the nearby Chuo Park. As in the present day, the cherry blossoms were in bloom. There, near the center of the park, Shiro and Kyoko were seen. And there, as the sakura petals fell around their feet…they kissed. It was an image that would stay with Kazuto to this day. Not too long afterward, Shiro and Kyoko would approach their friend about their plan to get together and start dating. I’m happy for you, Kazuto told them -- even though deep down he wish he hadn’t.
“…” Just then… “--OW!” …Kazuto would be dragged out of his thoughts yet again and come face-to-face with Kyoko, who had just harmlessly (yet effectively) stricken the side of his head with her hand.
“Would you move it already, Kazu!?”, the pissed-off blonde snaps. “Get moving or else we’ll leave you behind!”
“Hehehe… My bad.”
After another block-and-a-half walk, the chummy trio at last finds itself within the walls of Fujimino High School. The sight of their fellow classmates crowding the halls was both welcoming and unexciting.
During his walk up the hallways, just barely hanging by Shiro and Kyoko’s coattails, Kazuto is suddenly jumped when the friendly arm of a classmate curls around his neck. “Hey, Kazu! What’s up, dude?”
Kazuto awkwardly smiles as he turns to face his friend. “H-Hey, Jack.”
The teen seen standing at Kazuto’s side had short brown hair (similar to Kazuto’s but combed down), heavy-hazel eyes, and a tall, lean figure. Now introducing Jack Russell Radiuju-Suzumiya, one of the first friends Kazuto had made upon entering high school. “That was some wicked slicin’ and dicin’ you pulled off last night, man!”, compliments Jack, clearly referring to The World.
“Heh. Thanks. You weren’t so bad yourself.”
Glancing over to his left, Jack noticed that Shiro and Kyoko had continued their trek towards homeroom, failing to realize that they left Kazuto behind. “…So…those two are still…?”
“Pretty much.”, replies Kazuto with a shrug.
“Man, just look at ‘em over there… It’s like you don’t even exist…”
“Let ‘em have their fun. It keeps ‘em busy and out of my hair. Hahaha. …So, Jack… Everything cool at home?”
“Pssssh. I wish, man. Gwen got into another fight with my moms last night. Stuff almost freakin’ broke.”
“Damn. That sucks, man.”
“…Yeah… But hey, enough about me. You oughta get goin’ to class before sensei chews you out.”
“Heh. Right, sure don’t want that. Take it easy, Jack.”
“You too, man.”
“Stand! Bow! Be seated!”
Homeroom. The seats were organized in neatly aligned rows of 6x5. With the arrival of the teacher and the short three-part intro announced by the class representative, class had finally begun. As sensei refreshes her students on the lesson plan of the previous day, the class -- or, at the very least, most of it -- takes detailed notes.
Kazuto was no exception to this. In the midst of his writing, he lets out another brief yawn, fatigued from the night before even now. “…Hmm?” But then, as he rubbed the dust from his eyes, Kazuto’s note-taking groove is disrupted by the sound of faint, silent giggling. Gazing ahead and to the right, the boy with auburn hair catches a glimpse of his two favorite ‘scoundrels of love’ passing notes back and forth to one another. Indeed, not even homeroom was enough to interrupt Shiro and Kyoko’s pas de deux. Opening his mouth again, Kazuto couldn’t help but sigh at this display. Had they no self-control?, he thought.
Of course, he wouldn’t be alone in his disgust for long. Kyoko’s note to Shiro is suddenly snatched away in mid-transit by none other than class rep, school prefect, and bane of every troublemaker’s existence: Kyoya Ishida. “Passing notes in class again, you two?” barks Kyoya aloud.
Shiro and Kyoko’s spines go cold with dread.
“What is this, the fifth time this month?”, continues Kyoya on his rant.
‘…Sixth.’, Kazuto thinks with a quiet chuckle.
Grasping the two ends of the folded note, Kyoya opens the note up and quickly reads it to himself, a sly smirk stretching across his face as he does so. “Oh-ho… Pretty juicy, you two…”, teases Kyoya, as though he were getting off on their pleasure. “Maybe I should read it out loud for the whole class? Hmm?”
“Get bent, you sick fuck…”, Shiro snarls, baring his gritted teeth.
Of course, in response to the snow-haired boy’s anger, all Kyoya does is laugh.
Last bell.
Rising up from their seats, the students motion a bow of gratitude to their teacher and go about their merry ways. Kazuto places his supplies and books into his school bag and prepares to join Shiro and Kyoko for their routine walk home…
…but a certain black-haired teen had other plans. “Hey, Kazu.”
Glancing to his right, Kazuto is surprised to see Kyoya standing in front of him with one hand coolly pocketed. “Kyoya-senpai. What’s up?”
“C’mon. Let’s take a walk.”
“…”
At that moment, Kyoko calls out to Kazuto from the classroom entrance. “Yo, Kazu! You comin’ or what?”
Looking back at her, Kazuto calls back, “Go on without me, guys. I’m gonna hang with Kyoya for a bit.”
“Alright then. See ya later.”, says Shiro, shortly leaving hand-in-hand with Kyoko.
Not too long afterward, Kazuto walks alongside Kyoya with his hands pocketed. Their destination: the soccer field just off campus. As he strolls down the hallway, his school shoes lightly clacking with each taken step, Kazuto turns to Kyoya and queries, “So…did you wanna talk about something, senpai?”
“Hehehe. You see how I got under Shiro’s skin this morning? That was awesome.”
“…I guess.”
“What do you think about them, Kazu?”
“Who? Shiro and Kyoko? I dunno. Am I supposed to think anything?”
“You think Kyoko deserves someone better? Someone like…you?”
“…I dunno what you’re gettin’ at. If Kyoko’s happy, I’m happy. It’s simple as that.”
“‘Simple’, eh? Heh. I wonder.”
Their stroll leading them out the rear doors of the school, Kazuto and Kyoya soon find themselves at their appointed destination: the soccer field. A small group of Fujimino High students is seen practicing, kicking the ball up and down the field. Muffled cheers are heard amongst the players and nearby spectators. It was a somewhat exciting picture. A girl with short pink hair rushes down the field with the ball bouncing at her feet. With a swift kick, the ball soars into the net. The goalie never saw it coming.
“See that girl there?”, Kyoya asks Kazuto suddenly. “Reiori Kuramoto.”
Nodding in acknowledgement, Kazuto answers, “Yeah, I see her. She’s good.”
“I asked her out on a date during lunch hour. Movies. This Friday.”
“Yeah? That’s cool, man.”
“Yes. It is cool. Know why? It’s ‘cuz I approached her with no fear. I didn’t wuss out. But you? You wussed out a long time ago. And because of it, Kyoko fell for someone else. You’re never gonna ‘get the girl’ if you don’t show any initiative, man.”
“…”
Just then… “HEADS UP!!!”
“Huh?” Kazuto momentarily turns his attention to where the shout came from, and with a mighty thump… “Oof!” …the soccer ball connects with his face and sends him reeling onto the ground. Sitting upright on the concrete, Kazuto shouts profanities in pain. “God-DAMN, that hurts!!!”
“Ooh… That’ll leave a mark… You shouldn’t space out so much, Kazu…”
“Oh, shut the hell up, Kyoya!”
The two boys are then joined by Reiori herself. “Oh, man, I’m real sorry about that! You okay?”
Rising to his feet, Kazuto rubs the area on his face the ball had connected with and wipes away any blood that had trickled from his nose. “Y-Yeah… I’m alright.”, says Kazuto to Reiori.
“Sorry, I guess I kicked the ball too hard.”
“Hehe. It’s cool, really. I’ll be fine.”
Distracted by her guilt to notice Kyoya’s presence, Reiori finally turns to face him. “Oh, hey, Kyoya.”
“‘Sup, Reiori? We’re still on for this Friday, right?”
“Mm-hmm. Can’t wait.”
As he brushes the dust off his clothes, Kazuto watches the dialogue between Kyoya and Reiori. As he does so, he suddenly envisions himself and Kyoko -- a vision of how they looked before Shiro had entered their lives. “…”
At that moment, another player on the field calls out, “Hey, Rei-chan! C’mon, let’s get back to practice!”
“Right, sorry! Be right there, ‘kay?” Then, taking the soccer ball into her hands, Reiori says to Kyoya, “I should get back now. See ya later, Kyoya.”
“Sure. Later.”
With Reiori now gone, Kazuto looks over at Kyoya and says, “Hey, Kyoya. I think I’m gonna get goin’ now, alright? Shouldn’t keep my folks waiting.”
“Sure, no prob. Take it easy, Kazu.”
Finally turning his back on Kyoya and the soccer field, Kazuto tightly grasps his school bag and optimistically jogs in the direction of Chuo Park. But during his slow run, the words Kyoya had spoken to him would relentlessly ring in his head like last bell.
Xion household.
Shortly after arriving, Shiro and Kyoko had retired to Shiro’s bedroom and had gotten out their textbooks, notebooks, and pencils to complete their daily homework assignments. Yes, textbooks, notebooks, and pencils were indeed scattered about the room.
…But they certainly weren’t getting any homework done.
There, on the bed, the two were making out passionately, too lost in each other’s arms to concentrate on their work.
Tossing and turning.
Sighing and moaning.
Entangled in each other’s long hair.
Kyoko had her arms wrapped tightly around Shiro’s neck, exhaling moans of pleasure and ecstasy through her nose. Her lips pressed against his, her chest pressed against his, her legs twitching in excitement.
Shuffling his hands about, Shiro tenderly caresses Kyoko’s back, occasionally reaching up her shirt to feel her shuddering skin. His other hand moves up and down the back of her head, letting Kyoko’s soft golden hair run through his fingers. Then, in his haste to keep going, Shiro reaches down beneath Kyoko’s torso and begins to unfasten her skirt.
“!!!” Kyoko sensed what the white-haired boy was up to and pulled away from the kiss. “H-Hey, Shiro, not so fast…”
“But why not…?”, says Shiro, almost in a whine. “We’ve been going out for over a year now… Why can’t we…?”
“Hehehe… I told you, not until I’m ready…”
“But I’m ready… And with my parents out of town this week, we may never get another chance like this…”
“Oh, Shiro, you naughty boy… I know it’s painful to wait, but you’ll just have to hold it in a little longer…” Kyoko then begins to inch away, satisfied with their ‘session’…
…Shiro, however, wasn’t as satisfied as she was. Before Kyoko had a chance to move away, he pulls her back towards him, pressing his lips against hers and slowly pulling her skirt off.
“!!!” Forced to use her hands to push away from Shiro, Kyoko struggles to free herself of his grip. “L-Let go of me, Shiro!” Before long, the two would end up on opposing ends of the bed, short of breath. Tidying up her hair and straightening out her clothes, Kyoko rises to her feet and, without making eye contact with Shiro, says, “…I think I should go now.” Picking up her belongings, she makes her way towards the bedroom door.
At this point, Shiro was on his feet as well. With Kyoko’s back to him, he desperately wanted to speak out and apologize to her. But that isn’t what he did. Instead, Shiro closes his eyes for a moment, and when he reopens them…
…his deep crimson eyes shine a cool emerald green.
Then, opening his mouth to talk, Shiro whispers, “…Stop.”
And like that, Kyoko stops walking just short of the door.
“…Turn around.”
At Shiro’s command, Kyoko turns a full 180 degrees and gazes directly at him. Like him, her eyes shine a bright shade of green as well.
“…Come to me.”
Her arms falling lifelessly to her sides, Kyoko drops everything in her hands to the floor and slowly makes her way towards Shiro. She was unable to resist; a strange, unearthly power had overcome her.
“…Forgive me.”, whispers Shiro remorsefully…as he begins to remove Kyoko’s clothes.
Takeuchi household.
Kazuto is seen in his bedroom, sitting at his desk, completing his homework. A radio nearby plays assorted J-pop music. “And…there! Finished!” Feeling victorious with his triumph over homework, Kazuto closes his notebook, turns off the radio, and lets out a long yawn. Picking up his cell phone, Kazuto cycles through the menus to realize that he hadn’t any new voice mail or text messages, which he found a little out of the ordinary considering Shiro and Kyoko would always run crying to him for homework assistance. “…Ah, well.” He simply shrugs it off as a rare occurrence and rises to his feet. Walking over to his window, he grasps the curtains and gazes up at the sky, an ominous aura overwhelming him. “…Looks like it might rain tomorrow.”971
Shades of Grey
Chapter 1
Monday, April 20, 2037.
Fujimino, Saitama.
Thick white clouds hovered in the turquoise skies above to greet the people below on this cool spring morn. In the vicinity of a warm residential area in west Fujimino, birds flutter swiftly overhead and a light breeze carries with it a small bundle of tree leaves and flower petals.
Closing in on one particular household in this neighborhood, a pair of individuals is seen standing on the front deck with their feet firmly planted on the porch’s wooden paneling. Standing directly before the door was a girl of 16 with deep green eyes and long, golden hair -- with just a few strands out of place that gave her the ‘smart dumb blonde’ look. To the blonde’s right was a tall, slender boy -- also of 16 -- with eyes of cherry and long hair that gleamed an exotic platinum. Both were dressed in loosely fitting school uniforms.
Whilst the white-haired boy kept a calm, cool, and collected aura about him, the blonde girl had quite an annoyed scowl to her. Raising her balled-up fist yet again, she pounds away on the door and calls out at the top of her voice, “KAZU!!! Hurry up; you’re gonna make us late!”
Luckily, the boy with silver hair was there to rein the impatient blonde in. “Settle down already, Kyoko. You want the whole neighborhood to hear you?”
“I’ll settle down when I wanna settle down, alright!? If Kazu ends up makin’ us late, I’m gonna shove my foot up his ass!”
At long last, the girl’s ‘prayers’ would be answered when the door creaks open and a boy of 17 with short, spiky brown hair walks out to greet the two. “Jeez, Kyoko, do we gotta go through this every morning?”, remarks the auburn-haired teen flatly.
The boy and girl standing on the other side of the door greet their friend -- one with a friendly grin, the other with irritably puffed-up cheeks.
~*~*~*~
Now on their way, the trio of friends walks casually towards their high school. The boy with brown hair – Kazuto Takeuchi -- walks just a few feet to the rear of his friends, letting out a prolonged yawn as he steps. “God, I’m tired…”, groans Kazuto in his heavy fatigue. “I didn’t even feel like getting out of bed today.”
With his exhausted friend in the corner of his eye, the white-haired boy -- Shiro Xion -- shows a clever smirk. “You were up all night playing The World again, weren’t you?”
“All those games are gonna rot your brain, Kazu.”, comments the blonde girl -- Kyoko Kazuhiko -- disdainfully. “You should be more like Shiro, y’know. We must’ve talked on the phone for, like, four hours.”
With a shrug, Shiro wraps a single arm around Kyoko and says, “I can’t help it, girl. I love the sound of your voice.”
“…Five points.”
“Five? Aw, c’mon, that one deserved at least a seven.”
“Keep trying, lover-boy. Hahaha!”
As Kazuto watches his friends’ little ‘routine’ from the rear, a smile appears across his face. Admittedly, it was a little amusing to watch Kyoko mess with her boyfriend’s mind. Take, for example, the act that played out just now. Whenever Shiro attempted to flatter Kyoko with sweet nothings, she would grade their effectiveness on a scale of one to ten (one being an “epic fail”, ten being a “win”). It was just one of their many ‘love tactics’.
It truly amazed Kazuto how much Shiro had opened up over the years he and Kyoko had known him. Back when they first met him during middle school, he didn’t talk to anyone and was considered a freak because of his white hair and red eyes.
“Hey, did ya hear? We got a new kid today!”
“Yeah? Boy or girl?”
“Everyone, I’d like you all to meet your new classmate…Shiro Xion!”
“…U-Um…h-hello.”
“Whoa… Check out his hair… It’s so white…like snow…”
During his middle school days, Shiro was quite the recluse and was avoided most of the time. The first and only friends he’d made were Kazuto and Kyoko. And the three were practically inseparable ever since. “…”
“…Yo! Kazu! Earth to Kazu!”
“--Huh?” His trip down Memory Lane coming to an abrupt end, the coffee-haired boy looks ahead at his friends with glazed eyes.
“Still got games on the brain, don’t ya?”, teases Shiro. “You feelin’ okay, man?”
“Yeah, I’m cool. I was just…thinking.”
With her hands on her hips, Kyoko cut in with, “Ah, whatever. C’mon, guys, we’ll get to school faster if we cut through Chuo Park.”
The cherry blossom trees in Chuo Park were in full bloom this time of year. The sight of sakura petals lightly wafting onto the tall grass below was quite a picturesque scene. It figured that Kyoko would choose this place as a shortcut, Kazuto thought. It was here where it happened.
It was the day Kazuto, Shiro, and Kyoko graduated from junior high. In spite of his plans to celebrate with his friends after the graduation ceremony, Kazuto was surprised to find that Shiro and Kyoko had disappeared. Had they left early?, the puzzled teen pondered. Through a tip given to him by a friend, Kazuto goes to the nearby Chuo Park. As in the present day, the cherry blossoms were in bloom. There, near the center of the park, Shiro and Kyoko were seen. And there, as the sakura petals fell around their feet…they kissed. It was an image that would stay with Kazuto to this day. Not too long afterward, Shiro and Kyoko would approach their friend about their plan to get together and start dating. I’m happy for you, Kazuto told them -- even though deep down he wish he hadn’t.
“…” Just then… “--OW!” …Kazuto would be dragged out of his thoughts yet again and come face-to-face with Kyoko, who had just harmlessly (yet effectively) stricken the side of his head with her hand.
“Would you move it already, Kazu!?”, the pissed-off blonde snaps. “Get moving or else we’ll leave you behind!”
“Hehehe… My bad.”
~*~*~*~
After another block-and-a-half walk, the chummy trio at last finds itself within the walls of Fujimino High School. The sight of their fellow classmates crowding the halls was both welcoming and unexciting.
During his walk up the hallways, just barely hanging by Shiro and Kyoko’s coattails, Kazuto is suddenly jumped when the friendly arm of a classmate curls around his neck. “Hey, Kazu! What’s up, dude?”
Kazuto awkwardly smiles as he turns to face his friend. “H-Hey, Jack.”
The teen seen standing at Kazuto’s side had short brown hair (similar to Kazuto’s but combed down), heavy-hazel eyes, and a tall, lean figure. Now introducing Jack Russell Radiuju-Suzumiya, one of the first friends Kazuto had made upon entering high school. “That was some wicked slicin’ and dicin’ you pulled off last night, man!”, compliments Jack, clearly referring to The World.
“Heh. Thanks. You weren’t so bad yourself.”
Glancing over to his left, Jack noticed that Shiro and Kyoko had continued their trek towards homeroom, failing to realize that they left Kazuto behind. “…So…those two are still…?”
“Pretty much.”, replies Kazuto with a shrug.
“Man, just look at ‘em over there… It’s like you don’t even exist…”
“Let ‘em have their fun. It keeps ‘em busy and out of my hair. Hahaha. …So, Jack… Everything cool at home?”
“Pssssh. I wish, man. Gwen got into another fight with my moms last night. Stuff almost freakin’ broke.”
“Damn. That sucks, man.”
“…Yeah… But hey, enough about me. You oughta get goin’ to class before sensei chews you out.”
“Heh. Right, sure don’t want that. Take it easy, Jack.”
“You too, man.”
~*~*~*~
“Stand! Bow! Be seated!”
Homeroom. The seats were organized in neatly aligned rows of 6x5. With the arrival of the teacher and the short three-part intro announced by the class representative, class had finally begun. As sensei refreshes her students on the lesson plan of the previous day, the class -- or, at the very least, most of it -- takes detailed notes.
Kazuto was no exception to this. In the midst of his writing, he lets out another brief yawn, fatigued from the night before even now. “…Hmm?” But then, as he rubbed the dust from his eyes, Kazuto’s note-taking groove is disrupted by the sound of faint, silent giggling. Gazing ahead and to the right, the boy with auburn hair catches a glimpse of his two favorite ‘scoundrels of love’ passing notes back and forth to one another. Indeed, not even homeroom was enough to interrupt Shiro and Kyoko’s pas de deux. Opening his mouth again, Kazuto couldn’t help but sigh at this display. Had they no self-control?, he thought.
Of course, he wouldn’t be alone in his disgust for long. Kyoko’s note to Shiro is suddenly snatched away in mid-transit by none other than class rep, school prefect, and bane of every troublemaker’s existence: Kyoya Ishida. “Passing notes in class again, you two?” barks Kyoya aloud.
Shiro and Kyoko’s spines go cold with dread.
“What is this, the fifth time this month?”, continues Kyoya on his rant.
‘…Sixth.’, Kazuto thinks with a quiet chuckle.
Grasping the two ends of the folded note, Kyoya opens the note up and quickly reads it to himself, a sly smirk stretching across his face as he does so. “Oh-ho… Pretty juicy, you two…”, teases Kyoya, as though he were getting off on their pleasure. “Maybe I should read it out loud for the whole class? Hmm?”
“Get bent, you sick fuck…”, Shiro snarls, baring his gritted teeth.
Of course, in response to the snow-haired boy’s anger, all Kyoya does is laugh.
~*~*~*~
Last bell.
Rising up from their seats, the students motion a bow of gratitude to their teacher and go about their merry ways. Kazuto places his supplies and books into his school bag and prepares to join Shiro and Kyoko for their routine walk home…
…but a certain black-haired teen had other plans. “Hey, Kazu.”
Glancing to his right, Kazuto is surprised to see Kyoya standing in front of him with one hand coolly pocketed. “Kyoya-senpai. What’s up?”
“C’mon. Let’s take a walk.”
“…”
At that moment, Kyoko calls out to Kazuto from the classroom entrance. “Yo, Kazu! You comin’ or what?”
Looking back at her, Kazuto calls back, “Go on without me, guys. I’m gonna hang with Kyoya for a bit.”
“Alright then. See ya later.”, says Shiro, shortly leaving hand-in-hand with Kyoko.
Not too long afterward, Kazuto walks alongside Kyoya with his hands pocketed. Their destination: the soccer field just off campus. As he strolls down the hallway, his school shoes lightly clacking with each taken step, Kazuto turns to Kyoya and queries, “So…did you wanna talk about something, senpai?”
“Hehehe. You see how I got under Shiro’s skin this morning? That was awesome.”
“…I guess.”
“What do you think about them, Kazu?”
“Who? Shiro and Kyoko? I dunno. Am I supposed to think anything?”
“You think Kyoko deserves someone better? Someone like…you?”
“…I dunno what you’re gettin’ at. If Kyoko’s happy, I’m happy. It’s simple as that.”
“‘Simple’, eh? Heh. I wonder.”
Their stroll leading them out the rear doors of the school, Kazuto and Kyoya soon find themselves at their appointed destination: the soccer field. A small group of Fujimino High students is seen practicing, kicking the ball up and down the field. Muffled cheers are heard amongst the players and nearby spectators. It was a somewhat exciting picture. A girl with short pink hair rushes down the field with the ball bouncing at her feet. With a swift kick, the ball soars into the net. The goalie never saw it coming.
“See that girl there?”, Kyoya asks Kazuto suddenly. “Reiori Kuramoto.”
Nodding in acknowledgement, Kazuto answers, “Yeah, I see her. She’s good.”
“I asked her out on a date during lunch hour. Movies. This Friday.”
“Yeah? That’s cool, man.”
“Yes. It is cool. Know why? It’s ‘cuz I approached her with no fear. I didn’t wuss out. But you? You wussed out a long time ago. And because of it, Kyoko fell for someone else. You’re never gonna ‘get the girl’ if you don’t show any initiative, man.”
“…”
Just then… “HEADS UP!!!”
“Huh?” Kazuto momentarily turns his attention to where the shout came from, and with a mighty thump… “Oof!” …the soccer ball connects with his face and sends him reeling onto the ground. Sitting upright on the concrete, Kazuto shouts profanities in pain. “God-DAMN, that hurts!!!”
“Ooh… That’ll leave a mark… You shouldn’t space out so much, Kazu…”
“Oh, shut the hell up, Kyoya!”
The two boys are then joined by Reiori herself. “Oh, man, I’m real sorry about that! You okay?”
Rising to his feet, Kazuto rubs the area on his face the ball had connected with and wipes away any blood that had trickled from his nose. “Y-Yeah… I’m alright.”, says Kazuto to Reiori.
“Sorry, I guess I kicked the ball too hard.”
“Hehe. It’s cool, really. I’ll be fine.”
Distracted by her guilt to notice Kyoya’s presence, Reiori finally turns to face him. “Oh, hey, Kyoya.”
“‘Sup, Reiori? We’re still on for this Friday, right?”
“Mm-hmm. Can’t wait.”
As he brushes the dust off his clothes, Kazuto watches the dialogue between Kyoya and Reiori. As he does so, he suddenly envisions himself and Kyoko -- a vision of how they looked before Shiro had entered their lives. “…”
At that moment, another player on the field calls out, “Hey, Rei-chan! C’mon, let’s get back to practice!”
“Right, sorry! Be right there, ‘kay?” Then, taking the soccer ball into her hands, Reiori says to Kyoya, “I should get back now. See ya later, Kyoya.”
“Sure. Later.”
With Reiori now gone, Kazuto looks over at Kyoya and says, “Hey, Kyoya. I think I’m gonna get goin’ now, alright? Shouldn’t keep my folks waiting.”
“Sure, no prob. Take it easy, Kazu.”
Finally turning his back on Kyoya and the soccer field, Kazuto tightly grasps his school bag and optimistically jogs in the direction of Chuo Park. But during his slow run, the words Kyoya had spoken to him would relentlessly ring in his head like last bell.
~*~*~*~
Xion household.
Shortly after arriving, Shiro and Kyoko had retired to Shiro’s bedroom and had gotten out their textbooks, notebooks, and pencils to complete their daily homework assignments. Yes, textbooks, notebooks, and pencils were indeed scattered about the room.
…But they certainly weren’t getting any homework done.
There, on the bed, the two were making out passionately, too lost in each other’s arms to concentrate on their work.
Tossing and turning.
Sighing and moaning.
Entangled in each other’s long hair.
Kyoko had her arms wrapped tightly around Shiro’s neck, exhaling moans of pleasure and ecstasy through her nose. Her lips pressed against his, her chest pressed against his, her legs twitching in excitement.
Shuffling his hands about, Shiro tenderly caresses Kyoko’s back, occasionally reaching up her shirt to feel her shuddering skin. His other hand moves up and down the back of her head, letting Kyoko’s soft golden hair run through his fingers. Then, in his haste to keep going, Shiro reaches down beneath Kyoko’s torso and begins to unfasten her skirt.
“!!!” Kyoko sensed what the white-haired boy was up to and pulled away from the kiss. “H-Hey, Shiro, not so fast…”
“But why not…?”, says Shiro, almost in a whine. “We’ve been going out for over a year now… Why can’t we…?”
“Hehehe… I told you, not until I’m ready…”
“But I’m ready… And with my parents out of town this week, we may never get another chance like this…”
“Oh, Shiro, you naughty boy… I know it’s painful to wait, but you’ll just have to hold it in a little longer…” Kyoko then begins to inch away, satisfied with their ‘session’…
…Shiro, however, wasn’t as satisfied as she was. Before Kyoko had a chance to move away, he pulls her back towards him, pressing his lips against hers and slowly pulling her skirt off.
“!!!” Forced to use her hands to push away from Shiro, Kyoko struggles to free herself of his grip. “L-Let go of me, Shiro!” Before long, the two would end up on opposing ends of the bed, short of breath. Tidying up her hair and straightening out her clothes, Kyoko rises to her feet and, without making eye contact with Shiro, says, “…I think I should go now.” Picking up her belongings, she makes her way towards the bedroom door.
At this point, Shiro was on his feet as well. With Kyoko’s back to him, he desperately wanted to speak out and apologize to her. But that isn’t what he did. Instead, Shiro closes his eyes for a moment, and when he reopens them…
…his deep crimson eyes shine a cool emerald green.
Then, opening his mouth to talk, Shiro whispers, “…Stop.”
And like that, Kyoko stops walking just short of the door.
“…Turn around.”
At Shiro’s command, Kyoko turns a full 180 degrees and gazes directly at him. Like him, her eyes shine a bright shade of green as well.
“…Come to me.”
Her arms falling lifelessly to her sides, Kyoko drops everything in her hands to the floor and slowly makes her way towards Shiro. She was unable to resist; a strange, unearthly power had overcome her.
“…Forgive me.”, whispers Shiro remorsefully…as he begins to remove Kyoko’s clothes.
~*~*~*~
Takeuchi household.
Kazuto is seen in his bedroom, sitting at his desk, completing his homework. A radio nearby plays assorted J-pop music. “And…there! Finished!” Feeling victorious with his triumph over homework, Kazuto closes his notebook, turns off the radio, and lets out a long yawn. Picking up his cell phone, Kazuto cycles through the menus to realize that he hadn’t any new voice mail or text messages, which he found a little out of the ordinary considering Shiro and Kyoko would always run crying to him for homework assistance. “…Ah, well.” He simply shrugs it off as a rare occurrence and rises to his feet. Walking over to his window, he grasps the curtains and gazes up at the sky, an ominous aura overwhelming him. “…Looks like it might rain tomorrow.”971
