Chapter nine: running part one

I bolted out of the school, no longer trying to keep in my emotions. Tears streamed down my cheeks and were lost in the torrent of rain that consumed the area in its onslaught. I could hear the school’s rent-a-cop and 2nd vice principle shouting after me, but I couldn’t have cared less. It wasn’t like I was ever going to see them again. So I just kept running until I couldn’t bear to run anymore. I collapsed to my knees and found myself to be somewhere in the woods that covered the area behind some of the back roads.

“Why?” I mumbled through my tears “Why now? … Dad …” I was so delirious w/ emotion, I didn’t even notice the soft crunch of breaking twigs drawing ever nearer my figure.

“Kazuma?” My head snapped up to see who could be wondering around out here at this time. What I saw was Yagiru. “Kazuma, are you alright?” He sounded worried.

“Yagiru. …” I sat up as I wiped the tears from my face, “What are you doing out here? You might get lost, or sick, or hurt, or something.” My efforts to wipe the tears from my face had become futile, as now I couldn’t tell the tears from the rain.

“Funny. ‘Cuz that’s exactly what Kiyo is worried might happen to you.” He said as he helped me to my feet and out of the mud I had been sitting in.

“Kiyo? How..” Yagiru held up a hand to silence me.

“Your friends – Rei and Akuyei – they knew something was wrong and the only person they could think to go to was Kiyo. Of course …” Yagiru’s face started to turn red, “What with your reaction to them, they thought that, well … Y’know, Kiyo umm..” He didn’t even need to finish. I knew what they thought.

“Shit. … Yagiru, what time is it?” I was still thinking about Rei. Why hadn’t she read my mind? It seemed to come naturally to her, whether she wanted it or not.

“I dunno. About three twenty, I suppose.” School would let out in ten minutes. I didn’t want to face Kiyo, but I knew I didn’t really have much of a choice now, since Yagiru had found me. “Kiyo really wants to see you. He should be home soon, so, you can come over for a while if you want.” I knew his invitation was more of a request than he made it seem.

I simply nodded, and let him lead me through the labyrinth of trees toward the home of Kiyo and Mirashai. It didn’t take near as long as I had expected to get to Kiyo’s house. Only about fifteen minutes really. By time we arrived, however, not only was Kiyo home, but Rei and Akuyei had come as well. I discovered this upon our entry.

“Kazuma! For the love of- Where the hell have you been?!” He looked absolutely terrified as he grabbed me by the shoulders. I could feel the tears welling up inside again, and I fought with everything I had to keep them back. “Kazuma?” Kiyo’s voice seemed to be getting softer and softer. I felt my knees buckle. And then it all went black.

Chapter nine: running part two

Just like that she fainted. Something must have been really wrong, if her automatic response to me was to shut down. I couldn’t do any thing but stare at her limp, mud-streaked body as it rested on my chest supported only by my arms. I could feel the water that covered her from face to foot soaking through my shirt. And yet it didn’t dawn on me to do anything about it until my brother, Mirashai cleared his throat – in disgust I think. “Umm … maybe we should get her something dry?” I asked as I peered over my shoulder to see Mira, Yagiru, and Kazuma’s two friends whom had accused me of something very vulgar. One of Kazuma’s friends raised and eyebrow, the other one glared at me. “ Right. Mira?”

“ I’ll get the clothes, but I am not changing her.” He then walked off toward my room, most likely to get one of my “older” outfits to give her. All I hoped was that he didn’t get one that was too old. I looked down at Kazuma again. She appeared to be asleep.

“Any idea why she might be avoiding you?” asked one of Kazuma’s friends. Her voice was like ice, and it made my skin crawl. She had the air of someone who knew something about you that you yourself didn’t even know. Something incriminating. I looked at her.

“ Not the slightest.” I had already found it near impossible to look her straight in the eye, so I stared at her forehead instead. I knew I looked worried … and scared. I knew she knew it, too. At this point, Mira came back in with a worn pair of jeans and a faded long-sleeve shirt. The girl I had just recently been talking to stretched out her hand for the clothing, while the other came up to me to receive Kazuma.

“Now leave.” Ordered the one who made my skin crawl. “I will not allow male eyes to observe.” She glanced toward Yagiru. “That means you, too, goat boy.” At her command we all exited and went to my room.

In Kiyo’s room

“Whatcha think they’re gonna do?” asked Yagiru as he clipped his hoof over the waste basket. This, as usual, disgusted Mira, who folded back his ears and glared at him. Once we had made to my room we had all stopped trying to look human. Mira and I had let our ears and tails show, while Yagiru let himself grow into his real body – which was like an older, larger version of his restrained form.

“I have no idea, change her into dry clothing for sure, but otherwise I don’t know.” I shook my head and gave a bit of a heaved sigh. “What do you think, Mira?”

“Hmm…” He was looking out the window into the rain, something he didn’t do often. Usually it meant something significant, the last time he did it was … well, a very long time ago. It was the last time he had feelings for a girl. I was genuinely confused, it couldn’t be Kazuma, he hated her, so … who?

“Mira? …” He turned away from the window, all traces of the consumed look he had before were gone now, and his attention was on my words.

“What?” He didn’t like having to wait, so I didn’t keep him doing so.

“You’re staring at the rain. What do you see?” a streak of red slowly played its way across his bronze face. And I believe his was caught a little off guard by this question.

“No one – I mean Nothing! Urm..” He had broken into a full-fledged blush now. Yagiru and myself couldn’t help but crack up laughing. This greatly angered Mira, who pounced on the both of us, sending us into a pile atop my bed w/ Mira crouching over the both of us, when who should walk in but Kazuma’s creepy friend (the one that made my skin crawl) .

“Oh my.” She seemed taken aback at the sight of the three of us on my bed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I’d be interrupting anything. I’ll just come back later.” She said as she ducked her head to hide a blush. I noticed Mira’s blush was back, as he jumped off of us and called her back.

“Wait! It’s not like that, Rei!” What the? He knew her name? How – What the hell was going on? “ I just got a little mad, okay? It doesn’t change things.” He had her by the arm now. She looked up at him and searched his eyes.

“I suppose” she said with a sigh, “Kiyo, Kazuma woke up, you should go see her, she needs to tell you something.” Yagiru, of course, took this the wrong way.

“Kiyo! When did you?!?” Once I understood what he was talking about, I – as well - broke out in blush.

“Shut up Yagiru!” I yelled at him and stalked out of my room toward the den. I found Kazuma and her other friend sitting on the sofa in the den. They were talking about something and both seemed upset. “Kazuma?” I asked tentatively.

“Kiyo … you forgot to put your ears up.” I noticed then that she had been crying.

“No I didn’t, I don’t think I should have to hide things around you.” I took this opportunity to glare back at Mira, who was now embracing Kazuma’s friend, Rei. “Mira sure doesn’t” This got a laugh out of her. “Anyway, you had something to tell me?”

“Yeah ... about that” Her wavering smile had disappeared now, and I figured this must also have been the cause of all the sadness that had become seemingly contagious while we had been in my room. “Kiyo, Zoshi and I .. we …we’re moving .. to .. N-new York … City.” All this while she had been trying to hold back her tears, but now they flowed like the rain outside our home. I was dumbstruck. Upon hearing this news, I sank down on the sofas next to Kazuma, who now was sobbing into her palms, and wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

“Oh my god…” I could think of anything else to say. ”Kazuma … You can’t … I l-“ The front door burst open in a gust of wind and a tall woman with long black hair came in through it and shut the door behind her. She quickly unwound the scarf she wore from around her face and neck.

“Kazuma! Thank God!” The woman grabbed Kazuma by the arms, and looked into her awestruck eyes. “Hatoshi called. “ She turned to me “turn on the evening news” and then turned back to Kazuma. There was something desperate in her voice that made me want to do what she said. That and the fact that she looked like a black-haired clone of Kazuma.

“Zoshi? What are-“ Kazuma began, grabbing the woman by her arms as well.

‘Kazuma …’ She interrupted, searching her face, “Kazuma, they found dad.” As soon as I turned on the news, a gory image flashed across the screen and something the reporter said made all the color drain out of my face.

“Kazuma?” Both she and Zoshi turned to look a me. “What is your father’s name?” I asked pointing to the television screen.