Fan Fiction ❯ Hikari no Yume ❯ Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A New Light

 

Morning arrived shortly after and Hikari stood in front of a large structure. The center was rounded and had two long-looking rectangular buildings branching out from it. There was surely more behind it. It wasn't breathtaking. Quite boring actually, being merely white with black windows that could not be seen through from her current side.

 

“It looks like an egg…” Hikari mumbled glancing at it, one eyebrow raised. She shrugged off the looks and stepped up to the building. This is where she would find out about her father. Presently that was the most important thing right now. Someone in here could surely answer her questions.

With new found determination Hikari raised her hand to pull on the steel handle that held to the door. Before she could even touch it, the door clicked.

Sooner than she could even react the door flung open hitting her forehead, sent her back and onto the ground quite ungracefully. She moaned and cradled her forehead with her hand. Why did the door just open like that?!

 

“I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there,” A voice said. It was calming and quite young. “Are you alright?”

 

When Hikari lifted her head she realized that a man stood over her holding a hand out. He was quite handsome actually. He had medium length black hair, looking like it was cut unevenly and yet still professional, if that's possible. He looked not a bit over twenty, an embarrassed yet beautiful smile adorning his face. Hikari instantly blushed from her own embarrassment. Her words came out shakily.

 

“Oh! Yea, I'm fine!”

 

“That's good to hear,” he said soothingly. “You surprised me…” Suddenly his eyes scanned her over and a knowing look became present on his features. “Ah! You must be Hikari-chan am I right?” His smile never faded.

 

“Yes, that's right!” Hikari replied happy that she didn't have to introduce herself so awkwardly. She was glad she called the company the night before.

 

“How's your father? Everyone is quite worried,” He said motioning her welcomingly into the building. Hikari's smile faltered. She looked down timidly.

 

“Uh… the nurses said it might take him a while to recover… but he is getting better…” her voice trailed off. However she looked up quickly regaining her composure. “Do you know what happened to him?!”

 

“Well-,” Suddenly a beeping sound came up from above. Hikari's head shot up and through a speaker a voice said,

 

“Kojiro-san, please report to lab room 01 immediately.”

 

Kojiro turned to Hikari with an apologetic smile, “I'm sorry could you excuse me? I'll be back in a few minutes.” Hikari looked down disappointedly. “Please feel free to look around, since it seems you've never been here.” He said hurriedly taking off. Hikari didn't get a chance to get a word in.

 

“Ah… ok…” She said to herself practically since he was already gone. Hikari looked around her. She was in a lobby. It was a round room with chairs and couches along the wall to her right. A wooden door stood on the wall next to that one. In front of her was a desk with a woman excessively writing down notes on a document. To her left were metal stairs; the black-haired man had gone up those. And right between the desk and the stairs were two steel double-doors. Hikari looked at them curiously.

She folded her arms to her chest shyly. It felt awkward just standing there. She glance at the doors again and then to the woman at the desk. The woman glanced up and gave her a warm smile. Hikari bowed slightly feeling a bit nervous but before she even finished the woman had already begun to write things down again.

 

The room was too quiet and Hikari was becoming bored. Who knew how long the blacked-haired man would be gone. He seemed but; he was leaving when she arrived. He must have a lot of work to do. Hikari sighed and walked towards the steel doors. She placed a hand one their cool surface and then pushed them open. `He did say I was free to look around' she thought as she stepped in.

As soon as she entered the woman at the desk pushed a button on her ear piece. “Sir? The girl is going into the lab, Kojiro-san SAID she could look around but…”

 

“It's fine… I'll meet her there.” A voice said smoothly through the earpiece.

 

“Very well sir.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Hikari went through a short hallway and through another pair of steel doors. They were heavy and hard to open. She found herself in a very dark room. Although she couldn't see, she could tell the room was very spacious.

 

“It's so dark….” She mumbled squinting in attempts to see what was in this room. It smelt clean, but it also had a very lonely and empty feel to it. She shivered slightly from the coolness in the air.

 

“Yes… we usually keep the lights off in this room.” A voice sounded from behind her. She couldn't help but let out a yelp. Hikari turned to see a person right behind her. She jumped back involuntarily. “My apologies, I didn't mean to startle you…” She finally got a better view of the person now that there were dim lights illuminating the room.

It was a male. He was taller than her but not quite as tall as the black-haired man. However he was indeed gorgeous. He had shoulder length, straight and silky umber hair; almost a pale brown. His eyes were a piercing amber color. Beautiful. He wore a mid-thigh length white lab jacket with almond colored pants. He looked about to be around twenty-seven, a very good-looking twenty-seven year old…

 

`Is everyone who works here so good looking?!' Hikari thought feeling her face turn red. She considered it for a moment. `Well that's not completely true… my dad works here…' she mused to herself.

 

“I hear that your father is recovering? That's good news.” He said interrupting her thoughts. She felt a certain calmness come over her the more he spoke.

 

“uh, yes… um, do you know what happened?” She asked hoping to be more successful with this man. He smiled sadly at her and put a hand to her shoulder reassuringly.

 

“Yes… there was an accident with the project we've been working on...,” he walked past her towards a very large structure that was now visible to her. It was a large metal tank of some sort; blackish silver in color and very sturdy looking. Many cables and wires came from the top and the back. There was also a large console with many buttons that just screamed expensive. Not something you should let children near, that's for sure.

 

“Project…?” Hikari asked with curiosity positively forming in her voice. The handsome man stopped when he was just a few feet in front of the consol and looked up at the huge form.

 

“H.A.R.P. Human Ailment Recovery Project… we've been working on it for thirteen years…” he said. Soon he began to type on a large keypad. “Would you like to see it?” He asked with a small smile.

 

“Huh? Yea of course!” she said shyly. His eyes flashed to hers and then to the consol. He pushed a rectangular button and mechanical noises began to ring in her ears. She took a step back when she noticed the large structure starting to open.

Slowly, very slowly, the middle of the tank exposed itself. Bluish light broke through the small crevice opening and grew as the sliding machinery went further around the large cylinder. Hikari could only gasp. Her eyes went wide as a figure became visible. A beautiful boy was curled up in the small tank of strange liquid.

 

His face was pale; white almost and just as white was his hair. However, he looked old enough to still be in high school. He was almost angelic… someone you wouldn't… shouldn't be able to see in reality. At least not like this. Many tubes and cords ran down from the inside the tank and were running through his skin. He could possibly breathe through the small mask that was placed directly over his mouth and nose. It was sickening to see someone like that and it made Hikari's stomach turn.

 

“wh-what is this?” she breathed uneasily.

 

“It is our most important employee…” said the handsome… but to Hikari, now cruel man.

 

“How can you do something like this to a person?!” She turned defiantly to him. Uncertainty and confusion blazed in her blue orbs. He looked down at her with a small, weak and unconfident smile.

 

“It's easier if you don't think of it as a human.” Hikari could only look at him, bewildered by his words. `It? But he is human isn't he?' Hikari thought to herself shakily. “Please don't think we're doing an illicit action. We had this project authorized by the government. Even it's… last family member chose this…” His voice was distant; almost sad. Hikari calmed down a bit. Not that it was at all ok.

 

“Oh…” she murmured halfheartedly. `But still…,' she thought desolately. `Did he have a say in this…?' Hikari suddenly got a chill as she looked up at the boy. His eyes slowly opened and Hikari could only jump back in astonishment. His eyes were dark crimson; a beautiful deep red. His face complimented the beauty of his eyes flawlessly. It was too much. Hikari could feel her cheeks turn pink at the sight.

 

“H-He's looking at me!” She said nervously taking a place beside the other handsome man. Was there no escape from all the hotness?! The man chuckled, obviously amused by Hikari's actions.

 

“Don't be alarmed. Heh, it can feel your sympathy from you,” The smile soon faded from his lips, “… though… you should try to avoid such feelings… they distract it… and well…” Suddenly they both noticed that the boy in the tank had his eyes on something else besides them. They followed his gaze and looked behind them and saw, which Hikari remembered, was the black haired guy who had smacked her with the door. Her hand went to her forehead subconsciously. However, she noticed that he looked distraught about something.

 

“Sir! The subject… It should be resting. We'll be doing more research tomorrow so…”

 

“Ah, yes, my apologies,” The light-haired man ran a hand through his hair and turned to the consol. He didn't pay any mind to the red eyes that were locked on to him. Hikari couldn't figure out what was going on. Suddenly though, he pushed a button and the boy's features abruptly became pained like… as if he was being hurt.

 

“H-hey! What are you doing to him?” Hikari asked with a worried expression. She took a step towards him uneasily. The man chuckled again, but more sadly.

 

“I merely put it to sleep… no need to worry…” He said quietly.

 

“B-but…” Hikari's voice fell short. `He was in pain…'

 

“I'll take her out sir. Please, come with me Hikari,” He held a welcoming hand with a warm smile. Hikari nodded and unwillingly allowed him to guide her out of the large and strange room leaving the other planted in front of the now sleeping boy in the tank.

 

He stared up at the boy sadly, almost… apologetically and placed a hand on the cool exterior of the glass. He closed his eyes and wearily rested his forehead on the surface.

 

 

 

 

(a/n: Sorry if the whole “boy” “guy” and “man” thing confused anyone. They will all be introduced in the next chapter… seriously… hopefully it didn't puzzle you TOO much… ^^;)