Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ kira.kira ❯ chapter two ( Chapter 2 )

.∙-*| kira kira : a Japanese onomatopoeia used to describe the twinkling of the stars |*-∙.

Thanks to: Joanna (=3), Jet (:D), Pink Bunny (:o]), Makoto Kudou (XD thanks for the pocky!), Fierysable (>:P), TalonSage (=D), Rosethorn ([=), and Ami-chan (*_* evil fiend!) for reviewing the last chapter. :3 I was surprised and happy to read your kind words!

A/N: at bottom

Warnings/Disclaimer: see prologue

-thoughts-

kira.kira

by Koyuki Aode

Chapter 2

"Hana no no, no no hana, hana no na, na-a-ani… Ara! Nagi-kun." My young aunt's footfalls stopped at the door. The fibers of her character rustled and the floorboards creaked at the place where her weight settled.

"Fuyu-chan…" I murmured. I looked up from my mirror, hoping the sensation in my face was a smile. "Nervous tonight? I'm sorry…"

A quick, concentrated "nazunananohananamonai" slipped out in a whisper before she smiled comfortingly, the clean lines of her face settling in a serene expression. "It's only because you bested my lines before my cue…" she sang in her high, tinkling voice.

I nodded silently, thinking that the verdant shimmers of her kimono were a comforting apparition of spring. "But-" one of her long sleeves reached for my forehead and brushed my hair away, "-Your regret stirs for another reason."

Moisture seeped from the cloth in my hand. I'd watched from the wings as the night's play continued with no further excitement and four empty theater seats, one in particular looking as empty as I felt inside. Fate liked to toy with my imagination, conjuring situations of all types for my father, myself, and for Crawford.

"No." In attempt to brush the matter aside, I looked back at the large mirror before me and began to wipe my face clean. Inside, I knew the tactic would not work. 'Kaasan's sister, ten years her junior, was a bright, eccentric 25-year-old who swore she had the power to read minds.

I did not consider this at first, but the coincidences could be shocking.

"It is not fair that you lie," my aunt said, her voice as soft as her palm against my nose. A candy-like vanilla scent wafted from the confines of her sleeve.

I paused in my actions and considered telling her about 'Tousan's problem, which my mind was slowly working at as my own dilemma. Then her hand departed. When I looked up, my father was ushering Fuyu to the stage.

Clouds gathered and filled his face and an intense gravity locked his gaze with mine, which made me more nervous than the businessman's strange expression.

"Do not tell anyone," he reminded, "Not even your mother."

My eyes leaped back to the mirror. "Is it that terrible?" I asked calmly, tapping at the lines of my left eye, "Don't you want her to help you?…"

My father shook his head, surprising me for the first time in my kabuki life with a sense of doubt. He had not the strength to voice it, the only doubt he'd ever have toward his faithful partner. I love her too much, his eyes said, while his face twisted with worries behind me. "I'm sorry you became a part of this."

He rubbed one of his knuckles along my clean cheek, and I stopped wiping my face.

Again, moisture cascaded over my fingers. "…It was my fault, 'Tousan," a sudden eruption in my mind made my words tremble in the air like fresh butterflies. "I'm very sorry…" I added. I wanted to bury my face into the ground and hide from the world.

Immediately the show of affection was erased from memory. 'Tousan's hands braced my shoulders and his voice grew bold. "Do not let the worry become you. I would not sell you," he said, frowning as if there was more he could not articulate. "You are worth more than any sum of yen…"

"Saa…"

I did not think to pry into the origins of the debt, because it would have been rude. All I was left to wonder was…

"It would help, wouldn't it?" My voice sounded smaller than I felt under his sudden scowl.

"Don't think about it anymore. Concentrate on tomorrow's play."

"But… If I went with him… Half of your debt…"

"I said-"

"It's so easy, 'Tousan!" I lowered my eyes, cursing my quick mouth. ".. Why can't I help you?"

'Tousan looked at me, a sudden tight knot of pity and sympathy seemed to have settled in him. "Nagi-kun… Takaguchi is a very lonely man…"

"Then… he wouldn't hurt me, would he? It would just be like moving for me…" I was so confused, not knowing why me having another father would be such a terrible price to help my current 'Tousan. "All he wants is company," I said softly. "I know how that feels."

He did not know what to say. The moment was a reflection of my own naivete.

His kimono rustled as he walked through the door, his voice tight as his fists. "Study your lines."

*

My siblings were frigid without knowing the truth of that night.

They had other reasons to hate me. Like the fact that their blood wasn't in my veins.

When I was seven-years-old, Yuichi and Yuuko Fujihara found me sleeping outside a small rural theater in an alley I called Bed. They nearly dropped the box of stage decorations they were carrying to a moving truck, in the midst of a traveling tour, and asked where my parents were. I told them my parents were supposed to pick me up the night before and asked them what city I was in.

With three children of their own, the couple was compelled not leave me that way.

So I was lured into the world of theater, with the promise of food, shelter, and family. Two of these I was grateful for, but the last left me with bruises in places where no one would think to look.

It seemed that my new older brothers were constantly angry with me, angry at an affection bestowed upon me with no effort on my part. Despite that I was ahead in my studies, I needed help applying makeup before a show, I could not choose my own costume, and I was slow in remembering actions - not even lines, but simple actions, which were key to 'Tousan's plays. Not to mention my stage fright. During free time, rather than rehearsing or dreaming up my own plays, I would read books and teach myself English. I was the runt who needed the most attention and discipline, and I received it constantly.

In taking me in, the Fujiharas had given me their name and the honor of their legacy. Haruki and Natsumare felt I deserved neither.

I did not blame them. It was my price to pay for accepting a new life.

"What kind of moron are you?" said Haruki. His voice was low to avert attention, but still echoed like a ghost through the hall. "You almost destroyed everything. Why couldn't you remember a single line?"

The first day of 'Tousan's deadline was nearly over, and my thoughts never strayed from that direction.

I struggled to apologize through Natsumare's grip, thinking I would never hear his voice again as the fire in my chest ached to be released. My palms slid against the surface behind me, wishing for anything to grab that wasn't Haruki or Natsumare. If they felt that I would fight them, I had no chance at all.

"Well?" Natsumare shook me.

-Can't… breathe…-

I felt my tears pool where Natsumare's hand met my throat. The wall was hard against my back, and the pain in my head from impact was numbed with the star-studded darkness descending on my mind.

Haruki's baby-face features were set in an eerie calm as he leaned forward. I was staring at a clown's etched smile. "I think he's having trouble breathing." Watching his beautiful anger always made me sad.

A thought stumbled around my head - pushing past the dancing speckles - that Crawford with his gun was less likely to take my life than these two.

At the very moment, 'Kaasan's voice and footsteps echoed in the hallway. "Nagi-kun?"

I was free again, coughing and gulping air as two hands rushed my descent to the floor. One of the hands jumped to my hair and pulled roughly. "Breathe without words," Haruki hissed.

Just as 'Kaasan appeared, the hand relaxed and rubbed my hair down. Someone helped me into a sitting position.

"Haru, Natsu…?" 'Kaasan implored, holding a bouquet of flowers.

"I think Nagi's sick," said Natsumare softly, in a voice that could make me melt if I'd never known him. It made me wonder at the advantages of being a trained actor. "He's been like this for five minutes."

'Kaasan frowned with sympathy as she reached down to feel my forehead as I scrubbed at my cheeks with my sleeve. "Dou…? What's happened?" she murmured.

Haruki's grip lingered on my shoulder. I gulped, still holding my hand to my throat. There was an earthquake in my chest. "Last night... it was very cold…"

"Yes, he might have what Shizuru has," Natsumare nodded.

"Kawaisou… [1]" A small comforting smile crossed 'Kaasan's lips and she offered the bouquet to me. "These came for you, Nagi-kun. You have a fan."

I glanced down and saw "nagi" written in katakana on the envelope.

"Let your brothers help you to bed," my mother continued, "And get some rest, all right? We need you to perform those lines again." She rubbed my head, then Haruki and Natsumare's shoulders affectionately, and "Jaa!" left quickly to continue her duties as our group leader's wife.

"Che," Haruki snorted, grabbing the flowers from me just as I pulled the card envelope from its plastic contraption. "Someone out there doesn't realize how stupid you are."

I croaked with dismay. "Haruki, please-"

"You don't deserve these." Natsumare took the flowers and slammed them into the floor before bringing his shoe down roughly over the blooms. "If you repeat last night," he continued fiercely, "That will be you." Then, feeling satisfied, he nodded to Haruki and they left me to clean up the mess.

I waited to hear the door slam before crawling over to the thrashed petals, pink and yellow silk mangled in death. I'd never received flowers and thought they were still so beautiful.

Examining the twisted stems with my fingers, I found something hidden within them. My heart leaped as I pulled the all too familiar object from the bouquet and flicked my wrist.

As it opened on my command, I saw that it was indeed my fan from the troubling night. It clattered to the floor as I hurriedly pulled the card out.

My hands shook with a knowledge lost to my mind.

-I thought you might need this.-

There was no name, but I felt I knew to whom the clean handwriting belonged.

[tbc]

[1] kawaisou = "that's terrible"

A/N: Well I'm in college now, so it'll be difficult for me to pull all-nighters as I tire easily between classes, homework, and work. X_X But I'll do my best. ^_^ As for the lemon/lime issue.. well… ¬.¬ don't tempt my muses. Gah, I promised a certain FS and YoYotan that this fic would only be four parts and that I'd continue PYG. But we know that's not really gonna happen. XDDDD *dodges attacks* I WAS JUST KIDDING!.. *runs away* FOO! ;_;