Gomen Nasai...
" Raihachu? "
Oh! I'm trying to apologise to the Raiha rooters. To say the truth,
i'm the traitor of both parties.
" Chu? "
Well, basically, i like Fuuko being paired with the 2 handsome people.
What to do? I want Fuuko to get the best of everything!!
" Rai... "
Yeah. Well, let's stop the crap though. On with the show!!

With her long, violet fringe falling delicately onto her eyes, her sharp, beautiful face radiated a soft light as she passed the halogen lights in the silent corridors.

It was slightly dark now, about 7. Fuuko walked briskly through the polished floorings, with her brown leather boots echoing the cold and sullen place. Fuuko tugged her jet-black file out from her maroon canvas bag, and flipped through the clear file, revealing lines of ebony notes and small printed words in it. Humming softly, but tunefully, she sang the choir's latest selection, she continued to saunter towards her destination.

As she walked, strings of thoughts slowly wound through her mind. A faint, blurry image of a figure slowly came into her mind. It was Yuichi, with his warm and vivid smile, extending his long arms.

Fuuko closed her eyes and shook that thought which clenched a knot in her stomach away. For many times, she had been thinking of him. She felt scared and anxious, wondering what was wrong with her. For many times, Fuuko had restrained her inward feelings that had haunted her everytime she talked with Yuichi. Nowadays, as weeks flew by, they had gotten together rather closely, with each time they spent together in class, she felt her heart being tugged closer to his, and she felt his, too, was pulled nearer into her. Afraid, she tried suppressing her emotions to him. But, with each of his warm, precious smile, they somehow reached into her heart.  With a dubious expression, she couldn't understand why she haboured these thoughts.

Stop it, Kirisawa! What are you conceiving? I've got Mikagami already! What more do i want??

She thought fumblingly, as if someone had nettled her.

But then, all her furrowed eyebrows and angry expression slowly eased as Yuichi again appeared in her mind... which came in as mysterious as a mist. The glitter in his dark eyes shone the utmost gentleness and elegance. His smile, as if it could sing, was tuneful with his mellow, soothing voice. His gaze was not icy, but was full of compassion, love, and concern. Then suddenly, his face, with a candid, sure smile, mapped with Tokiya's, that was, with Tokiya smiling serenely upon her mind, thus earning a gasp from the flustered girl.

Stop it, you fool!!

Fuuko exiled the foolish fantasies away in her as she increased her pace, from a stroll into a sprint. Clutching her bag and her raven-black file tighter, she ran.

Mikagami... how can i do this to you? Help me!

----

She slid the heavy metal, pale green door away, revealing a clean, tidied music room. The room broad, with the lights pouring into the room. The chamber was empty, reigned with silence.

Fuuko sighed heavily and plopped herself onto a wooden bench, placing her belongings beside her. She leaned herself towards the front, with her ands on her cheeks, supported in her thighs. Her mind was unable to banish the forbidden reflections about Yuichi. Indeed, somehow, the good-looking Eurasian had stole a place in her heart. Small or large, she couldn't determine. She had spotted once or twice witnessing him helping people, especially the disabled and the elderly. With each glance, she would see him smiling and laughing, with mirth and jubilation.

And numerous of times, she saw his eyes flickering towards her, setting his mystic eyes upon her.

Then, a sudden flash of Tokiya's image dawned upon her. Tokiya... was different. From every global angle, he would still be the same, cold, sullen, icy, and glacial. His emotions and expressions hardly revealed openly, as if strings of harness held onto his heart tightly. Indeed, she knew that Tokiya loved her, and so did she... but was it for replacement? Substitution? Of... his sister??

No...

Fuuko told herself firmly, with sweat trickling down silently.

Mikagami told me that i had took my stand in his heart, and never had i was being replaced by his beloved sister... he wouldn't---

Suddenly, a crystalline sound reached her coral-shaped ears, cutting off anymore thoughts. It was the sound of a piano. Frowning, she edged nearer to the source, which was in the next room. As the door creaked open, the gentle flow of music poured into her ears.

"Swan Lake... by Tchaikovsky..."

Fuuko muttered, as she scrutinized the room. There, placed an elegant, magnificent jet black grand piano, emitting the heavenly tunes from the talented composer. Her sky blue eyes peered cautiously at the figure behind the piano, who was moving flowingly with the music. Her eyes widened as she caught the face of the stranger.

"Yuichi?"

She whispered softly under her breath. From afar, she saw how gently and professionally his fingers glided through the bed of ivory and ebony. Stroking them with emotions, the euphonic tunes of 'Swan Lake' flowed through her ears. In her mind, she felt as if she's in the story, wearing a flowing dress of pure white, dancing carefreely near the lake under the glistening moon. With each swan slowly transforming into elegant maidens, they began to waltz under the brilliance of the still moon. Then, as he came to the climax of the composition, the youth closed his large brown eyes, and began to jam the chords,
creating an air of tension. His chestnut head bobbed perpendicularly with expression, as his fingers worked furiously on the keyboard.

Slowly, the dramatic song nose-dived back into a serene tone, with the lingering keys, slowly lead to the end of the music. Sighing heavily, Yuichi pulled himself back from the piano, ruffling his silky brown hair with his fingers. Then, he caught something at a corner of his almond shaped eyes. With a grin, he stood up, and walked towards Fuuko, who was rooted onto the ground, mesmerized by the harmonious music he had just played.

"Fuuko? What are you doing here?"

Fuuko shook herself into reality. Catching his friendly gaze, she felt an unnerving knot within her stomach.

"I'm suppose to ask you! This is the choir room, what are you doing here?" Fuuko asked, as he inched closer to her. Under the soft lights, she felt that they seem to portray his fine features better.

Fuuko slapped herself mentally as she turned her fixed gaze away from the tall young adult. With a chortle, he chirped rather in a childlike voice,

"Waiting for the rest to get here, of course!"

The vivacious, bubbly girl with bright eyes narrowed them into a pensive, questionable expression.

"Waiting for the rest?"

Needless to say, her questions were answered right away. Just as she had finished her sentence, a clear voice called out, as the metal door slid open, revealing a middle aged woman with glossy black hair, flecked with several strands of grey. Behind her were a large group of undergraduates, with a majority of girls more than boys. There was hubbub within the group of choir members, as they looked at him with curiosity. Flashing her a grin, Yuichi went towards their choir-mistress, and declared,

"Hello everyone! My name is Yuichi and i'm new here. Please tolerate my ignorance!"

With her mouth slightly parted, she uttered a word of amazement as their choir-mistress, Madm. Potts, an Irish, clapped her hands loudly. With a foreign, Irish accent, she said,

"Settle down, everyone!" The din made my the students fell at once. Turning her aged, ashen face towards the youth full of energy, she continued, "Now, Yuichi, i would want to hear your voice, so things would be easier for me."

Yuichi's face suddenly contorted with surprise. With widened eyes, he pointed to himself, stammering was it really necessary. Madm. Potts rolled her eyes. Fuuko gave a lazy lop-sided grin.

Hadn't he known?? Fuuko thought, rolling her eyes upwards.

Madm. Potts was infamous for her low tolerance limit and low patience level.

Slowly, the violet haired lass glided to his side, with her hands covering part of her mouth and his ear. The small corner of Yuichi's lips twitched with surprise and anticipation. Fuuko clenched her teeth to make her voice almost inaudible.

"Look, Madm. Potts will kind of throw you out if you don't have the voice. Good luck!"

Fuuko hissed into his ears, and immediately Yuichi began to cower with fear. With dilated eyes, he gazed into Fuuko's with much apprehension. With a small smirk, she slapped his back, as a sign of encouragement. Nodding apprehensively, he cleared his throat. With a small tremble, he said,

"Er... can i start?"

Madm. Potts' threatening scowl made him clam up his lips. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he parted his lips and began to sing.

His deep, powerful alto voice filled the room, as it traveled in tendrils into everyone's ears. It wrapped slowly... but powerfully in their minds. Soon, everyone stopped stirring even their pace of breathing slowed. With his malted chocolate hair shimmering in the lights, his mahogany eyes twinkled brilliantly, his voice seemed to colour the song more vividly than any other. His voice was like a brush... painting intense, vivacious colours filled with emotions onto the composition of Beethoven's Choral.

Yuichi...

Then, she found herself gazing into his brown eyes. She found an unexplainable feeling deep within her heart. Without warning, again, his image mapped into Tokiya's, and it seemed to be the lean Ensui wielder smiling, pouring out with expressiveness.

But she didn't care. Her mind was blank, without an aim. Every inch of her mind was occupied by his singing. She was mesmerized by his tuneful, delicate voice.

Eyes widened into huge saucers, and popped up from their sockets. Their jaw fell apart. All their faces had the same features, with their mouths gapping at the music virtuoso. Fuuko was no different from the others. Her world seemed to stop turning, stopped stirring, and all her thoughts in her mind vanished. All in her mind contained was his euphonious voice that shot with radiance.

Even Madm. Potts fell silent. Her grey brows shot upwards and her pale eyes gazed at Yuichi, as if he was a Martian.

Then, he stopped. With a sure, positive smile, he asked whimsically.

"So... did i get to enter?"

Madm. Potts looked as if she could kiss him. Flashing a huge, jovial grin, she was totally different from her previous grim, unfriendly demeanor. Now, Madm. Potts looked as if she was Yuichi's beloved nanny, as she sang praises which made Yuichi flush in a hue of dark red. It seemed that Yuichi had earned a title of changing a ferocious tigress into a purring, harmless kitten.

Then, he turned his gaze towards the silent figure, standing on one corner, with her eyes staring into space aimlessly. As if his gaze triggered her back to reality, she fluttered her previous still blue eyes, and met his. At that instant, Yuichi smiled, with his eyes crinkled in a slant. Fuuko's heart skipped a beat once more. Yuichi indeed looked extraodinary handsome when he smiled.

Oblivious to the warnings cautioning her within her heart, her taut face broke into a positive, elated smile.

----

"You sure have the voice, Yuichi!" Fuuko commented, as he placed her slender hands behind her. Yuichi smiled warmly, and ruffled his crop of brown hair, which glimmered in the lights.

The eye-opening session of choir had finally ended. Soon after the furious bombardment of questions from the fellow members, Yuichi was more than glad when Fuuko shooed them off and grabbed him out of the doorway.

It was already dark outside, and as the duo stepped out of the building, the stars above them twinkled like millions of diamonds studded onto a piece of ever-flowing velvet. Yuichi closed his eyes and inhaled the fresh, cool air.

"Wow... i love this sky..." Yuichi whispered in his euphonic voice, sounding placatory as he tilted his head towards the nightly skies. Fuuko grinned.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Fuuko remarked casually, placing her hands into her pockets. Yuichi turned his face back to her, and nodded, showing a smile filled with warmth. Suddenly, she found her gaze locked into his as if their gaze were chained up together. She then saw his delicate face turning into a beautiful hue of red as he looked away.

"Well, i guess i better go back now. How about you?" Yuichi fumbled good-naturedly, as he smoothed the crinkles off his cotton sweater. Fuuko began to spin her head, as if she was looking for someone.

Indeed she was. She tried to spot a tall, lean figure with a crop of silky silvery blue hair which glimmer with the softest light.

Dammit... he's late... Fuuko thought, as she wrung and unwrung her wrist. Yuichi's brow shot upwards, looking at her with curiosity.

"Fuuko?"

Shaking her head, Fuuko spun back towards him, shrugging.

"Let's go then, Yuichi! I guess he's not coming."

With an arched brow, Yuichi nodded, and both of them walked away, strolling down the path that led to the apartments.

----

A while later, a figure came running towards the spot they had just stalled. The youth was gasping for air, with his messy hair untied, falling down onto his back, contrasting his light coloured hair with his black clothing.

He kept on looking at his leather strapped watch nervously, and gasped for air.

"Dammit... i'm late..." He uttered, as he stood still, placing his hands into his pockets.

Tokiya's blue eyes darting everywhere, hoping to find Fuuko. To his dismay, he didn't. Narrowing his eyes, he bit a small corner of his lip.

Where did that imp go?? Tokiya's heart pounded as he walked briskly down the path. His instinct told him that he should find that girl immediately and explain his reasons. A picture of her in deep fury, showing an omen of inescapable forces for all mortals struck into his mind, as he shuddered with fear.

He walked absent-mindedly down the path, with his head full of thoughts and unbroken puzzles. He did not understand what was the feeling beneath him whenever he saw Yuichi. Somehow, he felt a tinge of anger when Fuuko started to talk about him. Tokiya just could not figure what was the shattering sensation within him and the tight wrench whenever he saw the jaunty Eurasian down the hallway, stopping over to chat with Fuuko.

Fuuko....

He stopped, as his world stopped swirling. He found recollections on occasions whereby both of them chatted together. The gaze in her eyes... the smile formed between her cheeks... was different. Tokiya could sense a hidden form of vivacity within her as she spoke. Her tone was as light as the petals of a flower, sweeping gently with the soft breeze. Then... it was Yuichi's turn, a twinkle of merriment in his enchanting copper eyes, filled with secret admiration and love....

Tokiya gulped and swallowed the thick lump in his throat. He closed his eyes and clasped his chest with his left hand. His palm was pale and clammy.

His heart hurled with agony as he stooped down, with his frail hair dancing with the nightly winds.

What is this?? Mikagami Tokiya? What is this painful sensation in me, burning away?

Beads of cold sweat trickled down from his forehead, as he covered his ashen face with his cold hands.

Suddenly, he heard laughter. Familiar laughter. Unknowingly, he walked towards tall hedges and stood there silently, looking intently at the figures far in front. His marine eyes widened as he began to recognize these strangers.

Fuuko? Yuichi?

There they were, walking down the brick path leading to the apartments. On their faces, they told a million words to the vexatious youth as he gritted his teeth with immeasurable anger and fury.

Images of his wild imagination began to fill his usual calm mind. Images of Yuichi and Fuuko, laughing, smiling, embracing, whispering...

The duo was strolling away slowly, with one hand clutching at the file, Fuuko pointed into the night skies, with her face lit up with happiness. Yuichi returned her smile, and said something humourous that made Fuuko burst out into a hearty laughter.

Tokiya suddenly felt as if he had fallen into a groundless pit. Kept on falling... falling... with their images lingering in his mind.

Tokiya's eyes fell downcast as they followed them till they were out of his visibility range. With a slick movement, he turned, and there, a silent fountain dancing with a kaleidoscope of colours swirling around it. Behind the tranquil fountain, stood a stone bench in the open air, glimmering under the moon.

He felt his feet carrying him there, with a wave of nostalgic memories swept within him. He remembered the laughter were shared among them, the laughter of Fuuko. He remembered the smiles being shared, their dreams, problems shared at this very bench. The times where they were together.

Now, it seemed that there was a new person on their path, and was starting to walk with her in coordination, with Tokiya himself falling out...

Slumping onto the cold bench, he gazed into the skies. Though it was beautiful, Tokiya thought nothing but melancholy and gloom. As the stars twinkled above him, it shone and lit up his features. They were moody and passive.

"What am i going to do? I don't even know what is wrong with me!" Tokiya whispered in a flustered tone, as he closed his eyes in the darkness.

As the lights glimmered onto his smooth face, a silvery line streaked down from his cheeks was seen...

---- to be continued ----

" Rai... chu chu chu chu... "
Wonder what will happen man...
" Hachu. "