Ah... welcome back! Today's episode will be really exciting! Right? Mr. Raiha?
" RAICHU~~~ "
Pass the popcorn huh?

---- FIN INTRO -----

Chapter 3
Voices within

The big day finally came into Tokiya's grasps. Straight after school, Fuuko pulled Hikaru along ran to Tokiya's class and dragged him outside. Whispering some more tips, she pushed him towards Hikaru. Fuuko waved her hands madly in the air, and scampered away.

"Bye! Have fun without me!!" Fuuko exclaimed gleefully. And so, she disappeared with the crowd. Hikaru turned her head towards Tokiya and smiled.

"Hi, Mikagami-kun."

He just forced a small smile that plastered well in his handsome face.

Fuuko was watching them attentively from a distance. She grinned and turned back. Hikaru will take care of him from now on....

Fuuko slowed her pace abruptly. Her heart began to wrench, causing agony. Fuuko narrowed her blue eyes. What's wrong with me? I'm supposed to be happy!

'Are you happy?'

An inner voice in her mind questioned.

Am i happy?

Fuuko halted stared at the ground with bewilderment. Flashbacks of the date on that day wove into her mind. Seeing his crinkled, mirthful smile, hearing his thoughts, both of their hearts seemed to have linked as one in some other way. After the short little date, the stone barriers between them broke, with a new route pathed in their hearts. During recess times, they would meet at the very stone table right infront of the magnificant water fountains that spurted out delicate rays of sparkling water. Not only this, the duo began to go out for lunch together, occasionly they would revive the fun they had in the amusement centre with the exhilarting rides of the bumper cars, giving excuses in their hearts, saying the talk and the dates meant nothing but preparing for Hikaru. But no matter how much they tried to focus on that subject, they kept sidetrack from the original topic, and the session of the analysis of Hikaru became a candid experience for the both of them. Fuuko felt extremely comfortable with him and was herself throughtout with him. Somehow, she felt that he too, was frank with her. They understood each one better now than before, and the bond between them was warmer and stronger.

Truthfully, Fuuko confessed that Tokiya had taken a place in her heart, mind and soul. At the thought of this, she smiled bitterly and brushed the protruding thoughts away.

"As a friend, Kirisawa. Don't let your imagination run wild. Besides, he wouldn't worship a tomboyish girl like me." She muttered firmly.

She inhaled the fresh air deeply, and ran all the way back to her apartment.

As long he's happy, i'm happy too.

-----

"So... er, how's the movie?" Tokiya stumbled in his words, as he gestured Hikaru out of the cinema. Hikaru brushed her brownish hair away from her eyes. She held a grim look in her face and stared at him.

Tokiya didn't do what Fuuko had instructed. Silence reigned throughout the whole movie. Hikaru folded her arms and pouted her rosy lips.

"Are you uncomfortable with me, Mikagami-kun?" Hikaru asked politely. Tokiya widened his lake blue eyes and searched into her scarlet ones. He shook his head furiously and struggled a smile.

"Let's play bumper cars, shall we?"

-----

As Tokiya steered round in the ring, thoughts entered his mind. Not knowing why, Tokiya felt the ride wasn't as exhilarating as before. It felt empty... as if somebody wasn't there.

Dammit... what am i thinking? Hikaru's here! Tokiya scolded himself silently under his uneven breath.

He crashed onto Hikaru's car, resulting laughter from the demure girl as her shoulder-length hair swung messily with the impact.

Somehow, he didn't have the floating, carefree sensation. Silently, he confessed he did have fun with Fuuko a week before. To his great relief, the game was over.

Strolling out from the amusement centre, Hikaru tugged at Tokiya's arm, sending a slight of red through his whole cheeks. With a honeyed smile, she said pleasantly,

"That's a nice ride!" Tokiya returned with a tiny grin at the corners of his lips. Hikaru gave a conation of having dinner in a fast food restaurant. Tokiya agreed readily.

His heart practically skipped a beat when they entered the place. It was the same restaurant he and Fuuko shared a meal days before, and Hikaru chose the exact seat which they sat. As Tokiya ordered his steak and sat on the red plastic seat, a deja vu swept over him. Events of their conversation came to him as clear as a mirror. He was not paying the slightest attention to Hikaru's conversation, which was all about schoolwork and some juicy gossips, where Tokiya didn't have the slightest interest on it.

"And so.... Mikagami-kun... Tsukihara-kun rebuked Doctor Fujino and guess what? Doctor called headmaster immeadiatly and i must say, it's a scene!..."

"...we may not talk, we may be strangers from the start..."

The voice of Hikaru's slowly tuned into Fuuko's in his mind. Tokiya was startled. As if somebody was in his mind tuning Fuuko's conversation like a radio, the soothing voice rang in his mind continuously.

"...But everyone learns. I learn... We shared the laughter we had... strangers, we no longer are... Mikagami..." The floating voice wove deeply in his mind so tightly that Tokiya couldn't brace it but be mesmerized by the speech Fuuko gave. Then, the next sentence was more intensifying than the others, giving a sudden spurge of warmth into Tokiya's constricted, icy stone heart.

"...we shall always stay that way...."

"Mikagami? Hello? Are you there?" Hikaru's bright voice came into Mikagami's focus again as the angelic voice vanished. Tokiya fluttered his vivid blue eyes rapidly and sat up straight.

"Er... yes. I'm all right. A little exhausted from the ride, that's all." He lied. Hikaru replied him with an angel-like, innocent smile.

"Well, i'm full now. Let's go back to the hostel, okay?"

Tokiya just nodded.

------

"This is one night i'll always remember... Thank you, Mikagami-kun." Hikaru said deeply, as she inhaled the fresh, cold air of the night. They had arrived Hikaru's apartment. Tokiya's heart raced. Is this the correct time to say?? Oh Fuuko! Tell me! Tokiya thought furiously.

Just before Fuuko departed between him and Hikaru, she had whispered tips on how to ask Hikaru to be his girlfriend and profess his love.

"Choose the time well! Quiet, peaceful surrounding should be it. Good luck, water-kun!" He could almost hear her gleeful laughter cheering him on from miles away.

A place full of tranquility and silence... now? He asked his heart. Hikaru's crimson eyes twinkled with the distant lights. She flicked her hair over shoulders and stated,

"Well, hope we'll do this often as possible. It's great to be with you. You can go now, Mikagami-kun. Goodnight!" She bowed politely and had her back facing her as she fumbled her keys on the door. Her heart halted for a second as she felt warm fingers on her slanted shoulders. She turned her head and around and met his intensifying blue eyes.

"Mikagami-kun?" Her voice quavered with surprise. Tokiya's face was as red as a tomato.

"Hikaru... i can't deny i like you. Hereby, i'm asking you to be my girlfriend." He paused for a while as he saw widened rubies on her delicate face.

"Will you accept it?"

Hikaru's serene face broke with a large smile. Flinging her arms onto his back, she embraced him tightly. Her face was buried in his large ebony T-shirt, as she snuggled in deeper. Tokiya was caught unprepared for such action and was at a loss on what to do.

Pulling off the embrace, Hikaru giggled shyly and nodded her head with affirmation, as she touched Tokiya's sleek hair. Tokiya's lips curled slightly upwards.

"Good night, Hikaru. See you the next day." Tokiya broke the silence as he placed his hands into his pocket. Hikaru smiled meekly and waved as he turned and walked away.

Tokiya smiled as he closed his eyes, walking briskly in the darken corridoors. I have my sister back again... Tokiya thought with a sure smile.

'Are you happy?'

He halted his movement. A sudden voice within him rang clearly. He frowned at the thought of this. He shook the voice away and continued walking. However, the voice within remained unshaken.

'Are you happy?'

Dammit, what am i thinking about? Of course i'm happy! Hikaru could be my light that guides me to happiness! Tokiya scowled to himself, as he untied his ponytail and let the moss green hair fall softly down his back.

'Is that ultimate happiness? Is that what you want? Is that the light of supreme jubilation?'

The voice in his soul persisted.

Fuuko's face emerged from his sea of thoughts. This time, Tokiya was taken aback by the thought of her, as her words entered his heart once more.

"We bonded."

Tokiya tried all his might to break off the trance but was unable to do so. Fuuko's distant voice continued.

"We are friends, Mikagami. We bonded. We shared the laughter we had. And with that, strangers, we no longer are. And that, we shall always stay."

Tokiya clenched his fists tightly, gritting his teeth. He tried to suppress a jolt of pain in his heart, but was unable to do so.

'Seek your own happiness. Happiness awaits at the your destiny.'

Tokiya shook his head wildly as he placed his cold hands on the sides of his perspiration soaked head.

"Don't you understand? Tokiya Mikagami? Fuuko is only a friend. She's a close peer who will be there. Even though we bonded with our mind, heart and soul, we can never be together. We are just too far apart from our grasps. Besides, we are just friends. Nothing more then that." Tokiya stammered, placing his hands over his face, hiding his anguished emotion.

"Mifuyu... tell me, what are the voices in my heart impying?"

---- to be continued ----

" Rai---chu? "
Oh! I can't tell you yet, Mr. Raiha. Keep your eyes peeled then.