• The next morning Suzumi and I walked to school. Actually, make that I walked to school. She skipped.
    We arrived a few minutes before class started. A couple of guys stared at Suzumi, who stood out because of her height, but I went unnoticed for the most part. That is...until Suzumi felt the need to introduce me to the guy she had already started flirting with.
    His name was Kai, she told me. I took in his appearance. His eyes were an unusual reddish brown color, his dark hair covered part of his face. He was fairly tall, too. “He’s cute”, I thought to myself.
    Suzumi nudged me. I blushed, and smiled at Kai.
    “H-Hajimemashite, Kai.”
    He smiled.
    “Hi, Kasumi-san.”
    “...Uhm...” I searched for something to say. I suddenly felt nervous. “It was nice meeting you!” I said awkwardly, turning red.
    “Yeah...” he said, and walked over to some other guys.
    As soon as he was gone, Suzumi loudly whispered “Kasumi, isn’t he so hot?!”
    “Err...I guess....I mean he is but...I don’t know.” I trailed off.
    Suzumi giggled.

    School went by pretty fast, and nothing too embarrassing happened. I sat with Suzumi and another girl named Chitose, who had also just moved here. She had told Suzumi about a shortcut that she declared would get us home in half the time it would usually take. I was tired of walking, so I decided to use it. I told Suzumi I’d meet her at the house. I walked along, trying to remember what Chitose had said. Pretty soon I was lost.

    “Who should I ask for directions...?” I wondered. I had chosen to ask a friendly looking shopkeeper when I heard a loud yell from nearby.

    “Hello?” I said hesitantly. “Is anyone here?” I thought I heard footsteps behind me, and started walking faster. The footsteps followed. I broke into a run. Now the footsteps were pounding against the pavement, chasing after me. Something touched my arm, and I shrieked. A pair of strong arms grabbed my shoulder, and I yelped again, and tried to force my way out. Someone spun me around, and pushed my roughly against the wall. Suddenly I was kissed forcefully. Surprise, and outrage surged through me. I tried to scream, but it came out as a muffled whimper. Hands were grabbing at me, ripping at my shirt. I kicked the man as hard as I could, and when he was distracted I looked up. And nearly died of shock.

    [I was totally going to cut it off here, but I know everyone hates cliffhangers xD]

    “K-Kai..?!”

    I fainted, and the I remember was him whispering, “Don’t you ever tell.”










    //~::-----~|<>|~-----::~










    I awoke in the hospital a few hours later, judging by the dark sky outside the window. Suzumi’s family was hovering over me, looking worried.

    “What happened..?” I thought. Suddenly it all came back to me. The footsteps thudding against the ground, the feel of his hands on my skin. I was about to tell Suzumi about Kai, when I remembered his threat. What would he do to me if I told? Could he come after me? I didn’t want to risk it.

    “What happened, Kasumi-chan? Last night the police found you bruised and unconscious, after someone heard screams and called them to investigate...I didn’t know Tokyo would be like this...”

    I didn’t like lying to them, but I had too.

    “I tripped while walking along the road. I fell, and probably hit my head on a rock or something.”

    Suzumi’s parents stared at me skeptically. “You hit your head on a rock? But...,” Suzumi’s mother started to say.

    “...We understand,” her husband interrupted. “Try to be more careful and pay attention next time,” he commented.

    Suzumi’s mom looked like she was still suspicious, but seemed to give up. “We’ll leave you two alone now,” she said.

    Once they were out of earshot, Suzumi sat down next to me and whispered, “Psh. You did not trip. Mom and dad are gone now, so you can tell me what REALLY happened.”

    “I tripped,” I explained.

    “Don’t lie to me.”

    “I’m not.”

    “ You seriously expect me to believe you got bruises like that from hitting your head on rock?” she gestured at the bruises on my arm.

    “Yes.”

    “I know how you act when you lie, Kasumi. You play with your hair like this,” she demonstrated, twirling her long black hair around her finger. Like I was doing now.

    “I can’t tell you.”

    “Why not?! We live together, we share a room, we’re like sisters for crying out loud.” She glared at me.

    “I’m not telling.” I stopped talking, and pretended to be asleep. After a while she got up to leave.

    “ I know you’re just faking, Kasumi. I WILL find out what you’re hiding from me.”

    I sighed, and really did fall asleep.




    //~::-----~|<>|~-----::~

    Translation Note: -san and -chan are honorifics. Hajimemashite is like "Pleased to meet you", and you use it when meeting someone for the first time. (I might be wrong, but I think that's when you say it.)


    Chapter 1 can be read here:
    http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=100723533&_gaia_t_=674

    Yesh it's crappy -___-