i don't know why i am ended up here [close]

[ken_hidaka]

Nice going, Gentian... you sure know where you are taking me." Ken cross his arms and frown. He look around the unfamiliar territory then to his siberian husky who is munching on a rabbit.

"I'm hungry, you are suppose to feed me." Gential said telephatically to his master. Ken can understand the thought of his summon.

"i'm going to do that once we reach the dorm, my suitcase and stuffs are in there especially your food" Gentian finish the rabbit in no time and look at Ken.

"Call me later, i need rest." Smoke then appear and Gentian disappear from sight. "you leave me in a pinch"

"your hopeless!" He again roam his eyes, guessing the right way to his dorm.

[Yuriko]

It was a bright sunny day, a great time to take a walk. It had been a long time since this little lass strolled around the place. Everything seemed peaceful enough, a lot of things changed, though. More and more students were added to the 'Alice Family'. Students who possessed extraordinary abilities were gathered in a single place, a single land, a single school, the Alice Academy.

At last, she reached the freedom space. She looked for a quiet place to take a little nap. On top of a tree will do the job. There was this huge cherry blossom tree where she usually sleeps and so, she tried to look for it. That should quench her thirst for placidness.

As she passed by the fountain, a 5-year old kid was trying to draw resembling her best-friend, Leo. She missed him and the moments they shared with each other, the fun that they had and the laughter they both gave to on another. It seemed unfair. She wanted to add more memories similar to that kind of happiness but it seemed that friendship can never last forever. Someone must stop and let others go ahead of them. It may be difficult to decide but there will always be someone who will be left alone, betrayed.

At last! She found the huge cherry blossom tree where she could rest. It was a good thing that she wasn't wearing her skirt, instead, she was wearing her blue denim pants and her dark green shirt.

She tried her best to reach the top but, it seemed too big. She was a little close to the top when, she accidentally slipped off the trunk of the tree and fell.

She landed on her back and felt miserable. She achieved bruises and minor cuts from the fall. Her whole body ached especially her ankle. She tried to stand up, but she failed. She tried it again, this time, leaning on the tree trunk. She managed to stand up but she was too exhausted to make a step more.

"Help!" she pleaded.

[ken_hidaka]

He is walking away to that place where he summon back Gentian but before he could make another step further, Ken hurt a cry of pain... the voice tremble and in a weary tone of a girl... he look around but found nobody there. So he closes his eyes and try to find the direction where the voice is from. He uses the hearing he adopt from a dog so he can easily know where she is at. In a little time, Ken dashes towards the cherry blossom tree that is found behind the temple. In there he saw a girl struggling to stand up on her own. Assessing the situation, she sprained her ankle with some bruises. He approach her and carry her in his arms.

"don't panic, I'm here to help you." Ken didn't look at her, maybe because he practice this situation on a simulation in his previous occupation... the rule of not making eye contact to your target or to anyone during the mission. He walk a couple of step and help her sit in a bench just below the cherry blossom tree.

"Let me assure you that I am expect in mending sprains and bruises." Again he didn't look at her. Ken pull out a small bag from his back pack where it contain a first aid kit and advance medical tools. He then put an ointment to the sprain and massage it gently. Afterwards he dress it with a bandage. Then he again reach to his kit for a small bottle, he get a small amount and put it in the girl's bruises.

"Finish." he said and gather his things to return it in his bag. He coolly turn his back at her and start walking away with both his hand on his pocket.

"No need to thank me. Just be careful next time. Not every time someone will always come to your rescue." Those are the words he will leave to that girl, the words that he also said to himself when he is in trouble in the past... that painful past.

[Yuriko]

Oowwiiee... Her ankle was badly hurt. She closed her eyes to forget the pain and called once more. Then, when, she was about to give up, footsteps approached her. She didn't bother open her eyes to see where it came from since she thought, she'll be completely ignored. Something different happened. She wasn't ignored. She felt a gentle touch, raising her up. Surprised, she opened her eyes and scrambled words came out of her mouth.

"Wh-Who... are you? Wha-What are...you do-doing to m-me?" She held her shirt tightly, looking for comfort.

"don't panic, I'm here to help you." She heard him say, then, he let her sit in a bench.

"Let me assure you that I am expect in mending sprains and bruises." He spoke once more.

He pulled out a small bag from his backpack containing medical stuffs. Who would think that a kid that may be close to her age would bring medical stuff with him.

"In this academy, anything is possible" She told herself and smirked.

The lass watched the boy as he applied the ointment to the sprain and massaged it gently. It was kind of painful but she was in a more comfortable condition than before. Afterwards, the boy dressed it with a bandage. Then he reached for his kit and grabbed a small bottle applying it to the girl's sprain.

"Finish." he said and gathered up his things to return it in his bag. He then turned his back at her and started walking away with both his hand on his pocket leaving her, stunned.

"No need to thank me. Just be careful next time. Not every time someone will always come to your rescue." He told her.

"You're mean! Asamashii!! I'm not that clumsy! err... or maybe I am... but that can never be the reason for you to talk like that! You don't care how others might feel. You may cure anyone's would but with that attitude, you can never make them feel better!" the girl bursted out. Uh-oh... Something smells trouble. But she can't turn back, now that she may had called his attention.

[ken_hidaka]

Ken heard the girl's reply and stop as if something was thrust in his heart. He quickly pull out his knife and put the blade 3 millimeters away from the girl's neck. His eyes is red with anger and he breath hard.

"She's right you know" Ken heard Gentian's voice from the back of his head. Regaining his right mind he put his knife to his pocket and he close his eyes, relax for a minute and open his blue eyes.

"I'm sorry. Hope I didn't scare you. I didn't mean..." Ken pause for a moment, He sits iin the ground with his hand supporting him from behind, he is infront of the girl. He sigh and look away.

"What would you know... you don't know anything about me so you could say such things." Ken thought about what the girl said, it sure hits the spot. The corner of his heart that he is trying to forget... Appreciation of other's feelings.

[Yuriko]

"..."

Fear... Yuriko felt her heart throbbing as the cold metallic figure got closer to her neck, ready to stab her down in any minute. She felt sweat rushing through her whole body. What should she do? Could she even do anything? It seemed so impossible to escape such situation. She wanted to apologize but failed to speak out a word. Looking at the boy made her feel death coming. Anger was transparent in his glaring eyes like...a red-eyed demon. She wanted to ran away but she can't move an inch. She closed her eyes and prepared herself.

A few moments after, she felt the cold metal away from her neck. She let out a sigh of relief and opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry. Hope I didn't scare you. I didn't mean..."

After what had been heard, Yuriko landed on her knees. She felt weakened and stressed.

"Iie..." she shook her head and looked at the young lad. "I'm the one who needs to apologize... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings though you should really try to be nice most of the times."

"What would you know... you don't know anything about me so you could say such things."

"Then, why don't you tell me? I'm Yuriko and I'll be a good listener... I promise! Talking will make you feel better..." Yuriko said wearing a cheerful smile on her face.

"I'll be you friend and never leave your side as long as you can accept me for who I am right now not for who I'm going to be"

[ken_hidaka]

"a friend..." Ken speak it in a rigid tone as if it sounds unnatural to him especially when it is pertaining to a human. He then smile at himself, felt uneasy at first.

"Friend." He is now sure on what it sounds like. Music to his ears is how to describe it. He then turn to Yuriko who is smiling at him.

"This is my first time to have a human friend. I was always accompanied by a dog so this is something unfamiliar." He explained and wear a smile.

"Maybe I should introduced myself. I'm Ken, Yuriko is such a nice name..." He then offers his hand for a handshake.

"I hope I can be a good friend to you."

[Yuriko]

"a friend..."

"Friend."

"yeah..." Yuriko said and chuckled a bit. It seemed wonderful to gain new friends. It's really something to be excited about. Though she was about to be killed a moment ago, she still chose to be his friend. Why? Simple, she was afraid to be left alone.

"This is my first time to have a human friend. I was always accompanied by a dog so this is something unfamiliar."

"Really? Then, I'm honored.... ummm...What should I call you?" Yuriko said

"Maybe I should introduced myself. I'm Ken, Yuriko is such a nice name..." He offered his hand for a handshake and to show Yuriko's acceptance, she shook his hand with a smile.

"Thank you... Nice to meet you Ken" she told him and giggled once more. She can't help it since being a little formal is a funny thing to her.

"I hope I can be a good friend to you."

"I know you will... and I hope I could be a good friend as well..." Yuriko told Ken with a sincere look on her face. She then stopped shaking his hand and lied-down the ground. She looked at the clouds and tried to reach for it.

"I wish I could touch those fluffy cotton-like stuff in the sky..." She closed her eyes and spread her arms. A thought kept bothering her about Ken's past. What happened to him? Why was Ken so affected when Yuriko mentioned something about appreciating other's feelings? She wanted to know more about his past and so, her curiosity took over.

"Ken, can you tell me more about yourself? What made you so mad that you almost killed me?"

[ken_hidaka]

he pause for a while and thought for an answer to his new friend.

"Instinct... maybe that. I don't know..." he shakes his head. Then he continued his story.

"I've been alone almost all my life accompanied by a dog who became my best friend and my family. He never deserted me." Ken smile to himself and look up to admire the same cloud that Yuriko saw a while ago.

"free as a cloud... is that what you want or something else." He ask her without even glancing at her.

[Yuriko]

"Instinct... maybe that. I don't know..."

Yuriko was almost killed because of Ken's instinct? Maybe she triggered something about his life... She wasn't contented by his answer but also didn't want to interfere with his private stuff.

"I've been alone almost all my life accompanied by a dog who became my best friend and my family. He never deserted me."

The brown haired girl was amazed. A dog for his family? That was impressive yet pitiful. She looked at the clouds again and thought of a plan to make her new friend happy.

"free as a cloud... is that what you want or something else."

"Yesh~! I want to be free like them! Isn't that going to be fun? what do you think?" Yuriko told him with a warm cheerful smile displayed on her face.

[ken_hidaka]

Ken return Yuriko's gesture and smile at her.

"Yes, that would be nice." Ken look at the clouds and pause for a moment. Again he look at her who is still smiling that made Ken felt kinda shy... the first moment he doubted his actions. He inhale deeply to gather courage and exhaled slowly.

"hmm... It may be awkward but would you like to go out with me... I mean this is the first time that I'm going to treat somebody and I wanted it to be you...if it is ok." He said without even pausing, he wonder if Yuriko understand anything about his babbling.

[Yuriko]

"hmm... It may be awkward but would you like to go out with me..." Those were the only words Yuriko heard clearly. The rest where kind of blured.

DATE??!! What the-?! It was Yuriko's first time to feel mixed emotions. It was sort of weird and awkward though she didn't let herself to be affected by this kind of feeling.

"Sure! It would be fun, ne?" Yuriko replied without even bothering to remove the curved up lips on her face.

"Uumm... when will we go out?" she asked while touching two fingers together and swinging her body continuosly like a little kid. Her head was down and her bangs swayed upon her movement.

She was happy thus, confusion occured in a corner of her mind. She can't put a finger on it but a tiny knot was formed n her tummy. She tried to ignore it though.

[ken_hidaka]

Ken smile... he is glad that she didn't turn his invitation.

"How about in Central Town... Sorry I dont know any place beside that area." now that he release a big tension on his chest, he return to his usual self so that Yuriko will not be affected in some way.

"Maybe, i'll wait for you near the fountain in the Central Park. What do you think?" He smile at her, making her comfortable.

[Yuriko]

"How about in Central Town... Sorry I dont know any place beside that area."

The Central Town, eh? That would be a little crowded and that would be a good thing, right? She guessed so. She stopped swaying her body and tried to spoke out her words.

"uuhhmm... I... I think... That would be great!" The little lass felt a little uneasy. She doesn't know why but she never felt something like this since she was with her best friend.

"Maybe, i'll wait for you near the fountain in the Central Park. What do you think?"

Yuriko nodded and looked at Ken who seemed to be smiling at her. She stuck out her tongue and pulled her eyelids. Then with a small chuckle, she straightened herself.

"Why are you smiling like that?" The little girl asked Ken with a tilted head and wearing a cheerful smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow!! bai-bai-boo!!" She quickly added then, turned around to skip away.

[ken_hidaka]

"I am smiling because you look silly..." He replied. Ken saw Yuriko is about to leave. He wave his hand gesturing farewell.

"See you." When Yuriko is out of his sight, Ken turn his back and reflecting on what happened today.

"It is a good thing right?" He said to himself then a siberian husky appeared from the smoke.

"Friend is always a good thing... at least you are expanding your world." Gentian replied and walk with Ken until they reach the dorm.

[close]

OIC: I will start a thread in the central town... see you there.