| Current mood: |  artistic |
Rain
The score board was something that was dreaded by nearly everyone, save for the overachievers. They seemed to love seeing where they placed hoping to top the class. With Taiki and Ami in the same class that was unlikely, though it didn’t stop some form trying just for the bragging rights. A loud groan came from the large group hovering over the board. To no one’s surprise Taiki read number one and Ami number two.
Soon the coward parted so a petite blonde finally had the chance to see her own score. Her feet going up ever so slightly, so she could get a better look. She frowned at her placement.
“Number four again. Why must I get the unlucky number?” She grumbled to herself.
She didn’t mind being high on the charts, but getting the number of death was never pleasant. Her mood went even more downward when she saw her placement in math.
“Twenty-eight!? Oh dear I’m worst at it than I thought. I thought I at least scored better than that. I even studied.” She groaned.
“Ah, Kurosan just the person I wanted to talk to.” A feminine voice stated.
The blonde turned, seeing no other than her math teacher. “What do you need of me Junko-sensei ?”
Beads of sweat were starting to build on Yui’s face, this teacher always made her nervous.
“With how your scores have been lately, I’m arranging for one of the other students to be your tutor. You can come out now.” Ms. Junko stated, motioning for someone to come forward. A very tall brunette now stood beside the older woman.
Sweat now dripped down one of Yui’s cheek, recognizing who was stating before her. "Shit." Yui thought, "If the rest of the girls in class find out I’ll be eaten alive…Or worst they’ll try to convert me."
“Is something wrong Yui-san?” The brunette asked.
Yui waved her hands in front of her laughing nervously. “Nothing’s wrong at all. Just embarrassed you had to find out about my math issues.”
Taiki raised an eyebrow not buying her full story. “Well shall we arrange some good times to meet?”
“I’ll leave you two to discuss this in private.” And then the older woman was gone.
An auditable sigh escaped Yui, “I guess any day I’m not working would be good. Now the issue is your house or mine.”
Taiki was silent for a moment thinking, “Mine isn’t exactly quiet. Yaten and Seiya have both in bad moods lately.”
“Oh. I see.” She replied, her feet and hands fidgeting, “I guess we could try my house then.”
“If it makes things easier I could give you a ride home so we could start.” He offered.
A tint of pink rushed onto Yui’s cheeks, her fingers now twisting some of the locks of her hair. And then went to the motion of straighten her skirt as she tried to think of how to word her answer. She’d never been in someone else’s car before let alone had a guest at the house.
Breaking his more serious upfront for a moment he smiled see how flustered she was at his offer. Flustered girls were something he didn’t see too often, when towards himself. Most of the fans kept their distance from him flocking to the more charisma Seiya and Yaten. He partly wondered if this why Seiya liked coming off as a player, despite being far from it.
Something with the woman before him was different than what the fangirls were, different than his friendly rivalry with Ami. Dare he even think it was truly the most different than with his precious Kakyuuhime? What it was he couldn’t really place, but she always seem to find a way to put him at ease, even when flustered herself.
“A ride home would be nice. It looks like it’s starting to rain.” Yui said at last, shattering the silence.
Taiki looked out the now tear stained window, “So it is. Well perhaps we should hurry then. “
“Yes, let’s.”
Once they reached the door it was pouring in sheets. Both sighed their breaths little wisps on the little wind that blew. Yui dug into her school bag pulling out an umbrella.
“You better be sharing that.” Taiki stated seeing her opening in.
“Now why would I do that? You’re not wearing white.” She huffed, avoiding his eyes.
A playful smile curled his lips, “Then I might have to give you a hug when I am all wet from the rain.”
Yui glared at him, knowing he would. “Fine.” She growled handing him the umbrella.
Taiki thanked her and motioned for her to come closer so they both wouldn’t get wet.
As they walked together, Yui paused looking at the flowers than had been planted in the parking lot. She then looked upwards at the raining flooded clouds as it continued to drizzle. Her hair was already soaked from the downpour causing little droplets to fall giving the illusion she was crying. Taiki’s and her eyes met as she came back under the umbrella.
“Taiki, why does the sky cry? Is it moved by the beauty it helps to create? Or does it weep knowing it can never touch the earth, its tender and sweet love?”
He closed his eyes for moment listening to the rain and then met her eyes again. “Perhaps it’s a little of both. Come now, we best be off or we’ll both catch a cold in this weather.”
She nodded and said nothing more watching things go by when they were in the car. Rain wasn’t normally so calming for her since storms normally followed. But today it seemed to add to the peaceful atmosphere she sensed when around Taiki. It was comfortable, yet vaguely familiar.
Their study session, however, didn’t last long ending in laughter as Taiki’s stomach had growled demanding to be fed. When Yui had left the room to cook them a hot meal, Taiki’s phone rang. He sighed knowing it was Seiya.
“So how goes the tutoring?”
“It’s not at the moment. We stopped to eat.”
“Ah, I see. You seem a little more open today. Did something happen between you two?”
“Not that I’m aware of. We’ve just talked really.”
“What about that feeling you get? Did it happen again?”
“Let’s not discuss that for now. I’ll tell you later. Anything else you need?”
“No, just checking in on you. Well I should start doing my own homework. Bye.”
Taiki rolled his eyes and closed the phone.
The scent of miso was now spreading through the house, “I hope you don’t mind miso with tofu.” She called.
He walked over to the kitchen leaning against one of the counters, “Sounds good to me. Anything I can do to help?”
“Umm yes, you can chop those scallions.” Yui replied, chopping up the tofu into small squares.
“This feeling again,” Taiki thought while chopping. “This warmth when I’m with her. It feels so unfamiliar to what I am now, yet I know it as if I’ve lived in it before.”
“Taikikun, the scallions please.” Yui said, disrupting him from his thoughts.
“Oh right, sorry.” He replied, handing her the cutting board so she could pour it in the stew.
Not too long afterward the stew was ready and their stomachs satisfied. Yui then took this opportunity to change out of her school uniform into something more comfortable. Taiki half felt she was trying to find any excuse to not go over the math. Once she returned they did start going over the math again, much to his relief.
“…Are you wearing perfume?” He asked, picking up a scent he didn’t recall being their previously.
“No. I am wearing some lotion though. ” She answered.
“Oh. Sorry, I just smelt patchouli and lotus normally those are used for perfumes.” Taiki commented.
“Well it is a lotion that came with a perfume I have. Maybe that’s why. I believe the scents in it are patchouli and lotus. Do you not like it?” Yui inquired.
“It’s not that I don’t like it. More of the scent just caught me off guard.”
“Oh. Sorry.” Yui stated, looking down.
“Nothing to be sorry for. It’s at least a pleasant scent. Unlike some of those scents Seiya has worn.” Taiki replied with a deep frown at the memory.
Yui couldn’t help giggling, “Must be quite a strong smell with that expression.”
“You have no idea. Even Yaten thought it was awful.”
More giggles escaped from Yui, “I like it when you’re open like this. You always seem so distant.”
“And I like it when you smile genuine like this. It suits you more than those fake smiles you put on at school.” Taiki retorted.
A light blush crept to Yui’s cheeks again. “You could tell? For how long?”
“I’ve always been able to tell. It’s your eyes that always give it away.” He answered, brushing some hair out of her face, “Such pretty eyes shouldn’t look so sad.”
Her cheeks turned a brighter pink, such compliments she wasn’t use to. Yet she couldn’t find herself looking away from his. It was like they drew her in. They stayed like that in silence as if each trying to read what the other was thinking. A crash of thunder broke the silence. Yui yelped and ended up clinging to Taiki.
“I think that’s enough studying for the evening. We’re not going to get anything done with that noise.” He stated with a sigh.
“Please stay.” Yui whispered, a hand tightly gripping onto his shirt.
He said nothing and stroked her hair his other arm around her protectively. To help soothe her he began humming.
Several house later Yui’s mother came home smiling seeing both asleep on the couch. Gently she put a blanket over the two whispering, “Thanks for keeping her safe for me.”
