• ExERT FROM MY NEVERENDING FAN FIC

    Pages 71-73
    Exert from: Part 19 (69-76);
    Sequel to “Cherry Blossoms”: “Aijo no Kokoro”: Fan Fiction for J-rockers

    (After visiting Kaoru in the hospital)
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    Kyo stopped at the end of the hallway and turned. "Again," he laughed, looking nervously around.
    Die nodded. "So, what happened?" he asked, presuming walking.
    “Did Waka tell you?”
    Die shook his head. “Well, not really.”
    Kyo shrugged and turned the final corner, “There’s not much to tell.”
    Die pursed his lips but remained quiet. Out in the bright, late afternoon sunlight, he squinted and shielded his eyes. “I parked somewhere over there,” he said, pointing to his left.
    Kyo nodded and made his way for the first row of cars. Meaning that there was only one black car, he leaned against the passenger door and waited.
    Die looked at him quizzically from across another row of cars, “That’s not my car!”
    Kyo shot up and looked over his shoulder at the car as he walked. “Oh, s**t! You’re right,” he laughed when he saw the child look at him in bewilderment from the car he was just leaning on.
    Die slapped Kyo’s shoulder. “Duh!” He laughed heartily and ran three rows down to another black car, across from the previous car. Trying the doors, he shrugged to Kyo. “I thought this was mine…” He looked across at the other car and sighed. “Damnit! That’s my car!”
    “But the creepy kid…,” protested Kyo.
    Die shot him an odd look as he opened the driver’s seat door. “What…? Whoa!” He jumped back from the car.
    “See?” Kyo cried.
    Die shook his head and slowly looked inside. “No, it’s just Zen,” he said in relief.
    “Hi, Kee-oh!” cried Zen, pounding on the window.
    Kyo shot Die and irate look and crawled into the back seat.
    Die cast a guilty glance back at Kyo through the rear-view mirror. “Sorry,” he said, turning to see through the back window.
    Zen bit his seat belt and poked Die’s leg. Turning, he looked mischievously as Kyo.
    Kyo cringed the slightest bit. “Die,” he said in a cautious tone, “what’s wrong with your kid?”
    “What?” Die looked at Zen. “Oh. He’s just a little hungry. He was under the—wait. Zen, how’d you get in here?”
    Zen let the seat belt drop from his mouth. “You and Mommy got me from under the couch, and I ran all the way to the car!” Digging into his pockets, he pulled out a packet of badly crushed crackers. “I have crackers!”
    Kyo burst into confused laughter. “Under the couch…? Die, I wish you could see your face!” he cried.
    Die gaped at Zen. “What?”
    Zen opened the packet of crackers and pieces of cracker flew freely in the air. “Woops,” he said, looking at his dad, slowly raising his head as if it were a weight.
    Die would have gone insane if it weren’t for Zen’s wide, innocent eyes. “Well,” he sighed, “we’ll just clean up later...”
    Zen beamed, “Clean up!” He burst into a song about cleaning up.
    Die chuckled as shook his head. “Kyo, where do I drop you off?” he asked.
    Kyo looked at the passing houses. “My house.”
    "Convenient.” Die pulled the car into Kyo’s driveway. Turning, he smiled. “See you later.”
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