Life and Soul Reunited

by CypherCA

Well, here's Chapter 2. Wahoo! Whoopie! (Does a little dance) Okay. Before we get to the story, I want to know what you think of it so far. Not good? Horrible? The best thing you've ever read (yeah right)? Please tell me! I'm starving for feedback! Well, on to the story.

Chapter 2: Morning

Rowan walked around the school, waiting for the other guys to show up, and to hopefully catch his brother before school. Just then, he noticed movement down the hall. It was a lone person, and his heart rate increased in hope. Then he saw the black hair and his shoulders slumped. <Richard's hair is dark blue, not black.> He turned and headed for the main gate to meet his friends.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Richard stared at the retreating form of the person with blue hair. He almost called out his brother's name, but stopped. <Rowan's practical and would want to fit in. He would dye his hair like I do. That kid probably does drugs or in a gang or something.> He headed to the third floor, to meet the principal.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Rowan, Rowan. Earth to Einstein. ROWAN!" Kento yelled in his ear, trying to get the other boy's attention. He and the others had just arrived.

"Huh?" Rowan said, surprised that he hadn't noticed his friends. <I guess I was watching too hard for Richard.>

"You have a date or something?" Sage asked, half-kidding. "You were looking around for someone."

Rowan's face flushed as red as a rose. He couldn't tell the guys. <How would they react? No, I'll introduce him and explain everything after we've had time to get reacquainted.> "No, just watching life intently."

"Uh huh, sure you were," Ryo mocked with a wink.

"Oh lay off him," Cye said. "He doesn't have to share everything with us. He has his reasons, I'm sure." Cye then turned and hit Kento's reaching hand. "And you, stay out of my lunch. School hasn't even started yet." He started to walk away from the group.

"Hey, where're you going?" Ryo asked.

"I promised to help an American transfer student. I'm supposed to show up early. See you at lunch, if not in class."

As he left, Rowan had one question he wanted to shout: to see if the American was Richard. It took all of his control not to. <I can't let them know, not yet.>

* * * * * * * * * * * *

When Cye arrived, he was surprised that and American was already talking to the principal. As he got closer, the conversation ended, with a small, triumphant smile on the boy's face. The principal told Cye to wait a moment while he got the papers needed for the transferred teens. The other boy, Cye noticed, sat down at a computer and started typing. He heard the "Access Granted" that you only hear when one logs into the administration computer. Cye non-chalantly walked over to try and peek at what was on the screen. As he was just starting to see the screen however, the boy logged off quicker than Cye thought was possible. The boy finally spoke.

"May I help you?" There was no acid, resentment, sarcasm, anything negative in the question, which caught Cye by surprise, since he just disturbed whatever the boy was doing. He just stood there staring at the transfer student.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Well....." Richard said. He was getting nervous with the guy just standing there. After another moment, the boy spoke.

"I'm sorry. I was just surprised at how quickly you got in and out of the administrative files."

<He's lying. I can tell. I'll play along. I wonder what really awestruck him though.> "All school systems are basically the same. Don't be impressed. It was nothing. By the by, who are you and why are you here?"

"Huh? Oh. My name's Cye Mouri. I'm here to meet an American transfer student and help him adapt to the Japanese school system Mr. ......."

"Richard. Nice to meet you Cye; and no, I'm not your transfer student."

"Well Richard, would you like to make some friends? At lunch just come on over to the table I'm sitting at an......"

"I don't think so." Richard looked at Cye's suddenly downcast face. "It's not that I don't want to meet your friends," at this, Cye's face brightened. "I just don't know if I'm staying long and I don't want to make too many ties here."

The principal came back with papers and a small trail of timid looking transfer students. Richard thought it was a good time to leave. He said goodbye to Cye and wished the American students good luck. <I'm so glad I convinced the principal to excuse me from the welcoming assembly. I don't think I couldn't have controlled myself on stage with thousands of students staring. Those poor saps in the lounge look so scared at the thought of being introduced.> He allowed a small smirk to appear on his face as he headed toward the auditorium to 'greet' the transfer students.

Congradulations Congratulations! You made it through Chapter 2! Again: please, please, send me feedback.I have writer's block and am open for suggestions the next chapters or chapter. I don't care which. Just email me. Please. Thank you.