Fingers poised over the keyboard, each keys clicking at each press of slender fingers. It and the ticking of the clock were the only noise; even his breathing was hushed, shallow, swallowed in his throat.

His eyes narrowed, and his mouth parted slightly to catch his tongue between his teeth, biting gently, tasting the faint blood.

::Searching::

He leaned back and waited.

~ * ~

"Oi, you almost got that right," Furosawa shouted.

Ken Hidaka nodded curtly and kicked the ball right back into the field. It became a blurred line of black and white before Tsujimoto caught it into his arms with a muffled: "Oof!"

"Sorry, threw that harder than I expected," Ken said, smiling slightly, shrugging.

Furosawa snickered and Tsujimoto glared at him. Neither Hidaka nor Furosawa liked Tsujimoto and his "up-your-ass" attitude. But he was one of the greatest scorers that they had so far, and Coach Takato would make them run more laps if they bickered with Tsujimoto anymore than five times. Five was a short number, and it had run out not even an hour in the practice.

Kase jogged up towards them. "Coach wants all of us to try for a killing," he announced, pointing at the net. He turned to Ken. "You up for it?"

"No prob." As an answer, Ken moved at the side of the net, watching as his teammates formed two lines, dribbling the ball back and forth before one tried for the net. With well-spurned adrenaline, his lithe body shot out, executing a kick that sent the ball back to his teammates, who repeated this process.

The next half-hour passed by quickly, and Ken found himself growing more and more weary. He was missing more shots than he could count, and he barely heard Coach Takato's whistle blowing before he fell on the grass, panting heavily.

Kase and Furosawa knelt beside him. "You okay, Hidaka?" Kase asked, a little worriedly.

"Just--need to catch--my breath," Ken gasped.

Furosawa caught his arm and pulled; Kase took the other. They both dragged him off the field. Ken was too tired to ask where until he realized they didn't stop until he was on the bench, sprawled over the long piece of wood with Coach Takato frowning down at him.

"Hidaka, you okay?" Takato asked.

"Water!" Ken managed to gasp out.

The coach grinned and someone handed him a bottle. Ken quickly threw away the cap and began to down them with gulps. Around him, the players, as tired, did the same.

Takato sat down beside Ken and checked his clipboard, announcing the mistakes. He pointed out the minor corrections and had them altered. Ken listened intently, alternately scratching his cheek and gulping down water at the same time.

Finally, Takato looked at his watch, then shouted a time before finally dismissing them. The players trudged back to the shower room, in pairs or more.

Kase sat beside Ken. "You okay?"

"Just got tired," Ken replied. He was breathing easily now and he smiled at Kase. He always found it easy to smile at Kase.

But his friend looked worried. "You've been driving yourself too much at the edge."

"I like soccer," Ken replied, shrugging. "I like putting myself at the edge."

Kase fiddled with his sweatband, still frowning. "But you shouldn't put more time to it. What about your studies? Have you been doing them."

Ken sighed. "Kase, I'm still the fifth highest in class. I'm doing fine." He wiped his mouth and stood. "It's just that I like playing too much." He turned away but felt a hand enclose around his wrist. He stopped and turned.

Kase was staring at him again. "Don't ever stop winning," he said softly.

Ken blinked, then smiled. "I have no intention to," he replied grimly, shaking the grip away and heading towards the lockers.

~ * ~

::Data found::

::Begin transfer?::

He bit his lip again, frowning ever so slightly. Right hand moved from the keyboard towards the mouse, slowly poised over the commands. He shifted on his seat, almost nervously, but it was more because of the long hours.

He heard a soft sound and turned sharply, but, of course, there was no one there. There was no one in his room. There was no one in his apartment. He was always alone.

He turned back to his monitor, letting his eyes run through the commands once more. There were too much there, too many, and he need not all. He needed only a few, just a few. Only these...

Mouse pointer hovering over the command.

Clicking--

::Commencing download::

He smiled.

::04%::

~ * ~

"It's a beautiful day, eh?" she asked.

Youji Kudo glared at the sun. "We should've waited till sunset," he grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Asuka laughed. "But it's fun when there's light," she protested, slipping her arm through the crook of his elbow. "I get to see EVERYTHING!"

"That's what I hate about it," Youji complained. "I get to see EVERYTHING!"

Asuka laughed again, and despite his early objections, Youji had to grin. He liked listening to Asuka laugh. It made seeing the sun worth it.

"We should be getting back," he suggested. "I still have my English class to attend at three."

"Skip it," was her tart reply.

Youji rolled his eyes. "I can't go skipping classes just because you said so, Asuka," he growled in mock frustration. But seeing her smile, feeling her tug at his arm, he wondered if it would be worth it. Even his protest was sounding futile to his ears. "I have to get a line of nine."

"You WOULD get a line of nine in English," she said. Then, almost as quickly as she began, she stopped and pressed her face against the shop window. "Oooh!"

"No!" Youji yelped, quickly sliding his arm away from her. "I'm not--"

Asuka glared at him. "It's called 'window-shopping', Kudo, and I'm not going inside."

"You'd better not," he replied, crossing his arms. "The last time you did that, you bought half the store and practically their mannequins. Your dad is going to KILL you for spending your allowance on those clothes."

"I love them!" she argued, but she quickly sighed and averted her eyes. Arm slipped through his once more. He had to smile. "So...where are we going now?"

"I don't really know...I hadn't really thought," he confessed after a moment's worth of silence. Getting her out of the campus for a few hours had sounded like a good idea, but it was a spur of the moment decision. He had not planned for it.

But she only grinned and poked his ribs. "Good. I like hanging around. Let's go to the park and talk there. I like talking when we're sitting down."

"You like talking, PERIOD." But Youji followed her across the streets, through the sidewalk , before finally settling himself down to a nice bench that wasn't too crowded. It was a school day; there was practically no people.

They stared at the people before Asuka leaned into his shoulder and asked, "Did Yoko call you again?"

At the mention of his twin sister, Youji scowled. "Yeah, but I didn't answer." He felt a light slap at his shoulder and quirked his mouth. "What?"

"It wouldn't do good avoiding your family, you know," Asuka scolded. "They miss you. Rukami-kun does, especially."

"Yoko can bitch around until she dies for all I care," he muttered, glowering at the ducks on the pond. Quacking. Quacking and diving. "The idiot should've gone to a bloody convent instead of become a whore," he went on in English.

Asuka sounded shocked. "Youji!" She understood.

Youji's eyes were hard. "It's true, you know." He sighed. "Sorry. I don't want to talk about Yoko for now. I'm going home anyway, next month, to visit Rukami. HE's still my brother, at least. She'll be out by then, and Okaasan will probably stay out of my path." He sighed again. "Let's not ruin this day, okay, Asuka? Please?" His voice was pleading.

Asuka leaned against him once more. "We had to talk about it sometime," she said softly, eyes never leaving the pond. "They're your family, Youji."

Quacking ducks. Diving ducks.

"No, they're not," Youji whispered, mostly to himself. "Not anymore."

~ * ~

::Data transfer...::

::...complete::

He pressed the ESC button and leaned back, closing his eyes. The screen turned blue, faded to black, then became an urgent white again. He could see the colors change even with his eyes closed.

Another task was waiting for him.

::Enter password::

Fingers pressing the keys softly, so softly that it was only a swift swishing sound to be heard.

Then, without helping himself, he began to hum a tune. A tune he could not remember where he had gotten. It must be the new pop song, he decided. Something I've heard in the radio and didn't really listen to, but still got stuck in my head.

::******::

He pressed the ENTER button.

::...::

::Retrieving files.::

::CANCEL or PROCEED?::

The screen changed from white to black, then to a boorish gray. A soft noise from the PC. He was still alone.

~ * ~

"I got an A in Social Studies," she told him impishly, skipping ahead. "Kuroki-sensei told me I should be getting into a good high school if I keep it up."

"IF you keep it up," Ran Fujimiya noted, resisting the urge to run after her. If he did, she'll only start running, and he would never catch up. She was always faster. "Are you going to my school?"

"I might," Aya replied, grinning at him. "There're a lot of cute boys."

"Careful," Ran warned. "I'm graduating soon, and I won't be there to protect you."

"I don't need protection, Niichan," she protested, then laughed at his skeptic look. "I don't! I handled the Y-I-K Incident just fine, didn't I?"

Ran scowled. The "Y-I-K Incident" referred to the time Aya had three suitors, all from her school, by three boys: Yamada, Itsuma, and Kenjou, who were the best of friends. The only reason they had fought was because of Aya, but it turned out she didn't like them all. They four have become friends, although Yamada, Itsuma, and Kenjou all tended to avoid her since then.

"There're a lot of other guys who are worse than those Y-I-K's," he muttered. Something caught his eyes and he stopped. "Kitty! Kitty!"

Aya rolled her eyes as she watched her brother squat on the sidewalk beside an abnormally gray cat. "Honestly, Niichan, if Otousan would let us, you'd have the house full of cats."

"You don't have to LIKE them, you know," Ran returned, smiling as he ran two fingers over the cat's head. It purred and butted its head against his palm. He laughed.

Aya rolled her eyes again but she smiled. "You're such a softy. Does Risa-chan know you love kittens?"

At the mention of the name, Ran turned to her, glaring, but the blush was on his cheeks and he turned away quickly. Aya laughed. "You STILL haven't told her you like her?"

"I don't see why it has to be YOUR business," he complained.

"It IS my business if she's going to become my sister-in-law," she insisted.

Ran blushed again and straightened. His height added to his menace. But Aya stared right back up, unblinking. "You shouldn't talk about nonsense," he said briskly, then started walking.

Aya blinked, then caught up with him. "I don't really see why you have a problem with it," she complained. "If you like her, tell her! But, really, Oniichan--" She jumped over a fallen pot and stumbled to keep her place beside him. "--I would've thought you'd do better than Risa-chan."

"Risa is a very nice girl," he replied curtly.

"Risa is a very nice girl," Aya agreed, "but she's way too soft. You're too soft, too, Niichan. You should have someone tough and strong and soft at the same time."

"You're an idiot," Ran told her.

"Like Sanada-san!" she exclaimed.

They stopped at the WALK/DON'T WALK sign and Ran stared at her. "That 'Sanada-san' is your TEACHER!" he exclaimed.

"All the better," she told him. "So I won't have to study."

He threw up his hands and gave up.

The sign changed. People began to cross. Quickly, they stepped off the curb and followed as the traffic slowed around them. People going everywhere. People not stopping for anything.

Then, a hand slipped into his, and Ran looked down, surprised, to see Aya smiling tentatively up at him.

"Sorry?" she offered. "I didn't mean to pry into your life."

Ran felt his eyes soften. Aya had round eyes. He would forgive her for breaking him, always. He could forgive something as easy as this. "It's okay," he said truthfully.

She smiled and they returned to the sidewalk, walking with the people, quietly following their route home.

Then, Ran felt a tug and he looked down again at his sister. She was grinning once more. "And I won't complain if you make Risa-chan your wife."

"Careful or your teddy bears will be massacred tonight," he warned.

Her laughter surrounded him, embraced him, forcing the giggle out of his throat to burst into a laugh that joined hers. Pretty soon, they were home, but their amusement never faded. The hand that held Ran's tightened.

~ * ~

'What is a past?'

It is what makes a memory, what makes everything become so dear. It makes everything worthwhile, and gives you something to hold on to, to remember. Because when everything is gone, there will always be the memories, there will always be the past.

'There might be no future--'

But at least I have you.

~ * ~

There was a small beep.

He opened his eyes--he didn't know he had them closed--and stopped his humming. How could he have forgotten to notice the light? But he had, and there it was, the light that shone a little too brightly against the darkened room.

He turned down the brightness, and let his eyes return to the screen.

::Files downloaded. Choose option::

His ankles crossed beneath the table, socks brushing against his bare legs, and he absently scratched his neck where a mosquito bite was beginning to flourish. He muttered a small curse under his breath, wondering what he was supposed to be doing now.

::Files downloaded. Choose option::

Another hand moved, pressed quickly. His back was stiff and he stretched. Too many hours. His eyes were beginning to droop. He stared longingly at his bed, knowing he would not sleep on it, not for a long time. As much as he wanted to, he knew he would never be comfortable. Bed, for him, was a luxury not for him. There was space on his computer table, and that was where he slept, with his head buried in his arms.

::Files downloaded. Choose option::

::Abort::

::Y/N::

::Thank you for accessing. Log in time: 13 HOURS 48 MINUTES 19 SECONDS::

He suppressed a yawn and looked out the window. Dawn was coming. Tiny light filtered at the window. Soon, the city would awaken. And it would be his time to sleep.

::Restart: Y/N?::

He let his head drop into his folded arms, closing his eyes. Fingers moved into their own accord. Practiced fingers. This was his life. This was what was chosen for him.

Omi Tsukiyono pushed away the hazy clouds in his mind and, not for the first time, wished for a memory.

::Restart: Y/N?::

::Enter log-in name: -- ::

::...::

::Awaiting approval for username 'WEISS'::