And so the cry was heard, as the angel became as corrupt as the demon. The sound was like a dying creature; it pierced the hearts and very souls of all who heard it. And like a dying creature it was, for her soul became dark and corrupt, and she dropped from the skies, spiraling down and down until she hit the earth with an enormous explosion. As she arouse from the clouds of dust that surrounded her when she hit, her appearance was different; strange. The wings that were once an angelic white were now black as a raven's. Blond hair became a midnight darkness. The white angelic robe still hung around her body, tattered from the fall and the darkness that had engulfed her. The only thing that remained the same was her golden eyes; the only thing the angelic and the corrupt shared. But never before had one become the other. You were either born the way you were, or you became what you were when death took you into its grasp. But never would one change into the other. So from this point on, the world will be changed; changed by one being, a being of corruption. Thus the world around her became corrupt; for she was the Angel of Corruption.
*
Our story begins, as Michio steps out of his shower. He wrapped a towel around his lower mid-section. Another white towel was used to roughly dry his shoulder-length black hair. It was quite early in the morning; earlier than he had planned on waking up. So, he had some time to kill before going to school. Quickly finishing his morning ritual of showering and dressing, he pulled his hair up into a high ponytail, bushing a few stray hairs from his eyes. His high school uniform consisted of long black pants; a short-sleeved, button-up white shirt; and a black, zip-up jacket that he kept open at all times. Laying his backpack across the kitchen table, Michio pulled open the refrigerator in hopes of finding something to eat. But, to his non-surprise, there was nothing at least partially edible. A mental note was made to stop by the store on the way home. Sighing as he stepped through the door-frame into the living room, he collapsed back into his favorite recliner and grabbed up the remote, turning on the television. He flipped randomly through the channels, paying no attention whatsoever. But then, something caught his attention on one of the news channels. Not too far from where he lived, there was an explosion in the middle of the night. He hadn't heard it because of his extremely heavy, deep sleeping. Apparently, the cause of the explosion was unknown. Maybe, after he went to the store, he would go do some investigating of his own. Dark blue eyes glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall above the television. Well, it was still a little early, but it was also boring at the house, so Michio decided to be on his way. Going back into the kitchen, he grabbed up his backpack and crossed the linoleum floor, stepping out the side door. The front was rarely used. Turning back for a moment to lock the door, he stepped out on the stone pathway, waving a greeting to his neighbor, who came to let out his dog.
School was as boring as ever. So there was a test, and so there was a fight in the school yard; so what? They're both normal things that you should expect to see in a high school. As he had promised himself, Michio stopped by the store on his way home, picking up enough food to last him for the rest of the week -- which was only a few days, for it was already the middle of the week. He quickly walked home, unlocked the door, and hurried into the kitchen, throwing food items here and there, stuffing a few among the cold, non-edible foods in the refrigerator and freezer. Throwing his bag onto the kitchen table -- part of his normal routine -- he hastily unbuttoned the top couple of buttons on his shirt, and un-zipped the jacket completely. At school, the teachers kept giving a fuss every time they saw Michio with his jacket open all the way, so they made him zip it at least halfway up. Now, on to the investigation. He first opened up the laptop that was kept on the kitchen counter, turning it on so that a hum filled the quiet kitchen. He pulled up an internet browser and went straight to a news website. And right there on the front page was exactly what he was looking for. The spot was nearby, as he had thought, but the area was unfamiliar to him, so he printed out a map just in case he got lost. Before leaving the property again, Michio decided to check the mailbox. All that was in there was spam, spam, and more spam. So, he chucked it into the garbage can but a foot away from the mailbox. The map was held tight within his fingers as he jogged his way to the site of the explosion. A small rope fence separated the burnt, dark area from the streets and homes surrounding it. Turning his head quickly from site to side to see if there was anyone who might see, Michio stepped over the fence, his feet making a strange sound on the darker, somewhat softer, concrete. He knelt down, laying two fingers against the black. He pulled the long fingers towards him, rubbing off something that looked a bit like charcoal. But as he brought it to his nose, he noticed that it had a strange smell to it. It was something he had never smelled before. He removed a small plastic bag from his pocket, and rubbed his fingers against the inside of it, brushing the black dust off into the bag. The science lab at his school was open late, so he would take it when his investigation was complete. Michio walked to the center of the area. This was no terrorist bombing, like the news website had said. A bomb couldn't do this, without damaging the surrounding area. Only this circle. He turned his dark blue eyes into the sky directly above him. It was different there. The normal blue was more of a dark purple here. Something happened; something supernatural at the least.
Michio started when his stomach growled. He had been standing there, looking up at the sky, for nearly two hours. Luckily for him, no one had come by and seen this teen hypnotized by the purple sky. The sun was setting now, and he was hungry. Sprinting to the edge of the circle, he jumped the rope fence. He would first get a quick bite to eat at the house before heading back to the school and the science lab. Unlocking the side door, he stepped over the threshold into the kitchen, grabbing up an apple from the counter. The apple in his mouth, Michio headed upstairs for his bedroom. He threw off the black jacket and unbuttoned the white shirt underneath, discarding that on top of the jacket and pulling on a fresh, gray t-shirt. Taking the apple from his mouth into his right hand, he unbuttoned the black pants with his free left. Slipping out of them, he pulled on a pair of comfortable jeans. Finishing the apple quickly, he sped down the stairs, taking three at a time, and into the kitchen, where he disposed of the apple core. Tucking the small plastic bag in his pocket, along with his house keys, he shut the door behind him, jogging his way to the school which was only a mile or so away.
Michio very nearly banged the door open, but he managed to calm himself of the anxiousness that had overcome him in the excitement of the investigation. This would be very interesting. The two science teachers looked up at the sound of his entrance. He handed them the small plastic bag and ordered them to check it under a microscope. They studied it carefully, asking each other to look at it again and again. It confused them, just as much as its smell had confused Michio. After about fifteen minutes, they stood and shook their heads, one pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry to say that we cannot identify this material. Where is it that you received it from?"
The raven-haired boy was a bit taken aback. He didn't want to say that he had been trespassing on an investigation site. "I, uh... well..." He didn't know what to tell them. "I was... cleaning my kitchen, and I, uh... found it in my fridge."
The two looked at him, disbelief in their eyes. These two men knew how to get it out of him, and they would. "Well, all we can say is that it is not of this earth. Though, there is a bit of fuzz in it that is very similar in composition to the feather of a bird. Now where exactly did you find this? I highly doubt you keep a bird in your refrigerator." A dark brown eyebrow rose over the thick black rims of the glasses of the one who had asked the first time.
Michio had been a little surprised at their use of the term 'fuzz.' But he guessed that the truth was better than having them attempt at boring into his mind. A sigh escaped his lips as he replied with the truth, "I was over at the sight of the explosion that happened last night. This stuff was on the ground."
The scientists nodded, and one put his eye into the microscope again, speaking as he looked. "We'll keep studying this sample. You can go home."
Michio nodded and left the laboratory, walking home rather than jogging like he had before. The sun had set nearly an hour earlier. As he steps around the side of his house, he notices the side door stood wide open. He thought he had locked it when he left. Carefully picking his way among the dry leaves and grass that made up his yard, he grabbed up the rake that lay against the wall and held it up at the ready. Inching his way in the kitchen, he reached a hand over to the light switch. As the light flickered on, he held the rake out, swinging left and right. But there was no one there. He stepped quietly and slowly out of the kitchen and into the living room, turning on the light in there, as well. But like the last room, there was no one in there. But then, Michio heard a crash upstairs. Taking the steps four at a time, he made it to the second floor in only a few leaps. "Who's there?" he said, in a somewhat loud voice, to the darkness. He heard something bump the wall just ahead of him, going into his bedroom. He flicked on the hall lights, and just as he did, he saw black feathers fall to the floor outside his bedroom door. Inching along the wall, he flicked a switch right outside his bedroom door, which turned on the lights inside the room. Quickly turning into the door frame, rake ready to attack or defend if need, he stopped dead in his tracks; for sitting on the windowsill was a woman. She had pure black hair, and eyes of gold. And, faintly outlined in the moonlight that streamed in the window, large, black, feathered wings. Dark blue eyes widened as the rake clattered to the floor. The woman didn't move. She became like a statue in the window. Michio opened his lips in order to say something, a warning maybe, but no words came out, only a small choking sound. A smile flashed across the face of the figure in the window frame. With a motion unseen by the boy at the door, she stood right in front of him. She looked at him curiously, something strange in her golden eyes. Finally, Michio summoned up some courage to speak. "Wh-what the hell are you?" He didn't ask 'who,' because he couldn't be sure that this being was human.
A strange look crossed her face. "Chiyo." That was it. Eternal. Chiyo stepped back, allowing the boy room to breathe, for she had gotten really close to him.
Michio managed to restart his heart, and took a deep breath. "Chiyo," he repeated. "What are you doing here?" His voice was more concrete now as he looked the girl over. She was wearing a black turtleneck sweater that he recognized as his. It came down to the middle of her thighs. Beneath that was a pair of jeans that he hadn't worn in months because they were too small. Her feet were bare and white against the dark wooden floor.
Chiyo's head tilted to the side, and a warm glow was in her eyes and cheeks. "I needed somewhere to stay. This place was unlocked, so I barged right in. I'm terribly sorry." She gave a short bow. "And I borrowed your clothes, if you don't mind." Michio shook his head roughly and walked past her to his bed, where he collapsed a moment later. He held his face in his hands and shook his head lightly, muttering to himself. She looked on, her head still tilted, with curiosity.
Before long, he looked up again. "You never answered my first question," he said lightly.
Chiyo's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? I told you who I was."
"No. I asked what you were."
"Ah," she sighed, bowing her head a bit. "You must know about the explosion that happened nearby?" She looked up enough to see him nod, his blue eyes regarding her cautiously. "Well, I'm the cause of it. A myth that has never been true until now..."
It was silent for a few seconds before she continued again. "I died ten years ago, and was brought to the heavens as a reward for being a kind soul during my life. But then, but a week ago in your time, something happened that I cannot explain. Somehow, I became corrupt like those below, and crashed here." Chiyo took a few deep breaths when she finished before turning her golden eyes up at Michio.
He had stood up while she was attempting to explain. "So that's why that area is so unnatural." His eyes were off in the distance, pondering what she had said, and remembering the weirdness of the site. "And they had said that there was a material similar to feathers in the sample, which must have come from your wings..." He broke off and took a few steps forward past Chiyo.
"Who?" she asked, genuinely curious.
But he ignored her and thought for another few seconds. Then, he abruptly turned on the girl. "What if you come with me? They'd like to see you, I'd bet, and then they might be able to understand that dust." A light had ignited in his eyes when he had thought of it.
But she just backed away from him, shaking her head, wide eyes looking up into the boy's dark blue. "No. I cannot be seen by anyone other than you. At least, not seen as what I am."
This put down Michio's spirits. "Aw, that sucks," he said with a pout, his lower lip puffing out a small bit.
"Yeah, well, it's the laws of nature. I don't exist."
"If that's so, then why can I see you right now?"
"... I don't exist outside of this house."
"The explosion site?"
"... Shut up."
Michio gave a whoop of laughter. "Okay, okay. You don't exist outside of my mind."
He got a confirming nod from the angel, who had an annoyed look on her fair face. "Now, could you possibly do something about this room?" she asked, gesturing all around her. Clothes were strewn everywhere, the bedsheets were crumpled at the foot of the bed; there was trash everywhere.
"Hey, part of this is your fault, you know. You were going through my clothes."
"Yeah, but I only threw maybe two pairs of pants out here while I was looking for these." She gestured to the tight pair of jeans she was wearing. "And, if it's not too much to ask, could I keep these, and the shirt?" She had been admiring the thin black fabric of the turtleneck as she spoke.
"Sure. Just... hide your chest a bit more." He blushed, having just noticed that the shirt was stretched tight across her bust.
She wrapped her arms around herself, pouting. "If you don't think it's acceptable, then you can go out and buy me some proper clothes."
"Fine," he said, still blushing. His dark blue eyes were off to the side, refusing to look at Chiyo again. "But it'll have to wait until after school tomorrow. And right now I really need to get to sleep." He gathered a blanket into his arms, leaving the room and gesturing for the angel to follow him. Michio led her down the stairs and into the living room, where he dumped the bundle of fabric on the long couch. "You can sleep here."
She shook her head and stood at the door stubbornly. "No way am I going to sleep on the couch. You can sleep here." In a second, she was gone.
When Michio ran to follow her, he found her lying across his own bed. He gave a disheveled sigh and left the room again, going back down to the living room where he would apparently be sleeping.
When Michio awoke, it was still dark, with only a sliver of the sun showing above the horizon. Still heavy with sleep, he trudged upstairs to the bathroom. Turning on the light and shutting the door behind him, he turned to the shower, turning it on. He didn't notice Chiyo perched quietly on the side of the hamper. There was a smile on her face as she watched him remove his shirt. Then, when he turned to throw it into the hamper, he fell backwards. "Chiyo! Get out," he screeched.
Her smile grew even bigger as she leaped off the hamper and skipped out the door. He locked the door behind her, cursing himself for not noticing her when he passed the hamper on the way to turn on the shower. He finished undressing and then stepped into the hot water, thinking about what had happened last night.
His morning routine was a bit different today -- and would be from now on -- because of the angel. She sat on his bed, observing Michio as he dressed. He was able to sneak around her when he came out of the shower, one towel wrapped around his waist, the other hanging from his neck. But now he couldn't, not with those golden eyes following his every move. He pulled on the pair of black school pants, then put his arms through the sleeves of the white shirt. Grabbing up the jacket that lay across a chair in the corner, he hurried downstairs. He was eager to get away from this girl who watched him like a hawk. Slipping on the jacket, he grabbed a cold bagel from a basket on the counter, and carried it in his mouth as he buttoned his shirt before zipping up the jacket. After slinging his book bag across his shoulder, Michio turned to Chiyo, who had appeared at the door to the kitchen. The piece of bread in his hand, he said to her, "You wait here. I have to go to school, and then I'll try to get you some proper clothes. Just... lay low." With that, he left, locking the side door behind him. She 'harrumphed' and went into the living room, where she collapsed back in the armchair that was Michio's favorite. She grabbed up the remote stubbornly and flicked on the television. Finding nothing on that interested her, she threw the remote onto the couch, jumping up from the seat. Going back into the boy's bedroom upstairs, Chiyo searched the room for something to do. It hadn't been but ten minutes since he had left, but she was already bored and had nothing to do. Crossing the hall to the bathroom, she discarded the clothes she wore before going into the bathroom, closing the door, and turning on the shower. When the water was at her desired temperature, she stepped into it and let the warm water run through her hair. She had retracted her wings into her back, since soggy feathers were useless, and she wanted to go out for a flight. Maybe she could survey the area, and maybe even figure out where Michio was.
When she finished the shower, she shook off the water -- still standing in the tub -- before gathering up the clothes she had strewn across the hallway and putting them on. Too bad for Michio, the turtleneck had two large slits in the back where her wings fit. It was Chiyo's now. Opening the window in the second-story bedroom, she leaped out of it, unfurling the large black wings. Gaining height quickly, she sailed high so that no one would see her. Then, she noticed a school nearby. She circled above it, trying to find any sign of the boy. Then, she spotted him just below, walking across the central courtyard to a building on the other side. A grin swept across her face and she waited until the coast was clear before she swooped down and landed outside the main office, tucking her wings tightly into her back. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and entered. The room was vast, and there was a long counter on the opposite wall. Stepping up to it, Chiyo cleared her throat. The lady sitting behind looked up at her over a pair of thin-rimmed glasses that hung from a string. "May I help you?"
"Yes. I just moved into the area and was wanting to enroll here," Chiyo said, her voice polite and young.
"I see. Name?"
"Chiyo."
The lady looked up at her. "Last name?"
"Uhh... Lee." She picked the name off the top of her head. It was common, as she could tell from the sigh that came from the other woman.
"Age?"
"Seventeen." At least, that's how old Michio was, and she was trying to get into his class.
"Birthdate?"
Now, here was a problem. She didn't even know the year. "I have the same birthdate as my cousin, Michio, who I think goes here."
"Ah, Michio. The best student here." She pulled up his file on the computer and copied the date down.
She continued asking Chiyo questions before shoving a piece of paper toward the angel. "Sign, please." Chiyo did so and handed it back. "Your schedule is here," the lady handed the raven-haired girl another paper, "and your current class is across the courtyard. And lucky you, you've got your cousin in your class. All of them, to be exact."
A glint came to Chiyo's eyes as she stepped back toward the door.
"Wait." Chiyo turned back toward the desk and the woman behind it. The secretary held out a small stack of clothes, and a pair of shoes. "You need to change into your uniform first. I think this will fit." She ushered Chiyo into a room just behind the counter.
When she came back out, the woman looked over her and nodded. "That looks good on you, hun. Now you can go."
Chiyo walked slowly out of the office. The black skirt was really short, and only just covered her upper thighs. The white, button-down shirt was just like Michio's, and there was a short-sleeved black jacket to match. There were black loafers, covered by white leg warmers that covered most of her calves. Her face was a deep red as she looked herself over. But then, she calmed her expression, and her face became pale again. Then, she crossed the yard and found the room where she was supposed to go. The class had yet to start, the door open and the teacher standing just inside. He saw her walk up. "Welcome. You must be new here. I'm Mr. Hiroshi, and I'm your English teacher. Please, come in." He held the door more open for her to step through. A few of the students had heard their teacher's introduction and watched as Chiyo came in. A few of them looked at her, their eyes filled shining. It seemed that they had never seen anyone so beautiful. A few of the guys talked among themselves about her.
"What the hell are you doing here," came an angry voice from behind her. Chiyo whirled around to face Michio. Seeing him lit up her face and she smiled.
"I came to see you."
He rolled his eyes. "You live with me. You can see me anytime you want."
She pouted and folded her arms across her chest. "But I was bored."
One of the guys in the class came up behind Michio and wrapped an arm across his shoulders. This boy had startling red hair that was cropped short. And, he was a bit taller than Michio. "Heyy. Who's this pretty little thing?" he asked in a flirtatious voice.
Michio rolled his dark blue eyes. "She's no one," he said at the same time that Chiyo answered with "I'm his cousin, Chiyo."
They glared at each other, which made the red-head laugh. "Nice to meet you, Chiyo. Name's Hiro. Nice to meet ya." He held out a hand to Chiyo in a friendly fashion.
Chiyo took his hand and shook it, the smile returning to her face. "It's very nice to meet you."
A red color appeared on Hiro's cheeks. Her smile dazzled him.
"Excuse me, but could I talk to her alone," Michio directed at the red-head.
"Uh, sure." Hiro was still in a daze from Chiyo's smile while Michio pulled her out into the hallway.
"Why are you here, and what happened to your wings?" He whirled her around to look at her back. But the black jacket had no slits in it.
"I told you, I was bored. And angels can pull their wings back into their backs." The smile was still on her face.
"But why'd you have to come here?" His annoyance was obvious in his voice.
"Don't be so stubborn," she pouted, her arms crossing across her chest.
"You're the one being stubborn! You come out here in the open, even though you said last night that no one could see you!" Michio was shouting now, and people were coming out of their classrooms, curious.
Hiro stood right outside the door of their classroom, his eyes wide with shock as he listened in on their argument. Was there something going on between Michio and this strange new girl?
Chiyo's eyes darted around her, eyeing everyone who had come out of the room. Deciding to end this on a good note, -- well, more of a bad one -- she shoved past Michio on her way back into the classroom.
Hiro's dark brown eyes followed her as she took a seat in one of the desks, everyone else settling in. It was then that he realized that she was sitting in the desk right next to his. A rosy color appearing on his cheeks, Hiro walked slowly over to his desk and sat down. He averted his eyes so that he could just barely see the beautiful girl on his left. But his eyes kept darting to her; a few times, catching her eye. When this happened, he quickly turned away, the red in his cheeks becoming more intense.
The next few mornings were different. Michio had to wait for Chiyo to get herself up and ready every day, and they would go to school together. The third day, after school, he took her to a clothing store to buy her some proper clothing rather than her usual black turtleneck and jeans, or her school uniform. She chose a few expensive things, but overall it wasn't bad, considering how much she wanted.
After two weeks, a big project was given at school. The project would be done by groups of three, and Chiyo automatically chose Michio as part of her group. But who to add as the third? She walked up to the red-head's desk during lunch that day. "Hey, Hiro. Wanna be in our group?" She shoves her thumb in Michio's direction.
The red came back to Hiro's cheeks when he was acknowledged by this beautiful girl. "S-sure," he stammered, trying not to look into her golden eyes.
A wide grin crossed her face as she grabbed his wrist, pulling him out of the desk. "Then come on. We gotta get a work schedule together." She dragged him over to where Michio sat, chatting with his friends. "Michiooo~!"
The dark-haired boy looked up at Chiyo from over his chopsticks, which were just about to pick up something else from his bento. "What do you want?"
"Hey, don't be so mean to her, Michi," said a small-ish girl who sat next to him.
He shot a glare at her, but turned his attention back to Chiyo.
"Hiro's in our group now," she said with a grin. "That means we need a time schedule."
Michio rolls his eyes. "We'll just make it up as we go along. Can you come by right after school?" he asked the red-head, who nodded. "Then it's settled. We'll schedule the next one later." He turned back to his lunch.
Chiyo nodded brightly and steered Hiro back to his seat, where she sat next to him. He tried to keep his attention on his own lunch, but couldn't help but feel the raven-haired girl's eyes on him. The blush on his cheeks never left.
After school, Hiro did come over. They went over their project and came up with some ideas. But it was hard for two of the three to concentrate. Chiyo couldn't keep her eyes off the red-head who sat beside her. And Hiro couldn't help but to think about the raven-haired girl next to him.
When Hiro left, Chiyo gave a sigh of relief. "Thank GOD. I thought he'd never leave!"
Michio stood and started gathering up the books and papers that were scattered across the table. "Oh really? I saw you looking at him. And it wasn't a look of disgust that I saw."
Golden eyes rolled to the ceiling. "I couldn't wait for him to leave so that I could stretch out my wings. They've been tucked into my back all day." She stood spread out the large black wings, being careful to not hit anything with them. She shook them out lightly and stepped from the living room into the kitchen. "What is there to eat?" she called.
"Try the fridge," was all he answered.
Too bad he couldn't see her roll her eyes at him. Chiyo settled for a plate of leftover pasta. She stuck it in the microwave and leaned back against the counter, waiting for it to finish. Then the side door opened. She wasn't quick enough to tuck her wings back in.
Hiro stopped dead in his tracks, his hand still on the doorknob. His dark eyes were wide, staring at the wings protruding from Chiyo's back. He watched while they disappeared into her back before turning his scared, horrified eyes into her gold ones.
Michio comes into the kitchen, having cleaned up the living room, and hungry. He, too, stopped where he was, turning his dark blue eyes from Chiyo to Hiro and back again. "Did he see?" He ignored the red-head as he asked this.
Chiyo nodded slightly and turned, briskly walking back into the living room.
When she left, Michio rounded on Hiro, whose eyes were still wide with shock. "What are you doing here?" he asked angrily. He then calmed his features and voice when he saw that Hiro was shaking. "Hiro. Calm down."
"W-what is sh-she?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Michio sighed and shook his head. "I guess there's no use in hiding it now. Chiyo is -- was-- an angel who fell to Earth. You know that explosion site not too far from here?" Hiro nodded weakly. "She's the cause of it."
Hiro slowly dropped to his knees onto the linoleum floor, taking up a black feather in his hand. "Oh," he whispered.
Chiyo came back to stand at the door, a hint of sadness in her golden eyes.
"Hiro. Why are you here?" Michio said with some force.
The red-head's dark chocolate eyes were attached to the feather in his hands. "I left my textbook. I needed it for my homework and came back to get it." Now, his eyes shyly looked up toward Chiyo, whose wings were tucked tightly into her back. There was a hint of longing in his eyes, but there was also a hint of fear and other emotions that all melted into something strange. He slowly stood and walked over to the girl in the doorway, his feet dragging a bit. "Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered in her ear.
Golden eyes closed. "Because I didn't know what it would do to you. I thought it might hurt you if you knew." The last few words came out as a whisper.
Dark eyes closed, and, swift as possible, Hiro's arms were around Chiyo's shoulders.
The golden eyes snapped open and were wide with shock. "Hiro..." she whispered.
Michio watched the two silently and calmly. This would be a good experience from the once-childish Hiro. The embrace dragged on for several seconds. Michio took a look at the clock hanging on the kitchen wall and sighed. "Hiro, it's late. Your textbook is still on the coffee table."
It was a few moments before Hiro pulled away from the girl. He nodded and hurried into the living room to get his book before returning to the kitchen, pecking Chiyo lightly on the cheek, and hurrying out the door so that he isn't late getting home.
When the door closed behind Hiro, a smile spread across the raven-haired girl's face and gold eyes slowly closed. "I'm glad."
"About what? You said that no one else could find out what you are!" The words came out as a small shout.
"I was tired of keeping this from him. I couldn't stand it." Now she dropped to her knees, a tear shining on her pale cheek, though the smile was still present.
"What if he tells someone? What will you do then? If he tells someone, then that person might tell more people, who will all tell more. And soon it could get around the world."
Chiyo shakes her head. "No. I don't think he'll do that."
"How can you be so sure."
"I can't. But I have a feeling that he won't."
"If you say so," Michio sighed, stepping into the living room. "It's late. So if you don't want to sleep on the couch tonight, then you better get your butt upstairs."
The girl jumped up, wiping the tears from her eyes and giving a big grin. She dashed up the stairs past Michio, who was already halfway up, turning around at the top to stick her tongue out at him. He grinned up at her before she disappeared into his room. Turning around and going back down the stairs, he sighed.
