Here's something less spammy from Mi. From me. Yeah. I didn't plan on
sending it out so soon. I was hoping to get at least another two or
three parts written, because I have no clue where I am going with this.
Also, if anyone can help me think of a better title, I would really
appreciate it. 'Over-Due Rent' was the first and only thing that came
to my mind. And any other sort of suggestions would also be much
welcomed. Thanks. *smile*
--~~*~~--
~*DiScLaImEr*~
Maison Ikkoku is the property of the omnipotent Takahashi Rumiko. I am
not dumb enough to claim her ingenius characters. The lame plot,
however, is my own.
~*~*~Over-Due Rent~*~*~
Prologue/teaser:
Twas a dark and stormy night...
Kyouko awoke suddenly to the sound of a floorboard creaking. Another
creak followed, then one more. Just like it would if...But it couldn't
be, because Yotsuya-san had been gone for over two weeks! Reluctantly,
Kyouko had given him up for as good as dead just the day before. Akemi
had been moping because it wasn't as much fun to tease Godai without
Yotsuya-san.
Kyouko slid out from under the covers and sat shivering in the cold
for a few moments. She swallowed as a light thump sounded from
upstairs. :I really should fix the floorboards at the top of the
stairs,: Kyouko thought as another creak echoed softly. She swiftly put
on a robe and made her way to the door. She stopped only briefly,
muttering a brief praryer to Soichiro to protect her. It was out of
habit; no matter how much she, unadmittedly, cared about Godai, she
would always love Soichiro.
Reaching out for the doorknob, she saw her hand was shaking. She was
scared. From a few creaking noises in an old building. Kyouko shook
her head roughly and gulped. Creaking was normal in a building this
old. It didn't necessarily mean anything. Even that Yotsuya-san had
finally returned. With the rent two months late, it was no wonder he
didn't return. She had been thinking about packing up his stuff and
trying to rent out his room, but she couldn't bear the thought.
Her door slowly slid open and she was comforted by the soft sigh it
emitted. It may be an old building, but it was one she had come to love
dearly. She still felt bitter towards her mother for
that...incident...that had occured, when she had tried to force Kyouko
to quit her job as manager. It had been so long ago, but the anger
remained. Kyouko ran her hand along the old wood of her door as she
shut it behind her and walked down the hall. The soft patter of her
footsteps was echoed by the sound of gentle raindrops outside. She took
a big breath and walked around the corner.
A soft snoring greeted her ears as she walked past Ichinose-san's
room. She shook her head and smiled faintly. A sudden, much louder
thump sounded from upstairs and Kyouko quickened her pace. She felt
spots of water under her feet. Obviously, someone had just come in from
the rain. She looked down and saw that some of the spots were a bit
darker. Akemi probably has a leaking beer bottle. That would explain
the thumping. She must be stumbling drunk by now.
Kyouko jogged the last few steps to the stairs. She slowed down as
she began to ascend. She swallowed once more before peeking over the
top of the stairs. A gasp escaped her lips. "Yotsuya-san!" she cried
out softly. He had colapsed in front of his room and a small pool of
something dark was beginning to collect around him. "Yotsuya-san," she
hissed, dashing to his side. "Are you okay?"
Yotsuya-san raised his head weakly. "Ma...manager," he said, voice
unusually soft. "Please assist me to my room. I don't seem to be able
to move my right arm. I suspect it may be broken." He smiled faintly
at the horrified look on Kyouko's face. "Rough week for you, too?"
Kyouko sniffed the air. She had expected to smell alcohol, thinking he
had broken a bottle of beer when he colapsed. But she smelled something
different. Something she didn't much like the smell of; something
primal and powerful. Something like...
"Yotsuya-san, you're bleeding!"
"Quite observent tonight, aren't we, Manager?" He smiled weakly and
tried to pull himself up using the doorknob. He was clutching at his
side with his right arm and winced slightly as he stood, shakily. "I'll
get you the rent money soon, I'm sorry it's so late."
Kyouko snapped slightly. "You're damn right it's late!" she said, a
bit louder than she had intended. She covered her mouth, surprised at
herself. Then she got a stubborn look and stood right in front of him.
"I demand you tell me everything. As manager of this building, I feel I
have a right to know." Something passed over Yotsuya-san's face,
something Kyouko had never expected to see. It was a mix of surprise
and fear. He briefly had the look of a trapped animal, then sighed in
resignition.
"You wouldn't believe me even if I knew where and how to begin." He
paused a moment, as though he were struggling for the right words.
"I...I don't think you would want to know. I don't know if...if I could
trust you." His face crumpled and, to Kyouko's mounting horror, he
appeared as though he were about to cry. Fatigue and fear were
apparently loosening his tongue and mind. He took several deep breaths
and swallowed. "I've only ever trusted two people. dear Manager. And I
don't even know where their graves are to pay my respects."
Kyouko gulped. "It couldn't really be that bad...could it?" she
asked hesitantly.
"Please, Manager, don't try to get yourself involved in this."
Yotsuya-san stumbled into his room, looking for a moment as though he
would colapse again. Kyouko rushed to help him and he accepted her help
gratefully. He swallowed, opened and closed his mouth several times,
and closed his eyes. He rethought what he was intending to say and
sighed. "I'll tell you one of these days, but not now. It's too soon.
The night is too dark and the danger too near. Not this night,
Manager."
--~~*~~--
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