Zane was looking out the window absent-minded, the things that happened that day were still weighing down on his mind. Such that he didn't even snap out of it even when the bell for the lunch break rang.
"Don't make me laugh! That fucking seemed like it came straight out of a romance novel." He muttered to himself, but that wasn't actually the main reason for his frustration, since as much as he understood of the matter, it seemed to have been resolved.
What actually made him angry were the revelation after it.
"How can I be? I look exactly like them." He was murmuring to himself.
"-ane, ZANE!"
A loud voice broke him out of his reverie. It was Shikimori Miyako, Zane's closest friend. It's has already been two weeks since that day, and Zane was holed up in his room, the first week he came to school and interacted with everyone as usual but for the second week he didn't even bothering to turn up for school.
Shikimori who noticed his odd behavior before his absence the first time, tried to contact him many times but to no avail. And after all these days, when he did come to school, he was like this, depressed, absent-minded, he had dark circles under his eyes as if he had gotten no sleep for days.
*FLASHBACK*
That day, when Zane's parents saw Cara they immediately became alert, Zane was confused and tried to explain if there was a misunderstanding only to get silenced down by his father.
Cara seeing their reaction didn't bother anymore and left after saying, "Your son saved my life, so we are even. Though I am surprised that you have a child of your own, Seeing that the investigation report all those years ago said that Bridget was infertile."
Zane's mind blanked at that and the words repeated in his head. After Cara left the scene, everyone entered their home. His parent began asking about what happened and how he had met Cara.
After his explanation, knowing that Cara was about to commit suicide, Kenji had a guilt ridden face.
It was time for him to ask questions and he did, the answers he got however, were just too much to be digested at once. Everyone was silent, before he chuckled nervously, "Well it seems like it all ended well right?"
"It seems like it." His mother replied back with a bitter smile.
"Huh? For a moment I actually thought I was adopted. I mean I look so much like you how can I possibly be adopted, right?" He said with a laugh only for the atmosphere to turn tense again. Zane shuddered as he asked again,
"Right?"
"Mom? Dad?"
Seeing his parents' reaction, he already knew the answer. He didn't get angry, he didn't blow up on them, he didn't blame them for anything. After hearing their own story, he knew at that time his parents were struggling too.
He knew how lucky he was as he was treated by them as if he was their own son. He knew he should be thankful for their care and everything they have done for him but still, he just couldn't handle the truth.
His face scrunched up, no matter how mature he was for his age, he was still a fourteen year old, "I will be in my room. It will take me quite some time to get over this." He left rushing towards his room.
"Ba-" Asuka was about to run after him when Kenji held her hand.
"Leave him alone for a while. He needs time. So do we"
"But what if he hates-" before Asuka could complete her sentence, she was shocked to find her husband showing his signature smile.
"Whose son do you think he is?"
That was enough to reassure her. The next day Zane seemed to have calmed down, started behaving like usual.
His parents were ofcourse happy but unknown to them, this matter took seed in his mind and refused to leave it. On top of that, his misfortunes seemed to have become more frequent. Furthermore there seems to be a voice speaking to him in his head.
After a few more days even his parents seemed to be worried about his condition, which leads us upto this situation.
*FLASHBACK END*
"Fujiwara san, your health doesn't seem to have recovered. Are you feeling alright? Do you need to go the infirmary?" Shikimori asked concerned.
Zane only gave her a slightly strained smile while standing up and replied back, "It's nothing rea-"
*THUD*
"FUJIWARA SAN!!"
Shikimori shouted as she reached out to support his unconscious body. Everyone that was present in class reacted to that too as some of Zane's male friends rushed ahead to check him too. "Fujiwara!!"
Two of his friends held him by his arms as they lifted him and marched straight towards the infirmary, Shikimori following right behind them with her friends, Kyou Nekozaki and Yui Hachimitsu.
________At the infirmary _________
"He seems to have lost sleep for a few days, and appears to be exhausted. The fatigue has built up which was the reason why he became unconscious. He should be okay after some rest. I have some work, so I will take my leave first." The school nurse said as she left the room.
""""Thank you sensei""""
Everyone present in room thanked her as they turned to each other.
"I will look after him till he wakes up. You all should leave for the classes." Said Tooru Ishikawa, a tall guy with purple hair and eyes. He was one of Zane's good friends along with
Shuu Iura, a guy with green hair and eyes with a goofy smile.
"Then we will lea-"
"No, Please let me take care of him." before Kyou could agree, Shikimori interrupted her. She looked concerned.
Seeing her like that, Tooru backed down with a smile.
"Huh? Why?...ouch ouch. Tooru it hurts, it fucking hurts" Just when shuu was going to interject, Tooru shut his mouth, grabbing him by his neck like a cat as he walked out.
Seeing their banter, although the three remaining girls seemed confused, they didn't mind it as Kyou left the room Yui following right after her. Yui closed the door after she walked out as she mouthed the words,
'Good Luck'
Shikimori smiled after hearing her friend's encouragement. She walked towards the bed Zane was sleeping in. She took a chair as she sat beside his bed, humming a tune.
_________________
From childhood, somehow Zane always knew he was different than others.
He always felt as if everything around was fleeting, as if, even if everyone beside him disappears, he will be fine, he was 5 years old then.
It was frustrating, he wanted the thing that he, at that time thought were his to remain with him forever.
He remained quite restless at that time, always getting up late at night crying, getting angry quickly. During those days, he only ever found was when he was in his parents' embrace.
When he explained his thoughts to his mother, his mother laughed a little before embracing him tightly as she said,
"Mama will never leave you, you are my precious baby after all."
At that time, hearing those words from his mother, his heart calmed down. He felt as if a mountain that was on his shoulders was lifted off. He lived his life happily from then on until that day.
When he realized he was adopted, that feeling buried deep inside his heart awoke again, he started feeling restless. He was becoming madder and more irritated at this feeling he couldn't identify. Something was Awakening inside him.....
That was the first time Zane realized, he was by no means normal. That was the first time Zane saw his true form.
He wanted to let go of all this, to let go of this feeling that he couldn't identify, he knew he could do it, he knew he could unleash whatever was brewing inside of him, to be whole, to be what he truly is again but he also knew the moment he releases it he will loose his humanity.
As he was in this state of immense confusion and madness, he heard her soothing voice, although it didn't exactly express any words to him, it calmed him down, it felt like when he was in his mother's embrace.
It was so calm and peaceful.
__________________________
Zane's eyes fluttered open as looked towards the source of the soothing voice. Seeing him awaken, Shikimori stopped humming.
"Thanks, I really needed that." Zane smiled looking at her.
Seeing his smile, Shikimori was left a blushing mess, "N...no it was actually Ishikawa san and Iura kun who actually brought you here"
"I never said it was about that." he chuckled.
"Huh? T...then why?" She looked confused, though her blush was still there. Somehow Zane seemed a bit different from normal today.
"Thanks for being by my side Shikimori san." He said rubbing the back of his head.
"It was nothing, I was just sitting here" She explained.
"Your presence was more than enough for me. Though I still have a favour to ask" he said as his face turned a bit serious.
Seeing his face turn all serious, she too became serious as she asked, "Ask anything, I will do my best to help."
"Then....Could you please sing that tune for me again. Please?" He said, his voice turned a bit pleading at the end.
Although, Shikimori was a bit embarrassed, Seeing him like that, she couldn't help but show a gentle smile, "Sure why not."
Zane smiled back at her as he closed his eyes hearing her voice. Her voice washed away all his worries, surprisingly it even calmed down his inhuman self.
Seeing his calm face that was blooming with his mesmerizing smile, Shikimori tried to be brave and slid her hand close to Zane's.
To Shikimori's surprise,Feeling her hand near his, Zane grabbed hold of it firmly.
Shikimori looked up to see Zane was looking straight into her eyes, she too looked into his as both their feelings were conveyed. Shikimori stopped singing long ago without both of them realizing it themselves
Both of them leaned in as they did what their hearts desired. They kissed, at first pecking each other on the lips, then their passion burned as they started from locking lips to battling with their tongues. Zane's hands were holding onto her waist as her hands were wrapped around his neck. Both of them were trying their best not to loose but at last Shikimori couldn't hold her breath anymore as she pulled away gently.
Zane caressed her cheek gently as Shikimori held his hand near her face, rubbing on it like a cat. "I feel like I should have done this the first time I met you"
Shikimori chuckled a little as she replied, "How intriguing, I was thinking the same thing."
Zane's eyes turned serious as he held on to her tightly, he knew what he had to do now.
"Miya. Can I call you that?"
"Yes, in turn Can I call you by your first name too?" She asked back softly already anticipating what was going to happen.
"Yes"
"Then Miya?" Zane looked at her lovingly.
"Yes?"
"I know that I can sometimes be a lot of work and you would have to save me from my bouts of misfortune but I still want to ask, Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked, his tone unwavering.
At that time Miya gave the brightest smile Zane had ever seen on her face.
"Yes!!!"
She pounced on him, holding his face as she kissed him without break. Zane, a bit surprised at first, but he too reciprocated.
After a while, they remained in each other's embrace as Shikimori asked, "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"Hmm."
After that Zane explained everything that happened to him, hearing this Miya laughed out hard. Zane was bewildered, "why?"
Miya smooches his cheek as she replied back with a smile, "How can my boyfriend be the top of the class and so stupid in emotional matters ath the same time? You are afraid that they will abandon you? After all you have told me, I can guarantee that it is 100% impossible"
"How can you be so sure? You have never even met them?" Zane asked, although he should be irritated, somehow her presence calmed him which caused him to ask the question in a more amused expression.
Seeing him not panicking anymore, Miya replied, "I have no reason to meet them to judge them about this matter. The matter is simple, they are Zane san's parents"
"No like I said, I was ad-"
"No. They are YOUR parents." Miya said, giving him no chance to explain as if there can't be any other reason for them to not abandon him.
Hearing her words, although Zane was shocked by the implications behind her words as to how she realized his possessiveness, he didn't think too much of it as he too smiled. "Yes, they are indeed mine."
He hugs her gently, "So are you"
"I know" Miya smiled, as at that moment, neither of them had noticed that Miya's eyes had turned Gold in colour with cat like pupils.
__________________________
After returning home, Zane apologized to his parents for his behavior. He also thanked them with all his heart as he hugged them. They realized that Zane seemed to have matured a lot in a short time but they didn't mind it. His mother cooked his favorite dishes that night as his father made an announcement.
"A week from now, your summer vacation will start. So, I have prepared for us a vacation trip to Rome"
""Yeeeaah"" Zane and Asuka cheered.