Triad

Chapter 2



Revealing Encounter



' ' - thoughts

" " - speeches



The chilling December air seems to warm up a bit with the heat of the afternoon sun. Yet little shivers run through Kaoru’s spine as he steps out of the North-wing building. The building was constructed a lot earlier than most buildings on the campus, when the BL School was first founded. Nonetheless, it still possesses grace within its turquoise-coloured walls, and this is where most offices for school administration and student clubs including the Student Council Room and the Treasury are located. From the front double door of the building, the walking path goes in a straight line before it separate into two similar tracks: one leading to the park and another leading to the school cafeteria. Across the park, there locates a modern three-storeyed building where most academic classes are situated.



Deep in thought, Kaoru mindlessly walk along the path, aware of the stolen glances from almost every student both junior and senior on his way. Sometime ago he is told by Omi that there has been an increase in the secret fan clubs worshipping the Queen of the Academy, and he wanted to scoff at the ridicule of other people’s thought and the predicament he is in. The troublesome thing is that the one he wants the most to notice him (in sort of an affectionate way) doesn’t fulfill his wish and there are countless people out there, probably half of the school, who are begging to get his attention. ‘Idiot!’ Kaoru berates not really clear whether it is directed at himself or at him.



Kaoru seems to be absorbed with his frustration that he doesn’t even see clouds of dust or rather a student racing a bike at the utmost possible top speed until it’s too late. Deep emerald eyes widen in shock. He tries to sway his body to the right a bit to get out the path of the raging cyclists out of instinct.



“Cling! Cling! Yo, get out of the way people. Taki’s coming through!” A shrill voice of the cyclist cuts through the air.



‘Oh no, he’s coming right..’ Before he can think straight, he sees a rash of red mop of hair and a similarly red jumper flashes through his eyes. Then he feels warmth radiating from the person behind him. After that the tight grip of that said person on his forearms.



“Sorry,” Taki shouts without glancing back to whomever his apology is directed at.



One. Two. He blinks twice as if to clear his head and rushing images in his eyes. “What..,” Kaoru trails the obvious question, “… is going on?”



When his vision becomes clearer, the first thing he notices is the light-maroon coat with a navy under-vest and then a dark blue tie. Then his mind recovers from the shock and he realises he is in the embrace of that said person. He tilts his head a bit upwards with a questioning look in the eyes, wondering who in their right mind would dare to touch ‘the Queen’. He’s off-limits after all; Omi makes sure of that. His eyes meet a handsome face of the Student Council Vice President Nakajima Hideaki; his lips curve upward a bit as if to smile but looks more like a heroic smirk plastered on his face.



Kaoru wiggles out of the uncomfortable embrace and turns his questioning gaze towards the man. He never tries to bother acquainting people from the Student Council since it’s universally, or rather academ-ically, known that the Student Council and the Treasury are always on the techno-war. It’s more like the vice presidents of two councils are born to be arch-rivals of each others and constantly bickering and sending each other viruses, when they would sarcastically call ‘a gift’, to wreck the computer system and all the hard-work data along the way. Therefore, it puts the situation on the edge whenever two of the council members meet. Although it’s a surprise that ‘the King’, namely Tetsuya Niwa, also known as the President of the Student Council doesn’t harbour the ill feelings and irritation and always tries to greet cheerfully whenever they meet. Kaoru would always just ignore him of course.



“My, my, the Queen needs to be careful when the precious knight isn’t around, doesn’t it?” Hide deep voice is sultry and filled with sarcasm; his sheeny cobalt eyes hold self-confidence and withstand the burning questioning gaze of Kaoru’s. Kaoru’s look hardens at the hint of jest in his tone.



Nakajima Hideaki is famously known the Vice President of the Student Council. Story of the election during the first year is the most spoken, since it’s rare for the first years to become the members of the Student Council, never mind becoming a president and a vice president; most students don’t have much trust in the first years to behave properly and manage all the work. What makes the story an infamous one is that Nakajima Hideaki lost the president position to Tetsuya Niwa by just one vote. Nevertheless both men don’t seem to hold grudge against each other. However what people don’t know is that even though Hide is the vice president, he also occupies the position of the Shadow King and subtly controls Niwa in the running the business of the student council for the good, but not as to manipulate the mediocre King.



Standing at the 182 centimetres, his towering profile is further defied by the well-sculpted muscles underneath that formal school uniform. A head of perfectly gelled navy-coloured hair adorned his face and he wears frameless oval eye-glasses that seem to intensify the sheen of his cobalt orbs. Both of the council presidents are one year senior to Kaoru and Omi, and therefore they wear dark blue ties since their year in the academy is ranked by the colour of their ties.



“What are you doing?” Kaoru blurts out the question before he can stop himself.



“I’m saving you of course, my precious Queen.” Hide replies casually but with a certain satisfied gleam in his eyes. Kaoru grits his teeth to prevent himself from blurting further embarrassing stream of curses which no one would suspect a Queen to have in his dictionary.



“Well then, thank you.” Kaoru also spits it out, but refrain from being rude and instead thanks him in a steel cold voice. “I’m going.” Kaoru tries to stop this conversation afraid that it might add to his list of frustration, and he knows he can’t handle much more in one day. Before he has taken more than two steps, he’s then again stopped by the voice of Hide.



“Something troubling you?” Hide says it in an interrogating tone. His sharp eyes however don’t miss the upsetting look on the Queen’s beautiful feature and he can see that something is eating up queen’s mind. Kaoru didn’t even notice the approaching danger, from which he was luckily saved by the hero in a narrow breath. Also, he didn’t even bother to exchange taunting pleasantries and just tried to walk off. As usual, Hide is someone who is determined to do whatever his mind is set regardless of the obstacles or the almost angry glare of the Queen.



“Nothing.” Kaoru tries to sound natural but failing miserably, the abrupt pitch of his voice is a give-away since he can’t speak in his normal composed tone of his voice. He attempts to take a step further without a result.



“Care to talk about whatever the subject is troubling you?” Hide offers console ‘nonchalantly’ which makes Kaoru think that the vice president is purposefully bothering him to make him irritated.



“No, thanks for your concern.” Kaoru retorts with the similar faked appreciation; his face is put on a mask of a charming smile that would easily fool anyone, but not the mastermind Hide.



“Really?” Hide says in a questioning tone.



“Really.” Kaoru tries to finalise the conversation since his head is starting ache from thinking too much.



“Okay then. However I must tell you about my business.” Hide takes on a professional tone.



Kaoru has no other choice but to listen to whatever business that Hide wants to talk about, otherwise he’ll keep pushing it until Kaoru listen to him. ‘Stubborn man,’ Kaoru growls mentally. Sigh. “What is it that you want to talk to me about?” He gives his consent.



“Oh just a warning for the Treasury people. Your dog seems to be attacking our Student Council computer system on frequent basis lately and I’m just warning you to keep a leash on him. Not that our computer system will be that easily ruined since the defense is top-rated; however I’m beginning thinking that using viruses to wreck the system is utterly preposterous and totally inconsequential.” His steel profile doesn’t betray to show any emotions hidden beneath that handsome façade of his; but his tone is dripping with sarcasm and acrimony. However what irritates Kaoru the most that leering grin of his plastered across his face which makes him look like a devil advocate.



Kaoru tightens his brows unconsciously. ‘Here I’m trying hard not to let my thought stray to certain silver head and that idiotic vice president just has to say the obvious matter’. “Omi said it was the Student Council who first tried to hack into the Treasury system.” Kaoru points out the obvious truth since it was definitely Hide who started the techno-battle.



“As for that matter, I’m just trying to obtain as much data as possible so much our performance of the Student Council may be improved. After all the Student Council exists to help the students, doesn’t it so Kaoru?” A sultry tone is added when his name rolls off of Hide’s tongue and Kaoru grimaces inwardly. He pushes his glasses upward a bit.



“Whatever. But I’ll tell Omi to stop this nonsense, and also you better stop intruding the Treasury files. I’m sure Niwa-san can handle the student council matters just file.” Kaoru is desperate to ending this same old conversation about the assault as the impending headache is worsened by seconds. Also, the thought of Omi doesn’t help the growing migraine.



“Oh! I’m sure your dog will listen to the master, Kaoru.”



This is the last straw.



“Well, I said I know it already. I’ll tell him, got it. And stop calling him ‘my dog’ because he’s not one if you can see clearly from under that eye-glasses of yours. It’s not like I own him or anything, and don’t degrade Omi by calling him ‘dog’ again. I won’t tolerate it.” Kaoru practically raises his voice by a pitch or two, which immediately catches the attention of by-standers, and then just stomps off in the direction of the park without waiting for Hide’s reply or glancing back.



Hide’s brows go up to make a surprising look. ‘Well, that’s interesting. I’m sure that this is the very first time I’ve seen Kaoru loses him manners. The Queen is always so up-tight and demure; he hardly ever raises his voice. Now this gets my attention. I wonder what’s bothering him and why he is so upset over me calling the Treasury dog ‘dog’; I don’t think this is the first time I address him in such a degrading attitude as Kaoru put it, and I’m sure I’m been calling him ever since those two became the controls of the Treasury. Maybe whatever Kaoru is brooding over has something to do with the ‘dog’ of his. I should tell Niwa about this.’ Hide lifts his hand to push the slightly dislodged glasses back into its proper position; his deep cobalt eyes gleam with characteristically intense fire as if he’s about to land his wit on the case that’ll give him the time of his life.



Ignoring the inquiring gazes of the on-lookers, he walks off in the opposite direction of where Kaoru went. Stepping into the North-wing building, the oaken double-door shuts with a loud bang behind his back.



x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x



Please R & R. I could really do with encouragement of my readers. Constructice criticism is welcomed as well.



Smut will come later; I need to build a proper storyline. I'll update asap.



Ja ne,

rose-chan