Eyes of Innocence
< > are thoughts
" " are said outloud
---- are breaks
"Hello everyone! My name is Hidaka Ken! Your coach is taking a break
for a few weeks or so, so I'll be your coach for now, if you make it
into the team!" A boy swallowed nervously as he listened among many
others. "Hey, hey! What's your name?"
The young boy snapped awake. "Nagi. Naoe Nagi," he replied.
"Thanks, Nagi. Next!" Ken continued to gather up names.
"Nagi's trying for the soccer team?" one of his classmate's
laughed. His friends followed and teased the poor boy, as he stood
helpless in the middle of the crowd.
Nagi bit
his lip, trying to control his temper.
"Okay, no teasing here!" yelled the brunette. "Everyone: go
get a partner. I'll see how your techniques are! I'll be watching you
guys pass the ball for now." As pairs went off, Ken noticed one
player left. He walked up to the boy. "I guess you're my partner then." Ken
said. "Sorry, I forgot. You're name is..."
"Nagi."
"Oh yes! Gomen!" Ken explained. "My memory's awful. Okay, I'll
go to the other side and let me see how you are."
"Okay..." he forgot the coach's name already. Or more
specifically, he didn't listen.
"It's Ken." Smiled the older boy. "Hidaka Ken."
Nagi's eyes widen in surprise. he calmed himself as
Ken slowly walked away. He slowly passed the ball about, doing not as
bad as he though. A curl suddenly appeared on his lips. Before he
knew it, he was signing up for the goalie position. He caught some of the
flying balls, but the rest were just too fast. Overall, he was the
best goalie there! After the session was over, all his classmates
have though differently of Nagi... perhaps he wasn't so bad.
"Good job, Nagi," a voice said behind him. The boy looked from
under his maroon locks.
"Thanks, Ken san," replied the boy.
"I'm sure if you work harder, you'll be goalie in no time!"
"I don't think I'll make it," Nagi protested. "I'm too small."
"Soccer has nothing to do with size! It's your skills that
count. Anyway, do you need a ride home?" Nagi shook his head in
reply. "Well, I have to go now, ja!" Ken smiled warmly and ran up the steps.
Nagi stood there on the grass field, watching Ken's shadow disappear.
-------------------
"Nagi, why didn't you attack Weiss today?" Crawford asked
during their meeting.
"In front of all my classmates? I can't. I'm suppose to be a
normal boy, like you said, Crawford." Explained the young Schwarz. He
left the room.
"Well, I can see a connection between him and one of Weiss'
members." Schuldich appeared behind a curtain and grinned as he
leaned on the wall.
------------------
"... so anyway, I think this kid has it in him!" exclaimed
Ken as he stuffed his face with food.
"Wow!" Omi said. "That's great, Ken kun! What's his name? I
better get his autograph now before he makes it into J-League!"
"Uh..." pondered the soccer player. "Nagi, yeah, that's right!
Naoe Nagi." Ken looked up from his food finding Aya, Yohji, and Omi
looking at each other. "What is it?" They shook their heads. "Uh,
well, I'm gonna go take a shower now." The brunette went to his room.
"Schwarz." Aya announced, breaking the silence.
"Yeah. Should we tell Ken? He might act differently, but
that's not good for his job." Yohji replied.
"I guess he'll find out soon, so don't tell him. It'll just
break his heart if someone he believes in is actually his enemy." Omi
concluded sadly.
-------------------
"I made it?!" Nagi asked, as they heard the names called out
by Ken.
"Congratulations to everyone, and for the people who didn't,
I'm really sorry, but you guys were hard to cut." Ken sighed. "All
right, let's start playing a game. I'll assign the teams!" The
brunette smiled happily as he watched the soccer game. "More defense
on the left side! Don't hog the ball!" he blew the whistle. "It's
out! Goalie's ball!" Ken ran to the ball and set it in front of Nagi.
"C'mon, Nagi!"
"H... hai," Nagi replied. "Oh no... he ran to the ball and
attacked it with all he had. The sphere flew up into the sky.
"Good job, Nagi," complimented Ken as he ran back into the
field.
wondered the young
Schwarz. "I don't understand."
"Watch out, Nagi!" a voice shouted. The boy looked up and
gasped as a flying ball that was aimed towards him. Like a flash of
light, a shadow jumped high into the air and headbutted the ball
away. "Nagi, daijoubu desu ka?" Ken shouted at the dazed boy. "Nagi?" he
shook the boy.
"Gomen. I wasn't concentrating."
"Don't worry, just don't do it again." He blew the whistle.
"Hey everyone, time to go! I'll see you guys next week!"
"Hidaka Ken. You saved me. Not in a very dangerous situation,
but you saved me from being hurt. No one has ever done that to
me..." Nagi was confused. He approached the coach. "Ah, ne, Ken san, can I
get a ride home?"
-------------------
Rain poured down on the boy as he stumbled towards a building.
His memories came back...
"Why didn't you attack him? It was the perfect opportunity!
You could have invited him in to let Farfarello kill him." Crawford
asked. "Or maybe even me." He whacked the young boy. "I'm going to
forgive you this time." The American left the room to his office.
Schuldich's voice echoed in his mind.
Nagi pressed on the button.
--------------------
"Who would be out this late of night, especially in this
weather?" Ken yawned as he opened the door. He gasped as an injured
Nagi stumbled forward. "Nagi? What are you doing here?" he caught the
young boy in his arms and gently set him on the couch. "You don't
have to say anything, I'll be right back!" Ken quickly ran to get a
first-aid kit. He took a stool and sat down beside Nagi. "Don't
move." Ken said as he slowly dabbed the bruise on Nagi's cheek.
"K... Ken san," Nagi managed to say. "Can I stay here for the
night?" the other nodded, desperately trying to mend the wounds. He
watched as Ken gently cleaned his wounds, almond eyes filled with
concern. Nagi thought as
he drifted into slumber.
-------------------
pondered Nagi as he woke up. The sky was still
dark, and he found himself covered by a blanket. He winced as the pain returned to his sense.
Slowly, he got up and opened a door, thinking it was the exit. But it was
Ken's bedroom. The light from the streets entered the bedroom, making
it possible to see Ken. Schuldich's words came back into his mind.
<... I can't hurt you, Weiss. Your eyes show your innocence. But
how could it be? You've killed so many, yet innocent as a child. So
full of life... how can someone with sins like yours still sleep so
silently? You look so peaceful.> He watched as Ken nuzzled against a
teddy bear, breathing ever so softly. Nagi felt an urge to walk up
the sleeping boy and brush the chocolate bangs away from his face, just
like an older brother would. It was as if he was bonded to him in a
way, as if they were family. The younger boy sighed as he walked out
the building, careful not to disturb the peaceful assassin.
----------------
"Tonight's the night that we meet up with Weiss," declared
Crawford as he discussed the mission. Farfarello licked his cleaned
knives as Schuldich evilly grinned.
asked Schuldich.
Nagi glared at the German. < I know
what to do.> The group left their headquarters for their destination.
-----------------
"Omi, did you get it?" asked Ken as he leaned and peered over
Omi's shoulders.
"Yeah, let's go!" Omi said as he stood up.
"Watch out!" Ken jumped onto Omi as a sharp knife pierced his
goggle band, causing it to fall and break. "You must be Schwarz." Ken
said as he remember the video they watched earlier. "The group with
powers..." He looked to the left of Farfarello, seeing a small
shadow. "I'll get you first!" he leaped to the shadow, but was blocked by a
barrier. The small figure stood out into the light, his maroon hair
shimmering, his eyes pleading for forgiveness. Ken's eyes widened in
shock. He choked, "Nagi...?"
"My name is not important." Nagi calmly said as he shivered.
"We are... are Schwarz! Hand over the disk."
"Ken kun!" Omi pushed Ken away as he fired darts at the
shield-protected Nagi. Nagi easily lifted the blond into the air.
"Hand it over, or else." Farfarello licked his knife, his eyes
brightening with excitement. Omi struggled, yet couldn't control his
body. Ken took it from his jacket and threw it at them. Nagi released
the grip on Omi as he caught the disk. Bombay fell onto the floor
"I have seen that your teammates gave us the disk." Crawford
said as he stood up. "There is no need to fight now. Schuldich."
"Okay, okay," the man smiled devilishly and jumped into the
car as Aya gritted his teeth. Yohji took out a cigarette and lit it.
"Let them go, Aya." Yohji told the redhead. "We'll be seeing
those people again soon." Two figures jumped into the car as it sped
off. Another two landed beside Aya and Yohji.
"Don't worry, they have the disk with my video games that I
lent to Ken!" exclaimed Omi. Yohji smiled with relief. "... Ken, we
didn't want you to treat him differently because of your job.
But..."
"Now you know, Ken." Finished Aya. "It seems that this was the
best way for you to find out."
------------------
"Ken hasn't eaten anything for the whole day." Stated the
young blond as he frowned. "I hope he's all right."
"I'll..."
"I'll talk to him." Aya offered. The redhead left his
surprising teammates as he walked up to the brunette's room. He
knocked the door as he said, "Ken, it's Aya." Silence. "I'm coming
in." The man opened the door and stepped in. The room was a mess, as
always, as Aya tried to walk to the bed. Ken was sleeping. Dark rings
circled his eyes like a panda. The boy opened his soft brown eyes at
Aya.
"I trusted him... he betrayed me..." Ken said. "Why does this
always happen to me?"
"Things happen. I don't think Nagi wanted to hurt you." Aya
replied.
"... why did he lie to me? He must have know I'm one of Weiss."
"He did, but he didn't do anything about it because of your
personality. He went to you that day, beaten up, right? You said he
wasn't there when you woke up. That boy could have killed you when
you were asleep, but he didn't."
"Aya... you guys won't betray me too, will you? You guys won't
leave me, right?" Ken asked softly, his eyes pleading for an answer.
"Of course not!" Omi's voice echoed into the room as he
grinned at the doorway.
"We're in this together. We won't leave anyone." Yohji added
with his winning smile.
"Trust us." Aya concluded.
"Arigatou... that means a lot to me..." Ken said as he too,
smiled. "I'm starving! You guys got anything to eat?"
"Of course!" Omi said. As Ken walked out the room, Aya looked
down at the boy's bed. He picked up the teddy bear. His lavender eyes
shifted slightly as an image of this beloved imouto flashed in his
mind.
