Inu X Boku: Dance in the Sun

Chapter 2- Baby Steps

Hello everyone! Here is chapter two, and the story will now be from Rini's perspective. I hope you like her! Please enjoy, vote and comment ;) Thanks!

Chapter 2- Baby steps

HELP! I can’t see you mother, there’s too much fire… Are you still there? Mother, father, please don’t leave me behind! Help me!

Rini jerked into consciousness. Groggily she forced her eyes open and blinked away the blurriness. Slowly but surely the world came into view, small world that it was. She was still in the car with Touya, who was staring straight ahead at the road, his hands inside leather gloves gripping the steering wheel tightly. She couldn’t have been asleep for more than five minutes, ten at the most. Going into a nightmare that quickly shouldn’t have been possible, but she did not live in a possible way.

“Are we nearly there?” she slurred, peeking out the window.

“Just look. I’m driving up to the gate now.”

Touya pointed in front of them out the window. Through the pure and clear front window, Rini strained her eyes and took in the grandest sight she had ever laid eyes upon.

The building must have been fifteen floors high or more, made of light brick but not in the cold, unfriendly structure of the apartment blocks of Rini’s neighbourhood. It was grand, approachable, and regal. The windows were enormous and must have allowed all possible sunlight to stream in through them on a sunny day and make beams of light on the floors.
Rini was too busy daydreaming to realise that the car had driven through the gate and stopped, Touya had gotten out and was holding open the door for her, waiting patiently but with no expression.

“Ah! Sorry,” she said, flustered. Rini scrambled out of the car, feeling her bravado evaporating into the clean air. She was utterly lost for words.

“We shall go inside now and meet everybody.”

“We ‘shall’?” She tested out the high class word on her tongue and cringed childishly. “Okay. But they’re going to laugh at me.”

“Why would they do that?”

“Because I’m poor and they’re rich. Of course there’s going to be a difference in class.”

“I assure you, they will not laugh at you for that reason. Walk in proudly, and introduce yourself. I’ll be there as well.”

For some reason, that didn’t sound as reassuring as it may have been intended. Rini straightened the blue t shirt and denim trousers she was wearing and ran a hand through her knotted hair. When she was sure she looked presentable, she swallowed and followed her guide into the complex, shutting the heavy door behind her, which echoed in the entrance hall.

The inside was also grandiose, but not in such a showy manner as the exterior. Light, airy and refreshing, with absolutely no mess or junk anywhere to be seen, it tempted Rini- almost- into cracking a smile of wonder.

“How do you like it?” Touya asked.

“It’s huge… and expensive.”

He smirked and nodded in assent. No doubt he was used to seeing all of this on a daily basis. She could imagined him, dressed in that suit, serving and guiding and carrying, so earnestly, amongst all the grandeur. It seemed like an environment that suited Touya, on first glance. It definitely wasn’t an environment that suited her.

“Who’s that?”

Rini heard a dismissive voice of a young girl, followed by the appearance of one. With long purple hair, a fringe that covered her whole forehead and dark, focused eyes, the girl’s tiny body did not suit the voice that came out of it. Without the look of distaste staining her face, she would have been very pretty. Petite and childlike, she looked to be in her early teens, but Rini could not be sure. Standing close behind her must have been her own bodyguard, sandy blonde and with a smile fixed absolutely on his face. It was, however, a guard, a shell, not a true smile.