Waiting

By: Naru-chan

Disclaimer: I don't own DNAngel!

Naru-chan: Here's Chapter One!

Daisuke: I appear!

Dark: Me too!

Naru-chan: Sorry for the delay! Here's Chapter One: A Normal Day!

Chapter One: A Normal Day

It was a normal day. Really, nothing was new. I had been sitting in the library skimming through a book I've already read a million times. There aren't that many books here, so I tend to reread them... over and over again. There's just about a thousand or so books left by the last person who had moved into the mansion. Yes, people have moved in and out, but they always leave - and as soon as possible. Perhaps it's my fault. Maybe my presence bugged them or freaked them out. I didn't even bother them though. All I did was what I usually did. Well, maybe me just being here scared the wits out of them…huh, never thought about it that manner.

Anyway, like I said, it was a normal day. Since it's the summer, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the paperboy had thrown the newspaper, which someone had long ago prescribed, but seemed to keep coming for some reason unknown. Like why I was still on Earth.

I sat on a long, worn chair. It looked like the type that should be used for therapy. It's actually very comfortable. I feel like I could fall asleep. I blink a few times and let out a contented sigh. It's not as if I could really sleep. I just rest, really. Do nothing. I had been wondering why they want a psychotic person to sit on such a comfortable chair, or quite bluntly, how it would help them with their mental problems, when I heard it.

It was the sound of a moving truck. I recognize the sounds coming from the loud truck, and the screeching noise it made as it came to a halt. I float over to the window, terribly interested. I stare outside, and watch a group of movers in their stiff, blue uniforms with tags that claimed that they were "movers". They hurry to get out of their large yellow truck to get the objects inside it into my mansion.

I press my hand against the window, and since I wasn't focusing on only touching the window, my whole body lurched forward. That's what I get when I don't try to be solid. But it didn't bother me much since I just gently floated down to the ground. It has been quite some time since I've had guest. I do believe that everything, including the mansion is mine. There's no doubt about it, since my spirit stays here. I probably died there too. So why wouldn't it be mine? I'd like to see you try to argue about that one.

I curiously walk around trying to figure who was this newcomer. People usually found my mansion to be both creepy and haunted. I would definitely protest about the first opinion, but I don't really have much to say about the second.

Still, as I peer through the crowd of uniformed men, I can't find one without a uniform. I feel a little disappointed. And don't worry. They don't see me. I've made myself clear. Even if they pass through me at this state, they wouldn't notice me. I return to my room without checking twice for this mysterious person. I love my room, and I know they won't touch it. The others who tried couldn't even touch the doorknob, even though I technically didn't do anything to make it so. Or perhaps, anyway.

I pause and stare at my painting. I traced my hand over it. It sounds odd saying that I can feel the canvas, but I can. I can practically feel the passion of the person who had painted it vibrate in the core of my body. Too bad I still have no idea who that person is; even after this whole time I've been here…it saddens me greatly. So much that I let out a sigh. And then something that never happened before happened.

The door opens, and a redhead with red eyes stares at me. His eyes turn as wide as saucer plates. I'd know. I have an old, untouched set in the dining room. He's about my height, though a tad bit taller. I can't help but notice, though I stare back at him in numb shock, that his taste in clothes wasn't too bad: loose, striped black and gray shirt over baggy kakis.

Back to the shock part. No one else has ever been in my room before since I've "awoken"!

"Hey Daichi, I-" a voice began. It halts as the person - another young man with purple hair and narrow eyes stops at the door. He's about a foot taller than the first. His taste in clothes is much better: a black, sleeveless turtleneck over a purple shirt that matched his hair and eyes, black dress pants, and a sexy silver cross that reached his chest. One word. Sexy. "Huh. I didn't know you brought your girlfriend."

"S-She's not my girlfriend!" the redhead cries, turning extremely red. Almost as red as his hair, I think in amusement. The seriousness seems to have vanished entirely from this situation. Not that I mind much. Absently, I think that maybe I should slip away while they bicker, but then I don't want to leave them in my room – with my painting.

"You are…" I hear myself say.

"What? Don't you recognize us?" this so-called Daichi blinks, looking cutely confused. "And…what are you doing here to begin with?"

"She probably came to see me," the purple head laughs arrogantly. This comment makes me think his sexiness might not matter so much if his personality was like this. Arrogant son of a-

"Shut up Kura!" Daichi shouts. He's obviously flustered, with his face a full red.

"Who are you?" I ask, interrupting them. Right about now, my amusement has faded and I just want them to get out. Something about them irritates me beyond belief, and usually I'm a calm person. Usually.

They stop their bickering and stare at me in a bewildered way.

"Don't you recognize us, Rika?" Daichi asks, now seriously concerned. He walks forward, as if to make sure 'Rika' is all right. I didn't think he'd get far, but to my surprise (again), he reaches out to press a hand to my forehead. It's too bad I wasn't concentrating on being solid. His hand runs through me as he looses his balance and collapses on the floor. He stares at his hand with disbelief, just like the look he continued to give me.

"I have no idea who 'Rika' is, just as I don't know who you are," I answer calmly.

"HOLY SHIT!" Kura screams, jumping quickly out of the room, but still in my vision. He trembles and points a finger at me accusingly. To myself, I think of how rude that is. "SHE-SHE'S FLOATING! AND YOU JUST WENT THROUGH HER! OMG, OMG, OFMG!"

"Yes, that's one of the qualities I happen to have. I am dead, you know," I chuckle lightly. But I smile to reassure them I wouldn't harm them in anyway. People – living people that is, tend to think that ghosts are just out to get you because you're alive and they're not, but it's not like that. I just want to rest in peace! But…I'm still waiting for something. Then I glance over at both of these men.

Or…am I?

"Who…who are you?" the boy named Daichi whispers shakily, but just loud enough for me to hear. I can tell he's trembling a little bit too, and for some reason this makes me feel melancholy. Does everyone be scared of me…? Or is it just the fact that this boy does?

"I…? I don't know who I am," I answer honestly. My tone sounds a bit off to my ears. "I think I'm Riku, but honestly, I don't know. I don't have a past or a present. I'm just…here."

God that sounds depressing. Doesn't it sound depressing? It sure does to me… I frown at this fact, because it's not like I'm a depressing person. Not ever dead person who hasn't moved on has to be depressingly sad!

"So, ummmm," I pause, thinking for a moment. I look down at Daichi again and tilt my head. He obviously didn't look like he wanted to stay at a haunted place, and I voice out opinion. "So, I guess this is goodbye. Goodbye."

"H-Hey…are you done talking to it yet?" Kura asks from the doorway. He only showed one sixth of handsome his face though, the rest hiding behind the wall. Yes, the rest of his face and his whole body.

"I'm not an 'it'," I growl defensively. "I'm Riku."

"Yeah, so you think," was his reply.

Right about now I'm ready to sock Kura in the face or pretty much haunt him for the rest of his pathetic life. And I was going to. I'm not sure which one, but I was going to. That is, if Daichi hadn't spoken up.

"What do you mean 'goodbye'?"

I blink and turn back to the redhead. He can't help but seem to capture my attention. I'm surprised to see concern on his face. Concern for me? But… I'm a ghost! What's there to worry about me leaving? It's not as if I really have anywhere to go.

"I'm not going anywhere. You're leaving," I answer.

"You're…you're kicking us out!" Kura cries, practically beginning to sob.

"No, you-" I refrain myself in time, even though anger is seething through my veins. Err, that is if I had any… Do I? Wait, anyway! "What I meant is that you'll be leaving now since you know I live here, won't you?"

"Well…I don't see why…we can't…live together…" he struggles to say. His face is flushed since I'm sure the words are repeating in his head right now and it sounds…how you say…romantic. Am I blushing? I don't know, but my face feels hot. I've never felt like this before…or…have I?

My head hurts. It's throbbing like…! Ugh! I press my hand against my forehead, as if it would help. This is all so foreign to me! I didn't think the dead could feel pain! But then again…can we feel either.

I wince, but slowly open my eyes to find those same red eyes staring at me with concern. He's raising his hand as if to reach out and touch me. I'm seeing two of him! But…what's this! One of them looks modern, but the other one… what's this? He's wearing something like a vest… black vest... velvet… so familiar… He's wearing a white button down shirt underneath. His expression is different even! He's smiling…! And… and in his hand is… something… what is it?

What's going on!

I sigh as I stare off into the distance. I'm on the roof, and my plain, white cotton dress blows behind me. I'm sure the wind is blowing since my dark hair is swirling around me, but I don't feel it. I've never felt the wind. Never felt hot or cold. Nothing like that. So why can I feel pain? Apparently there's a first for everything.

The scenery is like that of a romantic lovey dovey movie. The sun setting. The sky yellow, red, pink, purple… And a sad, confused girl on a roof, leaning over a railing. This is the image in my mind. But in my mind…or rather, in such a setting…the girl wouldn't be dead. How depressing. I'm even sighing for God's sake! If there is a God out there, that is. I don't know if I should believe in him because I've never been to heaven or anything like that, obviously. Or have I? I don't know…

I happen to glance downward while I brooded over this concept of heaven. I easily spot Daichi. His red hair sticks out like a sore thumb. I frown at him, though he doesn't know it, and lean my head against my hand. Earlier I had dematerialized since I couldn't understand what his presence had been doing to me. Dematerialized, as in vanished. I've been up here since. This boy, Daichi, is glancing around a lot, and I can't help but wonder if he's looking for me…

"Hey…"

I don't turn around. I know who's behind me. It's so obvious. How did he find me and why the heck is he talking to me? I wonder. I'm the ghost who freaked him out anyway. I debate to myself if I should just disappear again or talk to him. But I don't feel like going anywhere, so I'm not going to for the sake of him.

"What? Cat's got your tongue?" he speaks up again. I feel like sighing but I won't give him the pleasure of that. So I turn and face him.

His purple hair blows in the wind, like my own. His amethyst eyes watch me closely. Like my brown one watching his. I notice he's changed clothes. He's now wearing a white tank top over a pair of what looked like old blue jeans. He has his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, and I notice that he has quite a lot of muscles. I arch an eyebrow at him coolly.

"You know as well as I do that that is impossible," I state in reply to his comment. "So what do you want? To tell me to leave?"

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier," he sighs. A little bit of regret crawls into his expression. "It's just…well, you don't meet a ghost everyday. So can you really blame me?"

I bite my tongue from saying "yes" and he knows it probably from the look that's on my face.

"How can I make it up to you?"

"You can't. Besides, it doesn't matter," I finally sigh. I turn my head and glance downward again, and notice, much to my disappointment, that Daichi is gone.

"Why not?" At this, I turn my head back to Kura, and much to my surprise, he's much closer to me. I hadn't heard him move though. His face is a mixture of frustration and anger. Because of this, my face stays calm.

"Because I'm dead and you're alive. Because you'll probably move away from here and I'll still be dead and you'll still be alive. And one day you'll die and you'll probably move on while I remain here." All of this is blurted out of my mouth without my realizing it.

"Well then!"

"Then we'll help you move on."

Kura and I look over, astonished to see Daichi at the door that you enter to get up on the roof. He's panting lightly, as if he'd been running to get here. There's that same look of concern in his ruby eyes again. I feel as if I can't breath. But I hear myself speak.

"Doubt you can."

"But we'll try!" he passionately cries, taking a few steps forward.

The image of the other person I saw with him flashes in my mind.

"…Maybe it's worth a shot…"

"Yeah, and we can become friends!" he smiles. It's a smile I can get lost in.

I'm about to say, "Okay," when I see something that causes my dead heart to beat. I see a girl…who looks just like…me?

Naru-chan: What do you think? Sorry I took so long to update! It was because…I wasn't sure I liked this chapter and kept on trying to fix it up in little ways…

Daisuke: Forgive her!

Dark:nod nod: WAIT:growls: She made me seem like a jerk!

Naru-chan: No, Riku did:smile smile:

Dark:runs off sobbing: WHY, RIKU!

Daisuke and Naru-chan:sweatdrop:

Daisuke: Anyway…review please and this time Naru-chan will update sooner!

Naru-chan: Hai!