Disclaimer: All 'Legal Drug' characters belong to CLAMP.
The blonde lunged to clip his attacker on the cheekbone. He was given a swift punch in the stomach and doubled over, gasping. He tried not to make any noise. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction. Suddenly he was jerked upward painfully, someone's hand grasping a handful of his hair. He squirmed, but couldn't get away. He was slapped, then slapped again. His cheek stinged.
"Keep your curious nose out of other people's business, okay, Kitty-chan?" The older boy sneered menacingly. The others laughed cruelly, voicing their disgust at the 'girl' and 'faggot'.
Kakei was thrown to the ground as his antagonists left. He stood up slowly and licked away the droplet of blood at the corner of his mouth, turning to go.
"Heh. You really need to learn to pick your fights," someone said. He stepped out of the shadows of the doorway, shades glinting. Kakei had to tilt his head back just to see his face. He saw how big he was, and stepped back. He didn't want to be in another fight so soon after the last one. He looked warily at the dark figure.
"Don't worry; I'm not going to beat you up. You don't look like you could've lasted two seconds anyways." He smirked, then let his smile drop. "A word of advice: don't mess around with those guys. It's 'two strikes and you're out- for good' with them." He turned and casually walked away without a word, his hands in his pockets.
As he was about to turn the corner, Kakei cupped his hands around his mouth and called, "What's your name?"
The older man looked over his shoulder at the pale youth. "People are sleeping, you know," he chastised. He stated his name and turned the corner, leaving the other to stand there.
"Saiga."
Interesting name. Kakei planted it in his memory and began the ascent to his dormroom, hoping he hadn't forgotten the route in the couple of days he had been here.
---
"Name?"
"Reigan Kakei..."
That's an odd name, the receptionist mused. She shrugged and began filling out the form.
"Grade?"
"Eleventh."
"Room number?"
"216."
"And who shares it with you?"
"No one."
At this she looked up. "Huh? Why not? Weren't you assigned a roommate?"
"Not as of yet. I'm assuming I'll be getting one, though."
She looked at him, pursing her lips. "Don't be a smart aleck," she scolded.
"So sorry," he said breezily. She narrowed her eyes at him. She did not like impertinent children.
"Well, let's take care of that right now then, shall we?" She said brazenly. She led him out of the main office across the courtyard and into the cafeteria. It had a sign next to the double doors saying 'Dining Hall'. Kakei wondered if they had put that there to give the illusion of refinement or as a crude joke.
The receptionist stood just inside the double doors and called, "I need a volunteer to be this young man's roommate." Her voice carried over the clatter of silverware and normal kitchen noises. Most of it died away as the five-hundred or so occupants stared at Kakei. He felt his face grow hot and stared right back. There was an undertone of whispering and gossip.
"'Young man'? He looks like a girl..."
"Who would want to be roommates with a flit..."
"Faggot..."
"He'd probably start making the moves on you after lights-out..."
Kakei saw his main attacker from last night whisper to another boy, "It's Kitty-chan..."
"Come on, now," the receptionist's eyebrows came together in an almost-audible click. "I need a boy to volunteer or else I will pick one myself."
"I will."
Everyone turned to look at the smirking figure leaning against the wall with his friends. He had fair hair and bright green eyes.
"You, Makoto Aki-kun?" The woman raised a brow.
The man shrugged. "I remember how tough it was for me when I first came here." He tilted his head at Kakei. "What's your name?"
Kakei looked at him a moment before responding. "Kakei."
"I'll be Kakei-kun's roommate," he said affectionately.
"Now we all know that wouldn't be a good idea," someone from across the room said clearly. He got to his feet and stood casually, challenging Makoto.
"I don't see anyone else volunteering, Kurome," Makoto retorted.
"Maybe I should. I volunteer."
"Quiet, the both of you! I only needed one volunteer-"
"I can be Kakei-kun's roommate. Makoto only just came himself; he doesn't know the school. I can show Kakei-kun around."
The receptionist sighed angrily. She wanted to get this over with. "Fine, then. Reigan-kun, you are with Kurome-kun." She turned on her heel and exited. Kakei was left alone at the front of the cafeteria with everyone staring at him before slowly returning to their evening meal. Kakei didn't even notice. He was staring at Kurome. The guy who he had met -in a sense- the night before. Kurome Saiga.
The aforementioned walked over to where Kakei stood, and with a nod, led him out of the cafeteria. Kakei followed the man uncharacteristically, the teen's curiosity getting the better of him once again.
"Why did you volunteer to be my roommate?"
Saiga laughed. "You don't beat around the bush, do you?"
"Not when I want a fast answer."
Saiga chuckled.
"Answer, please." Kakei crossed his arms and stared up at the taller man.
"Sure." He walked to lean against a wall, pushing his shades up the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "Apparently you're new, and since you're already getting into trouble, the last person you want to room with is Makoto Aki. It's true I'm not exactly conventional, but at least with me you have a chance."
"A chance...? Alright..." Students were beginning to stream out of the cafeteria. Kakei turned to Saiga. "What?"
"I said, are you a freshman?"
Kakei turned cold eyes on him. "Junior," he said evenly. His tone was light but his eyes were icy. Saiga raised a brow.
"You?" Kakei asked.
"Eleventh as well. ...Funny. You look too small to be a junior."
At that, Kakei turned and walked away, blending in with the last of the crowd moving up the stairs to the dormitories. He brooded over Makoto Aki and Kurome Saiga... Hm. When he arrived at his door, he saw that someone had... graffitied it? He frowned. No, it wasn't graffiti. Someone had spray painted a tiny image and message near the doorknob. There was a crude drawing of a chibi cat's head and the text '8:15'. He frowned and glanced at his watch. It read 8:14.
Suddenly, a fist connected with his head. Kakei lunged forward with the impact, his forehead slamming against the wood of the door.
"I'm a little early," the man said. He looked to be eighteen. He grabbed Kakei's shoulders and forcefully spun him around to face him. "Come on, faggot, let's play. Not your kind of playing though. I don't swing that way. I'm not gay," he spat. "But, now that I think of it... Your pretty face looks just like a girl's. You're scrawny enough to be a girl, too. I make it a point not to hit girls, but in this case I'll make an exception, because you might just be one of those hermaphrodites." He swung.
Kakei's mind caught up with what was going on and he ducked, avoiding the right-hook that chopped through the air just where his head had been. He yanked his attacker's feet out from under him. As the larger man fell, he brought both fists down onto Kakei's head. The youth passed out, sliding down against the door, his fair hair flowing over his face. The larger figure smirked and brought his fist back, aiming to punch the pale boy's face until it didn't look so much like a girl's anymore. He pulled it back to just the right degree, and was about to slam it forward when his wrist was caught. He whipped around only to meet a blow that landed on his cheek. He staggered back, looked the new opponent up and down, then fled.
Saiga looked down at the pale, prone figure against the door. He rolled his eyes. "I thought I told you to stay out of trouble," he muttered. He crouched and folded the blonde over his shoulder, getting his brand-new key ready to unlock the door to their room.
Reigan Kakei: The crude meaning of 'Reigan' is 'cold look' or 'cold stare'.
Kurome Saiga: The crude meaning of 'Kurome' is 'black eyes'.