<Chapter Three>

WHAT THE....?

Ren opened his eyes and looked around, he wondered how he got to his room. He wanted to sit up but the back of his head was hurting like crazy. He tried to remember what happened but it was quite fuzzy.

After a few minutes, he managed to muster a little strength to leave his room. He heard arguing from the living room and he hurried out, worried the guys might be giving Hinata a hard time.

"Can't you understand me?, I said what did you do to him?"

"Hey Drew."

His face lit up when he saw him. "Ren!."

"Ren, you're okay." He was shocked when Hinata moved towards him and put her hands around his neck. "Thank the gods, I was worried."

"I'm okay, I think." He didn't know if he was supposed to hug her back so he just pet her back gently and Misaki looked like she wanted to strangle Hinata. "What are you doing here Misaki?"

"I heard you were hurt, so I dropped by to see you."

"Oh thank you."

"Yo, Ren where did this girl come from?" Drew glanced at Hinata, eyeing her with curiosity.

"Oh uh she's my friend."

"Can't she speak English?"

"No, she can't."

He found it cute as Hinata looked from him to drew as they talked. He looked at her and she raised her brows in anticipation of an explanation. "He wants to know if you can speak English."

"Ing-leesh," she  looked away for a second before turning back to face him. "Is that the language you two were speaking?"

When she looked at him, her innocent beauty threw him off guard for a second. Her golden brown eyes seemed mesmerizing and he didn't want to stop looking at her, it was almost like he was been enchanted.

He heard someone say his name and he looked up. "I said, will you teach me?"

"Yeah...what?"

"Weren't you paying attention?, I said I want to learn Ing-leesh."

"Oh right. Uh sure, I'll teach you."

"I'm hungry, can you make more French toast?"

"Sure, come with me." He planned on asking her what happened because he still didn't understand.

"So, are you going to teach me how to make it?"

"Hinata, what happened to me last night?"

"You don't remember?, you tripped and fell."

She couldn't make direct eye contact with him and he knew she was lying. "I tripped...and fell." She nodded but still didn't look at him. He didn't remember all that happened but there was one thing he could never forget....her eyes. Her eyes had glowed very bright and golden. "Okay, if you say so. Later today, we're going to go shopping."

"Shopping?"

"Yes, so we can get you more appropriate clothes."

"Oh, okay and later we'll begin your English lesson."

                                    <πππππππ>

The distance from the house to the shop was a bit far but Hinata didn't mind because there was a lot to see. They made a pit stop almost every minute to check out everything she saw. "What is that stand for?" She pointed towards the stand at the other side of the road.

"That's an ice cream stand."

"What's ice cream?" She looked excited as she heard the word ice cream.

"Wait here, I'll get it." He crossed and returned with a scoop of chocolate ice cream. "I didn't know what you'd like so I got you my favorite, chocolate."

"Chocolate." Her eyes widened as she tasted it and Ren laughed. He noticed that her eyes tend to do that when she likes something.

When they entered the boutique, Hinata's jaw dropped. There was so much to look at, and she couldn't get enough of it. "I want to see everything."

"I don't think that's possible, I'm gonna be late for work."

"Aw that's too bad, it would have been wonderful."

"Don't worry, we'll come back later okay?"

"Okay."

Hinata was running around, trying to see everything as fast as she could when she bumped into a woman. "Ow, watch where you're going weirdo."

"I'm sorry, she got a little excited." Ren intercepted them and apologized to the Blondie who was still wearing a frown.

"Can't she speak for herself?"

"We'll be on our way now." They tried to leave but she stopped them. "Is something wrong?"

"How can I be sure you're not thieves?, I mean what if you bumped into me on purpose?"

"Okay, that's an insult. She wasn't paying attention to her surrounding and she bumped into you but that's no reason to call us thieves."

"I can't be sure, poor people are always desperate."

Refusing to let her get on his last nerve, Ren politely bowed to the Lady and led Hinata away.

                                  <πππππππ>

"Okay, we're going to start from the basics."

"Okay."

"How to introduce yourself. My name is...now you try."

"My name is Hinata."

"That's good. To make our little tutorial more fun, I'll give you a reward after every lesson. How's that?"

"Great."

                 <~~~~~~~~~~ππ~~~~~~~~~~>

"I heard what happened Hinata, how are you?" Hinata ignored her sister's question and went on with her painting. "Chīsana ryū, are you alright?" Hinata remained quiet, annoying her sister a bit. "Fine then, don't say anything." She started to leave when she spoke.

"Were you also aware that he wasn't my real father?"

"What?, I..ohh Hinata, I had no idea." She went to her sister and knelt by her side. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay. Kiyomi, he...he said he isn't my father. All my life, I've always looked up to him and I...I..."

"Oh Hinata it's okay." She pulled her sister close and embraced her. "It's going to be okay, I promise." Hinata closed her eyes and inhaled the familiar scent of her sister.

Kiyomi had always reminded her of their mother and as much as she hated to admit it, she was all she had left as a mother.

"We were supposed to be best friends Hinata, it's a pity things have to end this way."

"What do you m--"a piercing pain shot through her back, cutting her words short. She stared from her sister's face to the bloody knife in her hand. " How could you?"

"Sorry sister, no hard feelings. I just can't allow you to live, you're too much of a threat to my life." Hinata fell to the ground and watched in disbelief as her sister stared with an icy look in her eyes. "Goodbye... Sister."

                   <~~~~~~~~~~ππ~~~~~~~~~~>

"Nooo!!!" She screamed as she opened her eyes. She felt hurt and betrayed, her only sister stabbed her in the back...literally. She wished she knew what happened, she could only remember bits and pieces but she didn't think she was that bad a person.

She left her room but her spirit was low, Ren and his room mate were in the kitchen. "Good morning Hinata."

"Morning."

"Is something wrong?, you look upset."

She didn't know if she should tell him about the dream, she wasn't sure how he would react to it. "I'm fine, just didn't sleep well."

"Oh okay dear. Why don't you freshen up and come out to eat, hmm?"

"Okay." Um, can you make French toast again?"

"No French toast today, we're going to have something different." She frowned and it made him smile. "Don't worry, its just as delicious."

"Okay." Her face lit up and she skipped inside.

While they were having breakfast, Drew invited them to his girlfriend's birthday party. "The party starts by eight, so you have to be there by seven thirty."

"What did he say?"

"Right." He forgot for a brief moment that she couldn't understand them. "We're going to a party later tonight."

"Ooh, I'd love to see what your parties look like."

"You're going to like it, trust me."

                                     <πππππππ>

The party was nothing like the ones they threw back in her kingdom. Rather than wearing exquisite dresses, the ladies had less clothes on, exposing everything that was supposed to be meant for their husband's eyes only.

Unlike the banquet, they had less food, snacks, Ren had called them that. Crunchy slices of potatoes which they call potato chips, thin slices of potatoes, they call French fries and a bunch of other odd food based treats. The only thing Hinata noticed they had surplus of was the rum. Different bottles of different brands of drink which Ren won't let her taste. Their music on the other hand was...unlike anything she had ever heard.

It was extremely loud yet she couldn't really hear the lyrics. Back at home, they listened to classic music, performed by the most talented musicians in the land.

"Gather around everyone, its time for the birthday boy to cut the cake."

The music was stopped and everyone moved towards the stage where the cake was. Drew stood next to a guy who was smiling sheepishly, he had his arm around the other guy and Hinata was confused.

"Okay,  we're going to spell the birthday boy's name, and then we cut the cake. Are we ready?!"

Everyone screamed yes and Hinata felt lost, not understanding what they were saying really sucked. She made her way through the crowd looking for Ren when a guy approached her. "Belle, envie de quitter cet endroit?" He smiled and touched her arm.

She didn't know how but she understood what he said. It wasn't Japanese, and it wasn't English either but she could understand him. "No." She shook her head and ran off to find Ren.

When she told him, he couldn't believe it. "Are you seriously telling me you understand French?"

"French?"

"Yes. That's what that guy speaks."

"Your languages are rather strange."

"Maybe, but that's not the point. He spoke to you in French, and you understood him."

"Yes, he was asking if I'd like to leave this place. I don't why though, why does he want me to leave?"

Ren burst out laughing and Hinata frowned. She hated it whenever he laughed when she was being serious. He found her frowning and tried to sober up.  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. See, he wasn't asking you to leave, he wanted to take you out."

"Why?"

"That's just how guys are."

"So...where would we go?"

"Anywhere, his house, a hotel."

"Why would he take me to his house when we don't know each other?"

"I'll explain later okay, right now let's focus on the party."

They didn't stay much longer because Hinata grew tired of the noise and when she found out that the celebrant was gay, it made her feel even worse.

Back at home, it was considered an abomination, and anyone who was caught had to pay with their life, but here its a regular thing, and Ren's room mate was one of them. It made her wonder how she would relate with him after that.