Alinea

Monday Morning at Shinjuku Station, the place was packed as expected. Students of both classes heading to Hakone, waited on the side while their teachers settled their ticket reservations with the railway company staff. Normally, they already bought the tickets last week, but when they arrived earlier, a staff asked for their teachers suddenly, and so they had to wait.

"What could be the problem? We're going to be late," one student complained making the others restless, and Miyahara, the student president had his hands full calming them down.

"Let's just wait for sensei to return. Please be quiet. We're on our uniforms. If you cause a disturbance, it will reflect on our school," he reprimanded.

This made the people quiet for at least ten minutes before another one started complaining.

"The train we're supposed to board will leave soon, and we still haven't boarded."

They were supposed to take the normal trains, but the call time for the ride had already started. If they lingered more, they would all be left behind, and the students who had been looking forward to the trip before their strenuous exams were near tears, thinking their trip's cancelled.

"Quiet!" Miyahara was exasperated, although he was a bit concerned as well. "The train staff was the one who called our sensei so I'm sure they have a backup plan for us in case we miss this one."

A few minutes after, the train they were supposed to take left, and the students were heartbroken.

"Hush. I'm sure we'll have an alternative," Miyahara assured them.

True enough, their teachers came out after a while with a beaming smile. They had in their hands new sets of tickets, and a staff was with them to assist.

"What happened sensei?"

The students had started crowding around the teachers, and it took a while before they quieted down.

"Don't worry. We were just called because our tickets have been upgraded. We will now take the Romancecar instead of the normal train."

The Romancecar was an Odakyu limited express train that Suzuki Aki had asked Ara about yesterday afternoon. It's an expensive train ride with reserved seating only. It linked Shinjuku with the popular holiday spots of Hakone, Enoshima and Kamakura, areas that were so loved by local and foreign tourists alike. During the ride there, people would be able see some of Japan's best panoramas, such as the landscapes of Katase-Enoshima overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the seasonally shifting beauty of the countryside and mountains, and on clear days, the majestic Mount Fuji.

Hearing the news, the students who were very miserable just earlier erupted into excited cheers. The Romancecar had a nice observation deck where people could hangout to watch the view during the ride. It would be amazing.

Ara who remained quiet at a corner was surprised. Upgraded? She wondered who was generous enough to do it. But she didn't need to wonder too long. Both teachers of the classes looked at her direction with a grateful smile.

Huh?

Because the teachers were looking at her, the students followed suit, and Ara found everyone's eyes on her.

"Thank you very much Suzuki for the generous gift," one of the senseis said, and Ara was stumped.

Me?

She didn't do anything. But of course the teachers wouldn't say it was her if they were not told that it was the case. So Ara just smiled and remained quiet when the rest thanked her. Later, she'd send her brother a message. It was probably him who did it because he was the one whom she discussed it with.

The staff ushered them to the elegant train, and the students happily took their places on the plush seats. Most of them would be riding this type of train for the first time, and so they were so happy and excited.

"Oniichan, thanks for the ticket upgrade," she typed on her phone and sent it to Aki's number.

However, when Suzuki Aki replied, he was clueless as to what she's talking about.

Huh?

Ara wondered then who did it, until an image of a sulky Siberian Husky came to mind, and she smiled.

Ah, it's probably him, she thought, and she sent Kou a message. Homura Ryuu usually replied fast, but since he didn't, he must be busy, and so Ara settled on her seat, and enjoyed the view.

=========

At an apartment in Gaienmae, Homura Ryuu, in all his n.a.k.e.d glory stood under the shower. His sinewy arms raised, his right hand pushing against the tiled wall as he leaned over with his head bowed, his other hand rinsing the shampoo from his head. The warm spray of water from the silvery splatter cascaded down his broad back.

Everything looked normal for the man taking a bath, except for an eight-inch-dragon-tattoo that seemed to be alive on his skin. The black ink moved from its original place on his back towards his neck and jaw as if running away from the water.

When Ryuu shifted to wash his neck, the dragon crawled away again towards his nape, then back to rest on his face when he washed the back of his head.

Since the shower was filled with mirrors, Koutaishidenka's ice blue gaze could see the restless dragon on his body moving around.

"What's wrong Mavara?" he inquired, his low, baritone echoing within the four glass walls.

However the dragon didn't respond. Since the night he had killed the giant salamander, Mavara had been throwing a tantrum and had been ignoring Ryuu. It was probably angry from being summoned to take out such a lowly creature that's not even worth an exercise.

Ryuu sighed. In any case, with Mavara restless, he reckoned he should give his men a call. Usually this meant that there's an unusual activity again at the portal. He should have his people check it and lie in wait just in case.

Another sigh escaped his lips as he frowned. He switched off the shower and grabbed the waiting towel to dry himself. The situation of the portal's not good. The frequency of beasts getting transported was becoming bigger, getting closer and closer to each other.

After the giant salamander, there were small elemental beasts, though harmless were transported in a group of three. It had never happened before. Monsters usually appeared one at a time.

On another note, the water elementals that looked like seals called selkies were brought to the Kazehaya house to be tamed. If there were warriors compatible to form a pact with them, they would be useful for the clan.

As soon as he stepped out of the shower, his eyes caught the blinking light of his mobile phone on the table, and he crossed the room to pick it up.

It was a message from Ara.

"Were you the one who upgraded our train ticket?"

Reading it, Ryuu smirked, a mischievous light danced in his eyes. Of course it was him. He wouldn't let his fiancée have the trouble of transferring into different trains just to go somewhere near. Besides, it wouldn't be a real trip if they're cramped in an ordinary train without much view of the scenery.

"Yes," he replied.

Less than a minute after he sent the message, his phone vibrated again.

"Thank you,"Ara sent.

Ryuu on the other hand was already prepared with his reply. "What thank you? Three days at the Cedar Palace after your trip," he typed and sent.

Almost immediately again, Ara replied. "Okay. Pick me up at Shinjuku Station on Thursday."

With this Homura Ryuu's mood improved, and he almost whistled as he got dressed. Ara seemed to be more amiable since the day they went shopping. With his "kind" gesture, it appeared not only the train ticket, but also Koutaishidenka's boyfriend status had been upgraded.