I've seen you before! [Alex Hikari]

[Drea]

Drea was sitting at a table, complete with umbrella, just outside the yogurt place her sister had brought her to the second day they'd known each other. She'd taken a shine to the place and enjoyed their treats very much.

She'd just returned from a meeting that involved her parents, her potential fiancee - more a friend than anything - and his parents. Both she and the boy had told their parents they didn't feel compatible, so the match had been eliminated. At least she would be able to worry about one less thing.

She wore black slacks and equally black high heels with a red blouse. One of her maids had put her clothes out at her mother's request else she'd not be wearing them. After all, she could hardly let down her mother, right?

Drea took another bite out of her yogurt, humming happily to herself. It was as cold and as frozen as it had been twenty minutes ago - a sort of side affect of her Qi.

She was enjoying the day - and her free time - but mostly, she was just relaxing. She hadn't had the opportunity to do it much as of late, but it was something that even she recognized the need for.

She hummed to herself as she took another bite.

[Kazuya Hikari]

Alex casually strolled down the sidewalk, his hands in the pockets of his pants, as he peered around at the various buildings surrounding him. He pretty much looked like a tourist, and truth be told, he partly was. He had never been in Long Beach before, and had only been shown a few places in it courtesy of Emily, but beyond that, he hadn't really explored Long Beach that much. Since he had some free time, he decided to spend the day walking around Long Beach. A bored or half-asleep expression on his face, whichever was interpreted first, a gentle breeze made the edges of his plain black t-shirt, flutter slightly, as Alex walked past a yogurt place, the very one that Drea, Emily's twin sister, was currently sitting outside of.

Passing by Drea, who was currently humming and enjoying her yogurt, if she saw Alex, she'd probably recognize him. Not like anyone could easily forget the piercing gray eyes that Alex had, or the bored/half-asleep expression he constantly had on his face. His gaze passing over her, unless it was someone he knew well enough, Alex would've stop, but because he barely knew Drea, even though she looked exactly like Emily, and because he'd been around Emily long enough to recognize her at first glance, he did not stop, instead continued walking down the sidewalk. Reaching the intersection, Alex waited at the corner of the street for the light to turn green.

[Drea]

Just as Drea was finishing off her treat, she caught sight of someone familiar. But... she couldn't place who it was. She though she'd seen him around a couple of times - he was usually with her sister. But she couldn't think of who he was or why he was always hanging out with Emily. He was obviously Asian. His hair and facial features told her that much. But... Even his gray eyes didn't remind her of who he was.

No, what reminded her was his slouching walk. That confirmed that she'd seen him before, and she was right. He was a friend of her sister. But who was he?

She set her cup and spoon to the side before getting to her feet. She left her bag where it was because she didn't think it would be stolen - and even if it was, it wouldn't be difficult to recover since not much in it was of worth and she could easily purchase what was.

She followed after him, pausing only when she'd caught up to him at the corner of the street.

"You...! I've seen you before!" she said, before continuing, "You know my sister, right?"

[Kazuya Hikari]

"...?" Alex turned his head slightly and looked around until his eyes landed on the girl behind him, just as the light turned green and people began to cross the street. Alex however, stayed where he was and turned around completely, now facing Drea, towering over her slightly, he was pretty tall after all. "... I do know Emily," Alex replied, as he looked down at Drea, her face finally registering in his memory, "... You're her twin sister." Alex was neither confirming nor deny he knew Drea's name, only that he knew she was Emily's twin. Alex was a lot more than just a friend of Emily's, he was her boyfriend. But no one, not even Drea, knew that. The two of them had agreed to keep their relationship a secret from everyone, because it could led to either one of them getting hurt by someone who didn't like one or the other. But it still didn't stop Alex from showing subtle forms of affection for Emily when they did spend time together in school.

Looking at Drea, he could easily see why anyone that never met her or Emily before would get confused as to who was who. They looked completely identical, only difference was that Emily's hair was shorter, and even if it wasn't, Alex would be able to recognize Emily right away even from a brief glance. "... I do have a name... He said, smiling slightly, "My name is not 'you.' It's Kazuya Hikari, but you can call me Alexander or Alex." The Hikari name. Once well known in Japan, still was, even though Hikari Industries no longer existed, instead now called Awren Technologies, Alex no longer had to hide who he was, because he had his sister back with him, after thinking she had died at St. Paragon's, but she hadn't, she had been alive, and spent a year searching for Alex, missing out on her Junior year, and when she did find him, she ended up in the same grade as him, to make up for the year she had lost. "... Why you ask?"

[Drea]

Drea, upon catching up to him, had caught his attention as well. Still, she was a bit unsure of how to react to his behavior. He was a bit... slow? And not in the terms of movement or intelligence either, from what she'd seen so far - which, admittedly, wasn't much - but still, but in terms of speaking. He was the type that thought his words otu before speaking. Or so she thought from the pauses that came so frequently before his words.

Continued observations would detail whether it was a facet of his personality or not later. For all she knew he was just sleepy or something.

When he'd placed her as Emily's twin sister, she nodded.

Then he continued to speak after a pause. "I do have a name," he told her. "My name is not 'you.' It's Kazuya Hikari, but you can call me Alexander or Alex."

Then, after another moment, he asked, "Why do you ask?"

Drea simply nodded at him, accepting his information before imparting some of her own. "It's nice to meet you, Alex," she said, "And my name isn't 'Emily's twin sister.'" She smiled a bit. "It's Amelia Drea Sinclaire Pilar E. Delos Santos. But you can call me Rea."

"And... as for why?" Drea paused, wondering why exactly she'd gone for him when she'd seen him. Probably because he was a friend of her sister's. "I wanted to know who my sister's friend was."

[Kazuya Hikari]

Actually, Drea was pretty much on the mark. Alex only spoke when necessary, and when he did speak, his words were well thought out. And he usually got straight to the point, he wasn't one to waste words just to get his point across. She was however, wrong about him being sleepy, the expression he constantly had on his face was just something that happened automatically, though more often than not, it was because he was partly bored with the situation concerning him. When she supplied her full name, a smile tugged at the edges of Alex's mouth. Drea's name was just as long as Emily's was, possibly longer. Not only did the two of them look alike, their names were just as equally long. Alex had never met anyone in his life quite like Emily and Drea. "Likewise Drea," He replied, as he moved away from the edge of the curb, it was pretty obvious he wasn't crossing the intersection anytime soon, "I'm grateful to finally learn your name."

He was however, rather curious as to why she chased after him after seeing him maybe a couple times in the past few weeks, give or take. "... I wouldn't really say learning my name really counts as learning who your sister's friend is. That's more like just learning names." Alex simply said, as he motioned to the table Drea had been sitting at prior to her calling out to him and catching his attention. He walked to the table, but did not actually take a seat just yet, he wasn't just about to sit down without even having been asked to join, only when Drea asked would he sit down. "... I know your name, and you know mine, but beyond that, that's about all we know about each other. ... I'm not saying to tell each other EVERYTHING, but at least learn something besides we have a connection to Emily, somewhat." Drea more so than I do.

[Drea]

"Likewise Drea," he said to her as he moved away from the street. "I'm grateful to finally learn your name."

"Same here, you know," Drea said, smiling mischievously. "I had to be confused about the solemn-looking guy that was always near my sister. I'm just glad I finally asked you."

Drea had been confused at his identity. She'd heard him being called several things - ranging from Hikari, to Alex, to Ryuu, to Kazuya. She had absolutely no idea what his name was, and she hadn't wanted to address him as such based on an assumption in case she messed up. At the same time, she hadn't wanted to ask, because he seemed a bit scary.

But she'd forced herself to ask today, because there was no one around to see her making a fool of herself... And she'd seen enough of him to realize he wasn't the type that would maliciously make fun of her.

"I wouldn't really say learning my name really counts as learning who your sister's friend is. That's more like just learning names."

Drea nodded at his words as they moved back to the table. She took a seat, and upon noticing he hadn't moved yet, motioned towards the chair, "Please sit down," she said. "And you're right - I've only got your name... But now I have a name to match the face. That's something to me." She grinned cheekily at him.

"I know your name, and you know mine, but beyond that, that's about all we know about each other. ... I'm not saying to tell each other EVERYTHING, but at least learn something besides we have a connection to Emily, somewhat."

Drea shrugged at his words. "I'm her sister," she said. Then, her eyes seemed to narrow. She'd noticed that he hung out with her sister frequently, but she'd noted that it was frequent because few other males were seen with her sister as often as he. Not even the David person that had been... defeated in their first encounter. "But what are you to her? Boyfriend?"

It was a guess - a damned good and calculated one at that, too. Drea's forte was observation, information, and making use of what she had. It might surprise someone that hasn't really talked to her, but it would be pretty obvious to the more observant parties.

[Kazuya Hikari]

Solemn-looking guy huh? Well Alex knew he did look serious a lot of the time, but this was the first time someone said he looked solemn. Alex did have a lot of names. His real name was Kazuya, but only his sister addressed him by that name, calling him Kazu. He had gone by the name Alexander or Alex at St. Paragon's and Point Hope High, because it was easier to say than Kazuya. And then at PHS 42, he was known as Ryuu, due to him having faked his own death. And now at PHS 259, he went back to being referred to as Alex. Confused yet? Anybody would be. But now, he was simply Alex. To those he met at 42, he still responded to the name Ryuu, simply because it was easier than to try and explain why he was called Alex now. Alex may look intimidating at times, simply because of his expression, but for all his sarcastic and cynicism, he was carefree and light-hearted underneath, though only Emily had seen this side of him... well her, and his sister, but that was his sister. He sat down the moment Drea gestured and told him to sit, as he simply looked at her in mild curiosity. "... You learn something new everyday." He replied, smiling slightly.

Well yes, he knew she was Emily's sister, that much was pretty obvious. But when he saw her eyes narrow, he cocked an eyebrow in curiosity. "... You have a good eye. Your observation skills are impressive." He commented, as he nodded his head slightly. "I am very close to her, so for the sake of dispensing with the roundabout questions, I am, in every sense of the word, her boyfriend." Alex did not mind letting Drea know, because one, she was Emily's twin sister, and there would be a certain degree of trust between the two... at least, he hoped there was. Two, what would Drea possibly do with such knowledge? Blackmail her own sister? Highly unlikely, but not out of the realm of possibilities. "You are free to ask me how, but the fact is, I care deeply for Emily, and I will not allow anyone to hurt her. I'd sacrifice my own life, to save hers." Corny yes, but you cannot deny the intense look in Alex's eyes, was genuine. He truly did care for Emily's well-being. "... If there is anything you wish to know, you are free to ask me."

[Drea]

"You learn something new everyday," he said as he sat. Drea nodded absently. That was certainly true. She motioned to one of her bodyguards to get them drinks. He frowned at her, but she pouted at him, and tapped her pocket - her wallet - and he nodded. Within minutes, Drea and Alex would have been served some nice and tasty peach, strawberry, and banana-based yogurt treats. She gave the bodyguard a fifty dollar bill, and a great big thank you.

"You have a good eye. Your observations skills are impressive." Kazuya told her. Drea nodded again at that, grinning a bit weakly. She was pleased to know that she'd been correct, but didn't quite know how to respond to the fact... She'd take it and file it away, though, and likely deal with it later, privately. After all, his admission meant that they were dating.

"I had to learn," she admitted, "So I wouldn't embarrass my parents."

"I am very close to her, so for the sake of dispensing with the roundabout questions, I am, in every sense of the word, her boyfriend." Drea nodded as he confirmed her thoughts. He continued, "You are free to ask me how, but the fact is, I care deeply for Emily, and I will not allow anyone to hurt her. I'd sacrifice my own life, to save hers."

It was a corny comment, but Drea accepted it, a small smile in place as she took a bite from her fresh treat.

"If there is anything you wish to know, you are free to ask me."

Drea nodded thoughtfully. According to the information she'd looked through - a bit of research went a ways, and the hired technician's hacking skills had more than defeated the school computer system.

"It's all well and good to say her life is worth more than yours," she started off, "But is it worth more than, say... your sister's?"

[Kazuya Hikari]

Alex watched in mild interest as one of the bodyguards that was hovering near Drea frowned as she motioned for him to get them drinks, but eventually the bodyguard obliged, for whatever reason, Alex assumed it was something more than just Drea pouting at him. Minutes later, a peach, strawberry, and banana-based yogurt treat was placed down in front of Alex, who stared rather blankly at it. Not exactly what he expected, but he wasn't about to complain. Money really did talk, as he saw Drea hand the bodyguard a fifty dollar bill... and a thank you. Alex then proceeded to compliment her on her observation skills, she had managed to deduce his relationship with Emily. He did not know how, nor did he really care, but nonetheless, he was slightly impressed. "... I see." He simply said, as he looked of into empty space, an intense look burning in his eyes. He loved Emily more than anyone, and it was quite obvious that he loved Kyoko too. In simple terms, he treasured the both of them dearly.

"... I do not know how you know about my sister," Alex finally said, after staying silent for a couple minutes, "But it is simple: I treasure all those that I care about, and the fact of the matter is, neither one is more important than the other. They are ALL important to me." Was Alex dodging the question? No. He was just simply saying, both Emily AND Kyoko were important to him. "... Even your life Drea," Alex said, as he folded his hands together and rested them lightly on the table, "We may not know each other very well, but your life is important to me as well. I would protect your very life with my own, if it came down to it. This is not because you are Emily's twin sister, or anything of the sort. I cherish and treasure every one of those that I come in contact with and know."

[Drea]

"... I do not know how you know about my sister, but it is simple: I treasure all those that I care about, and the fact of the matter is, neither one is more important than the other. They are ALL important to me... Even your life Drea. We may not know each other very well, but your life is important to me as well. I would protect your very life with my own, if it came down to it. This is not because you are Emily's twin sister, or anything of the sort. I cherish and treasure every one of those that I come in contact with and know."

Drea didn't like his answer. He was saying that he thought all life was important. She frowned a bit as she listened to his words. While she was touched he was saying her life was of equal worth to someone like Emily, she knew better. And...

If this was the attitude and the ideals he carried around with him... He would one day face one hell of a hurdle. After all, it was obvious that both Kyoko and Emily were important to him... And a man who couldn't choose between two women would likely lose them both.

"That's kind," she said, slowly - almost hesitantly. "But isn't that also naive?"

After all, she didn't want to intrude on his opinions and whatnot. She didn't approve of them, but nor did she necessarily disapprove of them. They just weren't the ideals for her.

To clarify her question, she asked another: "If someone has kidnapped them both and demands that you choose only one, how would you choose? Assume that there's no way you could possibly save both of them, and if you take too long, they're both tortured and killed."

It was a hard choice for most people... And it wasn't something she herself particularly wanted to think on. Emily? Tortured? Killed?

The scars on her sister's body already proved that she'd likely endured some sort of drastic event - but from what Drea had seen of them, and their similarities, they hadn't been accidents, meaning that they'd been inflicted.

For all she knew, Emily had been tortured.

[Kazuya Hikari]

"Perhaps," Alex replied, shrugging casually, "But I was never particularly known for my kindness. Those that think they know me, don't." Which was in a way, true. After his mother had been killed by a sniper, something that Alex barely had any memory of, he grew to be a sarcastic and cynical individual, and for all his sarcastic remarks and attitude, still managed to make friends. Shocking. At Drea's question, Alex couldn't help but give a small chuckle. "Are you sure you're asking me a question, or interrogating me?" He replied, as he leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest, as a darkened expression appeared on his face. "... Do not misunderstand. Not everyone's life is important to me. Only those that I care about, I worry about. As to your question, if both cannot be saved... I would save Kyoko. It is not that I deem my own sister, the one that shares my bloodline, more important than Emily, the one person I love and cherish dearly, but let me ask you this: Would you save your adopted parents, or your sister, the one that shares your own bloodline?"

Now unlike Drea, Alex did not have to hack into records to find out she was adopted. Emily had told Alex before that her real parents had died, and considering that Drea was Emily's twin sister, it was plainly obvious she had to have been adopted. He also knew Emily HAD in fact, been tortured... here, in Long Beach. The Correctional Facility. Just thinking about that subject made Alex sick to his stomach. It was something he didn't want Emily to go through again... ever. And as for Kyoko... well, the events back at St. Paragon's was something frightening in itself. The school constantly being lashed down upon, until there was nothing left but a ruined building. Dozens upon dozens of men killed. All because of the abilities they possessed, Qi. Alex's face darkened even more at the memory of those horrific three days. "... We've all experienced something horrific in our lives. Something that will never go away, no matter how you will it to. I am no exception..."

[Drea]

"Perhaps, but I was never particularly known for my kindness. Those that think they know me, don't."

Drea inclined her head at his statement, simply accepting his word. She didn't know him much at all, but had merely been commenting. Now, she had, in a sense, an answer.

"Are you sure you're asking me a question, or interrogating me?" he asked her. His expression was dark, and Drea might have been afraid if she wasn't so sure he wouldn't harm her. She only smiled at him, not giving him an answer either way.

"... Do not misunderstand. Not everyone's life is important to me. Only those that I care about, I worry about. As to your question, if both cannot be saved... I would save Kyoko. It is not that I deem my own sister, the one that shares my bloodline, more important than Emily, the one person I love and cherish dearly, but let me ask you this: Would you save your adopted parents, or your sister, the one that shares your own bloodline?"

His question gave Drea a moment to pause. It didn't matter which she chose since he'd say it was through blood ties or time. But it didn't matter to her. The fact that he'd choose his sister, to her, was telling. It was an ultimatum, of sorts. If it came down to it, Kyoko was more important than Emily to him, and that was something Drea didn't know what to think of. She doubted such a violent matter of life or death would happen to him, but the fact that he'd choose someone that wasn't her sister disturbed her.

Still, she supposed she couldn't imagine that he'd choose Emily simply because he was in love with her. She didn't know the entirety of his history with his sister or her own, but she did know that she didn't like his choice.

She shook her head, "I would choose whoever I could save," she said quietly. She owed her life to her parents, but she owed her love to her sister. It didn't matter, though. She would save who she could, and, ultimately, who could do better and more for the world. It might be one of her parents, because of their experience and usefulness in their fields, or it might be Emily, because she would blossom into her and affect it greatly.

"... We've all experienced something horrific in our lives. Something that will never go away, no matter how you will it to. I am no exception..."

"Who is?" she asked to his comment. "Everyone has been exposed to some damning thing, whether it's as simple as fear of the dark or torture and forced abuse. Everyone's got a 'worst' that'll never go away. Rather, only something worse will outshine it."

She frowned. "Which really sucks, if you think about it. How depressing."

[Kazuya Hikari]

"... That's a pretty optimistic answer." Alex commented, it was clear to Alex that Drea was not too happy about his answer, but the fact of the matter was, Alex had spent 18 years of his life with his sister, and that was something he could never forget, no matter what. He loved both Kyoko and Emily dearly, but Emily was the one person he would love forever. That was simply something that he would not let go of. His answer may not necessarily reflect this view, but Alex would do what he could, to make sure that neither of them would ever end up in such a situation. Kyoko and Emily were the only two people Alex cared for, all he had left in this world, and he was determined to protect them, no matter what. That was what he strove for, and he was determined to achieve it, no matter how long it took. "There will come a time when we all have to make difficult choices, choices we necessarily want to make, but will have to. The guilty will weight heavily on and stay with us for the rest of life, but it is something that can't be helped."

Alex knew, he knew because he carried the guilty of something he did, something he knew could've been avoided, but did anyways. He was selfish, he was more concerned with his own life, and ended up killing dozens of innocent soldiers under the power of a mind controlling Qi, all in his goal to protect Sephora. He would carry the guilt of taking innocent lives for the rest of his life, and had accepted and resigned himself to this fate a long time ago. "... True. One can only hope, that the good things in our life, outweighs the bad things." Alex fell into a lapse of silence, before looking at Drea, his eyes softening slightly. "Emily saved me... rather, saved me from the darkness in my heart. I am not kind, I am a sarcastic and cynical individual. Very few have managed to befriend me, because my sarcasm tends to drive others away. Emily took my sarcastic nature, and looked past it, and for that, I am grateful for. She accepted me for who I am, who I became, who I am now. If not for her, I would not be who I am today... I may just be even more sarcastic than I am now."

[Drea]

"... That's a pretty optimistic answer." he said. Drea only sighed. She wanted to get to know him. Not get into a debate with him.

"There will come a time when we all have to make difficult choices, choices we necessarily want to make, but will have to. The guilty will weight heavily on and stay with us for the rest of life, but it is something that can't be helped."

She might have thought he was trying to defend his choice were it not for his sincerity. It didn't matter.

"It doesn't matter. Guilt? It's an emotion. Emotions don't have brains, but we, as people do." Drea looked him in the eye. "I've decided that I'll live my life with as little regret as possible, so that's what I'll do. I make the choices I can, and I don't look back."

She tried, to, anyways... Far too many times, she failed, and often found herself in tears at the end of a hard day.

"... True. One can only hope, that the good things in our life, outweighs the bad things." he said, causing Drea to nod. "Emily saved me... rather, saved me from the darkness in my heart. I am not kind, I am a sarcastic and cynical individual. Very few have managed to befriend me, because my sarcasm tends to drive others away. Emily took my sarcastic nature, and looked past it, and for that, I am grateful for. She accepted me for who I am, who I became, who I am now. If not for her, I would not be who I am today... I may just be even more sarcastic than I am now."

Drea, smiling, shook her head.

"You might be sarcastic and cynical, but you're not unkind," she said. "An unkind person wouldn't have been so grateful to be seen for who they really were, and an ungrateful person wouldn't have been so happy to find someone to love."

Drea took a bite from her treat. "No, Kazuya Hikari," she said, "You, who may be an ass, are not unkind."

Then, almost mischievously, she tacked on another thought: "And whoever said sarcasm was bad?"