Rating: Rated T
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail® by Mashima Hiro
This is my first time to write a fanfic! Please take care of me! :)
I
Gap Years
Today is a beautiful, sunny day but I can't shake off the anxiousness that is starting to envelope me. In a few days' time Loke-nii will be away from home. It is high time for him to experience the 'gap years' which has been a tradition in the Heartfilia clan for Mavis-knows-when.
Well, let me explain to you what this 'gap years'-thingy is. To put it simply, you will have these 'gap years' somewhere in the midst of your life, in our clan's case that is after you graduate from college or have learned the basics of running the family business (for us, the great Heartfilia Konzern), to experience the outside world or do whatever you want before you go in to the stressful world of money, fame and scheming businessmen.
Usually, Heartfilias experience these 'gap years' for five years. (Or depending on what the clan has agreed upon on.)
You can totally do what you want during these 'gap years' as long as:
1) You don't drag the clan's name with you if ever you mess up during these 'years'. Bad publicity will put the business in great jeopardy so be careful with your actions. If ever you have messed up then the clan can't help you. You made the mess alone, not with the clan, not with the Konzern, so escape from it ALONE. (An unwritten rule was made because of this; that is to assume a different identity while you are having these 'gap years' just to be safe.)
2) You will do something that will benefit the Konzern. Or if you want to try something that has no connection with the nature of the Konzern then just make sure that what you did during those five years won't make you regret that you are still alive in this world and it must be something that you will be proud of for the rest of your life. (Just to make sure that the 'gap years' will become worthwhile and fruitful. Also, to make sure you won't give the Konzern a headache.)
3) You should come back after those five years. YOU MUST. Even if you have found something that you want to do more than managing the Konzern. That can be dealt sometime after your return but YOU SHOULD RETURN no matter what happens.
If you could put these 'gap years' as a relaxation phase in a Heartfilia's life before you venture out to the cruel and crazy world of business, then so be it.
Well, let us go back to my original concern. These 'gap years' sure sound like they are exciting but I can't help but fret about Loke-nii's departure.
I am just a bit scared that after those five years I am already an aunt to a bunch of kids with different mothers and I'm more scared to know how Papa will react to this when the time comes.
You must be wondering why I have this line of thinking, eh? It's because Loke-nii is a playboy; a very handsome, intelligent, rich and lovable playboy which can probably sweep every girl in this continent off their feet, of course with the exception of me and Erza. (I'm not being biased here just because he is my brother. I am really telling the truth. Heartfilias are definitely good looking. Teehee~)
I just really hope he can be responsible like Laxus-nii. He is not a Heartfilia but he is in his 'gap years' for two years now because Makarov Dreyar, our dear Jii-chan, asked him to do it.
Jii-chan is Mom's father so that technically makes me and Laxus-nii cousins. Jii-chan thought that he needed it because of their business' nature for Laxus-nii will be the heir of the widely known and esteemed Fairy Tail Entertainment. Being in this kind of business needs a lot of communication skills, meaning you should be good with interacting with people (no matter who they are), which Laxus-nii lacks, making him not really suitable for that kind of league so Jii-chan thought that setting him off to experience a life away from family and friends, away from his comfort zone, will help him improve in this area. (Because you have to deal with people you don't know and such while you are away from home)
So far, Jii-chan and I had not heard about a single mess that Laxus-nii has gotten himself into. I was pretty surprised because I was expecting for him to blow up a city or destroy a building in no time and he would be in jail after two weeks but I guess he can be responsible and cool-headed if his life depended on it. Loke-nii was even betting that he will be home after 24 hours because he already killed somebody who annoyed him.
Well, we are just so wrong about him. (You can probably imagine now how Laxus-nii is just by our horrible predictions.)
Before, I just can't imagine Laxus-nii being on television and giving press statements to those nosy reporters about FTE's artists, making me worried about FTE's future. You know how reporters can be; they can go real annoying and go overboard just to get the latest news. And I know how Laxus-nii can be; he can go real berserk on these reporters when they go all irritating and stuff unlike Jii-chan who can handle the situation properly and charm his way out of his artists' controversies.
But thinking that Laxus-nii has been able to be out there for two years, he has probably learn a way or two to control his temper around people he isn't close with or those he doesn't like much.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything will be the same for Loke-nii. I just really hope he won't get into trouble but then I should stop worrying about Loke-nii because he is already a grown up man now. (He is 19, I am 16 and Laxus-nii is 21.)
I should be more worried about my studies. In a month's time summer vacation will be over and I will be heading back to Joya to continue my undergraduate studies there. I am taking up a business-related course so I can help Dad manage the Konzern in the near future.
Loke-nii also took up a business-related course in Caelum, and even though he is a playboy and he spent a lot of time with his girls, he managed to graduate as the class valedictorian. I just didn't know how he managed to do that and imagine my shock when the news reached me. Loke-nii was too happy when he went home and he was like saying "Beat that Lucy!" the whole day towards me. So now, I can't be relaxed and I am rising up to his challenge!
Two years to go and I'm already graduating from the university and I am so going to be the class valedictorian when that time comes. And I'm going to rub my victory on Loke-nii's face, which I definitely know will scrunch his handsome features! BWAHAHA!
But I know I won't be seeing him for a long time so annoying the crap out of Loke-nii will have to wait because after the graduation, I will be embarking on my own journey as well.
I have no control over what can happen but I am hoping for the best for all of us. That's the least thing I can do.
Kami-sama, guide us.