Disclaimer: I do not own wallflower. sigh I just have the manga...volumes 1-9...poor me. Though, after this weekend I hope to have acquired the 10th book! WOO!! does happy dance anyway...on to the story!!
"You're so…so…intolerable!"
"Good! If I'm that bad then why don't you leave me the hell alone?"
"I can't! If you don't start acting like a lady instead of something that had just crawled out from under a damn rock then I don't get the free rent!"
"Well, since you put it that way, Kyohei, forget it!"
Yuki clapped his hands over his ears, trying to escape the horrible din coming from the room above his head. It amazed him that some of the pictures in the living room were still clinging to the walls. They were barely able to stay on their nails with all the stomping and slamming of doors, but they persevered nonetheless.
He cast a fleeting glance at his companion – or was cellmate a better description of their situation? – sitting gracefully on the sofa.
How can Takenaga read with all this noise? Isn't it driving him insane, too?
Furrowing his golden brows, Yuki distracted himself from the growing argument upstairs by trying to find some sign of irritation on Takenaga's face. Time slowly ticked away until Yuki's eyes began to cross from watching the other teen's face so intently. It was too much for him. He blinked the staleness from his eyes.
"Takenaga, how can you possibly read when those two are at each other's throats again?"
Takenaga didn't look up. Yuki, becoming frustrated from being ignored, tapped Takenaga on the shoulder.
"Hello! I'm talking to you!" he said a little louder. Takenaga stared blankly at him for a moment, as if to make sure Yuki's cross countenance was being directed toward his person, and then pulled cotton balls out of his ears.
"I'm sorry, Yuki, what did you say?"
Yuki sighed heavily. Cotton balls! Why had he not thought of that? The key to silence all wrapped up in a soft little ball of fluff!
"Forget it" he said waving the thought away. He turned his attention back to the little balls of cotton that Takenaga held.
"Say, where'd you get those?"
Takenaga pointed to the bathroom before jamming the cotton back in his ears. Yuki scrambled to the bathroom and stuffed two cotton balls in each ear. Silence.
Finally, oh sweet sound of nothing, I have found you!
Meanwhile
Sunako clenched her fists tightly and looked at the ground. She did not want him to see the tears that were dancing along her long eyelashes. She was angry, that was apparent, but at whom she was mad at still confused her.
She was angry with him of that much she was sure. Now a new and cold feeling rushed through her veins, making her emotions churn together, clawing and howling at the doors to her heart like a wild animal. Although this animal was known to be a shape shifter, it had but one name. Regret.
Perhaps she had gone too far, but he provoked it. Somehow it did not make any difference who had started this horrible argument. Her words had reopened a scarred over wound in his heart. She could see it written on his face, though, he would never admit it.
A Few Moments Earlier
"Sunako, I'm tired of fighting with you! Just work with us so that we can get on with our lives," he shouted in anger.
"What do you care? You're only after the free rent. I'll be glad when you're out of here and I can stop barring the doors from all the whining fan girls. That face of yours has brought nothing but trouble here!"
The second she saw the hurt in his eyes, she wished she could have taken her words back and smothered them under her tongue.
Kyohei stared vacantly at the girl in front of him. The anger was still clearly painted on his face, but his eyes reflected every shard of pain that her words had sewn into his flesh. Why had it hurt so badly? She was not the first to say such things. So why had it hurt so much more than the others did?
Sunako wanted to say something along the lines of an apology, but would those words make up for the others?
"Kyohei, I –"
He held up his hand, stopping her tongue. Gold clashed violently with black as he captured her eyes with his.
"Save it. I'm just glad I know your true feelings before I made a fool out of myself."
Kyohei pushed passed her and disappeared among the long, grasping shadows of the hallway. Sunako let her tears fall freely. She had opened up to him more than she should have during the recent two months, and now she had to throw it all away over a silly argument. What had he meant when he said, "before I make a fool out of myself"?
Had he felt the same way about her as she did about him? Did he care for her? The thought of what he may have held for her in his heart made her sick. Her chest heaved as a new wave of regret pressed its black hand on her. She had to know, but the only way she could even hope to restore a fraction of what they had was to apologize.
Sunako wiped the wet trails from her face with the back of her hand and tried to ease her breathing. Her feet seemed to rebel against her as she groped her way along the dark hall. For the first time in her life, the darkness held no comfort for her. She came to stop in front of a tall door.
One of two things awaited her on the other side of that door: redemption or execution. She mentally prepared herself for the latter. Something told her that he would not take any apology she could offer. Why should he? She did not deserve it. Softly, ever so softly, she twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open. The old door creaked in protest, which only fueled her unease.
"Go away, Sunako"
His voice sent shivers down her spine. Normally, she would have relished in the sound of her name on his tongue but this time it was cold…foreign. She took another step into the pale light of his room and closed the door behind her. If she was going to be eaten by lions she wanted to, at least, say she tried.
"Kyohei, please listen to me" her voice trembled like ripples in a lake after a rock has been thrown through the glassy surface.
Kyohei was sitting on the cushions of the large bay window, watching her as she inched toward him. His eyes cut through the room and found their way into hers.
"What could you possibly have to say that you haven't already? Hmm? I think you've said enough. Get out," he growled.
He turned his attention back to the world outside the window, which was being distorted as the heat from his breath spread a cloud across the glass. His heart was in his throat. He hated being mad at her, but what was done was done.
Suddenly, a faint whimper made its way to his ears. Was she still there? He looked at Sunako. She was trying to hide her tears from him. With every tear that stained the floor his heart expanded, threatening to choke him.
"Kyohei, I'm so sorry. I wish there was something I could say to make you think of me as you did before that stupid argument. I'm tired of the fighting. I'm tired of holding everything in when I'm around you. I'm tired, Kyohei. I can't express to you how sorry I am, or how much it hurts to see that look in your eyes."
Kyohei's gaze softened for a moment. Perhaps he had forgotten that Sunako might be physically and emotionally stronger than other girls, but she was still human. Her tears were just as real as his were. She rambled on with her apologies, but he could not hear them.
After the last words had freed themselves, Sunako stood in silence waiting to be rejected and thrown out into the dark hall. However, nothing of the sort took place. Kyohei stood up from his seat and towered over her. Sunako tried to take a step back so she could turn to leave, but something would not allow her to go.
Kyohei wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to his chest, and buried his face in her hair. He took in a deep breath, taking in her intoxicating scent. It was her fault. If it were not for her, he could have gone on through life hating everyone. His brain and heart were often fighting over his feelings, but in the end, his heart was triumphant.
Sunako let her tension ease in his arms. His embrace felt so warm. She buried her face in the folds of his shirt and blushed when her cheek met bare skin. She had forgotten that he had been getting ready for bed when the argument started. All that was so distant now. The only thing she wanted to focus on what him. Did this mean he had forgiven her? If not, it was an awfully funny way to smother her to death.
Her thoughts grew fuzzy, as the gentle rising and falling of his chest as he breathed rocked her, trying to drag her off into the calm haze of sleep.
"Kyohei…" her thoughts floated off into space.
The grip around her waist tightened.
"Shh. It doesn't matter anymore. Just promise me one thing, Sunako," he said softly.
"What would that be?" she asked. Her words were no more than a breath of contentment.
Kyohei pulled back her hair and kissed her gently on the neck, smiling when he felt the shiver it sent down her body.
"Stay with me tonight."
Sunako smiled. Somehow, that did not seem all that bad.
"I think I can do that"