Goodbye Misao Makimachi…Forever Misao Shinomori
By: Shin Sankai
I could hear the faint sound of thunder rolling around in the clouds as the rain fell hard against the roof of the mansion. I walked down the long hall to my father's study. The occasional flash of lightning flittered through the sky dowsing the dark hallway in bright white light. I had been home for merely two hours from boarding school when my father called this so-called meeting. I knocked on the door and entered the room to see my mother standing behind the chair my father was sitting in and I walked closer. I stood silently and waited for him to talk.
"Misao your mother and I have come to a decision. You have blossomed into a beautiful young woman that we can be proud of and now we may set you free." What the hell is he babbling about? I silently wandered to myself.
"Misao sweetie our oldest and dearest friends have come back to live here in Tokyo for good now and they finally brought their son with them again. You have been promised to each other for many years, even before you were born and so next week you are to be married." I froze at that one word my father had spoken to me. MARRIED! I yelled in my head. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. I felt as though I were sinking into the floor at hearing that one word…married…but I was only just beginning my life, still finishing high school, wanting to go off to University, live my own life! I yelled at him inside my head.
"Sweetie understand that this-"
"NO!" I screamed at the both of them slamming my hands down on the wooden desk. I watched silently as my father rose from his chair.
"Don't you talk back to me like that! I am your father!"
"So what I want in life doesn't mean anything to the two of you!" I spoke back nearly on the verge of tears.
"Your only 17! You wouldn't have a clue what you want! I am your father and I shall make the decision!" I gasped at this and stepped backwards walking further away from them.
"Sweetie listen, your father and I have known the Shinomori's since we were kids ourselves. The promise can never be broken it goes the same for them as well." My mother spoke up.
"This is the 21st century! You can't do this!" I yelled at them trying desperately for them to see it my way.
"I can and I will!" My father spoke directly and firmly at me. I sobbed and ran from the room running down the long hallway to the main room. I ran out the front door not bothering about closing it behind me and ran into the pouring rain down the dark street. How could they do this to me? Did they not even care about how I would feel? I spoke inside my head. I ran into the yard of another large mansion and stood at the front doors. I brushed the tears away from my already wet face and knocked loudly. No answer, so I tried again. Still nothing. I ran around the side and found the old tree branches still hanging near a bedroom window. I climbed the tree easily and opened the window and sat on the ledge looking into the large room to find no one. I curled up into myself, trying to fight off the cold and cried brokenly to myself. That's when I heard the door open and close and I jerked my head up seeing my oldest and dearest friend wearing a pair of dark red pants and brushing a towel through his messy and very spiky wet hair.
"SANO!" I yelled jumping off the window ledge and running to him. His eyes widened at the sight of me and I thrust myself into his embrace and cried against his chest. Minutes went by and my sobbing had turned to small sniffles as Sano rubbed my wet back soothingly.
"Hey weasel your back! Why didn't you tell me? I could have organised to come get you, got some really great food and stuff. We could have celebrated." I smiled against his chest and hugged him tighter just glad to be wrapped in his warm embrace. I let go and stepped away to see his pants totally soaked from hugging me way too long.
"Che! Good one weasel!" I sat in his wooden chair and watched as he stripped out of the pants and placed on some drier ones. We had been friends all of my life and the concept of changing in front of each other never embarrassed us. Sano was 3 years older then I and yet he was my closest and dearest friend. He would never admit it to anyone else but when my father sent me to boarding school he cried for weeks on end, just wanting me back. He had said that he lost his baby sister and best friend all in one go. I too had cried for weeks wanting to be wrapped in his warm embrace and have him right at my side. I was snapped out of my thoughts when I felt his hand on my knee. I stared down at him as he was kneeling on he floor looking up at me with those chocolate brown eyes of his.
"You gunna tell me what's botherin' ya or must I guess?" He spoke giving me one of his lopsided grins. I smiled back at him brushing my fingers through his damp brown hair.
"It's my dad Sano…" I spoke while rising and getting off the chair to walk around the room. There where still numerous pictures of just us when we were younger and still playing games and bathing together. I missed those days, I felt like I wanted to be younger again, so I could remember all those great memories and forget what was happening to me.
"And?" Sano spoke while getting up and following close behind me. I didn't say anything but felt his hands grab my shoulders stopping me from walking around the room. I turned and wrapped my arms around his waist and spoke quietly to him.
"He's making me get married." There was a slight pause of silence and I felt his arms wrap comfortingly around me yet again and he spoke softly and jokingly into my ear trying to loosen my tension.
"Okay lets do it! You know you can't resist me and besides we'd be great together!" I giggled into his chest and soon let go before he had to change clothes again and looked up into those eyes as they sparkled mischievously down at me.
"I've supposedly been promised to someone else. Some complete stranger too!" I spoke irritated.
"Bummer…Oh well looks like you'll have to make do with that guy instead. You really are missing out though." I pushed him angrily and spoke again.
"Sano this isn't funny! This is my life we are talking about here!"
"Hey chill weasel. Hmm, how 'bout you come out with me and meet up with my friends and forget about all this junk for awhile okay? It'll just be like old times, 'cept with a few other people. Come on weasel it'll be fun, I promise." I looked up into those brown eyes and nodded my head, knowing I couldn't say 'no' to him.
"You still have some clothes of mine here by any chance?" I spoke walking over to the closet.
"Yeah I think so, might be heaps old though. Hey chuck me a shirt too." I threw him a dark red one and a black jacket, as it was cool outside since the window was still open and the wind blew the dark curtains around wildly. I threw off my wet shirt and shorts and placed a black tank top on and some black pants. I didn't like it one bit. They clung to my body tightly showing off my curves immensely. I quickly grabbed one of Sano's long sleeved shirts placing it over me and did up the buttons. I sighed in relief as it fell half way down my thighs.
"Damn, you had to do that didn't you. And you looked pretty good too."
"Shut up Sano!" I yelled at him while throwing my wet shirt in his direction, but he dodged easily.
"Come on weasel, I promised the guys I wouldn't be late." I nodded my head and soon followed him to his car.
xxxxxxx
Time passed quickly as I walked lazily around the park. Sano and the others were sitting around casually talking and drinking. I declined both of those and excused myself to walk around silently, marvelling at the beauty of this place. Sano had met some nice people and they had welcomed me into the "group". I noticed Sano seemed to like Megumi. I could tell by the way he bickered with her and he even gave her a pet name. She was very beautiful. Her dark hair fell freely down her back and she too had given Sano a nickname. There definitely was something between them but I doubt if they'd ever say anything about it. Megumi had a younger brother who was 12 years old and her father was one of the best doctors in the city. She was following down the same path as she was studying to become a doctor at the university. Next to her was Kenshin. He was a short guy, not as short as myself though, and a bit older than Sano. He had long red hair that cascaded down his back and was held in a low ponytail. He had bright violet eyes that glistened with gentleness. He spoke in a soft voice and was quite smitten with Kaoru although she was totally clueless to this. Her long hair was tied up in a high ponytail held together by a pink ribbon and glistened in the streetlights. Her blue eyes sparkled happily as she laughed with Megumi at what ever Sano was doing. Kaoru was a year older then myself and had an elder brother called Aoshi. My train of thought was cut off when I heard Sano's voice.
"Hey weasel come here for a sec?" I walked towards them and saw a tall man, even taller then Sano, standing near him wearing all black and a long black trench coat. He was quite the looker and I gulped as I got closer noticing he made me look like a dwarf when I was near him as my eye level was at his chest area.
"Aoshi this is weasel…err…Misao actually…" I placed my hand out nicely and smiled up at him. My smile turned to a frown when he did nothing but stare silently at me.
"Since when did we hang out with children Sano?" My eyes narrowed annoyingly at him and I dropped my hand away. I heard Sano speak as he stuck up for me.
"Misao's been my best friend ever since she was born. Don't be like this Shinomori. Lo-" My eyes widen at that name and I soon stuttered it out staring up at the taller man cutting Sano off.
"Shi-Shinomori?" The wind picked up and blew his long bangs around giving me a view of his blue-green eyes looking curiously into my ocean-blue ones. His eyes were so intense it made a shiver run straight down my spine, as though someone walked over my grave. I stepped backwards and spoke shakily to Sano even though I was still looking into Aoshi's eyes.
"I-I've got t-to go S-Sano…" And with that I ran off without looking back. I made it to a rather busy street and flagged down a cab to take me home.
Xxx to be continued xxX