Dedication: To all the GBS founders and new members especially to Reeza and Heiko, this is for you peeps.
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Mona LisaIt was another Arts and Humanities class and I couldn't help but sigh in boredom. The Arts and Humanities wasn't actually my favorite subject.
I heard a small chuckle come from the seat beside me. Tearing my bored eyes from the teacher for a moment, I turned to look at the source of laughter. Fuji Syusuke.
"Why are you laughing?" I asked, whispering.
Placing that eternal smile on his lips, he turned to me. "You never liked this subject, didn't you?"
"No. It's boring to be talking about a dead person's painting. Besides, you'll never really understand what the painting is all about because the person who did it is already dead. So what's the use, right Fujiko-chan?"
He sighed this time. "Eiji, paintings tell stories. Stories that come from the heart of the painter and the one being painted. Maybe if you look deeper, you'd understand what I'm saying and find it interesting." He paused, listening to what sensei was saying. "Good. She's pairing us up for the interpretation. Let's be partners. Try the next one and tell me what you think."
Pouting at my best friend, I turned to look at the painting sensei had placed in front. Of course we would be paired! We were always partners after all. Well, except in tennis.
It was a painting of a woman with long black hair. She had kind eyes and her smile was just a small slit on her beautiful face.
"That's the Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci," Fujiko-chan whispered.
The Mona Lisa… something about her smile and her bugged me. It was as if despite of that smile, she really didn't feel happy. That and the Mona Lisa reminded me of something I couldn't quite place.
"So what do you think?"
I placed my right hand below my chin. "She looks sad."
"Sad? But she's smiling, Eiji."
"I know. But there's something in that smile that makes me say that she's not really happy. It's like a mask to the outside world. What do you think, Fujiko-chan?"
"Ah…"
I turned to him and saw him looking intently at the painting. The smile on his face wasn't as wide as when he laughed earlier. It was just a small smile. He looked like he was weighing my words, thinking of how to interpret the painting.
Then it struck me. The painting reminded me of him.
Fuji Syusuke. My best friend.
For the longest time that I could remember that I knew him – which was probably since when we were kindergarten – he already had that smile on his face. That smile never left his face for long periods of time. Even when he tripped when we were in preschool, I would cry when I tripped, but he – he would just smile.
The only moments I can remember that the smile he always had wasn't there was when someone hurt Yuuta or when he played tennis against really tough players.
But the smile he always had never signified that he was always happy. On the contrary, it signified his loneliness.
It wasn't as if Fuji never smiled like he meant it. Occasionally, he would show a genuine smile – a smile that meant that he was happy. But he smiled to mask his feelings of pain more often.
Especially when Tezuka was around.
At first, I thought Fuji was only curious because Buchou was the only person not to be caught by his charms. Or in Fuji's case… craftiness.
Everyone in the team knew that Fuji had something in him that would make you stare at him and admire. Maybe it was his chocolate colored hair that swayed with the wind. Maybe it was his deep blue tinted eyes that he rarely let anyone see lest you get the feeling that he was trying to scare you. Fuji's eyes were scary especially when they were dead serious.
Or maybe it was that smile that almost never left his face.
A smile that he gave to everyone. A smile that everyone liked. A smile that covered the pain he was feeling everytime Tezuka brushed him off.
I never thought that Fuji was serious about Tezuka. Yes, he flirted with Tezuka with words that would make anyone blush. He dropped hints here and there. I mean, he did that to everyone. He does that to me and even to Ochibi who seems to get really embarrassed whenever he does that.
I remember one time when the practice has just finished, he was talking to Tezuka, trying to convince Buchou to walk home with him. I was in the locker room and was supposed to catch a movie with Oishi. Because of it, Fuji would be walking home alone.
Fuji tried and tried but no amount of coaxing could get Tezuka to say yes. He said something like he still had things to do before going home and didn't really feel like walking home with anyone. I remember seeing Fuji's eyes. They were so hurt and sad. I couldn't stand seeing him like that. Fortunately, Oishi was very understanding that the moment I told him I would take a rain check on the movie and would love to catch it with him next time, he just smiled and said he understood.
Just before Fuji could take off by himself, I launched myself on him and told him that I changed my mind and that I would be going home with him. He closed his eyes and smiled at me – a forced smile that betrayed what he felt at the moment – but I felt that he was somewhat grateful for the company.
That was the time that I realized how serious he was. And it was the first time his charms didn't work.
And it had always been like that. Tezuka would brush him off and I would try to cheer him up with little ways that I knew.
A scoop of ice cream. A funny story completely fabricated and animatedly told by me. A big cotton candy. A movie – my treat for a change. Anything to erase that pain he had even only for a moment.
I looked at him again. He was absorbed in his thoughts that most probably contained interpretations of the painting.
And yes. He still had that smile plastered on his face.
A smile that charmed a lot of people. A smile that put a smile on their faces. A smile that masked a lot of pains. A smile that hid a lot of stories.
Just like Mona Lisa.
I smiled and stretched my arms. "Nyah~ Fujiko-chan, I think you're right. Paintings tell a lot of stories. And y'know what? I think I just might learn to like this subject."
Beside me, Fuji Syusuke opened his ocean eyes and smiled.
- Owari
Author's Notes: Wow! I never thought I could finish this! I hope you liked it. I finished it while listening Get Backer's third ending song, Mr. Déjà vu. Hmm… I love that song. Anyway, I would really love it if you click that button below that says submit review. Hehe…
Disclaimers: Tennis no Oujisama and all its characters belong to. Only the story line is mine.
Mona Lisa is copyright Yumehime Yana Hossuru, 24 April 2004, 06:14pm. No part of this story may be duplicated without the consent of the author. All rights reserved 2004.