A/N: another one-shot! (hoorah! well , guess not hoorah since my one-shots usually sucked) Hem-hem , hey guys! I made this baby ages ago. this was supposed to be for Valentine's Day but I hadn't had the time to post it. Okay , so here it is. Oh and warning : it is kinda OOC and , It's Rated T for intimate acts. I do hope you enjoy (since I reckon this is different from the other suck-ish one-shots , I promise!) though this is lengthy! well , happy reading!
Social ranking was one of those things most teenagers are insecure of. Teenagers cry at the most little things , and see implications even if there really isn't , have the tendency to over-look , understate and overstate everything. They happen to judge something too easily , and most of them follow the latest and most in vogue fads. thus , they have no firm principles in them.
However , one thing that never gets old about teenagers , is that unreliable thing called love. Love , my dear readers , is something we always hear or witness. It may be shown on little things. A mother hugging her child perhaps , but love was something vaguely different for young adults. Imagine , love as a store. Teenagers , are those customers. One would grab a pair of shoe and try it on. If one isn't contented , they return the shoe on the racks. simple as that. It was a matter of trying things and putting it back if it doesn't fit. Love wasn't that serious.
Another example , my dears , is whenever you would play a huge jigsaw puzzle. There wouldn't be a time during your first try that you'd pick two pieces and they'd perfectly match and stand next to each other on the frame. Getting all the wrong pieces first was always inevitable. It was a matter of trying and getting it all right.
And so where does this analogy lead us?
Why , to a chilly day in Cross Academy of course. It happened to be a February 14. and we must've been all aware that it is the Day of Hearts. and yes , young adults are very active and participant in this kind of activity. Everywhere we look , we see the most crimson of red and the hottest of pink banners up high on the ceiling. The students were out running , on their hands were the gifts they would want someone to receive. Chocolates , roses , love letters those typical gifts during Valentine's.
Or maybe those really physical gifts like snogging and , to the most daring ones , shagging. typical teenage behavior. Disgustingly immature - To Rima Touya that is. For her , the whole of student body was being immature and ostentatious. She gave girls her age glares to indicate - or sometimes silence their gossip of mushy affairs. really , Rima thought. scoff to that.
Sometimes she felt like she's forty instead of nineteen. Sometimes , when she watch herself on a mirror , she could see small lines on her forehead from thinking too much. too much of complex things only type of people like her think about. Like the value of education and her future ahead if she would study well. Rima knew most people her age don't give a crap about that , not too much that is.
She felt like there were thick glasses on her eyes and braces on her teeth. She felt like a geek , a nerd. Not that she cared about those labels - stereotypes. It's just that .. sometimes she wanted to show her fun and socially-active self. But there was this .. something that stops her from crawling out her shell. Inferiority complex , that was it. Or maybe insecurity.
Rima was hiding on her secret courtyard , a look of frustration on her usually impassive face. Frustration because , she didn't receive anything. She could hear students giggling over their gifts. Could see couples holding hands. she had none. Oh for God's sake! It was appalling really , that she had Zilch. She felt as if she wasn't any important to the world. like she was just there , for no particular reason. She existed just merely for the sake of existing. No cause. People only pass her by , giving her odd looks because really , for normal teenagers she should be hopping around distributing chocolates to the boys she fancied.
Problem was she wasn't. Didn't have the guts and heart to do that. Who cared if she didn't do anything? It wasn't like Valentine's day would last forever. It may come once a year; yes. But it would be gone like some fad.
She didn't hear his footsteps. Those quiet paces that matched his detached personality.
"Moping alone on Heart's Day are we?" He said.
"I guess you are enjoying this day so much that you'd trade your soul to extend this particular day for a week or something." She sniped back.
He chuckled darkly. And she heard him shifting so that he was sitting next to her , on the stone bench.
"Oh , if only I could." he replied. "I" he continued. "unlike someone I know , keep an open mind to events and adjust to them. I try to enjoy myself but detach at the same time."
She shot him a quizzical look. His skin kind of glowed under the pale moon. She knew it wasn't his fault if he had this flawless ivory skin. Nor for having such wonderful azure eyes and messy maroon hair. It was simply in his genes. Something from Rido Kuran's DNA. Or it was just how God really made people. Some are born without having problems with their appearance while others do. It irked her a little , life wasn't fair. especially when someone as egotistic as Senri Shiki had been given such a .. debonair look.
"I don't really give a damn on how you handle those things." She sighed and looked away.
He grimaced at her irritating quip. "How come you're alone? Shouldn't you be on a bedroom now?"
"gross!" she exclaimed. "I would never , ever do that. Only after I marry of course."
He smirked at her naivety. "Are you telling me that you are a vir-"
"I refuse to pursue this topic , especially to someone like you" She replied firmly.
He raised an eyebrow. "If you wanted to ask me , I had shagged and you should know that-"
"Shiki , please!" She yelled. "I am not interested if you have had .. intercourse! Could you just shut up if you have nothing else to say but perverted things?"
"Whatever Touya."
She saw that there was a small pile of things beside him. gifts , to be exact.
"You sure do have many admirers don't you?" she asked him after a long silence.
"huh?" He was pulled out of his thoughts and stared at where her eyes were. "Oh , that's nothing. You should see my room right now. I'm surprised it didn't explode yet. I had received lots of them last year and you have no idea.. It was chaotic to say the least." She saw him shudder.
"How do you handle them?" she asked.
He smirked. "easy , I burn them"
His response made her choke on her saliva. " what? - you , you did that? how could you be so heartless? I know girls probably stayed up all night baking chocolates or wrapping their gifts and you just burn them like .." she couldn't continue.
"Are you implying that you are one of my growing admirers?" He grinned brightly at her ,showing her his white teeth.
"NO!" she half-yelled. "Never. I can't believe you'd do that. Now I could caution all those girls not to waste any efforts on you since I know now of the outcome."
"Good. please do. So that I don't have to hide in a toilet stool all day."
She still shook her head at his obtuse ways.
"Say , Touya. Don't you have anything for me?"
"No." she said again. "And if ever I do , I'd throw it on the garbage can anyway. Cause I know that's where it would land as soon as you recieve it."
"Ouch Touya. Those words will bear a scar on my soul." He said sarcastically.
"Good. I hope it will."
"You know , if you'd give me a present.." He said. "I wouldn't burn it. hell , It would be the only thing I would keep."
She scoffed. "I'm so touched Shiki." she pretended to wipe her invisible tears.
"No , really." he snapped. "I am being serious."
"really?" She looked up , and it was a little hard because he was a head taller than her. "how come?"
"Maybe because you're one of those who wouldn't give me anything no matter how handsome and popular I would get. You're .. different you know? You treat me the same."
"And that I hunch , might be the reason you are so curious about me?" she joked.
His eyes glided on her vivid blue ones. "attraction might be the better word."
She looked away from the intensity. "Attraction isn't a joke Shiki."
"It isn't." His tone became grave.
"Then why make jokes? " she wasn't saying that for her to hear Shiki insist that what he was saying is true. She had read too many books to know it was one of those clich s.
Yet , she heard the very same.
"I am not joking."
When things like these became serious , Rima always evade them. It was one of those things she just couldn't stomach at all. She slowly rose up.
"I'm leaving." She decided. And like the forty year old mind that she had ,she knew he'd try to stop her. So she tucked her arms on her chest and jogged all the way out.
Too unexpectedly , She could feel his hand on her waist.
"You are a coward" he stated.
She froze on his touch. Then she turned , not minding how close their faces were. There were no body reactions anyway.. well ,maybe the fast heartbeat. and .. her pulse in her veins. not to mention the sweat on her forehead and also the fact that her waist was burning from his touch. No body reactions. except those. It was pretty .. um , normal wasn't it? those things?
"listen up you moron!" She yelled. "I don't want to discuss things - things like this. It's too complex for me."
He forced his palms on her wrists and wrung them. "No , you listen! You , Rima Touya , are a total wimp. You're too afraid to try different things. Hell maybe you just don't want to experience all those adolescent things people younger than you engage in. You think they are immature!" he spat.
She broke away from his cold palms that felt like hand cuffs and jabbed his chest with her shaking finger. "Are you , Senri pain-in-the-ass Shiki lecturing me about what I decide to experience or not? Heck , you are not God to tell me what I must do!"
His face became a little enraged. "Well , I may be a pain in the ass but if you won't start being open-minded a little about the REAL world ,I'd make sure I'd be the most painful pain in your ass!"
"I think that I have had enough of this preposterous talk!" She yelled. "Let-me-go!" She once again tried to squirm from under his grasp to no avail.
Senri's grasp to her waist just got a little bit more tighter."Immature brats like you should learn how to be a teenager that you are!" he spoke. "Tell me , when was the last time you had a night out with friends? Oh ,wait , maybe you haven't even heard of a night out!"
Her blue eyes narrowed into slits. "Do-not-call-me-immature!" She hit his chest to let him know how angry she was. "Don't teach me how to be mature because you aren't a good example yourself! What do boys like you do? Not once did I see you open your text books and pay attention in class. You do all these ridiculous things like burp , wrestle , and jeers! You all think this would make you cool. that it would make girls like you. But you are as sane as a five year old , mind you!" She tried to twist away but he came a little closer again.
"I am not like that." A shadow passed over his face. "Nothing to what ridiculous things girls do. Like shopping the whole day , painting faces and giggling at the wrong time. Gossiping with friends and I'd bet my hair they'd die as soon as they walk alone on a hallway. It was like their friends were the reason why they lived. A horrifying thought!"
"I am not like that!" her eyes flickered angrily.
He had enough of this game. The tiresome answer-back sport. With both palms , he trapped her face in between and forced her vivid ocean-blue eyes to stare at him. He had felt the electricity , the spark and warmth of the remaining space between them. And he knew that she felt it too.
"Grow , Touya. People grow. and people like you who are too coward to even try didn't have any progress. You're too afraid to love. too naive , too timid! You think holding hands are gross. that what? that they should do it privately? I can see it in your face Touya. the revolt when you see couples snogging. So let's just say you wanted to continue on your childish ways. the no boyfriend policy. until what age? fifty?" he gave a maniacal laugh. "Have you ever heard of trying? maybe not since childish people like you don't read the dictionary , or they don't even fucking know what the fuck a dictionary is!"
The words slapped her. She could almost feel the blow and she was surprised why she wasn't on the floor , crumpled. It was true. The realization was. It now made perfect sense. She thought she felt like forty. But she was actually some ten year old. immature , too innocent and palpable to change. She grimace when she saw couples. She couldn't accept that that was how the world was. Really.
"I - I.."
"I'd like to hear your defense to that." he demanded. scrutinizing her face , his palm still etched to her wrist. It got tighter.
"Y - you are right." She had gasped on his face.
"I always am." he replied.
Rima couldn't take the closeness. It was something she was never used to. Being this near to a boy , It made her feel all wrong in the right places. Like maybe her heart , since when had her poor heart ever accelerate this fast? Or her body that was metaphorically burning. She kind of hated it but liked it at the same time. Those wonderful eyes of Senri Shiki , bent on hers.
"Let me go" she demanded.
He gave a smirk. and tried to get even closer to her face. "I will not" Too close , she could feel her feet starting to melt into a puddle.
Rima was surprised when his palms released her sore wrists. Then she figured he wasn't talking about his palm on hers. He was talking about him ; not letting go of her.
They heard footsteps then. and Senri's head cocked to the side.
"I have to go. I detect a mob of girls" He said this rapidly , then he inserted something on her coat pocket before running from her opposite direction.
Rima stayed rooted on the grass , a look of utter disbelief etched on her face. She became aware of her senses then. She noticed that it was almost aurora. The air on her lungs were moving freely now and her heart , somehow reduced it's speed.
Likewise , she heard the mob of girls.
"Have you seen Senri?"
"I thought I saw him sprinting towards the forest muterring about a surprise for a mob of girls." Rima replied wisely. And had the satisfaction of seeing the girls running furiously towards the forest.
Idiots , really.
The bulge on her pockets weren't that big. But she could feel the flimsy paper across her thighs. She inhaled a deep breath , and opened it.
i hope you like it
that snapped her up. what does she have to like? wrong message for her perhaps , or he was mentally ill , or he was acting like a moron. Well , whatever. Rima however folded the paper and slowly made way to her dorm room. Only did she notice how tired she was. And that hoorah , Heart's Day shall be dead the next day. She didn't have to worry about stereotypes any longer. Oh how beautiful tonight was!
As soon as she opened her door , happy Rima Touya gave a very loud sreech. Alas , she had spoken too soon.
"Senri Shiki!" She banged on his door.
No response.
"Senri Shiki!" She kicked on his door once again. "open this door you moron!"
She gave a very powerful kick and heard a yelp. She had hit his stomach. "I won't say sorry to that!" She exclaimed furiously. Her brows perched together.
"You are liable to your own actions Touya. But what is the reason of your tantrums this time?" He was dressed to sleep. He had no shirt on. The baggy trousers were all that he wore.
"What" she demanded. "the hell did you do to my room!"
He raised an eyebrow and gave a convincing perplexed face. "What are you talking about red-head?"
"My room!" she snapped. tip-toeing so that she was level with his head. "There are hundreds of boxes in my room! I am sure that it was you , who is accountable to that practical joke. It wasn't funny!"
He sighed. Then with blinding speed , he took her by the waist , pulled her in his room and snapped the door shut. "You are causing a scene outside." He hissed.
"You are responsible for my actions , now go clean up those mess before I report to Takuma-kun!"
His naked shoulders shook from laughing. "I was under the ludicrous impression that you didn't receive any gifts today. And now you have , aren't you happy?"
"Happy!" She repeated , her face going red. "I'd be happy if I could reach my bed. But I couldn't since it was buried under those garbage. What were you thinking Shiki?"
"I was trying to make you happy." he replied calmly.
"I wasn't."
"So you're not." he shrugged.
"Why did you have to put it in my room Shiki , you weren't exaggerating , what you said about your gifts. But you needn't have to transfer it in mine. Or else I'd have no room any longer because it had exploded."
"If you don't have any room" he smirked. "I will gladly share my room with you."
She blushed but hid it by scowling. "I'd rather sleep in the staircase."
"enough of this tantrums Touya. I knew you came here to see me."
"No you egotistic bastard." she piped up. "My room!"
"I shall remove them tomorrow." He took a seat on his couch. Rima remained standing. She didn't like sitting down beside him. She hated how malicious her head was. She knew Shiki wouldn't do anything to her. But she didn't budge.
"Care if you'd spend the night with a morbid young man?" He gave her a true smile this time and she couldn't help but respond to that , when she realized what her lips had done (curving upwards) , she composed herself and did a scowl.
"I guess I couldn't say no." She replied. " I -Uh , all I mean is that it's because of my room. It's all suffocating and so ..okay."
He grinned. "excellent response."
She had never spent a night in a man's dorm room. Nor did she ever experience something like this. Something so new and invigorating it nearly drowned her with stupor. Rima felt like a normal teen. Not with a boyfriend , shudder to that. of course bloody hell no. But because she never experienced this sort of bonding. She realized why most people her age rely on mutual relationships or whatnot.
Oh , well.
They decided to watch a romance movie , after arguing on what was best. Rima always wanted to see the film and she didn't had the chance to see it in the movie house.
Senri gave up in the end and grudgingly agreed. He watched her most of the time , and he couldn't help but laugh inside. Are girls really this lenient? Now he knew. As soon as he saw her silent tears during the movie , he realized how vulnerable she was. He also noticed how prettier she became when her face was very pink. He had this sidden urge to pinch her red nose and tease her endlessly because not only did she have red hair , she also had a red face to match it. She was .. cute and pettite and .. hell , he liked her.
"You need water?" he offered.
"please." Rima croaked.
He handed her a glass and she was grateful. "Thanks." She gave a small sniff.
The movie has ended. and he was a little uncomfortable.
Rima had the hunch that he was showing off his torso. She couldn't concentrate much about anything except those pale , muscular skin of his. All through out the movie , her eyes kept on sliding to it's side.
"You know .. I didn't really want to give you all those gifts" He smirked.
"Then why do it anyway?" She asked , very irritated.
"Oh , just for the sake of annoying you. Then I had the satisfaction of seeing your angry red face all over my dorm." laughed Senri. "And that little i hope you like it note wasn't really about the gifts actually.." he hung his arm around the arm rest behind her.
"You really are insane are you?" asked Rima. "A stupid , one of a kind , pain in the ass , bipolar , stoic , dense , imbecile , moronic , twit-"
He had crossed the distance in between them and gave her a soft smack on the lips. There , that sure was a great way of silencing a girl when he was showering a boy with millions of quips. Girls , had irritating mouth sometimes. And what did they do? kiss of course. Handy and pleasurable.
Rima , was in surprise. I mean , an .. enjoyable surprise. She had never felt something like this. Why did she have a feeling that she was melting on the couch? why there was a burning sensation on her whole face and arms , merlin , she did not have a clue.
But my oh my , did it feel good.
She broke away. She was afraid that Senri would hear her heartbeat. It was too much , too loud. She gasped , then abruptly , her cheeks turned pink and she ran out from his dorm room , with a new hope in her heart.
i hope you like it
Rima liked it. very very much.
"Wait , Touya!" He called and followed her outside.
Alas , I am tired of narrating. and so I have to leave it from here too. thus , begins a new hope of a thrilling story that started on Heart's Day. That peculiar yet awkward occurrence that I know you couldn't help but think - while cringing - about it.
My readers , Rima and Senri's relationship is yet to unfold. And this love story is bare not unless you can imagine the outcome then I do not see a problem. It is like seeing a rose waiting for spring. and we , including I , are only witnessing the quiet anticipation of spring together with the flowers. A bud that has yet to grow. Yet growing it continues.