Warnings: Pro-shounen-ai. Heartbreak. Unrequited Love. Rejection.
Cast: Meiru Sakurai, Netto Hikari, (& a cameo by a very special character).
Disclaimer: Rockman.(exe) Battle Network belongs to Capcom, Ryo Takamisaki & Xebec. I own nothing except this derivative fanwork that I don't profit from.
Story #4:
"He Still Lives In The Cyber World"
"I like you, Netto" She leaned forward against the full length mirror, making sure the face she made when she said those words was cute, and her eyes watery for good measure. Pleased with the result, she sighed melodramatically. "Meiru Sakurai, you are going to knock his socks off!"
It has been six years since she had left Densan City. She was too young then- too inexperienced and immature. She couldn't understand, much less handle her growing feelings for her childhood friend Netto Hikari. So when her parents one day announced that they were relocating because of changes in their in job designation, she took it as a sign– a challenge. To forget him.
But the image of the young energetic Net Battler who always ran around saving both their world and cyberspace remained well preserved in her heart like a priceless artefact. One that continued to burn brightly all those years, even when she decided to play the field for some time just to get over him. Netto Hikari continued to be, the light that easily outshone every other man she ever dated. He certainly lived up to his name in her heart.
"I like you Netto. I always have... can't you tell?"
"You'll forget about me. Whatever you think you're feeling for me; infatuation or puppy love, or whatever they call it– it's only temporary, you'll see. It'll blow over…"
She had fallen in love for the first time, and made her very first love confession. Only to be cruelly rejected. So heartbroken that she couldn't bear to see him or hear his voice even over the network. Despite that, six long years of disconnection from him served nothing to make her forget. Even now, her heart thundered wildly with untainted fervour in her chest at the thought of seeing those eyes again; Eyes that never lit up for her, only for anything and everything to do with Net Battling; Eyes that were always fixated somewhere else… far, faraway into the mysterious reaches of the Cyber World.
Smoothing her skirt and adjusting the pink ribbon in her perfectly made hair, Meiru Sakurai wanted to make sure that she was perfect before she stepped out. All the right curves, all the right shades; Everything she knew that boys deemed pleasing in a girl, she now had. She was eighteen years old and ripe for the plucking. She had finally blossomed into a graceful and pretty young woman. And now more than ever, she was sure that it won't be long before she owned those scintillating brown eyes. No blue Net Navis; no white-haired Net Battlers; or cutesy Choina girls were going to steal his attention from her anymore.
She smiled up at her smug reflection in the mirror one last time. Yes, she was perfect. She may not have been able to forget him… But now, she was sure that it was going to be Netto Hikari who wouldn't be able to forget her.
-x-
Netto Hikari was now a young apprentice at Sci-Lab. That's what she heard from their mutual friend, Yaito Ayanokohji. It probably shouldn't have come as a surprise, given that Netto's father Yuichiro Hikari was the world's most brilliant mind alongside "The Father of the Cyber World", Tadashi Hikari. Still, it was a bit of a stretch to imagine her feisty and impulsive childhood friend in an austere lab coat and cooped up in a stringent laboratory facility. (Then again, she has always felt the same about Meijin, so it wasn't that hard to swallow anymore.) She giggled to herself, making a mental note to tease the boy about it when she finally saw him again that afternoon.
She could picture the look on his face clearly– the utter dumb astonishment that the short-legged, plain-looking whiny little duckling has now transformed into an elegant swan. The perfect scenario had played out tirelessly in her mind: She would play it cool, pretend to have gotten over him, and that's when it would happen. That moment that she looked forward to with all of her being: The moment when Netto Hikari falls madly in love with her– just like all the other boys who had been helpless to her irresistible charms. Of course she wasn't going to give in right away, she was going to play hard to get for a while; and thoroughly enjoy how he would chase, fret, and fumble for her attention.
Oh, yes. Netto Hikari will rue the day he rejected his childhood friend, Meiru Sakurai! Revenge this sweet was every bit worth the wait! And with self-satisfied smile, she added a spring to her step, quickening her pace to SciLab.
-x-
How did that epigram go…?
'The more things change, the more they stay the same'?
She never fully understood what it meant until that moment… The moment she came face to face with the eighteen year old Netto Hikari…
Meiru Sakurai was taller now. But she found that she still had to tilt her head upward just to meet his eyes. Netto Hikari was so tall now. No, she wouldn't be able to see his face properly if he didn't deign to bend his neck to look down at her. Between the boy standing before her now and everything she had rehearsed prior to this, she was completely lost.
"N- Netto… kun. Hisashiburi."
"It's only puppy love. You'll forget about me."
His voice still rang loud and clear in her mind like those words had been said to her just yesterday. Perhaps it was the shock of being faced with a scenario so unlike what she imagined or merely a bad case of surprise nerves; but somehow she couldn't summon the bravery she had so carefully amassed just for this day. She felt like twelve years old all over again. Silly, fumbling… and completely head over heels.
They exchanged pleasantries. All the while, he smiled politely at her. They talked for a short while, though she hardly remembered what things must've left her mouth. But when he suddenly gave her a surprised look followed by light-hearted laughter, she knew that she must've said something she shouldn't have. She had messed up, too overwhelmed by his presence… by how different he was from what she expected and yet still exactly the same.
"You're still thinking that, huh?"
No. No. No.
This is not how it was supposed to happen!
This is not happening.
"You look well… Nice even. I'm sure you're gonna be fine."
What? What does he mean by that?
"Oh crap! Lunchtime is almost over, I gotta go! Sorry I can't stay longer. Dad is waiting for me to get back. I'll send him your regards. He's just neck deep in work, so I apologize if he can't come out to see you."
Meiru clutched hard at her expensive pink handbag, biting her lip to keep her emotions from betraying her still fragile broken heart that was aching all over again. He was so much more temperate now, but it was still him. Still the same sweet, silly and passionate Netto-kun she knew and fell in love with, and so much more. Her feelings had not diminished one bit, but the exact opposite.
"Thank you for visiting! It was great to see you again! Good luck!"
And just like that, he was turning his back on her. Again. But she couldn't move, couldn't speak! Her mind and body wouldn't listen, still reeling from the warmth of his farewell embrace.
No. No. No!
"How could you do this to me?!"
The chestnut-haired Net Battler stopped in his tracks.
"Why… why don't you like me…?" The tears betraying her now. "I hate you so much."
"Hey! Don't cry!" His fingers gently daubed away her tears. "It's not that I don't like you… I- I just don't see you that way…"
She was as confused as she was then. How could he not like her? Wasn't she now everything that every boy dreamed of? What was wrong with him?!
"How could you… not see me that way? I've changed a lot now, haven't I? Don't you find me attractive? Can't you at least… try to fall in love with me?"
He looked pained, and it only made her crumble inside a little more.
"I'm sorry, Meiru-chan. I just don't lo—"
She blocked out the words she already knew but refused to accept. Words that she didn't want to hear… not ever again! How could it be that Netto didn't love her when it had been him she loved all her life?! Why was life being so unfair to her? Why was Netto being so cruel?
She threw her arms around his neck like she often did before, desperately acting out what she always did in her dreams. She kissed him on the lips; Lips that were softer and sweeter than all of her dreams and fantasies combined. Lips that remained pliant as she shamelessly poured all of her feelings in the last way she knew she could communicate; but still unable to coax a response.
"I'm sorry…"
Was all he said when she finally pulled away.
It was six years ago all over again. She watched his retreating form, unable to do or say anything more. The pristine white lab coat suddenly seemed so suited to him now, complimenting his strong shoulders, stately stature, and long legs. The tears that spilled ceaselessly down her cheeks, doing nothing to alleviate her pain. She stared at him until the very end of the corridor; too many conflicted thoughts and emotions paralyzing her where she stood.
There was a boy that suddenly emerged from the corner. Netto repeatedly bowed to him in apology, laughing his easy laugh as the boy narrowed his eyes at him in mock reprimand. She took no notice of it at first, but when her mind had sobered up a little, just enough to size him up– all other thoughts and emotions slowly ebbed away for the meantime to give way to astonishment.
The boy was exactly the same height and build; though his features were softer. Their hair colour was one of two differences she could spot; and though both their eyes exuded unrivalled enticing vibrancy– this boy's eyes were distinctly surreal in its bright green diamond effervescence. They looked so identical that her mind was convinced that she was staring at Netto's twin. Only Netto didn't have a twin… right?
Her mouth fell open in a soundless gasp as the boy caught her gaze from the distance, and bowed slightly in acknowledgement, a sweet smile on his pleasant –even somewhat beautiful– face; before he too rounded the corner and disappeared from view.
Those eyes… the smile and that face… It reminded her of only one person. Only, he wasn't a person. Nor was he supposed to exist in this world. Though her mind was a jumble of discordant thoughts, she was quite sure that what she saw was not a holographic projection. Netto confirmed as much when he affectionately hugged and kissed the boy on the lips before he hopped off.
But it couldn't be…
Could it?
The End.
Notes:
I have always, always loved the Rockman.(exe) series, especially Rockman & Netto. So much.
(05/14/2016 - 06/06/2016)
Original post: MariekoWest {AO3} / X-posted: MewrSaidTheCat {dA}
My Hetalia fics: LM_Artless {AO3} / lovemeartless {FFnet} / frukdilection {dA}
Blog/Works Archive: mariexfolie. {blog. fc2. com}
Chat & Journal: mewrsaidthecat {quotev} / MewrSaidTheCat {dA}