Reminiscence
Summary: Cagalli grew up in a small town where she has never visited the city before. Athrun, the playboy, and Kira, the quiet cool pianist, are cousins, sons of one of the richest men. At first Cag meets Kira and he is all she wanted, but what if all she wanted isn't what she thought it is? (Kira is not Cag's brother) AU/OOC
Chapter One: When Our Eyes Locked
Japan 1860
The blue jays chirped. A little girl smiled towards the brown haired boy, "Is it your last day here?" she asked as she ran towards him for an embrace. "I'll miss you... Promise you won't forget me ok?"
The boy looked down onto the floor, "I promise" With that he embraced her back, "I will come back for you by my18th birthday ok?"
Nodding the little girl noticed tears flowing down her face, "I will be really mad at you if you don't!"
Staring at his back, slowly fading away, she gave a sad smile and whispered to herself, "Aishiteru."
xxx
Japan 1868
It was snowy. Blankets of snow covered the fields across a secluded village in Japan. A small restaurant that lies in the heart of this village was closed on this specific day. A smile lit up on a certain blonde as she exited the restaurant.
"Arigatou gozaimasu," the blonde bowed when she turned back, "for letting me work here until I got enough money to start my trip!" Smiling at the old folks, she headed towards her home. The last leaf on the tree in the park slowly fell off its branch. Looking up she gave a sad smile and quietly whispered to herself, "I'll come find you if it's the last thing I do."
Rows after rows of benches passed by as the blonde walked. The snow covered fences shined under the cloudy grey sky. A single sunray lit up the road as she walked through the lonely streets. Just before she reached home, she walked into a small hut.
"How may I help you?" The lady in a pink dress and long silky black hair turned back and smiled at her customer. When she saw the blonde girl, her jaws dropped, "Cagalli-chan! I haven't seen you in a while, what have you been doing?"
"I got enough money to go to England, Hana." Cagalli smiled at her friend, "I was wondering if the ship is still available for me to go on."
"Of course, Cagalli dear! But the ship is going to take around two weeks to reach England though." Hana informed Cagalli as Cagalli plastered a tired look on her face.
"Two weeks on a ship?" Cagalli sighed and looked back up at Hana, "I'll take it!"
"All you have to do is go to Ship 497 and tell the captain Hana sent you." Hana explained, "He'll then ask for 500 yen to bring you along with his cargo trip. He will give you a room and food however; you would have to help work out with their shipments while on the trip."
"Ok ship 497!" Cagalli nodded.
"My aunt has a place to stay. Follow this address and you'll find her. She may request you to help her though." Hana said while handing Cagalli a sheet of paper.
"Thank you for all your help Hana!" Cagalli left the room with a huge smile plastered onto her face.
x
Cagalli looked around the harbour. The smell of fish stunk everywhere. Sniffing herself she felt as though the fish smell as implemented upon her. Looking around she looked for a ship with the huge font imprinted across the back.
"Ship 497..." Cagalli whispered to herself as she stared up the huge shipment boat. Walking up the long narrow plank from the ground up to the top entrance of the boat, the plank felt like it was going to tip over. The smell of wooden boxes and fish overtook Cagalli's scent.
She reached a man with fabric covering one of his eyes and his stomach almost overflowing. "Umm, are you Captain Zumiko?" Cagalli looked up at the man. The man looked back at her with the single intense eye, then finally answered, "Aye, that's me, what do you need?"
"Hana sent me to travel to England with you." Cagalli said as she grabbed a pouch out of her pocket, "There should be exactly 500 yen in here." The man grunted and grabbed the bag from her. Then he did some kind of gesture where a younger man looked at her and bowed, "Follow me, I shall show you to your room."
Thanking the man who just showed her to her new room for the past few weeks, Cagalli sat down on the cold damped bed. "So this is what I have become to find you... Happy Birthday."
xxx
England 1868
"Sir Athrun Zala has arrived," The party announcer announced. The blue haired man handed the coat grabber his jacket and said, "Thank you." His cold eyes stared into the room as girls start to crowd around him as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Athrun, it's been so long baby." A girl with bright red hair approached Athrun. She swayed across the dance floor as she approaches Athrun with her lean figure. Her white lacy puffy dress stood still as she looked straight forward at the gorgeous blue-haired man in a black tuxedo. Touching his hand lightly she moved it up and down his arms, "I missed you so." She whispered in his ears and kissed him on the lips.
"Indeed, it has been a month, my dear fiancée." Athrun smirked and kissed her back. Smiling at her, he took his hand out gesturing.
"I would love to dance," She said and grabbed hold of his hand as they approached the dance floor. Waltzing smoothly across the floor, she whispered in his ears, "When are you done fooling around and going to marry me?" Her eyes settled on Athrun's uncomfortable face.
"I promised you, Ikaru. I will marry you. Don't you worry." Athrun said as pranced with Ikaru across the ballroom floor.
"Athrun!" A blonde shouted out as she ran towards Athrun dragging her pale yellow dress across the floor. Pushing Ikaru away, she stood in front of Athrun with a big smile plastered. Giving a giddy laugh, she opened her mouth; "Last night was one of the most splendid nights I have ever experienced!" followed by a giggle. Whispering to his ears, "it was my first time." Smiling at him she turned away and back to the dance floor.
Sighing, Athrun turned around only to meet a browned hair guy looking straight back at him. "Athrun when are you going to learn," he shook his head. With that, he walked back towards the piano and continued playing.
"At least I'm not afraid to express my feelings..." Athrun whispered under his breath.
A man walked up towards the stage and gave a loud announcement, "The birthday boy wishes to grant us a piano piece by Beethoven. Hundred of claps surrounded the ballroom as the brown-haired boy dressed in a black tuxedo and white gloves approached the piano. Staring at the piano, he smiled sadly at it and whispered, "This one's for you..." to himself. He placed his fingers onto the keys and started to play Moonlight Sonata. The slow and graceful movement of his fingers gliding across the piano represented his sorrow and peacefulness within the piece of music.
"Kira is really good huh Lacus?" Ikaru asked the pink-haired girl in a light pink elegant dress. Nodding slightly, Lacus politely answered, "He plays it as if it's so sad, it is as if he misses someone." She sighed to herself, "I really hope that's me."
Ikaru patted Lacus on the shoulder, "You and I are in the same situation... Every time you get close to Kira, it feels as though he pulls away. Athrun and I aren't better off. He is still hooked onto other women. I sit there waiting for him to come to me every day. Sometimes I wonder to myself why I have not given up on him already."
"Don't worry so much about it Ikaru." Lacus looked back towards Kira and sighed, "He and I have been together for five years, but it still feel as though his heart is not to me. At least you're still engaged to Athrun."
"By the consent of his father, he has still yet to agree." Ikaru looked at Lacus, "Go talk to him or else you would regret it when another girl comes out and steal him from you."
Before Lacus can answer, the song finished and Kira stood up and bowed to everyone. He walked up towards Lacus giving her a smile, "Is my girl not going to say happy birthday to me?"
Looking at up Kira, Lacus gave him a sweet smile and smoothly said, "Happy birthday Kira." After hearing the birthday congratulations from Lacus, Kira grabbed his jacket and walked out of his own party.
"Like I said Ikaru, he does not like me at all." Lacus looked down onto the floor as tears slowly flowed out of her eyes.
Sighing, Ikaru continued, "To me it seems as though he is pretty much in love with you. I'm sure he just has problems expressing himself to someone he love?"
x
Outside in the balcony, Athrun approached Kira solemnly. Putting his hands on Kira's shoulder, Athrun asked, "Why do you intend to treat Lacus this way." He looked at Kira waiting for an answer.
"What way? I am not treating her differently, I am just not treating the way she wants me to," Kira turned around and looked back at Athrun. Sighing, he says "I don't know anymore. Is a promise important to you?"
"What?" Athrun looked at Kira with a questionable look on his face, "A promise to me is like merely a trick into getting what I want. So far I have not met a reasonable promise that is worth keeping to me."
"I still remember... my first love." Kira whispered into the air as Athrun looked at him more confused than before, "She was beautiful. A promise was suppose to keep us together, but I broke a promise to her."
"What are you talking about my dear cousin?" Athrun asked with more questions than ever. His cousin has never told him about any love other than Lacus. Even in Lacus' case, it is more Lacus crushing on Kira.
"Eight years ago, when my dad was in Japan doing business for the corporation, I met this girl. She was only eight back then and I was twelve, but she was my only friend when I was in need. I still remember sitting with her beside the river, she hummed her favourite song." Kira smiled to himself as he told Athrun his memories, "Do you know what song it was?"
"No, what was it?" Athrun asked as he continued to listen to Kira's secret.
"It was Moonlight Sonata. I practiced every day, hoping one day she would appear in front of me and tell me that she remembers me." Kira gave a sad laugh, "You do not know how much I have missed her, Athrun."
"I can tell Kira. What are you going to do about Lacus then?" Athrun patted Kira on his shoulders, "You cannot just pretend to love Lacus when indeed you have fallen in love with another."
"I really don't know, but I will figure it out soon." Kira sighed.
"Well, I would love to meet this girl that has smitten you." Athrun gave a playful smile to Kira, "Well, you better get back into the ballroom. It is your 20th birthday today."
"Not coming, Athrun?" Kira turned around just before heading through the big white doors into the ballroom.
"I have got to check on the supplies for my father. The cargo ship should have arrived by now." Athrun said as he got into the carriage.
xxx
Smiling at her surrounding, two weeks have passed and her ship has finally landed. Turning around and smelling the air, Cagalli began to run out of the harbour. Before she realized, a force pushed her back causing her to slip. Just as she thought she was going to fall onto the floor embarrassedly, someone caught her.
"Are you ok, miss?" The man in a tuxedo asked holding her with one arm.
"Am I ok? You dare to ask me. Take your hands off me you filthy villain. You bumped into me and you're acting all gentlemen like!" Cagalli yelled at the man standing in front of her in Japanese.
"Why why, you're a feisty one aren't you?" He said with a swift tone. Switching from English into Japanese, Athrun asks, "What is your name?"
"No reason to tell you!" Cagalli answered fiercely, "Why shou-"Before she could finish her sentence, Captain Zumiko appeared and interrupted her.
"Why Athrun Zala, I have not seen you since ye were a little kid about yay high," Zumiko did a hand gesture of a height.
"Why yes Zumiko, Usually my father's employee would come attend this business, however they are all at a party." Athrun answered, "How have you been?"
"Why very ol' great. Your shipment has all arrived; shall we go on the cargo to check on it?" Zumiko said as he and Athrun approached the ship.
Frowning Cagalli looked back around her shoulders and sighed, "How does he know Japanese...?" Shaking off all thoughts of him, she hurried off of the harbour and in search of him.
Taking out the piece of paper with the address written on it, Cagalli repeated the address to herself: "Apartment 16 Ethron Street, Libli District"
xxx
"Kira, shall we dance?" Lacus asked holding her hands out. Accepting it, Kira led her to the dance floor as she leaned against nice, "It has been a long time since we talked about us."
"What is there to talk about Lacus?" Kira said avoiding the topic, "we are fine the way we are."
"No, Kira, we are not!" Lacus said backing away from Kira, "Why have not you proposed to me yet?" Looking away from Lacus, he finally answered her, "I have not finished something yet, I need time." Looking away, tears formed in Lacus' eyes, "Time...? All I have given you was time Kira."
Taking Lacus by the hand, he gave her a reassuring smile, "Trust me; there is no one but you. Even if there was she would've forgotten about me by now. I just need time... Let's go home okay?" Lacus gave a nod and followed Kira into the carriage.
xxx
Cagalli looked at the dirty apartment. The misty dark air polluted her lungs, and the floor inside the apartment was sticky. Knocking on the rusty door after five minutes, the door finally opened. "What do you want?" An old cranky voice said harshly through the gated doors in Japanese.
"Hi, I am Cagalli, Hana sent me here saying you would have a room for me," Cagalli said handing the piece of paper. Grunting, the lady came out of her room, and grabbed a rusty old key and lead Cagalli down the hallway.
"This will be your room; you are provided a bed and meals." The lady said showing Cagalli a small room with a single bed in the corner and a mini table right beside it. There was no room to move around. "The washrooms are down the hall. Although it is public no one else comes in here without permission, you are save to use them." The old lady handed Cagalli the keys.
"Thank you very much," Cagalli gave her a bow to show respect and sincerity.
"Don't forget though, the rent for your room is 3 pounds, meals are 2 pound, and everything else together is 5 pounds. Each month you are required to pay a total of 10 pounds." The old lady said as she left Cagalli on her own.
Cagalli ended her own room and put down her bag. She laid down on her and sighed. 10 pounds... what is that? Getting up, Cagalli left the room to explore the new place she was now in.
x
Job... Job... That was the only thing that was running through Cagalli's mind at that moment. Job... How can I find a job in a place where I don't even know the language of? Thankfully at that moment Cagalli came upon a bulletin. "Job..." She whispered to herself. Looking at the fliers, there was only one with Japanese on it. "Maid Needed for House Cleaning." Cagalli read to herself, "Manson Hill..."
xxx
Kira and Athrun walked into a big room with only a Table and 2 chairs on one side. Sitting down, they gestured the butler to allow the first candidate to enter for interview.
In walked in a bright red headed girl; wearing a thin layer of brown dull coloured skirt and a long sleeved knitted shirt. "Hi, my name is Lilly. I am 23 and my mom is very sick. The reason I want to apply for this job is because I need to pay for my mom's medical expenses. I am also qualified for this because I worked as a maid for the Smith family."
Smiling at her, Athrun asked a question, "How far will you go for this job?"
The girl gulped and answered, "I would do anything if my mom can be ok..." Athrun smiled and told her to go back to the other room.
"Bring in our next person." Athrun demanded from the butler.
A blonde hair girl looked down onto the floor shyly and finally started speaking in Japanese, "Hi, my name is Cagalli Yula Attha. I am currently 16. I am experienced because back in Japan I cleaned up for this small restaurant. I really need this job because I am currently searching for someone." Finally she raised her head only to have her eyes laid on Athrun.
"YOU!" She loudly shouted but silence came over her when she landed her eyes on the guy beside him. "K-kira?" Cagalli whispered as tears began to stream down her face.
xxxxx
A/N: I know I haven't finished my other stories. Been busy with school and finals! I will finish it soon though!
Anyways, about the currency, I am really bad a currency so I kind of made up my own currency exchange rate.
Please review, I haven't written in years! =)!