Paradoxical Composition

By: irish d' salmon luver

Author's Ramble: It's my first-ever published Bakugan story, and I'm starting it with crack pairing. Meh, if you read my other stories, you could find my obsession of crack pairing so easily. And I made this story as commission for Toka-Chii's THAT UNIQUE FLAIR Challenge. Hope you'll enjoy this messed-up story.

Disclaimer: If I ever own Bakugan Battle Brawler and New Vestroia, Julie won't be with that blonde hat-wearer. No offense to other blonde hat-wearers.

XXX

Chapter 01: Of Shopping and Sorry

He was trapped.

Literally.

Not only he was got caught by the loudmouth Australian, he was forced to accompany her for some "shopping", which means, lotsa stuffs to buy and lotsa shopping bags to be brought.

If only god really exists, this must be his pathetic joke.

XXX

"Shun, come over here! Which one do you think is cuter: the pink, the red or the purple?" the bubbly girl shoved three pairs of sweater in front of Shun's face. The ninja's bored face didn't betray his equally bored voice, "I. Hate. Pink. And red."

'And that's for a good reason,' he thought as his mind wandered for some loudmouth silver haired girl and red-wearer brown haired boy.

The statement made Julie gasped exaggeratedly, "OMG Shun, so you hate ALL my clothes from the very beginning??"

The stoic boy eyed the girl before him. He recalled her attire from the very first time they've ever met. Pink turtleneck and shorts with the same color. The second time they met, a stripped-pink-and-gray tank top with maroon shorts. Right now, Julie wore a pastel pink baby-doll dress that reached just above her knees with spaghetti straps, a purplish pink cardigan that she left unbuttoned and a pair of maroon velvet ankle-boots. An equally maroon rose corsage adorned the dress. He also took notice of her now-loosely-braided hair. Well, even he had to admit that Julie Makimoto was quite stylish. But like hell he would say that out loud.

"Let's just say that I'm not really fond with the way you always wear something pink everyday," Shun sighed. Julie pouted again, but she decided to let this one passed. He noted that she picked the purple one and tossed away the other two. Her eyes caught another sweaters, this time were yellow and white. Her expression brightened again as she asked the silent boy happily, "Hey, do you think this would suit Runo and Alice?"

"Why do you always asking me about my opinion while knowing that I'm the least interested with this kind of thing?!" he snapped. Gosh, this shopping thing took nearly two hours and she didn't show any sign to quit soon. He already reached his limit and thus decided this torture of him to end.

'It's not like she would be overly upset over something like this. She was that Julie, after all,' he secretly added.

But the outcome was beyond his expectation.

The bright expression faded. She was just standing there… stunned. He expected her to burst into tears or maybe angry and lost her interest with the shopping, but there Julie was standing still with big round indigo eyes opened wide and her lips slightly gaped. It didn't last long though; the very next second she put on a smallest smile of her, with a hint of sadness and regret in her eyes.

"Sorry." That was all she said.

She didn't run away like he predicted she would. She just turned her body and marched again between the aisles of the shop. Shun watched her back; her shoulders trembled slightly and her hands clutched the sweaters tightly. He knew this body language.

Julie was trying to hold back her tears.

XXX

They kept walking in silence. Shun felt a bit regretful of what he'd said before to her, but he couldn't bring himself to excuse his misbehavior to her. He eyed her again; silver braided hair swayed softly over her back, the dress that swirled every time she walked, her even steps, her stiff shoulders…

But what his mind saw was grayish purple eyes saddened as the silence grew between them for every second.

I couldn't look at her the same way again.

Because what was in front of him right now is the side of Julie he never knew. She wasn't the bubbly, positive girl she used to be, the girl whom he knew should be. Right now, she was a broken-hearted and spiritless Julie.

Just Julie.

XXX

"Hey,"

The soft voice just like an alarm sound that awaken Shun. The boy focused his mind again to the girl in front of him. Julie didn't face him though; she just merely glanced over his side with that regret look still plastered over her eyes.

"I'm sorry for dragging you all the way here to accompany me. I mean, I never considered your feelings. If I know you really don't want to be with me that much, I wouldn't force you like this."

—No…

"I guess it didn't work, huh…"

"…?"

"I mean, I was always thinking about some ways to get us closer, but it never seemed to work. Out of the other Brawlers, you were the most distant one, Shun. For me, you are an unreachable sky."

When there was no reply, she continued.

"I always thought could it be that Shun Kazami hated Julie Makimoto forever? Isn't there any chance for them to be a close friend? Would it hurt me to get close to this sky? Will I reach it, or will I fall?"

Julie now faced the silenced Shun.

"I tried to think for the answer, but nothing seemed to come in my mind. I just got blank answer, so I always ended up thinking: I should get closer to him, so I might find the answer."

The big, round indigo eyes found the amber orbs.

"That's why I'm asking you to accompany me. That's why I'm dragging you here. That's why I'm bugging you with all those stupid questions. That's why… that's why I'm acting like this and mumbling something stupid and bore you with my idiotic attitude… I'm sorry."

She turned her body again and ready to make some dash, but a hand sprung and took hold of hers and stopped her at her track. Julie didn't dare to look at the person behind her, so she just stared at the ground, suddenly noticing that her shoes had a little speck.

'It won't come off easily,' she thought idly, anything to distract her from certain raven haired ninja that was holding her hand.

"Thank you."

Indigo orbs went rounder.

"…thank you for asking me to come with you."

Pinkish tints began to appear on creamy skin of his face.

"Well, I do think that these yellow and white sweaters would be great for Runo and Alice."

Smile re-appeared on her full lips.

"Oh by the way, I actually… feel kinda glad you picked the purple one. Just imagine you wearing red makes me remember you hugging Dan."

Now it was her turn to blush.

"And I'm sick of pink."

"…Let's just say I'm letting you pass this time for insulting my obsession with pink."

XXX

A.R: Somehow, the ending was different from the one I was thinking… coughOOCcough Well, one chapter is done; hopefully my holiday spirit will lift my imagination up… I have some ideas for this one-shoot series, just pray that I won't get too deep with my relationship with my greatest sin: SLOTH.