Chapter 2: Night of your Life

AN: Thanks to those who commented for the encouragement... DarkAngel-Luv, Darkzuryan, Calico Neko, Altrog, and Dandelion Lies (who drew a fine piece of art for chapter 1, used as this story's cover pic. The link to the full image is on my profile. Check it out!).


It's the night you'll always remember. Or wish you could forget.


"What do you think of when you masturbate?" His sister asked, never bothering to knock, just surprised him with that stupid question like what she did when she asked him to show her his dick.

"I think of income tax returns and my assignments. I think of government corruption in third-world countries, social issues... Why the hell are you asking that, just get out, and what the hell do you think of when you do it anyway? No thanks, shut up and don't answer, I actually don't want to know..." Tomoki rambled as he was sitting and writing notes, wanting to focus on his homework. He only wanted to be left alone, not disturbed by someone who went to his room every hour or so.

"I think of you," Tomoko whispered to herself, and then was suddenly shocked that she said that out loud. She totally didn't mean it.

By the next second, she was already kicked out of his room and he had thrown some of his heavy old textbooks out with her. She was lucky she dodged them.

"Creep!" Tomoki said, slamming his door close, the clicking of the lock too loud, as if he was emphasizing his point of not making her go in again.

#

"Hey Mom, have you asked Tomoki about it? What did he say?" Tomoko asked while chewing on her toast for breakfast. Her mom was watching the morning news.

"Oh, I forgot about it. Why don't you ask him yourself?" Her mother said, smiling as if the matter wasn't a big deal.

"But you know him... he doesn't like me much. He'll agree if you're the one who tells him."

"Don't let that bother you. Well, if you really can't, I'll ask him. But I think he won't bite..."

"Huh, if you only knew..." Now, with that stupid question from last night, she wondered if her brother will ever agree.

#

The surprise wasn't that her brother disagreed, but that he agreed when their mom asked him to go with her. It seemed that he found it amusing. The party theme was Mystery, so everyone was just going in with the masks of their choice. To Tomoko's shock, he was rather more interested in it than her. Of course, he didn't intend to stay for long, and even planned that they would disappear out the venue after the dinner.

"I'm gonna wear this plastic Spiderman mask," her brother said, and Tomoko snorted, since Tomoki hardly ever joked with her. They were both in his room, and he had on a ridiculous mask covering his face, something that looked like it was stolen from a kid's Halloween costume party.

"I'm gonna wear an ANBU mask," she said, pulling a thin plastic mask, white painted with red swirls with carved eyes, mouth, and pointed ears of a cat.

"So, the plan is, we just eat and run, steal some deserts, and hopefully escape teachers and guards and convince them that you're feeling sick. You have to puke to make it convincing, okay?" He said, and Tomoko nodded.

Tomoko had a photocopy of the layout of the venue, a guide for the students to know their seating arrangements. She marked their seats with a red pen and drew a route where they can exit the quickest without being noticed. After that, they'll go straight home. No fuss. That was the plan. For once, they both agreed on something.

They were wearing their best clothes, what they were supposed to wear for that night. Tomoki had on a classic black suit, and it fit on him fine. Tomoko found him quite attractive when he was dressed that way, it made him look better. (It made him look like a fine gentleman like in that freakish fairy dream, which she wanted to forget). She wore that dress, braided her hair and tried concealing her eye bags and bad skin with her mother's make-up.

Then, their mother knocked and opened the door. "It's time for lunch. Hey, you both look nice. We better take pictures! I'll go get a camera first..." she disappeared, then reappeared with a digital camera.

"Huh?" Tomoki said.

"Pose," their mother instructed, and both of them froze.

"Do you really need to do that?" Tomoki asked.

"Act like it's a photo shoot."

Then Tomoko leaned over him like she was going to kiss him, but he blocked her face with his arm in a martial-arts defense move. Flash. "Smile," their mother said, but on Tomoki it came out like a grimace, and Tomoko's face turned into a rape-face smile. Flash.

"Uh... could you pose more like normal kids? There, sit on the floor, and look dreamily into each other's eyes or something," their mother said, and they both exclaimed together, "Why the hell are we going to do that!?" Flash. Their mother smiled at the picture, both of them screaming at the camera in anger.

"Wait. This room won't look good in the pictures. Why don't we go downstairs and take pictures in the garden? The orchids are blooming, and they'd look nice."

They followed her down, and their tiny garden did look like a better setting. Her mother took a piece of black ribbon, pinned fresh blooming rose buds and some leaves on it and tied it on her wrist for a corsage. They sat in the grass, blooming pastel-colored flowers for their background. It was Tomoki who told her what to do.

"There, adjust your legs so the skirt will spread on the grass. Put your hand on my left shoulder so that the corsage can show up on the picture," he said, and placed her coil of braided hair over her chest, maybe so it can be seen in the picture.

To her surprise, Tomoki just so suddenly smiled at her in this sunny, amused way and held her hand, their fingers entwining. In that fraction of a moment, Tomoko forgot that it was for the picture and not for her at all, and it made her feel good too, and she smiled back. The illusion was destroyed with the loud click and flash of the camera. Then his smile turned to a sneer, like he was mocking himself for doing such a thing.

"Perfect!" their mom said, and showed them the result of that one fake moment. Both of them, smiling at each other like there was no tomorrow, hands clasped and the flower corsage on her wrist poised in the middle of the picture.

"Let's take another," their mother suggested.

"That's enough," Tomoki said, and was the first to stand up and go back inside.

She copied that picture from the camera and made it the desktop wallpaper of her PC. Her brother was a bastard, but it was a great picture. It was her only nice picture (the selfies she sometimes takes are just fail). If I ever have a boyfriend I want him to smile at me just like that. A real smile, please.

#

The night came. They went to the fifteenth floor of a big hotel in the city, entered the venue purposely late along with other masked students. Their cheap masks were unremarkable compared to those of others, who chose bejeweled and expensive-looking masquerade masks. They only ended up taking off theirs, and still no one seemed to care even if their faces were shown. There were also quirkier students who wore fake animal heads: does, bears, tigers, and wild animals whose species they didn't know the names of. Some had weird hats and artsy masks with all kinds of unexpected designs. They all look like they had carefully planned their looks. Tomoki and Tomoko passed by the sidelines, trying their best to camouflage to the walls. It was only both of them who looked so cheap and unprepared, like they just woke up from sleep and slipped on formal-looking clothes.

Tomoko had thought her dress was great, but then realized hers was the only old-fashioned dress. Many girls had chosen designs inspired by cyberpunk and high-tech of modern fashion line runways, some dresses made of metal, glass, plastic, and mirrors. She did her hair in a simple bun and braided with tiny plastic red roses, but it was passé compared to the stylized neon wigs worn by most of the girls. They both looked so out of place in this science-fiction prom which looked like it might as well take place in another planet. Everyone else looked alien, while they looked like they were wearing tacky 1990s and being still on Earth was totally out of fashion.

They were only rather grateful, that with everyone admiring everyone else's clothes, they were not noticed at all. There was the flash of cameras everywhere as the boys and girls got their pictures taken in the red carpet, imagining they were Hollywood superstars. It is their night, anyway, and they all wanted to make the best of it... except for Tomoki and Tomoko, who looked more like haggard kidnappers or half-assed bank robbers trying to make themselves invisible.

Tomoko was quite overwhelmed, and even she can tell that Tomoki feels weird himself. They slipped past the laughing, excited crowds and tried to find their seats. Tomoki touched her bare shoulder and whispered close to her ear since the crowd was so loud, "Look at us, looking so out of place. I haven't seen this kind of clothes before. Good thing we're gonna get out soon anyway..."

They were the only occupants in this round dinner table near the exit, wallflowers in old costumes compared to the alien glamour of everyone else. They sat in silence through the programs and students from the older years presented their dances. There was some school rock band who sang, and another who did a dance number. Lights everywhere, and music, cheers, applause.

Dinner was delivered. They moved their masks aside to eat. Everyone was excited for the dance, which will occur later. For them, though, this was the signal to get away.

The plan: she'll go first to the girl's restroom, then after awhile Tomoki will sneak out, too. They'll meet by the fire exit stairs that lead to outside of the building, open the door to fresh night air, and leave by the narrow metal stairs that lead down. They'll go home and sleep. That was at least a more pleasant option than staying here, where everyone else's fun made her feel claustrophobic. Her bed and her dreams were much more preferable.

She went out first, and waited by the restroom. When she saw Tomoki open and disappear through the fire exit door near the boys' restroom, she waited for a moment to make sure no one can see, and slipped out the door herself. She went out, to the familiar noise and lights of the city. Tomoki was already running down, and she ran too, the wind blowing through her skirt. She imagined that she was a princess from a fairy tale, running away from a cruel castle to follow her saving prince. Tomoki was looking up from time to time, going down fifteen floors using stairs was quite a run. When they both reached the ground floor, they changed their formal shoes to sneakers they bought. They'd still have to walk to reach the train station so they can go back home.

Running quiet to the gate, they saw some guards and teachers smoking. Imagining themselves to be ninjas, they stealthily timed when they weren't looking and ran fast past the gate. Their relief was broken when they saw another gate, closed and locked. Now, going back and feigning Tomoko's sickness wasn't an option. So they both climbed up the railing of the wrought iron gate, and Tomoki was the first to jump off to the ground outside.

Tomoko's skirt got caught in a loop of barned wire, then they heard the footsteps of someone coming. Tomoko hurried down, but she couldn't get her skirt off.

"Just jump! I'll catch you," Tomoki whispered, and she did as he said, closed her eyes and heard the rip when the jump down made the skirt of her dress tear. She landed safe in his arms, and then she stood and they ran out again. They both sighed in relief when they finally got out. As they walked to the direction of the train station, Tomoko stopped.

"Tomoki, I really need to pee."

"You were in the girls CR earlier. Why didn't you do that there?"

"I was in a hurry. It's gonna get out. I'm gonna do it right there," she said, ran off and squatted in some dark end of a nearby alley they passed. Tomoki just sighed and followed her, stood there so no one passing by can see her.

#

"Done. Let's go home. Wait, see that?" Tomoko pointed to a carnival in a nearby amusement park. The sign outside said, THIS IS OUR LAST NIGHT. FREE ADMISSION!

They looked at each other, and decided to go in. There were few people, most are the carnival employees already disassembling the rides. The roller coaster which was once too high was now unbuilt, only the metal pieces of the structure left, gathered in a truck. The only ones open and working are the carousel and the Ferris wheel, still decorated with lights. A few parents still stayed with their kids riding on the fake horses of the rotating carousel, and on the Ferris wheel was still a few couples riding. This was only a small travelling amusement park, nothing compared to the more extravagant, popular parks in the cities.

"Here, take a picture of me while in the carousel," Tomoko said, handed her phone to Tomoki and ran to the carousel. She chose a white horse, and tucked her long skirt and it showed her in her sneakers. It was quite difficult for Tomoki to take her picture since it was moving, so even if Tomoko was trying hard to smile over there and look cute, the pictures still looked blurred. It was only when it slowed down, when Tomoko was already asleep on the fake horse, did the pictures went alright. Her sleeping face was much more okay than the previous ones. The carousel stopped. He walked near to her and told her to wake up.

"Let's go ride the Ferris wheel then go home," so they walked in, where they can see the outside from the glass window. As they ascended, they could gradually see the whole city below them. You can no longer see stars in the sky from too much light pollution, but the city at night seemed like stars on reverse, industrial constellations upon the ground. They can see it from here, lights from the buildings, illuminated billboards and advertisements, the street lights of the long branching highways along with the moving lights of cars travelling on the faraway roads, far below them.

They decided to stay until closing time, until they weren't allowed to stay anymore. They both sat in silence, just watching the city up above while the wheel turned, until the wheel went down and they finally were asked to step out by a tired girl working there.

"Excuse me, are you the prince?" said a tiny voice as soon as they walked out, and they both looked down at a cute lost boy looking at Tomoki. Tomoki smiled and kneeled down, as if he was going to humor the kid.

"Yes. I am a Prince of the Forest Kingdom. And this," he held Tomoko's hand and bowed, and Tomoko followed suit, did a small curtsey, "...is the princess."

The kid smiled, eyes going wide. "They said the park was closing and the actors are gone!"

"We're not part of this place. We're really from faraway! But don't let anyone know, okay?" Tomoki whispered, and Tomoko thought it was quite ridiculous. To her, kids are stupid and she didn't like them. It seemed that this side of Tomoki is something she hadn't known before, that he liked kids. Soon, Tomoki was laughing and joking with him about his imaginary kingdom. Tomoko only watched.

"Hey, put my brother down!" said an angry girl's voice, and there she was, a tiny girl in pigtails pulling at Tomoki's trousers.

"Nee-chan! He's a prince don't you know! He lives in the land of the Magic Faraway Tree!" said the little boy, who was quite content with being carried in Tomoki's arms and dreaming of Neverland.

"Princes don't exist! Now put my brother down or I'll tell the police that you're a kidnapper!"

"Here, here," Tomoki said, putting the boy down. "I was just playing with your little brother, okay?" Tomoki said, ruffling the girl's hair, who glared at him and held her brother fiercely.

A woman, their mother maybe, waved at them and smiled at Tomoko and Tomoki. The boy smiled and waved goodbye before they went out the closing park.

#

"Ah. That was better than staying there at that ridiculous prom, right? Those two kids... kinda reminds me of us before..." Tomoki said, out of the blue, smiling while waving goodbye at the boy who was still looking back at them.

"Yeah. It would've been better if I had a boyfriend to spend time with instead and stayed at the prom and had more fun..." Tomoko also said without thinking, and soon Tomoki rolled his eyes. Tomoko quickly wished she hadn't said that. If she can remember correctly, what Tomoki just said was the only time he implied that he liked her company. She hated her own mouth sometimes. It seemed that every time they would come close to being sincere, something from her mouth would ruin the moment.

Then, she realized this was the only time she could remember Tomoki even mentioned something about the way they were before. Those halcyon days of their younger years, when they were each other's whole world. Then the shadow of growing up came upon them and for some inexplicable reasons they just went on separate ways and... she just misses it so much. But then, her own pride takes over, and her irritation, resentment, and envy at her brother. What exactly happened that they aren't close anymore?

But there are times, like right now, when she can't help but wonder what if. If they had still been the same way. If he had continued loving her like that, she wouldn't ever had felt the need to become popular. Both of them, without anyone else, would have been enough. She wished, deep in her heart, that Tomoki felt the same. But being back to the way they were before is impossible. It's like willing ravens to turn white, for hell to freeze over, to wish cancer away. It just would not happen. This is what she thought as they walked, Tomoki ahead of her. The silence between them now had a heaviness that made her unable to say anything.

Before going home, they passed by a convenience store to buy food, Pocky and Meiji chocolate, and there was a stall selling cotton candy. They bought big ones, teal bubblegum flavor for Tomoki, and pink strawberry for Tomoko. They went to the station and rode on an almost empty train. Tomoko fell asleep sitting next to Tomoki, resting her cheek on his shoulder. She didn't seem to be aware of it, and Tomoki didn't mind.

#

They reached home, each to their own rooms. Tomoki stripped off the blazer, trousers, the black silk necktie, and changed to his sleeping clothes. In her own room, Tomoko couldn't stand the sight of her dress anymore, and it only irritated her to see her ripped skirt, hated herself for imagining good things about this night. She'd never felt more out of place than there, she regretted ever going there and wished she stayed home instead. Even if Tomoki had gone with her, she thought that he should have at least tried and helped her, would have had the same fun as everyone else.

Now she can't get the damn gown off, the zipper at the back got stuck. In her irritation at herself, the considered using scissors to cut it off her. Trying to calm down, her only choice was to ask her brother to help her undress. Opening the door to his room without greeting, she just sat on the floor near his bed.

"Help me with the zipper, will you," she said, and he sat from his bed and unzipped the dress at the back for her. Standing up to leave, the dress suddenly snapped off and fell, and she ended up half-standing, half-kneeling, naked save for her plain underwear.

Tomoki only looked at her, from her face to her feet to her face again, as if he was only judging her. He looked at her like she was so puny, and his expression had a slight hint of disgust.

Embarrassed but somehow unable to move to get her dress again, she thought, shit, what if he thinks this was on purpose? This isn't! Instead, in an awkward attempt to cover up, she ripped off her hair ornaments to make her hair fall. She picked up the dress.

Tomoki threw a spare shirt to her face.


AN: For those who read Cicadas have no Memories, my other fic, you might remember the writing teacher from Tomoki's class. What she said about spontaneous writing is exactly how I write. As much as I'd like to work on this story, RL work will be eating me for March. So it'd take a while for the next segments!