Fool's Revelation
Tsukasa sighed and ran one hand frustratedly through his curly hair. How many times would she make a fool out of him? His jaw clenched as he thought of how he had left her, cold and alone in that room. Her doe-like eyes gazing up at him in pain, entreating him to take her in his arms and hold her slim body that seemed to fit so perfectly with hi-
Tsukasa's thoughts were rudely interrupted by the loud slam of his door. Before he could begin to yell at the unwanted visitor, a four-inch Versace heel made loving contact with his cheek and he fell off the reclining sofa with a resounding thump. Before he could get up a fist flew at his chin, knocking him back down onto the carpet. He looked up to see his sister's fuming face, an almost visible trail of smoke coming from her ears.
"What have you done, you philandering idiotic rapist!" Tsubaki yelled down at her brother, her eyes narrowed in anger. "Attacking a sick girl you don't even know! My God, and to think that you were becoming a decent human being!" She shook her head in disappointment and raised a tired hand to her forehead, covering her eyes. She had always worried about Tsukasa and his penchant for violence when trying to shield his vulnerability or loneliness but this… this was taking it too far. She poked his cheek with the pointed toe of her shoe. "Get up, I need your help; the poor girl has collapsed, probably from stress or exhaus-" She stopped, surprised, as Tsukasa bolted to his feet faster than lightning.
"Where is she?" He growled, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
"The maids managed to lay her on the Rosemore couch but we need someone stronger to get her upstairs into a guestroom." Tsubaki said, her eyebrows narrowed suspiciously. Tsukasa had never seemed to be concerned about anyone but himself and now suddenly he was losing his head over a stranger he had attacked? She had no time to dwell on these thoughts, however, as Tsukasa had already raced out of the room.
She found him staring down at the unconscious girl, his face a myriad of conflicting emotions. Slowly, he lifted one hand to tenderly cradle her cheek, his thumb gently stroking her skin back and forth.
"I'm sorry." Tsubaki thought she heard him whisper, although she'd probably misheard him. She could count on one hand the number of times she had heard Tsukasa apologize. She hovered uncertainly in the doorway, unsure whether she was intruding on a private moment. Finally, seeing Tsukasa's unmoving form, she strode into the room.
"Hey!" She whispered loudly. "I thought I told you to move her, not fondle her!" Tsukasa jumped in surprise, quickly moving his hand from Tsukushi's sleeping face.
"I wasn't fondling her!" He exclaimed loudly, affronted.
"Be quiet! Do you want her to wake up?" She hissed loudly.
Tsukasa frowned grumpily then carefully lifted Tsukushi's small form into his arms, carrying her up the stairs. His arms trembled as her soft hair brushed innocently against his hands and her sweet smell wafted under his nose. He stopped. He couldn't stand being so near her and yet not being able to have her!
"Oof!" Said Tsubaki, bumping into her brother, who had stopped walking. "Baka! Keep going! Or are you just going to stand in the middle of the hallway, reminiscing?"
Tsukasa growled irritatedly. Only back a few hours and already he could feel a shift in power between himself and his sister. He walked into the Mayfield room, and easily laid Tsukushi down on the bed, tucking the duvet around her slender body and smoothing back her hair in a gentle motion. When she looked suitably comfortable, he placed both hands in pockets, giving her one last long glance before turning towards the doorway.
"Satisfied?" He asked, glaring at Tsubaki.
"Not quite. How do you know this girl?" She asked firmly.
~~~O~~~
She floats through a soft blue sky, the whispy cotton clouds enshrouding her in their comforting embrace. Tsukushi lands softly on a bed of white roses, the wind softly brushing her hair back.
"Come with me," Rui smiles softly and holds his hand out to her. His hair blows gently around his face as they step into the garden. A violin appears in his hand and he starts to play the haunting melody that makes her heart stop, his bow nimbly caressing the instrument's strings.
"No!" Tsukasa is running towards her. A dark thunder cloud forms behind him, blocking out the perfect blue of her carefully constructed sky. "You're mine! I won't let you go!" He shouts, his hands outstretched towards her suddenly immobile body.
~~~O~~~
"Nooo! No! No!" Tsukushi screamed as she thrashed against the sheets. She jolted awake in the bed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"Miss, are you alright?!" A young maid burst into the room, a worried frown on her concerned face.
Tsukushi's eyes widened in surprise and dismay. Who was this weird intruder? Where was Mama? Slowly, she came to her senses, taking in the richly furnished room and the beautifully made duvet flung aside from her body. Of course. She rubbed her head wearily as events of the previous night flooded into her mind. She winced at the memory of Domyouji's seething face, his narrowed eyes and his angry voice. The way his lips had felt on hers.
"Miss?" The maid was waving an impatient hand in front of Tsukushi's face.
"Ah, y-yes. I'm fine, thank you." She replied, pasting a small smile on her face.
"Oh good," The maid said, looking relieved. "Well, in that case, please be prepared for lunch in half an hour," She drew open the heavy curtains, letting soft rays of sunlight shine through the tall windows. "The young mistress would like to speak with you."
"Lunch? What time is it?" Tsukushi asked, stunned.
"12:30 in the afternoon, Miss," The maid said with a little smile. "The mistress ordered that you sleep as long as you like. You seemed to be quite under the weather yesterday, anyhow." She gave a little bow then silently left the room.
Twenty-five minutes later, Tsukushi headed down the grand staircase, hoping that she would find the dining hall. After taking a hot shower in the luxurious bathroom that was probably the size of her entire house, she had found an elegant red blouse and silk black pants folded neatly on her bed. An overwhelming surge of gratitude and embarassment had flooded through her, as she knew that Ms. Tsubaki had probably seen the state of yesterday's attire and ordered a new set of clothes for her. I will pay her back if it's the last thing I do, she vowed silently.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she halted, unsure of where to go.
"Ah! Yamogi!1 I was just going to come up and look for you," Tsubaki strode over, placing her hands firmly on Tsukushi's shoulders, and peering intently into her face. "Ah, you look much better than yesterday!" She pronounced happily. "Come! Let's have some tomato gazpacho. I've taken quite a liking to Spanish cuisine."
"I'm sorry, I need to get back home. My parents will be worried." Tsukushi started walking towards the entrance.
"No, wait! I must talk to you about Tsukasa!" Tsubaki grabbed her arm.
Tsukushi's eyes dropped in shame. Yesterday, he had expressed how he really felt. He had never really loved her. He had made her feel like the weed that she was: something to be used and tossed away.
"I'm sorry. I can't tell you what you want to hear."
"That doesn't matter. I never hear what I want to hear when it comes to Tsukasa." Tsubaki's voice softened. "I had to force it out of him, but he said that you two were going out and then he started grumbling about Rui." She gently dragged Tsukushi over to a nearby sofa before continuing. "Whatever happened between you two is in the past. But I know that you changed him. Before I left for L.A., he was like a cold, heartless shell, only living to torment others. Everyday, he would return home with someone else's blood on his shirt. But now," She smiled. "Now, I see he has started to emerge from his cold cocoon of isolation. He is learning to live again."
"But I didn't do all that!" Tsukushi protested vehemently. "Even when we dated, he always called me an idiot and wanted to have his own way!"
"And did you let him?" Tsubaki asked, fighting to hide an amused smile.
"Of course not! Just because he is the rich and powerful Domyoji, that doesn't give him the right to stomp on others! He thought he was God Almighty! Ha! I showed him!" Tsukushi sniffed, marvelling at how she could have ever dated such a conceited brat.
"Ah," Said Tsukushi, understanding dawning on her beautiful face. "I now understand why Tsukasa fell in love with you. Although you may not see it, you live life with so much emotion and passion. I can sense the strength of spirit in your small body (she patted Tsukushi's cheek teasingly) and I think Tsukasa could too."
"I-I don't think" Tsukushi stammered, her cheeks quickly turning a bright crimson.
"I'm just asking that you give Tsukasa a chance and not give up on him. That's all." Tsubaki stated simply.
"But that's just it. He gave up on me a long time ago."
Hello! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Not a great way to end but I'm just too tired right now to improve it. If you have any opinions, let me know in the comments. Get ready to see Rui in Chapter 3!
1 Yamogi: Sagebush
