Hey guys, here again for the second installment of 'Akaya Complex'. It's Sanada Genichirou's birthday today, and I want to greet our stern fukubuchou a very happy birthday. I especially finished this so I could post it today, and also because it's supposedly the 'end of the world' today. While I don't believe it, I could only laugh because I suddenly thought that Niou and the others screwed up with Sanada's birthday celebration enough for him to unleash FuuRinKaZan, and, consequently, destroy the whole world because of it. Haha.
This chapter is tweaked a little bit from the original story because I wanted to give Akaya a possible love interest, if ever I decide to go all the way with this fic.
Warnings and Disclaimers: First chapter.
Akaya sighed as dark thoughts swirled in his head. He stared at the tennis courts, his only sanctuary apart from his home, but even then his haven was shattered with the negative emotions he was feeling. So caught up in this thoughts he accidentally whacked his racket against his thigh, instantly cringing as the two collided.
To be beautiful isn't really something a teenager would normally want. I feel kinda lame thinking about it, really.
Exhaling a large breath his emerald green eyes followed everyone's movements, not really taking it all in. His family was naturally athletic, and out of all the sports his family members participated in, he chose tennis, not because it was also the sport his parents and siblings took up when they were younger (that's part of the reason), but because he genuinely liked it. And he was able to make a name for himself too in the tennis field, not in the least shadowed by his family members, who had their own legendary reputations in the courts.
It's not my family's fault that they're born that way, but I can't help but feel bad about it.
Something soft and fluffy dropped on his head, and he looked up, seeing a tall brunet dropping a towel on his sweaty head. He blinked, taking off the terrycloth and looked up, smiling slightly at the sight of his senpai.
"Yanagi-sen, I mean, Yanagi-buchou!"
"You look troubled, Akaya." The older teen sat down beside him, ruffling his hair gently. His half-closed eyes looked deeply concerned, his deep voice calm and comforting. "Is there something I can help with?"
That's my senpai, Yanagi Renji (14), a third year student. He's currently our tennis club buchou, and is one of the nicest people I know.
He tutors me on the subjects I'm not really good at, and he's the person that fought for my place in the tennis club. He's the person I'm closest to in the middle school building, and he listens to whatever problems I have.
"It's nothing much, Yanagi-buchou…"Nothing, he said, but what his feeling was on the complete opposite side of the spectrum. "Just thinking about something."
"If it's you, then thinking about something can't be good, right?" Yanagi asked kindly, poking the younger teen in the forehead, smiling slightly, making Akaya's cheeks burn red and his heart to skip a beat. "You know you can always tell me anything, Akaya."
D-Did I mention that Yanagi-senpai is extremely popular among the middle school and that I have a sort-of-semi-not-so-little-but-kinda-big crush towards him?
God, why must the people in my life always be drop dead gorgeous!
"B-But…" Akaya looked away, blushing harder. "It's not a problem, really, just... me being immature."
"You're always immature, Akaya." The other teen chuckled, tying not to laugh out loud at the other teen semi-pouting, semi-glaring at him. It was very cute. "But I'm glad that you're tying to grow up a little bit."
Akaya was redder than a fire engine truck. "B-Buchou…"
Yanagi smiled, the action completely paralyzing the raven teen. "I told you Akaya that it's senpai," He said reprovingly, keeping his closed eyes on his junior. "When we're alone together."
Alone together… Akaya was slightly dazed, the smile completely stunning him, and Yanagi's quiet prodding quickly took him back to the present.
"Se-senpai… um… you do know about… my family, right?"
"Ah, about the fact that everyone in your family is beautiful?" Yanagi asked straightforwardly, matter-of-factly, not realizing the effect that it had on the other teen.
S-So cruel!Akaya slumped down on the bench farther, the almost casual remark stinging him badly like an arrow piercing him on his chest.
J-Just like Yanagi-senpai, I guess…
"Y-Yes." Refusing to be let down on such a careless statement, he straightened up, fidgeting with his tennis racket as he explained, his voice turning soft.
"You know, senpai… every person in my family if beautiful… except me. I… I'm the only person who has a normal face among them." His voice was starting to choke. "A-And… every time I'm with them I feel like I'm an outsider, like I don't belong in the family."
I'm always the different one.
Yanagi stared, not excepting such words. "Akaya…"
"I-It would've been better if they treated me like that too, because then I would understand, but everyone's so nice to me. In fact, they always were. They never treated me any differently." He sniffled, refusing the dam of tears that were threatening to well up on his eyes. "But… the neighbors… even our own relatives… thinks of me as not pretty enough to be in the family. T-They never said it to my face, but… to hear those comments…" His breath hitched.
It always… makes me want to cry.
"It hurts."He confessed quietly, unable to stop a streak of liquid from rolling down his cheek. Yanagi stayed silent, deeply contemplative.
"Don't think like that, Akaya." Slowly he felt his face being tilted up, and was face-to-face with his senpai's opened, gold colored eyes, so enchanting and beautiful that Akaya had his breath stolen away again, but for a completely different reason.
"The reason why they're saying that is because you're special. Even more than your family, even." Yanagi was sincere, completely confident in his words. "You may look different than them, but it doesn't make you less beautiful. In fact, I think you're beautiful, Akaya." His eyes were gone once again to form that gentle smile that Akaya had always loved. "So don't let them get you down. While my word may not be as good as theirs, remember that I'm the data master." His smile had the edge of a smirk in it, serving to make the brunet more handsome than he really was.
"I'm the person who observes everything, and when I say something, it's bound to be accepted by everyone. And if ever they try to contest it, I will always say something that would prove them wrong."
"S-Senpai…" Akaya felt a lot better, his bashfulness and embarrassment kicking in as a warm thumb brushed away his tears, feeling his heart about to burst from the extreme happiness at the compliment.
"T-Thank you… for listening, senpai." He said almost shyly, feeling his heart stop at the warm look his captain gave him before seeing the brunet stand up and offer comments, criticisms and observations at the various members of the club during their game, showing that, all the while he was speaking to Akaya, he was also looking at the matches played, showing the reason of his captainship.
Akaya watched, dumbfounded, as Yanagi turned to him and chuckled at his awe and disbelief, holding up his racket.
"Come on Akaya, play against me. Surely you could give your captain a decent match."
The goading words just had the effect he intended. "O-Of course I could! Just you wait, buchou, I'll beat you this time!" Akaya jumped off the bench, heart and mind completely at ease for the moment as he followed the older teen into a vacant court. Akaya was still flushed from the short moment he had with his captain, feeling so ridiculously giddy and happy that he might've skipped, heck, danced even, in glee and not give a care in the world on what other people thought.
Yanagi-senpai told me that I'm also beautiful in my own way… so I'll just have to believe him! He's never let me down before!
"Oh, and Akaya?" The second year blinked at the brunet curiously.
Yanagi Renji gave him a bone-melting smile.
"Happy Birthday."
-/-
… So I said, but…
"So is everyone ready?" Seiichi beamed at her family standing on the doorway, all dressed up and ready for their family night out. Akaya lounged around behind his older brother's back, all of his chirpiness and confidence gone the moment he stepped back into his house. He was reminded once again of how his family was when his mother greeted him at the door, and when they came home one by one, each display of beauty shattering the youngest teen's resolve and rendering it almost non-existent.
"Pupina… Yeah, we're ready." Haru shoved his pants into his coat pocket, the simple gesture made almost elegant when he did it. He nudged his younger brother out of his hiding place, who yelped at the sudden move. "Akaya, don't hide there, it's your birthday, and we should be celebrating!"
"Seriously, Akaya, what's wrong?" Bunta dragged the youngest away from her brother. "My genius is telling me that you're having a problem and you just don't want to tell us."
"Genius. Right." The eldest rolled his eyes slightly, smirking. "And I'm not fat."
"God! Why must you ruin everything for me, Haru!" The female teen turned to her brother.
"Don't fight, you two." Their father grumbled out, giving both of them a pointed look as he placed a hand on Akaya's forehead. "Today is Akaya's day, so don't ruin it for him."
My family tends to attract so much attention to the point that I don't want to be beside them.
"I don't want to go…" His words were almost inaudible, even to himself, but his mother quickly noticed, bending down to his level so she could peer into his eyes.
"What's wrong, Akaya?" She pressed her hand to his forehead, concern filling her usually smiling face. It was an expression so wrong, Akaya though, staring back at her, feeling guiltier that he was worrying his mother, who was the most angelic person on earth. "You don't have a fever, but you look so down today. Are you feeling sick?"
"N-No, I feel fine, Mom." Akaya can't get himself to look at her. "I just feel a little tired, that's all. I think I'll just stay at home…"
Go without me… I don't want to go with you all… I don't want to hear those words…
"Tired? Why didn't you say so immediately, Akaya!" Seiichi turned to her husband, obviously upset that she was making her baby boy exert energy that he didn't have. "Genichirou, dear, can we cancel this for another time? Akaya says that he's feeling tired today and we shouldn't strain him too much!"
"Akaya, you should have told us so we could celebrate another time." The patriarch, also worried, was starting to take off his coat. "I don't want you exhausting yourself too much. You had tennis practice today, correct?"
"That's right! It's kind of pointless if he celebrate a birthday without the birthday boy!" Haru ruffled his hair, grinning. "Let's go out another time so you could sleep early today."
"Yeah, let's reschedule so Akaya wouldn't miss anything." Bunta was already walking into the house again. "Aka-chan, tell us when you're feeling better so we could eat out, okay?"
… They piss me off so much. My family treats me so well it's so annoying. I'm being completely selfish, and yet–…
"N-No, let's go, everyone." Akaya was forcing a smile on his face. "It's nothing, really. I'll be fine."
"But Akaya, you don't have to push yourself, you know!"
"Yeah, are you feeling okay, Akaya?"
"All of us are here already, so let's just eat! It's going to be a huge waste if we don't go out!" He put a wide smile on his face and bolted to the door excitedly. "Let's go! What are you all waiting for!"
You can do this, Akaya. Convince them… they went home early to celebrate your birthday, don't be a brat…
The rest of his family exchanged worried glances.
"If you're sure, Akaya…"
-/-
Akaya knew that it was a bad idea to suggest the restaurant. The moment his family stepped out of the car eyes followed their every move, unabashedly staring at the family as his father opened the door for them and was met with more stares with almost everyone dining inside. Even the workers were gaping at them.
I knew it. It was a really bad idea to eat out.
All of the customers were giggling and whispering to themselves as the extremely good-looking family passed by them for their own table, taking down their seats and getting the menu. A waiter arrived, already looking semi-dazed at their latest customers, and full out blushed, almost tripping away when his mother recited their orders and gave the man a sweet smile. Akaya had the outermost seat, as per his request, feeling himself shrink further in his seat as his ears caught some of the conversations around them.
"W-Wow… they all look like models…"
"Kyaa! The mature-looking one is soo hot! I want to make him my boyfriend!"
"Nuh-uh, I like the bleached guy more! He totally looks like a bad boy!"
"The one girl sitting with them is gorgeous! Are they a family? What's she doing with them? Her siblings, maybe?"
Akaya clenched his fists tightly, trying his hardest to ignore the mumbling.
Stop talking about my family as if I'm not here. Go back to talking among yourselves. Don't say things like that when I'm around…
"Oh, look, there's a normal looking one among them."
"Is he related to them? Might not be, since the rest are good-looking. A family friend?"
"Oh, I feel sorry for him… he seems to stand out from the rest of them. They're a very beautiful family, but there's a black sheep among them…"
The loud slam of his fists on the table startled the rest of his family, who were in deep conversation, while the whispers finally stopped.
"Akaya?" His mother, who was next to him, asked softly, concerned. "Why? What's the matter?"
That was last straw.
"Akaya!" He didn't hear them shout his name as he stood up and quickly fled the place, feeling the tears on his face once again as he ran, ran and ran, not caring on whether he bumped into someone or tripped on his own two feet. He just wanted to be as far away from his family as possible.
"Wait, what–?" Seiichi turned to his husband, completely shocked, confused and troubled. "What happened to Akaya? Was it something I said?" Her expression was deeply distressed.
"It's not you, Mom." Her eldest was already out of his seat, running after his baby brother. "I'll go after him. Bunta, come with me!"
"Right!" The siblings left their parents and took off after Akaya as well, leaving the older two alone on the table.
"Cancel the order." Genichirou was telling the waiter, who was completely puzzled with the chain of events. The male grabbed their coats and tugged his wife out of the seat.
"Seiichi, let's follow them."
... Cliffhangers. Don't you just hate them? But, then again, if you've read the manga it's gonna be pretty obvious what would happen, but still.
On the other hand, give me heads up if ever you want me to expand on this story, mainly their other POV's. I might just add on those, and expand this into a completely different story.
Mitsukai20
