Use language to communicate meaning,
not to impress your listeners.
- from the book: Functional Oral Communication
unchained melancholy
Roses and more. Displayed were such rare sights of beauty in different angles of the four-cornered room. It would never be disguised that this day was indeed for something different and special – to some to say the least.
As the door opened, he came in. His glasses – round ones, in particular – slightly descending the hollow of his nose. It actually made him look funny, if not awkward considering the strands of his already unruly hair flying literally through the sides of his head. It's as if he rushed himself up and ran a breathtaking mile…evidenced by the hard sweat he perspired.
His eyes were circled with dark ones, like those which appeared whenever one stayed up late the other night. Obviously, he lacked the necessary 8 hour rest required. His frail body took another side as it showed signs of more frailty and weaknesses. And early in the morning at that.
He then walked along the noisy aisles of the room until he reached his assigned seat. Slumping his bag down at the floor, he wearily sat down and removed the frames he wore, placing them on his bag. He then crossed his arms over the full length of his desk, his head laying firmly on them. He remained that way for a good few minutes until the students in the room heard some mild snorting. For a moment, everyone's gazes turned on him and suppressed laughter echoed through the walls, but then, it died down naturally as most figured out he wasn't worth the attention.
Funny. He was really funny. When everyone else was all glitz up for the celebration today, there he was, in his desk…laying just like that and soundly asleep.
No matter how uncomfortable it would appear, he still managed to exude that of comfort like how one would take a nap in a gigantic, royal bed. He made everything appear so right and workable.
All these she noticed, or rather, observed and looked into. She hadn't seen him this tired before…and she didn't particularly expect anyone to feel that way especially on this specific day – Valentine's.
And as she unconsciously had her eyes on him, she was really wondering about many things…all those involving this boy. In a couple of minutes from now, she'd start packing her things and leave this room to go to those who needed her attention more. She then thought of inviting someone else for the task, and who else had she had in mind? There could be no doubt, it would definitely be this sleeping boy.
But by the way he appeared, he seemed so tired - so weak. He won't last the whole day on the school turned orphanage they're going to. She sighed at this fact. She really hoped that somehow someone else would come with her, besides of course her peers coming along yearly. An extra hand would definitely be needed. Though everyone found him weak, she found a different kind of strength in him. Though they rarely had even a small chat, she felt a certain kind of fondness with him.
"Lacus!"
Finally breaking her from her seemingly "entranced" mode, she shifted her gaze to an approaching classmate and friend.
Smiling her usual, she greeted a fine good morning to her newly arrived companion who took a seat just in front of hers, of course, facing her.
"Ready for later?" with enthusiasm that's in rarity a showing, she asked to which Lacus only nodded…nodded and nothing more done.
"Come on, act as if you're excited." Disappointment evident in her tone, added with a little teasing, her companion then continued on.
"I am." A lie, how could she feel excitement when all of a sudden she felt dullness and bluntness altogether. She then looked down from the window where little children strolled their school grounds. And the sight made her smile a genuine one.
"What are you looking at?" inquired the girl as she, too, leaned against the window glass, her knees supporting her body weight in doing so.
"Now, that's cute."
After hearing that compliment, Lacus beamed and replied as if instantly, "You think so, too?"
"It's not one of these days that we could see a ramp show."
"Yes, those children really and literally ramp our school grounds. They should be ramping their own grounds on the other side of the fence where the elementary department stands." Though not exactly knowing how the term "ramp" was used by her friend, she then replied.
Her companion simply shook her head and gave Lacus a what-are-you-talking-about look. Obviously, a misunderstanding took place - a typical miscommunication as to the object of the matter. After showing Lacus her unusual reaction, she then returned her gaze back on the outside and pointed a finger somewhere across the grounds – farther from where the children played.
Lacus followed it with her gaze and then saw on its end the school field where a couple of soccer players practiced. And amidst the crowd, she saw a familiar face. Jet black hair and sturdy, confident complexion, fair skin and a noticeable height among his peers on the field, she immediately recognized who he was.
"Seith…" she uttered as if on impulse. Surprise took her friend's attention and as immediately, looked at Lacus.
"You know him?"
"Yes,"
"The guy wearing a yellow sweater?" in a tone of almost disbelief coupled with suspicion, she asked an innocently questioned Lacus.
In a form of confirmation, Lacus returned her vision towards the field again and towards Seith before facing an anticipating friend.
"Yes. The one with the yellow sweater."
"How did you meet him?"
She then told her friend the details. It all appeared like an interrogation type, nothing like a friendly conversation. It turned out Seith was a year ahead of them and a new student at their school. In a short span of time, he gained popularity through his impressive ball handling, cheerleading fans clubs and good looks. He simply stood out from the soccer varsity team. Though these were all factual, it was ironic that Lacus never really recognized him at first. She was a busy person and not that of a sporty type. She'd do good in areas of sports but then she never really exerted much effort on it or those who compose it. One could say Lacus was the "deciding", "intellectual" or "leader" type, not the physical one.
Patting her friend on the shoulder as she stood up, she then whispered.
"You know Lacus, I did think once that you were allergic to boys, but wow, what a catch you had there! I never knew you had good taste."
Then, she strolled off after a few more reminders, leaving a blushing Lacus behind.
As if the noise in the room could never be remedied, the door then opened, revealing a tall, dark man. Everyone impulsively returned to their seats upon the sight of the man.
Standing up and greeting the teacher was politeness more than a taught protocol. And as the students did these, it would definitely make someone not doing this stand out. That person was no one else than the soundly sleeping Kira Yamato.
It was cruel of his classmates not to wake him up and leave him in his dream world. But then, cruelty was their second nature, for upon being woken up by none other than the teacher who approached his desk personally, Kira found his glasses lost.
Frantically searching his bag, his peers in the room broke out in giggles. His teacher, tapping his foot as if waiting on him, gave him an unpleasant look as if punishing as Kira looked into every corner of his bag.
"What's the matter, Mr. Yamato?" displeased by his acts, his teacher then asked.
"S-Sir, I'm just looking for my glasses. I'm sure I left it here somewhere…"
"If it's there, where is it? You're wasting time…precious time." Angered by his reply, the teacher responded – adding more pressure to an already tensed Kira.
His head suddenly felt cramped as dizziness slowly takes over his senses. He didn't have a good eyesight and never once in his life had he experienced losing the frames which helped improve it.
With a blurry vision and aching head, he sully faced his teacher and apologized, realizing his search was deemed to fail.
"You misplaced your glasses, is that what you're saying?"
"Yes sir."
His reply made everyone chuckle all the more and the teacher, sighing deeply.
Moving away from Kira, he then proceeded to the front of the class and faced them.
"Now class, next time, I suggest you all to take your much needed rest at home rather than at school. For if you do, you might 'misplace' something. Good morning, everyone sit down."
After that "entertainment", everyone took their seats, obviously in a manner which was light and gleeful. Most of the students wore suspicious smiles on their faces while others simply took the morning incident as "typical" and nothing to "fuss about".
Everyone except the one in question – for Kira sat back on his chair with unmatched disappointment and embarrassment.
The teacher then proceeded with his routined checking of their attendance…
"Sleepy head?" he then called out from his records to which everyone responded with a laugh.
"Present." In a soft tone, the one called out replied.
"I do hope you've learned your lesson. Next, Samson?"
Obviously, the first comment was on Kira and he never had the slightest hint of enjoyment like what his other classmates felt. It could very well be painted on his face.
In all these, Lacus stood silent, looking as if she was indifferent and unaffected by the matter. She never shared in their joyful disposition and was definitely "unentertained" by what just took place. She knew this was a prank played on Kira and she detested it. She never got close to some of her classmates for that reason among others.
But what caught her attention more besides her classmates' bullying was how he looked now. And she found him more appealing without the frames which hindered his eyes. In her observance, he had purple-colored irises, extraordinarily unique as her long pink hair. And though he kept his head slumped down during the length of their class hour, she managed to catch the side of his face and how good and charming he looked.
Amidst her thoughts and seemingly uncalled for observations, she then remembered the incident which took place a day earlier…and upon the sudden memory recall, she felt ashamed and embarrassed once more that she immediately moved her gaze on anywhere else than him or his direction.
Up to this point, she never knew what made her do those things. She intended to forget the whole matter but then it was always in times of her stolen glances on him that those events suddenly poured towards her uncontrollably.
Before anyone else noticed, and much to their "cannot be denied" favor, the classes for the day were over. Others immediately made their way home, maybe preparing for a date that day with someone. Some decided to stay longer and chat, holding with them boxes of colorfully-wrapped chocolates they made on their own especially again for someone they admire or simply their peers. Lacus too had her own trinkets to give. And she disposed them as fast as she could for soon they'd be heading out of school.
Up to that moment, Kira still haven't found his glasses even if the contents of his bag were already scattered on his chair. At the very least, he found none on his bag for his lost possession was never there to begin with. He found his frames hanging on the edge of the window glass. And how did it get there? He figured out someone must have put it there, someone definitely not him. Not knowing whether to be angry or not, he hastily took hold of his glasses and wore them at once, relieving him of his whole class day frantic fiasco. And getting his bag packed once more, he then went out, bringing it with him…making sure none of his possessions ever get "lost" or probably "stolen" any more without saying a word to anyone left in the room.
Lacus saw him do those things and for a moment felt concerned. She knew he must have been disappointed and insulted by the act done on him. To be the object of ridicule was hard to cope with and psychologically damaging. So, feeling emphatic towards him, she then left the room with her things and tried to catch up with him…maybe to say a few words or anything that would help him. Surely, he must be feeling unusually unhappy at the earlier events, who would anyway?
Upon reaching the corridors however, she never caught even the shadow of him. She sighed as she realized she must have missed him by a thread line. If only she got to him earlier…
Since she's out, she then walked on and descended the stairs with their meeting place, for the activity that afternoon, her destination. Coming early, she then sat down at a nearby chair. The bus was there but her peers were nowhere in sight.
She found confiding with herself pleasant and possibly addictive. Being alone was natural for her. And she somehow grew immune to the desire of spending that day with someone as with the precious years.
"Hey,"
A voice again called out. That, which she recognized coming from a newly met schoolmate the day before.
She faced him though not standing up. He had a bag hanging from his shoulder and he looked somehow refreshed. No signs of sweat or running long distances were evident or clearly seen on him physically. He wore that bright smile which she found infectious.
"May I sit down?" he asked to which she nodded and then, moved aside to make a place for him.
"So, how's everything?" he asked, immediately initiating a conversation with her. She was not used to such for she usually started her conversations with anyone…well, anyone but him. Not exactly facing him, she took in the scent of her surroundings as a calm wind embraced them.
"So far, it's all fine."
"I see…"
Short lines and short replies. It could be clearly deduced that both were somehow measuring each other for no one really dared make long statements. It's an awfully awkward situation for them since they never really talk to each other and never knew each other as well. Plus, he was a year advanced that she was which made things of similar interest hard to find.
Noticing the silence that enveloped them, Lacus' natural and instinctive act of breaking the stillness emerged. This time, she was the one making the atmosphere friendly and calming, the same as their surroundings.
"How's practice?"
Not really knowing how to respond, he faced her. But upon seeing that she had her eyes on him, too, quickly gazed away…pink tints gracing his cheeks.
"Well, it's good…I had three goals."
"That's impressive. You really had talent…playing soccer that is."
Lacus found no difficulty engaging in spontaneous interactions with anyone. Being a natural speaker born with a quick-thinking and witty mind, she's always able to start and end a conversation more than impressively. But, Seith appeared to be the contrary. His confidence suddenly lied low for some reason she couldn't understand fully yet. She was once told of how intimidating her presence could be but she never really knew its extent or its influence on others.
"I heard you had some sort of a trip today."
"Yes…I actually had one scheduled."
"In fact, I was invited to come along, too." He shyly confessed.
"Really? I didn't know that."
"Me either…until fifteen minutes ago. I think it was a classmate of yours who invited me to come along. Since I had nothing else to do, I figured I should try to lend a hand and hopefully you would let me."
Hearing this, for some reason, she felt surprised and astonished at the same time. Surely this guy had some other plans for this day in particular considering his status and the like.
"Of course I won't deny you of your desire, but I just want you to know that if you're not into it, then you may leave. If you were threatened or forced in any way to give your consent, I assure you, you'll be safe to do what you really want to do." She explained which actually made Seith laugh at the comment, too.
"No. I don't think I was, with how you put it, threatened or forced in any way. I assure you…"
The silence which once enveloped them was now gone, replaced by that of pure laughter and a worthwhile conversation.
And at the end of the day, she found herself loosing up towards him. The once strangers found a new relationship blossoming between their beings – that of a unique friendship…though an unchained melancholy was unknowingly finding its way in the depths of her heart…that, which yearns for another.
end – chapter 3
Whew! Now that's a relief. Hmm, there hasn't been much emphasis on KxL but if you read my "still the victor" story, this chapter surely would explain a lot on the relationship between Lacus and that unnamed soccer star varsity player (Seith here) when Kira saw them together…'til towards the end I think. So much for those… Thanks for those who reviewed, I really appreciated it…and again, as what I've repeatedly said, I hope I didn't waste your precious time…'cause the worst thing any story writer could do is to literally "waste" and "play" with the story's reader's time.