Hahaha.
I wonder what all of you were thinking (including the newer readers) when I put:
There, waiting for him, was Kiyodama Sakura, childhood friend and secret lover.
Oh well. This story is only good as the effort I put into it, and reviews inspire me to satisfy the reader as well as intensify the quality of the story.
So read and have a good time! Review much!
And thank you to all who have posted encouraging reviews already!
- Knives91: This one is most impressive. More please!
- Kage of Seireitei: interesting. I'll be watching this story carefully for further development. The prologue is certainly a catcher.
- Darth Hawk 32: Sounds interesting. Can't wait to see how it's different from the last story.
Yes, this story will be very different...
I will focus more on character development, detailed action sequences, and addictive plot scenes.
In concordance to this new resolution, the supporting characters that you may have seen may have either slightly or drastically changed based on the storyline I've dished out for you. As you see, Kazuhiko, Masao, Kin, and Harumi have not appeared to change much, but I have at least tried to give you a background check on their personalities. As for Shin and Sakura (who was Aoi in my other story), are given more background information to help the reader understand who they are, where they come from, and how they relate to each other.
He held her hand as the two of them walked, side by side along the road in downtown Tokyo. The couple came down to a diner, specifically a tea-shop for rest and relaxation... but it did have another major use. It was a "love nest" for young teenagers and college students.
They sat down, received a menu, and were waiting to make their order.
"I think... Should I have the double-bacon steak-burger with onions, lettuce and cheese?" her eyes peered out from behind the menu as her nose and mouth were hidden. "Um... maybe not," she giggled in embarrassment, "I'll get fat."
"That's impossible," Shin smirked. "You're skinny enough, there's no way you can get 'fat' with just one meal."
"...but its the double-bacon... with steak... and-"
"Okay! Okay! I got the point," The orange-haired male had to laugh. "B-but you'd still be b-beautiful even after eating it." He had to turn his face after making that comment. She smiled and looked down into the menu, completely hiding her reddened face behind it.
Shin let out a full grin. He loved her to death - and today was a special day.
"Hey, could you wait here for a bit? I gotta go to the bathroom." He got out of his seat.
"Hm?" her head turned ever so slightly before giving a reply, "I'm not going anywhere..."
Shin bolted using his superior speed to run out to a store about three blocks away in about a minute. He took out his receipt and ordered his reserved item. It was a specially made item, specially made for today. And that made it all the more special. Who wouldn't think so?
He sprinted back, making it to inside the store within forty seconds. In another ten he was back in his seat, acting as if nothing had happened.
"Where did you go?" She put down the menu and gazed into his eyes, waiting for an answer.
"U-uh... nowhere. Just the bathroom! Heheh..." He scratched the back of his head and grinned. Shin would only have to keep up the act for a little while. Everything would come in due time.
"Sure... Don't worry, I've got a present for you~" the pink-haired female slowly drew out a little wrapped bag and wove it in front of him. He swallowed. Hard.
"O-oh..." He was definitely excited. Shin had to clench his teeth to try his best not to burst out in joyfulness.
"Hmm?" She knew it was driving him crazy. The blue-eyed girl put the present back into her purse.
"Aww..." Shin's expression turned into a frown. He was looking forward to opening it too.
"Don't worry, you'll get it. Eventually."
"Gah!"
"W-what are they doing!?"
"Shh! You're too loud!"
"What are you talking about, they're inside the diner! You idiot!"
Kazuhiko and Kin pushed and shoved as they tried to watch from the other side of the street into the window of the diner. They tried to peer in through the blinds, but it was much too difficult from this distance. They'd have to get in closer.
"Why are we doing this again?" Kazu scratched his chin.
"... because... we saw them holding hands!"
"I love bacon... and steak... and everything within this burger... mmm..." Sakura was seductively rubbing her lips together... and Shin couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene. It was one thing to watch your girlfriend eat something. It is entirely another when she eats it with such... shmexiness. He was practically drooling, not from the food before him, but the event unfolding in front of him. His grip was nearly squishing the french-fry within his hand.
"U-uh... S-Sakura..." Shin did his best to contain himself in public. Damn. She's definitely pushing it today... maybe she wants that... I better up the ante... but how would I do that?
Shin mentally scratched his head. Searching within his mind for some kind of devious plan, he waited until she finished. He failed... again.
"U-umm... Sakura? Do you want to leave?"
"Mmyeah. Not yet." She looked away, towards the window. Shin caught a glimpse of the major blush she was having and grinned. He knew she had mustered up a supreme amount of courage to eat the burger that way. There was no way she was that bold originally.
It was because of today.
"Shh, just follow them," Kin said from under her scarf.
"You know, its like the middle of freaking June. Obviously they'll notice your oddity with that."
"Shut up!" she snapped back at Kazu. "Just be quiet and tail them!"
It's not like your not noticeable enough, Kazuhiko snorted. You're freaking half white! Everyone's staring at you already!
Motoyama Kazuhiko sighed. The two of them had been following Shin and his supposedly "secret" girlfriend for about five minutes. It was getting nowhere. The couple would walk, then stop and look at some cute little thing behind store windows, continue walking, then repeat.
More importantly, who would have thought that Shin and Sakura were going out!? It was the most confusing and mind-buggling thing that Kazu had ever encountered. Throughout all his years in high-school, he knew that the couple were closer friends that anyone. But to think that they had a relationship hidden... or did it begin today?
Kazu honestly didn't know. If it had been today, Shin showed no signs that could reveal it. If it was a relationship that had started a while back, then he was damn good at hiding it. Why wouldn't the bleach-haired boy not tell even his best friend? Was it something too embarrassing to be revealed? Or was there another reason that he didn't know about? Whatever it was, Kazuhiko would find out eventually, by patience or force.
Kin on the other hand, she was exploding with anxiousness and eagerness to take apart the evidence and shred it all until she knew everything. She wanted to know about her "sister". Since the beginning of freshmen year, just when everyone began to get to know each other, Yoshihara had deemed Kiyodama Sakura as her fellow half-white, half-asian sister. Which would somehow annoy Shin because people jokingly stated that Kin and he were the two "obnoxious siblings" and to have the pink-haired one be known as a sibling to one of those siblings... Well - Shin was just annoyed.
"O-oh! Kazu, quick, hide!"
"Huh?"
Kazuhiko felt a fast arm pull him into the bushes.
"H-hey, you know... today..." Shin was beginning to sweat a little as he was getting nervous.
"I-I know, it's the anniversary of our three years together... and I want to give you my p-present now." Sakura was freezing up too.
Three Years!? Kazuhiko and Kin both mentally shouted at the same time.
She took out her present for him, but didn't quite hand it over. Instead, she reached into the little decorated bag and reached in. As Shin watched with a raised eyebrow, Sakura pulled out a chain... with a faded-gold ring within its locks.
"W-wha-" Shin had several thoughts racing through his mind... it was just that he couldn't pick which one to say.
"Shhh..." She smiled as she undid the clip and put it around his neck. "This... this was my grandmother's ring. She got it from her husband... and I hope that I can pass on that blessing to you... s-so that..."
She looked down and blushed.
"S-so that we can together... f-forever."
They both looked down, unable to meet the others eyes out of embarrassment.
"W-well, let me give you mine now..." The yellow-eyed teen struggled to get out his wrapped gift against the blowing wind. They were standing upon a catwalk, above the city streets, in full view of the setting sun looming over Tokyo Bay. Shin thanked whoever was responsible for such a beautiful view and pleasant atmosphere. There were hardly any people walking on the little bridge to disturb them.
He smiled as he handed over the gift.
"Oooohhh!" Kin was holding her hand to her mouth to prevent her squeal of excitement from leaving her mouth.
Kazuhiko... he was busy removing leaves from his person as they watched from behind the bushes and muttering about "three years".
Sakura carefully peeled back the wrapping paper, taking her time as she wondered what could be inside the little casing behind it. After letting her fingers do their magic, she pulled out a little plastic container...
... with a platinum heart-shaped locket inside.
She looked up to see Shin smiling, staring into her eyes. She was unable to respond, unable to make any kind of noise. Her heart was beating, thumping so loud that she could hear it within her own ears. Sakura knew immediately what would be inside the locket, but she opened the casing anyway.
Inside, Kidoyama Sakura couldn't help but let a few tears roll as she found a cute little picture of the two of their young selves from the beginning of their true relationship, back in seventh grade. She stared at the picture, and cried... cried until she was nearly unable to stand properly. Sakura leaned on her boyfriend, then felt a hand grasp the locket chain... and she gasped as it placed it around her neck.
Shin set the locket around her delicate neck, trying to be as gentle as possible.
He was utterly unable to express his happiness for the love that he had found with Sakura.
She was, without a doubt, his pure jewel.*
Sakura leaned forward and shifted her weight to her toes.
Shin leaned toward her, and bent his head downwards.
Kin and Kazu both watched as the two locked in the most romantic kiss they had ever seen.
"Damn," Kazuhiko stared as his best friend made out with his crush's "sister".
Kin smacked him over the head.
They separated.
Still huffing and puffing from the most intense kiss that they had ever experienced, Shin and Sakura stood there in each others' arms.
Shin buried his cheek into her hair, getting a whiff of lavender. It was a very assuring and familiar smell that only he, Kurosaki Shin, could ever know.
The orange-haired teen continued to hug her for what seemed like eternity until he felt it coming.
A quake.
In panic, he tensed and looked up.
On the far end of his vision, he could see construction workers performing some sort of repair on the catwalk.
They were in the middle, and a quake was about to come into impact with a loose catwalk...
He put two and two together... then ran.
Sakura yelped in surprise as Shin suddenly swept her off her feet and ran for the stairs.
"H-hey! S-Shin~" She was definitely embarrassed being carried like that in public.
"Ho ho! Have we been discovered? Or are they madly in love enough that they are rushing to a hotel?"
Kazuhiko received another smack.
Shin wasn't fast enough.
The earthquake had come like a bullet, slamming into the two stairways, causing the entire little bridge to shake and come loose. It was a catwalk meant for couples so they could view the sunset like Shin and Sakura just did; it wasn't a reinforced piece of titanium like everything else.
Sakura screamed.
Kin and Kazuhiko jumped out of the bushes and screamed.
Shin let out a grunt as he tossed Sakura to safety.
Sakura landed onto the stairway with a thud, landing next to two familiar faces.
"K-Kin-chan? K-Kazu-kun?" She was slowly helped up by her friends. "W-wha..."
She snapped around and looked for her companion.
"Shin!? Shin!" The blue-eyed teenager frantically ran over to the edge and looked down. Half of the catwalk had fallen onto the street below.
The other half was still intact, but slanting towards the ground... with Shin hanging off from the edge.
The three friends shouted at him to hang on.
"Shin! Wait! I-I'm coming!" Sakura kneeled down and tried to search for someway to reach her beloved boyfriend.
"M-Miss!" A construction worker cried out. "Don't! It's too dangerous from your side! I'll try to get to him!"
Kazu, Kin and Sakura could only wait in terror as the worker was slowly lowered on a rope towards Shin, but the distance was still too far.
Shin was hanging on for dear life as he knew that if he let go he was looking at a thirty foot drop... not to say that he was going to land on solid concrete, possibly metal from the other half of the catwalk.
"Oh... fuck." He looked for a way to climb, but it wasn't possible. His only option was to hang on until someone was able to get him. His time was running out. His fingers were going numb, and he could feel another quake coming. Soon.
"Damn it," a drop of sweat rolled down his face. "Sakura!"
"Sakura!" She heard her name and immediately focused her attention on Shin.
"H-hold on!" She tried to encourage him in a situation of despair.
"I... I'm sorry..." He struggled to right himself.
"W-wha... what are you saying!? Shin!" Tears of hopelessness ran down her cheeks this time.
At that moment, Kiyodama Sakura could only look as another shake came and Kurosaki Shin let go and slowly began to slide off the edge.
"No... nononono- nooooooooo!!!"
"Kah!" A spurt of blood escaped his mouth as he landed on the black road. "U-urgh..."
He had landed completely flat onto his back. Completely stunned, he could do nothing, nor did he feel anything. Trying to lift himself, he attempted to try and exert his muscle power into sitting up. Then he heard a noise to his right.
Turning his head, he heard a screech and saw a bright light... and a tire three feet from his face.
*The Japanese surname is broken down into two parts. In this case, "Kiyo" means pure, and "dama" means jewel. Sakura's last name literally means "pure jewel."
A/N - Aren't I so evil? Sorry.
All I have to say is, this chapter, despite being the second chapter, was incredibly difficult.
The whole "redo" of the Kazu&Kin pair tailing Shin&Sakura was incredibly difficult. I felt that before, it was too rushed and didn't provide much on characters - not to mention that it made most of the characters seem too shallow. With this, I have completed my mission. Hopefully.
Moving on, the love scene and the whole, "Three Years" going out plan for our main couple was really hard. I had to be consistent with everything from the first chapter, and had to change all the stuff from the other story. In my first version of this story, Shin had asked Aoi (who is now Sakura) out for the first time, and died in a freak shoot-out. Now I have have him already going steady with her, but still supposedly die in the second chapter by natural causes and cheap workmanship on structures. Damn Japanese construction workers for not building stuff right.
Another conflict I had was, "Should I end it at the love-scene/kiss?" or "Should I end at the part where the tire is practically in his face?" Ultimately, I chose the latter because I personally love to leave readers on a cliff-hanger and it makes the story all the more interesting. It does bring them back to find out more doesn't it?
Ending it on the kiss would have been pretty sweet and romantic for all the ladies out there, but there were still struggles as to "Should I end it right where they view the kiss?" or "When Kazu gets smacked?" Love or Comedy? Meh. Too difficult.
But all-in-all. The fact that Shin was unfortunately involved in this horrific accident plays a very, very crucial role to the story.
Because anyone who read my last fanfic knows what happened to him after he died. For the newcomers? Go read it. I left it up for a reason.
