Chapter 3 - Reminiscing, the 'Date' and Fuji-kun, again?
"Fuji-kun? Who is he?" she innocently asked.
"Fu-fu-fu-Fuji-kun? Did I say something like that?" Kevin asked, somehow in a guilty tone. Ryoma slowly nodded and leaned on the table with her elbow. Kevin averted his eyes to anywhere and anything but her. His eyes stopped at the direction of Ryoga who is slighty slapping his forehead. He mentally called for help but Ryoga just frowned and closed his eyes for a second then opened it again, mentally saying a 'No, not yet'. He shot a glance on Ryoma who is staring back at him with a bored but expecting golden orbs. He almost jumped. The young girl is staring at him with the same bored eyes. He looked at Ryoga and motioned him to look at her too, which he did. Ryoga's eyes widened for a fraction of a second and he smiled to himself.
"Well?" Ryoma asked, breaking their thoughts. Kevin's panic rose up again. And Ryoga, who thinks he's in fault of pissing Kevin off and saying the magic word, took over.
Ryoga laughed boisterously, making all the people around the table think that he's finally gone nuts after years of being a responsible older brother that is full of patience. Aww, the pain of life, "Hahahaha! Chibisuke! It's not who is he... It's where is it! Kev and I here are fighting over where your next tournament will be held. And he said that the ideal place is somewhere near the Fuji Mountain, for a cool view." He shrugged nonchalantly. "You must be hearing things. You're still sleepy, I might say!" he added, fake-sweeping the indiscernible tears at the corner of his eyes while patting the younger girl's head, and at the same time, trying to conceal the embarrassment he's experiencing.
"Oh, okay," she muttered, not really buying what he said, for she is sure that she heard them right. Kevin silently eyed Ryoga, mentally mouthing a 'Thank you'. Ryoga just rolled his eyes.
"Neh, Chibisuke," he started, earning the attention of the younger Echizen, "Wanna go out today?"
"Where?" Ryoma asked.
"Anywhere. Just hanging out. I missed you, ya know? I just want to have a quality time with you. Now, do you want?"
Ryoma smiled at him, she missed him as well, "Sure!"
Kevin stared at the two, "Can I join as–?"
"No," Ryoga interrupted before even Kevin could finish his question. Kevin glared at him while Ryoma chuckled.
"Of course, Kev," Ryoma said with a smile. Ryoga stared weirdly at her while Kevin pulled out his tongue. Ryoga rolled his eyes, "Saa, I'll just take a bath. Wait for me here, Chibisuke," Ryoga said as he stood up and left the table with a muttered, 'Excuse me' and a special, 'You know what to do' for Kevin that made him gulp. Of course he knows what does that mean.
xXx
Ryoga moaned as the cold water hit his back and flowed down the shower floor. He ruffled his hair and looked up, letting the water splash on his face, slightly drowning him. He started to recall the face expression Ryoma made during their breakfast.
'Chibisuke...that bored expression... that same expression...' he smiled slightly, 'You're starting to return to your old self, even if you're unaware of it...' he looked down, his smile became sad and forced, 'But still, if that didn't happen...'
Ryoga is walking with contentment towards their house in SanFran. He just got his first salary with his job and is wondering what he should do with the money. Since he is raised, he doesn't have to save money to feed himself. No, that would be stupid.
'What shall I do to this then?' he thought. 'Shall I give all of it to Okaasan?' deep thinking, 'No. She'll just say, "It's yours Ryoga. Do what you want with it"... To Oyaji? Don't even think of thinking that, you idiot Ryoga!... To Chibisuke? She doesn't know how to handle money, yet... Throw it on the ground? Hah... Give it to all of people that I might see on my way home? Hah! Who am I, Mansa Musa? To hold-uppers? It'll take a century,' as he was having a mental ponder on whom will he give that damned money, he passed a certain shop which caught his eye, not because it's colorful but because he saw something... something that made him grin like an idiot. A dress. Yes, a dress. No, he's not a gay, homo or something. He just knows a certain someone's fashion... and he wants to revise it.
He opened the door with a 'kling'. As he entered, he was met by weird stares of the other customers. Who wouldn't? If you saw a man inside an all-ladies store? But of course, considering that he's absorbed by own idiocy, he didn't notice. As he gave his order and waited, and almost fell asleep, his phone rang. He doesn't know if he should be happy that he didn't fall asleep because his phone rang, or he should be mad because he hadn't taken a nap for even a minute. He rummaged around in his pocket and pulled out his scarlet-colored cell phone. Unknown number. He raised an eyebrow, wondering.
"Hello, may I know who's in the line?" he answered respectfully, running his head is the statement, 'must be a chick' or something between the line.
"Ryoga~" the person on the other line purred seductively that made Ryoga cringe. He knew that voice too well. Too well that he could distinguish that voice within a dozen of chatting people… or even hundred. Too well that he could plot homicidal thoughts just by hearing it.
"Jennifer," he muttered, obviously not happy to receive a call from his ex-girlfriend that he dumped years ago for she was being so money-oriented. Yes, Ryoga dumped the Jenni-girl. Who said that the Echizens are gentlemen?
"Oh, not the Japanese Jeni-yan you used to call me back then?" she asked, amusement obvious in her voice. Ryoga took two deep breaths. For the sake of the cell phone. He doesn't want it to be dragged in the heating verbal fight.
"What do you want?" Ryoga asked, clearly infuriated. He could feel the lady on the other line smirked.
"So cold, so cold... Anyway, I just called to invite you to my 20th birthday party tonight. I'll send you the venue. That's all. Goodbye, Ryoga. See you tonight. And bring a date… if you have,"
Ryoga gritted his teeth, clearly wanting the head of that girl. If before, people inside the shop gave him weird stares, now, no one wanted to look at him, for he is emitting a dangerous aura.
He exited the shop, not after scaring the cashier out of her wits. He continued wandering aimlessly, calming himself down after the previous phone call. Then his eyes wandered on the paper bag he is holding. He stopped, raised the bag on eye level, stared at it for a moment, contemplating on thoughts, and then he smiled. Not the simple smile that will take just a few stretch of lips, his is contorted into a creepy smile, smile that made people around him back off and feel shivers running down their spines.
xXx
"Please!" Ryoga begged, kneeling on the ground and beseeching at Ryoma who is sipping her Ponta calmly, not even bothering to spare him a glance.
"Why do I have to go with you? I thought you have many girlfriends to go with you on a date," Ryoma replied, vaguely smiling at the taste of her beloved Ponta.
"Because... Because...! Ugh... Wait... I have no girlfriend! Please! It's an ignominy when I come without a date. Please!" he pleaded again, not giving up.
"Then that'll be good," Ryoma replied nonchalantly.
"Chibisuke! Please! I'll do whatever you want!"
"Ya-..." her lips contorted to an awfully evil smirk, "For how long?"
Ryoga gulped. This meant bad thing. But he had no choice, "Arghh! Fine, for a month!"
xXx
"Neh, Chibisuke... Wanna play first before coming to the party? We can arrive there late, ya know?" Ryoga asked. Ryoma stared at him weirdly.
"If you hadn't noticed, Aniki, I'm wearing a dress. How do you think I can play tennis?"
Ryoga rolled his eyes, "Play doesn't always mean tennis... We can meander for a while. In the park."
Ryoma shrugged, "Fine, it will not be my fault if we came late."
At the siblings' trip to the park, they happened to watch few matches and eat ice cream, the event that Ryoga once thought will be the last.
xXx
"Woah... So big," Ryoma praised. They have arrived at the five-star hotel venue. Ryoga chuckled.
"Blame your ignorance, Chibisuke," he said mockingly as Ryoma snorted. "Come, let's go inside."
As the two entered the hotel, someone linked its arms around Ryoga's free arm and nuzzled itself on Ryoga's neck. Ryoga abruptly stopped, prying the arms and making out who did that stupid thing, who is impossibly his ex- the Jenni-girl.
"Ooohh... Harsh, aren't we, Ryoga~" she purred, latching herself to Ryoga once again. Ryoga stepped back, unconsciously holding the younger Echizen's arm, who, in fact, is watching the whole exchange with her eyes swimming in amusement and her lips creating a playful smirk.
'If Aniki did tell me that this is what we're looking forward in here, then I would have gladly accepted his offer.'
The girl finally noticed Ryoma as he held on to her arms. And her seductive smile turned into frown, "If you have your date, then you must've told me," she said with a faking pout.
"Ugh... Yeah... We haven't done introductions yet," Ryoga said as he regained composure. He looked at Ryoma who shrugged her shoulders, "This is... Ugh... She is Jennifer, my ex-girlfriend," he started, gesturing at Jennifer as Ryoma nodded. "And she is... She's... Ryoma... Kurama Ryoma, my date."
The girl raised an eyebrow at her, while Ryoma nodded slightly, "Ugh... I didn't know you like...well, little ladies."
The younger sibling raised an eyebrow while Ryoga countered, "She's eighteen, ya know?"
"Ugh... Okay... And I never thought that you'll exchange me with a Japanese," she stated, eyeing Ryoma up and down.
Ryoga smirked. "Shouldn't I have? Japanese ladies, for me, are perfect. They're not bratty, they're lady like, well-composed and matured, unlike some girls," Ryoga stated, 'Am I, by any chance, kidding myself?'
The girl stood, dumbfounded, as the two started entering the venue, with Ryoga muttering, "Anyway, thanks for your invitation."
xXx
"Kurama Ryoma, eh? What a name!" Ryoma jokingly stated as she flopped down the chair, tilting her head back. Ryoga chuckled, "Don't reclaim much, I knew you enjoyed that scene."
It's Ryoma's time to chuckle, "Yeah, yeah, I admit."
Ryoga kneeled in front of her like a real gentleman, raised his hand to take Ryoma's and mouthed, "May I have this dance?"
Ryoma nearly burst out laughing, but held herself for they are at public place, instead, she placed her hand on top of his and stood up, "Being gentleman does not suit you, Aniki!"
xXx
"Hahahahaha! You suck at dancing, Chibisuke!" Ryoga teased quietly, too quiet that they are the only ones who can hear. Ryoma snorted and rolled her eyes.
"I thought 'going to party' and 'being your date' is only 'going to party' and 'being your date'," she replied and (un) intentionally stomped at Ryoga's foot, which made the lad yelp. He and Ryoma burst out laughing afterwards.
From afar, blue delicate orbs watched every move they did, from the hand, to the feet, their childish laughter that though almost inaudible, didn't escape her sensitive ears.
'That Ryoma Kurama whore! I made Ryoga come to make him jealous! Arghhh! Wait... What if... What if he only does this to make me jealous? Heh... What a sweet little kitten you are, Ryoga~' the blue-eyed white dragon (wat), or as we all know, the Jenni-girl, thought. She smirked, and left his partner in daze and made her way through the sibling. She latched onto Ryoga, but the lad ignored her and continued to dance, leaving her dumbfounded and Ryoma amused.
She gritted her teeth and thought of a plan, which she came up of after a short while. She smirked evilly and left the ball to go to their mansion's control room. Her eyes glinted as she noticed that the room is currently empty.
'Great... Now, now, my little Ryoma... You're too unlucky 'cause you choose what's mine to be yours... I cannot let someone to be with MY Ryoga... No one else... No one, but me can have him... But since he likes you back...'
She pushed the button that held their chandeliers...
xXx
The two teenagers made a serious effort of trying to calm themselves down after laughing too much. Ryoma looked up at stared in her brother's eyes, "Aniki, I enjoyed this day. Thank you very much," she said and gave her brother a dazzling smile, a smile that no one can see everyday, a smile that gives all the emotions in them without any regrets, a smile that is wholeheartedly given, a smile that can make people easily forget that the giver is a tomboy, a smile that is originally Echizen Ryoma's.
Ryoga seemed to have taken the smile seriously as he racked his brain with when did his brat smiled like that. He had taken it seriously, though; he did not notice the running crowd around them. But Ryoma did. She froze; then looked up and saw a falling chandelier right above them, seemingly in slow motion. 'What the-?'
Shaking her head for her thoughts to go away, she then proceeded to fill them again with 'how?how?how?' but couldn't think of any way she can do, and measuring her amount of time left, which is absolutely nothing, she did what she thought is the best thing she can do in their situation... She pushed Ryoga as hard as she can and almost smiled in victory when he stumbled not too far, but not too near away from her. She will if there is no chandelier hunting for her life. She closed her eyes and felt the impact of her petite body slammed on the floor and the faint shout of her name. She smirked for knowing the source of the voice. And there was...nothing.
xXx
Ryoga felt his body collide with the wall. He almost cursed. But, seeing what the hell is happening before his eyes, he froze. After comprehending the whole situation, his eyes widened, and he shouted, "RYOMA!"
'Ryoma,' a tear dropped from Ryoga's eyes and flowed down his cheeks before mixing with the shower water. Then two more, and then the bathroom flooded with his tears mixed with water. He fought back the urge to let out a sob, for it is not manly, and it is stupid for a guy like him to sob. Or so he thought. More tears flowed down his cheeks as he silently and gently banged his head on the wall, alternately hitting the cold tiles, 'I'm so stupid! If I only didn't force her to come, if I only didn't take Jeni's bait... If I only...'
He turned off the shower and stared at the peach-colored tile in daze, water droplets flowing from the tip of his hair. It is always his routine every day: of him taking a bath and reminiscing the past, of him silently crying and hushing himself. He once thought that the bathroom acts as his private room. He doesn't want to remember the past anymore, but he doesn't want to forget it either. He remembered completely what happened. From the store, to his pleading, the stroll at the park, the party and the hospital after that. He can even remember when his little sister dumped her Ponta on him for he was being annoying. He chuckled lifelessly. He also remembered her smile, the smile that once he thought will be the last smile that'll crept in her face. He remembered every single thing...
Ryoma was taken in the hospital after that. Ryoga did blame all of it to himself, which worried the Echizen couple for he might do something dangerous to himself, so they always let someone accompany him. And that someone is no other than Kevin Smith himself. Even though Kevin irritates him, he didn't bother to complain. What for? And how could he? He was suffering from depression that time. Ryoma was confined in ICU for a week before declaring that Ryoma was in coma. The Echizens were somehow relieved after that. After a month, the nurse frantically ran towards them yelling, 'She stirred! She stirred!'
They waited anxiously, Ryoga the most, until the princess fluttered her golden orbs open. As she did, she abruptly sat up, wincing at the sudden headache. Ryoga jumped to hug her in ecstasy, only to have her shook and gently push him before mouthing, "Who are you?"
Ryoga just stared at her, dumbfounded.
Ryoga averted his eyes from the tile to the ceiling, eyeing it as if he's memorizing every detail of it, 'I think part of me died when she said that. I still remember the confusion in her eyes as she stared at me... And I ne...'
"Ryoga," a stern but somehow girly voice broke his thoughts and made him cast a glance at the door. It didn't take a rocket genius to recognize that, "Kevin."
"You're staying there too long, don't kill yourself, 'kay?" he said, worry evident on his voice. Even though they are considered rivals, Kevin still worries about him… a bit.
Ryoga knew that he was worried, but he also knew that Kevin went there for another reason, "What do you want to say?"
Kevin chuckled. He really can read him, "Why? Why didn't you tell her the truth?"
"Idiot," Kevin grunted at this, "You were the one who doesn't want to tell her."
Kevin stared at the door as if it were Ryoga, "W-what-?"
"Admit it. You still aren't ready," Ryoga stated as he walked outside the bathroom in a calm demeanor, "And… We don't have to tell her."
Kevin looked at him, confused, "What? I thought that we're going to help her? What kind of brother are you, Ryoga? Letting her suffer like that!"
Ryoga looked at him sternly as he stepped backwards. He isn't the usual happy-go-lucky Ryoga that he knows, "We can help her by doing nothing, Kev. Besides, bringing her in Japan is the least we could do. Think, what do you think will happen when we tell her who she was? What do you think will she do? She'll feel more empty, Kev! She'll feel the difference! She'll… She'll… We'll let her figure all of that out by herself. She already succeed, remember, her expression earlier?" Kevin nodded. "She can do that, step by step… She can."
Kevin knew not to argue, for the Ryoga in front of him is serious.
xXx
The trio walked at the park. Ryoma bounced happily as she saw how big the amusement park in Japan is. She rarely went out in America to enjoy for she's always busy with her tournaments. The two smiled, just seeing her this happy made them glad.
They rode many rides and tried different games. They ate as though there will be no tomorrow.
Ryoga flopped down the bench, followed by Kevin, and Ryoma just landed on Ryoga's lap for there is no more space left. People stared at them, mostly at the siblings. Running inside their heads were, 'pedophilia' and 'love triangle'.
"Aniki, can I go to vending machines? I'm thirsty," Ryoma said and looked up to see Ryoga resting his head on the bench. He grunted in approval and nudged Kevin as a signal to accompany her for he was so damn tired. Aging problems…
As the two left, a shadow hovered over him and curious as he is, he peeked. Who he saw made him gasp.
"Didn't expect you to be here, ahn~"
xXx
"Ryo, can you slow down?" Kevin whined and tried to catch up the pace, since he is lagging, but failed. He hadn't guessed that he was that tired.
"I'm sorry Kev, but I'm really thirsty," she said, turning her head in Kevin's direction. Wrong move.
As soon as she did that, she bumped onto someone. Thinking that she'll fall and there is no Ryoga to catch her, she closed her eyes. She didn't feel the impact of the ground colliding with her so she opened them. Golden eyes stared into cerulean ones.
'What an unusual eye color… Is that even a color? It seems like a translucent blue… They're beautiful… But, why do I feel that it's eating me up? I can't even move my eyes away…how mesmerizing…'
'Golden… what a familiar color… but still unusual… These eyes, they're too familiar… the shape… and the color… Still, I'm mesmerized by it… It seems that these eyes are magnets that won't let your eyes away when you look at it… They're… beautiful…'
"Fuji-kun?" Unfortunately, their moment was cut by that sudden… screech, which obviously belong to Kevin. The blue-eyed man- Fuji Syuusuke- let the maiden on her feet and stared at the blonde in front of him. He looks awfully familiar…
'Ahh, the Goodwill Tournament,' he thought.
"Kevin Smith-san, I'm glad you still remember me. Hisashiburi," he greeted with a polite bow and his usual smile in face.
