A/N: Hello! Inspiration's back and I don't know when it'll return so I thought I'd post this up before I'm swamped with new semester work. Anyways, enough of me. Enjoy! ^_^
Chapter 7 – Seigaku School Festival
It was 8 pm that Friday evening and the sun was almost setting. But Midori – and many others from Seigaku – were preparing for the school's festival. In her room, Midori stood in front of the mirror, her green eyes scrutinizing her outfit for the night. She had changed into a strapped babydoll tank and cute denim shorts. Glancing out her window, she contemplated. But it is a really warm night…
"Okay, no jacket then," she decided and grabbed her little bag and new digital camera and sprinted downstairs.
"Planning on taking pictures?" her mother smiled as she noticed the camera in Midori's hand. It was a gift to Midori for her birthday. In the last few years or so, she had started loving photography. Though she was just an amateur, her photographs were actually quite good. They had an effortless, natural feel to them, nothing like the fancy photographs taken professionally.
Midori grinned and snapped a quick one of her parents. "First one of you guys."
As the trio headed out, Midori asked, "Can I drive?"
Her parents looked at each other and that was a sign enough that it was a no. "Oh come on," she argued. "I've taken lessons and I'm only a few months away from getting my license. And besides, the school isn't too far from here. Plus, you guys know how safe I drive, and –"
"Alright, alright," her dad gave in and tossed her the keys. "But only this one time."
Midori grinned and hopped in the driver's seat and they drove to the school. Upon getting there, they parked and headed to the front gates to pay for their tickets.
"So," her mother said as she skimmed through the little map provided at the entrance. "Where to first?"
Something caught her husband's eye on the map. "How about that showcase collections? It has the photos of the previous classes of Seishun. Let's find me back in my teenage years."
Midori's father had gone to Seigaku himself when he was younger. He had even known coach Ryuzaki back in the time when she was just an assistant teacher and new to the school. Just as they were about to head into the main building of the school, a yell came from behind them.
"Buchou!" Yuki called. She was joined with Ann, Ryoma, Momo, Hikari, and others from the team. They were waving for her to join them. Midori looked at her parents but they smiled.
"Go on dear, I know my way around this school," her dad grinned.
"Remember to meet us at the entrance after the midnight fireworks," her mother added.
Midori nodded and headed toward her friends. However, she stopped abruptly and pulled out her camera. Her friends, who were busy arguing about which booths to visit, didn't even notice as she snapped a few pictures of them. She smiled as she previewed them. They look the best when no one is looking, she thought, smirking to herself.
She walked over to the quarrelling group and they led the way to the many booths they wanted to visit. Midori didn't mind where they were dragging her as long as they were all enjoying themselves. As they all played games, competed for prizes and contests, Midori took as many pictures as she could; they were for a very special collection after all.
In her house, there was an extra room that was always kept empty. So when she'd developed a liking for photography, her parents had suggested using the empty room as her studio. But she never liked taking photos in a studio since she found it too contained so she found another use for the room. She printed the photos she liked in different sizes and put them up on the walls like a mosaic. Having filled one entire wall already, Midori had started on another one and hence the reason she was taking many pictures.
The group passed by a booth that Sadaharu and Irime had set up and since it involved the data collectors, there was bound to be some Inui Juice.
"What is this all about?" Midori asked as she approached them.
Irime beamed. "Care to know how many shots of Inui Juice you can handle?"
Midori sweatdropped. "I'll pass, thanks." She looked around the group of people there and noticed that Fuji seemed to be holding the record at the moment (being one of the few to have conquered the deathly drink).
"Anyone dare to challenge the current record-holder Fuji?" Irime shouted to spectators. From next to Midori, Hikari raised her hand. She smirked and walked forward to take a seat next to Fuji.
Fuji smirked. "Sixteen shots," he said as he passed her the first one. "Sure you can manage?"
"Don't bother provoking," she smirked, taking the drink. "I'm already here."
Hikari seemed to be the other person who could handle the vile drink with a smile. People gathered around the booth, excitedly counting the number of shots Hikari and Fuji took, and Sadaharu and Irime had their notebooks out, scribbling in data.
Midori laughed and took a few pictures before walking off to another nearby booth where Ryoma and Momo were having a burger-eating contest. "Ugh," she said in disgust. The boys were chewing down like pigs.
Yuki and Ann, who were cheering for the boys, said, "The prize is an all-you-can-eat pass for the restaurant."
But Midori wondered, so they're eating to be able to eat more?! She rolled her eyes, she'll never get certain people. Pulling out her camera, she snapped some photos of the boys stuffing their faces. She laughed as she realized that she was getting some of the best photos ever. They all had a happy, enjoyable feeling about them and Midori loved that. However, after the boys had puked, it wasn't so pretty. Ryoma and Momo had their heads dunked in trashcans after the contest, and after that, Midori had banned them from going to any more booths that involved eating contests.
After a while, Midori had caught up with her parents and they walked over to the food area to get something to eat. They purchased sushi from the Kawamura Sushi stall that Taka and his family were handling and walked over to one of the tables. Midori listened as her parents filled her in about their share of the night and smiled as she realized that they had enjoyed themselves. She accompanied them for some time after eating but eventually walked around alone herself.
She came across booth that was selling some jewelry. There weren't any customers there at the moment, so Midori walked up to have a look. There were necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and such but nothing caught her attention like one necklace did. It was a circular silver pendant, in the shape of a flat ring, and was attached to a black cord. But that wasn't what had attracted Midori; there were words engraved on the ring.
"Hope, Unity, and Strength," she murmured aloud.
"Beautiful isn't it?" the elderly woman across the counter asked, breaking Midori from her amazement.
"Yeah," she agreed and on impulse, she asked, "How much is it?"
The woman told her the price and Midori dug in her little bag for the money. It was within her budget and she loved the necklace so much that she had to buy it. When she paid for it, the woman smiled. "Give it someone special."
Midori smiled back before stowing the little package in her bag and walking off. What the woman had said was still on her mind. She didn't have anyone special like that, not yet at least. But someday, someone will need that kind of hope, strength, and unity…and that's when I'll give the necklace away, she thought, a smile easily coming to her lips.
She spent over an hour walking around by herself, taking pictures of her friends when she saw them. But it was nearing 12 o'clock, and that meant the midnight fireworks were going to happen. Everyone had started heading to the back field where they were being held but Midori didn't want to be caught in that crowd so she headed to the school roof where she would get a perfect, clear view of it all.
As Midori pushed open the door, she realized that there was already someone there. The tall figure turned around as he heard the door shut.
"Tezuka?" she said, surprised. "Sorry, I didn't know anyone was up here. Hope you don't mind sharing the roof for a bit."
Midori smiled and walked forward. He looks cute, she thought glancing at him in his t-shirt, jeans, and light jacket. She pulled out her camera and dropped her bag in a corner. She adjusted the shots before taking some photos of the view from there. Everyone gathered in the backfield looked like a concert, it was great photography material for her.
Tezuka leaned on the railing and watched as the green-eyed girl took more pictures. When she turned around, she caught him in the act.
"What?" she asked, smiling.
"Photography? I thought it was Fuji's hobby," he said.
Midori smirked. "For your information, I was the one who inspired him," she said matter-of-factly. "But don't tell him that, he'll deny it."
Tezuka couldn't help but smirk at her comment and that caught her attention. "You know," she said as she prepared to take another photo of the starlit sky. "That smirk can sometimes make you look a tiny bit arrogant."
Tezuka knew she was only joking but took the bait nonetheless. "Confidence can be mistaken for arrogance," he countered. "You, out of all people, should know that well."
Midori turned to give him a fake shocked look. "What exactly are you implying?" she asked, smiling.
"How many times have you read Pride and Prejudice?" he countered again.
Midori's smile grew. "Fitzwilliam Darcy. I suppose you're referring to him."
"His confidence was mistaken countless times for arrogance, am I wrong?"
"No, but the difference is that he really was arrogant…at first at least."
"His arrogance was much less than Elizabeth's prejudice though," he smirked, now fuelling Midori to argue fully. But as she opened her mouth to retort, something caught her attention. He was smirking… and there she was with a camera! He was looking elsewhere so what was she waiting for?! She snapped a photo quick and as soon as Tezuka noticed (because of the flash) she turned around as if nothing happened.
He walked over to where she was taking more shots. "How about letting me see that photo?"
"How about…no," she teased. He glared at her fixedly and she copied, and impulsively she took another photo of him. "You know," she said previewing the photo. "You're actually very photogenic… even if you refuse to smile in any of them."
"I would still like you to delete them."
"I'm sure you would," she teased.
"Are you going to delete them yourself or am I going to have to do it?"
Midori laughed, already toying with the camera. "Hm," she said sarcastically. "I want to see you try actually."
"Sure about that?" he smirked, stepping closer to her so that she was stuck between him and the roof railing. "Cause I can and trust me, I won't think twice."
"You wouldn't dare," she challenged but as soon as she said that, he stepped even closer and she could almost feel his breathing.
"Still sure?" he smirked, knowing that he was winning. Midori stood dazed and slightly blushing, trying to hold her ground but she knew she was losing.
"Fine," she said, admitting defeat. She deleted the photo and showed him. "There. Happy?"
"Just about," he smirked and she couldn't resist a small smile herself. Then the noise of the fireworks caught their attention. Midori and Tezuka turned and leaned on the railing as they watched the night sky fill with bright colors. Midori finally stowed away her camera; she just wanted to enjoy this moment. Though she would've never guessed that she would be doing it in the company of Tezuka out of all people.
"You know I've read somewhere that it only takes four muscles to smile," she said, grinning herself. "For an athlete like you, that should be nothing."
And that remark brought the smirk on Tezuka's face to grow into a full on smile. Midori laughed as she realized that. "See, it's not so hard," she joked. As her laughter died out softly, the two stood there side by side watching the fireworks. They didn't budge even after the show was done.
"The preliminaries are starting soon," she commented vaguely, sounding deep in thought.
Tezuka turned his look away from her towards the sky. "Don't let your guard down."
Midori smiled lightly and sighed. "I'm feeling good about this year, Tezuka. This is Seigaku's year."
Tezuka stood amazed by this girl. Behind the usual calm and collected appearance of the other model student of Seigaku, was a vivacious, spirited person he never thought would exist. He then smirked in the irony of that; he too, was finding a side of himself that he hadn't let out in a while. And it always happened to be in the company of Sayuki.
Suddenly, the sound of Midori's phone cut his thoughts. She pulled it out and answered it. "Hello? Yeah… alright," she said and flipped it closed. She turned to pick up her little bag and smiled at Tezuka. "I have to go… parents," she explained.
Tezuka nodded, slightly unwillingly (though he wasn't sure why) and watched as she made her way to the exit door. She pulled it open and smiled before she left. Within a few seconds, she was already downstairs and mingled in the crowd. Tezuka recognized her easily and watched her until she stopped all of a sudden. Midori pulled out her cell phone, punched in something, and looked up at him. And just in time, his phone beeped. Tezuka pulled it out to read her message.
About Mr. Darcy's pride and Elizabeth's (much less) prejudice… I'm not done with it yet. Save the debate for the project. Oh, and it only takes four muscles. :)
He looked down at her to smirk and in turn, she laughed before scurrying through the crowd towards the entrance gates. Tezuka watched her figure blend and slowly disappear into the crowd, a small smile playing at his lips.
I honestly have no idea how many muscles it takes to smile. Anyone got an idea? haha.
Anyways, I've kept my promise. This chapter has been up in two days max.
So give me a treat and review! ^_^
