The King and His Queen Snippets
Disclaimer: I do not own the PoT characters mentioned.
Snippet One
Thump-thump-thump!
My heart was going to kill me any minute now. My fingers trembled as they pushed the numbers. Slowly but surely.
In the back of my head, I knew that this was wrong. I had already given him my word. I had already promised him. But I suddenly became unsure of my decision. One must never decide on impulses. I had been a practitioner of that rule for my whole life.
Until earlier.
"Hanami? Are you still using the phone?" I heard my father call from the living room. I carefully placed the receiver back to the body. "I-I'm done!" I responded. I walked back to the living room and got my book. "Sorry. You can use it now, father." I said to the sole person inside the room. Father lowered his book and marked the page he was reading. "Were you talking with Ayumi-chan?" he asked as he removed his reading glasses.
I didn't even have the last digit punched.
"No. It was someone else."
His cerulean eyes twinkled. "Oh? Who was it? Morioka-kun?" he teased. I felt my face heat up at the mention of my crush's name. "I-I don't even know his cellphone number!" I said then stormed back to my room. Seriously, why do they all have to use the innocent guy's name?
I immediately let myself fall on my bed, face first. "I couldn't do this." I mumbled. My hand groped around for my cellphone and decided to give him a mail instead. As I was about to finish my mail, I stopped. I realized something terribly possible.
"He never reads his mail on time. I've been able to prove that for so many times already." I said then deleted my message and threw my phone. With that done, there was only one thing left.
I need to call him.
But what will I say? What excuse will I make?
I grabbed my phone again and this time, I dialed his cellphone number. At last, I was able to dial all the digits. I heard a ring…
Then a second one…
Then a third…
A fourth came too…
Then a fifth…sixth…
Finally, he picked up. "Hanami," the voice on the other line said. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I was taking a shower." He said immediately. A shiver ran on my skin as I realized that he was apologizing. "A-Ah, don't worry much. I was the one in the bad timing. Did I make you hurry?" I asked.
Hey, you're supposed to turn down his request. Don't forget your agenda.
He paused for a while before answering. "Not really." He whispered then I heard a soft ruffle. "Oh, maybe I'll call you back. I suppose you just got out of the bathroom." I said hurriedly.
"It's okay. Don't hang up."
I was freaked out by his response. Something was terribly wrong with him. "Ato? Are you okay?" I asked. I couldn't help but feel concerned since I act as the team's mother. Not only do I take care of the team's schedules and matches, but I also make sure that they are in tip top shape.
"Yeah. I'm very much fine." He said. I felt myself smile. "Why did you call?" he finally asked the killer question. I felt my heart beat harder. "Uh, well…" I paused to brainstorm on any excuse. "Actually…" I started.
I didn't realize that lying to him was going to be this hard. I felt so bad about myself. I could remember how happy he looked when I told him that I would play along. I felt like I didn't want to make him upset because of my selfishness.
"I'm sorry, Ato…"
There was a pause on his side. "I…I cant come tomorrow." I added. There was no turning back now. I heard his heavy breathing. "Did something happen?" he asked, his voice a little raspier than usual. "Sort of. It's quite complicated so it's hard to explain. Anyway, I'm really sorry if I…" I felt my voice faltering to a whisper. I felt a lump in my throat.
"Is that so?" his voice was soft. "L-Let me…find a replacement. I know some girls who would be willing to help you!" I feigned enthusiasm. He just kept quiet.
Then, the breeze started to blow. I hadn't noticed that the window in room was open. So that's what making me feel cold! I thought. The breeze blew harder which made me sneeze unexpectedly.
"Sorry!" I said, my voice cracking.
"Are you sick?" Ato's voice was firm now. "Eh? N-Not really…" I said as I closed the window. I heard fluttering sounds in his line. "You have colds, for Goodness's sake!" I heard him curse under his breath. "Ato! W-Wait!" I said, although I was not even sure of why I was telling him that. "Are you in your room?" he asked. I could tell that he was running now. "Eh? Yes. Why?" I asked. "Don't move or go anywhere. I'm coming over." He said then clicked his phone off.
I was shocked at what he told me. I stared at my phone for several seconds before clicking the redial button. Unfortunately, his phone was unattended. "That guy! I bet he turned his phone off!" I said. I started to feel panicked when I was able to comprehend the truth that Atobe was coming over at this time of the night to check on my colds.
Great. Now he'll know that I was lying to him. Things could get better.
Not long after, I heard a car rev outside our house. I immediately looked out and saw the black limousine. The passenger door opened and out came a hurrying Ato. Then, an old man came after. He was carrying a bag.
A doctor's bag.
The doorbell sounded next and I prepared to be caught lying. Part of me wanted to continue faking my health. There was a thermometer in my drawer and I could simply put it above my lamp. Bravo, Hanami. I have just created the best scene in my life. Ever.
"Hanami?" I heard my mother call from below. Footsteps came next. I paced on my room, not knowing whether to lie on my bed or do anything else. A knock came and I decided to answer it. "Hanami? There's someone downstairs. He says he's your classmate." The look on my mother's face was both fear and curiosity. "He wants to see you. He claims that you have colds? There's even a doctor with him!" she added. I smiled sheepishly at her. "He just misunderstood things. Can I just meet him here?" I said. Mother paused for a while. "You sure?" she asked. I nodded softly and she went down. "Have the doctor come too." I added then closed the door.
"This is just great, Hanami. Way to go, girl." I told myself sarcastically. Hurrying footsteps came next. I gathered a deep breath. "Hanami!" Ato's voice sounded behind the door. He pounded on the door, making my knees feel like jelly. With great effort, I was able to reach the door and turn the knob.
The door was opened from the other side. Ato's hands grabbed my shoulders. "Hanami! I have a doctor with me. We'll get you good for tomorrow." He said then pushed me inside my room. The doctor followed closely behind. Ato made me sit on the edge of my table. "This is Doctor Mishima. He's our family doctor so you can trust him." He said. The doctor nodded and greeted me. "You look fine, my dear, but we have to be sure." He said then started to open his bag and prepare his stuff. As he was doing so, Ato leaned to me, a worried look on his face was very much obvious.
I felt so bad.
"Does it hurt somewhere? Since when did you have colds?" he asked. "Uh…I'm not really…" I stuttered. How am I going to tell him the truth? He would surely be mad at me but I didn't care much about that. What I was mostly concerned about was…making him feel down.
The doctor did his examinations. A frown on his face was very evident. "Young Master?" he called as he fixed his things. "Yes, Dr. Mishima? How is she? What medicine will she need? I will pay for it." Ato readily answered. The look on his face-determination, and concern?-made me feel worse about myself. I gathered a deep sigh, preparing for the explosive revelation.
"She's going to be fine. In fact, I don't find anything wrong in her. She's perfectly healthy." Dr. Mishima said. Ato stood confused, his arm resting on my shoulder tensed. "A-Are you sure? I-I…are you just making me feel more assured?" he asked. Dr. Mishima shook his head. "No, Young Master. She was not sick in the first place." He said. Ato's hand dropped. I knew that this was coming. "Is…that so?" Ato's voice was barely a whisper. "I am sorry. Your friend here has only…told you a lie." He said then took his bag. "I think we should go back now, Young Master." He said. I could feel the sharpness in his tone. I couldn't blame him. He has the right to get annoyed. I wasted their time.
"Please go ahead, Dr. Mishima. I'll be talking to Hanami for a while." He replied, his voice was soft. Dr. Mishima nodded and went on. When the sound of the doctor's footsteps were gone, I let myself sit on my bed and did the unexpected.
I cried.
This…whole thing was nothing, really, if you think it through. So what if Ato got mad? So what if the friendship that we had-if you could consider bickering and hating each other everyday for such trivial things friendship- were to be gone, erased? He's not the only person left in the world, for Goodness's sake! I have my other friends, some of them I've known almost my whole life. Why did this matter had to earn my tears? Besides, in the first place, I was only forced to do this! I may have agreed but it was only because I was pressured at the moment! Crying about this was like one of the last thing in that I would ever do.
But crying was the only thing that I can do. I couldn't speak, much less say sorry, although I want to. It was the only thing that I can do to show him that I was sorry. Even if it depicted me as someone who was weak and powerless, very much different from the Hanami that most people know, I actually allowed myself to look like that in front of him, of all people.
Atobe Keigo just stood there.
"I-I'm…I'm s-sorry…" I was able to mutter through my sobs. "I-I didn't mean to…to lie. I just felt like…I…couldn't do it." I revealed. I know that soon, he would say those harsh words—whatever those may be—and he will leave this room. Then the deal tomorrow would be cancelled. Then on Monday, he wont be talking to me like the way we used to. Everything would be changed after he leaves this room.
I will have no regrets, I told myself. At least, I apologized. I will have no strong guilt inside me now. At least, my conscience is clear.
It was then that I realized that he was still there. I looked up to him through my blurry eyes. At first, I couldn't discern the expression in his face. What, anger? I wiped away the tears with the back of my hand. I wanted to see him, to see his face, even if what I was going to see was unpleasant.
I was surprised to see that he…was not angry. His face was not twisted with remorse or with disgust. It was calm, soft…and he held a soft smile. "Ato?" I asked. He kneeled in front of me and brushed away the remaining tears. "You don't look good when you cry." He simply told me. His sudden act of kindness—ironic kindness—was too much for me to comprehend. All the laws of reason in the world defied me and left me wondering why he was like this. "Ato? Are you not mad?" I asked. His cool hands sent warmth to my skin. "Why would I get mad at you? I should be the one apologizing to you in the first place. I forced you into this. I am responsible for all of these. And for that," he paused to look at me intently, with his eyes full of guilt and sadness. "I am sorry, Hanami." He said.
I was totally shocked with what I heard. Atobe Keigo? Saying sorry to me? I could not really get all of these. Reason and logic departed forever. "I-I…" I muttered. My confusion must have been crystal clear in my face for he held a soft laugh. Not the mocking laugh, that is. "It's okay, Hanami." He said then stood. I followed him with his eyes. "Ato, I simply can't allow you to…to…" I stopped, loss for words. "Alright, I get what you are pointing to. So very typical of my Hanami." He said, the air of a King back in his tone.
His Hanami? What…?
"Come tomorrow. Let's continue with the deal." He said. A twinkle in his eyes made me…queasy in the inside. "Only by coming with me tomorrow will I be able to accept your apology." He said. I sighed in defeat with realization. Surely, all seemed to be back to normal. "Looks like I got no choice. I will come tomorrow." I said. "Not that I don't trust you but I will fetch you tomorrow, okay?" he asked. "F-Fetch me? W-With that limo?" I asked incredulously. "Is there a problem with that?" he looked offended. "C-Cant you bring a more decent car? Something that's not flashy?" I asked back.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Hanami, but I don't have any un-flashy possession. All my things are beautiful." He said as he neared me, his face inches to mine. "And that also applies to my Queen." He whispered then walked off. "No need to send me off. I'll see you tomorrow, my Queen." He said then closed the door.
Boy, oh boy…Atobe sure is cocky.
Truly, good luck to me.
