Sorry I haven't updated in ages. My computer's been whack and I've had a cold for the past few days.
Chapter 7: -Rejection-
"Thank you...for walking me home."
Tamaki smiled down at Janine, replying, "It's my pleasure. This is around where I live anyway."
A lie. He lived clear across town.
Even so, Janine returned his smile with a shy grin. "Stephen left long before school ended. He went home sick. He said to catch a...subway, or...bullet train or something, but I'm too scared," she added, blushing. "Kind of silly, really..."
Tamaki shook his head hastily. "Never! The first time I came here, it took me a whole half a year to summon the courage to board one. The first time I ever took a bullet train was with Kyoya."
"Why did you come to Japan?" Janine asked. "Stephen said you came here when you were 14."
"Oh, yes, somewhere around that age," Tamaki shrugged, trying not to show how sensitive the subject was. "I came here because I needed to."
Janine pried, innocently, "Do you mind telling me...why?" She went red and panicked as soon as he looked down on her. "I mean, that is, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to! I just want to know...I've been wondering..." she finished, looking down at her hands in an embarrassed manner.
"No problem at all," Tamaki reasurred her as they stopped at a traffic light. "Let's see...its just down this road, right?" He gestured to the street in front of them.
"Yes...this looks familiar enough. I'm going by sheer memory."
Tamaki smiled. His eyes averted to the ground. His voice quieting, he said, "I came to Japan because my mother was sick and needed help. My grandmother said she'd supply what she needed to get better; if I came over to Japan as an exchange."
Janine looked horrified. "What? And you agreed to that?"
He nodded. "I had no other choice. Her health is much more important than what I want. In a situation like that...I had to go with the best option."
Janine shook her head in disbelief as the light went red; they made their way across the street as the cars slammed on their brakes. "How...terrible. I can only imagine what your mother might feel..."
"I haven't talked to her since. I can't say."
"What?"
"She disappeared. I'm not sure where she is right now."
Janine wrung her hands, biting her lip. NOW I've gotten myself into an awkward situation...What do I say?! She dared to sneek a look up at Tamaki. She realized, her heart stopping as she did, that any sign of happiness had gone from his face. She could have rammed her head into a nearby pole for nosing into his business.
Catching her looking at him, Tamaki immediately faked a smile. "Oh, but it's okay," he added quickly. "I miss her, but...it happened so long ago, it's almost forgotten." With a cheerful laugh, he quickened his pace, calling, "Let's hurry and get you home in time for dinner! You don't want to miss that traditional Japanese food!"
Janine frowned at his back. He's...faking happiness. So no one will know just how sad he feels. She tilted her head to one side in question. But...why?
Up ahead, Tamaki brushed his sleeve against his eyes, getting a hold on his emotions. He couldn't just break down in front of Janine. That was for the privacy in his room, in the shadows where no one saw. After a moment of regaining himself, he spun around, a fresh smile on his face. "Well, Janine! Show me which house is your great aunt's!"
Janine, happy for the change in his tone, ran up to him. "It's that pale one, on the left. You see, with the iron gate?"
Tamaki looked momentarily surprised. "It's very nice," he admitted, seeing the tall house with the flowing pond in the front garden and its lush, green plants. They stopped at the gate, still smiling at each other. "Well, here you are," offered Tamaki, gesturing to the house.
"Thank you," Janine mumbled, suddenly shy. She had never been that close to Tamaki before. She was so close to him she could almost...kiss him. Her face burnt at the thought. "I'm..." She clenched her schoolbag harder. "I'm sorry...about your mother," she said, daring to meet his eyes.
"Don't worry about it," Tamaki replied. "It's not your fault or anything, is it?" His lips parted into a smile, his eyes kind. "So don't worry."
Janine nodded. "O-Okay..." Then something happened. Something stirred in her. A desire. An uncontrollable desire that grasped her and plunged her into an action that she couldn't control.
Standing on the tips of her toes, she leand forward to kiss the King of the Host Club, miming what occured in her dreams.
[[A/N: AHHH! NO! -leaps to feet, breaking pencil in half- TAMAKI! Back away! Back awaaaaay!!))
Tamaki frowned, turning his head away from her. She hit his cheek instead of his lips. She drew away, eyes wide. "Wh..." she began, breathless.
"If I let you do that...it'd be leading you in the wrong direction."
Janine stepped back from him, her cheeks burning. To hide her embarrassment, she hissed, "You like that Haruhi Fujioka, don't you?"
Tamaki didn't say a word.
Prickling with anger, Janine straightened, adjusting her yellow dress, and smoothing one of her curls. "Well, that's the way it goes, isn't it?" she asked with a not-so-pleasant smile, yanking open the gate. Giving him one last glare, she slammed it on his face.
Tamaki flinched. Sighed. Turned, shoving his hands in his pockets, and walked away from the large estate.
Oh well...time to retreat to the shadows...again...
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Janine walked into the house, angrily kicking off her shoes and letting them fly halfway across the entranceway. She looked up, and blinked with surprise while catching her breath. Stephen stood in front of her, arms crossed, glaring at her.
A moment of silence. "You shouldn't throw yourself into the path of an older guy."
Janine crossed her arms to mirror his image, leaning on one leg and looking demandingly into her brother's eyes. "Shall I comment on how much of a lousy spy you are? I could feel your eyes on me the moment I walked up to the gate."
"Why that ditzy blonde, Janine? He probably couldn't even give you a night of pleasure, if either of you wanted to."
"Stephen, stop being such a crude old man," said Janine with a roll of her eyes, walking into the living room.
"Mom and Dad didn't send us to Japan to have you flirt and take your mind of why you're really here," Stephen continued, following her. "They sent you here to get an education, to focus on your studies. To escape France for a while and see the sights. All you're seeing is Tamaki's--"
"For the love of God!" Janine cried, spinning to face him. "Do you ever shut up?! So what if I have feelings towards another guy! Not like you care. You're the one always staring at Haruhi like a love-sick puppy!"
Stephen clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw cracking as he clenched it. "What of it?" He hated it when his sister noticed things that no one else did.
Janine shrugged, sitting on the couch and propping her feet on the coffee table. "It shows that there's a similarity between us."
Stephen frowned, lowering his defences. "What would that be?"
"Both of our desires are going for each other," replied Janine, leaning back in the cushions and picking up a magazine, flipping through it casually.
Stephen nodded. "It's obvious she loves him, isn't it?"
"Sorry, Stephen. That's the way it goes."
"Are you taking it that easily?"
Janine shrugged. "Plenty more fish in the sea."
"Uh huh."
She made dangerous eye contact with him. "It doesn't bother me!" she declared, standing to her feet and smacking the magazine on the couch. With that, she stomped from the room.
"Where are you going NOW?" Stephen called after her.
"To take a shower! And don't follow me!"
Her brother snorted. "Who would want to see YOU in the shower?" Stephen grumbled, turning on his heel and going in the direction of the kitchen.
It bothers both of us. How we can't...have either Haruhi...nor Tamaki.
Ehh, this was a bit rushed. My laptop was about to die and I was typing furiously heh heh. And don't get confused that Stephen and Janine know that Haruhi's a girl, they figured it out in the second chapter or so, by the way...
Remember, the review button DOES exist. Like, omigosh!
-KuroHinote -smile-
