CHAPTER 7- PART 2
"The Festival"
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The stars in the dark sky were soon joined by splashes of colors exploding from the ground below. The whistles, cackles and boom of these miniature fire volatiles could be heard from distance away of its audience. Children were cheering at the spectacle and the adults enjoyed the show before them as they watched their children. A group of adolescents were enjoying the show too, along their loved ones. A gray-haired boy and his female companion stared at the sky in amazement on how magnificent the fireworks were, for they had never been to a firework festival in their lives. His hand was over hers as they watched. Nearby, to the side of the couple, it seemed that they had an audience of their own.
A brown-haired girl with a yellow ribbon tied at the end of her braids, watched the two closing near each other. It came to her realization that they were very close. She was sitting next to a blond-haired boy on her right side and a orange-haired boy on the left. One of them noticed that she was not paying any attention to the show in the sky.
"Oi, the show is over there, moron," the orange-haired teen said in a jokingly manner.
"Huh? Oh! Was I not looking?!" the girl panicked once she had been caught.
"What were you looking at?" he gazed at the crowd near them and saw what she was watching earlier. His face went from his normal scowl to a serious look. "I didn't know that the damn rat was interested in girls." The girl next to him didn't know if he was being serious with his two-way comment: He couldn't be interested altogether or he was really a girly man.
"I am just surprised that he finally decided that it had to stop," the girl explained her reason of looking.
"What?" the boy was baffled with the girl's words.
"Do you remember when Yuki-kun used to push away the all the girls at school who confessed to him?"
"It's not something I want to remember. It's not that I care," the boy said.
"Well, he's not running away anymore. Just like he said to me before he left…I am really happy," she smiled.
"To-ru's happy too!" The blond-haired boy caught the end of the conversation. "I am happy that Yuki's not afraid to date normal girls! That's something to admire." The boy smiled as he tilted his head to the side and sighed. Tohru and her young, blond companion exchanged their cheerfulness in their smiles and friendly closeness. However, their orange-haired companion frowned slightly at the couple.
Near the couple was another of Manabe and Asume, who were in their own moment, sitting by a tree, enjoying the show. Behind the couples was Haru, Hiro, Kisa and Asume's friends. Kisa was sitting in between her big-brother figure and her little prince. She grinned happily every time a new firework was set off. The group of girls near them, were partially enjoying the show themselves, but some of their focus were on the black and white haired guy near them.
"Do you think he works in a club or maybe he's some kind of rock star?" asked Miki.
"I don't know, why don't you ask him later?" Rina replied.
"Kyaaaa! I don't think I could do that! Yuu-chan would mind…would he?" she said with her hands on her blushing face.
"Then ask Yuu-chan, later," Rina suggested. "Speaking of Yuu-chan, it looks like he finally told her!"
"That's what I was thinking!" Noriko chimed in. "I am so happy for them! Machi-chan's one lucky girl."
"I am happy for them too, but I still want to know about that one," Miki said, glancing over at her object of affection.
"Geez, Miki-chan! You like him already! He probably has a girlfriend! Don't you ever thought about that?!" Rina questioned.
"That's why you have to ask," Noriko said. "Ask Yuu-chan. He should know."
"I suppose I have no choice…or I'll never know," Miki said with a pink face. Akira was enjoying watching others, watching the fireworks and recently noticed that her friends were talking about the black and white haired boy near her. She smiled as she watched him enjoying the show with his younger relatives.
"He seemed nice," she thought. She turned to her friends and suggested, "I will talk to him. He seems nice. I also want to learn about him too."
"And you'll steal him from me!" Mika seethed.
"Iie (No), I just want to talk to him. I don't like him like that. He just seems friendly," Akira guaranteed. "Besides, Rina-chan's probably right about him having a girlfriend and it's not because he's good looking, it's because he's really nice."
"Akira-chan's so thoughtful!" Noriko beamed. "Ne, go talk to him and tell us what he said!"
"Until the show is over, minna-san," Akira smiled.
The firework displayed ended with a huge bang (no pun intended) and the crew sat around and shared their experiences in the festival. Tohru was sharing her excitement everyone as they shared theirs with her. Haru watched them with little interest from a distance with his arms crossed. He turned away to the smoky sky with his usual expressionless face.
"Um…you are Yuu-chan's relative, ne?" Akira asked as she approached him from the crowd. She went over to Haru because he standing there alone and she wanted to talk to him. It's against her nature to leave someone out of a conversation. Little to her knowledge, Haru was not the conversational type.
"Hai," he said monotonously, without looking at the girl.
"I am surprised that Yuu-chan has such interesting relatives. My relatives were quite bland compared to his. Are you close to Yuu-chan?"
Haru turned to face her at the brink of that question. "Very."
"Like brothers?" she smiled, but nerved from the inside.
"Much more."
"Hontoni (Really)? How?"
"He's my first love," he spoke nonchalantly.
"EH?!" the girl blushed profusely as she registered the though in her head. "L-Love?" she gasped.
"Hai."
"Oh my. I didn't know…gomen for my rudeness! Sumimasen! Gomen! Gomen!" she bowed to him several times, crimson in the face.
Haru gave her blank look as he watched her apologizing profusely. "Don't apologize. It's the truth. I am not ashamed of it."
"A-Ah o-okay!" Akira sweated. "S-S-o, are you n-not jealous of M-Machi-chan?"
"Iie."
"I-It's n-not romantic l-love then?"
"Much more than that. I would do anything to be sure of his happiness. That type of love."
"Oh…OH! I get it! He must of done something for you, ne?"
"Hai."
"I think that's very generous of you," she smiled. "Now, you know that you're accomplished."
"Honda-san is the accomplished one. I just gave him a boost."
"Honda-san? Was she close to him?"
"Hai. Like family."
"That's interesting to know," she looked over at the beaming girl and her audience. "Hmm…" she thought, "Is it possible?"
"You are friends with your housekeeper? Isn't she an old woman?"
"Yuu-chan mentioned that he's best friends with his housekeeper. Is she an old woman? Or is she…Honda-san?" Akira asked.
"Bingo," Haru said, dully.
"It makes sense, though…" Akira hesitated when she saw her friends motioned her to come back.
"Oh! One more thing before I go! Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Huh?"
"A girlfriend? Do you have one?"
"I have a lover…if that's what you want to know," he spoke nonchalantly, again.
"A-Ah! That's all I need to know!" the girl sweated as she ran back to her friends. She gave the inside info of her conversation to them.
Yuki saw Akira leaving Haru with a freaked look on her face. He went over to join his relative. "Haru, what did you say to her?"
"I have a lover…if that's what she want to know," he repeated.
"Y-You told her that?" Yuki sweated. "That's not something to share with a stranger!"
"She asked. So, I gave an answer."
"How is she, by the way…Rin?" Yuki leaned on a tree nearby as he spoke to his relation.
"She's eating again, but she doesn't smile anymore." Haru looked down at his feet sadly.
"I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel so helpless."
"Being there for her is the best you could do. Don't stop what you are doing, just keep on doing it. She knows you still love her. That's all she needs."
"Arigato, Yuki. This is the reason why I love you."
"Did you tell Isira-san that too?" he nerved.
"Hai. She smiled too."
"O-Okay," Yuki sweated. He was nervous on how she interpreted it.
The group left the main grounds to depart for home. Once they reached near the entrance, they stopped to reassemble.
"Okay," Manabe informed, "Yun-Yun, you could hang with your relatives a little longer, I have to escort the girls to the garage to meet Sume's old man. Machi could stay with you, while Kimi could come along, since she want to stick with her friends a little longer."
"Kimi wants to spend more time with friends, but Kimi want to spend time with Yun-Yun too!" The girl babbled.
"Alright, call me on my phone when it's time to leave," Yuki said. He smiled at the departing group. "Today was fun, minna-san. I guess this is our final farewell."
"Aw, Yuu-chan going to leave us?" Noriko pouted.
"Actually, we're leaving him," Rina corrected. "So long, Yuu-chan! I am glad you finally told her!"
"Eh?" He looked over at the girl standing next to him, blushing. "O-Oh, arigato. Eheh." His hand settled behind his head as he blushed.
"Also, there's something Miki-chan wanted to ask you," Rina turned to her friend behind her. "Go on ask him!"
The bashful girl stepped up with a redden face. "Ano…is it true that…H-Haru-c-chan…has a…" She immediately turned back around to Rina. "I can't say it!" she screeched softly.
"Haru?" Yuki questioned.
"Haru, what did you say to her?"
"I have a lover…if that's what she wanted to know."
He put the pieces of the puzzle together. "You want to know if Haru has a girlfriend?"
"Umm…Hai!" Miki bowed and blushed.
Yuki tried to hide his chuckle by covering his mouth. "I am sorry to say, he does have someone in mind. She meant a lot to him."
"So, it's true then…I thought he wasn't serious," Miki frowned.
"That's Haru for you. You don't know when he's joking or being serious."
"Arigato, Yuu-chan! For clearing that up for me. Rina-chan was right…okay, we have to go! See ya!" Miki bowed and quickly departed and waved along with the others as they started following Manabe, Asume and Kimi to the parking garage a few blocks down. Yuki waved, but he wondered why she exited so quickly.
"She wanted to know too, huh?"
"Wha-?" Yuki turned to see Haru standing behind him. Machi was also stunned by his sudden appearance. "No wonder she left so suddenly! You were right there!"
"I am popular."
"Heh, that's something to remember," Yuki smiled. He, Haru and Machi returned with his family inside the park. The area was half-way empty, with crowds leaving. He found them seated on the benches near the entrance. Tohru was talking to Kisa and Hiro, while Momji and Kyo was sitting nearby.
"Yuki-kun! Did they leave already?" Tohru asked.
"Hai. Me and Machi could stick around longer with you all until Manabe comes back with his car."
"The longer the better," Haru said with his arm around the boy. Yuki nerved at his actions.
The longer…much better it'll be…
Suddenly, Yuki's head shot up when he saw an extra person, who was not there earlier. He could feel his heart rate increase and sweat emitting from his pores when he saw that person. "H-Honda-san," he paled.
"What's the matter, Yuki-kun? Are you not feeling well?" she asked.
"T-Take Machi away from here. Please?" he said, begging in his voice. Tohru looked him with confusion at first, then noticed why when she saw the dark figure heading their way.
"Aah!I-If you insist!" she got up from her seat and took Machi's hand and lead her away. Machi was perplexed by Yuki's request and Tohru's actions.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Yuki-kun doesn't want Kuragi-san to be involve with familial matters. He doesn't want you to get hurt."
Hurt?
Tohru lead her away from the boys and hid in a niche, near a few food stands. They hid and watched the scene ahead of them.
Yuki left the benching area to confront the one he used to fear for himself. Now, he fears for Machi and her being near. Behind him, the other two boys followed. Momiji was asked to go join the two girls along with Kisa and Hiro.
"He has the damn nerve to show up!" Haru already switched over to his dark personality. "I'll smash his face!"
"Haru, don't do anything that might fire back at us!" Kyo tried to calm him down as they followed closely behind Yuki.
"Then, you'll have to hold me back, neko!" the ox seethed.
Yuki finally ran into the feared figure along with another figure, who was his companion. One was a dark-haired person with dark clothing and the other is a light-brown haired man dressed in a blue buttoned shirt and beige pants.
"Akito! Kureno?" Yuki called. He doesn't understand why the bird was constantly seen with the family head lately.
"There you are, Yuki. I was wondering where you were," Akito spoke, while moving closer to the boy. Once he got close enough, he stared at Yuki straight in the eye. "You think you could just run away? Just running out there aimlessly? Like the idiot you are?"
"I was not running away," he spoke calmly.
"Then what do you call it? Leaving me without saying anything!"
"I left you much earlier than that. The new years party…"
"What!?"
Yuki kept his stance as the man move closer. "I will no longer return to your side. No longer I belong to you."
Akito's eyes widen as he fed Yuki's words. He realized that his grasp over his precious nezumi was no longer. A hand was raise preparing to strike the boy, but that boy was saved by an oncoming interruption.
"AKITO!" a voice bellowed from a distance. "You! I'll beat you dead!" Haru shouted and charged for Akito head on, but was stopped by Kyo, who knocked him out with a swift kick to the back of the head.
"You told me to hold you back," he warned the unconscious ox. He looked over and glared at the Sohma head. Akito returned the glare with a smirk. However, the smirk quickly faded when he realized that the one next to him was not the same useless boy he "taught" him to be
The gray-haired Sohma exhibited an inexpressive front as he faced his former fear. "I just come to say goodbye and that there are many who won't forgive you as I had, if you continue to be this way," he spoke diligently and clear for the man.
"DON'T TELL ME HOW I SHOULD BE! HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME!" Akito yelled into the boy's face, but the he didn't budge.
"If that's the way you want it, so let it be. Good night, Akito," Yuki bowed a short bow and left his fears behind.
No longer I'll think of you. No longer I'll return to you. No longer I fear you.
Kureno lead an overwhelmed Akito away from the boys as they exited the park. Yuki stared at the area of their departure. "Oi, kuso nezumi! Help me get this one up!" Kyo called as he tried to help Haru up. Yuki helped him without hesitation and lifted the ox's upper body.
"…There are many who won't forgive you as I had, if you continued to be this way…"
To forgive. I forgave all those whom I have blamed for my weakness...
…my mother…
...Hatori, for that time…
…Akito…
…but there is still one more to consider...
"Hey Kyo, if you don't mind, I'll like to use your name from here on out," Yuki announced as he helped the other boy lift the comatose one to his feet.
"What?" Kyo thought he heard things when he heard Yuki.
"It took me awhile to notice how lame it was to keep fighting like this, regardless on the fact that's how we are made. Whether you like me or not, I am going to call you 'Kyo' from here on out," the gray-haired boy stated.
"T-That…" He had a worried look on his face, for he doesn't know what to say or what to do when Yuki said that he no longer will fight him. "That means there is no more chances in fighting him now. There is no chance I could beat him anyways…" he thought
"That's your name, isn't?" Yuki pulled the neko out of his thoughts.
"What do you think?!" Kyo scowled.
"Don't tell Honda-san, okay? I don't want her to be too hopeful," Yuki smiled.
Kyo was stunned by the boy and his surprise smile. In all the years they fought, yelled and hated each other, Kyo never seen Yuki smile directly at him.
"Don't expect me to use yours. Yu-ki," Kyo spoke the boy's name with sarcasm.
The gray-haired boy laughed at his cousin's remark and helped him carry the unconscious one in to the others.
No longer I loathe you. No longer I'll fight you. No longer I'll blame you for my faults.
"Yuki-kun! Kyo-kun! Hatsuharu-san!" Tohru called when she spotted the three coming. She doesn't believe her eyes when she saw the two rivals assisting the dazed one, whose arm was hanging around the necks of the other two. "Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun are helping each other?" she thought and daunted.
"Everything's okay, Honda-san," Yuki said as he and Kyo let go of Haru, whose starting to awaken from his knock-out. "I don't think he will bother us again, after he knows what's going to happen," Tohru smiled at him, thoughtfully. He returned her smile with his own.
"Yuki!" Machi walked up to the one she feared for. "What happened? Are you okay?"
The boy put his hand on top of her head and pulled her closer. "There's nothing to worry about. It's finished. There nothing more to fear."
No longer I will fear for myself, but for the sake of others.
Soon, Manabe returned with Kimi from his forty-five minute escorting service in his car and found his other two colleges chatting amongst beautiful people at the entranceway of the park.
"Ne, Kimi-chan, do you think its peculiar that everyone in Yun-Yun's family looks like a movie star or a model perhaps?"
"Yeah! They have money too! Kimi wants to marry a Sohma!" the girl said with her sparkly aura.
"I don't think Yun-Yun would be pleased with that, heh," the boy chuckled. Manabe pulled out his cell and dialed the gray-haired boy's number.
BEEP BEEP BEEP (busy signal)
"It looks like he's talking to someone now," Manabe said while looking outside of his window to see Yuki with his cell to his ear. He signaled his sister, who spotted his car from afar. She tapped her beau on his shoulder and pointed to the black car. The boy nodded with the cell still to his ear and waved to his family. Everyone waved, except Kyo, who was very reluctant about the "new" Yuki. The boy walked to the car with his girlfriend and entered. He was still talking on his cell.
"The day after tomorrow? That sounds fine to me…I don't think I have anything planned yet…Oh, okay…alright…" the boy spoke on the phone. The other three were clueless about who was on the other end of the line. Machi stared at him with curiosity. Manabe ignored the mysterious call and started the car. He waved to Yuki's family, along with Kimi and Machi, and then departed the city.
