(is in a rather good mood) I got my calculus term test mark, I'm happy with my 93 (although I was aiming for 95), so in my giddiness I'm posting this one up. I've the next two themes written up, and if my biology final and chemistry term test go well, I'll get 011 up ASAP. Until then, have a dosage of fluff. (I seem to be writing fluff for the past few themes, hmm, something's wrong...)
010 – wind chimes
By – Hime no Ichigo
Written for 100(underscore)wangsts, a LJ community/writing challenge. This is theme 010.
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: 'Atemu'/Yuugi
Story Type: Drabble/one-shot
Summary: Atemu, the exchange student who stayed with the Motous last year, is back for summer vacation. He finally gets the chance to visit one of the famous Japanese shrines with Yuugi, and he's in for a bit of a surprise.
Disclaimer: Yuugiou does not belong to me.
Spoilers: None. AU.
Warnings/Notes: Fluff. Sort of an exchange student fic set in August plus major time lapse towards the end; it's going to be a little choppy (a lot of little scenes) since this would be mega-long if I wrote out everything...as if it's not already (for a 'drabble', that is).
--
"Atemu, it's great to have you back with us."
"I am honoured to receive your hospitality again, Motou-sa—Grandfather," Atemu amended when he caught the elder's stern eyes, bowing low, adjusting to the Japanese custom.
"Really, Atemu there is no need to be so formal," he responded, amused.
He hesitated, knowing that Sugoroku did keep his best interests at heart and wouldn't say it unless he meant it... "All right, Grandfather."
"Yuugi will be happy to see you," the old man commented offhandedly, grinning as he noticed a small blush colour the other's face.
"Will he?" Atemu asked, embarrassed. "Where is he?" He craned his neck, as if expecting Yuugi to be hiding in a corner, planning to surprise-jump-attack him.
"He'll be home soon, I think—"
"Atemu-kun!"
He wheeled around just in time to see a ball of multi-coloured hair ram into his middle; he failed to notice the chime of bells that hung over the Game Shop's door as air rushed out of his lungs, body stumbling. It was a miracle neither of them tumbled on to the ground. Hearing a small giggle, he smiled; this young man was too energetic for his own good.
"I'm sorry I couldn't go to the airport and pick you up, it's the last day of school before break and the teacher kept us and warned us that we shouldn't leave our assignments to the last minute even though she knows everyone will procrastinate anyways—"
"Whoa, Yuugi, slow down," he chuckled. "I see you haven't changed much."
Yuugi pouted. "Are you insinuating I'm short?"
"No, I meant the behaviour. But now that you mention it..."
"Grandpa, he's making fun of me again!"
Sugoroku laughed at their antics. No, things haven't changed. He watched his grandson and the Egyptian teen walk out, chattering away and struggling up the stairs with two pieces of luggage. It had been eight months since Atemu was here, on a student exchange program from October to December during the final year of high school; Yuugi had volunteered to play host, and he didn't have any complaints. The house seemed less dull (not that it wasn't bright enough already) when Atemu was around.
Yes, they had a lot of catching up to do.
--
"Atemu-kun, do you want to go to the shrine tomorrow? Last time you were here you said you wanted to see it but the weather wasn't being too co-operative..."
Atemu, who was lying back lazily on the bed Sugoroku had already set up for his arrival in Yuugi's room, nodded, and propped himself up with an arm to see what the other was doing. "I've been looking forward to that. Even if you haven't brought it up I would've asked," he winked.
Yuugi giggled. "Do you want to wear a yukata, or go in your regular clothes?"
"What are you going in?"
"It's rude to ask a question in response to a question," Yuugi's eyes flashed playfully. "I suppose I'll go in a yukata...it's somewhere in my closet." He looked hopelessly at it. "If I can find it first, that is."
Atemu laughed. "Well, tell me if you find it. I think I'll go in my regular clothes though, I'd look too awkward in it..."
--
"Yuugi, are you ready?"
"Just a minute!"
Atemu stood by the front door, decked out in casual wear: a loose-fitting T-shirt and a pair of khakis. Sugoroku poked his head out, and noting the growing impatience in the young teen, he laughed. "Atemu, you've got to be more patient. Yuugi usually takes a long time putting on his yukata."
"I know, I guess I'm just too excited—"
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Yuugi half-ran down the stairs, bare feet slapping against the wooden floor. "Grandpa, I can't find my zori sandals!"
Sugoroku chuckled and headed to the shoes cabinet, but Atemu felt immobilized. He felt his jaw drop a little.
The yukata, while somewhat loose-fitting, hugged the teen's body quite snugly. Decked out in white fabric with pastel splashes of blue and green, Yuugi looked like spring. The good side—not the constant rain or the overwhelming humidity, but the blooming earth that promised beauty.
He suddenly flushed as he caught himself associating his friend with beauty.
--
Atemu blinked, trying to rid his eyes of the sleepiness that had befallen him during the uneventful train ride. Well, as uneventful as it could be; before he dozed off, he had noticed that Yuugi and him were on the receiving end of some rather interesting stares. Yuugi had blushed lightly when people pointedly looked at them (more specifically at Yuugi, and hell! They even stopped doing—whatever they were doing—to gape – that action alone inexplicably flared Atemu's immediate urge to gouge their eyes out), but Yuugi didn't elaborate on it. He made a mental note to himself to ask about that later.
"C'mon, Atemu-kun, we'd better hurry if you don't want a whole crowd jostling you around like a stuffed doll when we're in there."
He nodded, picked up his pace a bit, and after a few moments of silence he found themselves shadowed by the temple's pillars ('The Torii gates,' he remembered Yuugi telling him the day before). He gawked at the towering structure. Yuugi laughed at his friend's expression; tugging on the other's hand, he led them deeper down the path, where it was lined with trees along the side.
"Wow," Atemu breathed, afraid that speaking any louder than a whisper would break the comfortable silence that surrounded the area. "It's so...beautiful here." His head kept swinging from left to right, absorbing all the new things.
Yuugi nodded, not saying a word, and simply basked in the presence of his friend and the tranquility as they continued walking.
--
"So what'd you write on your wooden plaque?"
Atemu tapped him gently on the nose. "Weren't you the one who told me that if I told someone my wish, it won't come true?"
"If I can understand hieroglyphics, then I wouldn't have to ask," he pouted.
Atemu laughed and tapped him on the nose again. "Patience, my young friend; I'll tell you once the wish has been fulfilled."
Atemu had wanted to explore every last inch of the Shrine, and by the time he deemed the experience wholly satisfying by drowning in Japanese culture, the sun was already in the west, preparing for its descent.
The two strolled quietly along the path, different from the one they walked on in the morning. The leaves rustled a bit as the evening wind came by and visited the city.
"Atemu-kun, let's go visit the souvenir shop," Yuugi suggested, breaking the silence. "There's one up ahead, I want to get something."
"But we've already bought a lot of charms," Atemu reminded him. His pocket was full of differently coloured pouches Yuugi insisted he should have (he felt a little guilty about Yuugi paying, but the younger had brushed it off, saying since he didn't visit Japan that often, this was the least he could do). Each represented something different, Yuugi had explained while holding up a purple sac; that particular one stood for health.
"I know, but they sell different things at the souvenir shop. Can we take a look, please? I promise it won't take long."
Atemu smiled. "I don't think I can complain about taking too long, after you've put up with me for the whole day looking at the Shrine."
Yuugi grinned, face lighting up with delight. "I never get tired of going to the Shrine," he said, "it's good to come here once in a while; it's a peaceful sanctuary for hectic urban life."
Atemu nodded, silently agreeing. 'Especially when it's just the two of us...'
The shop came slowly into view around a bend, and Yuugi picked up his pace a bit, hand accidentally brushing past Atemu's in his haste. If Yuugi had felt it, then he said nothing of it; Atemu, however, had pink dashed across his cheeks again.
"Atemu-kun," he called back, waving his arm, "hurry up!"
--
"Isn't this pretty?" Yuugi asked, eyes twinkling with interest. "Ooh, they even have matching ones! Let's get a pair, Atemu-kun."
The older teen stared at the chimes Yuugi held. They looked unusual, even for wind chimes.
"They look like nothing I've seen before," Atemu observed, peering over Yuugi's shoulder for a closer look. "It looks like it's broken."
"Well, they do sell more unique things here." Turning around, Yuugi was surprised to find Atemu's face so close to his own. "Eh..."
"Sorry," Atemu said quickly, leaning back. "The sun's about to set," he hastily guided the conversation to a more general topic. "Shall we go home now?"
Yuugi nodded and headed over to the counter to pay for his purchases; Atemu stood where he left him, heart thumping louder than it normally should have.
--
"This is for you, Atemu-kun," Yuugi mumbled shyly, handing over a well-packaged box. "I hope you like it and that you've enjoyed your stay."
"Of course I did," Atemu reached down and pulled the smaller in for a bear hug. "Thanks for the great time this summer, I won't forget it."
Yuugi returned the hug just as tightly. "I won't either. You'll come back and visit, won't you?"
Nodding, Atemu pulled back and tapped Yuugi on the nose for the last time before he entered the gate to check-in.
"Thank you, Grandfather," Atemu turned to Sugoroku, gratitude shining in his eyes.
"You're always welcome, Atemu. Come back again when you have time."
"I will, and thank you for the invitation," he smiled warmly at the dear old man. He turned back to the other teen again, "I'll be in touch with you, Yuugi."
Smiling and hugging his friend once more, he whispered, "Don't you dare forget to do that; and don't open that until you're home."
--
Atemu shifted in his window-seat, waiting for the rest of the passengers to fill up the plane and hoping he'd get the whole row of seats to himself. There was still another fifteen minutes until take-off, and he was so sorely tempted to open the package—now laying quite innocently in his lap—Yuugi gave him an hour ago.
Ignoring what the younger had threatened about opening it before he arrived at Egypt, he began to painstakingly peel off the tape as to not ruin the wrapping paper.
Inside the box nestled the uncommon wind chime Yuugi bought at the Shrine. Spotting a slip of paper, he took it out and read it.
"Hey, Atemu-kun," he read. "Remember this wind chime? I have the black half of it. I hope that the white half will serve as a reminder of your summer vacation this year, and the times we spent together. I'll never forget them. Oh, and there should be another piece of paper in the box; I don't know if you should expect a lot from it, but it's short and to the point. Hope to hear from you soon! Love from Yuugi.
P.S. Why am I getting the feeling that you'll read this before take-off? Cheater."
Bubbling with happiness and smirking at how well Yuugi knew him, he rummaged inside the box again, feeling around for said object.
"Yin and Yang," Atemu slowly translated the kanji. "Two halves of a whole."
A grin spread across his face, joy travelling down his spine and through his body. 'Oh, the wind chime will definitely remind me of my time here. Especially you, Yuugi.'
- Owari -
Story Word Count: 1,921
Authoress Notes: (keels over) This can actually be a fic by itself, given its word count.
I borrowed the layout of Meiji Jingu of Tokyo (Harajuku), Japan for this fic, simply because I've visited it recently and it's still fresh on my mind.
A yukata ('summer kimono') is a piece of Japanese clothing, literally a "bath robe" that is normally worn during the summer/hot seasons. The frequency of males wearing them is just significantly lower than that of females.
During my vacation I saw girls in a yukata accompanying men...just thought I'd slip that in, since – (coughs) – Yuugi can technically pass off as a girl and thus acts like an 'escort' to the gu—Yuugi, put that knife away! (runs as Yuugi chases and screams "The girl AGAIN?!")
Kouichi: ...oi, she's not done with the notes yet, Yuugi! ...never mind, they're too far away to hear me now. Anyway, Kaoru tried looking up the summer vacation months for Egyptian students, but she has (predictably) failed. So she stole her high school calendar. If anyone knows the specifics, can you drop us a note please? And I think that's it now, we've rambled on for long enough, and...you'll see if Kaoru's still alive by the next time she updates.
posted 12/07/07