Chapter 10:Jealousy
"(Jealousy)It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on."
Othello, act 3 scene 3
Ryozanpaku
It was a tranquil morning at Ryozanpaku yet she felt no peace in her heart. Sleep had not come easy to her as images of the day's events flashed disturbingly through her usually calm mind whenever she tried to will herself to sleep. She had managed to finally fall into an uneasy slumber after several was glad that her experienced grandfather was finally back at home from his mission and she could finally seek for his advice for her troubled heart.
Miu could distinctly recall her feelings when she saw Kenichi falling off the roof and nearly plunging to his death.
It was as if her heart had stopped beating and for once, she had hoped desperately that she was swift enough to save him from that fate. The thought of not seeing him scratch his head in that embarrassing manner or enjoying his companionship ripped her heart to pieces. It was just something she could not bear to think about and she had never feel more relieved when she had his head nestled firmly in her lap after she had managed to grab his arm and pulled him up. It was only then did she begin breathing again.
Elder was rather concern when he realised that his granddaughter looked rather troubled. He greeted his granddaughter and invited her to sit while he waited patiently for her to share her concerns with him. Despite being very busy,Elder loved his granddaughter and would do anything for her since she was the only living family member that mattered.
"Is something wrong?" He asked tenderly as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. If he did not guess wrongly, it would probably be about Ken-chan. There was something about him that would change others.
"Grandpa, I can't help feeling shaken over something that happened yesterday. For once, I feel so… so helpless and scared. I can't imagine what would happen to Kenichi if I wasn't quick enough." Miu sobbed as tears began to well in her large blue eyes.
"You were, Miu-chan." He answered in a soothing voice as he stroked his granddaughter's head tenderly. "It is normal that you feel troubled that you felt helpless because you don't want to lose someone."
"Grandpa is so strong to the point of being invincible and experienced. I never had to worry about losing you .Kenichi is so…" Miu trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. It is true that he had always overworked to the point of death everyday but he was always in safe hands. The prospects of someone being fallible did not incur in her mind until yesterday when he could have fallen to his death.
"What you can do is to help him grow stronger and cherish every moment you spend with him. If it is the time to go, no one can take him away from the clutches of death." Elder added softly. For once he looked every bit like an old man who was burdened by age. "We shouldn't fear death. We should always look forward in making full use of each day."
"Yes, grandfather." She nodded as she stood up. It was getting late and she was suppose to be in school. Elder smiled affectionately as he stroked his long granddaughter was strong despite being so young.
Ken-chan did indeed change his detached granddaughter when he became her friend.
Elder was always afraid that because she was always alone with him in his mission around the world, she had lost the ability to communicate with people on the emotional level. Apparently, just merely being with the young man had changed that.
School, along the corridors, morning
"Did you hear what happened this morning?" Several female school mates were talking to each other at the corridors.
Having a good supernatural keen sense of hearing, Miu could listen to every word even though they were whispering.
"Is it about Hiro and Sakura?"
She had been listening to these two names popping up in every conversation that the students were having since she had entered school. The saviour had been painted in such glowing terms that it was making her curious about the identity. She decided she had to satisfy her inquisitiveness and had paid closer attentions to the conversation from a discreet distance.
"I didn't think he would be so brave and strong to deal with those gangsters when they had cornered them. Most people would just pretend they didn't see anything since it is Ragnarok."
"He has always been quiet. I guess that is the reason why we overlooked him. He is actually quite good-looking…"
"And sweet and polite, unlike some of the other guys who think that the world revolves around them."
"I spoke to Shirahama before and he was so polite to me then…"
Finally, she understood what had taken place in the morning. Two girls were saved by a guy by the surname of Shirahama from Ragnarok and they, like the other females, had a crush on this guy.
"He politely asked me to call me by his name Kenichi." The speaker had blushed.
Miu had recognised her as the person who had said that he was rather attractive.
Irritation could be seen on her face when she finally made the connection that the guy the girls in the school had been painting a glowing picture about was her good friend Kenichi. The idea that girls admired him did not make her comfortable at all especially when she was feeling so troubled about him. She hurried into her classroom to checked on him, hoping for his sake he was all alone instead with another girl.
Classroom
Kenichi was sitting in the classroom, reading a book on horticulture when he felt the hair on the back of his neck standing as if he was in danger. Glancing around, he saw nothing that was life-threatening and was confused.
His sixth sense had never failed him.
Rubbing his neck so that he could generate some warmth to soothe the hairs on his neck, Kenichi stood up and prepared to leave when Izumi had come to speak to him.
"Good morning, Izumi. How are you?"Kenichi asked gently as he searched his friend's face. He was immediately send back to Ryozanpaku and did not have the chance to check on her. He was glad that she looked quite fine. He would never forgive himself if she was not.
Kenichi was caught stunned when the meek girl threw herself into his arms as she sobbed hysterically onto his shirt. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, causing their bodies to be entwined intimately together.
Being unsure about the right protocol of a gentleman for such situations, he was debating internally about where he should placed his hands and he finally, reluctantly settled on placing his arms on her back to assure the weeping girl.
The classroom was deserted once again by the other classmates discreetly as they gave them a private moment because they misunderstood the whole situation.
"Izumi, I'm fine." He assured with a light laugh as his onyx eyes shone with life.
"You were indisposed for the rest of the day. I didn't know what had happened to you when you came to save me." Izumi sobbed as she held onto him tightly.
"I am fine." Kenichi added gently as his face turned red with embarrassment. "It's my fault that they have caught you in the first place. You don't have to be upset." He comforted as he smiled in hope of cheering the girl up.
"Ragnarok , they aren't compassionate. I don't know what they have done to you. I was afraid you were hurt." Izumi added tearfully.
Before he could make a suitable response, he was distracted by a strong killing intent radiating from a source behind him. Kenichi turned his head around sharply and was faced with an enraged Miu.
Oh no!
"Kenichi, if you want to comfort your girlfriend, don't do it at the entrance of the classroom where you will not block others from entering it." She growled as she shot a glare in his direction.
He immediately dropped his arms to his side. "Miu-san, you're mistaken. Izumi isn't my girlfriend." Kenichi protested as he approached his enraged good friend. Izumi was surprised by his sudden action and paid closer attention to them.
Kenichi was absolutely desperate in trying to persuade her at the cost of his life as Miu glared at him with those intense cobalt eyes. She could feel chills going down her spine when she looked at Miu. Her sixth sense had gone ballistic and was warning her of this dangerous yet seemingly normal girl. Izumi took several steps back sub-consciously as she watched Kenichi moving even closer to the blonde.
It was obvious to all bystanders that Kenichi had eyes for no other but the girl he was trying to persuade. Miu stomped into the classroom to her seat, Kenichi had followed and tried to emphasize on the point that they were just friends. The stark truth was staring plainly at Izumi, she could never complete for his attentions because he had fixed his eyes on his good friend, Furinjin Miu.
Unable to bear the sight any longer, she turned around and left the classroom, leaving the two good friends alone.
"Miu-san." Kenichi tried again. "I was just comforting a friend."He drew his hand through his hair with great frustration since he did not know how to appease his friend.
"You had your arms around her." She sniffed. She had folded her arms stiffly and was not looking at him.
"She was crying and she had hugged me. Well, I thought I was supposed to put my arms around her to comfort her."Kenichi argued as he scratched his head in a nervous manner. He did not know if that was the way to comfort a girl. It was merely a platonic gesture of a friend.
"The Ragnarok had her yesterday. They placed a note on my table along with a book that belonged to her. Izumi was afraid that something could have happened to me because I rescued her." Kenichi scratched his head even more furiously.
There was silence.
Kenichi was staring intently at her, hoping to understand how she was feeling as she looked away from him.
"I was afraid that I was too late to save you." Miu said softly. Her voice was soft with trace of pain and anguish and it made his heart ached. Her petite frame was stiff and she had her back facing him so he could not see the emotions on her face but he could tell that she must have been crying.
Kenichi did not know the words to say to soothe her pain as he felt the ache tearing his own heart. He did something that he would never do in any normal circumstances because she would have injured him severely. He felt a strange quiet strength within him that helped him make the next decision. Kenichi tenderly embraced her from the back, wrapping his arms around her small waist gently as he held her close to him. He felt her stiffened and closed his eyes for the throw that she always did when anyone came too close to her from her back but it never came. To his astonishment, Miu had turned into his embrace and cried softly as he gently rubbed her back comfortingly.
Kenichi understood the pain. It was unbearable trying to imagine if he was just a second late to save his good friend from death and he felt the same quiet strength washing over him as he drew her closer to him.
"Hush, Miu. You were in time to save me. I am fine." Kenichi cooed softly as he held her as close to him. Inwardly, he felt surprised that he was calm enough to speak of his close shave with death. Kenichi, before meeting Miu, could not. "I promise I will train harder so that you wouldn't catch me in this fix." He smiled as he gently caressed her soft blonde hair.
Miu cried for a while in his embrace, comforted by the strength and the security of being in his arms, she finally stopped. Miu was reluctant to give up the peace she felt while being held in his arms as she listened to the comforting and strong heartbeat. Grandpa might be towering and powerful but he could not provide her with the same resemblance of warmth that she was feeling just being held by her good friend. Kenichi had said nothing as he enjoyed the serenity of the moment.
They had enjoyed each other presence for a while until Miu decided to ask some questions.
"Did you save a pair of girls today from Ragnarok?" Miu asked, thus breaking the comfortable silence they were sharing. She had moved away from him despite the fact that she enjoyed it. They had to keep a sort of respectable distance.
Kenichi blushed red and moved away from her.
"Yes." He stuttered as he scratched his head in the usual way. Miu had chuckled seeing how endearing he looked whenever he did that out of embarrassment or nervousness. It had made him blushed deeper. "It's something I should do isn't it? I can't let them be bullied." He answered. It was something he knew she would not hesitant to do since she had always jumped into the defence of the weak.
"Are you really Shirahama Kenichi?" Miu asked as she laughed lightly.
He turned even redder when she teased him. "Miu, that is not really very nice." He retorted as he grumbled to himself.
"A lot of girls were talking about you today. Apparently, you are quite popular with the girls." She smiled as her azure eyes shone with mischief. She was rewarded by a deep blush. She was surprised that he could blush redder than before as she returned to her seat. Revenge was sweet; she chuckled inwardly seeing her good friend blushing furiously red.
"Great, Miu-san." He answered weakly. Suddenly a thought came into his mind.
"Was that the reason why you were really angry? You think I decided to come to school early so that I can meet up with girls when you saw me and Izumi alone?"He asked as he looked at his best friend. She had ignored him but the blush on her face answered it all.
Talking about Izumi, where is Izumi anyway?
"You know your fears are unfounded? I was alone in the classroom for an hour until Izumi looked for me. After a few moments, you walked in on that scene."He added firmly as he sat at his place.
He will never understand girls.
School, near the side buildings
The lessons had finally ended and Miu had left for her rhythmic gymnastics. He was walking away from the garden beds around the sides of the school when he met a certain cheery blue hair guy. He was grinning broadly when he had finally found his new good friend.
"Hi, Kenichi." He smiled as he waved at him. Kenichi was glad that he looked better than the last time he had saw him. The memory of Takeda looking as if he was going to die any moment made him cringed inwardly.
"I've joined the boxing club. Akisame thinks it is alright to box but I still have to go back for treatment." The happiness in his eyes faded at the word "treatment" but soon he was grinning away as usual when he talked about the boxing club.
"Where is honey?" He asked curiously as he walked along with Kenichi. Takeda was hoping to see her with him when he came to look for him.
"She has gym. I am thinking about spying on her." He chuckled as he scratched his head. He felt rather sheepish that he never had a chance to see how she fared at rhythmic gymnastics even though they were close friends and decided to correct that particular mistake.
"Thank you for saving me yesterday." Takeda beamed broadly. Kenichi turned to face him. With a wide smile plastered on his face, he answered him that it was his pleasure to do so. It delighted to see that Takeda no longer associated himself with Ragnarok.
"I must warn you to be cautious. Lady Kisara, the leader of the team in this area is determined to get you. She is a force to be reckoned with. I also heard that they send one of the leaders by the name of Hermit to take you in." Takeda explained.
"I'll live with it. Would turning away from Ragnarok create any problem for you?" Kenichi asked as he watched his friend for his reaction.
"Yes. We have to go through a test. No one betrays Ragnarok and still remain living." His usually cheery eyes became flat with seriousness. His expression had betrayed his fears and Kenichi could see that he did not think he would be able to survive it.
"I won't let them have you. It's because of the deal we made that I subjected you to it."Kenichi answered with great determination. It made Takeda chuckled.
"You have done so much for me. I won't have you risk your life for me again." He smiled as he clapped his back.
"I won't be much of a friend if I left you alone to deal with it. I'll key in my number into your cell phone so that you can contact me if you are ambushed. "Kenichi insisted. It was impossible to persuade Kenichi out of anything when he had set his mind on something. Takeda had finally given up and surrendered his cell phone to him.
Grinning happily, Kenichi keyed his number into his new friend's cell phone before handing it back to him.
"I know you are getting more popular but it is not good doing something unfaithful in your class when your girlfriend could walk in any moment. I am surprised that Honey was not pissed with you when she walked into it." Takeda teased as he chuckled.
"Miu and I are not dating." He stammered and blushed when he realised that they were rumoured to be together. "We weren't doing anything." He protested loudly. It was a rather funny sight to see him blushing like a tomato.
"I am shocked that both of you are not. The way both of you act around each other suggested that you are together." Takeda laughed as he watched his new friend blush a deeper shade of red. "Go see your girlfriend. I have to go to the boxing club." He smirked as he waved to him and hurried off without hearing his response.
Gymnastic Room
"That show-off. She should not be here if she was that good!"
A certain raven hair girl grumbled as she stared at something in the centre of the room. Her tone was thick with malice. "Maybe I should pull a prank on her?" She said to herself as she watched, unaware that someone had heard speaker had tied her black hair in a loose ponytail.
Kenichi was entering the room when he heard the girl spoke to herself. She was standing stiffly aside, with her arms folded as she stared at something in the middle of the large and spacious training room. Kenichi did not like the malice that was seeping out of her and tried to see who she was referring. Everyone had stood at a side, forming a circle around the girl, clapping and cheering for her as the person in the middle began her routine. Kenichi realised that the spiteful girl was glaring at the pretty blonde doing a perfect split in the middle.
It was Miu.
Miu was doing a perfect split effortless as she began to practice her moves. She had no idea about her jealous senior that she had apparently outshine when she had no intention to. Kenichi could not help but gaped when he watched her perform her routine gracefully .She was so breath-taking when she executed each action with amazing grace and beauty that he could only stared. Miu was talented in everything, he smiled. It was only when the senior casually flickered a stray object towards the path of his good friend did he remembered the spiteful girl that disliked Miu he had spotted standing aside.
That snake, he growled as he rushed to her help. He watched her do a full body twist in mid-air as she focused on the music and the moves, descending gracefully on a spot where the trap was laid. Kenichi knew that she did not have the time to react to prevent a nasty fall and urged himself to run faster.
He did a leapt at the last minute, in hope of catching her as he watched her decent closer to the fall.
Everyone in the room had spotted and was screaming her name.
She was just merely inches from him.
He could make it!
Kenichi had grabbed her and pulled Miu close to him as he hit the floor and skidded painfully across the room on his back as he protected Miu was his arms.
She was safe!
He felt himself stopped and had looked up to check on Miu.
"Kenichi? What-why?" She asked in surprised as she stared at him. She had propped herself up so that her face was not on his chest. Her round cobalt eyes were dull with confusion as she frowned.
Kenichi smiled when he realised that she was alright and pointed at the stray object in the middle of the room.
Miu's eyes followed the direction he was pointing to and realised that there was a round baton like thing on the floor. It was quite large and she could have injured herself if she landed on it.
Before she could make a suitable response, she heard Kenichi speak.
"Miu, I can't stand up if you are on me." Kenichi blushed as he spoke. He was looking away from her so that he wouldn't get a nose bleed or a certain reaction that would embarrass her. It was a rather suggestive posture for both of them to be in, she had end up straddling him at his waist as Kenichi lay below her. To make matters worse, she was wearing tights, highlighting her curves and wonderful body figure.
"Sorry!" She apologised quickly as she stood up and helped him up. Her team mates had hurried to help them up when they realised what had happened. They had to recover from the shock of seeing Miu was doing a move in the air at one moment, and ending on the other side of the room on the guy on the next second instead of falling really badly when they realised there was an object in her way.
There were disconcerting mixture of different feminine shouts of "Are you alright?" as her teammates rushed around her and was checking if she had hurt herself. Kenichi was still blushing until he had set his sights on something.
Suddenly, she felt a killing intent radiating strongly from him. His normally round and joyful onyx eyes had narrowed and dulled with anger as he glared. Kenichi began to walk towards the side of the training room menacingly. Miu could finally see the person who had incurred his wrath. It was her senior, the leader of the team. She was standing at the side of the room and had slowly backed towards the wall when she spotted Kenichi approaching her threateningly.
Her face was ghostly pale and she had backed herself into the wall as she stared at the incensed guy with great fear.
Miu had never seen Kenichi being so irate before and it had terrified her.
The room had become eerily silent when he was just inches away from the cowering senior.
Kenichi looked as if he would deal great damage to her.
Kenichi was now standing just inches away from the girl. He had caged her and she was sobbing in fear as she crouched on the floor.
"Do not ever hurt Miu again. I don't ever want to hear about you saying or doing mean things about and to her out of spite." He growled as he kneeled down so that her face was merely inches away from him. He was staring straight into her eyes when he had spoken softly. The threat was evident in his eyes and she hurriedly nodded her head in fear.
"Apologise to her now." He whispered emotionlessly as he stood up.
The senior scurried quickly away from him at his command and ran to Miu.
"I am sorry for nearly hurting you because of my jealousy. I won't do or say anything mean about you anymore." She apologised as she bowed deeply. Everyone had gasped when they realised that the leader had sabotaged Miu because of her resentment.
"It's alright. I'm not hurt." Miu tried to defuse the whole situation by using a lighter tone as she smiled weakly at her senior and her team mates. They had began to whispered furiously among each other as the leader tried to explain to them. It had made the whole situation worse for her. Miu was too concern about the aftermath of the relevation but rather a certain guy walking towards her.
She could see that his anger had died down slightly but he was still furious.
"Kenichi-san, I am really alright." Miu smiled weakly as she held his arm and led him out of the training room.
Onyx eyes met the smiling round blue orbs throughout the silent journey out and the one with onyx eyes relented.
"I won't let anyone hurt you." He spoke tenderly as his onyx eyes shone with gentleness. "I won't have her insulting you or hurting you because you are so much better than her." He growled as he shot an occasionally stare at the senior inside the training room. He knew how hurt she was when her school was filled with people like that senior. He did not want her to go through the same pain when he could stop it.
His protectiveness left her speechless as tears began to well up in her large navy eyes. No one had defended her that way before. As tears began their way down her porcelain fair cheeks, he gently caught them by wiping them off tenderly with his thumb as he stared into his eyes. She was choked up with emotions and could not utter another word except a simple "thank you", hoping she could tell him all she had meant in those two simple words.
Kenichi had merely smiled. "Jealousy mocks the meat it preys on. I hope for her sake that she doesn't repeat the same performance again. A sheepish expression had replaced his tender expression."Before I forget, my mum has been hoping that you join us for dinner soon. When would you be free? You can coach me for all the lessons I missed that day too."
Miu smiled tenderly.
"Tomorrow? All the masters are leaving for mission tomorrow and do not require dinner. I should be free enough to join you for dinner and to tutor you too."
"Cool" Kenichi beamed brightly. He couldn't wait to tell his mother. "I really hope you don't start hitting me when you realise how slow I am."
"I think I can managed since I do all the hitting in sparring." She added.
Kenichi groaned as she reminded him that he was going to have his spar with her later that afternoon and he did not looked forward to it at all.
Somewhere in the district
"We have laid the ambush. He would not be able to run away once he walks past by here in the evening." One of the larger thugs reported his the red hair girl as she inspected the scene.
"Great. It's time for party. Ask the men to get ready for some fun." She smirked as she rubbed her fist meaningfully.
A/N: Hi eveyone. I'm actually quite tired of Izumi playing the antagonist in Miu and Kenichi's relationship, she will probably become his friend and fade into background. I think they need alot of antagonist to get them moving in the direction but it's too fast. You'll get to see the Shirahama family quite often.I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review and enjoy your week.