Chapter 10. The Magnificent Mall
The last week of school breezed by faster than the students expected. Of course, they had to deal with the frightening final exams, which terrorized them in their sleep (some students were affected more than others). Suna was the only student who didn't look like a zombie the entire week. On the other hand, Osamu was greatly affected. Before taking their math exam, Osamu recounted his terrifying nightmare of drowning in a sea of exams that all had huge, fat, red "Fs" written on them. He had jumped onto his desk howling, "Burn the exams! BURN THEM, or else they'll be the death of us all!", while waving his arms around like a crazed madman. The room erupted with anguished screams of terror. The majority of the students clung tightly onto the person next to them or hid under their desk. Ryuu and Takeo panicked and dashed out of the room as fast as they could, but before they did, they grabbed Suna (despite his protests) and carried him away to "safety" from the deadly exams. The poor math teacher was left with a room full of bawling, upset teenagers. She had the troublesome task of escorting sleep deprived, delirious Osamu to the nurse's office and calming down the class.
After the exams, the high school students were left with three days to relax and relish the last days of school before summer vacation. The professors allowed the students to talk and go onto their phones during class. The students quickly recovered and everything began to return back to normal.
On the last day of school, hollers of joy could be heard from all around the moment the final bell rang. The students flooded the hallways cheering and chattering noisily amongst themselves. The only reason why Suna and Ryuu didn't get lost in the crowd was because they followed Takeo out of the building, it was hard to miss the giant towering over everybody.
When the three walked home, Ryuu slung his arm over Suna's shoulder. He looked over at Suna and searched his face for any objections. Suna didn't appear to mind, the only expression Ryuu could discern was nonchalance (as usual). That was enough to bring a smile to Ryuu's face.
Takeo was humming happily to himself and gave a thumbs up to Ryuu, who saluted in return with a large grin on his face.
When the three high school students reached their apartment complex, Takeo took it as his cue to leave his two friends. Before he went into his apartment, he turned around and looked at Suna and Ryuu.
"Suna, Ryuu! Yamoto told me that she and her friends want to go the beach next Saturday! Do you guys want to come?" asked Takeo, with his hand already clasped around the doorknob of his apartment.
"Sure," replied Ryuu, turning to Suna, "Are you alright with that?" he asked Suna, waiting expectantly for Suna's answer.
"It's fine," Suna shrugged, knowing that even if he didn't want to go, Yamoto's friends would complain, and Takeo would force him to come.
"Great!" grunted Takeo, nodding with a smile and waving before he closed the door behind him.
Suna and Ryuu were left alone in the hallway.
"So... Suna, I was wondering if you'd be alright with going out with me tomorrow?" asked Ryuu, glancing anxiously at Suna.
Suna stared at Ryuu for a few seconds, a bit shocked that Ryuu had asked him that out of the blue.
"I don't mind, school is over so I'll have plenty of time," answered Suna, looking up at Ryuu.
"Really? Awesome! I was planning on going to the mall and then going a boat ride! Is that too much?" Ryuu scratched the back of his neck, blushing a little.
"Like I said, I have a lot of time, so it shouldn't be a problem," responded Suna, noticing that Ryuu's ears were turning bright red.
"Yoshi! I'll see you tomorrow then, Suna. Later!" Ryuu said, waving and running towards his apartment door.
Suna waved back, watching Ryuu disappear behind his door.
In the morning, to Ai and Oda's surprise, they found Suna preparing breakfast for the three of them (Suna's mother had gone out to visit their father).
"Oi, Suna, you know that you don't have school anymore, do you?" asked Ai, pulling out one of the chairs and sitting down.
"Yes, I know," replied Suna, not bothering to turn around and look at Ai because he was busy frying omelets.
"Then why are you up so early, little brother?" sighed Ai, sending a scowl at Oda, who had chosen to sit next to her and was giving her a sly smile.
"I have plans with a friend today," said Suna, transferring the sizzling omelet onto a clean, white plate.
"A friend?" repeated Ai, staring at her brother intently, wondering what in the world made her antisocial, quiet caterpillar brother "metamorphosize" into a "social butterfly".
"Hai," replied Suna, walking to the table and skillfully carrying the three plates of omelets.
"Whom is it?" inquired Ai, taking the plate from Suna's hands and looking at her brother curiously.
"Ryuu," Suna answered, taking a seat and refusing to look his sister in the eye.
Ai and Oda looked at each other briefly before Ai spoke.
"Just Ryuu? Isn't Takeo coming?" asked Ai, trying to sound casual and picking up her chopsticks.
"No," replied Suna, before murmuring, "Itadakimasu."
The two young adults followed Suna's suit, and they ate in silence. Although Ai didn't question Suna more, she exchanged curious looks with Oda throughout the breakfast.
Finally, Suna finished his breakfast and briefly muttered, "Gochisousama," excusing himself and walking over to the sink to wash his dish.
After he dried his dish and set it on the dish rack to dry, Suna walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth and walked back to his bedroom to change (aware that Ai and Oda's eyes were glued to his back the entire time). He slipped on a clean, plain, sky blue collared shirt and pair of beige khakis.
When Suna walked out, Ai and Oda noticed that the teen's normally perfect appearance looked even more flawless than before (if that was even possible).
"See you Big Sis, Oda," Suna said quietly, walking out with his hand in the pocket of his khakis.
"Oh, see you Suna," replied Ai and Oda simultaneously, blinking and glancing at each other, puzzled why they had spoken exactly at the same time.
Once Suna was outside, Ai grabbed Oda's shoulders and shook the young man furiously.
"We're following him!" she hissed, running into her room to grab her things and leaving Oda swaying and staggering around the room, trying to regain his balance.
"Hey, Suna!" Ryuu called, waving excitedly and smiling widely.
Suna turned around and walked towards Ryuu, noticing that in place of the tall teen's school uniform was a striped, cotton T-shirt and a pair of navy jeans. Ryuu looked like he had tried to take his naturally mess hair, but his silky, black strands of hair were still all over the place. Suna didn't mind, in fact, it made Ryuu's appearance more endearing.
"Morning," Suna greeted, wondering where Ryuu got all of his energy.
"So, are you ready?" asked Ryuu, pumping his fist into the air.
"Yes," Suna replied, walking alongside Ryuu and feeling the enthusiasm radiating from the tall teen (to the point where it was almost contagious).
The two strolled to the metro station, and the entire time, Ryuu was talking his head off. Suna found himself occasionally commenting on and laughing at Ryuu's stories. After they stepped off the subway, Ryuu started talking about working in the cafe after the play.
"Oh yeah, I even took a photo of Takeo and me, look!" Ryuu exclaimed, patting the backpocket of his pants and taking out his smartphone.
He handed his phone to Suna, who took it with a curious expression on his face. When Suna's eyes settled on the photo, he wasn't sure what to think. All that he knew was that the photo was the most terrifying and hilarious thing he'd seen this year.
The phone screen showed Ryuu smiling cutely while making a peace sign (looking like a pretty high school girl) and Takeo looming from behind wearing a long, braided wig, pouting his lips (which were coated with too much red lipstick), and giving a the camera thumbs up. Takeo looked like the most terrifying lunch lady on Earth.
Suna wondered what Yamoto would think if she saw Takeo dressed like that.
Suna covered his mouth, but Ryuu could see that the other teen's body was racking with laughter.
"I know, it's awesome isn't it?" grinned Ryuu (with a hint of rapture in his voice), taking his phone back from Suna.
"I'm not sure if awesome is the word... but..." Suna didn't finish his sentence, he was too busy trying to contain his laughter.
"Cute? Amazing? Stunningly beautiful?" asked Ryuu, placing his arms behind his head and sending Suna a mischievous smile, "Gorgeous, breathtaking?" continued Ryuu, stepping on the blue mat and causing the glass doors of the mall to slide open for Suna and him.
The two teens were greeted with cool, conditioned air and the cheerful chatter of the bustling shoppers.
"Don't get too full of yourself," reprimanded Suna, but it was hard to miss his small smile, which only made Ryuu's grin grow even wider.
"You know I'm just too good-looking," teased Ryuu, winking flirtatiously at Suna.
Suna just rolled his eyes and stepped onto the escalator. Ryuu followed Suna and leaned against the rail of the escalator.
"So, where do you plan on going, Mr. Handsome?" asked Suna dryly, stepping off the escalator onto the metal platform and walking to the side.
Ryuu didn't seem to notice Suna's sarcasm and pointed at the crowded entrance of a bookstore.
"It's not much, but I thought that you might like to go there," answered Ryuu, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his neck.
"OK," Suna replied, a little surprised and flattered that Ryuu had thought about what he wanted.
Suna and Ryuu made their way into the busy bookstore, looking around at the bookshelves filled with a multitude of books ranging from the genres of mystery to mythology. Suna made his way to the historical fiction section. Ryuu trailing after the intrigued teen.
The two teens didn't notice they had two "stalkers" inconspicuously spying on them.
Over by the magazine section, Ai was wearing her fashionable sunglasses and peering at her brother and Ryuu from behind the latest vogue magazine with a famous actress on the cover blowing a kiss. Next to her, Oda (who was wearing a pair of sunglasses Ai forced him to wear) was busy flipping through a magazine filled with busty women wearing bikinis and revealing outfits. He had his back faced to Suna and Ryuu and didn't appear to be paying any attention to the teens like Ai was.
"Oda, what do you think?" asked Ai, nudging the young man with her elbow, who appeared to be extremely engrossed in his "special magazine".
"Huh?" Oda sighed nonchalantly, not looking away from a photo of a model laying on a bed in a suggestive position while smiling coyly.
"You pervert! Stop reading those gross magazines!" Ai snapped, whacking Oda on the head with her vogue magazine, earning a small yelp from the young man.
"Fine..." Oda muttered, reluctantly putting away the magazine he was holding and reaching for another magazine that had shirtless, muscular men on the cover.
Ai groaned in exasperation and grabbed Oda's wrist, dragging the protesting man away from his beloved magazines.
"Ai, wait! That one has Kawaguchi on the cover!" complained Oda, trying to reach for the magazine with the half-naked male model even as Ai hauled him out of the store.
"Shut up, you're making a scene," Ai hissed, tightening her grip on Oda and stalking away with him. Her high-heels clicked against the wooden floor while Oda's dress shoes scraped against the polished boards as he was pulled by the shirt outside. The majority of the bookstore shoppers' heads turned in the direction of the two adults, and a few teenagers and kids giggled.
Ai finally let go of Oda's red button up shirt when they were in front of a wooden bench facing the entrance of the bookstore.
"Jeez, you really are too much," sighed Ai, plopping down on the bench and crossing her arms and legs.
Oda just looked at Ai with a slightly sulky face.
"But that was so mean, Ai! You could have at least let me look through Kawaguchi-" Oda's whining was interrupted by Ai, who waved her hand dismissively.
"Anyways, did you manage to catch a glimpse of Suna and Ryuu?" asked Ai impatiently, looked up at Oda expectantly.
Oda stared at Ai blankly (from behind his glasses) before laughing sheepishly.
"Oh, I... haha... uh..." he chuckled awkwardly, cursing himself for neglecting his task of observing the two teens.
"Oda," Ai said, raising her voice slightly, causing the young man to shift uneasily (Oda could sense the imminent danger of Ai losing her temper... which was not something he wanted to happen).
"OK, OK! Give me a few minutes! I'll watch them for a bit, and see if I can sense anything," pacified Oda, rushing towards the bookstore and leaving Ai alone, sitting on the bench fuming quietly.
After a few minutes, Oda emerged from the bookstore and walked towards Ai, taking a seat next to her.
"So, what did you see?" inquired Ai, peering over at Oda anxiously.
"They seem to both like each other," stated Oda, looking over at Ai with his hands casually clasped together in his lap.
"Like... in a friendly way?" asked Ai, leaning closer to Oda with her hands clasping her kneecaps.
"Ai, you know what I mean," replied Oda, stretching his arms into the air and letting out an airy sigh.
"Eh?" Ai uttered, dumbstruck.
She continued to stare at Oda from behind her sunglasses. Finally, after a few moments of silence, Ai spoke.
"Haha, very funny Oda," Ai said, forcing a little laugh and sneaking a glance over at Oda to see if the young man was joking.
"Ai, I know what I saw," asserted Oda, turning towards the young woman, who stopped mid-laugh.
Ai went quiet and Oda watched her curiously. Suddenly, the young woman let out a small breath.
"But... Suna's never been attracted to anybody before," began Ai, sounding rather confused, "And he's never shown an interest in boys or girls. From elementary school up until now..." she trailed off, staring at the bustling entrance of the bookstore in contemplation.
"Sometimes someone may find whom they're meant for, but others may not be that lucky," murmured Oda, resting his cheek in his hand and staring at the ice cream stand, "And sometimes the person they like is already taken," Oda added quietly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ai asked in a low voice, glaring at Oda menacingly.
Oda didn't make eye contact with Ai as he stood up and started walking towards the ice cream stand.
"Oh, nothing," Oda replied airily, turning around and smiling innocently at Ai (if his sunglasses were off, someone could see that Oda wore a slightly sad expression), "Anyways, let's go get some ice cream!" Oda said in an overly cheery voice, trying to cover up that he was feeling a bit down.
Ai sighed and stood up, following Oda reluctantly.
Review Replies
Frostyfirea: Thank you for your feedback, I felt really relieved to know that Suna wasn't too out of character. At times, he's a challenging character for me to write since in the anime, he hasn't encountered someone he likes (so I can't predict how he's going to act under certain circumstances). Like Takeo said in the first... or was the second episode? Maybe it was the third? Ah, sorry, I'm getting off topic. Takeo told Suna that he was "hard to read", which he can be at times.
This week (when I had some free time), I tried looking up some yaoi anime. I ended up finding one that I really liked, and it was called Be Boy Kindnapp'n Idol. It was so cheesy, but it was pretty cute (sadly, it only had one episode). It was also the only teen-friendly yaoi anime I found. If I wasn't already tainted, I probably would have been scarred by the other yaoi anime I tried watching. I really wish that there was more yaoi anime (that's teen friendly)...
a-faux-pas: Wow, thank you! I literally floated into the sky (out of sheer happiness) when I read your review! I'm glad that you like Ryuu and think that this fanfiction is funny. Most of the time when I try to be funny, I end up laughing harder at my jokes than the people around me (I just realized how conceited that seems). I'm an interesting person, but then again, everyone's interesting in their own way. Like Takeo. Takeo is awesome!
A/N August 6, 2015
Hey guys, sorry for the long wait and the short chapter. It was supposed to be longer, but thanks to my computer, I lost a portion of this chapter. I am not happy. I need to remind myself to save my work every three to five minutes... Gah! Twenty minutes of writing. Gone. All gone. I felt like chucking my computer out the window, but I refrained myself and ended up punching the air like a mantis shrimp (sorry for the weird simile... if you look up facts about mantis shrimp, you'll understand why I chose to say that). Stupid, stupid, stupid. In the end, I decided that it would be best to include the boat ride and the other major scene that I'm was planning in the next chapter. Anyways, sorry for the rant. And again, I must apologize for the typos (I'll proofread this chapter again tonight to pick out what I can find).
I also want to mention that I finished my Chem final today. Oh-my-gosh-I-am-so-happy. I no longer have to worry about Chemistry for the rest of the summer (sadly there is only a week left of my "summer"). Now, I can actually do the things I want to do like... like... I don't know, draw, play tennis, continue writing this fanfiction, watching anime (one episode a day does not satisfy my cravings...).
I talk too much. I think that I should stop writing the author's note and get some sleep. This is what a week's worth of Chem torture has done to me. Hope you guys have an awesome, relaxing week ahead of you.
Thank you so much for reading,
-ShootingStar103