Disclaimer: I so want to own Soubi and Ritsuka, yet I can't. Too bad for me since they belong to Yun Koga.
A/N: This chapter is boring. I'm pretty sure some of you will agree with me, but I'm trying to prove something about Miss Shinonome and Ritsuka. And please do review. XD
Yakusoku
Chapter 11: Protective Feeling
"I need to go home," Ritsuka's one open eye wandered about the room wildly, "mother will be angry if--"
Miss Shinonome was amazed that the boy's behavior could change so drastically so quickly - one thing he was on edge and uneasy about her . . . Now he was frantic to go home due to the fact that his abusive mother was going to be angry with him.
"Aoyagi, you are in no condition to go anywhere, let me treat your wounds for you," Miss Shinonome reasoned. Despite what she said Ritsuka hastily stood up and made his way towards her front door, even though he was limping a bit he made it to the door in relative speed. "Aoyagi, you mustn't."
"I don't need your help," was his rebuttal, "I need to go."
Miss Shinonome had enough: she was going to make her point clear to the stubborn boy even if it hurt in the process.
"Don't you even dare step foot out of my house!" Surprised by her tone, Ritsuka snapped his head towards her. "You're badly injured, you need medical attention, your mother is the one that beats you, and yet . . . and yet you'd going running back to her?"
Ritsuka scowled - Miss Shinonome knew she nailed him.
"It's because I care about her . . ."
"So this has been the issue all along? It's because you have internal conflicts with your mother? Aoyagi, if this persists it's better if you leave your home, stay--"
"No, I won't leave her no matter what she does to me."
Miss Shinonome's lower lip quivered slightly, her eyes became watery and the more she tried to hold her tears in the more they wanted to fall down her face. Ritsuka noticed this so he stepped away from the door and waited for his teacher to calm down.
"Look . . ."
"It's understandable, I know I love my mother too, but sometimes you must realize that they've gone too far - what's to gain when all you receive is pain and rejection?"
She . . . She has a point . . .
Closing his eyes, Ritsuka contemplated on whether he should leave or stay. Seeing that Miss Shinonome was serious about her decision so he decided to remain; what was the point of running? He frowned when Miss Shinonome started to cry - standing there watching her spill tears made the boy uncomfortable: what was given had to be returned.
"Miss Shinonome, please don't cry," Ritsuka told her.
Wiping at her eyes furiously she tried to clear them. Ritsuka walked towards her and tried his best to look apologetic when he was feeling far from being sorry to anyone.
"Please . . . Stop crying . . ." he said again.
"I'm sorry, Aoyagi."
-----
"Where do you think you're going?" Kio asked seriously, eyebrows furrowing.
"I'm going to look for him."
"But why? The woman that showed up took him with her so I'm sure that he's fine, don't worry about it so much, Soubi."
"You don't understand, he's important to me."
He's as stubborn as ever, stupid idiot . . .
"Fine, go then, see if I care!" Kio crossed his arms and looked away from the other man - despite how much he cared about the man he always found something to hate about him. If only that annoying trait would disappear then Kio would've been happy with the way he was. "If you get hurt again don't expect me to mend you!"
"All right."
"Hmph . . ."
-----
It was the next day: a bright early morning.
"Since you're injured, Aoyagi, I suggest you stay here for a while," Miss Shinonome told him. "I'll make a absent slip for you so there is no need to worry about school, I'll even bring back with me the lesson plans I'll teach to the class today . . ."
She cares about me so much. Why?
". . . Stay here and rest, okay?"
Why is it that she's doing this for me?
"Why are you so nice to me?" Ritsuka asked stupidly. Miss Shinonome blinked at him several times, taken aback by his abrupt question - he clearly saw the stupefied expression written all over her face. "If you don't want to answer it, it's all right."
He's trying to understand . . . The answer is so obvious but I'm sure he hasn't the slightest clue what it is unless I told him . . .
"I'll be going now - make sure you stay put and get something to eat."
". . . . . . . . ."
Ritsuka was rendered speechless, he hadn't known that Miss Shinonome could act so motherly towards someone when it looked like she never really cared for a child before. Still, Ritsuka knew he mustn't be too judgmental since he didn't really know his teacher as well as some of the other students in his class. There were reasons why he tried to avoid Miss Shinonome like she was the plague . . . every time he was around her he always felt cornered and trapped somehow - the feeling was hard to describe, all he knew was that it was there within himself.
Ritsuka touched a hand to his left cheek and immediately withdrew it when he fingered the tender bluish-green splotches marring it. A low groan escaped his lips; it really hurt : the slightest touch caused much pain to him. Thinking back to the moment his mother was brutally beating him he could picture her face easily; the angry look in her eyes never left him, they were always in the back of his mind; haunting him.
Miss Shinonome's words came to mind-
"It's understandable, I know I love my mother too, but sometimes you must realize that they've gone too far - what's to gain when all you receive is pain and rejection?"
She found out.
"So this has been the issue all along? It's because you have internal conflicts with your mother? Aoyagi, if this persists it's better if you leave your home, stay--"
"Don't you even dare step foot out of my house!" Surprised by her tone, Ritsuka snapped his head towards her. "You're badly injured, you need medical attention, your mother is the one that beats you, and yet . . . and yet you'd going running back to her?"
His stomach made a grumbling sound just then, it was trying to tell him that it wanted to be filled with food. Ritsuka distinctly remember Miss Shinonome telling him to eat something before she left, her words were hurried then but carried great meaning for well-being; for strength. Walking into her kitchen he opened the refrigerator to see that she really didn't have much as far as breakfast went. His stomach growled again.
You'll get fed soon enough.
He reached a hand in and pulled out a cup of yogurt - strawberry flavored- his favorite type of fruit no less. Tail waving back and forth in mild contentment Ritsuka sat down at the small dining table Miss Shinonome had and opened the top of the yogurt's covering. He found it strange that he couldn't find a spoon anywhere, and he didn't want to poke around in her kitchen so he decided to eat with his fingers. Dipping a finger into the gooey substance the cat-eared boy gently sucked on his yogurt covered finger when he coated it with the creamy matter.
He sat there and ate for a good while until he was done.
Chapter 11: END