ACT XII
A mixture of black, yellow, and other various colors danced in front of me. I closed my eyes, and rubbed them. I opened them again catching a clearer view of the vision that I wasn't able to determine. I was in the classroom, with my classmates, in their high school uniform, talking excitedly about the event that will happen today. For others, today was just an ordinary school day. But for our class, today will be the second to the last day of rehearsals and the day after tomorrow the "Romeo and Juliet" play will be held. Murmurs and chatters overcame the room and excitement filled the air. I was, however, sitting drowsily on my seat since I was unable to sleep last night. Subaru Imai's words still echoed in my mind. "It's good that Hotaru has someone who loves her like you. Please take care of my sister for me."
Blood suddenly rushed into my cheeks, and I was beginning to feel pulses in my ears. I concealed my face with my hands, feeling utter embarrassment. Not only because he knew that I love her sister, but also because he, an acclaimed prodigy in the academy, put his trust on a wimpy, animal-lover like me. I knew anyone would feel honored if he was trusted by the famous Subaru Imai, but I felt the opposite for some unknown reason. Me? Take care of Imai? I know I want to, but how?
"Nogi," an immensely familiar voice resounded in my ears. I removed my hands from my face, and there she was standing in front of me. Her light, lavender eyes were placed onto mine, but they weren't as frighteningly piercing as I remembered them to be. A frown was painted on her pale visage. I just sat there silently, however, wondering what was disturbing her. Her eyes suddenly toured on my body, making me uneasy. Her hands lay on my now trembling face, and she examined my face, and I felt my sweat rolling coldly along my forehead.
"I-Imai," I stuttered while her eyes rolled from one direction to another. "Imai, what are you doing?" My heart started to pound heavily on the walls of my chest, as if wanting to get out. My body started to grow numb, and I was powerless over this raven-haired, pallid-faced, frail, small girl. The feel of her hand on my face radiated along my cheeks, into my ears, into my whole system. I was beginning to feel faint with her mere touch.
"Are you okay?" She finally spoke. "Did Nii-chan hurt you?"
So, this is what is all about. She's worrying if Senpai hurt me, I thought. I started to grow calm and a smile crept on my face. Her cheeks suddenly were tinted with red, and she removed her hands from my face, which disappointed me. She sat on a seat in front of me, avoiding to look at me. But, my eyes didn't leave her for a while. She stayed silent, and I did too. Tension started to develop between us, and discomfort overcame us. I have never felt this nervous being with Imai before. Is it because I have realized that I like her? I sighed, trying to break the wall of silence between us.
"I gave him the chocolates, if that's what your asking." I told her. She turned her face to me, exposing a startled look. "It's all right. He didn't act violently or something. I told you I can handle it. I think you're underestimating me, Imai." I chuckled while saying those words.
I saw her laugh silently on her seat. She then faced me, with a small smile embedded on her lips. "So, giving a guy a box of chocolates seem cool to you. But, isn't that a bit gay?"
"Shut up," I answered her. I saw her giggle upon my answer. That smile I rarely see, the smile that I have always desired, has once again emerged on her face. Her thin, pink lips curved beautifully, raising her tinted cheeks. Her teeth glimmered in the autumn sun. Her eyes sparkled more brightly than before. Again, my heart once again beat in an unmeasurable pace. I started to become deaf, hearing the pulses in my ears. I just stayed silent, not knowing what to do in this situation. Just seeing her smile makes my body weak and immobile. It is torture for me, but I don't hate it.
"Well, if you're not hurt, then that's good." The chair moved as she stood up leaving it. Her footsteps ringed in my ears despite the noise in the classroom. Her long, black hair moved as she walked towards her seat. Still, my eyes did not leave her. I knew I looked foolish, but I didn't mind it. The more I looked at her, the more I talked to her, the more I saw her smile at me, the more I wanted her. My attention never diverted to anyone else, but her.
-0-
"Now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old," she, with her auburn hair covered with a scarf, stood on the stage, speaking her lines as Juliet's nurse, delivering it to Shouda, who was playing Lady Capulet. "I bade her come. What, lamb! what, ladybird! God forbid! Where's this girl? What, Juliet!" Her voice echoed loud and clear in the almost hollow hall. Dark, deep crimson eyes buried into her being as she performed with life. A small smile crept onto his face and amusement showed through his eyes. I smiled myself, imagining what was going on Natsume's mind while seeing Sakura act.
"How now! who calls?" A soft, yet clear voice resounded in the quiet auditorium, and she entered. Light footsteps thrummed on the wooden floor as Imai walked swiftly, acting as she was in a hurry. She was Juliet Capulet. My, Juliet Capulet. Her braided hair glistened in the yellow-colored spotlight. Her face brightened as she articulated each word. Her ruby-studded, red dress danced as she took each little step towards Shouda. The males alongside me gasped in awe, seeing her hidden beauty show for once.
"So, Ruka," a deep, familiar voice spoke. "When did you realize?" I looked beside me, and there stood my raven-haired best friend, Natsume. His face looked straight and dull, but his eyes hid more meaning than it. I noticed curiosity linger in his mind when I examined those orbs that once exhibited fear, anger, and sorrow. He placed his attention onto Imai, who was still on stage, then onto me.
"So, you noticed," I sighed. I never knew that I really was a transparent person. Even though I would try to hide things from Natsume, he still would know. Well, he is my best friend, and he knows me a lot better than the others. I placed my eyes onto the actress on stage, dressed in a beautiful crimson dress. Her snow-white features brightened the stage, and I felt myself being completely hypnotized by her. I then remembered what had happened not to long ago, when I held her in my arms, not letting go, in fear that the fire might have consumed her. Her warmth, her small, frail body in my trembling one, her fragrant hair, her lavender eyes, I wanted all of it. I wanted all of her. "The person you love is not the one who makes you feel weak, but rather, the person who makes you stronger." Those words echoed in my mind once again, making my feelings for her clearer.
"I guess that you have no plan of telling me," my best friend said in a disappointed tone. I laughed silently, hoping to not disrupt the rehearsal on stage. I looked at him, staying silent, not uttering even a single letter, indicating that things have their own time. I'll tell him when I feel like it. He sighed deeply, looking onto the females on stage again. His eyes directed immediately onto the girl with the honey-brown hair and the chocolate brown eyes. Amusement brightened his face as he continued to place those blood-red irises of his on her. I also looked at her, examining if this feeling I have right now for Imai is just mere infatuation, or something more than that. My heart didn't beat as fast as it did before. My breaths weren't as deep as they were before. Her presence wasn't as bright as it was before. Placing my eyes onto her right, I saw the girl in red again. My bodily processes responded the way I wanted them to. My heart raced, my breaths deepening, my sight brightened. It's official. I am in love with Hotaru Imai.
She left the stage, along with Sakura and Shouda, in preparation of the next scene, where it then beheld Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio, played by me, Kitsunume, and Mochiage, respectively. The ladies approached us as our cue directed us to enter the stage. I looked at Imai for the last time before I begin, hoping to receive some kind of encouragement. All of a sudden, our eyes met, locking for a long time. Our shoulders brushed as we passed by each other, and the touch of her shoulder radiated a tingling sensation all over my body. I continued to walk, slowly but surely, to calm myself down from that instantaneous event. I had to compose myself. Finally, I entered the spotlight.
-0-
I stood on the stage, in my deep blue, gold studded attire. My booted feet began to feel sore because of too much standing. However, I was not the only one there. She was there. Imai, my Juliet. There I was, chasing her, trying to act as if I was pursuing her. She ran away from me in a small distance, making baby steps beat on the wooden floor with rhythm. I finally held her cold hand, and she jerked with surprise. I brought her near my body, wanting her. But, I had to do what I was expected to do: recite my lines and portray my role as Romeo.
"My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand, to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss," I articulated my lines, trying to go for her lips. She covers mine with her hand, preventing my face go near her. Her face began to reveal different tints of pink rising to her cheeks. My heart started to beat furiously, as I marveled at her beauty.
Instead of the dark, crowded hall, flowers began to bloom one by one, and trees grew into their mighty glory. The sky no longer concealed itself and the clouds rolled along it. The floor underneath me grew softer, and grass tickled my heels. The numerous pairs of eyes no longer existed in this new world we are in. It was I, and her, alone.
"Good pilgrim," she started to speak. "You do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." Her voice rang in my ears, like little bells singing early in the morning.
"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" I brought her closer to me, feeling heat rise up between us. My eyes stayed on her, but, she avoided my stare. She hid herself under her bangs and her body was shaking. I placed my hand on her face, hoping to calm her down. I whispered to her, "It's just a play," and her body was no longer tense.
"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer," she stated as she freed herself from my hold. She walked a few paces away from me, with her back facing me.
"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." I walked towards her, embracing her from behind. I felt her jump lightly in surprise, but she recomposed herself in less than a second.
"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake," she said, not moving.
"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." I pulled her to face me, and her face grew redder than before. Her eyes, started to become watery. But, she looked deep into my eyes, and I did too. Her frail body continued to tremble, and I was worrying of what I was going to do, to help her feel comfortable.
I gulped, knowing that this line will be the last that I was going to speak before we... kiss. I looked at her with caution, thinking that this girl in my arms might fall apart. I tightened my grip on her, trying to support her before she might think of breaking into tiny little pieces in my hold. I breathed deeply, collecting all the air in my lungs and forcefully moving them out. I breathed for the second time, and said, "Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again."
I buried my aquamarine eyes deeply into her clear lilac ones. She continued to shake, but I never lose grip on her. I drew her nearer to me, and my audible, fast heartbeat was in sync with hers. Heat began to rise up between us, and cold sweat flowed from the pores of our skin. Her fragrance perfumed my nose, bringing her closer to me, closer. Our breaths mingled with each other as our breathing followed a certain, slow rhythm. I took my hand, caressed the contour of her porcelain skin. I saw her face twitch with discomfort, but she finally relaxed. Everything grew distorted around me, but I only saw her face. Her beautiful, soft face. And her thin, pink lips. My fingers toured on the lines of her lips, and I heard her gasp. Finally finishing touching the corner of her lip, my finger was replaced by my wanting lips. Her soft, delicate lips lay onto mine, and we kissed.
I removed my lips for a while and fit them on the shape of her mouth, kissing her more passionately like we did the first time we did it. Our breathing started to grow louder, and I brought my lips deeper into hers. I felt her pulling away, but I prevented her to.
"Nogi, sto–," she pleaded, gasping for air. I kissed her harder, trying to overpower her. She squirmed in my grasp vigorously, until she finally gave up, responding to my kisses. She grew weak, that she almost failed to keep herself standing. I loosened my hold, kissing her more softly, moving my lips slowly again and again on her upper lip.
However, finally finding a passage to escape, she removed my lips from mine, and lay her head on my chest. I heard her gasp for air a few times, and my silk-made costume began to become damp. Surprised with this, I looked at her, and there she was crying silently on my chest. I held her away from my body, wondering what was wrong. But, she remain hidden under her bangs, while she continued to cry.
"Please," she barely made herself audible as she spoke. "Please don't make this difficult for me." Then, pouring all of her strength, she pushed me away, and hurriedly ran off the stage in her red, ruby-studded dress. Not knowing what she meant by "making this harder for her", I impulsively ran after her, shouting her name again and again. But, she didn't look back. However, since she has already ran a certain distance from me, she disappeared before my very eyes. I tried to continue running, hoping that I would be able to find her. But, I searched for her in vain.
-0-
"Where could she be?" I asked myself as plopped head first into my cotton-filled pillow. I have searched almost everywhere in the academy for her, yet, I wasn't able to succeed finding her. I rolled on my back, staring into the fluorescent light above me, blinding my eyes. Within the light, I saw her pale face emerging. I reached out, hoping to touch her, but she suddenly disappeared. I slapped myself, knowing that I seemed like a total idiot thinking such things. My fingers then moved onto my lips, which can still remember the feeling of Imai's soft lips onto mine.
"Please don't make this difficult for me," those words endlessly repeated in my mind. What did she mean by that? I asked myself. Am I giving her a hard time? Does she want me to leave her alone? These thoughts started to irritate my brain that I shouted in frustration. I sighed, realizing that sitting or lying alone in bed will never solve anything.
Suddenly, a light knock fell on my door. I wanted to ignore it at first, but it grew louder. I tried hiding under the pillow thinking that that anonymous person outside may quit knocking the door. Finally, the knocking stopped. Relieved, I closed my eyes, hoping to get a little shut-eye. However, as I was on the way to dream land, a certain, familiar voice spoke from behind the door.
"Ruka-kun," the voice said. "It's me, Yuu Tobita. Is it okay if I talk to you? It's kind of important."
"Why don't you just leave that for tomorrow?" I replied with irritation. "I don't want to talk to anybody right now." Silence then followed after that. I was anticipating the sound of footsteps fading in the hallway. But, there was none. It seems that Iinchou wasn't planning to leave.
"Ruka-kun," he spoke again. "It's Hotaru-chan... She's leaving us."
At that very moment, my heart broke.
Yes! Finally! I've finished this chapter in a week! School's about to start in two weeks! I haven't rested that much yet! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter even though it's a little bit shorter than the rest.
As usual, I would like to thank the following for reviewing Chapter 11: KidTantei, iza, muzikchic4eva, .xXx, and Sakura Keiko. I really appreciate your reviews, guys. I really do. I'm going to do my best on giving you the most entertaining reading material you have ever read!
I would just like to tell you that this fan fic is about to end, and I promise you I'm going to give my 120% to give you the most satisfying ending since ending a story is the most difficult part. Please continue to support this fan fic and my future works! Peace!
