More intoxicating than wine
When Harumi finally arrived at the buffet in the ballroom, Atobe was already standing on the stage, in front of the orchestra. All the lights in the room were dimmed, except for one single ray that fell exactly on Atobe's figure with his index raised high in the air.
After having lost her way twice while going to the dance room, Harumi was too weary to pay attention to some rich guy being self-centered.
She squeezed her way among the richly dressed crowd and finally found Amaya and the others. Atobe cleared his throat, and the ray of light that was falling on him grew bigger.
"Good evening, folks! I hope you are all having fun so far, but don't you dare think that this is it. Much better things are waiting for us later in the evening. Now, before the next festivities, I'd like to give you a quick description of my mansion, in case you become too awed by my incredible and one-of-a-kind house, and get yourselves lost in it."
Some people started screaming "Atobe! Atobe!"
Harumi sweatdropped and wondered why they were doing it.
Atobe snapped his fingers and silence came back again.
"Yes, that's right! Be awed by my wealth! Right now, you are standing in the ballroom, which is adjacent to the reception room and the entrance hall. From here, you can go to almost anywhere else in the mansion by using one of these halls that run under the bronze arches. Now, it is just a question of knowing which arch leads where. The first one at your left leads to the spiral stairs that you can partially see from here. However, upstairs is a restricted area. Please hear me carefully on this: whoever steps into that private territory will be severely sanctioned."
His grey eyes wiped across the room, at the awed faces lifted towards him. A small smirk crossed his face, and he continued talking in that slightly trailing voice of his:
"Perfect! Now, the arch at your right will lead you to the west side garden. If you think that it will be boring because it is winter and that there is nothing to see, you are awfully mistaken. Oresama's world does not revolve around seasons! I can produce you the most beautiful rose – he took out a rose from his inner pocket and turned it around his fingers – in the most deadly frost! Always remember that! As far as the garden is concerned, you can all go and see by yourselves what it is about. Now, the last arch that is just beside it leads to the back of the mansion, where we will all go later on in the evening. It leads to a screened swimming pool, exercise room and patio area. Beyond that area are my tennis courts. If you wish to play a match, some of my teammates from Hyotei will be there to challenge you."
At this point, the orchestra started playing a fluid melody. Atobe slowly pulled off a petal from the rose he was holding. He threw that petal into the air, and a ray of light fell on it as it slowly twirled around to the ground. As soon as it touched the floor of the stage, lights of every color started to shine and dance across the walls, illuminating the stage, the crystal tables and all the people present in the room.
There were small cries of awe as the guests turned around to see the effects of the lights tracing figures on the walls. The music changed to a more up tempo one. The entire stage became bright as Atobe bent down while holding his rose in front of him.
"Now, Oresama will start the evening with a first dance. Please step forward, my lovely Queen!"
Another ray of light fell on Chiharu, now ascending the stage. Some guys whistled as she moved past them, her dress floating eerily behind her. She accepted the rose that Atobe was handling her, and then put her other hand in his. Atobe brought it to his mouth and gently kissed it.
"Will you grant me this dance, Chiharu?" He whispered.
Chiharu smiled, her green eyes shining softly under the lights. "Yes, Atobe."
Atobe pulled her close and as they started swaying gently with the music, the floor of the entire ballroom became like a starry sky as little lights scattered all around it started twinkle like stars. Harumi couldn't detach her eyes from the whole scene, and especially from Atobe and Chiharu, now dark shadows against the bright light. They moved as if they were one.
And then, slowly, other men started to approach the girls, asking them to dance. They were all wearing dark tuxedos and were looking handsome under the flashing lights.
"You look startling, princess!" Oishi whispered in Amaya's ear. "Shall we dance?"
Amaya took his arm in response, and they both walked towards the center of the ballroom, where the stars were the most numerous. Harumi smiled gently; she was happy for her friend. From the corner of her eye, she saw Naoko shyly spying on Tezuka, who was seated behind one of the crystal tables.
Aika was actually surprised when Ootori came to her and asked her for a dance. She was about to deny him that pleasure and to search for Momo instead when she saw the Seigaku Regular already dancing with Ann. Feeling jealousy creep up on her at an alarming rate, she angrily led a confused Ootori to the dance floor.
Harumi slowly walked towards one of the tables around which Echizen and Takasan were seated.
"Hey, guys!" She said upon seeing them.
"Senpai, you are not dancing?" Echizen asked.
She thought he actually looked pretty cute in a tuxedo with his black hair finally free from his cap.
"Well, I don't know how to dance anyway. I mean, I think it's boring. You just sway around and do nothing. I don't really like it. I prefer to sit down and eat something."
The music changed, and now a girl was singing. Harumi turned around to look at the stage, but instead crossed Fuji's gaze from across the dance floor.
She was surprised by the look in his face. His eyes were open, but the light in them were soft as he looked upon her figure. She couldn't detach her eyes from him.
Fuji… ask me to dance… I beg you! Ask anything of me, and I will comply to it. I will not let you down, I promise. I just need you to ask me first. If you want it too… please come to me. Come to me, Fuji!
Fuji started walking towards her. All Harumi could feel was her heart pounding against her chest. The music sounded dim; the lights dancing on the walls were just far away shadows. She could see his face clearly. Slowly, he closed his eyes and smiled at her.
The kindness on his face made her heart melt as she made a hesitant step towards him.
And then, someone hugged her from behind and whirled her around.
"Harumi, nya! Here you are!"
The young girl blinked and saw the teasing grin on Eiji's face. The music was loud once more in her ears.
"Ah… Eiji! Hey!" She muttered distractedly as she looked over her shoulder in direction of the dance floor. Fuji was now nowhere to be seen. Harumi let out a sigh.
Just what was that back there…?
"Harumi! You look… woah!" Eiji complimented her with one eye closed.
She smiled and scanned him from hair to toe. He was wearing the same black tuxedo as everyone else, but he did seem to have plenty of class in those clothes.
"Well, you look pretty kawaii yourself!" She lifted a hand, intending to ruffle through his hair, but Eiji quickly evaded her hand, laughing.
"I know your habit, nya! Can't get me forever with that!"
"Neh…? Says who?" The young girl jumped behind him to get a hold of his hair, but he was actually pretty tall. She ended up hanging onto his back.
"Eiji, you are so cheating with that height of yours!"
Eiji passed a hand through his hair. "Nya, you are the shorty, Harumi."
"Senpais…" Echizen called out in a bored voice.
"What is it, ochibi?"
"You are blocking the view."
Momo returned from his dance with Ann and glided close to Echizen's seat. As he heard the last words from the young boy, he teasingly messed up his hair with one hand. "Neh? So you are looking at the pretty girls, aren't ya, Echizen? You are starting to grow up, you sure are!"
Echizen pushed his hand off. "Not at all. I just don't want to pass the evening looking at the acrobatics of Kikumaru senpai and Yamazaki senpai."
"Gomen, ochibi!" Harumi said while sitting down.
"Hey, only I can call him "ochibi"!" Eiji sulked by her side.
Harumi rolled her eyes. "Look, if you are going to behave like a spoiled child this early in the evening, I am going elsewhere!"
Eiji crossed his arms. "Tseh!"
The first dance ended, and a lot of couples went to sit down around of the crystal tables. The lights increased in intensity and the music receded to the background. Atobe's voice once more resonated in the ballroom : "Now, minna-san, the dinner shall begin."
Waiters carrying huge plates and jars of juice and water came in from below the arches in a long procession. Each waiter would come by each table and would ask the guests if they would like to eat the food they were carrying.
Everything looked so good and juicy and Harumi ordered a little bit of everything. Soon, the table that she was sharing with Eiji, Echizen, Momo and Takasan was crowded with all sorts of food, going from fried shrimps to sliced apples.
"This is a very… original menu!" Takasan said while eyeing the mountain of food in front of him.
Harumi clasped her hands together. "Come on! Just eat one thing at a time and everything will be fine!"
"Harumi, the food won't go away if you order them later, you know?" Momo said with false exasperation.
"I don't mind! – Eiji said while stuffing a chicken leg into his mouth – I mean, this is all good stuff, so just go ahead and eat away!"
"Well, finally someone who understands my reasoning! – Harumi proclaimed while tapping his shoulder – you are such a good boy, Eiji!"
Discreetly, she looked at the other tables, wishing to see where Fuji was. Since she had told him that her confession was meaningless, she had felt sad but relieved. It seemed to her that just by having said that, she could erase all that had happened and start over again from zero.
Also, since that moment, she had been anxious to see how Fuji had taken her words. She would get troubled when he wasn't in her field of view, and she would immediately feel more at peace when she had found him again among the crowd.
Right now, he was speaking with Tezuka, sitting by his side. Their table was almost at the opposite side of hers in the ballroom. At their table were also Mai, Amaya and Oishi. Harumi stared at the brunette talking with his Buchou. Just looking at him made her feel better.
If she couldn't have him, at least she could watch him to her heart's content, and no one could deprive her from that pleasure.
Fuji's head turned slightly in her direction and she quickly dropped her gaze to her food.
Near the stage, where the orchestra was taking a break while some soft rock music was being spread around the room by two loudspeakers, was a table where candles were burning. Atobe and Chiharu sat there side by side, along with Kabaji and, to Harumi's surprise, Ootori and Aika.
Harumi poked Momo on the arm and showed him that sight.
"What?" The Seigaku Regular asked while chewing his steak.
"That's Aika with the Hyotei player, right?"
Momo narrowed his eyes to see better, and then swallowed. "Yup! It does look that way!"
"Aren't you… jealous, or something?"
Momo almost choked on his spit. "Are you kidding me? That nuisance of a girl is finally away from me! I will be praying the Gods tonight!"
"Hoi, you are being a big meanie to her, Momo!" Eiji frowned.
Momo turned towards the red head, his purple eyes shining with seriousness.
"Okay, Kikumaru-senpai, you really don't understand! Be in my shoes for one day and you will see what I am talking about!"
Eiji smirked. "I will pass!"
When dinner was over, the orchestra started playing some jazz music. People started to go to the center of the ballroom as the lights dimmed once again.
Waiters came to take away the dirty dishes, and to bring dessert and drinks. To Harumi's surprise, a lot of them had alcohol in them.
"Sake, whiskey, pina colada, martini, vodka?" She read on the menu with disbelief. "Ano… aren't we sort of… underage?"
"You are right, but I guess that at this kind of dinner, apple juice doesn't fit very well!" Takasan declared thoughtfully.
"Who cares! This is pretty damn cool! – Momo cried out loudly – Oi, waiter! Waiter! Bring me some whiskey, please!"
Harumi rested her cheek in her palm. "Okay, prediction: a drunk Momo is what we will get by the end of the night!"
"Mada mada dane." Echizen stated from above his can of Ponta.
Harumi frowned. "How did that statement get squeezed in the discussion? You don't need to throw these three little words at us at every occasion, you know?"
The young boy's hazel eyes shot in her direction. Everyone looked pretty shocked, actually.
Eiji squeezed her shoulder and muttered. "Don't destroy ochibi's Bible!"
"Oops. Okay."
As she looked away, she suddenly crossed Fuji's eyes as he, too, was looking in her direction. She quickly placed one lock of hair behind her ear as she evaded having eye contact with the tensai.
A waiter came into her field of view and she automatically extended her hand to take a glass from the silver plateau he was carrying. Without looking at what it contained, she lifted it to her lips and swallowed the whole content. Immediately after, an overwhelming burning feeling ran all the way from her throat to her stomach. She grimaced and put down the glass noisily on the table, startling all her friends.
Momo actually blinked with admiration.
"Yamazaki senpai! You just took a shot of vodka! I'm impressed! I thought you didn't drink!"
Harumi stared in his direction, a hand around her throat.
"I don't! Water! I need water!" She cawed.
However, there was no water nearby, so she had to deal with the heat propagating throughout her entire body. It was her first contact with alcohol, and she was simply astounded by the waves of burning sensation it provided her with.
A man all in white, unknown to Harumi and her friends, went onstage and started singing a famous Japanese song. Many people returned to their tables, and started tapping at the rhythm of the melody while singing along.
The excitement and the joy in the ballroom were intoxicating to the extent that Momo and Takasan started to sing out loud while holding out to each other. A waiter came by and more drinks were ordered. Harumi looked at Eiji, and saw him finishing his martini with a cat-like grin on his face.
How stupid! Everyone is drinking! We are still underage, for God's sake!
"Oi, Harumi, check this one out! It tastes really good!" Momo roared while pushing in her direction a glass full of a red liquid.
"Wine?" Harumi asked suspiciously.
"You will see!"
This is insane! I will not touch it. I will not!
Her hand crept along the table and closed itself around the glass without her consent. Next thing she knew, she had emptied it. A much stronger burning sensation ran through her stomach, but this time it left her feeling extremely warm both outside and inside. She blinked and then looked around her, astounded by how beautiful the lights were, and how loud the music was.
The singer stopped singing and stepped off the stage after receiving a round of warm applause. Someone from the orchestra started playing on the violin. He was soon joined by a flute and a piano.
Harumi didn't know why, but that melody made her feel like dancing. Suddenly, she saw the people at Fuji's table standing up and walking towards them. Amaya and Oishi stopped at the middle of the ballroom and started to swing slowly in sync, holding each other tight.
Tezuka and Mai arrived at their table and started talking with Momo, Takasan and Echizen.
Suddenly, a blue shadow dashed before Harumi's eyes. She recognized it as being Naoko, who just tumbled into Tezuka's arms. Naoko's face turned crimson as she threw a dark stare over her shoulder at her twin sister who had pushed her forward.
"Go…gomen, Tezuka-san." She whispered feebly.
Tezuka helped her to stand straight once more before touching his glasses briefly. "No, don't mention it."
Naoko was silently staring at his polished shoes when a nudge to her back made her groan. She threw another menacing stare in Naoki's direction before lifting her blue eyes towards the Buchou's face.
"Ano… Tezuka-san, I was just wondering… if you enjoyed dancing."
Harumi didn't hear Tezuka's reply as her gaze suddenly shifted towards the center of the ballroom, where Fuji had stopped to pick up a drink from a waiter's tray. He then walked in their direction, eyes smiling softly.
Not knowing what she was doing, she stood up suddenly, intending to go away under the excuse of taking a walk. She didn't want to face Fuji now. However, she had to jerk to a stop as she felt her dress getting caught in the back of her chair. She pulled at it angrily, but it would not come loose. Throwing a fearful glance over her shoulder, she saw Fuji approaching inexorably.
He was near to their table when a girl suddenly approached him, driving him to a halt. Harumi felt her heart stop beating as she finally stopped pulling on her dress. From over the buzz of conversation and the music from the orchestra, she heard the girl's voice clearly:
"Syusuke! How rude of you for not telling me that there was a party this weekend!"
Harumi saw the tensai's expression become unreadable. She bit her lower lip and slowly put her hands on the table before her.
Fuji said something to her but she didn't hear it. Sayuri got a hold of his arm and pulled him close.
"Maa, that's not an excuse! Did you ever consider how I would feel, being left out like this? Well, since you are my one and only Syusuke, I will forgive you. I didn't come here to be angry, but to have fun. This music sounds nice. Why don't we dance?"
Fuji slowly freed his arm from her grasp. This time, Harumi heard him quite clearly:
"Gomen, but I don't like to dance."
Sayuri gave him a gentle tap on the shoulder. "Nonsense. You like it as much as the average person."
Her aqua eyes became serious. "I have matters I need to discuss with you, so how about you just grant me this one dance? It's a slow, so we will get plenty of privacy."
Fuji frowned. "We can discuss it outside, then."
Sayuri took his arm again and led him to the center of the dance floor, while whispering something that Harumi didn't manage to hear, despite all her effort.
Even after they were both out of her sight, she still stood in that posture, hands on the table, a burning feeling that had nothing to do with alcohol twisting its way inside her guts. When she noticed that her knees were trembling slightly, she slowly sank back into her seat.
"Harumi? What's wrong, nya!" Eiji asked.
"Nothing. I'm feeling dizzy. I think I drank too much!" She said matter-of-factly while passing a hand through her hair.
Eiji analyzed her face with those big dark blue eyes of his. "Hmm, you do look sort of pale. We can go outside and cool down a bit, if you want."
Harumi answered something distractedly, while her purple eyes scanned the dance floor. Suddenly, she saw a glimpse of them, dancing close together. Sayuri's chin was resting on his shoulder as her mouth voiced words she couldn't hear.
Harumi quickly scanned her appearance. She was wearing a turquoise dress that matched with her eyes. A golden necklace was shining at her neck. Her silver hair that she usually hid under a cap was now flying freely behind her shoulders.
Anger boiled inside her chest when she saw with which familiarity she held on to Fuji, as if he belonged to her.
She stood up, and this time, her dress came loose. She grabbed a glass of wine that was lying nearby on the table and drank its content quickly. Then, she took Eiji's hand and pulled him off the chair.
"W… what's going on?" Eiji exclaimed, looking at her in a perplexed way.
Two purple eyes settled in his. Eiji was taken aback by the intensity he saw in them.
"Eiji – she said with a smile – please dance with me!"
Momo, Takasan and Echizen stopped their conversation to look at her with astounded faces. Harumi gave Eiji's arm a pull. "Neh?"
"W…well, sure, yeah, if you want!" He staggered as a red shade invaded his cheeks.
Harumi smiled again. "Thank you."
Holding his hand firmly, she walked towards the dance floor.
Eiji trailed behind her, barely believing the reality of her request. He didn't know why he was so happy, but it didn't matter, now.
As they walked by couples swaying gently under the dimmed lights, all he could see was Harumi's figure walking ahead of him, her white dress brushing gently against her ankles at every step. Her hand in which his own was enclosed felt warm and gentle. He wondered briefly where she was going, but then decided that it was unimportant. He would follow her anywhere.
Suddenly, she pivoted towards him and stopped. There were at the center of the ballroom; the little lights scattered on the floor were like the numerous stars of a summer night's sky. As their light fell softly on the young girl's face, he was awed by how beautiful she looked.
He had never looked at girls before, but he was looking at her, now. He couldn't detach his eyes from the way her bangs fell on her eyes when she raised her head to gaze upon his face, nor the lovely way her mouth curved when she smiled.
He faintly realized that he was transpiring slightly, and that his heart seemed to be acting in a weird way, but all of these things were secondary to the overwhelming feeling invading his body, a feeling more intoxicating than all the wine in the world.
"Let's dance here, Eiji." She said.
He nodded, and slowly put his arms around her waist. She came close to him and laid hers on his shoulders. As they began to sway at the gentle tempo of the music, he was aware of the warmth of her body underneath the smooth material of her dress.
Harumi peeked at the floor over Eiji's shoulder, and was awed by the beauty of it ; it seemed as if all the stars on the firmament had fallen on Earth. Dancing was not as hard as she had imagined. Eiji was leading her well. She looked around her, at the other couples swinging in the dark, and felt like simply letting herself go in the magic of the moment.
She was safe with Eiji. He was the only who could make her laugh when she felt the most like crying. He was the one who had found her on that container and had melted her frozen heart. If she just rested her head on his shoulder, she could close her eyes and forget the pain she was enduring.
But she couldn't. Because less than three meters from where they were dancing, she could see Fuji and Sayuri. Slowly, as Eiji and her swayed around and around, they gradually got nearer to the other couple.
Fuji and Sayuri were silent as of now. On the stage, the flute ended the melody and a brief silence fell on the ballroom. The lights remained dim.
"Harumi – she heard Eiji whispering in her ear – why did you ask me to dance?"
She felt remorse creeping up on her conscience, but she couldn't voice it.
"Because… I felt like it. I'm sorry in advance if I step on your feet. I don't dance very well."
Eiji held her closer. "Me either."
Harumi was ready to say something else when Sayuri's voice cut her off:
"Ah, Syusuke, did I already tell you that you look absolutely handsome tonight?"
Fuji sighed. "Yes, you did. Several times. But don't change the subject."
The first notes of a song came out from the loudspeakers, enveloping the dancers in its moving yet sad tune.
However, Harumi closed her eyes and tried to keep the music out.
"Look, I don't want to talk about that anymore." Sayuri groaned.
"Oh, but we have to." Fuji retorted. "I told you at the hospital that I didn't want to see you anymore, so why are you still here?"
Harumi's heart skipped a beat.
He… he told her that? Which means…
Sayuri looked away. "Like I have told you a minute ago, it is because I still have feelings for you. Please, can't you just think about it carefully before writing me off completely? Have you forgotten the times we have spent together as kids? I am only asking this one thing from you. Won't you think about it?"
Fuji remained silent. As a ray of light briefly fell on his face, Harumi saw that his eyes were open as he stared sadly at the floor.
"I haven't forgotten it – he finally answered – but neither have I forgotten how it ended. I thought we were happy, but Sayuri… you were the one who left. You were the one who chose to end it."
"We all make mistakes, and I certainly made a big one. But, Syusuke, the fact that I am here now, doesn't it mean anything? I see clearly what is truly important to me now, so what about you? It is your turn to see that clearly as well. Is it so hard for you to forgive me? Don't you want to go back to what we had before?"
A longer pause followed that statement. Sayuri pursued quietly:
"Syusuke, I've heard that you have been single all this time. Deep inside, you know what that means. You still love me."
Fuji's hand tightened on her waist. Sayuri smiled.
"So, you should stop lying to yourself. You were never good at doing it. I know you well, and that's why I can read what is going through your mind. You truly do love me, still. I can see it in your eyes."
She pressed her body against his. "And I can feel it in the way you are holding me. I have missed that feeling, Syusuke."
Harumi's hands tightened on Eiji's shoulders. The redhead eyed her sideways, unsure of its meaning.
Fuji bit his lower lip.
"Do you expect me to just forget your betrayal? To act as if it hasn't happened? Sayuri, how would I know that you won't do it again?"
Sayuri took some distance from him in order to look straight into his eyes.
"I have seen through my mistake. I will not make the same one ever again. Besides, we got to meet again, didn't we? The fact that we are here tonight means that we should give our relationship a second chance. Syusuke, don't you see? We were meant to be together! There were obstacles along the way, but I know we can overcome them! Don't you remember the vows you had made to me back then? You swore that you would always love me. If those vows meant anything at all, you should be able to see that I'm telling you the truth."
Fuji looked away.
"I… I will think about it."
Sayuri smiled. "Well, it's a good start. I hope you will make the right decision. I've missed you, Syusuke."
Sayuri stood on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Harumi gripped Eiji's shoulder, the pain of loss shooting down her heart. As unwanted tears started to fall down her cheeks, she pressed her face against Eiji's shoulder.
"Harumi, are you okay?" Eiji asked while taking some distance away from her.
It was at that moment that he saw Fuji and Sayuri leaving the dance floor together. His hand tightened momentarily around her waist. Harumi quickly wiped off her tears while Eiji wasn't looking, and then presented a smiling face to him.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"Let's go back, Harumi." Eiji said.
"No. Wait…"
Eiji looked at her, surprised, but she just pulled him close to her once more and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Let me dance with you for a little longer."
Eiji's dark blue eyes shook briefly, and then he closed them and put his arms around her once more. "Hai, hai, princess."
Harumi smiled slightly and closed her eyes as well. A song was now pouring out of the speakers.
You ask me if I love you
And I choke on my reply
I'd rather hurt you honestly
Than mislead you with a lie
Eiji felt her shoulders trembling slightly and knew that she was crying. He couldn't do anything else to comfort her but to lend her a shoulder on which she could cry.
And who am I to judge you
On what you say or do?
I'm only just beginning to see the real you.
After some more steps, she quietly dried her eyes and declared in a happy tone.
"Let's go back, Eiji. I'm thirsty."
From the corner of her eye, she saw Sayuri leaving the ballroom. However, it didn't provide her with any feeling of joy or relief. After hearing their conversation, she knew that if she truly loved Fuji, she should let him go.
And sometimes when we touch
The honesty's too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I wanna hold you til I die
Til we both break down and cry
While returning to their table, she saw Fuji standing near the stage. As she passed him by, a ray of light fell on both them. He saw her.
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides.
He looked as if he wanted to tell her something. His arm lifted slightly, as if he wanted to stop her. And then the light around them faded, and everything went dark. His action was unachieved; his words were unspoken. She closed her eyes and walked away from him. Their happiness together was only one ephemeral moment in time.
Romance and all its strategy
Leaves me battling with my pride
But through the insecurity
Some tenderness survives
I'm just another writer
Still trapped within my truth
A hesitant prize fighter
Still trapped within my youth
After making three more steps, Harumi slowly touched her forearm, which has brushed shortly against his hand just as the light had went dark. It was the first time they have touched each other in a long time. She held that arm close to her heart.
And sometimes when we touch
The honesty's too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I wanna hold you til I die
Til we both break down and cry
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides.
She went back to their table with Eiji, and sank in her seat. She emptied a glass of whiskey, and then laid down her head on her forearms.
At times I'd like to break you
And drive you to your knees
At times I'd like to break through
And hold you endlessly.
"Fuji… why did I ever fall in love with you?" She whispered to herself. "If I knew this would happen, I would have rather died."
At times I understand you
And I know how hard you've tried
I've watched while love commands you
And I've watched love pass you by.
"But now the damage is done. Just what am I supposed to do?"
She lifted her head and drank some more.
At times I think we're drifters
Still searching for a friend
A brother or a sister,
But then the passion flares again.
"Fuji… tell me what I'm supposed to do. Tell me… how to let you go."
And sometimes when we touch
The honesty's too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I wanna hold you til I die
Til we both break down and cry
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides.
As the last notes of song faded away, the lights brightened up. Harumi blinked as she tried to adjust her eyes to the brightness of her surroundings. She vaguely heard Atobe's voice declaring that the dance was now over, and that they would then proceed to the swimming pool, where the second part of the party was to be held.
"Harumi! You look great in that bathing suit! Wanna jump in?" Amaya exclaimed excitedly, hopping at the edge of the pool.
Harumi splashed water on her hot face, trying to clarify her fuzzy mind. It had been one hour since she was sitting there, at the edge of the pool, with her legs hanging leisurely in the water.
Loud rock music was pouring from speakers that she couldn't see. Everyone was yelling excitedly, or running around, or pushing other people into the water. Waiters carrying trays full of drinks zigzagged among the noisy teenagers without hesitation, delivering glasses of beer.
Harumi didn't know this party would be so full of alcohol. She knew that her parents had prohibited her from touching it before she was at least seventeen, but once she had started with a first glass of wine, she couldn't help herself anymore. She couldn't think logically anymore.
At some level, she didn't want to be conscious of what was around her. She wanted to escape from reality, to be as excited as everyone else, to have fun and to forget everything that she had overheard on that dance floor. She emptied another bottle of beer and looked at Amaya jumping in front of her.
"So, what do you say, girl?" Amaya asked, her cheeks red.
Before Harumi could answer, Oishi sneaked upon her friend from behind and kissed her neck. Amaya giggled and pushed him off. "What are you doing, Oishi?"
Oishi's cheeks had also a shade of pink in them. They both seemed as all the alcohol they had consumed was starting to go to their heads.
Oishi wasn't at all his usual responsible self as he dragged the black haired girl into his arms once more and whispered teasingly in her ear: "It's your fault for being so pretty! Now come closer…"
Amaya pretended to struggle against him. "Stop it, Oishi. Stop it!"
When Oishi took her in his arms and cut her off by putting his lips against hers, Amaya went limp in his arms and let him kiss her. Harumi looked away; even in her drunken state, she was shocked that her friend was displaying this kind of behaviour in public. However, she had to admit that the atmosphere around the pool appealed to intimacy. The lights flashing from under the waters gave a magical look to the whole area. It was as if the water surface was covered by a thin layer of gold. Just by looking at it made some people feel romantic.
Except for these lights in the water, the room was pretty much dim. Harumi didn't know where her other friends had gone to, but she wanted to get out of there. Among all the couples kissing or talking quietly together, she felt awfully lonely and out of place.
She snatched another beer from a waiter's tray and walked unsteadily around the edge of the pool, looking for the exit. The loud music was killing her eardrums.
On a long chair further off from the waters, she saw Chiharu sitting against Atobe. Their foreheads were bent close together as they whispered loving words to each other.
Harumi walked away from that sight, feeling frustrated by the fact of seeing other people holding their happiness in the nest of their palms while she had lost it all. A moment later, she bumped into Eiji and Takasan, each holding an empty box in their hands.
"What are you guys doing?" She asked after gulping down some more beer.
Takasan answered by letting out a roar and swinging his box back and forth at his side.
"BURNING. I feel the BURN. Yess!!"
He was obviously drunk. Eiji seemed in better state as he closed an eye and whispered confidentially:
"We are going to the storage room over there, nya. The waiters are overwhelmed, and the drinks are taking too long. Hoi, I figured that if beer is not coming to us, we are going to go to the beer!"
Harumi's mouth curved in a smirk. "That has to be the brightest idea ever, Eiji. I'm coming along."
The three of them walked towards the white room at the outside corner of the pool. Takasan had started to sing something in a language that was not Japanese.
"Maybe Takasan should rest here." Harumi proposed.
"No… No… I have to come with you guys."
"Eiji, why did you let him get so drunk?" She sighed.
The redhead shrugged. "When I found him, he was already like that. It's not my fault, nya."
Harumi tried to open the door. "Great. It's locked. Here is the beginning and the end of our great plan."
"There are no such things as locked doors. BURNING!" Takasan shouted and then jumped against the door, trying to break it open with his shoulder. Harumi and Eiji each took him by an arm and made him back off.
"Maybe we should knock him KO before he destroys anything else." Harumi mumbled.
Takasan's eyes widened as he pointed a shaky finger towards the door. Eiji turned around and saw that the door was slightly ajar. He cheered and hugged Takasan from behind. "You did it! It's open, now! See, Takasan was useful for something, after all! Alright, let's go in, Harumi. And Takasan, you better stay here and find out if the door is broken."
"Yeah, stay outside. If someone comes, tell us." Harumi added.
"NO! I…"
However, Eiji and Harumi had already disappeared inside. Takasan arched an eyebrow and then sighed. He approached the door and examined it. "There is nothing wrong with it! It is working just fine. Besides, where did they get the idea that I know anything about doors? I am a sushi chief. The best sushi chief in Japan after my old man! Yeah, that's right!"
He let out a loud laugh.
In the meantime, Eiji and Harumi were trying to find the light switch, but all they could manage to do was to bump into each other and against other objects that they couldn't discern. The only source of light came from outside the breach that the open door of the storage room created.
Harumi groped the wall with her hands, but everything was smooth to her touch. After a while, she felt the floor reeling underneath her feet.
"Ugh, I think I am going to be sick."
Eiji's reply was cut off by the door suddenly shutting close, cutting off the only light source they had.
Eiji let out a scream. Harumi walked to the door and banged on it. "Takasan! Takasan! What the hell are you doing?"
She tried to turn the handle but it was broken. "Takasan, I told you to fix the stupid door!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.
There was no reply from the other side. Eiji somehow managed to join her.
"What's going on, Harumi? It's so dark in here!"
"Takasan! You fool! If this is your definition of a joke, it is not funny! Stop being an ass and open the freaking door!"
Eiji soon joined his screams to that of Harumi as he banged on the door. Suddenly, his foot slipped. He fell sideways, and in his fall, knocked the young girl to the ground as well.
They laid there on the cold floor for a while, breathing heavily. Then, Harumi let out a laugh.
"Okay, this is the most ridiculous scenario ever."
She laughed again. After a while, Eiji joined her. She didn't know what was so funny, but she just couldn't stop laughing.
She held her ribs and laughed until tears were oozing out of her eyes. She could hear Eiji laughing at her side, which only increased her own fit of hilarity.
When they finally calmed down a little, she went into a sitting position with her back against the door. Her eyes were more used to the darkness now, and she could vaguely discern Eiji's silhouette standing next to her.
"What are you doing?" She inquired between two deep breaths.
Eiji mumbled something, and then groped his surroundings until he found an object having a rectangular form. It looked like a box. He opened it and bent over to look inside.
"Hoi, hoi, lucky! It is beer alright!"
After performing a little dance, he took out two bottles and handed one to the young girl.
She popped the cap open and gulped down three straight mouthfuls of its content. Eiji sat down by her side.
"Now what?" She asked.
"I don't know what Takasan is up to, nya, but from our current position there is nothing we can do."
"Okay, so basically we are locked here until further notice. Imagine if we have to pass the night here! I don't have any real clothes on, for God's sake."
For the first time, she was aware that she was only wearing a two piece bathing suit, and that Eiji had only a short on. Somehow the situation seemed even funnier that way.
Eiji started to whistle some unknown melody to himself. Harumi finished her beer and lied against his side, seeking for a more comfortable position.
"Do I look like a pillow to you?" The redhead sighed.
"Yeah."
"Nani?" Sigh. "Alright, I will let this pass, just because it's you, Harumi."
Harumi snatched the can of beer he was holding and finished it.
"Oi, that was mine!"
"Not anymore!"
"And don't you think you are drinking too much?"
"Hey, we are locked in a room full of beer. What else do you want me to do?"
Time passed slowly. Harumi was feeling sleepy, now. Her head was reeling, and her eyelids felt heavy. Even after all the alcohol she had engulfed, she couldn't manage to stay warm anymore. She passed her arms around Eiji's waist and lied down on his bare chest. "Hm, I'm cold, so keep me warm, Eiji."
After a brief pause, Eiji hesitantly put a hand on her the bare skin of her waist and pulled her closer to him.
"Arigatou, Eiji. But… I don't feel like falling asleep here, dammit." The young girl whispered.
When she opened her eyes, she saw his face almost clearly in the dark. He was displaying his usual cat-like grin.
"Why not? You are so kawaii when you sleep, nya."
Even in the dark, she could see his eyes shining softly. She smiled.
"Really? You are kawaii when you are awake, Eiji."
Suddenly, Eiji leaned close to her to look into her face. "I have to take back what I just said."
She frowned in confusion.
He softly touched her cheek. "You are not kawaii. You are beautiful."
He gently brushed her eyebrows with one finger. "Your eyes…your nose… your mouth…" His finger traced her features and finished on her chin, as he lifted her face towards his. "They are all beautiful, nya."
Harumi's eyes widened. Even with the alcohol masking her reasoning, she knew something unusual was going on. She didn't understand that warm feeling washing all over her body.
She tried to look away, but Eiji gently forced her to return her gaze upon him once more.
"I love you, Harumi."
She gasped.
Seeing her expression in the dark, his eyes closed in a smile as he slowly placed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I just wanted you to know that."
Slowly, Harumi raised a hand to her chest, in a vain attempt to repress the crazy beats of her heart. Her voice was lost in her throat. She couldn't answer him. She didn't know what to answer him. Eiji, her best friend, loved her.
If only her heart would calm down…
She felt blood rushing to her head.
And then she felt Eiji's lips on top of hers. She stared, unblinking, at the ceiling while her brain was trying to process what was happening to her.
He is kissing me…Eiji… he is kissing me. He loves me.
She pulled away.
"Eiji… what…"
She was cut off by another kiss. She didn't have the strength to pull away from him a second time.
During that instant when everything seemed to freeze around her, transient pieces of memories rolled in front of her eyes.
The sight of Eiji's cheerful smile.
The childish tone in his voice.
The warmth of his body.
The sincerity in his eyes.
She remembered that moment on the container… the feeling of his scarf around her neck.
She remembered his face framed by the falling snowflakes.
Slowly, she closed her eyes and passed her arms around his neck as he kissed her. She knew Eiji would never hurt her. She knew she was safe with him.
That was her first kiss.
Remember when
We never needed each other;
The best of friends
Like sister and brother.
We understood we'd never be
Alone.
Those days are gone, and I want you so much.
The night is long and I need your touch.
I don't know what to say;
I never meant to feel this way.
I don't want to be
Alone tonight.
What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard, so fast this time.
What did I say? What did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?
I hear your voice,
And I start to tremble;
Brings back the child that I resemble.
I cannot pretend that we can still be friends.
I don't want to be
Alone tonight.
Okay, is it just me or my chapters are getting longer? Oo
Anyways, one more done! Cool, huh? I actually enjoyed writing this chapter very much!
It's a decisive moment, guys!
Who will Harumi choose?
And here is what we are going to do. Since we are living in democratic countries, we are going to VOTE:p Tell me who you'd rather see Harumi with. Is it Fuji? Or is it Eiji?
This will not necessarily influence the course of the story, since I have it pretty much planned out until the end. But it's just to have fun and for me to hear your opinions on the matter. And once you have decided who you are gonna vote for, please tell me for what reason you like that pair-up better!
Alright… one more thing I want to say before I answer to your reviews… there were two songs in this chapter, and I like both of them. The first one is a Fuji / Harumi song, and it is called "Sometimes when we touch", by Dan Hill. The second one, at the end, is a Eiji / Harumi song, called "How did I fall in love with you", by the Backstreet Boys. If you wanna listen to them, just visit our old friend youtube!
I-Poke-Penguins: it's funny that you talk about choices now! Well, it is very interesting, indeed. Please vote for your favorite couple then, haha! And for sure, all your questions will be answered in future chapters! Thanks for reading!
Anime 300 : thanks for the review! Hope you liked the chappy!
DYL0103 : thank you so much!! Hope you liked the update! And usually I post once a week. usually it is a Sunday!!
Singer in the wind: thanks! Yeah… I know I have been mean to her, but now she has a chance with someone else, right?
Eiji.K.lover123 : ok, I have to say that I always love your reviews, girl! Thanks! So many questions indeed. Don't worry, you are going to get all your answers before this story is over, haha. It's true that she has hidden her emotions for too long. It is a good thing that she told Eiji everything. And now… well… their relationship has evolved, haha. Eiji is a really cool character. I like him tons, and I think it shows. :p he must the cutest anime character ever created in the history of anime. Omg, now that you mention it, the end of the story does seem close. Oo. But don't worry, plenty of things are still going to happen before then! Oh, yeah, I just remembered: you asked before where I got my ideas from, right? Well, that's actually a good question. The thing is that I started with a rough plan, but as I write the story, it pretty much deviated from that original plan. Man, the ideas just come when I'm writing. I like to think that it's because the characters are writing their own stories, haha. They are ALIVE! Anyways, hope you liked the chappy, girl!! And thanks again for everything!
JayleeJ : omg, are you serious? Thanks so much! I just re-read my last chapter and realized the ending is a cliffie indeed! Oo. Believe me or not, I didn't intend to make it a cliffie, but the ending just turned out to be that way. Oh well, do you consider the ending of this chapter a cliffie as well:p .
Rita: well, personally, I think the last chapter wasn't my personal best. I have no idea why, though. I just felt that way. But hey, if you guys liked it, then I'm happy. I have nothing to complain about, haha. Well, my drawing has nothing to do with my writing. I suck at drawing… seriously! Oo. I don't want to deform any of my characters, so I don't draw them. On my profile are some pictures of the couples. You can see Harumi there. Just imagine her in that white dress, cause I really can't help you on that one, lol.
Fujilovesme: well, this was the actual dance. Do you hate Sayuri even more now? Lol. Thanks for the review!
All Sweetness Wisdom: woah! Thanks so much for liking it! Yeah, I have been wanting to write a PoT fic for a long time. I wanted to write something with romance in it, but no yaoi, so I was going through the list of characters, and going wild in my head, cause it seemed like a desperate cause. And then I was like : "Wait, there are OCs!" And yeah, that's basically what happened. Anyways, im glad you like it! hope you enjoyed this chappy as well!!!
Kp-sama: Fuji getting his senses back! That's an interesting thing to say. I hope so too. You hear that, Fuji? Lol. Thanks for the review, and never mind my randomness.
Moonlight19: you are back with your long reviews!! Haha. Love it, girl. Didn't know you slept at a dorm! Hope you get to read this, then! sorry for making you wait till the end of the chapter for a Fuji / Harumi scene, but I really wanted to emphasize on the fact that they rarely speak to each other, now. LOL. If you are in love with Fuji, you are not the only one! But my problem is… I am equally in love with Eiji… so… what now? And I don't think a lot of people like Sayuri. If she existed in real life, that would piss me off. I'm glad she is only in my story. Hum, Harumi never knew that Sayuri had hurt Fuji before. The only people who know that fact are Fuji, Sayuri, and the readers, because of Fuji's dream. But all the other characters are unaware of it. and you are right, it is really hard to open up to others. Just to show how important Eiji is to her, and how he can influence her, I made her tell him before she told Amaya, or even her parents. I think Harumi trusts Eiji completely. You need Fuji / Harumi moments… ok… you will be satisfied… eventually. I promise that you will get them, though! I have everything planned out. ( takes out her Inui notebook ).
All my exams are over now!! That's why I had much more time to write this chapter!! Thanks for all your encouragement!!! (hugs moonlight) see ya soon!!!!
Hajimari: LOL. Hard choice, hard choice, huh? Now you get the official vote, so you pretty much have to choose, now. I hope this ending wasn't too much of a cliffie… I make cliffies unconsciously, so I apologize in advance for any future cliffies, but remember that I am not responsible, haha. Regarding Aika… well… maybe she will end up with Ootori instead. Who knows? Lol.
White Alchemist Taya: no one likes Sayuri so far. It's meant to be this way. She is the enemy in this story. A lot of questions arise from all this mess, I will try to answer them all, don't worry about that, haha. We will have a sneak peek inside Fuji's head, soon. I think it will actually happen in the next chapter. Thanks for the review!
Livelyrose: LOL. Glad to hear you like my story to that extent. I promise I will try my best to post every week. Are you okay using the website now? If you have questions, I'll try to answer them the best I can!!! Take care girl!! Ps: oh yeah, you mentioned your challenge before, right? Hum… I don't know if I can do it after all, with my school schedule and this story... but you know what? I've actually thought about a potential storyline. If I don't get to post it for your challenge, I will make it my next fic! .
Luvracci : thanks for loving Harumi:p . I think she needs love right now. I love her too, and no, it's not a sadistic love. Seriously. I think people need to go through hard times in order to know what true happiness is. Since I am optimistic, I know she will obtain what she is looking for if she doesn't give up. Now, if she does give up, then it is another matter. Well, anyways, keep the reviews coming, girl!! I FRIGGIN love 'em!
Morggie85: thanks for the long review! Woah, im impressed:p. Ok, so concerning the passage with Inui, Harumi wasn't really talking about Kenji. She was talking about that moment before the actual winter carnival, when Fuji asked her to go there with him. The moments Harumi was talking about were the two moments where Fuji had hugged her for x reason. the other moment is in the cafeteria, before the group went skiing. So it's like a reaaaally far away chapter. Omg, I so loved writing the Harumi / Eiji scene. And I loved writing their moments in this chapter as well. Hope you liked it!
KikumaruLuv: thanks for the review! But ano… please don't murder me in my sleep? Haha. Im glad you like my story, and yes, I see what you are talking about when you say there is a personality match between Harumi and Fuji. They do act in pretty similar ways sometimes, like the fact that they hide their emotions from others. Oops, sorry for any eventual grammar / spelling mistakes. I know I have plenty of them in my first chaps. I am actually editing those. But I hope I have less of them in my later chapters! The thing is that I don't always see them, even though I read the chapter twice. So… if you know someone who corrects fanfics, please tell me:p ! arigatou!
Fuyu Hakumei: roger that!! Update done! Hope you enjoyed it!!
Akira Uchiha: hey, thanks for taking interest in my fanfic! You got some pretty good ideas there, but by including the characters you mentioned, it will be harder to stick to my original storyline! I have every planned out! It's all written in my inui notebook, haha, so I can't really change stuff at this stage of the story!!! Hope you liked this chapter, then!!! Ja ne!
PinkberrySodaa: thanks for liking my story!! Im really really glad to hear it. Tezuka / Naoko is an interesting couple. Naoko being shy, she will probably not tell Tezuka of her feelings until the very end. But I think it will definitely happen! Fuji and Harumi… well, please do vote for them as a couple, then!! Thanks again:p