Vollkommen: The Beauty and the Beast - Ayako and War! - Part One!
7.00 PM - Corridor to cafeteria
"So Ayako's parents are back. That's good...Those DES chose a bad time to piss off War." Strife chuckled.
"Man, that's not fair! I want to have some piece of the furious fun!" Fury pouted.
"You will get yours when DES and DGTO in times to come." Alito chuckled.
"They had better be..." Fury huffed.
"Say...where's Death again? Minding his own business I believe." Strife wondered.
"Death is visiting Mikako now. He passed the time in HQ earlier on as the hospital's visiting time was temporary over." Chris replied.
"Yay me...first is me, and now Death got struck by Cupid's arrow. What is this, Valentine's Day for Horsemen?" Strife rolled his eyes.
The rest chuckled heartily.
"Well, at least you have something on your mind aside from the mundane tasks of just 'maintaining the balance' from outside influences." Chris winked.
"Well, that isn't a bad idea. I mean, Tomochin is pretty...Still can't believe that Mikako and Death were getting together. Good for him. Heh." Strife grunted.
"I'm willing to bet War is next!" Fury grinned.
"Oh, c'mon! War is a stoic, serious, honorable warrior! How can he even be affected by the affairs of the heart?" Strife interjected.
"Oh? Things aren't as simple as ABC." Alito chuckled.
"You think so?" Strife sounded amused.
"Only time will tell." Chris shrugged.
Strife recalled how Ayako's face was filled with relief, gratitude, and blushed at the person's description who rescued Summerstar.
"Wow...Ayako and War. And just when I thought life couldn't get ANY crazier." Strife sighed.
Cafeteria
Strife's eyes lit up when he saw Tomoyo waving for him.
"Well, this is where we part ways for now. See ya ladies later." Strife waved goodbye.
"Just look at Strife, all cheered up. And to think that eons ago, he's still pretty much a horseman that angst about small things all the time!" Fury chuckled.
"When you have someone who can accept him for who he is, no surprises. Tomoyo is pretty much cheerful, optimistic, and a simple girl." Chris smiled calmly.
"I'm bored...Death is dating with Mikako, Strife is going out with Tomoyo, and War is doing god knows what. BORING!" Fury yawned.
"Well, our schedule is over for today. And given that our practice time for tomorrow will be starting late, do you fancy some shopping with Katagiri, Nagisa, Hikari, and Chieri?" Chris winked.
"Heh...even we women need some day out! Alright!" Fury grinned.
Meanwhile...
Mr and Mrs Kuroki, along with Ayako, walked into the cafeteria. The sixth Yuki Kashiwagi had introduced her parents to the HQ a few hours earlier.
"And this is the cafeteria, where the AKB0048 Idols gathered here chat about the day's work, happenings, gossips, and eat." Ayako simpered.
Idols from different generations, statures, and ages were crowding around the cafeteria, having drinks, chit-chatting, and even a few laughs over certain gibberish.
There were staffs from different divisions of AKB0048 HQ having their conversations within one another, throwing cheeky or serious glances now and then. Some even make hand-signs, as if to signify something important.
"Wow...that is lively!" Mrs Kuroki gasped in awe.
"Well...I'm glad that our daughter is well taken care of. That's a relief." Mr Kuroki agreed.
Mrs Kuroki scanned the area and shortly after found a figure that stuck out from the rest.
War.
He was sitting alone among the sea of crowds, but it was easy to see because of the big sword that was the Chaoseater.
Mr. and Mrs Kuroki wanted to approach War to thank him properly, but Ayako tugged their hands in time.
"Don't...War prefers that he not be glorified in fame." Ayako shook her head.
War caught sight on the Kurokis, nodded gently, and went back to fixing his prosthetic gauntlet.
Mrs Kuroki saw that Ayako clasping both of her hands on her chest while looking at War, a shade of red spread across her cheeks, and chuckled.
War was not that stupid either. People normally looked at his stature and thought that big size means a klutz, stupid, or even just plain all brawl and no wits. However, it did not take War long enough to see how Ayako was feeling...
Ayako was having a crush for him.
It was not the kind of crush that was seen as a typical school-girl crush, oh no it was not.
War knew that Ayako had a crush on him because she felt extremely grateful that he saved her parents from DES's invasion.
Her parents meant a lot to her, so it was natural to feel affection and gratitude for the person who saved them, right?
The problem was, he was a Nephillim, and Ayako was a human. He did not mind, but would Ayako be able to accept his 'bloody' past?
Besides, as a Red Rider who only loved fighting honorably, what was love to begin with?
Late at Night - Balcony in AKB0048 Dormitory - Ayako's room.
There was something about him...
Charisma, maybe?
Despite his solemn personality, there was something that attracted Ayako to War.
She could not deny it, couldn't she? Despite his unusually big, masculine appearance, he was not like any kind of your typical 'superhunk' that people saw on TV showing off their muscles or whatsoever.
Was it because of his powers? Was it because he looked just like a complete badass?
No. She thought. She knew it had to be more than skin-deep. Because even after discarding any thoughts of War being powerful, him being muscular and well-built, there was still something that made him stood out from your typical 'superhunk'.
Was it because of his integrity, his honor?
After all, if there was one thing that War would never do, it was dishonor.
With honor, comes integrity. With integrity, comes, equality, reassurance and eventually, safety. Wouldn't that be a reason for love as well?
She found herself chuckling in a goofy manner. There was no denying it, she was in love that which was destruction, blood, savagery, integrity, seriousness, and honor itself.
"Love is strange, isn't it?"
Ayako turned around and saw her mother standing next to her on the balcony...
"Your roommate Mayu let me in, just want to check how you're doing. Mayu did say that you were acting kinda strange today and it ain't hard to see why." Mrs Kuroki chuckled.
Ayako chuckled. "Strange, isn't it? In love with an embodiment that represents destruction, honor, savagery, blood, and justice."
Mrs Ayako simpered. "Well, love is strange sometimes. As with your dad too."
"Your beloved?" Ayako wondered.
"Mmhmm. When I first met him, I was only twenty. Up to this point, he's much of a protective person and a brawler when we first met at university. Sometimes, you might just fall for a person for some weird reason, but when is love ever normal?" Mrs Ayako nodded.
"Who's that person sitting on the far east of the classroom? He looks kinda slightly bruised." the then young Mrs Ayako, also known as Mesa Kuroki, wondered.
One of her classmates with long brown hair, Rina, shrugged.
"You mean Yoshiki? Jeez, he's one of the infamous brawlers in schools. I mean just look at him, occasionally picking fights with certain gangsters outside of other institute. Sick and tired of seeing 'em fights. I urge you not to interact with him, you're gonna go through a lot of crap if you're labelled an 'accomplice' doing so." Rina huffed.
Yoshik's hairstyle was ruffled from the recent fights he had been. His side forehead was bruised and cuts could be seen on his arms. Wounds could be seen from his knees, the red wounds tingled Mesa's spines with shock.
Yoshiki looked at Mesa and grunted as he looked away from Mesa's line of sight. The male student's eyes widened when he felt a slightly damp cloth on his hands. Mesa was beside him, smiling gently.
"Clean your wounds, it's not going to help you if you fall sick from it."
Yoshiki looked at the slightly damp cloth and at Mesa's simpering smile. He blushed shortly after.
"T...Thanks, I guess."
"Wouldn't you believe that despite the warning from my fellow mates, I still think that he's an interesting young soul back then. Still was back then and still is now, even when the Entertainment Ban kicked in." Mrs Kuroki chuckled.
"I never knew dad got involved in so much fights! Is he okay back then?" Ayako gasped.
"Of course he is! Sometimes, a single act is enough to make sparks fly..." Mrs Kuroki nodded.
Lunch time back at Taiyou University...
As usual Yoshiki was alone in his seat, eating bread. The room was empty as it should be during lunch time.
He was so used into eating alone during recess, that he was shocked when he saw someone placing a bento on his table.
The male student looked up...
"M...Mesa?"
The red hair female student simpered as her eyes met the 'brawler'.
"May I sit with you?" Mesa spoke softly.
Yoshiki gasped lightly, and felt a warm patch over his cheeks.
"S...Sure."
Both Mesa and Yoshiki did not talk for the remaining time they could spare in recess, but Mesa could feel a sense of warmth on her chest as she blushed and simpered.
Yoshiki remained rather speechless throughout, blushing.
When both finished their bentos, Yoshiko blinked his eyes several times in a short span.
"T...Thanks, Mesa...I appreciate it."
"Day after day went by, and we have lunch with each other every day since he's constantly alone at that time. Gradually, he constantly turned up for lessons in time. I'm happy for him as a result. You can say that my smile encouraged him. Soon our silent interaction with each other was peppered with conversations about our school work, and even chatting casually about our parents. He opened up to me and as our grades gradually improved, our smiles encouraged each other. He was still a slight brawl by then, but only because he wanted to protect me." Mrs Kuroki blushed happily.
"So...dad is just like War?" Ayako looked on in amusement.
Mrs Kuroki winked. "You will be amazed how small things can make a huge impact on people's lives as much as big things do. We fell in love with each other as we encouraged each other to excel in studies and be successful at what we do. The most important thing is not to change his integrity and what make him unique, though. He still stutters from time to time and will fight against people who dare to mess with me. It's very cute I have to admit."
"So you don't mind me having the potential to..." Ayako wondered.
"I'm sure that as long as you respect each other, it will all unravel itself in times to come. Love has no hard or fast rules, Yukirin. Seeds of love can be planted due to someone saving your life, impacting your life, or even helping out in situations that you thought it's a lost cause. Just go with the flow because in the end, we will accept your decision and free will." Mrs Kuroki gave Ayako the thumbs up.
She continued, "Besides...Yoshiki is just like War - you might think that they like to fight, be angry, or have personality that most mainstream think is 'beastly and bloody', but things aren't what it seems. Just show War the respect he deserves, it will come down good in time." Mrs Kuroki smiled.
"Even when his name is War? A name that's associated with chaos and destruction?" Ayako looked on hopefully.
"I'm sure he won't really kill everything, besides, he's an honorable soul. When love comes to play, past misdeeds shall never be the reason for determining whether a person is worth for romance or not. It's your choice now, Yukirin, go for it!" Mrs Kuroki grinned.
"Thanks, mom!" Ayako embraced her mother tightly round her waist as the former rested her head on the latter's right shoulder.
"War...thank you for indirectly allowing my mom and I to catch up with the lost times we have. I guess i can safely say, I have fallen for you..." Ayako blushed blissfully as a soft smile flashed across her face.
