For These Scars
~Chapter 10~
Written by: RinoaDestiny
King of Fighters, Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, Saisyu Kusanagi, Shizuka Kusanagi, and Yuki belong to SNK
"Kyo," his mother said, the slight tilt of her head the only warning he got, "Yuki's here to see you." She was dressed in a pale blue kimono this time, embroidered with a subtle pattern that carried a faint sheen in the light. It'd only been three days since the blowup with his dad and while he had been considering what to do or say in case Yuki asked – or didn't, which was worse – he hadn't expected her to drop by any time soon. "She seems rather excited. Will you see her?"
Not seeing her would only make her suspicious. It was also cowardly for him to avoid her, since he still liked her and just because he also liked Iori didn't mean his feelings for her were any less. He'd been sitting at his desk, going through his cell phone – the lack of response still drove an icy feeling of unease into his gut – when his mother dropped by. With Yuki at his front door, there was no way he was going to sidestep her. He put his phone into his pocket, pushed his chair back, and stood. "Yeah. I'll see her."
"I'll let her know you'll be arriving soon."
With that, Shizuka Kusanagi left.
"Arriving soon" in the Kusanagi household pertaining to him and Yuki meant meeting in the usual spot, which was in a small room adjacent to the common family room. It also meant all conversation unless spoken in whispers could be heard from either side, since the walls weren't insulated. However, since he and Yuki never discussed anything private, there was no harm to it. Kyo cracked his neck, stretching the tight muscles and opened his door.
Ignored the clansman standing guard outside.
Ignored him as he was escorted to the room, which he knew very well, dammit.
What he did notice was how the other man peeled off before he could be seen by Yuki. Of course. His dad did mention not giving her the slightest hint something was off in their house. Potential marriage prospects and all. An asset to the clan, if one wanted to see her that way. Somehow, Kyo thought Yuki wouldn't take kindly to seeing herself like that – it harkened back to the traditional ways of a woman's role and his girlfriend was a bit too feisty to just submit to that. Hell, even he didn't dare to cross her in certain ways.
She reminded him of his mother in some aspects.
Not quiet. Not just an ornament for her man.
Something for him to think about.
"Kyo!" Yuki exclaimed as he entered the room, tread soft on the tatami matting. He smiled as she crossed the space between them, step lithe and light. "How are you? I was wondering if we could go out and…well, you know!"
A date. He had gone on several with her, even while meeting with Iori in secret over the last six months before…
He shut that thought down before it could show on his face.
"What do you have in mind?"
She beamed, almost glowing. "Well, I was thinking we can go to a concert. There's one with this choir and orchestral group in a few weeks. And I'll ask my parents if you can come over to my place afterwards."
"Your folks will be home?"
"Of course, Kyo." She smiled, amused. "They trust you and all, but…"
"Yeah, I know." Even with him being chaste around her – something he couldn't claim with his time spent with Yagami (don't think that right now) – Yuki's parents still hovered about her, protective of their daughter's virtue. Young men and all that talk. He knew how that belief still held true and he couldn't blame them for that.
"So…you want to go?"
"Why not?" He refrained from shrugging, knowing how she'd perceive that. "Want me to buy the tickets? Just let me know the group, the place and time, and I'll take care of that."
Yuki's smile warmed him. There was a sparkle in her eyes. She wore a green dress (it was one of her favorites) which was knee-length for modesty but draped nicely on her. It went well with her brown hair and eyes. While she wasn't Shermie – that infamous late fighter who had boasted of her fashion designer skills and tastes – she was Yuki and she carried her own sense of flair. Her happiness spilling over, she reached out and hugged him.
"Thank you, Kyo!"
Grinning, he embraced her back. For a petite girl, she had a formidable squeeze.
"Just give me the details later. How are you?"
"The usual! You won't believe how crazy it is at work!"
"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "In what way?"
"All the company politics. All the gossip. I try to avoid it but…"
"Still gets you?"
"Hard not to hear it." Yuki sighed. "My co-worker's very chatty."
"Then tell her to shut up."
"Kyo!" Her expression of astonishment made him chuckle. "That's rude!"
"That's what I'd do. Unless you like hearing her go on and on…"
"That's still rude!"
This time, he shrugged. "Up to you."
"So, what about you? How have you been, Kyo?"
A landmine of a question. How was he? Only tangled up in worries and fraught with tension, quarreling with his father and launching his own secretive strike outside the confines of his home via Benimaru. All because his father discovered his relationship with Iori. Whether it was just through his phone records or something else, he had no idea how far his father's reach went. That concerned him. But he couldn't mention any of this to Yuki. Not now. Not with that future date already marked in his mental calendar.
"Same old, same old. Nothing much."
"Really? Can't be that boring for you."
Oh, if she only knew. "Afraid so. Even the great Kyo Kusanagi has boring days."
She gave him a playful punch. "Glad I'm here, then."
"You want to give me the details? I can order the tickets on my phone right now. Confirm it with you here."
"Sure!" Opening her purse – a sleek brown leather bag – Yuki handed him a piece of paper. It was a printout of the venue, date, time, and musical group. "Was waiting for them to come here since last year. Glad they made it this time."
Kyo read the venue and paused in the middle of searching for the ticket purchase website. The place was close to Yagami's home – only ten minutes away by foot – and he still had the spare keys in his room. But why was he thinking that right now? He was going on a date with Yuki. He couldn't let his private thoughts about Iori encroach upon his and Yuki's time together. That would be…unfair. To her.
His mother said he'd have to choose eventually.
He only hoped for some more time to consider.
Yuki hadn't caught his faltering. Quickly, before she realized it, he finished purchasing the tickets. "There. Done." He showed her his phone screen with the confirmation. "Just need to pick them up at the ticket office."
She embraced him again, smiling. He really did love her.
But then again…
Biting back his sigh, he also kept his thoughts off his face. "Yuki…"
"Yes? What is it, Kyo?"
"I've been gone so many times. Missing for several years. You remember before. Have you ever felt…slighted? That I wasn't always there for you?"
"I did miss you back then. Even now, if you're gone for several weeks participating in that tournament. I don't get it, but…I'll always be waiting for you."
A small knife twisting in the wound of his guilt. Kyo didn't say anything.
"Kyo? Is something wrong?"
"No. It's nothing."
She looked at him but didn't press further. Relieved, Kyo pocketed his phone. Sat down on the tatami matting and watched as Yuki followed suit. She reached her hands out to him. He took them and held them, familiar with their slender smallness, the sleekness of her bones, and the softness of her skin. Doing this reminded him of other hands – larger, rougher but capable of surprising gentleness – and it only conflicted him more.
He did have to choose.
He just didn't know whom.
He couldn't have both, because it didn't work that way.
"Kyo? Are you sure everything's all right?"
"Yeah. I'm okay, Yuki."
She didn't need to know. Not right now.
They had a date three weeks from now. He wasn't going to be the one dashing her hopes, shattering her happiness, erasing that smile from her face. He wasn't going to say anything until he himself knew exactly what he wanted. He was still waiting to hear from Benimaru. There was nothing from that front yet.
Yuki reached up to touch his cheek. He leaned into it, closing his eyes.
Life was in some ways most unfair.