The Story Of Us

Chapter 8:- Curiosity

Disclaimer:- I own nothing but the plot. Any similarity with reality is not intended and purely coincidental.

Around here, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things...because we are curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

"Emi, what's going on?"

Emi sighed, "It's nothing, Uncle James."

"What do you mean? Takumi told me you two are in France then why?"

"We came to Japan so that we can live free! Please, promise me you won't tell my dad, please?"

He sighed at the other end of line, "Look, I will never."

"So, you approve…?" She asked, hopeful.

"Yes, I do. Because I have seen that you two are in good hands."

She paused for a minute but before she could ask what he meant by that he said goodbye and hung up. Odd.

"So..?"

Emi sighed, "So, he said he won't tell my dad."

She turned around and saw her best friend, sitting on the soft mattress of her bed cross legged, staring at her. She again signed. This day was getting too tiring for her, "For the millionth time Shinichi, get out of my room or I will beat the shit out of you."

"What did he say?" The boy asked ignoring her threat like it meant nothing to him.

"He said something odd." She frowned, "He said we are in good hand. I don't understand."

He just smiled as he made himself more comfortable on her bed, "Well, if he said he won't tell your dad, then that's okay. Don't fret it."

Emi rolled her eyes at him before she sighed and sat at the edge of the bed, "Don't you think things are getting complicated?"

"Complicated…?" He paused for a moment, "I guess a little."

She shook her head, "It's been a month since we have come here and this place is good; maybe better than our own mansion. But we can't just stay here forever. One day, we will have to go back."

"That's true."

"So, please don't try to fall into complicated things or we will suffer ourselves." She muttered.

Shinichi got up from the bed and kneeled in front of her, "Hey, look, let's just try to enjoy and don't over-think things."

Emi sighed, "Yes, let's try." She looked up, "By the way if you don't get out of my room in one minute, you will see the end of you."

He chuckled and sat beside her, "By the way, did Mr. President say something to you?"

She frowned, "Ryuu…?"

"Yes him."

"No, he didn't. Why?"

Shinichi eyed her. There was definitely something wrong but since it was none of his business and he respected her decisions, he let it go. "No, nothing." He shook his head, "I just asked."

Emi nodded and went to her desk for, probably, studying. He also stood up and left her apartment. It was late. He remembered their earlier dinner. There is something about Ayuzawa Misaki. She was all caring and good when he expected her to be fierce and…rough knowing that she was once known as the 'demon prez'. Not to mention, that Ryuu guy was her son, so his earlier suspicion was true.

He chuckled; I should be a detective in future. With that thought he went to bed and slowly drifted off.

:::

"Hi."

Yui looked up to see Emi standing in front of her. She smiled and her, "Hi."

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Emi asked her.

"Sure." She said as she shifted a little bit to give her some space to sit. "Do you always have your lunch alone?"

"Ah…" Emi thought a moment, "Most of the time, yes. What about you?"

"I like to have my lunch alone."

"Um…then am I disturbing you?"

Yui laughed, "No, of course not. It gets lonely sometimes."

Emi let out a breath of relief before her fell on Yui's lunchbox, "Did your mom make those?" And before she could filter those words, it came out of her mouth.

The other girl looked up, "My lunch…?" She asked.

Emi nodded.

"Yes." She looked at the brunette, somehow she looked like she wanted to say more but couldn't, "Do you want some?"

Emi shook her head and looked straight ahead, "No, I was just remembering about my mom. That's all."

"You miss her?"

"No really." Emi looked at her, "She is always busy, you know. So, we never really had a normal mom and daughter relationship."

Yui looked down. She knew it. This girl was lonely. She had her own problems, but who was she to solve her problems when she was drowning in her own problems? She chuckled.

Emi frowned as a ghost smile touched her lips, "Is something funny?"

Yui shook her head, "I was just thinking about my own situation that's all." Then suddenly she straightened herself and took a deep breath, "Okay, enough with the heavy! Tell me, how are you finding Japan so far?"

"Oh, it's a great place!" Emi exclaimed, "This school is good and the people here are awesome!"

Yui laughed, "You sound like you are very happy to be here."

"I am!" Emi grinned, "You have no idea how happy I am to be here. My problem here is I am having a little hard time catching to those studies, you know it is the middle of a semester."

Yui thought for a moment before proposing, "I and Ryuu doing a group study together at his house. You can join us if you want."

"Ah….well…"

"Don't think!" Yui grabbed her elbow, "I will be fun. Besides we get to chit-chat too."

Emi chuckled, "If you say." She winked, "I'll go. By the way I am having a feeling."

Yui frowned but her smile was still on her lips, "That we will be great friends…"

Emi laughed, "Yeah!"

:::

"Why are you here? You are not welcome here."

Shinichi rolled his eyes, "I don't trust you to leave Emi here alone."

Ryuu rolled his eyes at him.

"Stop it, you two!" Yui exclaimed, hands on her hips. They were currently in Ryuu's house where they were supposed be studying but these two boys were only rolling their eyes at each other. She sighed, "Seriously, what's the matter with you guys?!" She asked as her frown deepened.

"Wha- He's the one who started it!" Shinichi put up a accusing finger at Ryuu who merely shrugged.

Emi sighed and tried to change the topic, "Where's your mom?"

Ryuu looked at her with a smile, "She has gone out with a friend. They used to work together."

"As a professor…?" This time it was Shinichi who asked it.

Ryuu shook his head, "No, they used to work in a café; long before, when she was in high school."

Shinichi raised his brows, "I see. Do you work part time too?"

Ryuu again shrugged, "Well I wanted too but mom said I will have enough time to work later. She has a habit to protect everyone and take all burdens on her own shoulder."

"I see. That's sad."

Ryuu nodded, "Very."

"See!" Both girls exclaimed in unison startling the boys. They both looked at the girls for an explanation.

It was Yui who spoke first, "See, you guys can along…"

And Emi finished for her, "…If two want."

Ryuu frowned, "So, let's start." He declared.

"Wait, wait, wait!" But before they could start Shinichi stopped them. The three of them looked at the boy accusingly, "What!"

"Are we really going to study?" he asked.

Yui frowned, "That's the reason we are here for."

Shinichi looked at her like she has grown two heads, "I thought you were kidding!"

"Why would I be kidding?!"

"Oh…" Emi groaned, "Bookophobia… I forgot."

Ryuu frowned at her, "What's that?"

"That's my disease." Shinichi answered for Emi.

Yui's frowned deepened as she asked, "What kind of disease is that?"

"A very serious one." Shinichi said, "I can't stand books. My head spins at the sight of them."

The three of them rolled their eyes at Shinichi who rolled his eyes at them too, "What?!"

"In other words you don't want to study." Yui voiced out everybody's thought.

Shinichi smiled sheepishly at her, "You can say that too."

"Don't you have any tension for your future?" Ryuu asked.

"Well, I want to be singer." He answered.

"But that doesn't mean you don't have to study…" Yui muttered.

"Well, somehow…" Emi said, emphasizing on the 'somehow', and catching everybody's attention, "That guy, always gets pass marks without studying at all!" She exclaimed.

"No! I do study!" he protested.

"On the day before the exam!" Emi completed his sentence.

"Well, yeah!" He smiled at her.

Ryuu sighed, "Well, I am sorry Mr. Singer. We don't have a guitar here."

"Such a pity." Shinichi murmured.

"If you want to study, then can you please bring us some books?" Ryuu asked.

Shinichi made a face but nodded anyways, "Okay. Where is it?"

"Go straight and you will find a door on your left. In that room you will find a big wardrobe. Inside it you will find the books."

Shinichi sighed and got up. Behind him, the three of them indulged themselves in the text books. On the other hand, Shinichi tried to follow the direction which Ryuu told her. He went straight and, according to him, found a room. He opened the room and a whirl of dust hit his nose, as a reflex his hand went up to block his nose as he coughed.

Jeez, what room is that?

After searching for a moment in the dark room, he found the switch and lit the room. A store room! He mused.

They leave books in store room…?

He chuckled and shook his head at the absurd idea. He looked around the room. Well, there was a big wardrobe here. Maybe in there… he went towards the wardrobe. But he doubted his thoughts. This room was filled with junks and by the looks of it nobody haven't come here in a long time. He pulled the door of the wardrobe which was quite tight. He again tried and gave a sharp pull. The door opened with a crack and a lot of dust.

Shinichi closed his eyes shut and coughed due to the dust. After a while when he seemed to have calmed down, he opened his eyes. Damn books…. He cursed mentally before his eyes fell on a bag. His eyebrows frowned in confusion.

Didn't Ryuu just say they don't have a guitar then why was guitar case here? He looked at the other things in the wardrobe and his eyes widened. There were many things, many small things. But what his caught his interest was a uniform. A neo-seika uniform, okay two uniforms, two neo-seika uniforms; one female and one male.

"What are doing here?!"

Shinichi looked at the door to see a very angry Ryuu standing there, and somehow he felt the need to explain, "Look, I w-was coming…and then I found this room…the first room on left…and this wardrobe…so…" he trailed off.

Ryuu frowned, "Idiot, I meant the other room!" He exclaimed, "By the way, how did you get in! This room is always locked!"

Shinichi shook his head, "No, this wasn't locked."

"What's in there?" A voice came from behind making Ryuu looked back to see the girls standing there with an intrigued expression. "I don't know." Ryuu answered truthfully, "I haven't been there before."

"Ever…?" Shinichi asked surprised.

The other book frowned but nodded, "Ever. How could I? This room was always locked. Well, I once asked and mom said junk. So, I never asked."

Shinichi frowned and looked at the wardrobe, "Well, she said the truth. These all are junks."

"Can we go in?" Yui asked who was still behind the door with Emi.

Ryuu gulped and looked in the room. Well, these all sure looked like junk. So, there was probably nothing to see. But still, he was curious too. It wouldn't to see a little, would it? Taking a deep breath, he went in that room followed by Yui and Emi.

Emi, on the other hand, wanted to smack Shinichi on his head. Damn that guy and his curiosity! Unable to surpass the urge, she walked towards Shinichi and smacked on his head, hard.

"Ow." Shinichi winced as he rubbed the attacked spot on his head, "What?!" he snapped at Emi.

"I knew you were up to something!" She hissed, "Who told you to come here?"

"Excuse me!" He hissed back, "It was your Mr. Perfect who gave me the instructions and this is the first room on left and the big wardrobe, I found!"

Emi rolled her eyes at him ignoring the 'Mr. Perfect' part. Shinichi rolled his eyes back at her as they both started arguing on their head.

"Ryuu, there's a guitar here." Yui said breaking everybody's thoughts.

Ryuu looked at Yui before following her gaze inside the wardrobe, "And a male uniform too."

Shinichi, breaking his eyes battle with Emi, looked at Ryuu, "I think it belongs to your father." He blurted out.

Emi gasped and again smacked on Shinichi's head for not filtering his thoughts before saying. But before the attacked boy could say anything Ryuu opened his mouth. "I think so." He said and continued, "And the guitar too. I heard he used to play to mom."

Yui bit her inner cheek. Why was getting this bad feeling? Like they have opened something they shouldn't have. She sighed, "I think we should leave." She voiced out her thought.

Emi nodded at her thought and tugged Shinichi by his elbow. Shinichi, knowing he shouldn't be here, let Emi drag him out of the room.

On the contrary, Ryuu stood glaring at the things in the wardrobe, his fists clenched. This was it…? If that man had hurt her so much then why was keeping these thing… Why was she hurting herself? He will never know. All he could see that how much she loved his father, so much that she still had all his things.

Ryuu swallowed and took a deep breath; he will never know his mother full. "Wait." He stated making the other three stop.

"I would like to see the guitar." Ryuu said looking at his friends before proceeding to the wardrobe. He took the case and placed it on the ground. Shockingly, it was quite heavy. He frowned at looked at the others who have stopped and were looking at his direction.

Ryuu opened the zip and took out the instrument. He frowned at the weird shape of the guitar before hearing some audible gasp. He turned his head to see Shinichi's eyes had widened like he has seen a ghost while Yui had stopped breathing, "What?" he asked.

Yui was first to come out of shock. She took three long steps and in moment she was sitting in front of Ryuu. She noticed the shape and wood of the instrument closely for a moment and looked up at Ryuu wide eyed.

"What?" The clueless boy repeated his question.

Yui gulped, "This…guitar is…." She shook her head and licked her lips unable to continue.

It was Shinichi who continued the rest, "This guitar was made in 17th century by someone who used to under the first duke of England. The guitar is unique in very way. You can see the shape and wood is the best quality. The color resembles the family traditions and it's quite heavy too, I think because of the wood. Later in 18th century the duke died and all his properties came in hand of a multi-billionaire but his hose was robbed the day after. By that time, he had come to love the design of it, so he wanted to make a replica but no one could make it because of its odd design. And also the wood; the wood came from the first dukes personal garden, which wasn't there anymore. So, the businessman failed. Around 70 years ago it was found and was kept in a museum. But people were out there, who loved antiques, who wanted it. For that reason, It was auctioned for the first time about 30 years ago but the bidding went up and up and reached ridiculously high price which even the bidder couldn't seem to pay. 20 years ago it was again auctioned and somebody, psycho maybe, bought it with that ridiculously high price." Shinichi finished and looked at Ryuu who had disbelief painted on his face and continued, "The thing you are holding in your hands is a great antique which holds a lot of history. It's worth a great fortune." Shinichi frowned, "But that's not the question here. The question is why do you have it here?"

Ryuu looked at Shinichi in disbelief and chuckled, "That's…that's some history you just told."

Yui shook his head, "He is telling the truth Ryuu but…" she looked at Shinichi, "I didn't know this much. You have good knowledge about it."

The boy smirked, "Oh, I am very knowledgeable about the things I am interested in." He finished with a wink.

Yui frowned at looked at Ryuu, ignoring the other boy, "Ryuu, if this belonged to your father, as we are assuming, then I must say, your father is filthy rich."

Ryuu, speechless, decided to keep his mouth shut. Soon, a very uncomfortable silence fell on the room as they lost themselves in their thoughts.

"G-Guys…" Emi startled them in a timid voice, "I think we should keep it where it was." She proposed.

Ryuu nodded, still lost in his thoughts, "Yes, you are right. We should." He got up, "Usui, give me a hand."

Without any further protesting, Shinichi went to help Ryuu, for which Emi was thankful, and both of them put the instrument back to its cover and put that in the wardrobe, on its previous place. On the way back both Ryuu and Shinichi saw something written on the cover,

UTW; both of them mused.

"Guys, enough with heavy, let's go out." Emi proposed to ease their heavy.

Shinichi smiled, "Yes, let's go; my treat." He announced, "We will party and drink!"

The others glared at him.

"Juice, I meant." He smiled innocently.

:::

"You left the door unlocked!" screamed Aoi Hyodou, who was leading a fashion company, while sitting on their previous workshop Maid Latte.

"Duh! Stop screaming!" Misaki replied back and sighed. As usual, her friend was over-reacting over a single matter.

"Why did you leave the door open?" He again screamed ignoring her earlier statement, "What if Ryuu…"

"Ryuu will never go in that room." Misaki continued for the sake of her over-reacting friend. Why she always gets such over-reacting people? And Ryuu was one of them too! She sighed and continued, "I know."

Somehow her trust on his son seemed to have calmed his nerves because he just sat there for a moment drinking his coffee but his next question took her off guard.

"But what were you doing in that room?" He asked.

"How's your daughter?" She asked.

Aoi smiled, "Oh, She's good. She's right now out with her mom to her grandma's home…so it's very lonely in the house right now." He looked down and stirred his coffee with a spoon, "And Ayuzawa Misaki, do not try to change the topic."

Misaki bit her lip, just when she thought that she has successfully distracted him, "Um…it's actually a boy." She muttered.

"What!" Aoi exclaimed, "Ayuzawa Misaki are you dating?!"

"No!" She blushed, "I-It's Ryuu's friend."

"Oh my god, you like a 16 year old."

"No Aoi, stop that!" She snapped. How could he get such an idea?! Damn!

"So, what about him?" Aoi asked as he took a sip from his coffee.

Misaki smiled, "Isn't it amusing how you can make me mad in an instant?" She said sarcastically before sighing, "It's actually he looks king of him."

At that Aoi's ears parked up, "Him…as in…?"

She nodded.

Aoi shrugged, "So what? Ryuu looks like him too."

Misaki shook her head, "No. Same eyes."

Aoi frowned, "Are you sure?"

Misaki frowned too, "Yes."

"What's his name?"

"Usui Shinichi."

"And you think he is Takumi's son." Aoi whispered.

Misaki winced slightly at his name but nodded, then shook her head, "I mean, if he is, he should be younger that Ryuu. He should be 15 not 16."

Aoi stared at her. He had a point. Suddenly the bell of the door rang, signaling a new customer was here and since he was sitting facing the door, he could see who it was.

It was Yui, Ryuu and another girl. After them another boy came in, laughing at something while the other's also had small smiles plastered on their face. The boy caught him staring at him. Aoi's eyes widened. The same eyes.

This must be Takumi's son.

Then maybe not. His son is 15!

Then who was he? An outsider…?

No.

A distant family member?

Possible.

He took a long sip from his coffee. Misaki might not have noticed this but it seemed a big piece of this puzzle must have gone missing.

That's why all things are becoming so confusing.

Very sorry for this late update. I was kind of forgetting how to write the story. It took me a whole day to think what should I do with this chap and I am not very satisfied with the outcome too. *sigh* I will make sure to add some romance in the next chap.

Anyways, I will update the MFEO soon. I will start working on it from tomorrow.

Thanks for the reviews!

Thanks for dropping by!