" On The FiRst Day Of VAlenTiNe's,
My truhhhhe louve sent to MeeeEEEhhhh..."
To:
My Darling Wuzzy Dumpling Drops,
Kanojo ( heart )
Happy Valentine's Day! ( BIG heart )
Love your Schnookie pie,
Domon ( heart heart )
He placed the card in a red envelope. He made no suppression of an excited grin. He couldn't wait. Only four days left...Kanojo would be so happy at the big bouquet of flowers he had prepared for her! And all for free, too... It was the advantage of your mother owning a flower shop.
" Domon! Your friend is here! "
" Ya, coming! "
And his friends could also take advantage of his mother's shop! Well... since it was almost Valentine's, he just might give them a big discount. He opened the shop's door.
" Oh... hey! ... You're the last person I expected to see here. What're you doin- For Fuuko? Yeah, she might like those...those are a pretty rare variety... hey, you sure you wanna spend THAT much money for her? That's a lot... That's almost all your savings! What? Money's not an issue? Oh. Okay. You're really sure? Okay... I'll have it delivered tomorrow... "
---o
The Whimsical Misadventures of My Tutor N Me: Valentine's Day Extra
" On the First Day of Valentines "
---o
11-01-03...
Her locker clicked, and Fuuko opened it. She stared at the object that stared right back at her, like a red eye of an ox.
A single purple rose with a card.
Quickly, she looked around to see if anyone was watching, and reading the card, she stuffed it down a pocket. She reached for the rose...
" Whas' sat Fuuko? "
" RECCA! Uhh.. nothing! "
She tried to hide the rose behind her back, still in the locker. He kept trying to take a peek at it. He moved right, she moved left.
" Looks like something to me! C'mon.. .you can tell me! Is it from Mikagami? That enthusiastic ol' show off! Not Valentine's yet, and already he's sending you gifts! "
" No, It's not from Mikagami! I mean, I didn't receive anything! Nothing! "
Recca grinned widely and didn't press her on it. " Okaaaaayy... "
" Oh, Fuuko, thank you for lending me your- Is that a rose? This early? "
" Eep! Yanagi! "
" Fuuko! Hey Fuuko! You goin' over to Recca's... hey, nice flower ".
" Domon!!! "
" Ah, Yanagi. I was hoping that I could ask you about- "
" To... Tokiya! I gotta go guys! I'll see you tomorrow! "
Fuuko practically ran away. Recca watched her leave, and he looked at Mikagami, his grin widening even more.
" Who would have thought you would be so sly, right hime? "
" Yes, I never really expected you to... this early, Mikagami? "
" Those quiet ones... always quickest to move ". Agreed Domon.
Tokiya knew something had happened. But even he could not figure out what it was.
" What are you talking about ? "
---o
He exited the school grounds. Furious. If someone placed snow on his head, they would have seen steam rise.
He could take their teasing. He could take their winking. He could even take the fact that by tomorrow morning, the entire school would know.
What he could not stand was that the rose given to Fuuko, certainly didn't come from HIM.
This would have to take further investigation. He eliminated the possibility of her father. Moesama Kirisawa did not even know the present year. Recca? Doubted it.
Domon? No... It had to be someone else...perhaps someone he didn't even know...the geeks ? Or a distant admirer? It better be at a distance. That was all that he would ever allow them to go.
He snorted. He would get to the bottom of all this. And he would start tomorrow.
---o
She looked at the card. It did not come from Tokiya. She knew that. He was not the type to give flowers and she would not have asked for it. She could appreciate their beauty, of course, in a vase, or with other blooms in a bouquet, but in practicality, it was the most useless present ever. Right next to stuff toys.
She flipped the card over and over in her hand...
Was it Domon? Domon had Kanojo...And he had never done this before anyway. Every Valentine's, they treated it like any other day, except that he spewed weird love stuff out of the air. All done in extreme clumsiness. He was not the type who bumbled and fumbled his way into her heart. He was more like a guy who had stumbled and rumbled all the way to the exit sign. He was a person who changed the rank of aristocracy into idiocracy and was in an entirely own level of class. He could not have left the rose, something considered this romantic.
The geeks? That thought crossed her mind. The geeks were nice. Sure, they sounded pretty funny, what with their voices fluctuating between high and low key since they were on the verge of puberty. Sure, it was funny. But they were nice. Could one of them have left it?
No... they were cowards... and a rose would not be their style. Maybe a glow stick or a pez dispenser...
In any case... she supposed it didn't matter. Maybe someone left it accidentally at her locker. There was, after all, no name on the card addressing her.
She flopped down to her bed, and decided to get her homework out.
---o
11-01-03...
Open locker, take out books and...
Rose. Pink. Card. With her name.
Especially for you, Fuuko.
She had to hide it before...
" So. Another one ". Her blood froze.
" Hi! ... Hiiiii! ....this.. it's... "
" It's another card, and a flower ". Tokiya hardly even glanced at it. " We should leave soon. The others have already gone over to Recca's ".
She blinked." Yeah. Sure! Wow... I'm surprised, Tokiya ".
" Oh? "
" Yeah... I thought... well... " She scratched the back of her head. " Nah. I thought you wouldn't like seeing this an' all, but you don't mind it, huh? "
" Oh. No. It means nothing to you, of course? " He made the tone sound as nonchalant as possible.
" Yeah! I mean, I don't mind that lots of girls are after you, an' I'm sure that, compared to what you usually get as gifts, mine is really nothing and... " she stopped herself from babbling and grinned at him, relieved. " Well, okay, let's get going then! "
" Yes... we should ".
She started to walk ahead. He glared at the rose like one does to a mortal enemy, before slamming her locker shut.
---o
They would have to cross the street before reaching Recca's place. They waited for the pedestrian signal to switch green.
She started to walk across, along with the crowd. Tokiya walked in the same quick pace. There were a lot of people, and he placed an arm around her shoulders to shield her from the shoving. He kept glancing with shifty eyes at the cars and at the people.
She stopped in mid- stride, looking at him flattered and amused, leaving his arm an empty space.
" I can cross the street, you know ".
" Yes, I... " he frowned. Because he was actually speechless. He had no idea of his protective action.
" HEY ! YOU CRAZY KIDS! GET OFFA THE ROAD! "
She grabbed hold of his sleeve and they ran to safety. She laughed when they were at the sidewalk, even when the offended driver kept swearing and his horn kept honking.
" The look on that guy's face! " She slapped her thighs in good humor. " Didn't you think that was funny, Tokiya? "
A small smile of vague enjoyment was placed on his face. " A little ".
They walked on.
Actually, he found the treatment of their relationship funnier.
They had never kissed again since winter. They had never tried. But since school started, they would almost always be found in the company of one another. They would join the others for lunch, sometimes. And all of them would talk. Or just eat. They always sat together closely. Never touching, always a presence felt. Acting as natural as could be, because that was what it felt like.
Recca and Yanagi, as well as Domon and Kanojo, would make an open display of their affection. Sometimes to an embarrassing point. But either of them would much rather be subjected to a death match with Kurenai than to be caught doing that. There was never a sense of jealousy, looking at the loving exhibitions, because frankly, most of the time it could make anyone sick.
They would never have admitted to anyone that they were a 'couple', at least not in the truest sense. They would never burn up phone lines with conversation. They would never go " Let's meet at so-and-so place at so-and-so time ". If the team were to watch a movie, she'd call him. He'd always answer. And the dialogue would go something like:
" Movie tomorrow... ( she would never ask who the person was that picked up the phone. There was no one else to pick it up in the first place) "
" What time? "
" After school ".
" Fine. I'll be a little late ".
" Okay. Night. See you ".
Then there would be a pause. Waiting if the other would say something else. If not, then she would usually end the conversation and put the phone down. He never called. She never attempted to either, except to pass along a message.
Yet there were little changes that did not go unnoticed. Not because it was very observant of them, but more of because it was out of the norm. Under the table there would be small, fleeting touches. Across the knee, or a hand resting on thigh. If there were crumbs on her cheek, it was he who carefully brushed them away. Or she would forget once in awhile, and lean on him.
Passersbys who did not know them would think their entire relationship was completely platonic. Neither insisted on holding hands, much to each other's relief. The warmth and comfort of another's touch was something that they could have easily gotten used to, but the adjustment would still take some time.
She walked with her hands in pockets. He wondered though, what would happen if they did try to hold hands for one day. He tapped her elbow.
" Hm? What? "
" Bring out your hand ".
" What for? " The words were the result of automatic curiosity, but she took out her hand anyway.
He snatched her hand, and interlocked her fingers with his. He kissed it, and placed it on his chest, over his heart, looking at her somberly.
She looked away embarrassed. " Geez, Tokiya ".
And with a smile, tugging lightly at the tails of hair that fell across each side of his cheek, she made him bend over; without a thought as to what people would think, she went on tip-toe to smack him playfully on the lips.
The holding hands thingy was awkward. She would sometimes run up ahead, seeing something, breaking the touch, but he never took it against her. He was guilty of doing the same, absent mindedly removing his hand because he was not used to carrying something.
They were at Recca's. It was a group session when they could get help in homework from one another, or just relax with pleasant company. At times like these, if she was to fetch a drink, she would ask anyone who wanted. Even if the entire room erupted in a chorus of " Me! Me! I want! ", Mikagami would never say anything. But she fetched one for him anyway. If either one of them finished their drink, they would share each other's glass.
The session would end at around dinnertime. Kagehoushi always cooked an excellent meal. Hanabishi liked that his son's friends were over, but sometimes, he wondered how exactly he was able to make ends meet.
Mikagami had to excuse himself early today. He had to be somewhere in the morning before school started. He left with Fuuko. And Ganko. They would part ways, with Fuuko and Ganko going one way, and him alone making his way home.
At his home, he set the alarm to wake him up at exactly the right time. He dreaded tomorrow. Tomorrow would be Valentine's. The day he would have to be susceptible to god-like worship. The day he would have to go hire a truck again in order to carry all the candy and cards and balloons and flowers.
But there was also a sense of anticipation for tomorrow. He would catch the culprit who left flowers in her locker. He would wring the crook by the neck and make it known that she was taken.
Tomorrow.
---o
He had his school uniform on, dapperly pressed. His arms were crossed. His eyes darted from here to there in the hallway. The roses were left either before school or during. He saw movement from the corner of his eye. He caught the rose-giver red handed!
" You! ... " His eyes widened a little at the revelation.
He chuckled.
" Oh...it's you... "
---o
11-01-03...
She sighed. She decided to get it over with. That rose would sit there, moping, if she didn't get it out. With a forceful pull, she jerked open her locker.
" What the-?! "
Red, pink, purple stuff kept tumbling out, and spilling over the floor until her shoes were entirely covered. She was swamped with the scent! The petals kept pouring and pouring until she was sure that her vision could not distinguish any shade of red, and she feared that like a mobious strip, this would go on forever.
" EHHH??? "
Everyone saw it. Everyone was suddenly beside her, behind her, talking to her.
" No... it's not what you're thinking! No! I don't have a boyfriend! It's not him! It! It... "
She caught his eye amidst the crowd. He stood with the corner of his lips turned upwards. He stood watching her with a suppressed laugh.
Oh, he thought. This was fun. This teasing thing was fun. He could like... making her uncomfortable.
Every girl wanted to get a rose, and touch it. She didn't care. When she looked down at the flowers, there was a note on top. In long, cursive strokes that were calligraphic, familiar to her in every way; on a card made of white paper...
' For the one that puts all these to shame '
She quickly looked back up. He was gone.
---o
Mikagami took the box of candy from the girl that offered it. She shrank back a bit. She had given him a box last year, and like he treated other girls, he would usually take it with a snarl or a mutter or an irritated sigh. She waited for her heart to be broken by the cold, uncaring hunk of junior year.
She was in for a surprise.
He took it carefully. Gently. And politely, kindly, he looked at her with genuine gratefulness, saying,
" Thank you... for taking the time for my benefit. It is much appreciated. But I am afraid that I cannot return the sentiment... "
Her jaw fell. " You...you were nice to me ".
" I apologize for your wasted time and effort. Please, do not think that it is any fault of yours. I am to be entirely blamed ".
" You're... nice to me! "
He did not say anything anymore. The girl recovered from her shock. " So... it's true, then? You're dating a lower-classman? "
He remained quiet.
" Mister... Mikgagami... "
Her shoulders shook and he could not see her face.
" Please, there is no need for you to cry! The tears you shed are- "
" Can I have my candy back? "
---o
He walked up the stairs to the rooftop, amazed. Now that he was actually nicer to those admirers that hounded him, letting them down gently...they never bothered him anymore. Usually, they'd keep at him all the way until school ended.
But it was lunch time now. He had to get away from everything.
The door to the rooftop was opened. She was already here. She floated a paper boat on fake winds. It looked completely dysfunctional. A boat sailing thru the air... Why couldn't she be normal for once, and fly a paper plane?
There was no one else here. Recca and Yanagi were at the warehouse, the place where Recca first showed her his fireworks. That was the place that was held sacred to them, and they would spend lunch there. Domon was at Kanojo's school and they would be having a picnic closest to mother nature, under a cherry blossom tree, with melted snow surrounding them.
Those two were elements of the ground. Recca's flame came from flint and stone. Domon was the earth.
But for him and Fuuko.... Theirs was different. Theirs came from high and wide. This rooftop was their spot, where they could be closest to their elements. His was water that fell from the sky, and hers was the mighty wind from mountains. This was their place.
She turned her head around, so that only her face could be seen, while her back was still to him.
" Hey, what're you doing here? "
" I knew you'd be here ". He went to join her. The paper boat fell into her open palms.
" You can't have known that! I didn't tell anyone where I was going! "
He shrugged.
" You're more habitual than you think ".
She huffed, looking at him like a baroness does to a commoner. " That's impossible! I am spontaneity personified! "
" Maybe... maybe not... There are certain habits that even you have trouble escaping from ".
" Name one ".
He sighed wearily, and his voice dropped to a low whisper; a tone of smooth, and mysterious bourbon. Delicate fingertips traveled across areas of her face like spider's legs weaving on a silken cobweb.
" You push your bangs behind this ear, " he demonstrated by doing so, " you always raise this eyebrow, " he flattened one of her brows with his thumb, " and you always smile, starting from the left side, then let it spread... " he traced a finger to the opposite corner of her mouth " all the way to the right... just like what you're doing now."
He was right. She was grinning. She laughed.
" How'd you get those flowers in my locker anyway? "
" It wasn't me that did ".
" The handwriting is yours... "
" As are the roses. But it was not I who put them there ".
She knew he had a cryptic message hidden. But she let her curiosity slide. " I don't know how you did it, but thanks! Had a bit of trouble cleaning up, though ".
" Did you figure out who sent you the initial flowers? "
" You wanna see the card? " She took out the card she first received. He read it out loud.
" Fuuko... you are like the soft and fluffy clods in the sky... "
" It was a joke, I think. So I didn't really take it seriously "
" Clods? "
" Oh. I got a card for you ".
" What this? "
He looked at the card handed to him. It was done in true Kirisawa fashion. He stared at the misshapen blob of macaroni messily pasted on it.
" Did Ganko make this? "
" No! It was me! "
" Is this supposed to be a heart? "
He turned it upside down, frowning.
" No! It's a smiley face, see? "
" ... only by stretching my imagination, I suppose. " He opened it, and the macaroni crackled.
Roses are red, violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet...
Can I have your sweets also?
" You can't even RHYME?! "
" So I don't wax poetic like you do. S'not like I'm the next Shakespeare in training. "
" Well. It's the thought that counts ". He bopped her over the head with the card.
She rubbed the hit area. " Hey I spent time on it. Don't like it? Fine. " She tried to get it back, but he raised his hand high so that she would not be able to reach it, and placed the card behind his back.
" Whatever it is, Fuuko, I like it. And I shall treasure it until the day I die ".
His eyes smiled graciously at her, and his tone convinced her of sincerity.
She certainly wasn't expecting that reaction.
She turned around to her bag, and took out some chimes.
" Here. For you. "
" What am I do with those? "
" I want you to listen okay? Tell me what you think of it ".
He waited. There was only the sound of the random chimes hitting their neighbors. But when she passed a hand over the chimes, and waved it to and fro, the sound began to change. She concentrated and played for him. She let the winds blow to her liking, creating her own glittered song.
" This is the tune, I heard... when you tried to teach me to skate... When you made the ice dance for me, and made me feel so free... "
The chimes hummed- a gentle serenity to the strokes of the wind. There was joy and wonder in it. The silver cylinders tinkled in a soothing melody. Beautiful... and tranquil that it touched his heart with a tender ache. Each note carried its own unique chord of a sweet memory, seeming like a separate bird of spring that settled on his skin and played the loveliest tune of a good morning greeting.
" Well... that's as close as I can get anyway ".
She put the instrument away, the chimes regaining their dull noise.
" You wanna go grab a bite to eat? I was kinda hoping you'd bring those chocolates with you. But seeing that you didn't..."
She busied herself with packing up her bag that was on the wall. " Where should we go? I' m in the mood for a burger or something. Are you gonna share your candy that you received? I know some of those girls...they're real good cooks! "
She stood up, and when she turned around, Tokiya was in front of her. His arm pushed against the patch of wall beside her, and he was bent over to her face. His body blocked the sun, and created a cubicle around her that confined her movements.
" Is anyone watching, Fuuko? "
" No,why- MMmmppph-?! "
The strangest experience...
...Of her back leaning against the cold, hard wall and her mouth pressing against soft, warm lips...
Not that she was complaining...
She closed her eyes and returned the kiss that deepened slowly. The arm that tipped her chin upwards was used to encircle her body and draw her gradually away from the wall. He brought her in tighter to his chest, rumpling her blazer, making her head tilt up more. Hands slid up broad shoulders, to hook around his neck.
Loving the strangeness of her behavior, loving the smile against his mouth, loving the sleek taste of creamy velvet...swinging her curved waist lightly in his arms, smelling sugared strawberries, and listening to the sweet music that she did not have to play for him on wind chimes so that they could share the tune...
The music heard was meant for only two people to hear.
---o
" Unca Tokiya? Do you really promise not to tell her? "
He looked down at Ganko straight in the eye. " I really promise not to tell her that it was you with the roses ".
Ganko perched Kondo on top of her head, so that it would seem like she was teller. " I'm sorry I had to do that...but I thought you wouldn't give anything to Auntie Fuuko... do you really, really, REALLY, promise not to tell her? "
On bended knees, he grudgingly, loathingly said, . " I really, really, REALLY promise. "
" Really really really really REALLY really promise? "
What did he have to do to convince her?! He wasn't even going to *try* counting the reallys.
" Yes."
She pouted. " PINKY promise? "
He fixed her with a cold stare.
" Pinky promise ".
---o
Author here.
Well wasn't this a sleeper? There's no conflict or anything. Just a side story. That's all. Mostly Tokiya's view. But I hope you found it entertaining just the same...
Ho ho ho! Hey, Santa should be a symbol for Valentine's instead. He's all red and all. Anyway,
Have a Merry V-day guys!