A/N: There are Tomoe's thoughts on Kaoru ( Kamiya). There are Kurenai's thoughts on Neon. So why not Ruriko's thoughts on Kaoru? That was what I thought when I got the idea for this fic. NO, I'm not trying to suggest any rivalry between them. Just wanted to write a nice waffy fic on Ruriko's appreciation of how much Kaoru cares for Shun. Yeah. Nothing else. So, anyway, thanks for actually clicking the link for this fic. I'm barely thirteen, so don't expect this to be as good as some of the others. Sorry.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never was, never will be. Sigh.
Rising Sun
The sun hadn't risen yet, and the air was chilly with moisture. Dewdrops sparkled on the smooth jade-green blades of grass, and the chirping of the birds rose and fell like a baby's quiet sobbing. The park was dim and desolate, and a solitary street lamp cast long, lonely shadows across the ground.
Her rosy face was set in an unusual determination as she ran. One would wonder why – if they had seen her on her usual six a.m. laps round the park, they would have realized by now that the twenty rounds she ran were almost effortless for her, more of a relaxation than a routine chore. But now, the way her wide brown eyes were narrowed and the way her fists were clenched, it almost seemed as if she was trying to fight off something. Of course, one who did not know her might say sensibly, she's trying to throw off the invading exhaustion. But I knew her better than that.
Something else had invaded her. A disease that doctors, since the beginning of time, had never been able to cure, and probably would never be able to. A disease that tore you to tiny shreds, ate your insides, and burned in your eyes like a bright, white-hot flame.
Heartbreak.
Watching her from the rickety, wooden park bench I sat on, I couldn't help but sigh. He caught my unhappy exhalation of breath, and voiced my sentiments in his usual direct way: " She looks sad."
She is sad, I told him.
He wondered why, aloud, his eyebrows knitting together.
I glanced sharply at him. How could he not know? But the expression on his face was the perfect picture of ignorance. If he was feigning oblivion, he deserved an award for it.
" Baka. She still loves you very much, you know that?"
Now it was his turn to send a sharp glance at me. I dropped my gaze to my shoes, and he shook his head, punctuating his action with a curt, " Nonsense, Rurippe."
I insisted on the truth of my observation, and, after a pause, added my trademark, " And don't call me Rurippe."
He laughed at the very "Ruriko-like" retort, and the tension was finally broken. I leaned back comfortably against his arm, and his fingers played with my long brown hair. For that moment, I felt as if we were the only two people on this Earth, as the gentle morning breeze brushed lightly across our hair, sending my yellow ribbon dancing along with it.
But like the stubborn fool I was, I had to continue with the uncomfortable discussion for some unfathomable reason. " Haven't you noticed? Ever since you came back from the hospital, she's been acting more subdued…sadder, somehow…around us…"
His arm, which was slung loosely around my shoulders a second ago, suddenly stiffened. " She knows very well that we're a couple, Rurippe. She knows better than to entertain such childish fantasies."
Childish fantasies? You call the love of someone who would give up everything just for you a childish fantasy? What ingratitude! But I expressed my indignant feelings with less harsh words than those that were swimming in my mind. " Childish fantasies, eh, Ukiya-kun?" I asked lightly. " How about me? Am I but a childish "fantasizer" to you, too?" It was no use getting angry. Ukiya Shun may have been the boy that saved the whole country and its people, but when it came down to it all, he was just a boy. And in my seventeen years on this planet, if I had deduced one thing, it would be the deduction of a boy's amazing ability of being so painfully oblivious to the girls that loved them. He probably would have never realized the feelings we shared if not for that fanatical Kageyama's insane but almost successful plan to rule Japan.
He laughed. " Don't get all worked up, Rurippe."
" Don't call me Rurippe," I said automatically.
" But you are Rurippe. You are my Rurippe and I love you for it," he answered, unusually quick-witted.
" Flatterer." I hit him on the head like I always did, but my heart warmed at his words. Although they were spoken in a light, joking manner so as not to have it ending up as one of those melodramatic scenes in the soap opreas, there was no mistaking the undercurrent of sincerity in his tone. He began talking about the maths test we had yesterday, and did his typical groaning on how he would fail for sure and how exasperating it was to have such a smart girlfriend. Almost dutifully, I did my typical whacking him on the head and joking about how shameful it was to have a boyfriend of no apparent intellect too. I gave up the subject on Kaoru, since it was obvious that he wanted to drop it, but it lurked at the back of my mind, along with the passionate declaration in the middle of the nurse's office that had been made so long ago:
" I love Ukiya-senpai!"
Maybe it was plain stupid to stick up for my rival in love. Maybe I should even hate her, as, no matter how insignificant, she still remained as a threat for my relationship with Shun. But how could I? She had devoted her entire heart and soul to Shun, but later, realizing that the boy she loved was in love with another, she had let him go, staying back all alone, risking her life so that he could rescue me. She had done all that, including willingly pushing him into the hands of another girl, just for the sake of his happiness. How could I ever hold anything against her, after such a selfless act? How could I hate anyone with such a capacity to love and to give?
Maybe I should pity her. After all, she had sacrificed her entire heart for Shun, but he refused to even acknowledge the sacrifice. And she had tried so hard…so hard…I tilted my head and let my gaze rest on Kaoru. She was jogging now, at a slower pace, but her eyes were focused on a distant memory that only she could see. The only time I remembered such a sorrowful expression in her eyes was when she had wept bitterly on the ruined sweater she had slaved over for Shun.
She loves him as much as I do. As much as it pained me to admit it, I wanted to acknowledge her sacrifice on the behalf of that baka Shun, who was now half-asleep on my shoulder. Maybe my suggestion for an early-morning walk wasn't such a good one after all. I closed my eyes and leaned against him, letting my thoughts wander. From the back of my mind, the words Kaour had said to me while we had watched Shun asleep in his hospital room suddenly surfaced.
Ruriko. You have to be stronger now. Ukiya…you're the one that Ukiya-senpai loves and trusts so much. Promise me that you'll take care of him, protect him, support him. Stay strong for his sake, Ruriko. The war's not over yet…we'll still have to fight. So…promise me that you'll look after him well, okay? And love him well, too.
The words, though stammered out and said in an almost inaudible tone, had hit my heart harder than a jackhammer could have. I had stood, stunned, while she had turned and fled, tears falling freely from her eyes, before I could reply.
Kaoru-chan…
I stared at the peaceful, almost serene face of the boy beside me. On seeing my sudden solemn expression, he cocked his head and grinned quizzically – a smile I thought had been lost from me forever as he fell forward into my arms, his body limp and lifeless, as my hysterical screams filled the air, on the fateful day the battle had ended.
It had been so close…that arrow had been so close…I shuddered to think of it.
Look after him well…
She was right. Kageyama was gone, but the war was still on, and we still had to go on fighting. Should I consider myself lucky that Shun was still living and breathing beside me now? He could be gone anytime…
NO.
I wouldn't let him die. I wouldn't let him be harmed. He was my Shun, and I would protect him, just as he had done for me.
Take care of him…protect him…support him…
Love him…
The sun was rising, a flaming orb of red chasing out the darkness of the night, bathing the sky in magnificent hues of orange and pink. Beside me, Shun sprang up like a jack-in-the-box and whistled with appreciation of one of nature's greatest beauties set right before our eyes. " Look, Rurippe!" he shouted excitedly. " Isn't it lovely?"
From afar, Kaoru spun and shielded her eyes from the glare, trying to make out the source of the voice. Her eyes widened when she saw me. I raised an arm and waved, and, after a moment's hesitation, she lifted an arm and waved back too, a faint but very real smile playing on her lips.
And then, I vowed upon the rising sun, that my Shun would live to see many, many more sunrises, every day, with me by his side.
Kaoru-chan…
A rising sun. Signifying a brand new day, and a brand new promise.
I promise….
I will be strong.
I will love him.
Thank you, Kaoru. Thank you.
~~~ Owari ~~~
A/N: So…how do you like it? As I'm writing this author's note, I've just finished editing it for around the tenth time. I always have trouble with the dialogue… but I think I'm finally satisfied. I guess I might edit it again later…and later…and forever. But anyway, please R&R. All comments accepted, but please try to be less harsh in your judging of my fic. I'm too sensitive. One cruel word from you and my self-esteem will be damaged forever. Okay…I'm kidding…but still…whatever. Pfft. Maybe you could give me tips on how to handle not-so-nice reviews.