That was the second time I'd fainted in my lifetime that was not related to my training. When I woke up, Ijyuin was standing over me, looking worried. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw me open my eyes, then he started apologizing.
"I'm sorry, Takamura-senpai!" he started frantically, "If I had known you would pass out like that, I would have never--!" he cut off, mid-sentence, then toned down his voice, "I'm really sorry..." He bowed his head, and I tried to sit up. When I did so, all the memories that had caused me to faint came flooding back with incredible power.
Ijyuin was right.
I did just let him go.
I wanted to die.
What kind of Takamura just lets their One go?! What kind of a person does that?!
Me.
That's who.
Ijyuin, having still gotten no response from me, lifted his head and stared at me anxiously. I stared back, then sighed slightly as I got myself to my feet. "It's ok, Ijyuin," I said, not knowing if that was the absolute truth.
"I should have never agreed to go along with it!" Ijyuin suddenly spoke, and that caught my attention immensely. I grabbed his shoulders and stared him directly into his silver eyes.
"WHAT, Ijyuin?!" I asked demandingly.
"OW, you're hurting--!"
"TELL ME, DAMMIT!" I slowly let my nails out of his shoulders as I yelled at him. I didn't mean to be so hostile, but I would do anything to see my One again. Ijyuin was giving me a shocked look, but he told me.
"Kaichou went with them to protect you."
"He WHAT?!"
I didn't understand anything. /What the hell does that mean? Protect ME?! This doesn't make any sense whatsoever! Why did he.../
I let my arms drop back to my sides and Ijyuin rubbed his shoulders slowly, giving me a harsher look.
"I wasn't supposed to say anything," he told me, his voice edged with anger, "I promised him!"
"Where is he, Ijyuin?"
"I won't tell."
"IJYUIN!"
"I can't! He told me-"
"I don't care, just tell me!!!
Ijyuin paused, deciding what to do. He finally sighed and gave into my demands. "He's at a residence, 253 North Lycross Avenue, but-Takamura-senpai!!!"
I heard the address and was gone before he could say another word. My mind already had constructed a mental map of the general area I was headed for. I ran out of the building and down the streets; people gave me strange looks as I passed them by. I didn't care. I just wanted to see Nokoru. When I came to a divided road, I tried frantically to remember what way would be faster.
Then, suddenly, something reached out and came back to my awareness. It was our connection! It was still there, though not as strong. I hoped that the bond would be strong enough to guide me, and it did. I took the left path. When I reached one of the buildings, something told me that this was the place.
I slowed my pace and walked in cautiously, keeping myself fully alert. It was dark, but years of training had enabled me to see a little. All that was visible were a few chairs. But I could sense many people in the same room as I...
A light flicked on suddenly, and there in front of me was my One, standing among the same men from before. At a single glance at the men, I immediately took out several throwing knives and waited for just the right moment-
"Suoh, what are you doing here?!" Came my One's surprised voice. I looked at Nokoru, and gave him a small smile. Then I proceeded to deal with the men and women around him. I grabbed the first and flung him over my shoulder, then spun around to give another a kick in the stomach. They fell, and I ran and threw my knives, pinning two others to the wall. Then I jumped over one, turned and shoved him into the one in front of him. They fell. The last remaining two had swords, and I grinned evilly, taking out a chain. I threw it, hooking both swords together and throwing them into the wall right above the heads of the two that were immobilized against it. Satisfied, I turned back to face Nokoru...
...Who was holding a stopwatch.
"What was his time?" The recognizable tone of my mother called out as she walked out from her hiding spot.
"Seven point five seconds!" He called back happily. "A new record, I think."
"Yes," Hahaue said proudly. She turned to me, and I gave her a curious look.
"Hahaue..." I began, "What is going on?"
"I was just testing you, Suoh-san," she said, "I had no doubt that you would pass."
I was totally stunned. "So...this wasn't real?"
"No."
"I'm sorry, Suoh," Nokoru spoke up, "Your mother asked if I could volunteer for this." I didn't know how to respond. I didn't know whether to be happy or start screaming. But nonetheless, I had my One back. And that was a great relief.
"Suoh-san, you listened to your One when he said to leave him alone, and that was right to do. But you also followed your instincts later when you found the situation to be dangerous. Very good. I am glad you will uphold the Takamura family name when you are older."
I found myself grinning. Her praise was always rewarding. I turned back to Nokoru, who walked towards me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"And I have no worries that I will be safe," he said, and my mother nodded. Then he turned. "Well, now that THAT'S out of the way..." he took out a list. I held my breath. "Should we continue with the rest of our plans, Takamura-Sama?"
"Hai," Hahaue replied.
THERE WAS MORE?!
"So when would you like me to visit your house?" he asked my mother.
"Tomorrow morning, if that's possible-"
"WAIT-WAIT-WAIT!" I cried, "You're going to MY house?!"
Nokoru gave me a big grin, and so did my mother.
"NO!" I shouted, "Absolutely not!"
"But Suoh-" Nokoru pleaded, but I stood firm, crossing my arms and shutting my eyes.
"I will NOT have you in that house, especially when my MOTHER is home, do you know what she DOES to my siblings' Ones?! And if that wasn't bad enough-" I opened my eyes to see the both of them gone.
/Oh...shit.../
"HAHAAAAUUUUUEE!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I NEED A VACATION!!!!!"
"What a good idea, Suoh-san," I heard my mother say from outside the door.
"NOOOOOO!"
*** Anyone ever read "Clan Destine Vacation"? The end kind of reminds you of that, eh? (Or is it just me?) Oh well, I love that story, anyway. Keep reading, reviewing, and whatever you're doing, and I will continue to be thankful that I'm still alive! Muchas gracias, arigatou gosaimasu, and thanks again!
"I'm sorry, Takamura-senpai!" he started frantically, "If I had known you would pass out like that, I would have never--!" he cut off, mid-sentence, then toned down his voice, "I'm really sorry..." He bowed his head, and I tried to sit up. When I did so, all the memories that had caused me to faint came flooding back with incredible power.
Ijyuin was right.
I did just let him go.
I wanted to die.
What kind of Takamura just lets their One go?! What kind of a person does that?!
Me.
That's who.
Ijyuin, having still gotten no response from me, lifted his head and stared at me anxiously. I stared back, then sighed slightly as I got myself to my feet. "It's ok, Ijyuin," I said, not knowing if that was the absolute truth.
"I should have never agreed to go along with it!" Ijyuin suddenly spoke, and that caught my attention immensely. I grabbed his shoulders and stared him directly into his silver eyes.
"WHAT, Ijyuin?!" I asked demandingly.
"OW, you're hurting--!"
"TELL ME, DAMMIT!" I slowly let my nails out of his shoulders as I yelled at him. I didn't mean to be so hostile, but I would do anything to see my One again. Ijyuin was giving me a shocked look, but he told me.
"Kaichou went with them to protect you."
"He WHAT?!"
I didn't understand anything. /What the hell does that mean? Protect ME?! This doesn't make any sense whatsoever! Why did he.../
I let my arms drop back to my sides and Ijyuin rubbed his shoulders slowly, giving me a harsher look.
"I wasn't supposed to say anything," he told me, his voice edged with anger, "I promised him!"
"Where is he, Ijyuin?"
"I won't tell."
"IJYUIN!"
"I can't! He told me-"
"I don't care, just tell me!!!
Ijyuin paused, deciding what to do. He finally sighed and gave into my demands. "He's at a residence, 253 North Lycross Avenue, but-Takamura-senpai!!!"
I heard the address and was gone before he could say another word. My mind already had constructed a mental map of the general area I was headed for. I ran out of the building and down the streets; people gave me strange looks as I passed them by. I didn't care. I just wanted to see Nokoru. When I came to a divided road, I tried frantically to remember what way would be faster.
Then, suddenly, something reached out and came back to my awareness. It was our connection! It was still there, though not as strong. I hoped that the bond would be strong enough to guide me, and it did. I took the left path. When I reached one of the buildings, something told me that this was the place.
I slowed my pace and walked in cautiously, keeping myself fully alert. It was dark, but years of training had enabled me to see a little. All that was visible were a few chairs. But I could sense many people in the same room as I...
A light flicked on suddenly, and there in front of me was my One, standing among the same men from before. At a single glance at the men, I immediately took out several throwing knives and waited for just the right moment-
"Suoh, what are you doing here?!" Came my One's surprised voice. I looked at Nokoru, and gave him a small smile. Then I proceeded to deal with the men and women around him. I grabbed the first and flung him over my shoulder, then spun around to give another a kick in the stomach. They fell, and I ran and threw my knives, pinning two others to the wall. Then I jumped over one, turned and shoved him into the one in front of him. They fell. The last remaining two had swords, and I grinned evilly, taking out a chain. I threw it, hooking both swords together and throwing them into the wall right above the heads of the two that were immobilized against it. Satisfied, I turned back to face Nokoru...
...Who was holding a stopwatch.
"What was his time?" The recognizable tone of my mother called out as she walked out from her hiding spot.
"Seven point five seconds!" He called back happily. "A new record, I think."
"Yes," Hahaue said proudly. She turned to me, and I gave her a curious look.
"Hahaue..." I began, "What is going on?"
"I was just testing you, Suoh-san," she said, "I had no doubt that you would pass."
I was totally stunned. "So...this wasn't real?"
"No."
"I'm sorry, Suoh," Nokoru spoke up, "Your mother asked if I could volunteer for this." I didn't know how to respond. I didn't know whether to be happy or start screaming. But nonetheless, I had my One back. And that was a great relief.
"Suoh-san, you listened to your One when he said to leave him alone, and that was right to do. But you also followed your instincts later when you found the situation to be dangerous. Very good. I am glad you will uphold the Takamura family name when you are older."
I found myself grinning. Her praise was always rewarding. I turned back to Nokoru, who walked towards me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"And I have no worries that I will be safe," he said, and my mother nodded. Then he turned. "Well, now that THAT'S out of the way..." he took out a list. I held my breath. "Should we continue with the rest of our plans, Takamura-Sama?"
"Hai," Hahaue replied.
THERE WAS MORE?!
"So when would you like me to visit your house?" he asked my mother.
"Tomorrow morning, if that's possible-"
"WAIT-WAIT-WAIT!" I cried, "You're going to MY house?!"
Nokoru gave me a big grin, and so did my mother.
"NO!" I shouted, "Absolutely not!"
"But Suoh-" Nokoru pleaded, but I stood firm, crossing my arms and shutting my eyes.
"I will NOT have you in that house, especially when my MOTHER is home, do you know what she DOES to my siblings' Ones?! And if that wasn't bad enough-" I opened my eyes to see the both of them gone.
/Oh...shit.../
"HAHAAAAUUUUUEE!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I NEED A VACATION!!!!!"
"What a good idea, Suoh-san," I heard my mother say from outside the door.
"NOOOOOO!"
*** Anyone ever read "Clan Destine Vacation"? The end kind of reminds you of that, eh? (Or is it just me?) Oh well, I love that story, anyway. Keep reading, reviewing, and whatever you're doing, and I will continue to be thankful that I'm still alive! Muchas gracias, arigatou gosaimasu, and thanks again!