For Kyoko
A hand grabbed onto Yusaku's jacket and pulled him back across the bridge and out of the garden, through the gate, down three blocks, across the park, by the restaurant, and down another long street… all the way back to Maison Ikkoku.
During this time, Yusaku had just let himself be dragged away. He wasn't sure who his capturer was… but he had to admit that he was somewhat relieved to have been taken away from Vera. Yes, as he had said, she was a beautiful and kind person, but there was something else there… something about her eyes and her stare, that made Yusaku feel frozen. There had to be something going on that wasn't right…
Yusaku's "kidnapper" dropped him on the lawn and began take off their black mask and gloves. Yusaku stared up at the person with curiosity… and couldn't help but giggle when he realized who it was.
"Don't you start laughing! This is a very serious matter," Mrs. Ichinose insisted. "I can't even explain how much trouble I've been through this evening to watch you! And for your own good! And Kyoko's, of course-"
This, naturally, got Yusaku's attention.
Mrs. Ichinose smirked, then placed her hands on her hips and began her little lecture. "Now, listen, Yusaku… you're probably wondering why I went through all of that for someone like you! Well, I have to be honest with you- you've really been improving yourself lately. With your grades, and helping out, and cleaning up that dingy room of yours. And I thought it was to impress Kyoko." Mrs. Ichinose shot him a "you can't fool ME!" glance. "But with the help of one of my accomplices, I discovered that I might be wrong!"
"YOTSUYA! Kentaro! Kozue! One of the tennis club members!" Yusaku guessed.
"As I was saying," Mrs. Ichinose interrupted, "I personally began to check on you to see if you were up to mischief! And now, I see that you are!"
"But- but-"
"Listen closely, Yusaku, and I want you to take what I say to heart!" Mrs. Ichinose moved closer to Yusaku and began to whisper in his ear. "Let me tell you that the manager has definitely been noticing the changes you're making! Don't give up hope with her and start playing around with other girls-"
"But-" protested Yusaku.
"They're not worth the time or the risk!! A little more work and Kyoko will be yours!!" Mrs. Ichinose looked at Yusaku sternly. "Kyoko deserves to be happy. And only you can truly give her that. Now's your chance!!" she cried as she banged her fist in the palm of her hand. "You've got her, I tell you, you've got her, just a bit more work-"
"Shh! Not so loud," Yusaku muttered.
"You can't mess things up by hanging around with that Ms. Green person! She has her own agenda for you, Yusaku, and believe me, you're not ready for what she has in mind! Ignore her or something! For Kyoko!"
Something in Yusaku's mind clicked. "For Kyoko," Yusaku repeated quietly to himself.
Mrs. Ichinose smiled with satisfaction. "That's the spirit, Yusaku! Now, I better not hear about you fooling around anymore… and believe me, I have ways of finding out." She winked at Yusaku and walked into Maison Ikkoku.
~*~
Yusaku couldn't fall asleep. There was too much to think about…
Why had Mrs. Ichinose cared so much? Did she only care about Kyoko's happiness? Or did she truly care about his happiness as well? Who was her accomplice? Yotsuya, of course… but Kentaro could be a possibility… and how much had she seen, anyway? Had she just followed him and Vera from the restaurant, or-
Yusaku suddenly sat up in his new bed and slapped his forehead. He had forgotten his bike at the restaurant! He'd have to go get it tomorrow… hopefully it would still be there…
Anyway, what about Kyoko? Mrs. Ichinose was right- he couldn't get sidetracked. "…A little more work and Kyoko will be yours…" Yusaku smiled as he whispered the words in the dark. He couldn't give up now. Once Mrs. Ichinose gave him the sign, he would be able to propose to Kyoko and already know her answer.
Yes… for Kyoko…
~*~
"Mrs. Ichinose! I'm going to the market- I'll be back in about an hour, okay?" Kyoko shouted on her way out the door of Maison Ikkoku.
"Okay," Mrs. Ichinose called back.
Kyoko walked outside and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful day, a perfect day to walk into town. Kyoko inhaled deeply and began to walk to the market.
"Life goes by so fast that sometimes you don't even have the time to realize what wonderful things surround you," Kyoko thought to herself. "Nature is so magnificent, from the smallest flowers to the tallest trees… and even the strangest looking things are works of art, painted on the canvas of-"
Kyoko stopped short. Was that Yusaku up ahead…? Yes, it was! He sure seemed to be in a hurry… hey, wait a minute…
She watched with anticipation as a woman with long black hair approached Yusaku and quickly clasped his hand in hers. It seemed to Kyoko that the woman wanted to take Yusaku somewhere… but he didn't want to come with her… Kyoko's eyes widened. What was the woman doing?? She had just grabbed Yusaku by the arm and pulled him down the street.
Kyoko frowned. She didn't like the looks of this. The grocery shopping could wait- something was going on with Yusaku, and she planned on finding out what it was.
~*~
"Who was that last night, anyway?" Vera asked Yusaku as she hauled him down a familiar looking street.
"Umm, a friend," Yusaku muttered. His heart repeated, "For Kyoko, for Kyoko…" but his mind wouldn't listen. It was her eyes, her eyes, he was transfixed again by her eyes… and Yusaku was left powerless, despite the echo of the message written in his heart…
"I see," whispered Vera. "Jealous, huh?" She turned around and kissed him quickly, and then continued to pull him down the street as if nothing had happened.
Yusaku shook his head. He was so confused… but he had to do something… "For Kyoko, for Kyoko…"
They had arrived at Vera's gate. She walked him across the bridge and down at twisted path… and at the end of it was a huge mansion of stone, a castle. But this castle did not look like one out of a fairytale. The wind started up again, the trees swayed, shaking their branches in disbelief… and Vera turned and smiled at Yusaku, her green eyes glinting with satisfaction.
"Come along, Yusaku…" Vera pushed him toward the wooden door and led him through the entrance.
She slammed the door shut behind them and turned the latch to lock it. She turned to Yusaku… "…You're not going to get away, this time, Yusaku Godai…" and she pressed him against the wall.
Author's Note: Okay, time for a vote!!! Do you want a) minor slash b) magic and fantasy or c) a murder plot (!!!)? Please vote, because at this point, this ficcy can go in many different directions, and I don't know where to go! Thank you kindly! ^_^
A hand grabbed onto Yusaku's jacket and pulled him back across the bridge and out of the garden, through the gate, down three blocks, across the park, by the restaurant, and down another long street… all the way back to Maison Ikkoku.
During this time, Yusaku had just let himself be dragged away. He wasn't sure who his capturer was… but he had to admit that he was somewhat relieved to have been taken away from Vera. Yes, as he had said, she was a beautiful and kind person, but there was something else there… something about her eyes and her stare, that made Yusaku feel frozen. There had to be something going on that wasn't right…
Yusaku's "kidnapper" dropped him on the lawn and began take off their black mask and gloves. Yusaku stared up at the person with curiosity… and couldn't help but giggle when he realized who it was.
"Don't you start laughing! This is a very serious matter," Mrs. Ichinose insisted. "I can't even explain how much trouble I've been through this evening to watch you! And for your own good! And Kyoko's, of course-"
This, naturally, got Yusaku's attention.
Mrs. Ichinose smirked, then placed her hands on her hips and began her little lecture. "Now, listen, Yusaku… you're probably wondering why I went through all of that for someone like you! Well, I have to be honest with you- you've really been improving yourself lately. With your grades, and helping out, and cleaning up that dingy room of yours. And I thought it was to impress Kyoko." Mrs. Ichinose shot him a "you can't fool ME!" glance. "But with the help of one of my accomplices, I discovered that I might be wrong!"
"YOTSUYA! Kentaro! Kozue! One of the tennis club members!" Yusaku guessed.
"As I was saying," Mrs. Ichinose interrupted, "I personally began to check on you to see if you were up to mischief! And now, I see that you are!"
"But- but-"
"Listen closely, Yusaku, and I want you to take what I say to heart!" Mrs. Ichinose moved closer to Yusaku and began to whisper in his ear. "Let me tell you that the manager has definitely been noticing the changes you're making! Don't give up hope with her and start playing around with other girls-"
"But-" protested Yusaku.
"They're not worth the time or the risk!! A little more work and Kyoko will be yours!!" Mrs. Ichinose looked at Yusaku sternly. "Kyoko deserves to be happy. And only you can truly give her that. Now's your chance!!" she cried as she banged her fist in the palm of her hand. "You've got her, I tell you, you've got her, just a bit more work-"
"Shh! Not so loud," Yusaku muttered.
"You can't mess things up by hanging around with that Ms. Green person! She has her own agenda for you, Yusaku, and believe me, you're not ready for what she has in mind! Ignore her or something! For Kyoko!"
Something in Yusaku's mind clicked. "For Kyoko," Yusaku repeated quietly to himself.
Mrs. Ichinose smiled with satisfaction. "That's the spirit, Yusaku! Now, I better not hear about you fooling around anymore… and believe me, I have ways of finding out." She winked at Yusaku and walked into Maison Ikkoku.
~*~
Yusaku couldn't fall asleep. There was too much to think about…
Why had Mrs. Ichinose cared so much? Did she only care about Kyoko's happiness? Or did she truly care about his happiness as well? Who was her accomplice? Yotsuya, of course… but Kentaro could be a possibility… and how much had she seen, anyway? Had she just followed him and Vera from the restaurant, or-
Yusaku suddenly sat up in his new bed and slapped his forehead. He had forgotten his bike at the restaurant! He'd have to go get it tomorrow… hopefully it would still be there…
Anyway, what about Kyoko? Mrs. Ichinose was right- he couldn't get sidetracked. "…A little more work and Kyoko will be yours…" Yusaku smiled as he whispered the words in the dark. He couldn't give up now. Once Mrs. Ichinose gave him the sign, he would be able to propose to Kyoko and already know her answer.
Yes… for Kyoko…
~*~
"Mrs. Ichinose! I'm going to the market- I'll be back in about an hour, okay?" Kyoko shouted on her way out the door of Maison Ikkoku.
"Okay," Mrs. Ichinose called back.
Kyoko walked outside and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful day, a perfect day to walk into town. Kyoko inhaled deeply and began to walk to the market.
"Life goes by so fast that sometimes you don't even have the time to realize what wonderful things surround you," Kyoko thought to herself. "Nature is so magnificent, from the smallest flowers to the tallest trees… and even the strangest looking things are works of art, painted on the canvas of-"
Kyoko stopped short. Was that Yusaku up ahead…? Yes, it was! He sure seemed to be in a hurry… hey, wait a minute…
She watched with anticipation as a woman with long black hair approached Yusaku and quickly clasped his hand in hers. It seemed to Kyoko that the woman wanted to take Yusaku somewhere… but he didn't want to come with her… Kyoko's eyes widened. What was the woman doing?? She had just grabbed Yusaku by the arm and pulled him down the street.
Kyoko frowned. She didn't like the looks of this. The grocery shopping could wait- something was going on with Yusaku, and she planned on finding out what it was.
~*~
"Who was that last night, anyway?" Vera asked Yusaku as she hauled him down a familiar looking street.
"Umm, a friend," Yusaku muttered. His heart repeated, "For Kyoko, for Kyoko…" but his mind wouldn't listen. It was her eyes, her eyes, he was transfixed again by her eyes… and Yusaku was left powerless, despite the echo of the message written in his heart…
"I see," whispered Vera. "Jealous, huh?" She turned around and kissed him quickly, and then continued to pull him down the street as if nothing had happened.
Yusaku shook his head. He was so confused… but he had to do something… "For Kyoko, for Kyoko…"
They had arrived at Vera's gate. She walked him across the bridge and down at twisted path… and at the end of it was a huge mansion of stone, a castle. But this castle did not look like one out of a fairytale. The wind started up again, the trees swayed, shaking their branches in disbelief… and Vera turned and smiled at Yusaku, her green eyes glinting with satisfaction.
"Come along, Yusaku…" Vera pushed him toward the wooden door and led him through the entrance.
She slammed the door shut behind them and turned the latch to lock it. She turned to Yusaku… "…You're not going to get away, this time, Yusaku Godai…" and she pressed him against the wall.
Author's Note: Okay, time for a vote!!! Do you want a) minor slash b) magic and fantasy or c) a murder plot (!!!)? Please vote, because at this point, this ficcy can go in many different directions, and I don't know where to go! Thank you kindly! ^_^