I forgot to put the disclaimer at the top of chapter 1. So here it is
now: I don't own any of the characters etc. and you know it. I am however,
being bad and not studying for my exam. Please beat me now. I really should
tool instead of writing this piece of pointless fluff.
After Rui left, Akira and Soujiro kept standing there, staring at each other in disbelief.
"Well, we have to do something about this." Soujiro said at last
"What can we do? We don't even know what sort of stupidity Tsukasa is plotting this time. . . . And I sure as hell am not going to ask him," Akira grumped, rubbing his still sore neck.
"We should at least try and cheer Makino up, so she can go beat some sense into him."
"Oh great, you want us to risk her wrath as well as Tsukasa's?"
"What else are friends for? Hey! I know, maybe they're having *ahem* romantic problems-you know Tsukasa never takes our advice about how to proceed in bed. We could try giving Makino some pointers instead." Soujiro leered. "You never know, it could be fun."
Akira shook his head, "Cute as she can be when you dress her up nicely, she's still way too young for me."
"Ah, you and your 'mother complex,'" Soujiro mocked, "I bet you couldn't seduce Makino even if you tried."
"Hey, shut up about that! . . . And what do you mean I couldn't seduce her? I'd like to see you get anywhere with that violent girl either!"
"Is that a dare?" The two playboys faced off angrily. It was a fine day for flaring tempers.
"Sure, why not," Akira coolly replied, "Let's see which of us can be the first to win Makino's erm, 'heart'"
"OK, but if she and Tsukasa make up, we're so dropping this contest. I don't want to die over a poor girl like her."
The issue settled, the playboys settled back down in the grass to drink tea and plot their silly schemes.
Meanwhile.
Rui wandered over to the emergency staircase. As he'd expected, he found Tsukushi sitting slumped over near the top, with her head resting on her knees.
"Hey," he greeted cautiously, as he came up to sit next to her. "I heard Tsukasa's being an ass. What stupid thing has he done this time?"
Tsukushi raised her head to look at him, "That bastard dumped me." She fairly growled, "No explanation why, just 'get out, I'm leaving you.' It's not like his mother's in town-he doesn't need to pretend. And, by now he should know me well enough not to trust any of the rumors that fly around this pit. I don't understand it at all. But I swear, I'll get a straight answer from him if it's the last thing I do."
Rui braved her hot glare, to put his arm around her shoulder. She blinked, remembering to whom she was talking, and leaned gratefully into his shoulder.
"You know, Rui. Sometimes I just don't know why I bother anymore. This relationship sometimes seems to take so much more energy than it's worth." She gave a short bitter laugh, "Oh wait, I forgot, I don't have a relationship anymore."
Tsukushi settled in more securely against Rui's shoulder, and closed her eyes. Slowly she began to relax for the first time all day. Rui leaned back against the wall, feeling Tsukushi's warm weight on his shoulder, and the mellow rays of the sun across his face. Though he appeared to be completely at peace, inside his mind was racing.
"Now this is a fine dilemma," he thought, "As her friend, I should beat some sense into Tsukasa myself, but. . . hmm. . . what an opportunity." Rui breathed in the warm scent of Tsukushi's hair, and reached up to gently stroke her cheek with his free hand.
"What do you want me to do to him?" he asked after a while.
"Oh leave it be! I'll deal with Doumyouji myself this time!" Tsukushi exclaimed angrily, rousing herself from Rui's shoulder. Then suddenly, she seemed to realize that it was still the middle of the school day. "Shit, what time is it? I'm going to be late for class again!" And, gathering her books, she jumped up and sprinted off up the stairs. Rui remained seated a while longer, remembering the way she felt against him, the smell of her hair in the sunshine. Eventually, his eyes grew dark as he thought about Tsukasa's behavior. Climbing to his feet at last, he set off to find the erstwhile boyfriend.
Elsewhere on campus, Tsukasa was lazily strolling down a shaded pathway. "You really think this will work? I mean, she did seem awfully upset, after all."
"You have to trust me on this. I'm a girl too; I know how our minds work. A little bit of the cold shoulder from you, and she'll be begging you to take her back. How could she resist a man like you after all?"
"If you say so. I do feel a little bad doing this to Makino though." Tsukasa sighed, and looked down at the girl walking next to him. Suddenly his tone turned colder, "And if I find you've been lying to me, I swear I'll rip the beating heart from your chest. Do you understand me?"
"Of course, of course! I'm telling the truth!" Umi protested desperately, "Why would I lie to you? I just want to help make you happy!"
At these words Tsukasa began to calm down. "All right then, we'll see what happens." He turned to leave, but Umi spoke up again
"Hey, before you go, where's my payment?"
"Now? Isn't it a bit early? I mean, the plan has not yet succeeded."
"But, if. . . err, When it works," Umi amended hastily, "you won't get a chance to repay me, since you'll be so busy with her."
"I suppose that makes sense," Tsukasa growled, as he strode back, to give Umi her promised kiss.
Rui chose this moment to make his entrance upon the scene. His eyes widened at the scene before him. "Holy shit! I thought we'd gotten rid of that bitch for good!" He thought, "And just what the fuck does Tsukasa think he's doing dumping Tsukushi for an annoying girl like her?"
"Ahem," he cleared his throat, "If you two are quite done, I need a few minutes alone with Tsukasa." (to beat the shit out of him, he added to himself.)
Startled, the pair sprang apart. Doumyouji protesting violently, "It's not what it seems like! It meant nothing."
Umi merely smiled a sinisterly sweet smile, and grasped Doumyouji's arm. "What it is, is none of your business." She spoke up coolly.
"Any thing that concerns Tsukushi is My business," Rui's voice cut through the warm air like ice, "And You, bitch, are getting entirely too friendly with her boyfriend. So back the hell off before I decide to get rid of you myself. And as for you, Tsukasa, you better explain yourself fast, before I get any angrier."
Umi now began to realize just how volatile the situation was getting, and she started to inch away. With an overly friendly, "Bye bye Tsukasa!" she finally turned tail and fled the confrontation.
"Now then," Rui coldly glared at Doumyouji, "you were going to give me a good explanation of what's going on here."
"Well, umm.. see," Tsukasa stammered as he tried to think of a good explanation without having to admit the truth to Rui. He didn't think Rui would be at all understanding of his scheme, or the fact that Umi had come to him with it.
"I'm waiting." Rui was getting very impatient and look like he might start throwing punches at any minute, "Don't you know what you're doing to Tsukushi? And with such a piece of trash as Umi of all people? I gave up Tsukushi for you once, but don't think I won't hesitate to take her back the second I decide you've forfeited your claim, so talk fast."
"Umm. SoIRanIntoUmiTheOtherDayAnd." Under Rui's intense gaze, Doumyouji broke down and spilled the whole story; how he'd run into Umi while out shopping for a present for Tsukushi, and she'd asked how the couple was doing . . . One thing led to another-she seemed so sympathetic and all-- and he'd ended up blurting out how frustrated he was that Tsukushi just wouldn't let him get further than kissing her. Umi had then come up with this plan, that she'd said couldn't fail . . . All he had to do to get the plan was to pay her the price of a kiss.
Rui wasn't sure if he should get angrier at this explanation or forgive Tsukasa for being such a dumbass. "So this brilliant plan involved getting Makino upset by dumping her, just so when you took her back she'd be more compliant?"
"Yeah," Tsukasa replied sheepishly
"That's got to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Unfortunately for Rui, this explanation complicated his dilemma somewhat. For now, it was obvious that Doumyouji still loved Tsukushi, and was merely acting on utterly misguided beliefs. And if Doumyouji still loved Tsukushi, she'd undoubtedly take him back after kicking the shit out of Umi for interfering. But, hell, what kind ass does a thing like this to the girl he loves? Rui was tempted to try to take Tsukushi anyway. Maybe now she'd finally see how he really was the better choice in the end. Thoughtfully, Rui turned away, leaving a thoroughly bemused Doumyouji staring after him.
"I thought he was going to try and hit me again," Tsukasa thought as he stared at Rui's retreating back, "What the hell is going through his mind right now? Does this mean the plan is bad? What should I do now?" Slowly the thought percolated through his thick skull that he might have done something exceedingly stupid, even perhaps irreparably damaging to his relationship with Tsukushi. As this thought pierced his brain, his eyes widened in shock or pain and he struck out, punching his fist through a nearby stone bench, till the pain in his knuckles drowned out the mocking voices in his head.
After Rui left, Akira and Soujiro kept standing there, staring at each other in disbelief.
"Well, we have to do something about this." Soujiro said at last
"What can we do? We don't even know what sort of stupidity Tsukasa is plotting this time. . . . And I sure as hell am not going to ask him," Akira grumped, rubbing his still sore neck.
"We should at least try and cheer Makino up, so she can go beat some sense into him."
"Oh great, you want us to risk her wrath as well as Tsukasa's?"
"What else are friends for? Hey! I know, maybe they're having *ahem* romantic problems-you know Tsukasa never takes our advice about how to proceed in bed. We could try giving Makino some pointers instead." Soujiro leered. "You never know, it could be fun."
Akira shook his head, "Cute as she can be when you dress her up nicely, she's still way too young for me."
"Ah, you and your 'mother complex,'" Soujiro mocked, "I bet you couldn't seduce Makino even if you tried."
"Hey, shut up about that! . . . And what do you mean I couldn't seduce her? I'd like to see you get anywhere with that violent girl either!"
"Is that a dare?" The two playboys faced off angrily. It was a fine day for flaring tempers.
"Sure, why not," Akira coolly replied, "Let's see which of us can be the first to win Makino's erm, 'heart'"
"OK, but if she and Tsukasa make up, we're so dropping this contest. I don't want to die over a poor girl like her."
The issue settled, the playboys settled back down in the grass to drink tea and plot their silly schemes.
Meanwhile.
Rui wandered over to the emergency staircase. As he'd expected, he found Tsukushi sitting slumped over near the top, with her head resting on her knees.
"Hey," he greeted cautiously, as he came up to sit next to her. "I heard Tsukasa's being an ass. What stupid thing has he done this time?"
Tsukushi raised her head to look at him, "That bastard dumped me." She fairly growled, "No explanation why, just 'get out, I'm leaving you.' It's not like his mother's in town-he doesn't need to pretend. And, by now he should know me well enough not to trust any of the rumors that fly around this pit. I don't understand it at all. But I swear, I'll get a straight answer from him if it's the last thing I do."
Rui braved her hot glare, to put his arm around her shoulder. She blinked, remembering to whom she was talking, and leaned gratefully into his shoulder.
"You know, Rui. Sometimes I just don't know why I bother anymore. This relationship sometimes seems to take so much more energy than it's worth." She gave a short bitter laugh, "Oh wait, I forgot, I don't have a relationship anymore."
Tsukushi settled in more securely against Rui's shoulder, and closed her eyes. Slowly she began to relax for the first time all day. Rui leaned back against the wall, feeling Tsukushi's warm weight on his shoulder, and the mellow rays of the sun across his face. Though he appeared to be completely at peace, inside his mind was racing.
"Now this is a fine dilemma," he thought, "As her friend, I should beat some sense into Tsukasa myself, but. . . hmm. . . what an opportunity." Rui breathed in the warm scent of Tsukushi's hair, and reached up to gently stroke her cheek with his free hand.
"What do you want me to do to him?" he asked after a while.
"Oh leave it be! I'll deal with Doumyouji myself this time!" Tsukushi exclaimed angrily, rousing herself from Rui's shoulder. Then suddenly, she seemed to realize that it was still the middle of the school day. "Shit, what time is it? I'm going to be late for class again!" And, gathering her books, she jumped up and sprinted off up the stairs. Rui remained seated a while longer, remembering the way she felt against him, the smell of her hair in the sunshine. Eventually, his eyes grew dark as he thought about Tsukasa's behavior. Climbing to his feet at last, he set off to find the erstwhile boyfriend.
Elsewhere on campus, Tsukasa was lazily strolling down a shaded pathway. "You really think this will work? I mean, she did seem awfully upset, after all."
"You have to trust me on this. I'm a girl too; I know how our minds work. A little bit of the cold shoulder from you, and she'll be begging you to take her back. How could she resist a man like you after all?"
"If you say so. I do feel a little bad doing this to Makino though." Tsukasa sighed, and looked down at the girl walking next to him. Suddenly his tone turned colder, "And if I find you've been lying to me, I swear I'll rip the beating heart from your chest. Do you understand me?"
"Of course, of course! I'm telling the truth!" Umi protested desperately, "Why would I lie to you? I just want to help make you happy!"
At these words Tsukasa began to calm down. "All right then, we'll see what happens." He turned to leave, but Umi spoke up again
"Hey, before you go, where's my payment?"
"Now? Isn't it a bit early? I mean, the plan has not yet succeeded."
"But, if. . . err, When it works," Umi amended hastily, "you won't get a chance to repay me, since you'll be so busy with her."
"I suppose that makes sense," Tsukasa growled, as he strode back, to give Umi her promised kiss.
Rui chose this moment to make his entrance upon the scene. His eyes widened at the scene before him. "Holy shit! I thought we'd gotten rid of that bitch for good!" He thought, "And just what the fuck does Tsukasa think he's doing dumping Tsukushi for an annoying girl like her?"
"Ahem," he cleared his throat, "If you two are quite done, I need a few minutes alone with Tsukasa." (to beat the shit out of him, he added to himself.)
Startled, the pair sprang apart. Doumyouji protesting violently, "It's not what it seems like! It meant nothing."
Umi merely smiled a sinisterly sweet smile, and grasped Doumyouji's arm. "What it is, is none of your business." She spoke up coolly.
"Any thing that concerns Tsukushi is My business," Rui's voice cut through the warm air like ice, "And You, bitch, are getting entirely too friendly with her boyfriend. So back the hell off before I decide to get rid of you myself. And as for you, Tsukasa, you better explain yourself fast, before I get any angrier."
Umi now began to realize just how volatile the situation was getting, and she started to inch away. With an overly friendly, "Bye bye Tsukasa!" she finally turned tail and fled the confrontation.
"Now then," Rui coldly glared at Doumyouji, "you were going to give me a good explanation of what's going on here."
"Well, umm.. see," Tsukasa stammered as he tried to think of a good explanation without having to admit the truth to Rui. He didn't think Rui would be at all understanding of his scheme, or the fact that Umi had come to him with it.
"I'm waiting." Rui was getting very impatient and look like he might start throwing punches at any minute, "Don't you know what you're doing to Tsukushi? And with such a piece of trash as Umi of all people? I gave up Tsukushi for you once, but don't think I won't hesitate to take her back the second I decide you've forfeited your claim, so talk fast."
"Umm. SoIRanIntoUmiTheOtherDayAnd." Under Rui's intense gaze, Doumyouji broke down and spilled the whole story; how he'd run into Umi while out shopping for a present for Tsukushi, and she'd asked how the couple was doing . . . One thing led to another-she seemed so sympathetic and all-- and he'd ended up blurting out how frustrated he was that Tsukushi just wouldn't let him get further than kissing her. Umi had then come up with this plan, that she'd said couldn't fail . . . All he had to do to get the plan was to pay her the price of a kiss.
Rui wasn't sure if he should get angrier at this explanation or forgive Tsukasa for being such a dumbass. "So this brilliant plan involved getting Makino upset by dumping her, just so when you took her back she'd be more compliant?"
"Yeah," Tsukasa replied sheepishly
"That's got to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Unfortunately for Rui, this explanation complicated his dilemma somewhat. For now, it was obvious that Doumyouji still loved Tsukushi, and was merely acting on utterly misguided beliefs. And if Doumyouji still loved Tsukushi, she'd undoubtedly take him back after kicking the shit out of Umi for interfering. But, hell, what kind ass does a thing like this to the girl he loves? Rui was tempted to try to take Tsukushi anyway. Maybe now she'd finally see how he really was the better choice in the end. Thoughtfully, Rui turned away, leaving a thoroughly bemused Doumyouji staring after him.
"I thought he was going to try and hit me again," Tsukasa thought as he stared at Rui's retreating back, "What the hell is going through his mind right now? Does this mean the plan is bad? What should I do now?" Slowly the thought percolated through his thick skull that he might have done something exceedingly stupid, even perhaps irreparably damaging to his relationship with Tsukushi. As this thought pierced his brain, his eyes widened in shock or pain and he struck out, punching his fist through a nearby stone bench, till the pain in his knuckles drowned out the mocking voices in his head.