A huge wait... again. I'm dying from over-work. I swear, year 12 is going to kill me! Only a few months left before freedom but the worst is still yet to come... *sobs* I am sooooo doomed! I'm sorry for this being late, but this has been a stressful time, what with studying for exams (some of which count for 50% of my mark. First one in on November the 6th, I think, wish me luck), completing major assignments in every subject, worth up to 20% of my mark, family troubles, personal issues, apocalypses, allergies to wheat, purple socks getting holes in them, and the like. In other words, I've been traumatised, overworked, underpaid and deprived of anime.
Anyway.... back to the note. Uh, what was I saying? Okay, well here is the next chapter (and about time too). And hey, if you've got the music to Heart ni KIRAboshi Sakashitare (Make Twinkling Stars Bloom in Your Heart) or Bastard Son (by George, a great Aussie band. They won an Aria award! Coolness!) whether it be on CD, MP3, whatever, get ready to play it, there's BGM for this! If not, hum, imagine the music or look confused if you've never heard it before!
Chapter 3 - Wolf pack
"One black coffee to go," Sorcha said, dully, placing the order down on the customer's table.
"Thankyou," the customer smiled in reply. Sorcha looked down at him in surprise, hearing his voice.
"Well, look who's here!" she said in mock-surprise. "I thought you'd strayed from the path and converted to another noodlebar!"
"I did for a while, but I have seen the light!" the customer grinned in reply.
It was a running joke amongst those in Sorcha's noodle-bar that it was a religion, as everyone worshipped the food. It had started when someone said, "This is food fit for a god!" and the cook poked his head out of the kitchen, grinning, and replied, "Don't you mean cooked by a god?" Everyone had laughed at that point, because at two hundred kilos, with excess body hair and a bushy beard, the cook was anything but a god, however, he was good-natured and funny, so the joke stuck.
"Very wise," Sorcha replied, taking away his empty plate.
"Sora," the customer read off her name-tag.
"The one and only," Sorcha said, in an effort at lightheartedness, "but I do not believe I know your name." The customer looked surprised. "Well, you may be a regular, but this place is usually busy, so how am I supposed to know everyone's name?" she asked, defensively.
"It's Haruka Yume," the customer said, slowly, regarding her. His eyes searched her face and she felt uncomfortable, especially as his gaze flicked to her hair, which she had braided to keep out of her face. She left with his plate, inwardly groaning at the inevitable questions about her background, which she would have to face to give him the bill.
Much to her surprise though, they didn't come. Yume instead asked,
"Why so sad? You look like you've died inside." He added, jokingly, "I know you've missed me, but that's no reason to get depressed!"
Sorcha blinked in surprise, and for the first time, really looked at him. He looked to be in his early to mid-thirties, and didn't look any different to anyone else, yet he was different. In a place where businessmen poured out their troubles to the waitresses, not expecting a reply, he had asked about her.
"It's personal," she said, stiffly, and put the bill down on the table. Yume looked at her perceptively.
"Don't mourn forever," he said, softly, "hold onto some hope." Sorcha felt her eyes fill with tears, as he had hit a sensitive spot, the reason behind her worries. In the months since Shun'u had translated the letter, she'd felt herself fall into a downward spiral, as she wondered whether each day would be the same: mundane and pointless, without hope or happiness.
She looked away, to hide her face, and said, equally quietly, "My son is my hope."
"But what of your own?" Yume asked. "What do you have?"
He handed her the money paying for his lunch, picked up his coffee, and said,
"Don't let yourself get down, or you might never climb up again. I know. I've been there, but I survived."
He gave her a sympathetic smile, then picked up his satchel with his other hand, which looked heavy and must have contained a laptop.
"Back to the fun world of buying and selling shares," he groaned.
Sorcha watched him go, her eyes fixed on
him, then she slowly placed the money into the till.
Shun'u
Mum has died inside. I can feel it. She looks completely empty, as if part of her died when hearin' about Daddy's death. She breathes, she walks, but when I see her face, she don' look as if she's really there. She's like a zombie. It's scary.
I'm walkin' home at the moment, Kouji an' Hikari have to go somewhere this afternoon, or I'd go to their place.
As I reach the door, I know Mum's inside, I can hear her movin' about. I enter, knowin' what I'll find: Mum, soakin' her feet in a tub. She works too damn hard, waitressin' hurts her feet, but she still does it. Cos of me.
But I don' find that. I find the smell of bakin', like when I was a little kid, an' Mum would make me cookies or a nice dessert for a treat. It wasn' jus' as a little either, she only stopped when I found the letter. That damn letter.
Mum is wearin' her favourite slippers an' when I see her face, she smiles at me, like before.
"Mum?" I ask. I can't help myself. No greeting, jus' a question. Is she back? Will she stay? Or will she go back to the way she is every day now?
She smiles at me and offers me a cookie.
"They were Finn's favourite," she said, an' there's a little sadness in her voice, but she takes one herself an' bites into it. Her face relaxes an' I could swear that she's thinkin' about Daddy.
I take one an' my hands shake, cos I know
that Mum's back, here to stay. I dunno how, but she's back to normal again.
**********
"A date? Oh, that's terrific, Sora-chan!"
"I guess."
"You don't sound so enthusiastic, what's wrong?"
"It doesn't feel right, Hikari-chan. Like I shouldn't. Finn..."
"Oh."
"..."
"Sora-chan, don't torture yourself. I don't see anything wrong with grieving, but after you found out about Finn's death, you became consumed by it, as if there was no room in your head for anything else. This man-"
"Haruka Yume."
"Yes, Haruka-san, he has made you happy again. Even when I first met you, when Finn didn't come back, you had never fallen that low. You held onto your spirit. And Haruka-san restored it to you when you lost it, you've been so much happier in this last month"
"Yume-san did nothing."
"Is that so? Then who did?"
"..."
"Sora-chan, don't be so hard-hearted. It is just one date. Give the poor man some credit, he's giving you a free meal! What could possibly go wrong?"
"I might fall in love with him."
"Is that it then? You refuse to love anyone else? Whether you do or not, it doesn't matter, there's always room in your heart for love. Don't think it will belittle Finn, from what I hear, that's impossible!"
"You don't understand!"
"Understand that you're afraid to love? Afraid to hope again?"
"Hikari-chan!"
"Listen Sora-chan, if you don't say yes to him, I'll drag you there myself! Stop being so afraid! Live a little!"
"You're being stupid!"
"No, you are. But I've got to go. Hiro-chan has come home early tonight, I can hear him coming now. Bye!"
"Bye."
Sorcha hung up the phone, feeling uneasy. She had always intended to go, if only for the free food, but Hikari had hit a nerve.
"I won't let myself fall in love," she
silently promised herself. She sighed. "But I already have."
On the other side of the phone
Hikari hung up the phone, her hands shaking in excitement and worry. Hiro had been home so late lately, ever since Fuyu had been born, really. The times changed, there was a while when he had come home in time for dinner every day, and times when he arrived at midnight. Nine pm was an improvement, and today he was here at seven-thirty.
Hiro had apologised for his odd hours when they started, saying it was unavoidable, he had to stay late to do paperwork at times, and at other times, he had to catch the overseas stock-markets. Hikari wasn't sure how much of this to believe. The stock-market bit seemed believable, he was a shrewd businessman with shares in many foreign companies, but as for the paperwork... well, he worked in real estate, and was fairly high-ranking. Why couldn't he do it during the day? There were times he stayed at home until noon, others he left before she awoke, and she was worried about him. He still acted normally, cheerful and somehow energetic, despite his odd sleeping pattern, but she worried never-the-less.
And she worried about why he acted so formal now.
Where has all his warmth gone? she wondered, sadly. He only ever shows it to Fuyu. I know that he isn't doing this because he hates our children, it's the opposite, he loves them. Maybe more than he loves me. I am such a terrible person, a terrible mother. I shouldn't be jealous of my own children, but I am. He only ever shows his love to them now, we might as well be strangers. And only to Fuyu mainly. Kouji... he doesn't seem as close. Does he feel reminded of his ex-wife when he sees Kouji? Does he resent him? I don't understand. I don't understand.
Hikari sighed, feeling miserable.
Sorcha, please find happiness. At least
one of us will have it. Where did this all go wrong for me? How? Everything
was so perfect, so perfect. But I suppose the perfect world cannot last.
Maybe there never was one in the first place. Please, Sorcha, don't fall
down with me. We can't both fall into the abyss. Not both of us.
Shun'u
Mum's been happier since she started goin' out with that Yume guy. I s'pose the happiness she has is cos she's in love. I dunno what to think, but it makes her happy, and that's better'n nothin'. She's out with him again now.
At least she tells me. There's some kids at school who said that they didn' know their Mums were goin' out with anyone until soon before they got married. Mum's cool, she said I didn' have to like him if I didn' want to, and never lies or nothin'. The guy is nice, seems kinda familiar too. Mum said that she felt that when she firs' met him, says he reminds her of Daddy. Mebbe that's why she loves him, cos he's like Daddy. I know Mum hasn' forgotten Daddy or nothin', she's started mentionin' him a lot now, what he was like an' all. But she loves Yume-san too, I think. She loves 'em both, an' me most of all, maybe. She said she never lied about havin' me as a kid, didn' act ashamed, an' he just has to take it or leave it. She say's he don' care, it doesn' matter.
It's kinda weird, bein' spoken about that way. I know Mum doesn' tell me everythin', just a lot of it, but I hear more stuff when I listen to her on the phone. I know I shouldn', but the walls are thin enough to hear through if I wanna. There's some stuff I really don' wanna hear, kinda gross. But there's other stuff, useful stuff.
Mum said that she was ashamed to show Yume our place, didn' want him to think badly've us, cos his place is all posh an' rich, an apartment which he owns an' all. Later, she said that she took when him anyway, to have dinner with us, he didn't care, but now he wants to give her a new apartment to live in, give her money. This mus' be real serious an' all, huh?
I've told Kouji everythin' which happens, cos we're brothers, an' he tells me what's goin' on at home for him. Both of us know it's secret, cos Hikari-chan don' tell Mum about it at all. I dunno why. It's weird. So's Kouji's uncle.
We try t' be strong an' all, despite all
the weird stuff which is goin' on. The other kids haven' really noticed
anythin'. They don' really care anymore, we're part of 'em now, they don'
care about my hair cos I'm real good at sport an' studyin'. I think some've
'em are a bit jealous cos I'm so good at basketball, but they don' show
it. It's weird, while all the bad stuff happens at home, school improves,
an' now, when stuff at home gets better, stuff for Kouji gets worse. Nothin'
is ever all good at once. But mebbe it'll start gettin' that way, for Kouji.
He's the real star at school, everyone loves him an' I just follow along.
I'm too smart to be real popular, an' I'm good at sport an' all, but everyone
likes him more. I don' care, I like followin' him. Besides, he's older
anyway. I'm ten now, but he's a month older, so I should look up to him
an' all. The other kids do too, he's the leader for sure. We've all got
nicknames an' all, but he don' have one, he's better'n all that. Me, everyone
calls me "flame" cos of my hair but Kouji, he calls me Shun-chan. An' I
call him Kouji.
Kouji
Everythin' is changin'. Shun-chan's got a new house, a new Dad, an' me? I don' have anythin', except an uncle who is never there. Hikari don' say anythin', but she's worried. Uncle wasn' even there for my eleventh birthday. Shun-chan said not to worry, cos Yume isn' there much either, but that's differen'. He never was to start off with, tol' Sora-chan and Shun-chan he couldn' be cos he's too busy, cos he works mainly at night, has a night-shift. He's mos'ly free during the day, mornin' an afternoon, an' sleeps a bit while Sora-chan's at work, but he's sometimes there in the afternoon. I haven' met him, Shun-chan always is with him and Sora-chan now, or over at my place. I go over to their place sometimes, it's nice. Better'n their ol' smelly place for sure.
Shun-chan tells me everythin'. He's happy,
an' I'm happy for him, but I find most've my happiness with my friends.
He's got this thing about family, but I can' get close to 'em really. Hikari-chan
isn't quite a Mum, although she wants to be, an' Uncle is never there.
He's my family, an' so are the other kids.
Shun'u
For the firs' time, everythin' was perfect.
But it was too perfect, wasn' it? Too good to be true.
*********
The bell rang and everyone waved their goodbyes to Kouji, with a few of them also farewelling Shun'u. They headed out the school gates, starting the walk home. They chattered all the way, until Shun'u tripped over and nearly banged into someone. As he straightened up, apologising, his face brightened as he saw it was Yume.
"Hello Shun'u, Kouji," Yume said, pleasantly. His eyes then widened and he stared at them both for a second, then he shook his head. "I must apologise, I've been tired lately." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two coins. "Why don't you go buy yourselves a treat from the deli?" he said, placing a coin in each of their hands.
Their faces lit up and they hastily said goodbye to Yume, who smiled in amusement, before they ran off to spend their newly found riches.
They exited the deli with two icecreams, to find that Yume had left. Shun'u licked his icecream enthusiastically, and said, happily,
"He's so generous!"
"He's usually not like this," Kouji said, sounding puzzled, while licking a drop which was trickling down the cone.
"Whaddya mean?" Shun'u snapped. "He's the best!"
"How would you know?" Kouji asked, bitterly.
"What's your problem?" Shun'u asked, exasperated. "He bought Mum and I our new house, didn't he?"
"Uncle did that?!" Kouji asked.
"Uncle?!" Shun'u said. He dropped his icecream and they stared at each other in horror. "He's... what?!" He was deathly pale, as was Kouji. Kouji's lip was trembling, and he looked as if he was about to cry.
"He... cheated on Hikari," he said, shocked.
"My god... but Mum musn' have known! She tol' Hikari everything about how she met'm! But... your uncle is called Hiro!" Shun'u stammered.
"But it's the same guy, isn' it? He knew both our names, an' I've never even met Yume, an' you an' Sora-chan only have met him twice, the last time was when Fuyu was born!" Kouji whisperered.
"An' he was fat then! Real fat! Mum musn' have recognised him!" Shun'u added. They looked at each other in panic.
"How're we gonna tell them?"
"We don' even know for sure."
"But... what if... shit!" Kouji smashed his icecream into a letterbox as they passed by it, and left it there.
"This sucks. They're gonna flip! Poor Mum..." Shun'u said, miserably, trailing off.
"Let's not do nothin' yet, until we know for sure," Kouji said, firmly, "it'd jus' get 'em both miserable, although if he is doin' that, lyin' an' all, he'd deserve what he'd get from 'em."
The two stopped at the crossroads, to go the seperate ways to their houses.
"Kouji, gimme your tennis ball, I've got an idea. I'll give it to whateverhisrealnameis, an' ask him to give it back to ya. If he does, an' it's not jus' meetin' ya randomly on the street or nothin', then we'll know," Shun'u said, with some excitement. Kouji gave it to him reluctantly, it was his lucky autographed tennisball which Pat Rafter had used. He took it everywhere with him. But, for the sake of finding out the truth, he relinquished it, and Shun'u pocketed it.
"We'll get to the bottom of this," Shun'u said, triumphantly.
************
"Well, I must leave," Yume said, gathering up his bag and dressing for work.
"Hang on, I'll get your coat, it's cold out there," Sorcha said, and she rushed off to their bedroom to find it. Shun'u found his chance, and said, once his mother was out of the room,
"Hey, I forgot to give this back to Kouji, if you see him, can you give it to him for me?"
Yume gave him a questioning look, as if to say, What do you know? but took it all the same, as Sorcha was returning. He kissed her goodbye and left.
*************
"Wake up, Shun'u, it's for you," Sorcha said, pushing the phone in Shun'u's face. He groaned and rolled over.
"Go 'way," he muttered, voice thick with sleep.
"It's Kouji," Sorcha insisted, "he said it was important."
Shun'u's eyes snapped open and he shooed his mother away, snatching the portable phone from her hands.
"I got the tennis ball," Kouji said, brightly, "thanks."
Shun'u blinked. Kouji was sounding far too perky. He figured that Hikari must be listening to him. After all, it was - he looked at the clock - eleven-thirty, and although they occasionally called each other at odd hours, their parents generally didn't like it much, and stood by the phone to make sure they didn't talk too long.
"When did he get home?" Shun'u asked, urgently.
"Just now, why?" Kouji asked. There was some words in the background, and Shun'u guessed it was Hikari.
"Listen, man, we need t' talk, meet you tomorrow at the usual place but half an hour early, okay?" Shun'u asked.
"Why?" Kouji asked. Shun'u didn't get to answer, Hikari grabbed the phone and said,
"Isn't it a bit late? Sorry, Shun'u, but it's a school day, if you carry on like this, you'll be up all night. Remember what happened last time?"
Shun'u grinned. Hikari had caught Kouji on the phone at 4am, and the next day, she'd been called by the school, to be told that Kouji had fallen asleep in class and was in no fit state to study.
"Yes, Hikari-chan," he chimed, dutifully.
"Good night, then. I'm sure it can wait until tomorrow," Hikari said, then hung up.
Shun'u shook his head, thoughts buzzing through it anxiously.
Yume... Hiro... - I dunno what t' call
him now! - he left at six-thirty... what did he do in those extra five
hours?
**********
Shun'u woke up earlier than usual and, resisting the urge to fall straight back to sleep, leapt out of bed and pulled on his school uniform, glaring at his reflection in the mirror.
"Stupid uniform," he muttered, and shoved some clothes in his bag, hoping to change later on.
He grabbed an apple and took a bite, then swore as his fangs got stuck in it and he couldn't pull them out. He finally got a knife and sliced it off and ate the pieces. He took a swig of milk from the carton, leaving twin holes in the top, and made his lunch, making a huge mess everywhere and being forced to clean it up.
I'm not a morning person he thought, regretting having left his warm bed.
As he headed towards the bathroom, he ran his fingers through his hair, tidying it up. He stopped dead as he heard noises coming from it. He peeked his head around the door and saw the hunched figure of Sorcha, being violently ill into the toilet.
"Are ya okay, Mum?" he asked, feeling stupid.
Sorcha wiped her mouth and looked at him, a shaky smile on her face.
"I'm fine," she said, weakly.
"What's wrong? Ya ill?" Shun'u asked, concerned.
"No, really, I'm fine," Sorcha insisted, standing up. She walked out of the bathroom, elegant in her long dressing-gown, and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. She turned to watch him as he brushed his teeth, and as he came out the door again, she said, hesitantly,
"Shun'u? I'm pregnant, you're going to have a little or brother or sister."
As Shun'u walked towards her, he could see that she was bursting with joy and excitement.
"Isn't that terrific?" she asked, happily.
Shun'u could feel his eyes filling with tears.
"Sure, Mum," he replied, looking away. He added, quickly, "Well, gotta run, I'm meetin' Kouji!"
"So that's what he was calling you about!" Sorcha said, sounding a bit exasperated, but her good mood was undampened.
"Yeah. Bye!" Shun'u said, running out the door.
It was only once he was out the hall, down the stairs and out of the building did he let himself burst into tears of rage.
"You bastard!" he screamed to the world in general. He picked up a rock and threw it at bin with all his might. It topped over and he kicked it again and again, all the time wishing it was Yume's head. He picked up the bin and hurled it at the ground, making a huge dent in the metal bin, and spewing garbage everywhere.
"I wish you were dead!" he bellowed.
Then he ran, ran to the meeting place, the crossroads between his house and Kouji's.
Kouji was already there, and Shun'u wiped the tears away from his face in embarassment. It was too late, at the sight of them, Kouji turned pale.
"What happened?" he asked.
"It's Mum. She's pregnant," Shun'u whispered.
"Shit..." Kouji muttered. They looked at each other, helplessly.
"What're we gonna do now?" Shun'u asked, looking to Kouji for leadership as he always did.
"I dunno," Kouji said, "I really don' know."
He sighed, defeated.
"This is so screwed up," he muttered.
"An' that's not all. He spends late night an' early mornin' with you 'n Hikari, right?" Shun'u asked, already knowing the answer. Kouji nodded. "He spends the late morning and the afternoon with us. What does he do in the rest of the time? Work? Cos he told us he worked at night, he tells you he works during the day an' late at night. So when does he really work? What'f he's doin' something illegal? If he did this to our Mum's - an' he must've known Mum when he saw her, there aren' many red-heads around here - I bet he'd do anythin'."
"We should follow him," Kouji said, sounding depressed.
"Yeah, we should," Shun'u said, jumping into action.
"I didn' really mean it-" Kouji started but Shun'u had already ran to a nearby pay-phone and started dialing.
"What're ya-" Kouji started, running after him, but Shun'u had already shoved the phone in his face and hissed urgently,
"Do Mum! Say we're ill!"
Kouji groaned. They'd occasionally done this before, and it sometimes worked, Kouji was a genius at imitating voices, but this time he didn't even have a story planned!
"Hello?" came the voice from the phone.
"Yes, hello, this is Omari Sora, I'm calling to tell you that Yamada Kouji and Omari Shun'u won't be in school today. They've got... uh... small pox," Kouji said in Sorcha's voice.
Shun'u hissed in his ear,
"No such thing as small pox any more!"
"Sorry, I mean, chicken pox," Kouji added, hastily, "my Japanese isn't very good."
"Phew, they'll buy it, the racist bastards," Shun'u said, in relief.
Meanwhile, Kouji was enjoying himself.
"Oh yes, very contagious! Yes, at least a week, maybe more!"
"Enough!" snapped Shun'u, practically dragging Kouji away from the phone.
"Sorry, dahlin', must fly! Shun'u's being sick again!" Kouji trilled, before hanging up, grinning.
"Being sick?!" asked Shun'u, with a deadly cold voice.
"Well, you were spewing at me," Kouji smirked. Shun'u sighed.
"Tragic," he muttered.
"Well, at least we'll be excused from school for a while," Kouji pointed out.
"What time does Yume... I mean, Hiro, usually leave?" Shun'u asked.
"Any second now. Run!" Kouji said. They ran to few blocks to Kouji's apartment building, just in time to see Yume walk out the door.
"Follow him!" Shun'u hissed. Kouji immedially started sneaking.
"Don't be stupid!" Shun'u whispered, "people will stare! Look normal!"
Kouji saw the sense in this, and they walked briskly behind Yume, keeping him in sight. Yume didn't turn around once, not suspecting a thing, and they followed him for a few minutes before he entered an apartment building.
"What?!" asked Kouji, stopping dead.
"You've gotta be friggin' kiddin' me!" Shun'u said, incredulously. "He's seeing another woman?!"
They hesitated, and in the meantime, Yume walked into a lift.
"Shit! We'd better take the stairs!" Kouji ordered. He sped up the stairs, pausing at the first floor to see if Yume was getting off. Shun'u sped on ahead, waiting at the second floor. Once it was clear that Yume wasn't getting off, Kouji ran past Shun'u's floor, pausing at the third floor. Shun'u caught on, and ran up to the fourth floor. They repeated this cycle for a few levels until Shun'u spotted Yume walking down the corridor.
"Quick!" he called to Kouji below him. Kouji ran up the stairs, panting, as they'd travelled about 10 floors by that point. They watched as Yume entered a room, then paused.
"Now what?" asked Shun'u.
"He might be with someone," said Kouji, considering. He grinned cruelly. "Let's see!" He pointed to the fire escape, and they climbed the stairs and peeked in his window. They were disappointed to find him alone. He had his laptop pulled out, and from what they could see, he was selling some shares over the internet.
"Y'know what we should do," Shun'u said, slowly, "we should blow his cover. We should tell Mum an' Hikari to meet him here." He slammed his fist against the railing. "The bastard deserves it."
Yume obviously heard this, and he looked in their direction. They ducked out of sight.
"Idiot!" muttered Kouji, slapping Shun'u's leg. "But I think ya've got the right idea. Let's go." They walked back into the hall and stopped.
"How'm I gonna do this, Shun-chan? I can' do his voice, it's too deep!"
They looked at each other and groaned.
"Hey, wait! Let's leave a letter or somethin'!" Shun'u said, suddenly.
"You'd better write it, ya've got the best writing in the class," Kouji said. Shun'u nodded.
"Ya wait here, watch him, 'kay? I'll go write the notes, get 'em to meet him here at lunch time. Might be a while, will hafta drop it into Mum's work," Shun'u said, "lucky Hikari-chan doesn' work, huh?"
He wrote down the room number and ran to the lift and headed down to the ground floor. He paused at the lobby and asked the woman at the desk for a pen and some paper. He carefully printed out two identical notes.
Dearest [name]
Sorry to give you such short notice,
but can you meet me at 12:30pm... Shun'u looked at the address and
quickly scribbled it down.
I've got something very important to
discuss with you.
Shun'u signed it with a flourish and 'borrowed' some envelopes from the lobby, printing the names on carefully. He ran to Hikari's apartment first, and shoved it in through the mail-slot, then sighed, waiting for the bus. Knowing it would be a while, he ducked into an alley and changed out of his school uniform, not out of wanting to look normal but because the itchy material was giving him scratching fits. By the time he had finished repacking his bag, the bus was there, and he hopped on, pulling out his multi-pass. The other passengers gave him a questioning look, and he tried his best not to look nervous.
He soon arrived at the noodle-bar where his mother worked and gave the letter to the manager, before heading back, just in time to catch the bus back in the other direction. It was the same driver, and he was openly staring at Shun'u in his rear-view mirror during red lights. Shun'u was relieved to get off, and he ran back to Kouji.
"Did you do it?" Kouji asked, bored. He'd been waiting for half an hour and was realising that there was only so much fun you could get out of spying on the most boring man on the planet.
"Yeah," Shun'u replied, "they'll be coming at 12:30."
"Twelve thirty?! Shun-chan, it's eight-thirty now! We can' wait four hours!"
"We'll hafta, Mum can' come any earlier. She knocks off early today, but not that early!"
They both groaned, realising they were in for hours of boredom.
*********
A few hours later, they were still waiting in the fire escape. It was then the trouble started. Yume packed up his laptop and left.
"What're we gonna do now?" Shun'u asked, desperately. He then stiffened. "I can see Mum coming!"
"Unlock the door, at least they can meet up. We'll tell 'em ourselves," Kouji said, quickly. He pushed the half-open window (Yume must have figured people usually didn't try to rob people through the window on the eleventh floor) open fully and ran across the floor, unlocking the door. He quickly jumped out again.
"She's inside. Hikari's coming too, she's over there," Shun'u pointed.
(background music:Heart ni KIRAboshi Sakashitare!! /Make Twinkling Stars Bloom in Your Heart!!)
The door handle rattled and Sorcha walked into the room.
"Hello? Yume?" she called.
She turned around as Hikari entered the room, carrying Fuyu.
"Sorcha?" she asked, confused. "Where's Hiro? He said he was meeting me."
Shun'u craned his head to see better, but Kouji tugged on his sleeve.
"What?" Shun'u asked, distracted.
"It's Uncle! He's coming back! With another woman!"
"Shit!" Shun'u said, in horror. They watched helplessly as he entered the building.
In an unending,
brawling battle,
bleed valor!
Rekka Shin'en
Help the weak until you gain a victory
for peace.
"Yume said he was meeting me here!" Sorcha said, confused. "What's going on?"
"We've been had," Hikari said, angrily. Fuyu started to whimper and she comforted him into silence.
"It's freezing in here, I'll close the window," Sorcha said, doing just that. She didn't notice Shun'u and Kouji, who ducked out of sight, panicking.
She turned around and said,
"Well, we'd better find out what's going on."
At that moment, Yume walked through the door, his arms around a petite woman, who was laughing.
In a brawling battle,
let the sparks fly!
Rekka Shin'en
Flowers and storms and walls
-overcome them.
He stopped dead and stared at them both in pure astonishment.
"Who are they?" asked the woman, in surprise.
At the same time, Sorcha snapped, "What in the hell is going on, Yume?!"
"Yume?" Hikari asked, confused. "It's Hiro..." She trailed off, horrified.
Yume looked at them both, an arrogant expression on his face.
"Very good, you figured it out. About time,
too," he said, coldly.
With one incantation,
any darkness is destroyed ha ha
Hope is always power.
Launch the flowers of light.
"You... you bastard!" Hikari bellowed. Tears ran down her face, as she sobbed, "And after we had Fuyu... and you got Sorcha pregnant too..."
"I wasn't aware of that, she didn't tell me," Yume said, uncaringly.
"She told me this morning..." Hikari said, trailing off.
"Is this true?" the woman asked Yume, furiously. Her eyes were bright with tears.
"Oh god... you too..." Sorcha said, suddenly understanding this. The woman beame hysterical.
"This isn't happening!" she screamed, and
ran out the door, wailing.
Can't get really strong
by always winning.
Inside of pain, there blooms
a seed called courage.
"I must say, you're both idiots for not figuring it out sooner," Yume said, examining his fingernails, "it wasn't half-obvious."
"How could you, you bastard?!" Hikari shouted. All this time, Sorcha was quiet and still, in deep shock.
"Very easily," Yume said, smirking.
"Why?! Why?! Why?!" wailed Hikari.
"Because," was the answer. Hikari leaned
over and slapped him with all her might, a blow which sent him staggering
backwards.
As much as this world is overrun with
sorrow,
I won't abandon my tears, I won't overlook
them.
I'll flame the really unbeatable enemies.
Make a twinkling star bloom in your
heart!!
"You broke my best friend's heart and lied to this other woman for no reason?!" she roared. Fuyu burst into tears and Yume didn't even look at him.
"Shut that brat up!" he ordered, calmly.
"That 'brat' is your son, Hiro, if that's even your name!"
"Haruka Yume," Sorcha said, quietly, speaking in a dull, emotionless voice, "means distant dream."
Fuyu's crying became louder, and in a fit of anger, Yume slapped him.
"Shut up, you little shit!" he roared.
Fuyu flew backwards, and landed with a thump. His crying turned to hysterical screams.
Kouji couldn't take it anymore. He slammed him fists on the glass.
"I'm comin' for ya, you bastard! Leave
otouto alone!" he shouted.
In an unending,
brawling battle,
bleed valor!
Rekka Shin'en
Help the weak until you gain a victory
for peace.
He raced down the stairs, Shun'u speeding after him, and they both crashed through the fire exit, which opened to the level below Yume's apartment.
"You fucking..." Hikari screamed, cradling Fuyu in his arms. Yume was full of shock.
"Fuyu..." he whispered, fear and worry in his eyes. He moved towards the small boy, to comfort or cradle him, but Sorcha beared her teeth at him.
"Don't touch him! You have no right! No right!" she shouted, and turned on him, beating her fists at him, again and again.
He snapped.
In a brawling battle,
let the sparks fly!
Rekka Shin'en
Flowers and storms and walls-
overcome them.
Try again.
He raised his hand and bashed her hard on the head. She screamed once, then fell and stayed down, sobbing.
"You bastard! Hitting a pregnant woman!" Hikari screamed, but she was too shocked to move.
On the stairs, Shun'u heard his mother cry and screamed himself.
"Mum! I'm coming!"
He ran to the door, but Yume, one step ahead, stepped towards it and locked it.
"Try again," he whispered.
[Instrumental]
"God, why isn' anyone comin'?! Can' they hear?!" Shun'u screamed.
"They'd all be at work..." said Kouji, quietly, full of fear. His face was pale, deathly pale.
"Let me in! Let me in!" Shun'u roared. He slammed against the door, again and again. His face was fierce with an anger Kouji had never seen before. Suddenly his eyes turned red, glowing, and Kouji stepped back in fear.
"What's going on?!" he whispered.
Shun'u's arm was glowing as red as his
eyes, and he paid Kouji no attention, his eyes fixed on the door.
With a single kick, I can knock down
even the guys looking to control others.
"Ya think you're safe, locked in there, doncha?" Shun'u asked, with a cold smile on his face. "You think you're safe."
People's hearts are free,
flapping unseen wings.
"Don't you dare touch them!" Sorcha roared. "Leave them alone!"
"I have every intention to," Yume said, "or why else would I lock them out?"
A dark power is born
from the grief of lost love,
so any kind of love
should not be wasted.
He paced the room, confidently, looking at the two women on the floor.
"Now here is what I propose we do," he said, calmly, "I'll keep Fuyu, Kouji and the baby once it is born, and I'll never bother you again. I'll pay for Sorcha to raise Shun'u and I'll even pay for both of your rents for the rest of your life, so long as you keep away."
"Never!" screamed Hikari, in rage. Sorcha was curled in a ball, sobbing, her arms protectively over her belly, and she looked at Yume with the fear of a trapped animal. Hikari, on the other hand, was enraged. She let go of Fuyu, who crawled towards Sorcha in fear, and stood up to face Yume. "You're never having our children! Fuyu is mine too, and so is Sorcha's baby! As for Kouji, he's not even your child!"
Yume's eyes glittered. "But he's not yours
either," he said, smoothly.
In the struggle to find paradise in
this world,
even the effort is awesome, not weak.
It's the most fun, it's a blast.
Make a twinkling star bloom in your
heart!!
"Shun'u!" cried Kouji, in fear at his friend's transformation. His eyes were wild, furious. He looked at his arms and smiled. And he grinned, his fangs bared.
Then, with no apparent effort at all, he kicked the door and it shattered.
Yume spun around with surprise, to find Shun'u there.
"Leave them alone!" roared Shun'u. His heart was beating wildly, not with fear, but with a cold rage. But there was more, a kind of excitement, which scared him even more than the man in front of him. As if he could do anything, had the power to destroy the scum who hurt his mother. As if he were a god.
In an unending,
brawling battle,
bleed valor!
Rekka Shin'en
Brandish justice on friend and foe.
He charged towards Yume, teeth bared, and tackled him. Yume fell over out of sheer surprise, to find Shun'u already pouncing on top of him.
Kouji watched in shock from the door.
He fights like a wolf he thought, in amazement.
But even the strength Shun'u had somehow
gained was not enough. He was still a short, slightly build, eleven year
old boy, no match for an adult. Yume threw him aside like a ragdoll, and
Shun'u landed heavily against a wall. As he slumped to the floor, he could
dimly hear the sound of something breaking in the background.
In a brawling battle,
let the sparks fly!
Rekka Shin'en
But when it comes to love, this is
it.
It wasn't enough Shun'u though, despairingly, why aren't I strong enough?
He struggled to pull air back into his lungs, but felt too winded to move. Yume loomed above him, and overlaying his image, that of another man, a red-haired man, grinning wickedly.
Why can't I be him? Why can't I be strong
enough? he thought, dimly.
In an unending,
brawling battle,
bleed valor!
Rekka Shin'en
Help the weak until you gain a victory
for peace.
"Now, brat, you-" Yume started, but he couldn't finish, as Kouji leapt onto his legs, screaming,
"Leave them alone! Shun'u, Sora, Fuyu, Okaa! Leave them all alone!"
Yume fought him off easily, but it was enough time.
Shun'u's vision cleared and he felt himself
fill with purpose and the energy to get up again. He reached for his backpack,
which he had dropped near the door, and rummaged inside it.
In a brawling battle,
let the sparks fly!
Rekka Shin'en
Flowers and storms and walls-
overcome them.
Fly again.
Yume felt a slight prick in his back and froze.
He turned around slowly to find a knife held to his throat and the coldest pair of eyes he had ever seen in his life.
"Now, I've got a proposal for you. How about you go away an' never, ever come near us again. Ever," Shun'u said. "Now get the fuck out of here, you piece of shit, before I kill you."
Yume turned pale and slowly backed out of the room.
"I'm leaving," he said. And did.
Shun'u watched him go, then turned to the others.
"Are you okay..." he started. Then collapsed.
"Call the ambulance, Kouji," Hikari said, shaking. Sorcha was still in a sobbing heap on the floor, in no fit state to move. Hikari bent over Shun'u and pressed her cool hand to his forehead. She then looked up to Kouji, tears in her eyes.
"You called me Okaa," she said, her tears now being of love. But Kouji had already left.
"You'll be alright..." Shun'u heard, through
a mist, before drifting away.
********
(background music: Bastard Son, by George)
Urban enzyme digest slowly
eating crust and crouton wholly
Kouji walked out of the shabby apartment that he now shared with Sorcha, Fuyu and Hikari. And would share with Shun'u, once he was out of hospital. The internal bleeding had left him very weak, and they still had him on dialysis, although less frequently now.
Cut up news with froth and frolic
hero doomed and alcoholic
He walked the familiar path to school, feeling alone with Shun'u. The other kids had been avoiding him lately, or worse, approached him and timidly asked for the truth behind the many rumours they heard.
not a picture prized or pretty
burning engines in the city
Today, however, there were no other kids on that path. Instead, Kouji saw the last person he'd possibly want to see. Yume, Hiro, or, as his real name had been revealed to be, Shimo.
not a word now could be tainted
when ivory teeth come golden plated
He stretched out on the path in front of Kouji. Kouji froze, then tried to keep walking, hoping like crazy that Shimo would leave him alone.
running frowning waving madly
came from nothing returning gladly
he said strip, strip
Shimo watched him go, coldly, then said after him,
"I heard you're going to sue me."
shout it out
you've done me over, now let me out
Kouji stopped, and Shimo strolled over, arrogant as a cat.
"Just to let you know, they have no hope. Hikari isn't even related to you. She may get Fuyu, but I'll always have you," Shimo whispered, a cruel smile on his face. Shimo placed a cruel hand on Kouji's face, in the mockery of a caress.
the bastard son
bastard son
bastard son of....
"You're not related to me either," Kouji found the courage to say. Shimo's hand retreated and the cruel grin spread.
"Aren't I?" he taunted. "Aren't I?"
Kouji paled, as he realised that he'd been living this man's lies for his whole life, but this was the biggest one of all. About who he was.
the bastard son
bastard son
bastard son of you know who----
"No! It's lie!" he said, frantically trying to smash down the thought. He slapped Shimo's hand away.
flashes lighten grime and gravy
instant when it's bright and maybe
Kouji ran the streets alone, trying to keep the tears which came no matter how much he fought them. He ran past the parked cars, the crowded bus stop, to his school.
Then he kept going.
happiness will someday bite
from eating starbeams in the night
Past the train station, past the mall, past the furthest he'd ever been from home by himself. And he kept going.
crunch it chew it spit it out
strip the flesh and suck it out
"Why do you do this to us? Why can't you leave us alone?" he shouted. He ran, then stopped, as he reached the sea.
between the teeth of envy plain
come bits of cosmos fire and rain
He walked down the jetty and watched the crashing waves, smashing against the many boats, and shaking them up and down violently.
running frowning waving madly
came from nothing returning gladly
he said strip, strip,
But not matter how far he ran, the image of Shimo, his father, wouldn't leave him alone. He flew back into Kouji's mind, and Kouji screamed.
shout it out
you've done me over, now let me out
"Leave me alone!" he screamed. The people nearby all stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. He collapsed to his knees.
the bastard son
bastard son
bastard son of....
The words echoed through his head. "I am his son," he whispered, the fact paining him.
the bastard son
bastard son
bastard son of you know who---
He unsteadily got to his feet and looked down off the jetty, to the waves, far below him. And he leapt.
Will you ever know how it feels
no mother or father to depend upon?
"I'm sorry, Shun-chan," he whispered, as he fell.
will you ever know how it feels
to be alone in this world?
All alone-----
"I love you, Shun-chan, my aniki," he thought,
with the last of his consciousness, before the waves swallowed him up...
Skipsida's Ravings:
Can I leave you with a cliffhanger? Oh yes, I can! Actually, I have to, I've been writing this all in the one day, continuously for about four or five hours. It is now 10:52 pm, and I really need to upload this to get some sleep. I have to warn you, the cliffhanger will be a long one, as I probably won't have a chance to update until after the exams are over - so that'd be a month or few.
But just let me remind you that Kouji is
alive in "What if", as you'd know if you've read it, so don't worry! ^____^
Then again, he could be a zombie! ^__^ V
What about... the parody?
The cast: *sits in a row of chairs, much
like Jerry Springer or any other crappy talk show*
Skipsida: So, I understand you've had
some relationship troubles?
Yume: I'm innocent! How was I supposed
to know?
Hikari: *snorts* Pu-lease! I can understand
Sorcha not recognising you, you've lost weight and gained a few years since
the last time you saw her, but you knew that I was friends with
the only natural red-head in this area!
Yume: *lamely* I thought she was a commuter.
Sorcha: *rocks back and forward, traumatised*
Why am I cursed, Suzaku? Why? WHY THIS CURSE WITH MEN?!
Shun'u: *runs in* Speed power! And super
strength! *runs out again*
Kouji: *bursts into tears* He's scary!
*sits down and cries*
Skipsida: *hugs the kawaii little-kid
Kouji* There there... *looks up at the crowd again, just as Shun'u runs
back in, character glowing* So young Tasuki has some semblance of his powers
back, brought on through rage and fear.
Shun'u: *poses dramatically and reveals
his character* Who needs Red Bull? Suzuku gives me wings *jumps
off stage and crashes to the floor. He lies there dazed*
Skipsida: *amused* What with having the
character "wing", one wonders why Suzaku didn't give him the power to levitate.
*shakes head* Of course, there is also the matter of his Sailor Moon obsession.
Shun'u: *just recovering, stands up, frantical
look of denial on his face*
Skipsida: Yeah, he's a real fan boy! *people groan* Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all night. *quickly
runs off stage to avoid being pelted with vegetables*
Hikari: What the hell was this parody
about?
Sorcha: *surprised* This was a parody?