THE SAKURA JEWEL
CHAPTER 03
Seeing Lara's expression as she walks toward him, Chase raised an eyebrow. She was smiling happily, seemingly not conscious of that, in a way he had never seen her before. Normally... She was always on her guard... She never smiled... Like now ! Like if their was nothing to be fear of... There was a peace in her eyes... Such a peace...
"Lara ? "
"..." She smiled. She SMILED at him !
"You... This guy... "
"Yes."
" ??? "
"He is. He is my brother."
"You mean... You think really possible that..."
"No ! "
"I knew it, you..."
"No, Chase ! I mean... I'm SURE he is my brother."
"Lara..."
Chase hesitated. He knew Lara. He loved her. But he was used to see her... More circumspect. Usually, he was the one a little too... Confident. Of course, he hoped that the story was right... For Lara's sake. But he couldn't help to feel... Nervous about it. That was so... Simple. And how could Lara be... So sure about this guy ? She didn't speak with him more than five minutes ! She didn't knew him... Even with a physical resemblance or something like that... Well, they knew that there were youngs people... Very good young actors... And even if the boy was sincerely persuaded that Lara was his sister... He could be manipulate himself. They already saw it. They already saw worse...
"Mmmm..."
Chase shake his head. Of course, he was here to protect Lara. He had already decide to dedicate his life to her. She didn't knew. And even if she knew, she couldn't take it seriously. How could she ? He had change... He had change a lot. But she was cautious, now. At least about her feelings... He had deeply hurt her when they were younger. He paid for it, now. He was young and idiot, he knew it. At that time, her money interested him almost as her. Or so he thought. He was so stupid... He'd found that he was really in love with her when she broke up with him. And, until that time, he'd done his best to prove her he changed, to prove her that NOW he was sincere. His best to merit her... He was an adventurer. He'd always been. He loved this life. But if he became so good, if he became the only one able to compete with her, it was only for her. Because he wanted her to notice him. To notice... He didn't know exactly. He wanted her to accept him by her side...
He'd try to follow Lara, to see her first meeting with... This Sakuragi boy. The so-called brother. But Hovan didn't let him. He knew she was herself... Not so sure about it. But, she obeyed to Lara. Whatever it cost... Madeline Hovan. He liked her. Not a beautiful young woman, with the body of a top-model like Lara... But somebody he could trust. Clever, sympatical... A person he was happy to see near Lara. A person who would never betray Lara. She'd not use the handcuffs Lara gave her. But she didn't let him go.
"Oh, miss Hovan..." Lara murmured.
"Yes ? "
"It's just..."
A blooded handkerchief. Lara's handkerchief. Chase got up with a start. That was fresh blood !!! Lara... Lara... But she didn't seem...
"Lara, you're hurt ? "
"Calm, Chase."
"But..."
"It's not mine."
" ??? "
"It's not my blood."
She smiled at him again. Chase wanted to speak, but her smile... He felt his legs weakening when he saw it. She was so beautiful... And somewhere he felt happy, her smile was so.. Gentle. No harsh words, like if she forgave him... At least for some minutes.
In Lara's bag, the 'Sakura Jewel', the object which send them in this adventure... Was shedding a soft and warm light, unnoticing.
Chase was feeling better and better, he was so happy suddenly... In peace with himself, with the world surrounded him. Like if he suddenly understood the harmony around him. All was perfect... And he was near Lara. Where he had always been since he first meet her. If not physically, at least in his mind... And she smiled to him, accepting him some seconds... She turned her head to face Hovan, but it didn't break the magic of the moment. He looked them as Hovan took quietly the dirty handkerchief, putting it away and giving a new one to Lara.
"You know what to do with it."
"Of course,miss Croft. Good that I always think about having other ones with me for the 'accidents'." Hovan smiled. "I'm happy to learn that your meeting with this youth was... Interesting. And pleasant. I hope for that he's really your brother."
"But he is, miss Hovan. He is." Lara stopped some seconds. "But I think it should be a good idea to finish this conversation in an other place."
Chase raised an eyebrow, seeing Lara's expression. THAT was something he was use to. Really; She was smiling. But not the same smile she had some seconds before. A predatory smile.
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Kogure seemed thoughtful... The nurse asked Sakuragi to stay with her and take a little nap. She didn't wanted him to play basket again. Not today. She was right. He was not in a state to play basket. And to ask... Hrr... To order him to sleep a little was the only way to keep him quiet. But... But... Kogure... Kogure acted strangely since he came back to the court... Ayako frowned.
"Kogure ? What the matter ? Seems like something is bothering you..." She asked.
Mitsui sighed. At least, he was not the only one to notice Kogure's unusual behaviour !!! And someone formulated the question he wanted to ask... But didn't dare to.
"Mm ? Oh. Ayako."
"So ? "
"Mrrr... No, it's nothing..."
"..."
"Hrr... At least, nothing about me. It's... Mrr..."
" ??? "
"Well, it's Sakuragi..."
" Sakuragi ? " Ayako frowned again. Her eyes suddenly widened. "Did... Did the nurse said something..."
"No !!! No, don't worry, he has nothing important, but..."
" ??? "
"It's... That woman."
Hearing that, Rukawa's heart skip a beat. A woman ? With his Do'aho ??? What was that story... Frowning, he got closer to his sempai...
"A woman ? " Ayako was really surprised.
"With Sakuragi ? " Mitsui exclaimed.
"It's impossible !!! " An astonish Ryota added.
"What's with Sakuragi-kun ?" Haruko's sweet voice.
For the first (and perhaps the only...) time of his life, Rukawa agree with Haruko. Now, all had stopped to play and were surrounded Kogure, curious to know what he would say next... Kogure had hard time trying to respond to them...
"She's old ? Perhaps his mother..."
"In her twenties, so it's impossible..."
"What kind of woman..."
"What does she looks like ? "
"She's beautiful, one of the smartest woman I see in my life and..."
"A BEAUTIFUL woman ? With Sakuragi ? "
"Unbelievable."
"It's can't be right !!! "
"How ? "
"Who is she ? "
"I dunno, I..."
"You're sure she was so beautiful ? "
"She has red hair, too ? "
"She didn't try to escape ? "
"She..."
"Was she..."
"Do you..."
"SILENCE !!! " Akagi's angry voice. All obeyed in the instant. He didn't like when anybody disturb the practice... Everybody knew it. An angry Akagi was one of their worse nightmares... "So, Kogure. Explain-me what is the matter with Sakuragi. This idiot did something, again ? "
"No... Not really..."
" ??? " Akagi raised an eyebrow.
"Mmm... I think it should be better if I began at the beginning... So..."
And so he did. Kogure explained what happened some minutes before in a bemused silence...
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Sakuragi feel strange. He met her... He met HER !!! Like a dream... It had been so perfect... Or perhaps, not, perfect didn't mean when you're covered with sweat and blood, in the middle of an old, bad-looking school... But he felt like that. In his heart, all was perfect. He met HER. He spoke with HER. And she accepted him. She accepted HIM !!! He could have do anything to be accepted by her. Anything to prove her WHO he was. But there was no need... No need... And he couldn't believe it. It was incredible...
And he had felt... Strange when near her. He couldn't understand why. Like if a part of himself was with her and said him that all was alright... Like if there was... He didn't knew. That was so strange. A part of him. Which was not him... Something which remembered him his mother... That was him and was not him at the same time. Full of love. Of power, too... But a 'good' power. If there was 'good power' in the world... Something beneficial. But only to the 'good' persons. And which destroyed the others... Full of love and tranquillity with the first, full of violence and death and furor for the seconds... Such a strange idea... How could he think about... All those things just when he met his sister !? And to think she was 'responsible'... He was stupid. The baka the kitsune always said he was.
*Lara...* He murmured dreamily...
End of Chapter 03
About Lara and Chase relationship... She know he sincerely love her, now, but... She felt so betray when she was younger... She wants time... No, she needs time before accept to love him again. Oh, and I didn't imagine this story when they were younger. It's part of the comic and it's really important to understand their relationship. I only use the idea 'cause I think It was really important.
_ZEYNEL_