In Soujiro's room, it was very quiet.
Tsukushi continued to sit on the floor. With a last disbelieving look at the door, as if not convinced that Tsukasa really had left, Soujiro went and slouched into a seat on his bed.
Neither spoke. The weighted silence conveyed the sense of unfulfillment. Was this it? Really? No violence, just an uncomfortable emptiness. . . And what now?
Tsukushi was the first to break the spell. Twisting her head, bird-like, to peer at Soujiro's bowed head, she began hesitantly, "What you said. . . ."
"Forget it." Soujiro wanted to deny his impassioned speech, "I don't know what came over me." Unlike Tsukasa, he had understood her words. And really, it was not a surprise that she didn't feel the same way about him that he felt for her.
Tsukushi relented a little, or else she felt the need for some form of comfort, for she got up and sat down again on a patch of floor next to Soujiro's feet. "It was very sweet. But. . ." she managed.
"You don't need to say it." It came out more harshly than he'd intended.
"I like you, Soujiro. I don't want to lose you too. . . ButIdidn'tleaveTsukasaforyou." She finished in a rush. It really was important that he understood. She couldn't face the thought of dating another so soon, much less falling in love again.
"I know." He sighed, "I'm not going to get that kiss, am I?" he said it lightly, to show he was only teasing, yet still she could hear the wistful echoes of truth behind the words.
"No." Tsukushi shook her head regretfully.
"Do. . . Do you think you might give me a chance sometime?" Soujiro wasn't used to feeling so hesitant around a woman. But then, it had never been so important to him before either.
Tsukushi swallowed hard. She couldn't just say no, and risk losing the friendship they now had. But now she wanted a friend. Not a boyfriend. Maybe that would change. How could she know, now? He was cute, though, 'not to mention sweet, cuddly. . .' She stopped herself, before her train of thought jumped the tracks completely. 'Also utterly hedonistic, overly flirtatious, elitist. Ok. Stop that.' He was expecting some sort of answer. "I'll think about it, OK?"
"That's all I'm asking," Soujiro smiled slightly. Better than nothing. He'd stake his reputation as a playboy that he'd win this one. Though. . . if he did, would he truly be a playboy any longer? Hmm. . . That reminded him. . . "Can I sleep with you again, at least?" Soujiro slipped from his perch on the bed to sit next to Tsukushi, slipping an arm around her shoulders as he did so.
". . . you've got really screwed up priorities," Tsukushi fought the hysterical urge to laugh. 'It's not that funny,' she sternly reminded herself, 'you're just a bit on edge right now. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. . . Oh shit. . ' she started to giggle.
"Hey, stop that!" Soujiro looked offended, as he watched Tsukushi struggling to avoid hysterics.
"I'm. . . not. . your teddy bear!" Tsukushi managed to gasp out.
"Did I ever say that you were? I'm not interested in a stuffed animal, when there's a woman in the house."
"Pervert!"
"You didn't seem to mind last night!"
"I was tired!" Tsukushi blushed, "Don't go getting ideas!"
"Oh, I wouldn't dare!" Soujiro insincerely reassured her, "Come on, I'm hungry. Let's go see what there is for breakfast." He stood up and helped Tsukushi to her feet, thinking 'The only idea I've got right now, is not to let her slip away.' Keeping this in mind, Soujiro slyly maintaining his grip on her hand, even after she'd stood up.
Tsukushi didn't seem to mind.
Hah, maybe this could work out after all.
There was really only one way to find out. . .
-------
*Epilogue*
A few weeks later, the fallout was finally beginning to settle. Tsukushi fought off depression with her old fighting spirit. It helped that she kept herself too busy to worry over things that couldn't be helped. Undoubtedly, extended cuddle-time with Soujiro would have helped more, but she refused to allow herself that luxury.
Last Tsukushi'd heard, Tsubaki had found Tsukasa wandering the streets of Tokyo in a daze. After listening to his incoherent babble, she'd understood the gist of the problem; to wit-he'd fucked up so severely that Tsukushi was never coming back to him. Of course, this had made Tsubaki utterly furious. Screaming imprecations about her half-wit of an incompetently stupid, shit-for-brains, no-good, worthless brother, she'd packed him off to New York, much to their mother's satisfaction. Tsubaki had called Tsukushi from there, just once, to apologize for her brother. In the background, Tsukushi had heard Kaede and Tsukasa screaming at each other.
They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder. Tsukushi would have been satisfied if she could manage to forgive Tsukasa, and to forget how much it still hurt that she hadn't been able to make things work between them.
Still, it was a relief to not have him lurking around Eitoku, like a gloomy shadow. At least in New York, it could be hoped that he'd work some of his frustration out crushing others on the Doumyouji Corporation's behalf. Or maybe he'd just wear himself out fighting with his parents. Either way, he was gone. For how long, no one knew-hopefully it would be long enough.
As for Rui, he seemed to have retreated back into himself. Being well on the way toward winter now, it was too cold to hang out on the emergency stairs, but Rui did start coming to school and chilling with Soujiro and Akira. When he thought she wasn't looking, he would still watch Tsukushi intently, as if searching for some kind of sign. After the first week or so, Tsukushi got over her discomfort enough to start speaking to him again. But things were never as comfortable as they had been. One thing was sure, Rui watched Soujiro like a hawk. But certain subjects always went unspoken of.
And what about Asai? Why should she now receive what she so richly deserved? After all, she had gotten away with her underhanded tricks and schemes for so long already; how could one expect her to get her reward for this latest deed? Because Sakurako took an interest, that's why. After beating a version of the story out of Kazuya after her ruined party, Sakurako had spent the rest of the night dreaming up delicious forms of torture for the blond bitch. However, in the cold light of morning, she'd finally had to admit to herself that even her thuggish contacts weren't likely to punish Asai enough. So, she turned instead to a group that would be only too willing to heap degradation and abuse upon the designated target. . .
A few days later, Asai was most unpleasantly surprised to find a red tag adorning her locker. Sakurako watched gleefully, as Asai's former friends turned on her instantly. Soujiro and Akira had given permission for Sakurako to start the game, and Asai found no asylum when she began to rant about how, "the tag couldn't be real! It was a malicious hoax perpetrated by that loser Makino!" Oh no, it had been months since Anyone at Eitoku had been tagged, and the vicious students found that their old bloodlust was raging. Hardly anyone batted an eye, when a week or so later, a bruised and filthy Asai found herself withdrawing from Eitoku; even her snide style of bitchiness couldn't withstand the determined degradation heaped upon her by her former friends and comrades. Still, she was just transferring to Eirin. Undoubtedly, once she recovered from her newly broken nose, she would carve out her old niche in this new setting. . .
No one was sorry to see her go, not really. Sakurako giggled with glee, in fact. And even the normally kind-hearted Kazuya sighed in relief that he would never again have to feel her needle-sharp shoes kicking him in the head, or trampling him in the corridors. At any rate, this unpleasantness was soon forgotten as public attention turned to focus on this season's most noteworthy couple.
Everyone agreed that Akira and Yuki made a disgustingly cute pair. Well, everyone who mattered agreed, that is-the regular peons at Eitoku promptly stuck their noses in the air and looked the other way when they learned she was a commoner like Tsukushi. But, as she wasn't a student here, so there wasn't a damned thing they could do about it. And they were a cute couple. At work in the dango shop, Tsukushi was forced to listen to Yuki gushing happily for simply hours on end about how wonderful it was to have such a great boyfriend. Really, she was too easily impressed. Even more saccharine were the days when Akira made an appearance in the shop, and the two lovers got all mushy in the corner, leaving Tsukushi to handle the customers, and their boss to yell about inappropriate workplace behavior. Yuki didn't care who saw them kissing. Indeed, how could one even dream about caring about anything else at all when you were being deeply, (and skillfully) kissed by one of the greatest guys in Tokyo?
"I never thought I'd see the day this happened to Akira," Soujiro whispered to Tsukushi one day, after he'd accompanied Akira to the shop after school. "He's completely turned to mush!"
"Yeah," Tsukushi agreed, "I guess when playboys fall in love, they fall hardest of all." She forgot for a second to whom she was talking, but Soujiro only nodded.
"Indeed."
And what of Soujiro's goals? A smile from Tsukushi, a chance to win her love, or a date perhaps? Undoubtedly, the two grew closer. . . But did he ever get that kiss he craved? Or more?
Well, what do you think?
I know what came after. But. . . I'm not telling.
And this is where this story ends.
No conclusion, only another day.
------------
As ever, questions or comments that you actually want a response to, should be sent to curdled_milk@attbi.com Thanks for reading this fic! And thank you all so much for reviewing! It really makes my day!
Tsukushi continued to sit on the floor. With a last disbelieving look at the door, as if not convinced that Tsukasa really had left, Soujiro went and slouched into a seat on his bed.
Neither spoke. The weighted silence conveyed the sense of unfulfillment. Was this it? Really? No violence, just an uncomfortable emptiness. . . And what now?
Tsukushi was the first to break the spell. Twisting her head, bird-like, to peer at Soujiro's bowed head, she began hesitantly, "What you said. . . ."
"Forget it." Soujiro wanted to deny his impassioned speech, "I don't know what came over me." Unlike Tsukasa, he had understood her words. And really, it was not a surprise that she didn't feel the same way about him that he felt for her.
Tsukushi relented a little, or else she felt the need for some form of comfort, for she got up and sat down again on a patch of floor next to Soujiro's feet. "It was very sweet. But. . ." she managed.
"You don't need to say it." It came out more harshly than he'd intended.
"I like you, Soujiro. I don't want to lose you too. . . ButIdidn'tleaveTsukasaforyou." She finished in a rush. It really was important that he understood. She couldn't face the thought of dating another so soon, much less falling in love again.
"I know." He sighed, "I'm not going to get that kiss, am I?" he said it lightly, to show he was only teasing, yet still she could hear the wistful echoes of truth behind the words.
"No." Tsukushi shook her head regretfully.
"Do. . . Do you think you might give me a chance sometime?" Soujiro wasn't used to feeling so hesitant around a woman. But then, it had never been so important to him before either.
Tsukushi swallowed hard. She couldn't just say no, and risk losing the friendship they now had. But now she wanted a friend. Not a boyfriend. Maybe that would change. How could she know, now? He was cute, though, 'not to mention sweet, cuddly. . .' She stopped herself, before her train of thought jumped the tracks completely. 'Also utterly hedonistic, overly flirtatious, elitist. Ok. Stop that.' He was expecting some sort of answer. "I'll think about it, OK?"
"That's all I'm asking," Soujiro smiled slightly. Better than nothing. He'd stake his reputation as a playboy that he'd win this one. Though. . . if he did, would he truly be a playboy any longer? Hmm. . . That reminded him. . . "Can I sleep with you again, at least?" Soujiro slipped from his perch on the bed to sit next to Tsukushi, slipping an arm around her shoulders as he did so.
". . . you've got really screwed up priorities," Tsukushi fought the hysterical urge to laugh. 'It's not that funny,' she sternly reminded herself, 'you're just a bit on edge right now. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. . . Oh shit. . ' she started to giggle.
"Hey, stop that!" Soujiro looked offended, as he watched Tsukushi struggling to avoid hysterics.
"I'm. . . not. . your teddy bear!" Tsukushi managed to gasp out.
"Did I ever say that you were? I'm not interested in a stuffed animal, when there's a woman in the house."
"Pervert!"
"You didn't seem to mind last night!"
"I was tired!" Tsukushi blushed, "Don't go getting ideas!"
"Oh, I wouldn't dare!" Soujiro insincerely reassured her, "Come on, I'm hungry. Let's go see what there is for breakfast." He stood up and helped Tsukushi to her feet, thinking 'The only idea I've got right now, is not to let her slip away.' Keeping this in mind, Soujiro slyly maintaining his grip on her hand, even after she'd stood up.
Tsukushi didn't seem to mind.
Hah, maybe this could work out after all.
There was really only one way to find out. . .
-------
*Epilogue*
A few weeks later, the fallout was finally beginning to settle. Tsukushi fought off depression with her old fighting spirit. It helped that she kept herself too busy to worry over things that couldn't be helped. Undoubtedly, extended cuddle-time with Soujiro would have helped more, but she refused to allow herself that luxury.
Last Tsukushi'd heard, Tsubaki had found Tsukasa wandering the streets of Tokyo in a daze. After listening to his incoherent babble, she'd understood the gist of the problem; to wit-he'd fucked up so severely that Tsukushi was never coming back to him. Of course, this had made Tsubaki utterly furious. Screaming imprecations about her half-wit of an incompetently stupid, shit-for-brains, no-good, worthless brother, she'd packed him off to New York, much to their mother's satisfaction. Tsubaki had called Tsukushi from there, just once, to apologize for her brother. In the background, Tsukushi had heard Kaede and Tsukasa screaming at each other.
They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder. Tsukushi would have been satisfied if she could manage to forgive Tsukasa, and to forget how much it still hurt that she hadn't been able to make things work between them.
Still, it was a relief to not have him lurking around Eitoku, like a gloomy shadow. At least in New York, it could be hoped that he'd work some of his frustration out crushing others on the Doumyouji Corporation's behalf. Or maybe he'd just wear himself out fighting with his parents. Either way, he was gone. For how long, no one knew-hopefully it would be long enough.
As for Rui, he seemed to have retreated back into himself. Being well on the way toward winter now, it was too cold to hang out on the emergency stairs, but Rui did start coming to school and chilling with Soujiro and Akira. When he thought she wasn't looking, he would still watch Tsukushi intently, as if searching for some kind of sign. After the first week or so, Tsukushi got over her discomfort enough to start speaking to him again. But things were never as comfortable as they had been. One thing was sure, Rui watched Soujiro like a hawk. But certain subjects always went unspoken of.
And what about Asai? Why should she now receive what she so richly deserved? After all, she had gotten away with her underhanded tricks and schemes for so long already; how could one expect her to get her reward for this latest deed? Because Sakurako took an interest, that's why. After beating a version of the story out of Kazuya after her ruined party, Sakurako had spent the rest of the night dreaming up delicious forms of torture for the blond bitch. However, in the cold light of morning, she'd finally had to admit to herself that even her thuggish contacts weren't likely to punish Asai enough. So, she turned instead to a group that would be only too willing to heap degradation and abuse upon the designated target. . .
A few days later, Asai was most unpleasantly surprised to find a red tag adorning her locker. Sakurako watched gleefully, as Asai's former friends turned on her instantly. Soujiro and Akira had given permission for Sakurako to start the game, and Asai found no asylum when she began to rant about how, "the tag couldn't be real! It was a malicious hoax perpetrated by that loser Makino!" Oh no, it had been months since Anyone at Eitoku had been tagged, and the vicious students found that their old bloodlust was raging. Hardly anyone batted an eye, when a week or so later, a bruised and filthy Asai found herself withdrawing from Eitoku; even her snide style of bitchiness couldn't withstand the determined degradation heaped upon her by her former friends and comrades. Still, she was just transferring to Eirin. Undoubtedly, once she recovered from her newly broken nose, she would carve out her old niche in this new setting. . .
No one was sorry to see her go, not really. Sakurako giggled with glee, in fact. And even the normally kind-hearted Kazuya sighed in relief that he would never again have to feel her needle-sharp shoes kicking him in the head, or trampling him in the corridors. At any rate, this unpleasantness was soon forgotten as public attention turned to focus on this season's most noteworthy couple.
Everyone agreed that Akira and Yuki made a disgustingly cute pair. Well, everyone who mattered agreed, that is-the regular peons at Eitoku promptly stuck their noses in the air and looked the other way when they learned she was a commoner like Tsukushi. But, as she wasn't a student here, so there wasn't a damned thing they could do about it. And they were a cute couple. At work in the dango shop, Tsukushi was forced to listen to Yuki gushing happily for simply hours on end about how wonderful it was to have such a great boyfriend. Really, she was too easily impressed. Even more saccharine were the days when Akira made an appearance in the shop, and the two lovers got all mushy in the corner, leaving Tsukushi to handle the customers, and their boss to yell about inappropriate workplace behavior. Yuki didn't care who saw them kissing. Indeed, how could one even dream about caring about anything else at all when you were being deeply, (and skillfully) kissed by one of the greatest guys in Tokyo?
"I never thought I'd see the day this happened to Akira," Soujiro whispered to Tsukushi one day, after he'd accompanied Akira to the shop after school. "He's completely turned to mush!"
"Yeah," Tsukushi agreed, "I guess when playboys fall in love, they fall hardest of all." She forgot for a second to whom she was talking, but Soujiro only nodded.
"Indeed."
And what of Soujiro's goals? A smile from Tsukushi, a chance to win her love, or a date perhaps? Undoubtedly, the two grew closer. . . But did he ever get that kiss he craved? Or more?
Well, what do you think?
I know what came after. But. . . I'm not telling.
And this is where this story ends.
No conclusion, only another day.
------------
As ever, questions or comments that you actually want a response to, should be sent to curdled_milk@attbi.com Thanks for reading this fic! And thank you all so much for reviewing! It really makes my day!