Chapter 15: Purple Infinity
And we're back to the Yukiru business folks! A generally worthless chapter, but pls. Do bear with my writer's block. ^^;;
"So you dare defy me, fair maiden?" growled the "emperor" as he grasped Kyo roughly and attempted to kiss her.
"Nyaaah!!!" Kyo seemed to have forgotten that it was all a play so he did a judo throw on the emperor, and the poor student crashed on the makeshift wall behind them.
"Omigod!" Tohru was one of the first people to attend to the wailing student.
Haru laughed. "Wow, you are the contemporary Snow White the feminists will love!"
The neko's face turned crimson. "I-I didn't mean to-"
Mayu-sensei groaned. "Sohma Kyo, please, next time exercise restraint." She turned to the student. "Can you still move?"
"Sensei, every part of my body hurts!" whined the boy.
Haru raised his hand. "If you shall allow me, then I can take his role as the evil emperor."
Kyo frowned. "You?! Surely you jest! You're not even a student here!"
"But we have no choice," said the teacher. She placed her hands on Haru's shoulders. "Son, you are a savior to all of us. How can we ever thank you?"
The cow smiled. "No problem, Sensei."
Tohru helped the boy up. "I think I'll take him to the clinic now."
"Good idea!" The teacher clapped her hands briskly. "The rest of you, back to work! We shall now acquaint our new actor with his role."
Tohru and the boy passed by Kyo's side. She was stunned when she heard a small whisper to her ear.
"Tell him I'm sorry."
Tohru smiled to herself then at her injured classmate. "Kyo-kun apologizes."
The boy smirked. "Yeah right, and I'm Pikachu."
No one really knows how deep inside, Kyo-kun is a really nice guy. They say he's like a black sheep, but he's really as meek as any white sheep.
Just as Tohru emerged from the clinic, Yuki rushed towards her worriedly. "Honda-san, they told me you went to the clinic. What happened?"
"Ah, one of the actors in the play ran into a little accident so I helped him to the clinic." She clapped her hands in delight. "And guess what, Haru-kun is going to join the play as the emperor!"
"Uh-oh," muttered the rat. That doesn't sound good.
He gasped when he felt Tohru's hand on his wrist. She was holding his right wrist, looking at his watch. "Oops, time for my part-time job."
She was about to let go when he grabbed her wrist gently. Her eyes widened when she suddenly saw herself face-to-face with him. "Yuki-kun!"
"Honda-san, do not abuse your health, please," he said in a soft voice, so feathery that it tickled her heart. "You will make all of us worry when something happens to you."
"Ah, Yuki-kun, I know my limitations. I will not do anything that would make you guys worry." She beamed. "Besides, I want to be there with the audience and watch you guys perform. I'm sure you'll break a lot of hearts with your acting as a prince!"
Yuki blushed. "Y-You'll watch, Honda-san?"
"Yes! I will support you and Kyo-kun!" Her eyes went starry-eyed.
He paused then chuckled. "I'll do my best to act decently, Honda-san, now that I know you're watching."
"Prince Yukiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!"
Startled, he let go of her hand and bowed. "I'll see you later, Honda-san," he said, voice formally cold. He slid his hands into his pockets and walked away.
Royalty…the respect people with royal blood get has a price to pay. Because you'll be owned by the people who give you that.
Tohru wtached her friend get flocked by the members of his fan club. He wore a polite smile on his face as he humored them, but she could feel that what he really wanted to do there and then was to flee.
But you can't, because you are too nice to hurt the feelings of the people who adore you.
She was startled when Yuki gave her one last glance and a brief smile before he returned to the auditorium, his fans following him.
Yuki-kun…should I pity you or admire you?
"Hah! Done!" Tohru announced cheerfully as she finished cleaning the last room. Picking up her pail of dirty water and rag, she walked towards the elevator.
I wonder what dish shall I make for them tonight? I'm sure they're pretty worn-out by now, because of the play.
All of a sudden, the elevator opened, and out came a running boy with blond hair. Tohru jumped out of his way, but in the process, got wet with the dirty water on her pail.
"Huh?" The boy returned to her. "Hey, why are you taking a bath here?"
"Ah…!" She was speechless.
Suddenly the boy burst out laughing and started to speak foreign phrases she couldn't decipher.
Finally, he took her hands, clasped them with his, and kissed them!
Tohru panicked. "W-Wait! W-What are you doing?"
The boy's eyes were twinkling. "Do you work here?"
"Ah, yes!"
"And where do you live? Do you live with animals?" he asked.
"W-What?!!" Tohru withdrew her hands. "I-I gotta go!" She tried to make a run for the elevator, but instead slipped and fell on the floor, making the boy laugh harder.
He knelt down beside her. "You're entertaining! And you're so cute! I like you very much!"
She felt her cheeks flame. His words…they were uttered so innocently. And I don't know how I should react! He's only a child!
"What's your name?" he asked.
"M-My name is Honda Tohru," she stammered.
"I knew it!" The boy clapped delightedly. "Ah, I'm-"
"Young master!" A uniformed girl came down from the stairs, and was shocked to see the two of them sprawled on the wet floor.
The boy got up. "We'll see each other again, Tohru!" He bent and kissed her cheek then waved. "Bai bai!"
She touched her cheek that just got kissed seconds ago.
Who is he?
"Tohru-chan! Tohru-chan!" Her co-worker skipped towards her. "You wouldn't believe it! There's a prince standing outside the building, and it looks like he's waiting for someone!" The girl shivered delightedly. "Oh god, what if he's waiting for me?"
Tohru shrugged. "Must be our boss' visitor." She continued drying her hair.
"Oh good Lord, he's coming this way!!!" The girl was positively hysterical now.
She had no choice but to look up. Her jaw nearly dropped when she saw who it was.
"Good evening, Honda-san," greeted Yuki, a smile on his face.
"You shouldn't have bothered picking me up," said Tohru shyly as she hugged herself. The night was a little chilly, and her wet uniform didn't help a bit.
"How many times would I have to tell you that you are never a bother, Honda-san?" he said, voice laced with amusement. "Oh, and what happened to you anyway? Why is your uniform wet?"
She wanted to tell him about the incident but decided it was not worthy enough for her master's concern. "Long story," she said instead. "So how was practice?"
He shrugged. "It's ok. Both the baka neko and I managed to make it to the end of the rehearsal without fighting."
"That's great!" said Tohru. "I'm proud of you!"
"You have no idea how much that means to me," he replied quietly, looking away.
"Huh?" His words were too soft to hear.
"Nothing." He flashed her a grin. "In just four days, we'll be onstage."
"That's why you must give it your all!" she said. "Make the audience fall in love with you!"
"But it's not the audience that I want to fall in love with me," he said softly, suddenly gazing at her tenderly.
Ah! His eyes! They're sending my heart to a dizzying spin! "T-They're not?" she echoed.
He looked at the road. "Nope. There's someone else."
Someone…else?
He quickly shook his head. "Never mind." He took his jacket off. "Here, Honda-san. This will keep the chill off temporarily."
"T-Thanks…" Her fingertips touched his, and she swore she could feel electricity run up and down her body.
"You know what, Honda-san?"
"Hmm?"
He looked up at the round moon above them thoughtfully. "I would never have thought it was possible for a person like you to keep a secret as sensational as ours, and yet, here you are, doing that. Someone once told me that I should not trust anyone but myself. But…"
He looked at her once again. "You taught me otherwise. There are still people who can be trusted. There are still people who can care unconditionally. There are still people who can show kindness without anything in exchange."
She shifted her gaze away uncomfortably. "It was my mother…who taught me to do that. She told me that I can lose anything I want in the world - even myself- but I must not lose kindness, or I will cease to live."
"Your mother must be very wise."
"Oh yes! She's so cool!" agreed Tohru.
"And…I think you're cool too, Honda-san," he said.
Tohru's heart skipped a beat.
At that time, I could feel everything freeze in one sweet moment when his purple eyes were warm and open. When I could feel I could just drown in the purple infinity in his eyes.
"Honda-san…" His voice caressed her name.
It took all her strength not to faint. "H-Hai?"
"Thank you so much for coming into my…our lives," he said.
Oh my! She wanted to cry at that very moment. His words rang out with so much sincerity.
"And…" Yuki stopped when he heard something move in the bushes. He sighed, annoyed. "Get out of the bush, you father of fleas. You too, Big Brother."
"Oh man, the fun was just starting!" groaned Shigure, slipping out of his hiding.
"You've seen enough," snapped Yuki.
Ayame walked towards the blushing Tohru. "Ah, so my little brother is starting to make a move on you, eh? You're not a bad sister-in-law, you know."
"Shut up!" yelled Yuki.
"And I thought I was the only lecherous one here," said Shigure, grinning.
"You are not mistaken, Shigure," said Yuki, looking at his cousin darkly.
"W-What would you like to eat, everyone?" asked Tohru helplessly.
"Don't bother. We had Chinese food delivered here, since you were taking too much time getting home. Now I know why," the novelist said.
Suddenly, Ayame's cel rang. The man answered it promptly. "Hello? Oh, 'Tori! Why, you are the last person I would expect to hear from! Huh? Really? OK, we'll wait for you! Bye!"
"What was that?" asked Yuki, hoping to shift the attention away from him and Tohru.
"'Tori's coming here tonight with a guest. The guest wants to see Tohru," said Ayame, grinning like a cheshire cat.
"Somebody wants to meet me?" said Tohru, blushing.
Yuki frowned as Shigure looked concerned.
Please don't let it be him, prayed Yuki as he remembered the malevolent face of the clan head.
tsuzuku