Title: As Swift As the Wind
Author: Haze
Disclaimer: I don't own Flame of Recca so don't sue me…
Chapter 3:
It looks like his charms did it again. We just barely set foot in the airport and people are already staring at him, especially girls. It was pretty much the same back in England.
He glimpsed around after seeing my amused smile. "Do not even think about saying something about them."
"What is wrong with that? I just wanted to point out that some things just don't change. I'm so lucky to stick around with a gorgeous hunk like you."
He rolled his eye balls. "You tease too much. Sometimes, I wonder if you're a secretary or an annoying playmate."
"Well, it's not like I'm jumping around you and flirting with you right? You hate flirts. At least I'm just within the two choices and not one of your unwavering admirers."
"You know, at times like this, I can't help but wonder where you get your bothersome attitude."
"It's not as if I'm the only one with a bothersome attitude. You're sister is more bothersome than me."
"I know. Such a trouble."
I laughed as we entered the limousine but I stopped when I saw that he was already staring out the tinted window with a concealed pain in him. I suppose he still misses his sister.
"Can we first go to the hospital before the condominium?" He asked, eyes still outside.
"If you want."
"I hope they wouldn't get startled if we just dropped by."
"They know you. I have been associating with them for sometime."
"I see. But do they know of the reason that I will be dropping by?"
"Yes. You don't have to worry. That's what I'm here for. To make things easier for you."
"Thank you." He said with a sigh.
I couldn't believe it. Shane-san, the pretty girl who is about my age was with this tall bishounen. We have just been introduced to him.
I never thought he'd look like this. I watched him as he sat at Fuuko-neechan's bed, just looking at her as if there'd be no tomorrow.
"Do you want us to leave?" Yanagi-neechan offered.
"No, it's alright." He replied quietly. He stroked Fuuko-neechan's hair. "Tell me something – anything. Why couldn't I have been here four years ago?"
Shane-san tensed a little. "It's not your fault, Amethyst. It's not."
"I couldn't protect everyone who I should protect. I wonder why."
I felt this ache. The way he talks, was so calm that it reminded me of Mikagami-niichan. And he had the same situation as Mikagami-niichan – not being able to protect someone who they should protect. What if he's just hiding behind a façade? Is this never going to end? People bottling up and letting negative emotions destroy their souls?
I often catch him talking to Fuuko-neechan. So softly, so warmly, and so endearingly. And there are also these times when he'd talk as if he was just like Fuuko-neechan like now.
I was listening again.
"We were a bunch of brats, come to think of it. But it was just plain fun. Nothing meant to hurt others. Nothing meant to make others hate us. We all were different but weirdly the same. The paradox of it still makes me smile."
I opened the door slightly and saw him stroking Fuuko-neechan's hair affectionately.
"I really wish I was here to protect you. I'm sorry I wasn't. But now that I'm here, I swear I will protect you and do everything I can to make you happy."
I just stood there for I don't know how long. Listening and again feeling the pain. When I couldn't stand it, I ran away from the hospital.
Name: Summers, Amethyst
Age: 18
Height: 6'3"
Status: Single
Position: President of Summers Inc./business tycoon/ billionaire
Family Background: Father – John Summers; Mother – deceased; Sister – missing (refer to other SUBJECTS)
Discovered lately – has a sister; status: comatose, four years
Other family – none
Constant companion – Shane Remmington (refer to other SUBJECTS)
Known friends – refer to other SUBJECTS
Educational Background: genius
Started school – 2 y/o
*Spent 2 years each in pre-school, elementary, middle school, high school
College – double course (5 years); Genetic Engineering, Business Management
Known Special Abilities: psychic, telekinetic, can control high-level madougus (i.e. Mind Touch, Heaven and Hell)
Additional Information: Father is currently supported by life-support machines. Mother died of leukemia when 10 y/o. Sister Meia (refer to other SUBJECTS) missing when subject was 13 y/o. Sister Fuuko (refer to other NEW SUBJECTS) recently discovered but in comatose.
Name: Remmington, Shane
Age: 18
Height: 5'8"
Status: Single
Position: Personal secretary of Summers, Amethyst (refer to other SUBJECTS)
Family Background: Father – deceased, Mother – deceased
Other family – none
Known friends – refer to other SUBJECTS
Educational Background: genius
Started school – 3 y/o, (rest similar to subject, Amethyst Summers)
College – double course (5 years); Mechanical Engineering, Medical Technology
Known Special Abilities: psychic, telekinetic
Additional Information: Father and mother died in a mysterious plane crash in the Bermuda triangle.
Name: Summers, Meia
Age: 17
Height: 5'10" (computed height from her rate of growth before disappearing)
Status: Single; missing (5 years)
Position: unknown
Family Background: Father – John Summers; Mother – deceased; Brother – Amethyst Summers (refer to other SUBJECTS)
Discovered lately – has a sister; status: comatose, four years
Other family – none
Known friends – refer to other SUBJECTS
Educational Background: genius
Started school – 2 y/o
*Spent 1 year in pre-school, 2 years in elementary, 1 year each in middle school and in high school
College – double course (5 years); Genetic Engineering, Medical Technology
Known Special Abilities: psychic, telekinetic, can control high-level madougus (i.e. Mind Touch, Heaven and Hell)
Additional Information: Father is currently supported by life-support machines. Mother died of leukemia when 9 y/o. Sister Fuuko (refer to other NEW SUBJECTS) recently discovered but in comatose.
NEW SUBJECT:
Name: Kirisawa, Fuuko
Age: 21
Height: 5'10"
Status: Single; comatose (4 years)
Position: former member of Hokage (refer to other NEW SUBJECTS)
Family Background: Father – John Summers; Mother –deceased; Brother – Amethyst Summers (refer to other SUBJECTS); Sister – Meia Summers – missing (refer to other SUBJECTS)
Other family – Kirisawa Ryu and Kirisawa Saori – deceased
Known friends – previous Hokage and Uruha Jyushinshu (refer to other NEW SUBJECTS)
Educational Background: delinquent
Started school – 3 y/o
* Finished second year of high school
Known Special Abilities: psychic device control – Fuujin – wind manipulation
Additional Information: Stolen as a baby and brought to another country (Japan). Searches made but surprisingly, couldn't be tracked down. Brought to an orphanage and adopted a few days later. Adoptive parents died a year later in a car-crash on their way to babysitter's house. Babysitter knows of a couple (Kirisawa) who wanted a baby but couldn't have one. Through legal court, subject adopted.
Koganei blinked again and again to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He and Ganko were surfing the net and had come across a prohibited site. Of course, being curious, they tried to hack it. Koganei being good at complications like this one, had managed to enter the system after a few hours.
It had been a month since the arrival of Fuuko's brother. And what they discovered about him and Shane had been an unexpected one.
I looked at the quiet hospital room. Fuuko's brother had just been here as always. He is a nice boy and he reminds me much of Fuuko with his cheerful disposition.
I sighed and sat on the bed to stare at Fuuko. Four years is long enough for Fuuko to be sleeping.
Honestly, I couldn't last here with them. I really couldn't. Staying here makes me feel all the fear of losing another important person. I needed so badly to get away. Get away from all this pain and fear.
My whole person is always intruded by the past – past where everything was tolerable enough; past where the annoying antics of the Hokage were very much alive; and past where a purple-haired monkey would bound up to me and try to make me lighten up.
At times, thoughts of me being cursed to solitary life crowds my mind. Maybe I was meant to be alone that's why whenever I hold someone close, they would be taken away from me the next moment.
That night so long ago, I felt something strange. But I ignored it thinking she would still be there in the morning to call me. And now, I regret it so much. I never knew it'd be the last time that she'd call and bother me.
If only I had gone to her house and made sure she would be alright, maybe she would still be here. Maybe I wouldn't be this hurt. Maybe everybody would still be completely happy.
All this pain is my fault. I sensed something but I ignored it. And when I had Fuuko, I took for granted that she'd be there forever.
I used to ignore them all and talk with sarcasm to cover the fact that I had learned to come out of my shell once again. And to cover the fact that they had succeeded in melting my ice.
Then, there is also the fact that I made sure no one would know. The Hokage managed to come near but not as near as Fuuko.
Strange, come to think of it. That annoying monkey being the light of my life. But it turned out that way.
With all of Fuuko's bothersome little frolics to make me lighten up, with all her cheer, and with all her patience with me, I finally let my guard down. I finally opened up my frozen up soul.
She would call me when she gets home, talking about anything else with just the objective of making me feel that there's actually someone who gives a damn about me – the real me that is and not the bishounen figure of the school.
She would also bombard me with e-mails and text messages, and even notes – notes that contained nothing but nonsense like 'Hey, Mi-chan. Remember to smile today', 'Eat well', or something like that.
And when she finally got into me, she suddenly disappeared. She suddenly left and took away my hope of a happy life together with her.
I hated it. I really hated it when I saw her house in the news, when I heard the newscaster announce something gruesome, and when I saw ambulances taking away people. I hated every moment when everyone changed into people I didn't expect them to be. And most of all, I hated it when Fuuko's not there anymore.
Every time I see or hear the Hokage, I feel this damn wrench in my chest and it's especially at its worst wrenching when I see Fuuko looking so dead. And I know why. It's because I have learned to consider them my family. Their pain is my pain.
Who would've thought that I treasure them? And who would've thought that I've actually realized before the incident that I've fallen for the purple-haired monkey?
Yes. I have fallen for her. I didn't know when and how it happened. I just realized it one day when I had this strong urge to tell her not to mind those girls who insults her; when I had the same urge to tell her that I will always be there to protect and care for her.
Maybe it was because she made me feel loved again, that I fell for her. Or maybe it was because she had always annoyed me to no end that I was always thinking about her until one day I realized that I felt something different for her.
They say, the more you hate the more you love. Well, I suppose that's exactly how I learned to love the annoying monkey, my monkey.
I sighed and gave in to the temptation of touching her face. She pains me more than the rest. Because I know she's alive but she is as still as the dead. I wish she would come back.
I don't know how long I have been in this dark and empty space. But all I know is that as my life replays before me, I am left with nothing else but this dominating emptiness and pain.
I must be dead. But if I am still living right now, it must be because it is a second chance given to me. And these flashbacks must be for me to realize a resolution in life.
I am scared. Because as my life replays before me again and again, I am beginning to realize how scared I am of everything else. I am beginning to see that all my life had been a staged play.
I had become tough because of everyone. Because I wanted so much to protect them. But then, my pretending made me lose my parents. If I hadn't acted like a hero, maybe I could've asked for my friends' help.
Why am I such a jerk? Why did I run away from the truth that I am not as strong as everyone thinks me to be? Why did I fool everyone?
And now, my staged actions brought me nothing but misery and loss. I hate myself. I hate myself for destroying my life and destroying others' life.
I know. . . I know that my parents are dead. I know that my Fuujin is nothing more but a memory just like them. Because I just have this dominating emptiness and pain.
They are enough to tell me what I do not see. Besides, with attackers that strong, I know that death is inevitable.
If only there is something I could do to make it all okay. But I know there isn't any way. For so long I had pretended to be something I am not to escape the pain of not being who everyone wants me to be. To escape the fear of having no one left.
The more I ran away, the more the truth came to me. And now, it hit me with a blow I could never evade.
I am weak. I am miserable. And I am alone.
I suppose the only way to make up for my mistake is to stop running away from reality. To stop hiding in this place.
Yes. It is time to stop running away. Because in the first place, that is what brought me all this misery.
"Fuuko. . ." I whispered.
She stared back at me with at first blank eyes. Then gradually, life came to it.
"You finally came back."
She just continued staring at me, her dark blue eyes sad against my ice-blue eyes.
~tbc (soon)~
Author's Note: First of all, I would like to thank those who reviewed. Thanks for inspiring the sucking author. Next, I give my apologies if the story is getting weird by the minute and if it absolutely sucks. Major crisis. I want to get swallowed up by the ground. Anyway, I hope I'm still alive by next week to continue this one. And I hope by then, my gracious readers are still there.
My Answers to the Reviewers:
Ranka I will try as always so just be patient with my errors. To err is human especially now that I'm desperate.
Kurei Don't hate me for this one if more questions can arise from it. It's part of the story I guess.
Yanagi I don't think your fics are boring. I like them you know. And the mush part, I'm trying to make it. But I do need to take in romantic pills.
hyper-shark Well, I hope this would make up for the last one I did. And if it doesn't, there's always the next one.
bishounen lovah Sorry about the Koganei POV. I guess I overdid it a bit. But I tried not to make anything here over the fence or something.
soul This is going to be, though there still isn't any mush thingies present yet.
