reminder: if you guys like this double perspective thing, let me know. Otherwise, this will end after the next chapter!
Understanding
akaisakura@hotmail.com
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Chapter 1: Reality...Through the Violet Eyes of One Ken Ichijouji
The day was starting off on the wrong foot again. /There's something wrong. I can tell. There's something wrong./ Ken was wandering the streets of Tamachi again, a new habit he'd picked up since about two weeks ago, wondering and thinking about his one special person. He had come to grips with his own feelings for him, but he still didn't know what to do about it. Even worse, it seems that now there was another problem: Ken's crush was starting to act strange, and that concerned him...a lot. /I'm not going to sit around and pretend nothing's happening. I'm going to ask him what's wrong today. I hope it's something I can help with./ He walked over to a pay phone, picked up the receiver, inserted his X calling card, and dialed a very familiar number. After two rings, a very familiar voice answered. "Moshi moshi..." /I've gotta act like nothing's going on./ Ken thought to himself, even though his heart was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings at the moment. "Daisuke, it's Ken. I was wondering if you wanted to go play some soccer today." /That was casual enough, right?.../ There was a brief pause, and then Daisuke's voice answered with a twinge of nervousness, and what seemed like muffled enthusiasm. "Yeah, sure..." /Did I just hear something that isn't there?/ Ken refocused on the conversation. "Say, Ken, it's my week to travel, isn't it? Well, how about I meet you in a little while at Shibaura Park, ok?" Daisuke continued more assertively. /I must be imagining things./ Ken mentally shook his head and sighed. "Ok then, I'll see you in a bit. Ja matta." "Ja." Ken hung up the phone, retrieved his X phone card, and exited the booth, and walked towards his house. As he walked, a plan began to formulate in his head. /I will get to the bottom of this today./ ****************** "That is going to be $3.58, sir," the cheery clerk said. Ken paid for the bottles of water, put them into the sports bag he had picked up from home, put the sack back on his shoulder, and headed in the direction of the park, thinking that he should have killed enough time by now. /Knowing Daisuke, he's going to forget to bring water. Again./ Ken sighed to himself as the park slowly came into view. And as if by instinct, Ken's feet guided him to that field where he and Daisuke loved to play on. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, bordering afternoon, since Daisuke almost never woke up before 10:30 am on Saturdays, and Ken found a perfect spot to set up. The nice thing about Shibaura Park was that it had a sports center, thus freeing up all the quaint, little fields for people who just wanted to play a good game of one on one. There would be little time for such games, though, once school really got going and the homework started piling up. It was such a shame that the two of them lived so far away from each other. Sure, it looked like a short little skip across the bay and over the Rainbow, but since neither of them could drive, it meant that they could only see each other on weekends. Ken was finishing his warm-up when he spotted Daisuke strolling into sight across the field. "Hey, Daisuke!" Ken shouted as he waved his arms in the air, trying to catch the brown haired boy's attention. Daisuke continued his strolling, oblivious to Ken's furious waving. Ken frowned. /He's probably thinking again. I wonder if he's thinking about his problem.../ Like a butterfly fluttering across a field, Ken gracefully jogged up to his jogress partner, and attempted once again, to say hi. "Hey, Daisuke, is something the matter? You didn't hear me say "hi" from back there?" Ken questioned, the picture of concern on his face. "Sorry, Ken. I was just thinking about how it's already spring. Guess I got a little carried away...heh, heh..." Daisuke chuckled out nervously. /...I wonder if that's what he was really thinking about...you may be good at hiding your feelings from others, but you can't hide them from me.../ Ken didn't get beyond the sound of air rushing through his vocal chords as he tried to further interrogate Daisuke, when the target of his questioning cut him off. "So, how about that game, Ken?" He flashed one of those typical, charming smiles that he's so good at. "Think I could get a five minute warm-up?" "Sure..." Ken said, still unsure if he should press the matter, but then thought of his plan, and opted to wait. He put on his little trademark grin and merely stated, "...and then I'm going to crush you."
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Chapter 1: Reality...Through the Chocolate Eyes of One Daisuke Motomiya
The day was starting off on the wrong foot again. /It can't be true...it can't be.../ or could it...? his brain asked back. It had only been two weeks, but these had been the two worst weeks of Daisuke's life. Every day felt like an emotional roller coaster with a dash of the crazy teacup ride thrown in for good measure. Heck, every minute he was with that particular person was like a roller coaster ride in itself. One second, he'd be elated, and the next, he'd be crashing...into the confusion and frustration of reality. And quite frankly, he was getting sick of it. But, unfortunately for Daisuke, fate was not kind and decided that he would continue to like this person, no matter how sick of this situation he got. /How can I be feeling this way...for him...? I'm not like that...I know I'm not!/ So Daisuke continued lying on his bed, staring up at his ceiling, counting the minuscule pores that existed somewhere in that nearly perfect paint job done so many years ago by some unknown painters. He nearly jumped off his bed when he heard the phone ring next to his ear. /Stupid phone. It's always too loud...gotta remember to turn the ringer down a few notches./ "Moshi moshi," he said lazily into the receiver. "Daisuke, it's Ken. I was wondering if you wanted to go play some soccer today." At the sound of Ken's voice, Daisuke's brain went into overdrive and he was getting the distinct impression of being at the amusement park again, only he was not so amused. /Oh, gods...it's him...what do I do? Is this a date? Do I say yes?...Wait a sec, Dai, what are you thinking?....this is just Ken...your best friend...he calls you up every weekend to play soccer...and stop that...you shouldn't be thinking of him in that way anyway, unless you are like...that...damn.../ After what seemed like the longest battle of his life, Daisuke finally answered, "Yeah, sure..." /Shoot, he probably noticed that pause.../ Daisuke fumbled around for something to latch onto. "Say, Ken, it's my week to travel, isn't it? Well, how about I meet you in a little while at Shibaura Park, ok?" Daisuke continued more assertively. /I hope that covered that...Gods, why do I always sound like such an idiot when I'm around Ken?...or more than usual anyway.../ "...you in a bit. Ja matta." Daisuke didn't catch everything, but he figured Ken said it was ok. "Ja," he answered back. Daisuke hung up the phone, took a deep breath, got up out of bed and collected his soccer gear. As he walked out into the mid-day sun, he resumed what had become, in the last week, his daily debate. /Should I tell Ken today?/ ****************** "Tamachi Station. Please watch your step. This is Tamachi Station," the cheery computerized voice proclaimed. Daisuke stepped off the train, onto the platform, took a look around, and headed in the direction of the park, his head reeling in questions as he tried to calm his distressed soul. /Take a deep breath...breathe, Daisuke...in, out...this is going to be like any other day...just going to play some soccer with your best friend on a sunny Saturday...that's all.../ The park slowly came into view and his feet guided him to that field where he and Ken loved to play on. It was a beautiful day, and Daisuke soon became engaged in admiring the way the trees were budding. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't hear Ken until he was practically in front of him. "Hey, Daisuke, is something the matter? You didn't hear me say "hi" from back there?" Ken questioned. Ken had such a concerned look on his face, it almost made Daisuke blush. "Sorry, Ken. I was just thinking about how it's already spring. Guess I got a little carried away...heh, heh..." Daisuke chuckled out nervously. /I can't believe I got so caught up in thinking about spring...and I was almost calmed down too...Ken's looking so sweet with his brows knitted up like that...all worried...ack, gotta stop that...what's wrong with me? Get a grip, Daisuke!...this is a guy you're talking about!...I'm not like that, I'm not like that, I'm not like that.../ Daisuke thought as he gave a rather large mental sigh. And Ken wasn't helping matters any by standing there in front of him with the most worried look he'd ever seen. Ken looked like he was about to say something and Daisuke quickly cut him off before he could be interrogated again. "So, how about that game, Ken?" He flashed one of those typical, charming smiles that he's so good at. "Think I could get a five minute warm-up?" "Sure..." Ken started out sounding a little unsure, like he wanted to say what he was going to say before, but then, he put on his little trademark grin and said, "...and then I'm going to crush you." |
Notes:
-Ken uses an X phone card...for those who don't know what X is, it's a manga by the all female team of CLAMP...great series...think end of the world type...complete with bishounen "god"...I think Ken would be into that kind of show...on the other hand, it is shoujo...hmmm...
-"Ja matta" & "Ja" are informal ways of saying "bye" in Japanese. Ken's a little bit more formal by saying the complete phrase. Daisuke just says "Ja."
-Ken mentions how close yet how far away they live from each other. The "Rainbow" refers to Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo city. It connects the towns of Odaiba and Tamachi...and as fellow X people would know, it's that bridge (volume 16 spoilers...not going to say...)
-The Japanese school year starts in April, usually the 1st. The first term goes until mid-July, where there is a break until September. The second term lasts from September to about Christmas, and the third term starts in January and lasts until March. The reason that the school year starts in April is because spring is associated with a time of renewal and new beginnings. Thus, it is appropriate to start a new year of schooling and government in April. It also appeals to the Japanese parents' aesthetics of being able to take pictures of their children standing beneath a beautiful flowering tree as they begin another year of schooling. Since the school year is just starting at this point in the story, work loads should be light enough that Daisuke and Ken still have time to see each other.
-Shibaura Park does indeed exist in Tamachi, and yes, it does have a sports complex. It is easily within walking distance (something like 2 blocks) from the Tamachi train station. Thanks to MSN Japan for the maps...(can't believe I'm actually thanking The Evil Empire for something...shudder...)