Title: Flower Garden (A Hana Yori Dango AU)
Author: Yih
~ * indicates the scene below is a flashback.
15: Special Moments (January 22, 2003 to January 28, 2003)
She clapped her hands together as she placed the name cards exactly where she wanted them. On the right side, it was: Tsukasa, Soujirou, Akira, and then Rui. On the left side, it was: Shigeru, Sara, Shizuka, and then Tsukushi. Of course at the head of the table, she, Doumyouji Tsubaki, would sit.
She had purposely placed them across from each other. In a book she had read and from her own observations, couples kept apart when they wanted to be close together often were jolted to making a move. Her only concern was for Tsukasa and Shigeru, who she'd watch like a hawk, easy to do since she was sitting right there with them. Maybe they didn't realize how good they were together.
Well by the end of the night, if they didn't realize it, they must be blind, deaf, and dumb. That she couldn't help but that didn't mean she wouldn't stop trying to get them two together. She hadn't been sure at first if they suited each other. But watching them during the tour and afterwards, their bickering was quite cute, like flirting, not true arguing.
The dinner was phase one. That was only the beginning.
~
The four couples gathered into the dining room, stunned by what they saw displayed on the formal dining table. The setting was as elaborate as one would expect from a true dinner party, but the setup was exquisite and charming with its elegant simplicity. What was interesting were the expressions that came onto everyone's faces when they realized there was an arranged seating that segregated the girls to one side and the boys to another.
Tsubaki saw Tsukasa exchange an understanding look with Shigeru that caught her full attention. Interesting, but good. Very good, if indeed they were getting closer. There was nothing that Tsubaki wanted than to have her brother having a loving and a happy marriage. That would truly make her day.
Seeing Tsukushi and Rui off to the side with their soft conversation also made her smile. Tsukushi was like a little sister to her. Those two being happy and together also would make her day even better. As much as she'd like to see Tsukasa and Tsukushi together, they just didn't match together as a couple. They fought like siblings, not lovers.
Overall, Tsubaki thought the dinner went extremely well. During the entire meal, the couples talked amicably with each other and with the ones sitting next to them. What really delighted her was the tension that was in the air, which was what she wanted most out of the dinner. The only thing that was weird and that she couldn't place her finger on was why Tsukasa and Shigeru kept trying to communicate with hinting looks, secret code? What was up with them?
"Dinner's over," Tsubaki declared. She saw a sigh of relief on everyone's face. Great sign. "Now, I've special activities for each of you pairs!"
Akira exchanged a look with Shizuka that was far from pleased, it was actually quite strained. Before Tsubaki could say anything, he quickly went around the table and grabbed Shizuka's hand and dragged her to the porch. "Tsubaki, I promised Shizuka that I'd watch the sunset with her. It's almost time. Sorry for spoiling any plans that you've made."
"That's exactly what I had in mind!" Tsubaki exclaimed eagerly. She gave them a shooing gesture. "Go, go then! It really is almost time! You definitely don't want to miss it!"
A smiling Akira took Shizuka out to the porch. Once they were gone, Tsubaki turned her attention back to the rest of the people in the room. "Soujirou and Sara, I've planned for you two to have a private tea ceremony in one of the teahouses nearby. You can be served or do the serving."
Sara clapped her hands with delight. "That's a wonderful way to spend the rest of the evening! That's exactly what I wanted to do! And of course, Jirou will be serving. I haven't had his tea in forever. I've missed it so."
Soujirou smiled at Tsubaki and silently thanked her with his eyes for making Sara so happy. Holding his hand out to her, he urged softly, "Let's go Sara?" She took his hand and her smile widened, then she let him drag her outside where a limo was waiting to take them to the teahouse.
Once those two had departed, Tsubaki turned back and had a positively pleasure filled grin plastered on her face. "Tsukasa, my charming younger brother, and Shigeru, his love and equally charming, if not more so, fiancé. You two will have a special treat. There's a limo waiting outside to take you two to a massage specially for couples!" She beamed at them.
Tsukasa and Shigeru looked at each other and Tsukasa took Shigeru's hand without protest, much to Tsubaki's delight and led her to the limo that was waiting outside. Tsubaki watched them until they'd disappeared before she turned her attention back to Rui and Tsukushi. "I don't have anything planned for you two." She gazed carefully at Rui. "I'm sure you two can think of something to do."
Rui nodded and reached to hold Tsukushi's hand. "We can definitely think of something to do." Tsukushi blushed and hid behind Rui's back like a sheepish, embarrassed child.
Tsubaki watched with a smile as Rui led Tsukushi away. "Perfect! Everything's working out perfectly! Now, all I can hope for is that everyone makes use of the opportunity that I've given them!"
~
A half hour later, Tsukasa and Shigeru were on their stomachs being treated to a full body massage by two masseuse therapists. Being a girl that enjoyed being pampered, Shigeru was quite enthused about the first rate massages they were getting. It was pretty amazing how Tsubaki had arranged these, but she knew Tsubaki was incredible. It was the only reason she'd agreed to the arrangement.
"So what should I do?" Tsukasa asked. "I mean, I k now that you said I should be myself, but what do I do to show her myself? And I feel bad to try to steal her away from Rui. They are engaged."
Shigeru turned her head so that she faced him. "You know if you think like that then you aren't acting like the Tsukasa that Tsubaki told me you were. She said that you went after what you wanted. I mean I understand that trying to steal a friend's fiancé is bad, but she's not married yet. Besides, you're not doing anything devious to try to just be there for her, are you? All your doing is being yourself and if she falls for you, that's fate then."
Tsukasa turned his face so that they were now staring at one another. "You are weird," he stated. "I don't understand why you're helping me, even though you explained earlier. But, Shigeru, thank you."
Shigeru smiled at him and he thought that she was quite pretty when she smiled. "You're welcome. We don't have to pretend to act like a couple, but I wouldn't mind being friends with you, Tsukasa."
Tsukasa smiled back. "You know you look pretty when you smile." He blushed after he let that compliment slip out of his mouth. "And I would like to be friends with you, too," he finished lamely with much embarrassment.
"You look like a smiling pineapple when you smile," she commented wryly.
"Hey!" he exclaimed. "I was being nice to you!"
She chuckled. "You were being honest," she corrected, "and I was being honest, too."
"How do you know I was being honest?" he challenged. "How do you know I wasn't just being nice and trying to flatter you?"
"Flatter me?" Shigeru said in an incredulous voice. "Yeah, right! The look on your face gave it totally away. You looked embarrassed after you said it because you didn't mean to compliment me and besides, you don't lie well. You fidget when you lie and your eyes drift to the roof. But when you say something you don't mean to, you blush quite cutely. Don't even bother to deny it, Tsubaki and Tsukushi told me everything about you."
He had the courtesy to blush after she finished what was very true about him. "You are so impossible!"
"And you want to be friends with me!" she exclaimed triumphantly.
"I was trying to be nice!" he shouted back.
"LIAR!"
~
"Your tea is wonderful," Sara commented, taking another sip of it, "like it always is. I think that's the reason why I missed you so much," she teased. "Your delicious tea was definitely a factor in me wanting to come back here. Drinking it only reminds me more of that factor."
Finishing the tea ceremony, Soujirou rested his head on the cushion and sprawled his body across the wooden floor. It never failed to make him believe in Tsubaki's awesome, almost supernatural powers when she found a treasure tea place such as this in the remote mountains. The outfits were genuine and the rooms were nearly perfect replicas of the old traditional tea rooms. It was quite a great find.
He glanced up at Sara and smiled at her. "What were the other reasons you came back?" he inquired with a flirtatious tone. "I mean, I'm sure you can get tea anywhere you want."
She nodded, sipping at the tea one last time. "But not tea made by the hands of a tea master like you." She blushed and hid her face with her hands. "And the other reason I came back was because of..."
His ears, finely tuned, didn't miss her last whispered, trailed off phrase. He lifted his eyebrow up in inquiry and waited for her to continue, but she was too busy trying to cover her beaming blush to notice the question on his face. "So what was the other reason for coming back?" he repeated. "I already know one is because you missed me and the other because of my tea skills, so what is the third one?"
Her hands dropped from her face, staring down at the handsomest boy that she knew, she wanted so badly to tell him. His face was exactly how she remembered it being. Not like, she'd forget the beautiful arch of his eyebrows, the humor lurking in his eyes, and the smile that always graced his quite kissable lips. Lips that she'd already kissed. The thought made her blush only more.
She wanted so badly to tell him how she felt about him, but even with the kisses they had shared earlier, she was still wary about confessing. What if he'd only kissed her because she'd been there? She had kept up a steady correspondence with Tsukushi and had learned that her Jirou had turned into quite a playboy as he'd gotten older. In truth, she wasn't surprised that he had, when they'd been children, he'd always been surrounded by the girls.
Yet, yet if she didn't tell him her feelings, then all would be lost. As her eyes met his and her blush faded as a new blush began, she made up her mind. "Yes, there is a third reason that I will tell you of later, okay?"
Curiosity had always been strong with him, but he could tell that she was nervous about telling him whatever it was so he'd let it pass. After all, she'd promised to tell him later. "Okay," he answered with a smile, "later."
~
In the room they shared, Rui was again lying on the bed with his eyes closed, seemingly to have drifted off to sleep. Tsukushi smiled and bent over Rui to gaze at the lovely perfection of his face. It didn't matter how much time went by, how long they'd known each other, she could still look at him forever.
"You said that we could definitely think of something to do, so is this what you had in mind?" she asked.
His eyes opened and his arms reached around her, pulling her into the bed with him. Rolling over so that he was on top of her, he gazed down at her with a sweet smile. "No, sleeping isn't what I had in mind." Her eyes widened with shock and nerves. Before the illicit thoughts could flood her mind with less than pure thoughts, he did something totally unexpected. Pulling her arms around him before placing his head on her shoulder, he requested without asking, "Hold me."
She'd been expecting something else to happen like one of those random kisses he'd bestowed her when the urge came upon him. But this was different, thought it wasn't unlike Rui. It was very much like him. Still, she'd kind of been hoping for him to kiss her. She blushed hotly. Whenever he kissed her, she felt like she was floating on a second sphere of being.
~ *
Her parents had argued again like they'd always argued about money. Not that it was in short supply, but nonetheless, they relentless argued over how to manage it. It drove her nuts how well her parents her parents got along sometimes and how horribly they got along other times. It was enough to drive a saint mad, much less her since she was certainly not a saint.
And of course, Rui, when he arrived at school, late as always, knew immediately that she wasn't in a good mood. He had the uncanny ability to read her emotions better than anyone else. In most instances, it was a good thing; however, at other times, it was hardly a good thing. There was nothing she could keep from him. Sometimes, she wished that he wasn't able to read her as well as he did.
Sitting down next to her, he stared at her. She knew he was waiting for her to tell him what was wrong with her. Eventually, she'd probably tell him, but she didn't want to tell him right now. She wasn't in the mood to be comforted. She wanted to stew in her misery a little while longer. If she gave into his reassuring comfort, she'd feel better in a little while, but when would she learn to depend on herself when he wasn't there for her anymore? It was a scary thought, but something that would undoubtedly come in the future.
"Something's wrong," Rui stated. He knew she was trying to avoid telling him what was wrong, but he didn't understand why she went through more pain than she had to. Wasn't he there to comfort her? Why didn't she let him then? He wanted to ask her, but he was sure that she'd tell him eventually.
Until then, he'd take her mind off whatever was plaguing her mind. He couldn't help it. He simply couldn't resist how precious she looked, how tempting she became when she needed him but wouldn't admit it. "Tsukushi," he said softly, causing her to look toward him, giving him the perfect opportunity.
Tilting her head up by using his hand, he bent his head quickly down to capture her lips in a gentle, sweet kiss. With aching tenderness, he coaxed her to open her lips and let his tongue tease against hers. Almost grinning because of her shyness, he withdrew slowly form her. He did indeed smile when he saw the flush of delight on her cheeks. She looked far too cute, even for her. "Adorable," he commented, brushing a kiss against her lips. "Like always."
~
I wasn't long before Tsukushi feel asleep and Rui opened his eyes to stare at how lovely she looked against his chest. Between the time he'd asked her to hold him and the time that she had fallen asleep, they'd switched positions, so that he was holding her instead of the other way around. This wasn't what he'd exactly wanted, not that he minded. He felt like her protector when he held her like this, something that he wanted to be.
Ever since they were little, she'd always tried not to lean on him too much because she felt weak whenever she did. He knew that she struggled against using him as her support, even then. As they had grown older, that inclination of hers had only grown stronger, despite the fact that she did need him! He knew she did, why couldn't she see that and let him take care of her?
He didn't mind. Though, he knew his Tsukushi wanted to be independent and strong and certainly hard-headed, he also knew that she needed someone to lean on occasionally, even if she didn't realize it. As much as she admired Shizuka, he hoped so much, he hoped so hard that she didn't follow Shizuka's footsteps. He couldn't bear to lose both of them.
Tightening his hold on her because he didn't want to lose her. As much as she might need him, he feared that maybe he needed her even more than she needed him. Yes, she depended on him, but if she didn't have him, he knew she would push on and survive. But if he didn't have her, what would he do?
Looking down at the most important thing in his life, he now understood what Shizuka had been trying to get him to do all along. He'd been afraid if things changed, that he'd lose her. But if things didn't change, that would only make it easier for her to leave him. Now, he hoped and he wished and he desired nothing more than for things to change in a way that would forever keep her by his side.
~
The sunset had gone and past a long while ago, but they still stood against the railing, watching the darkness of the night settle into its rightful place. But Akira was staring far more intently at Shizuka than he was staring at the lovely scenery. For in his eyes, Shizuka was the loveliest thing that he'd ever beheld. He didn't think that his feelings about that would ever change.
Shizuka turned towards him and wasn't surprised that Akira was gazing at her with his emotions in his eyes. It'd been wrong to give him hope, she decided. But she'd wanted him to be happy for as long as possible. Even though, there was still a week left, she didn't have the heart to deceive him anymore. "I need to talk to you, Akira," Shizuka declared.
He stiffened immediately by the tone that he heard. As much as he'd wanted to talk to her, he didn't want to hear her say something that'd crush his hope. It was more than her voice that convinced him it was going to be bad, it was the regretful expression written on her that truly alarmed him. What she wanted to say wasn't going to be good news.
But he wasn't a coward. He was brave. So he would listen. "What do you want to tell me?" he asked in a forced cheerfulness.
She met him, eye to eye. She was not a coward either. Taking a deep breath and steeling herself against his impending reaction, she stated simply, "I'm going back to France next weekend. I'm going to go back to continue my studies." There was an extremely long and awkward pause, before she murmured, "Akira?"
His face fell into his hands. He didn't, hadn't expected that. If she hadn't wanted to have a relationship, that would have been less surprising. After all, she was Toudou Shizuka, one of the most desirable and eligible women in Tokyo. At least, if she stayed and kindly let him down, he could still admire her from afar and perhaps win her over one day in the future.
But if she went back to France, if she went away, he had this feeling that she most likely wouldn't be coming back. From the seriousness in her tone and in her expression, she'd thought about this for a long time. Once Shizuka made up her mind, it was impossible to get her to change her mind.
~ *
"Please Shizuka!" he begged. "Don't go to France! You won't know anyone there! Think of Rui and Tsukushi, they need you!" What went unsaid was that he needed her, that he'd miss her more than anything. But both of them knew that unspoken appeal.
The always determined Shizuka shook her head, negating his pleas to her. "I've already made my mind up," she said firmly. "I'm going to France. Rui will be fine, he has Tsukushi. Vice versa for Tsukushi, she has Rui. Those two need each other far more than they need me." Smiling at him reassuringly, she gave him a hug. "Any time you need to talk to me, all you have to do is call."
With that, she kissed him on the forehead and got into the chauffeured car that would take her to the airport, where it'd bring her to her ultimate destination: Paris, France. When the car started to pull away, he ran after it, shouting her name, "Shizuka! Please don't go!"
She didn't stop the car, and she didn't look back. She only went further and further away from him, off to France.
~
"Akira, are you going to say anything?" she inquired.
Lifting his head up from his hands so that his intense eyes met hers, he asked back in a hoarse voice, "What do you want me to say?" Staring at the hurt that was so evident in his eyes, she really didn't know what she wanted him to say, what she expected him to say. She really didn't know.
Author's Note: Please review, it's very helpful! Thanks.
Author: Yih
~ * indicates the scene below is a flashback.
15: Special Moments (January 22, 2003 to January 28, 2003)
She clapped her hands together as she placed the name cards exactly where she wanted them. On the right side, it was: Tsukasa, Soujirou, Akira, and then Rui. On the left side, it was: Shigeru, Sara, Shizuka, and then Tsukushi. Of course at the head of the table, she, Doumyouji Tsubaki, would sit.
She had purposely placed them across from each other. In a book she had read and from her own observations, couples kept apart when they wanted to be close together often were jolted to making a move. Her only concern was for Tsukasa and Shigeru, who she'd watch like a hawk, easy to do since she was sitting right there with them. Maybe they didn't realize how good they were together.
Well by the end of the night, if they didn't realize it, they must be blind, deaf, and dumb. That she couldn't help but that didn't mean she wouldn't stop trying to get them two together. She hadn't been sure at first if they suited each other. But watching them during the tour and afterwards, their bickering was quite cute, like flirting, not true arguing.
The dinner was phase one. That was only the beginning.
~
The four couples gathered into the dining room, stunned by what they saw displayed on the formal dining table. The setting was as elaborate as one would expect from a true dinner party, but the setup was exquisite and charming with its elegant simplicity. What was interesting were the expressions that came onto everyone's faces when they realized there was an arranged seating that segregated the girls to one side and the boys to another.
Tsubaki saw Tsukasa exchange an understanding look with Shigeru that caught her full attention. Interesting, but good. Very good, if indeed they were getting closer. There was nothing that Tsubaki wanted than to have her brother having a loving and a happy marriage. That would truly make her day.
Seeing Tsukushi and Rui off to the side with their soft conversation also made her smile. Tsukushi was like a little sister to her. Those two being happy and together also would make her day even better. As much as she'd like to see Tsukasa and Tsukushi together, they just didn't match together as a couple. They fought like siblings, not lovers.
Overall, Tsubaki thought the dinner went extremely well. During the entire meal, the couples talked amicably with each other and with the ones sitting next to them. What really delighted her was the tension that was in the air, which was what she wanted most out of the dinner. The only thing that was weird and that she couldn't place her finger on was why Tsukasa and Shigeru kept trying to communicate with hinting looks, secret code? What was up with them?
"Dinner's over," Tsubaki declared. She saw a sigh of relief on everyone's face. Great sign. "Now, I've special activities for each of you pairs!"
Akira exchanged a look with Shizuka that was far from pleased, it was actually quite strained. Before Tsubaki could say anything, he quickly went around the table and grabbed Shizuka's hand and dragged her to the porch. "Tsubaki, I promised Shizuka that I'd watch the sunset with her. It's almost time. Sorry for spoiling any plans that you've made."
"That's exactly what I had in mind!" Tsubaki exclaimed eagerly. She gave them a shooing gesture. "Go, go then! It really is almost time! You definitely don't want to miss it!"
A smiling Akira took Shizuka out to the porch. Once they were gone, Tsubaki turned her attention back to the rest of the people in the room. "Soujirou and Sara, I've planned for you two to have a private tea ceremony in one of the teahouses nearby. You can be served or do the serving."
Sara clapped her hands with delight. "That's a wonderful way to spend the rest of the evening! That's exactly what I wanted to do! And of course, Jirou will be serving. I haven't had his tea in forever. I've missed it so."
Soujirou smiled at Tsubaki and silently thanked her with his eyes for making Sara so happy. Holding his hand out to her, he urged softly, "Let's go Sara?" She took his hand and her smile widened, then she let him drag her outside where a limo was waiting to take them to the teahouse.
Once those two had departed, Tsubaki turned back and had a positively pleasure filled grin plastered on her face. "Tsukasa, my charming younger brother, and Shigeru, his love and equally charming, if not more so, fiancé. You two will have a special treat. There's a limo waiting outside to take you two to a massage specially for couples!" She beamed at them.
Tsukasa and Shigeru looked at each other and Tsukasa took Shigeru's hand without protest, much to Tsubaki's delight and led her to the limo that was waiting outside. Tsubaki watched them until they'd disappeared before she turned her attention back to Rui and Tsukushi. "I don't have anything planned for you two." She gazed carefully at Rui. "I'm sure you two can think of something to do."
Rui nodded and reached to hold Tsukushi's hand. "We can definitely think of something to do." Tsukushi blushed and hid behind Rui's back like a sheepish, embarrassed child.
Tsubaki watched with a smile as Rui led Tsukushi away. "Perfect! Everything's working out perfectly! Now, all I can hope for is that everyone makes use of the opportunity that I've given them!"
~
A half hour later, Tsukasa and Shigeru were on their stomachs being treated to a full body massage by two masseuse therapists. Being a girl that enjoyed being pampered, Shigeru was quite enthused about the first rate massages they were getting. It was pretty amazing how Tsubaki had arranged these, but she knew Tsubaki was incredible. It was the only reason she'd agreed to the arrangement.
"So what should I do?" Tsukasa asked. "I mean, I k now that you said I should be myself, but what do I do to show her myself? And I feel bad to try to steal her away from Rui. They are engaged."
Shigeru turned her head so that she faced him. "You know if you think like that then you aren't acting like the Tsukasa that Tsubaki told me you were. She said that you went after what you wanted. I mean I understand that trying to steal a friend's fiancé is bad, but she's not married yet. Besides, you're not doing anything devious to try to just be there for her, are you? All your doing is being yourself and if she falls for you, that's fate then."
Tsukasa turned his face so that they were now staring at one another. "You are weird," he stated. "I don't understand why you're helping me, even though you explained earlier. But, Shigeru, thank you."
Shigeru smiled at him and he thought that she was quite pretty when she smiled. "You're welcome. We don't have to pretend to act like a couple, but I wouldn't mind being friends with you, Tsukasa."
Tsukasa smiled back. "You know you look pretty when you smile." He blushed after he let that compliment slip out of his mouth. "And I would like to be friends with you, too," he finished lamely with much embarrassment.
"You look like a smiling pineapple when you smile," she commented wryly.
"Hey!" he exclaimed. "I was being nice to you!"
She chuckled. "You were being honest," she corrected, "and I was being honest, too."
"How do you know I was being honest?" he challenged. "How do you know I wasn't just being nice and trying to flatter you?"
"Flatter me?" Shigeru said in an incredulous voice. "Yeah, right! The look on your face gave it totally away. You looked embarrassed after you said it because you didn't mean to compliment me and besides, you don't lie well. You fidget when you lie and your eyes drift to the roof. But when you say something you don't mean to, you blush quite cutely. Don't even bother to deny it, Tsubaki and Tsukushi told me everything about you."
He had the courtesy to blush after she finished what was very true about him. "You are so impossible!"
"And you want to be friends with me!" she exclaimed triumphantly.
"I was trying to be nice!" he shouted back.
"LIAR!"
~
"Your tea is wonderful," Sara commented, taking another sip of it, "like it always is. I think that's the reason why I missed you so much," she teased. "Your delicious tea was definitely a factor in me wanting to come back here. Drinking it only reminds me more of that factor."
Finishing the tea ceremony, Soujirou rested his head on the cushion and sprawled his body across the wooden floor. It never failed to make him believe in Tsubaki's awesome, almost supernatural powers when she found a treasure tea place such as this in the remote mountains. The outfits were genuine and the rooms were nearly perfect replicas of the old traditional tea rooms. It was quite a great find.
He glanced up at Sara and smiled at her. "What were the other reasons you came back?" he inquired with a flirtatious tone. "I mean, I'm sure you can get tea anywhere you want."
She nodded, sipping at the tea one last time. "But not tea made by the hands of a tea master like you." She blushed and hid her face with her hands. "And the other reason I came back was because of..."
His ears, finely tuned, didn't miss her last whispered, trailed off phrase. He lifted his eyebrow up in inquiry and waited for her to continue, but she was too busy trying to cover her beaming blush to notice the question on his face. "So what was the other reason for coming back?" he repeated. "I already know one is because you missed me and the other because of my tea skills, so what is the third one?"
Her hands dropped from her face, staring down at the handsomest boy that she knew, she wanted so badly to tell him. His face was exactly how she remembered it being. Not like, she'd forget the beautiful arch of his eyebrows, the humor lurking in his eyes, and the smile that always graced his quite kissable lips. Lips that she'd already kissed. The thought made her blush only more.
She wanted so badly to tell him how she felt about him, but even with the kisses they had shared earlier, she was still wary about confessing. What if he'd only kissed her because she'd been there? She had kept up a steady correspondence with Tsukushi and had learned that her Jirou had turned into quite a playboy as he'd gotten older. In truth, she wasn't surprised that he had, when they'd been children, he'd always been surrounded by the girls.
Yet, yet if she didn't tell him her feelings, then all would be lost. As her eyes met his and her blush faded as a new blush began, she made up her mind. "Yes, there is a third reason that I will tell you of later, okay?"
Curiosity had always been strong with him, but he could tell that she was nervous about telling him whatever it was so he'd let it pass. After all, she'd promised to tell him later. "Okay," he answered with a smile, "later."
~
In the room they shared, Rui was again lying on the bed with his eyes closed, seemingly to have drifted off to sleep. Tsukushi smiled and bent over Rui to gaze at the lovely perfection of his face. It didn't matter how much time went by, how long they'd known each other, she could still look at him forever.
"You said that we could definitely think of something to do, so is this what you had in mind?" she asked.
His eyes opened and his arms reached around her, pulling her into the bed with him. Rolling over so that he was on top of her, he gazed down at her with a sweet smile. "No, sleeping isn't what I had in mind." Her eyes widened with shock and nerves. Before the illicit thoughts could flood her mind with less than pure thoughts, he did something totally unexpected. Pulling her arms around him before placing his head on her shoulder, he requested without asking, "Hold me."
She'd been expecting something else to happen like one of those random kisses he'd bestowed her when the urge came upon him. But this was different, thought it wasn't unlike Rui. It was very much like him. Still, she'd kind of been hoping for him to kiss her. She blushed hotly. Whenever he kissed her, she felt like she was floating on a second sphere of being.
~ *
Her parents had argued again like they'd always argued about money. Not that it was in short supply, but nonetheless, they relentless argued over how to manage it. It drove her nuts how well her parents her parents got along sometimes and how horribly they got along other times. It was enough to drive a saint mad, much less her since she was certainly not a saint.
And of course, Rui, when he arrived at school, late as always, knew immediately that she wasn't in a good mood. He had the uncanny ability to read her emotions better than anyone else. In most instances, it was a good thing; however, at other times, it was hardly a good thing. There was nothing she could keep from him. Sometimes, she wished that he wasn't able to read her as well as he did.
Sitting down next to her, he stared at her. She knew he was waiting for her to tell him what was wrong with her. Eventually, she'd probably tell him, but she didn't want to tell him right now. She wasn't in the mood to be comforted. She wanted to stew in her misery a little while longer. If she gave into his reassuring comfort, she'd feel better in a little while, but when would she learn to depend on herself when he wasn't there for her anymore? It was a scary thought, but something that would undoubtedly come in the future.
"Something's wrong," Rui stated. He knew she was trying to avoid telling him what was wrong, but he didn't understand why she went through more pain than she had to. Wasn't he there to comfort her? Why didn't she let him then? He wanted to ask her, but he was sure that she'd tell him eventually.
Until then, he'd take her mind off whatever was plaguing her mind. He couldn't help it. He simply couldn't resist how precious she looked, how tempting she became when she needed him but wouldn't admit it. "Tsukushi," he said softly, causing her to look toward him, giving him the perfect opportunity.
Tilting her head up by using his hand, he bent his head quickly down to capture her lips in a gentle, sweet kiss. With aching tenderness, he coaxed her to open her lips and let his tongue tease against hers. Almost grinning because of her shyness, he withdrew slowly form her. He did indeed smile when he saw the flush of delight on her cheeks. She looked far too cute, even for her. "Adorable," he commented, brushing a kiss against her lips. "Like always."
~
I wasn't long before Tsukushi feel asleep and Rui opened his eyes to stare at how lovely she looked against his chest. Between the time he'd asked her to hold him and the time that she had fallen asleep, they'd switched positions, so that he was holding her instead of the other way around. This wasn't what he'd exactly wanted, not that he minded. He felt like her protector when he held her like this, something that he wanted to be.
Ever since they were little, she'd always tried not to lean on him too much because she felt weak whenever she did. He knew that she struggled against using him as her support, even then. As they had grown older, that inclination of hers had only grown stronger, despite the fact that she did need him! He knew she did, why couldn't she see that and let him take care of her?
He didn't mind. Though, he knew his Tsukushi wanted to be independent and strong and certainly hard-headed, he also knew that she needed someone to lean on occasionally, even if she didn't realize it. As much as she admired Shizuka, he hoped so much, he hoped so hard that she didn't follow Shizuka's footsteps. He couldn't bear to lose both of them.
Tightening his hold on her because he didn't want to lose her. As much as she might need him, he feared that maybe he needed her even more than she needed him. Yes, she depended on him, but if she didn't have him, he knew she would push on and survive. But if he didn't have her, what would he do?
Looking down at the most important thing in his life, he now understood what Shizuka had been trying to get him to do all along. He'd been afraid if things changed, that he'd lose her. But if things didn't change, that would only make it easier for her to leave him. Now, he hoped and he wished and he desired nothing more than for things to change in a way that would forever keep her by his side.
~
The sunset had gone and past a long while ago, but they still stood against the railing, watching the darkness of the night settle into its rightful place. But Akira was staring far more intently at Shizuka than he was staring at the lovely scenery. For in his eyes, Shizuka was the loveliest thing that he'd ever beheld. He didn't think that his feelings about that would ever change.
Shizuka turned towards him and wasn't surprised that Akira was gazing at her with his emotions in his eyes. It'd been wrong to give him hope, she decided. But she'd wanted him to be happy for as long as possible. Even though, there was still a week left, she didn't have the heart to deceive him anymore. "I need to talk to you, Akira," Shizuka declared.
He stiffened immediately by the tone that he heard. As much as he'd wanted to talk to her, he didn't want to hear her say something that'd crush his hope. It was more than her voice that convinced him it was going to be bad, it was the regretful expression written on her that truly alarmed him. What she wanted to say wasn't going to be good news.
But he wasn't a coward. He was brave. So he would listen. "What do you want to tell me?" he asked in a forced cheerfulness.
She met him, eye to eye. She was not a coward either. Taking a deep breath and steeling herself against his impending reaction, she stated simply, "I'm going back to France next weekend. I'm going to go back to continue my studies." There was an extremely long and awkward pause, before she murmured, "Akira?"
His face fell into his hands. He didn't, hadn't expected that. If she hadn't wanted to have a relationship, that would have been less surprising. After all, she was Toudou Shizuka, one of the most desirable and eligible women in Tokyo. At least, if she stayed and kindly let him down, he could still admire her from afar and perhaps win her over one day in the future.
But if she went back to France, if she went away, he had this feeling that she most likely wouldn't be coming back. From the seriousness in her tone and in her expression, she'd thought about this for a long time. Once Shizuka made up her mind, it was impossible to get her to change her mind.
~ *
"Please Shizuka!" he begged. "Don't go to France! You won't know anyone there! Think of Rui and Tsukushi, they need you!" What went unsaid was that he needed her, that he'd miss her more than anything. But both of them knew that unspoken appeal.
The always determined Shizuka shook her head, negating his pleas to her. "I've already made my mind up," she said firmly. "I'm going to France. Rui will be fine, he has Tsukushi. Vice versa for Tsukushi, she has Rui. Those two need each other far more than they need me." Smiling at him reassuringly, she gave him a hug. "Any time you need to talk to me, all you have to do is call."
With that, she kissed him on the forehead and got into the chauffeured car that would take her to the airport, where it'd bring her to her ultimate destination: Paris, France. When the car started to pull away, he ran after it, shouting her name, "Shizuka! Please don't go!"
She didn't stop the car, and she didn't look back. She only went further and further away from him, off to France.
~
"Akira, are you going to say anything?" she inquired.
Lifting his head up from his hands so that his intense eyes met hers, he asked back in a hoarse voice, "What do you want me to say?" Staring at the hurt that was so evident in his eyes, she really didn't know what she wanted him to say, what she expected him to say. She really didn't know.
Author's Note: Please review, it's very helpful! Thanks.