AUTHOR'S NOTES: I read book number six! Look out Kira, things aren't always what they seem (I promised no spoilers ;_;). I really want to talk about it! Someone AIM me and talk with me about it. I've got a friend reading MARS, but she is presently on book number one! I need to talk! I'm starting volleyball season, so I may be updating about once every two weeks as an estimate. I know that this is infrequent, but my life has become rather hectic lately (I'm still shooting for valedictorian)! Anyways, I like the plotline that I started with Signora and Takayuki, and I sincerely hope that you like it too because that's what I'm kind of getting into for the next couple of chapters. Don't worry though; there'll be some more fluff (not telling between whom though)! Stop rambling, Sushi; write the actual story for the people! Okay, here you go!
What Wasn't Meant To Be by Sushifishie
Chapter Nine: Sixth Vertex
The walls of the dark blue room seemed impending to Rei on this dark autumn day. While leaves were falling outside in what seemed to be a violent storm, it couldn't compare to what was going on inside the clinic. Rei was sitting on a blue leather chair in his psychologist's office trying to control his anger. If he blew up at his shrink, then who knew what kind of a place they could put him in.
"Rei," the doctor continued calmly, but firmly, "if we're going to make any progress, then you're just going to have to tell me about what's happening. Remember when you hit that cat with your motorcycle? Wasn't everything much better after you told me about it?" Rei nodded to suffice. "Excellent, then please tell me what is wrong now."
Sighing before he told him, Rei finally admitted, "I feel like I'm in the middle of everyone's problems. I've got all of these people who are toying with my feelings. Like Tatsuya (my friend) for example, the other day he called me on the phone when I was asleep to tell me that he likes Kira (my brother's girlfriend)."
"And you didn't like that," the doctor nodded. "Who else is bugging you, Rei? Tell me about everyone."
"Well, there's Tatsuya," Rei said, finally talking. "There's Harumi and Rika, too (these two girls from school). They both hang around me and try to flaunt me like I'm an accessory or something. It's like I'm something that can be bought or pawned for popularity or for revenge and other things.
"Another person is Sei. He's kind of going out with Kira, but not really. They hang around each other all the time, but they aren't officially going out yet. It just makes me so pissed that he can't get up the nerve to just ask her out already!"
After Rei was done, he was panting a little. A single drop of sweat trickled down the side of his face, and he stared at the blue walls to calm himself down.
"That was indeed a breakthrough, Rei," the shrink complimented, shaking Rei's hand and standing—the signal to leave. "I hope that every future session is like this one. We could work out a lot more of your conflicts that way. Please send in your brother."
Rei walked out of the office and into the waiting room thinking about the doctor. He'd noticed how careful the guy was about his word choice. In the last thing he said, he could have used the word "problems," but knew that it may have offended him, so instead used "conflicts."
That is one smart guy! Rei thought as he tapped Sei's shoulder.
Sei knew that this was to signal the beginning of his turn. He stood up, handed his magazine to Rei, and departed into the hallway leading into the blue office. Rei took his seat and looked the clock, expecting to wait awhile. If that was what he'd had to say to the shrink, he could only imagine the amount that Sei would say.
Sei certainly did have a lot to say also. As he made his way to the office, he imagined what the visit would go like. He would tell the psychiatrist the things that happened in the past several days since his last visit. After explaining how each event made him feel and going into great detail about the things he should or shouldn't have said, he would eventually be dismissed (possibly in tears) so that the next patient could come in. Then, he would go and leave with Rei. At least, that's what usually happened. Today was a little different.
He went in the room thinking of what a triangle they'd had in the past few days. There were so many links between different people. Rei had kissed Kira, whom he liked. Then there were all the girls at school who were fawning over Rei. It felt like a big jumbled love triangle. He expressed these feelings to the psychologist, who nodded his head as Sei concluded, "Sometime I just feel like, I don't know, like the sixth vertex in some weird love triangle."
"These emotions are not uncommon, Sei," he told him once he'd finished telling. "In your position, many people may have gotten very angry with your brother—what you did was very mature. I compliment you in doing that."
Sei grinned, "I just used your five step process. It cools me right down. But, I still haven't talked to Rei about steps four and five yet."
The doctor nodded faintly, "You are going to have to do that as soon as you leave here today. Remember, that's the only way that things will work out between the two of you. Let's have a practice run—we still have lots of time left."
"All right," Sei agreed. "For step four, I'll say, 'Rei, I think that we both agree that you were in the wrong in this conflict, but you have apologized and I have accepted your apology. I'm sorry that I got so angry with both you and Kira, and I hope that I will never have to get angry about that again.' For step five, I'll say, 'In the future, please don't chase girls that I like. With all of your charisma, there's no chance that I could win.'"
"That's pretty good," the shrink noted. "Though, you may want to work on some of your word choice. Some things that you have said may make Rei feel offended."
"I know," Sei said, "I was just pulling this off the top of my head. I'll think about it a little bit more before I talk to him for real."
"Excellent," the psychiatrist said, standing. He shook Sei's hand and said, "I believe that this was a very good session. Please come again, and close the door on your way out. See you in a few days, Sei."
"Bye," Sei waved, closing the door on his way out of the blue office.
In the duration of Sei's appointment, Rei had gone through five magazines for articles on racing, and he'd even seen one about himself. It made him laugh the way that the reporter made him to be like some sort of racing god. He'd just shaken his head after reading it, letting out a small chuckle. This was probably why the girls at school wouldn't leave him alone!
Rei saw Sei finally coming into the waiting room and stood to put on his coat.
"Have a nice chat?" he asked insincerely.
"Yes, thank you," Sei grinned back, mimicking his cynical disposition. Putting on a real face, he added, "We talked about you, Rei."
"Really? I didn't know that even guys like to talk about me!" Rei exclaimed, trying to keep in a smile as they left the building.
Sei whapped him upside the head and replied, "Dork, not like that! The doc told me that we had to finish steps number four and five about the whole kiss thing."
Rei nodded and smirked, "Go ahead."
"Hah," he said sarcastically. "You know that we have to do this for real. Okay, we both know that it probably wasn't the best act that you could have ever done—kissing Kira. But, although I'm still a little bit ticked, I forgive you for doing that. Just don't ever go after Kira again, because I'm afraid that she really might choose you."
"Okay," Rei agreed. "That sounds fine to me."
They walked in companionable silence for the rest of the walk, though at the end, Rei commented, "Sei, we have got to get ourselves a car!"
* * *
Tatsuya jumped up and slapped Rei's hands in a high-five while saying, "We kicked some north-side ass!" He gave a little grunt returning to his feet and counting the money he'd collected in his fist. "One of our biggest hauls yet!" he declared.
"Yeah!" Rei whooped. Pumping his fist in the air, he jumped higher than thought humanly possible. After landing with a thud, he grabbed his share of the money from his friend. "Definitely have to play these rich-asses again!" he yelled.
Tatsuya grinned, hoping that the boys they'd just played basketball against were out of hearing range. Because they didn't come back, he assumed that they were. He was glad, too. Although they had won easily, the game hadn't been refereed, proving to be a fatal error to their team. The north-side weren't good ball players, they were just rough. He'd need to use some hydrogen peroxide on half a dozen cuts once he got home.
"Too bad Kira wasn't watching, man, you were on fire today!" Rei yelled happily. "If she had seen you, there's no way that she would go out with Sei!"
Tatsuya turned red. He shook his head and his hair made a skirt around his head. Looking up at Rei, he said, "C'mon Rei, don't say things like that! You know that's not true." He was depressing the mood when he added sullenly, "Kira thinks that I'm filthy, remember?"
"Jeez, Tatsuya, you're ruining my good mood!" Rei complained half-heartedly. "I guarantee that she does not think you are filthy. I'll even ask her sometime for you!"
Sometimes, though, even Tatsuya needs time to complain. Not giving in to Rei's cheery responses, he continued, "You wouldn't understand my situation, Rei. You've got all these girls around you always, and you can just pick a random one and have fun with her. But, see, I can't do that. I want to be with someone that I really like, not just a girl I know."
Rei tried not to take any offense to anything that his friend had just said about him, because, in fact, some of it was true. He did fool around with just about anyone who came his way, and he didn't really love anyone. Probably wouldn't ever.
He tried to pay attention as Tatsuya continued, "It's all very well for your brother. I mean, Kira likes him! Rei," he said from out of nowhere, "are you okay?"
"Huh?" he grunted.
Tatsuya pointed, "Your eye—it's twitching!"
"So it is," Rei agreed, slapping his eye impatiently.
"Anyways," Tatsuya continued, "your brother is lucky enough to have Kira. I wish that she would like me!"
"Now you're sounding like a middle school prep," Rei insulted. "Don't ever say anything like that again. I'm sure that if you had met Kira, for real, first, then she would like you instead of Sei."
Tatsuya shook his head, "I know that that's not true. Sei's done more for Kira than I ever could have. I mean, look at her! She used to be so shy, never talking to anyone and rejecting everyone who even looked her way. Maybe it's better that she stay with Sei."
"Tatsuya—" Rei began.
"Rei," he interrupted, "it's all right. For a crush, longer doesn't necessarily mean better. I won't give up on her," he added, pumping a fist in the air, "but I won't sabotage her happiness with Sei."
Rei nodded, bringing the conversation to a close with, "Listen, I've got to meet Sei at the front gate in about half of a minute to walk home. I'd invite you to come with us, but you live in the other direction."
"Too true," he agreed, "See you later!"
"Later," Rei waved, dashing off to meet up with Sei.
* * *
"I have to leave in five minutes!" the art instructor yelled to all of the students. "So it's time to clean up right now! Hurry up!"
Sei looked at Kira and they both began to clean up the clay that they had been using. Kira was making a model of a soldier's upper body and Sei completed a lovely rose. Earlier that day, the teacher had declared that she could practically smell the flower, and demonstrated by holding it up to her nose and inhaling. Then, she'd whisked it away to fire it, and Sei had begun a second project, a butterfly.
Planning on giving the flower to Kira, he hadn't said anything to her about it, but he was very happy that it was up to par. In this way, he was in a very good mood. He packed his supplies with an eerie little grin on his face, and she began to wonder just why his face looked like that.
They walked out together just in front of the art teacher, who closed the door and locked it behind her. They let her pass by them and she warned, "Don't dilly-dally too long now, kids."
Grinning back at her, they nodded. Her eyes sparkled as she turned the corner, and they followed at a more leisurely pace. Walking in step, they looked at each other every ten seconds, thinking of something to say. Finally, Kira spoke up.
"Sei," she began hesitantly, "does Rei like anybody right now?"
His eyes widened. Where did that question come from? Why in the world would Kira care about that? Sei looked at her with a surprised expression and was quiet for a moment. Finally, he answered, "I'm not sure. We don't usually talk about that sort of thing. I mean, he was going out with this girl, Rika, from second year, but I don't think that he liked her very much. He dumped her a few days ago.
"It was really funny, he tells me. He asked her onto the roof during lunch, and I think that she probably was expecting them to make-out or something. But, instead, he just says, 'Things aren't working out for me. Let's break up now.' Then he walked away!
"I know, I know," he continued, "it is really mean. But, it's still funny, don't you think?"
Kira nodded with a grin. "I can't believe that he really did that! Does he always break up like that?"
Sei shook his head, "No, usually he just two-times them until they find out. But I guess it's special this time, maybe. Possibly," he mused, "he really does like someone! But who?"
Shrugging, Kira said, "I just hope that it's not another girl like Rika. People like that are no good. You know," she added, "I used to think that Rei was that sort of a person. That was back when I'd first met you and hadn't ever really talked to him before. I know better now," she put up a victory fist. "I know that he's a really nice guy. I could even see myself falling in love with him someday!" She quickly covered her mouth. Then, she relaxed and put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Don't tell, okay? I wouldn't have said anything, but you're my best friend, so I know that you can keep my secret."
Sei looked at her somewhat gloomily, but then more resolute. "Kira," he said, "while we're telling secrets, let me tell you who I like." He pulled her elbow in and whispered into her ear, "You."
She gasped and looked into his eyes. Hers were watering a little, and she wiped at them furiously. He could tell that she was under a lot of pressure, and gave her a reassuring smile.
They neared the front gate where Rei was waiting. Before they turned their separate ways, Sei added, "Think about what I said, okay? Please give me an answer as soon as you can!"
"Answer to what?" Rei asked as they walked down the sidewalk to their apartment. His face turned a little pale, and he expected the worst. He held his breath and witnessed what he least desired.
Sei grinned broadly and announced, "I finally confessed!"
* * *
Back at the apartment, Sei happily discussed his day with Rei, concluding with the only part Rei actually wanted to hear about.
"So, then we were alone in the hallway," Sei said excitedly. "She started talking about you and your girlfriends, which was pretty funny!" When he saw the evil look spreading across his brother's face, he added, "Not in a bad way or anything—we were just kidding around.
"Anyway, I leaned over and told her that I liked her!"
Rei nodded, "Sounds pretty romantic. You'll have her in the sack in no time!"
"Dork!" Sei cried, shoving Rei to the side. "That's no way to treat a lady!"
"I would know," Rei agreed. "I have to open doors for you all the time!"
He started cracking up, and Sei pushed him onto the mattress of his bed, which they were currently sitting on. He pressed his full wait on his brother. Sei wouldn't normally be able to hold Rei down—he was just too weak for his macho older brother—but by catching him surprised, he managed to do it his time.
Pinning his shoulders, Sei tried to get a three-count. He held him down for one count, and Rei started squirming. At two, he was pushing out of Sei's grasp, almost escaping it. Before he could reach three, Rei wriggled out from under him. Rei flipped him over with a kick of his knee.
In the blink of an eye, he put his two legs on top of his brother's chest and held his arms triumphantly in the air. Without needing to hold Sei with his arms, he counted to three with great ease.
"I win!" he announced.
"Yeah, yeah," Sei agreed, pushing Rei off of him. "Hey," he started, suddenly remembering something important, "You'll never guess who I saw in the park the other day!"
"Kira," he guessed. When Sei shook his head, he said, "Tatsuya." Again with the shaking, and again with the guessing he asked, "Well then was it Rika? Kyoko? Oh, I know," he said nodding confidently, "it was the emperor!"
"No!" Sei finally interrupted. "As I said you'll never guess!"
"Well, then tell me!" Rei commanded harshly.
Sei grinned a mischievous smile before continuing. Dragging out the suspense, he simply stared at his brother for a moment. Finally, he told him, "It was dad and Kira's mom, Mrs. Aso. They were together."
"What?" Rei exclaimed, trying not to sound too surprised. "Together as in hanging out or together as in together together?"
"Definitely together together," he explained. "They couldn't really be doing that sort of thing if they weren't together together."
"What exactly were they doing?" Rei asked suspiciously. "Wait," he interrupted, "do I even want to know?"
Sei snorted, "It's nothing worse than what you've done. They were just kissing, that's all."
"Oh," he replied, sounding somehow disappointed. Then, quickly he asked, "So now ours and Kira's parents are dating?" Sei confirmed this question. "So if, however unlikely, they get married, then you and Kira would be brother and sister?"
Looking shocked, Sei gasped and put his hand to his forehead. Realization had struck. If their parents got married, he and Kira would be siblings!
"That can't happen," he decided with a frown wrinkling his forehead.
"I didn't think so," Rei began. Then, he told Sei his plan.
* * *
Later that day, Sei went to the park. He was sketching random objects at a quick pace, not really paying attention to his work. The only thing that he could think about was the possibility of being Kira's brother. But, with Rei's plan, he chuckled, that could never happen!
As he drew a duck that was swimming by in the cold, glassy pond, he heard a voice through the bushes. He got a strange feeling that he'd heard the voices before, but he stayed quiet. Sometimes, it was best just to listen.
"Listen, bitch," the first voice, a somewhat deep, female voice said irritably, "just because Rei broke up with me doesn't mean that you can have him. He wouldn't even look your way for a second! A guy like Rei doesn't go for street whores."
"I hate to break it to you, hon," the second voice shot back, "but Rei would look my way, and he has. That's probably the reason he ditched someone like you. He couldn't handle the money that you wanted for your," she chuckled, "services."
"Why should I believe that a hot guy like Rei would want a slut like you?" the first voice yelled. When Sei put two and two together, he figured out pretty quickly that this girl was Rika, Rei's ex.
"Because," the other girl began, "there's no way that he would ever get back with a slut like you!" She had obviously done something cruel, because a moment later, she stormed around the corner.
In this, he learned the second girl was Harumi. He'd seen her at school before, and Rei had told him that she was after him. It was just like Rei to have to girls fighting over him when he wasn't even around to witness it!
He laughed to himself about this, and then almost jumped a mile. On his shoulder, he felt a light tapping, and he quickly turned to see the contributor. The last person he expected to see had joined him on the bench.
Sitting there next to him was Kira.
"I've decided," she told him seriously. "I want to be your girlfriend."
Sei burst out laughing. When Kira looked a little bit hurt, he explained, "It's just that you sounded so serious! I mean, if you just got asked out, you're supposed to be happy, right?"
"Am I?" she wondered laughing.
"YES!" he shouted. "Definitely supposed to be happy."
She broke out into a huge grin and said, "Well, I'm happy now, aren't I?"
Sei smiled back. Then, memories of time spent earlier that afternoon came flooding back into his mind. His father and Kira's mother could get married if they liked each other enough. That wouldn't be good news for him and Kira.
He told Kira everything, ending with the part about Rei's plan. It was a plan that couldn't fail, and she looked impressed as soon as his explanation was finished.
"I want to help you out," she decided. "I'll definitely play my part."
"Excellent!" Sei exclaimed. "Then, we have to get started!"
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I ordered volume seven, preordered eight! But, because it's Christmas, they're going to take a couple of weeks to come in! I'm upset, but that's okay, I guess. I'm really sorry about the shortness of this chapter. I've had most of it written for awhile, but most of it's not about anything. It's just people's feelings on my little love triangle. Would you believe that I have no idea who I'm going to pair with Kira? I still don't! It could still go either way! Anyway, this was really short because I got bored of the lack of action. I just wrote a Fruits Basket fic that was really long, and I neglected this for awhile. The next chapter should be fun though. It brings Rei's plan into action.
One more thing before I leave. This chapter had a lot of these things: * * *. I know that. It served a purpose. With those, I could change between points of view throughout the entire chapter and could add more detail. The next chapter will hopefully be out soon. I can't wait to write it, so please review!
