AUTHOR'S NOTES: I have some news—good for me, bad (good) for you. The next chapter will be the last one in this fic. I'll probably write an epilogue, too, because I have the best and sweetest idea! But, this story is coming to a close. As you probably have noticed, my updates have become increasingly spread out, and also my writing for this story has gotten a lot worse (I'd say that I was in my prime around chapter seven and eight). So, I decided to quit while I was ahead. My goal was to have 100 reviews, but I guess that I won't reach it. So, I guess, just please read my story and see if you can put me to my goal! Enjoy this second to last chapter, okay? (By the way, this has just been quickly spell-checked by me, so there might be some errors. This was all because I was so sick during my spring break. I almost wish that I at least had some school to miss instead of vacation.)
What Wasn't Meant to Be by Sushifishie
Chapter Eleven: Creative Displays
Kira hummed happily as she walked to the first art show that had ever displayed any of her artwork. She recalled when her art teacher had told her about her painting's submission, and she was overjoyed. Sei was even happier, knowing in his mind that he was the model.
She thought of Sei—his gorgeous blonde hair that stood out in a crowd and his captivating eyes that she had failed to capture in her painting. Kira regretted not being able to paint him at all how she had meant to paint him, in fact, she was painting a different person altogether. Still, she imagined his smiling face that would be willingly offered to her if she got a prize in the show, and her heart raced at that killer grin.
Those thoughts brought up others—things like the confession. She could just imagine the couple as old grandparents, still talking about it. She imagined herself chiding Sei for confessing in such a lame manner. But Sei would come back with showing how far that confession had got them. Then, they would share and old-person kiss—just a slight peck on the lips. They would hold hands and rock on their porch swing as their old puppy scurried around their toes.
Letting out a sigh, Kira smiled. But, where did Rei fit into all of this? During the past few days, she had almost forgotten about her little crush. It was wearing away, just like she had expected. Maybe Rei had kissed her first and captured her heart first—but Sei had done a better job of it. Slow and steady wins the race!
Yet, even though she was beginning to lose her crush on Rei, she still didn't have those feelings for Sei! How could that be possible? She often wondered about that. Walking to the art show that day, she came up with her reasoning. She did feel that way. She just wasn't mentally prepared. After all, they'd only been going out for a week or so. She didn't want to move any faster than they already had been doing.
For the time being, Kira decided, they would remain close friends with an excuse to hang out often. That seemed okay, and she was pretty sure that's how Sei felt, too, being the opposite of his brother in almost every way. Rei would have already gotten her in the sack, probably, Kira thought with a blush. But Sei was a real gentleman—he would never do anything like that until she gave him the go-ahead. That wouldn't be anytime soon!
Turning the corner onto a different street, she remembered her other problem—the parents. Although she could still marry Sei, even if their parents were married, it would still be very weird. Nothing stands in the way of love supposedly, but it would still be awkward to double date with your parents.
But, how else could they be spilt up? She still didn't understand quite what Rei had been trying to do on the night of the family dinner. To her understanding, Rei thought that Aya was almost at her breaking point. If one more little thing happened, she would finally crack. He thought that she would have left by then, but then Mrs. Aso decided to help her clean up. That made her want to stay because that made Mrs. Aso seem like a good person. He'd wanted Aya to leave and his father to chase after her, making Kira's mom leave for good. Then, the choice would have been made. But, now, it hadn't worked out. Now, they were still in the same situation.
Kira pulled another idea off the top of her head, wishing that Rei or Sei was there. They would have fun with this idea. They could wait for the next date and drop a nuclear bomb on the restaurant. Sure, it would kill everyone, but at least the parents would still be split up—literally.
Giving herself a mental slap, Kira forced the grin off of her face. Killing people was not something to laugh about, but for some reason it was still so funny! The smile reappeared and she thought of a more practical method.
They could just go to every date with their parents and be the most annoying people ever, she thought as she pushed open the doors of the convention center. There was just one problem with that plan, too. They would most definitely get into a lot of trouble with their parents. So that one was out of the question, too!
Entering the main hall, Kira looked around at the creative displays. It was the annual city art show that really came about twice a year, though it was dubbed annual. At the entryway, they had set up some of the previous winners that had been bought by the convention center as teasers. There were a dozen entries at least ranging from sculptures to oil paintings, from charcoal drawings to photographs. Amazed at the quality, she wondered how her piece had even gotten successfully submitted.
She knew that answer! Obviously it was because of her model. He was too good-looking to not be on display. Certain that many girls liked him, Kira reminded herself that she didn't like him quite in that way! That kiss was all one-sided, right?
Gazing across the room, she saw a figure speeding toward her. It was Sei holding something behind his back. Curious about what it was, Kira approached him and they met at the entry to the second hall which was full of photographs.
"Hey, Kira," he said with a smile, wrapping her in a hug. Pulling whatever it was from behind his back, he handed it to her, saying, "I made this for you. I hope that you— and I—win!"
"Thanks," she grinned, looking down at her gift.
She remembered that day in the art room. Sei looked so cute while he was sculpting. It came harder to him than sketching—it was almost his weak point artistically. With his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth, he looked too cute for words. Kira had wished that she could have sketched him right at that moment, but if she had brought Sei's attention to his face, she knew that he would have repositioned himself.
That was also the same day as the confession. Maybe from when he first got the lump of clay, he knew what he was going to make. Maybe he knew that this was coming up and made the sculpture for her with that in mind.
At any rate, it was beautiful.
"Wow," she breathed with a sparkle in her eyes, "you made this for me?"
Sei grinned shyly. "So, you like it then?"
Kira gave him a heart-stopping smile. Then, with care not to hurt the flower, she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. Whispering in his ear, she said, "It's perfect."
"Thanks," he said, hugging her in return.
After a moment of silence, they parted to stare at each other. Kira let out a little giggle and Sei soon followed with a goofy grin. As he saw her face get red, he began to laugh. She was so cute!
"Hey," he finally began, breaking the seemingly endless silence, "have you looked at the rest of the art yet?"
She really hadn't. All that she'd looked at was the art at the front entry, so she replied, "No. Let's go."
Grabbing his hand, she dragged him into the photography room. They made their way around slowly, gazing at the various photos. They saw landscapes, portraits, and still-lifes. One thing caught Kira's eye in particular.
"Look, Sei," she said, letting go of his hand to point at a certain photo. "Look at how well he got captured. I mean, compared to the first place photograph, I almost wish that this one had won. I mean, those mountains were really breath-taking, but this is the cutest thing!"
After carefully analyzing the photo, Sei nodded in agreement. "It takes skill to catch a bird in flight. I'm going to have to agree with you. This one deserves a medal."
The picture was a yellow canary. It had just taken off from its cage, which was still present in the background. While an amateur photo would have had streak marks and the wing span, the photo Sei and Kira were looking at was perfect. Absent of any signs of movement, it looked as if the bird had been frozen in its flight pattern.
"I love it," Kira squealed. "I almost want to meet the photographer!"
"I know what you mean," Sei replied, feeling the tiniest twinge of jealousy.
He led her to the next room, which was the one with sculptures.
They walked around, not finding anything all that remarkable. Sei was a little bit wary of the unborn babies, being a little freaked out at that sort of thing. Kira saw the sculpture of one of her classmates, to whom she remembered giving advice. She recalled giving the hint that using a larger scalpel would allow for a deeper cut without damaging the piece by hitting it with a handle. She smiled to know that it had gotten entered in the show.
"Wait," Sei paused as he came to the sculpture, "haven't I seen this piece somewhere before?" He noticed that Kira was already moving on to the next room and shrugged. "Oh, well, it's probably just my imagination."
In the next room, the pair looked at charcoal drawings and sketches. It seemed that painting skulls was rather popular that year. Sei commented on this and watched Kira begin to giggle.
"Of course they are!" she exclaimed. "They always are! You know, the skulls were influenced by many great artists. There was O'Keefe—"
"And you can't forget Eiichiro Oda! Go Luffy flag!" Sei interrupted gleefully.
That earned him a well-deserved smack upside the head. He laughed at her brief outrage.
"You silly," she grinned, making her punishment seem less harsh. "All I'm trying to say is that there's a reason that skulls are so popular. While a skull seems so dreary, an artist can make it beautiful."
Sei gave her a look of fake disgust. "Since when is death beautiful?"
"Since never," she said, leaving it at that.
The next room had watercolors. They walked around the room, critiquing the art like they had in the previous rooms, and they finally reached the first place winner. Kira grinned and nudged to it with her head. When Sei saw it, he couldn't keep himself from laughing.
"I guess that they hadn't entered it yet," he remarked, looking at the painting titled "The Sixth Vertex".
Kira shrugged, "The rules only say that you can enter your painting in only one show. I think you're right, they just never entered it. It's wonderful that it won first place."
"Yeah," Sei agreed. "I kind of feel connected to it."
At last, Kira and Sei reached the oil painting room.
"Cross your fingers," Sei told her, squeezing her hand in his.
She obliged and squinted her eyes closed so that she could no longer see even the heavy lights. No one could understand how badly she wanted to win. The painting was of her first crush. Whether or not it placed didn't really matter. But she felt that as soon as the show was over, a chapter of her life would end. It seemed like after the painting was put in a museum, she would get over her crush. But, maybe that would be for the better. Should she really forget that boy in the painting?
"Kira," she heard her voice called.
Without thinking, she opened her eyes and saw a flash of blue. As her eyes adjusted, she could make out the blue into a circle with two spokes stuck in it. Finally, she saw that it was the blue ribbon—first place. She slowly drifted her sight toward the painting following the ribbon.
It was "MARS".
Sei watched Kira's expressions with some amusement. First, she brought her hand to her forehead with wide eyes. Her mouth hung open in amazement. Then she took a gulp of air and stepped forward nearer to the art. Bringing her hand closer, she fingered the ribbon between her middle finger and thumb.
Finally, she turned to Sei. Then, she broke into her perfect smile.
"We won!" she cheered, grabbing his hand.
Sei nodded and brought her into his chest, to her shock. He told her, "I'm so proud of you, Kira." He brought the hand that she was holding to his face and gave it a small kiss. "Thank you."
* * *
Rei was humming as he finished his sixth lap around the convention center. He hadn't really wanted to go there in the first place—Sei had told him that Kira's painting was on sale. While Rei wasn't the true model for the art, he still felt a special connection to the painting. When he first saw the art, he selfishly thought that it looked a lot more like him than Sei. Never telling anyone that thought, he felt somewhat guilty. But, it was the truth.
Yet, even that painting couldn't have made the show more interesting. Rei picked out his favorite work from every room, drank so much punch in the main room that he'd memorized the wallpaper in the bathrooms, and counted the total number of entries, which totaled to six-hundred, seventy-nine—give or take a few.
Almost wondering why he was still there, he continued through the first few rooms, coming to a stop at the entrance to the oils. He had to keep himself from laughing out loud.
Standing next to her painting of "MARS", Sei and Kira were having a little public display of affection. While he knew that it wasn't true, it looked almost like he was giving her a hand job, and he just couldn't bear to stand at the entry one second longer.
He walked over to the happy couple and stuck his head between their very close bodies. With a cocky grin he commented to his brother, "Guess we need to have a little talk about time, place, and occasion, huh?"
"Why I ought to sock you, Rei Kashino," Sei waved his fist menacingly.
Then, he honestly did want to punch his twin. The next thing he knew, Rei had wrapped his girlfriend into a big hug.
"Congratulations, Kira," he said from his place on her shoulder. "Couldn't have painted it better myself."
After saying something under his breath, Sei spoke up. "I'm going to go get some punch. I don't care if it's not allowed by the art. We're going to celebrate!"
He hurried off, leaving a blushing Kira in the arms of his brother. Rei soon stepped away and began to acknowledge the painting fully. He ran his fingers over the edge of it, taking in the brush strokes. Then, he leaned in and sniffed the paint.
"Um, Rei," Kira giggled as she saw a man walk in from another room. "Rei," she said again, tapping his shoulder.
Looking very official, the man strode toward them. In his classic suit, he looked very mature, and in Kira's opinion, very handsome. She wondered why he was walking toward him.
"Please don't touch the art young man," he said.
Rei turned around and the man started. Wide eyed, he gaped as the painting met its subject. With honor, the man bowed, and Rei pretended to cough for fear that he would burst out laughing.
"It's such an honor to meet the subject of a painting that I, myself, judged," he said, leaning to the floor. "I can see that the art truly reflects the subject."
Rei was puzzled. Sure, he thought that it looked more like him than Sei, but it certainly wasn't a picture of him. It showed too much inner beauty—Rei was not a warm enough person to emit all of those beautiful colors. He wanted to argue with the man and tell him that he was just a temporary subject. Maybe the man didn't understand that he had a twin. That must have been it—there was no way he would mistake the portrait to be Rei after he'd seen Sei and Kira together. There was just no way.
Watching the man look over the painting again, he asked Kira, "Are you the artist? I don't know what it is about you, but you seem like a person who can capture inner beauty. While the person in this painting is already very good looking," he began, giving Rei a pointed look, "you also made him seem so deep. He has a warmth and elegance about him and he seems to be more that just a pretty face. This portrait has a soul."
Kira blushed, saying, "Thank you, sir. I truly appreciate your comments."
"You mean complements," Rei corrected with a nudge of his elbow.
Why wasn't Kira correcting the man? He'd just imagined that he was really the one in the painting and not Sei. For just an instant, Rei wondered if maybe he shouldn't correct the man, either. The first place winners always got in the paper, so if Kira was in the paper maybe—Rei—her subject would be in it, too.
He quickly decided against that thought. There was no way Sei would ever forgive him for doing that. Especially since Kira was his girlfriend. The hug was enough for him. His reaction to the hug made Rei even happier that he wasn't dating Kira when Rei kissed her. But he'd definitely have to tell the man—if not for his own sake, then for Sei's and Kira's. He owed it to them.
"Excuse me, sir," he began, looking at the man straight in the eye. He would have been menacing except he was wearing a pink hair tie. No man wearing a pink hair tie can look overly menacing. He continued, "I'm sorry to lead you to false conclusions, but that's not me in the paining."
"Why, of course it is, son!" the man smiled. "I don't think that I've ever seen a face quite like yours. It's a true gift boy. Speaking of looks, I have connections in an excellent modeling company if you'd like to put the looks to use. Or, I could get you hooked up with some of my friends from art school. A few of them have continued to become directors, and depending on your skill, you might get a part in a play."
Rei grinned, forgetting the subject of conversation and lied, "I'm sorry. I'm already with a company."
Kira looked at the two giggling to herself. The man almost seemed to be leading Rei away from the actual subject. She could tell that he knew what he was talking about in art—but she wasn't exactly sure that Rei understood that he was being led in a u-turn. He was completely unfocused on the painting. She got a little worried when he remembered the topic.
"Oh, yeah," he said, hitting his forehead, "we were talking about the subject of the painting. Listen, I don't think that you know this, but I have a brother. He's my twin and we look exactly alike."
The man nodded, "You could bring him to talk to the agents, if your company will let you go. If both of you were in a movie, I'm sure that the popularity of your company would boom. Actually, if you're really that interested, I could write you a guarantee. I could tell your agency that I insist that popularity would boom after your work in a play or movie."
"I don't think they'd like that," Rei said, shaking his head.
Kira started laughing out loud. Walking in from the hall with their drinks, Sei stopped. Even though he said he wouldn't care, there was a man standing with Rei and Kira. He didn't want to get caught until Kira had at least gotten a sip of the excellent punch. Rei certainly seemed to like it. He leaned in the entry just out of sight and heard their conversation. Kira was laughing.
"What's so funny?" the man asked pleasantly.
Kira shook her head and waited for Rei to catch on again. It took him almost thirty seconds of staring before he remembered.
He cleared his throat and spoke loudly. "Listen, this painting really isn't of me. Kira painted my brother, Sei, who is off getting our drinks—I mean—a drink from the main hall. He should be back soon, and you'll be able to tell. This is really him. She definitely didn't paint me."
"No, I'm sure that it's you. I can see your eyes in the picture. No two people have the same eyes—the eyes are the doors to your soul, you know. I can see your soul in there. Just from looking at this painting, I could tell that you care deeply for your brother. You care for him so much that you would go so far as to change your hair-color to be different from him."
"How did you know that Sei had different hair than me?" Rei asked him with one raised eyebrow.
"Well, your hair is different from that of the painting. Also, I could tell that the brown is not natural—it's too streaky, no offense. Also, the man in the painting seems like he cares deeply for those around him. I know that you love your brother because you the right colored hair in the painting, showing your deep connection to him. In real life, you changed your deep connection by dying your hair. You did that to make yourself different and to please your brother."
Rei thought that wasn't quite the truth, but it was close enough. He wasn't going to argue with the man, especially while Sei's girlfriend was standing there. He wasn't sure that he could trust her not to go and tell Sei their entire conversation so far.
"Okay, while that sounds nice and sugary," Rei defended, shaking his finger violently, "it's not at all true. If you don't believe me, ask Sei! Sei, come on out here," he beckoned.
Sei rose to his feet incredulously. Even without matching hair, he supposed that he and Rei still had special link. He walked out uncertainly and faced the man in the suit.
Biting his lip, he said, "Rei only posed for one day. Kira painted me. I'm the one in the painting." Looking to Kira for support, he said, "Tell him that's me, Kira! Let him know that I'm the one you spent so much time and effort painting."
Kira gulped and looked back at him with pleading eyes. She watched as Sei's eyes widened in horror. Could it be?
"Kira, tell me that Sei Kashino is the one in the painting," Sei said glaring at her. He was making her feel intimidated, but he demanded, "Tell me that it's Sei, not Rei."
Shifting her eyes to the man, she silently asked him for help. He gave her a pitying look and turned to watch the boys' reactions. They were standing stunned, facing Kira. They were positively petrified.
"I'm so sorry, Sei," she admitted.
Sei began to move again. His hand went toward his face to cover his eyes. With a shaky voice, he asked, "Is that really true, Kira? You painted Rei?"
"I'm so sorry. . ."
"But did you paint him or me?" Sei shouted, his face reddening.
Kira bit her lip and answered, "Rei."
Slowly, Sei turned and walked out of the room. He left the convention center.
"I'm sorry," she bowed at the man in the suit. "I have to leave now," she said, wiping tears from her eyes.
Rei reached out to catch her shoulder. "Kira," he said softly, "do you want me to take you home?"
She shook her head. "Thanks, Rei. But, I need to be alone right now. Good-bye," she waved, tracing the path that Sei had taken. She left, too.
Shifting his eyes to the man, he wondered what he should do now. He should probably retrieve Kira's ribbon and take it to her later, but what would he do after that?
He looked questioningly at the man. He just shrugged and walked away, too.
Rei let out a deep sigh. Then, he yelled to the paintings in the empty room. He yelled, "What the hell is going on?"
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Oh, my gosh! I actually got another chapter written. It's not even as short as I thought it was going to be! The next chapter will tie up loose ends and actually end this story! Yay! As I said at the beginning of the chapter, I will be writing an epilogue because I have hints of what's going to happen in this chapter. It takes place in the future, but I'm not going to tell you when. Let me just say, it's not what you're going to expect. You can guess what it will be about, but I guarantee that it will be wrong! Anyway, please review and get me to 100. I promised not to set goals, but I've always wanted 100 reviews. Please, pretty-please? Thanks for reading and I hope that you liked it!
