Disclaimer:
I don't own Flame of Recca or any of its characters.
A/N:
A few people are not very happy with me as of the moment that's why, schoolwork notwithstanding, I'm rushing this. sigh I have to end the fic somehow you know? It's been very distracting.
Maybe if I just kill them all…
A shout-out to Ranka who beta'd for me! Sorry for the missent chap. Rest assured that I already finished the next installment, the only problem is I can't remember where I saved it (I collect diskettes, I probably have a million of them). But I'll send it as soon as I find it.
To Kurei, sorry for messing the story-line up. I only watched the anime and surfed the rest. But I did say I was mixing reality with fantasy, right? ^^;;
To all the pinoy readers out there! Oi! Wala lang. =)
To Jamjam-chan, sa post graduate na ko sa UP. Oo, matanda na ko. Hehehe. Thanks for the review, my kababayan.
To all my reviewers, thanks for the support even if you're not happy with how I ended the last chap!
Kindred Chapter 8: Sorrowful Sunday
White. It was all white. All he could see was white.
And all he could feel was the pain.
Mikagami groaned as his eyes slowly adjusted to the room he was in.
Something brown appeared in his field of vision. A sparkle of gold. Then a flash of black.
Where was he again?
Mikagami swallowed a scream when his eyes finally focused and he realized a gorilla was looking anxiously at him.
No.
It was not a gorilla.
It was none other than the Raging Domon Ishijima.
But Ishijima was anything but raging today.
Or is it night?
Mikagami felt his brain to be a little fuzzy.
"Mikagami!" Two waterfalls of tears from Domon's eyes materialized. "You're finally awake! We were so worried about you!" He cried.
Mikagami frowned. Ishijima was worried about him? And he was now crying because the iceman was now awake? What is wrong in that picture?
And where was he? This wasn't a room in his house.
He looked down and saw that his torso was bare but heavily bandaged.
Suddenly, the events came rushing through his head.
"Fuuko," he whispered as he hurriedly pushed the blankets off to search for the girl.
Domon suddenly stopped his bawling as he restrained Mikagami on the bed. "No. The doctors said that you're not to leave the bed." He paused. "And since when did you start calling Fuuko-chan 'Fuuko?' What happened to Kirisawa? Or monkey?"
"Where is she?" Mikagami demanded when he realized struggling with Domon the Oni when he was in this state was futile. "Is she alright?"
Domon's features softened. "She—" he began. "She hadn't wakened up yet." He said sadly. "Her head was badly injured."
"How long—"
"You've been here for two days now. You've been drifting in and out of consciousness." Domon said.
"Why are you here?" Mikagami glared at him. "Shouldn't you be with your darling Fuuko?" That came out more biting than he intended. He was using his anger to push Domon away and to mask the pain and fear that assaulted him when he heard about Fuuko's condition. We wanted to break down, but not with Domon in the room.
Domon glared at him. "I wanted to, but her whole family's there," he replied with a shrug. "No more space available. Plus, we were worried about you,"
Mikagami contemplated on how he could knock Ishijima unconscious so he could go check on Fuuko.
"Yanagi and Recca are here. They just stepped out for some munchies," Domon explained.
"I don't need you here." Mikagami told him coldly. "Get out."
Domon sat down at one of the stools beside Mikagami's bed. He crossed his arms as if to say, 'make me.'
"Get out," Mikagami's voice turned colder, harder, like he was before this whole trip started.
"No."
Mikagami glared at him. "Get. Out."
"No." Domon glared back. "And it's not because of you or anything," he told him. "Yanagi-san would get mad if I did. And if Yanagi's mad, Recca would kill me," he frowned. "Not that I'm afraid or anything,"
Mikagami tried to stand up again. If that gorilla won't get out, then he gladly would.
Quicker than Mikagami thought the Oni could move, Domon was beside the injured young man in an instant, struggling to hold the latter down.
"If you don't stop struggling, I would get the nurses to come in here and inject you with something to calm you down."
The two former Hokage ninjas were shocked that they didn't feel that someone had entered the room with them, Mikagami especially.
"Shoji-niisan!" Domon cried out.
A vein popped out on Shoji's face. "Don't call me niisan," he grated out. "You look older than I am,"
"Hai, Shoji-niisan," Domon replied obediently.
Shoji gave Domon a super punch, not unlike Fuuko's. The difference was, while Fuuko's punches brought Domon to the heavens, Shoji's punch brought the Oni to his knees. "I just came to check on the injured iceman." Shoji said. "Sister's orders."
Mikagami settled himself back on the bed, unwilling to meet the gaze of Fuuko elder brother.
Shoji almost lost Fuuko because of him.
And Mikagami knew what it was like to loose a sister.
Flashes of memory seized Mikagami.
Flashes of emotion threatened to overwhelm him.
Guilt.
Sorrow.
Loneliness.
Revenge.
He knew if the situation was reversed, he would not let a cursed man touch his sister.
Fuuko almost lost her life because he needs to be reminded that he wasn't meant to be with someone.
He wasn't meant to be happy.
He wasn't meant to be with her.
He was like King Midas.
Everything he touches turns to gold.
But not without a price.
He was gorgeous. He was rich. He was talented. He was intelligent.
But he was meant to be alone.
Alone.
He almost forgot.
He was meant to be alone.
The accident reminded him of that.
A shy knock prompted Mikagami out of his reverie.
By picking a fight with both Domon and Recca, Yanagi was forced to lead the two out of his hospital room. And Recca was adamant not to leave Yanagi alone with him, never mind that their sempai was bedridden for the moment.
And he was left on his own, according to plan.
Mikagami glared at the book he was staring at for the past few minutes.
"Mi-chan?" A sweet, tentative voice asked.
Mikagami's heart leapt to his throat. Could it be?
The door opened. Mikagami saw the girl standing in the doorway.
He wasn't who he hoped she was, still he felt the gentle stirring of joy to see her there.
"Mi-chan," Aya walked into the room. She held out a card for him. She smiled shyly. "For you,"
A sob got caught on Mikagami's throat with that simple gesture. He took the card without a word.
Aya grinned at him then boldly climbed up his bed. It was a bit high for her and she had to struggle.
And against Mikagami's better judgment, he picked up the child by the waist and deposited her beside him.
He was surprised when Aya suddenly threw her arms around Mikagami. "Hope you get better soon,"
Gently, Mikagami pried Aya's arms away from him. He knew what he had to do. And he better do it quickly before the puppy-dog eyes undo him completely.
"I have something to tell you, Aya-chan," he told her softly.
Aya scooted backwards, head tilting up to meet his eyes, eager to hear what her boyfriend has to say.
"This may be the hardest thing I ever had to do in my entire life," he was talking to little Aya. But in his mind's eye, he saw a happy-go-lucky, loud, tomboyish, abrasive, purple-haired monkey. "B-but, I have to end this."
Aya frowned. She didn't understand. "End what?"
Mikagami looked at Aya, but it was Fuuko he saw. "I c-can't be with you," he told her simply.
Aya's eyes teared up. "You're breaking up with me, Mi-chan?"
Mikagami didn't reply, at least, not right away. "I'm sorry." Then, all the emotions left his face.
Once again, Mikagami overcome his struggle with his feelings. He had them once again locked up, away from everyone's concerned eyes.
He was once again, the iceman.
A perfect being without feelings.
A man immune to pain.
And pleasure.
And love.
"Don't you love me anymore, Mi-chan?" Aya's tears were now evident on her face.
But Mikagami was immune. An ice sculpture feels no pain.
No pain.
"No." The answer was short. Cold. Painful.
With a sob, Aya scrambled down the bed.
Mikagami fully expected her to run away, back to where they were keeping Fuuko.
To his surprise, Aya reached into her back pocket where she pulled out a sheet of folded paper. She handed it to Mikagami.
Mikagami took it. It was the card. Their card. The proof that he indeed was Aya's boyfriend.
Wordlessly, he tore the card in half.
That's when he saw the sobs that violently shook Aya's shoulders before she turned around and run.
But he didn't see Aya.
All he saw was a teenager with the purple hair and eyes to match.
"Burning your bridges, Tokiya-niisan?"
Mikagami bit back a groan. He was lying on his back on the hospital bed, in pain. The effects of his painkillers were wearing off. He struggled to get up in spite of them, unwilling to let the man invading his room.
It was Kaoru. Behind him was Ganko.
Mikagami didn't respond.
"You're mean," Ganko stuck out a tongue at him. She no doubt had heard what he did with Aya.
Kaoru scratched his head. "And why don't you want Yanagi-neechan in here?" A thoughtful frown crossed his face. Usually, he was good in reading people. His training with his Kurei-niisan notwithstanding, he thinks people were like puzzles. Once you figure out how the pieces fit together, you could see the big picture. And once you saw the big picture, it was easy enough to understand that person.
Kaoru thought that he figured out his Tokiya-niisan a long time ago. It wasn't easy, but he thought that he finally understood the older man, especially after the two of them fought. But sometimes, the pieces of his puzzle don't fit. Like this one. Kaoru thought that he would jump at the chance to spend time with Yanagi-neechan. Or like the fact that he had fallen in love with Fuuko-nee.
Kaoru's face broke into a grin.
So that was it. That's why Tokiya-niisan was so hard to figure out.
He had fallen in love.
And people in love, they weren't all that rational.
In fact, they were sometimes downright silly.
And Tokiya-niisan, so used to being in control all the time, being used to using his superior intellect, he was the silliest one of all.
Why? Why? Why?
He might fool others with his cool façade, but he cannot fool himself.
The pull to see Fuuko was becoming stronger each day.
He was longing for her.
He wants to know how she's doing so bad.
He wants to see for himself that she was well.
Ganko and Kaoru had reported a few days ago that Fuuko had awakened and was asking for him.
You're going home tomorrow. It's your last chance to see her if you're really up to fading away from her life.
But he didn't want to see her. No. That wasn't it. He didn't want her to see him.
Why are you torturing yourself like this? A voice inside him demanded.
He frowned. He was not torturing himself. He was saving himself from the inevitable pain that would surely rack him if he let Fuuko get closer to him than she already was and once he looses her. And to loose her, he certainly will.
He was meant to be alone.
You mean like the pain you're feeling now?
Shut up.
Who are you really trying to save, Mikagami? Her? Or yourself?
Shut up.
Come on, Mikagami. Visit her. I know you want to. I should know. I am you.
Shut up!
I'll shut up if and only if I see that she's OK.
Mikagami sighed. Arguing with himself is not a great idea. Not especially since he was an exceptional debater.
The voices in his head were louder and bossier than he originally thought.
So that's why he was in his hospital gown, crouched in the corner, in the middle of the night.
He caught Fuuko's room number from Domon when he was talking with Recca when they thought he was asleep.
Four two six.
He eyed the door warily.
She was probably asleep.
He went to the door and listened, not just with his ears but with his other senses as well.
It was silent inside.
She was asleep.
Good.
Silently, he opened the door and went in.
Imagine his shock when he saw that the bed, though disarranged, was empty.
Before he had time to think of the implications of an empty bed, he heard noises outside the door.
Thinking quickly, he his himself inside the bathroom, careful to keep the door open to see the newcomers.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Fuuko entering the door.
But she wasn't alone.
She was with two children around Aya's age. A girl and a boy. All three were wearing hospital gowns. All three were giggling terribly.
"Do you think she noticed us?" The young girl asked.
Fuuko shook her head. "We were all quiet. She won't even see it coming."
They burst into fits of giggles again.
Then, they pressed their ears on the door.
Mikagami watched them in amusement.
Wasn't it just like Fuuko to draw kids towards her with her mischief and humor.
Moments later, the silence in the hospital was broken by a loud screech.
This time, the trio couldn't hold their laughter.
"Kirisawa! Kamiya! Takaishi!" A loud, deep female voice hollered.
"Uh-oh!" The girl groaned with wide eyes as the trio backed away from the door.
"We're in trouble now!" The boy added. "Do you think we should lock it?"
Before they could move a muscle to do anything, the door burst open, revealing an angry head nurse holding a large, black, rubber rat.
"Um, surprise?" Fuuko asked with a grin and that caused the two children to laugh again.
"That wasn't even funny." The large head nurse glared at them. "I thought you knew better, Kirisawa." She then turned to the two kids. "The two of you, in your rooms, now!" She commanded.
The two childred grinned at Fuuko before scampering away.
Mikagami expected the head nurse to blow up at Fuuko. He was ready to pounce and save Fuuko from a sermon.
But instead, the head nurse dropped her angry demeanor and looked at Fuuko gratefully. "Thank you for making them laugh," she told the younger girl.
Fuuko nodded in understanding, the humor fading from her eyes.
"They almost forgot how to do that since they were confined here." The nurse said with a faraway look in her eyes. "Thank you for reminding them,"
"It was for my sake as much as them," Fuuko replied easily. "I'd go insane in here," she gestured weakly at her room. "Especially since—" her voice trailed off.
The nurse nodded. She handed the former wind-wielder the rubber rat. "Where do you get this things?" She asked in wonder.
"My cousin," she replied.
"Alright, time to sleep. You're an invalid too, you know."
"Aye, aye, ma'am!" Fuuko saluted and clicked her heels as she scrambled to her bed.
The head nurse switched off the lights before she left the room.
Mikagami waited a few minutes to make sure that Fuuko was asleep before he left his hiding place.
Then, just as he was about to close the door, he thought he heard a faint, 'good night, Mi-chan,' whisper in his ear.
The following day, Mikagami learned that Kamiya and Takaishi were two kids on the same floor with Fuuko, afflicted with cancer.
His love for her swelled.
But he would rather die than acknowledge that.
~tbc
P.S.
So it's not as angsty as I originally thought. Maybe I'm just too happy lately. There was a time when I could simply sit down and write good old-fashioned angst without so much as trying. Now? Well. Argh!
