AUTHOR'S NOTES: I am back, everyone, and after another long wait, I am here to bring you the part Three of my JunRen fiction. Pardon me for such great delays. As I have stated, it's all because of school again. *stabs school administrators* Anyway, here it is, and this is more in Jun's POV. I would also like to tell you that this'd be slightly shorter than the previous chapters. Here...
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Shaman King, that's it. *sulks*
DEBUT Four-part Shaman King Fanfiction by: FiendisHSerapH Part Three: Defenseless~JUN'S POV~
I trained my eyes on the crowd, yet he isn't there. I am growing more and more worried as each minute passes by. This is becoming tenser than the preparation itself. No, it's not in the matters of the debut, but the fact that my younger brother, the one whom I really expect to be here, is gone without any warning. It's now my turn to give a speech, but I can't think of anything to talk about. My mind is drifting and racing, thinking over the possible places Ren had gone and maybe is there right now. I walked my way to the microphone stand, my mind completely out of my being. I scanned the crowd once more… no, no sign of him there. I sighed and is about to speak.
~THIRD PERSON POV~
Jun coughed out and began her speech.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for attending this special day of my life, my eighteenth birthday…" she abruptly paused as she looked around once more.
"To tell you all, my little brother, Ren, is missing. May I grab this opportunity to make a call-out for him…" she paused again as the crowd began to stir.
"Ren, wherever you are, this is me, your sister. I tell you, I am sorry for whatever things I have done to you, but please come back… come back here now. I need you to fulfill your promise."
The call caused such commotion as each and everyone looked around, while the others were irritated for she said no formal welcome speech at all.
Jun gently walked down the stand and just sighed.
~JUN'S POV~
"Ren, wherever you are, please come out. Fulfill your promise to me…"
These words barged in my head as I closed my eyes and recalled him grinning at me as he said, "Count on me…" I count on you, Ren, so please don't break your promise. Don't put me down. The planner of this party had scolded me because I didn't give such decent introduction. I was angry and worried at the same time that my reply came out as an irritated remark, saying that my brother's in trouble, so what could he expect that I'll do? Just sit down here and pretend that everything is perfectly fine even though it really isn't? I know my principle is right, but I juts can't understand why I am so worried about him. I sat down as a group danced. My mind is phased, and it's out of what's happening in this night. It focuses on only one thing now, and that thing is Ren. I know I might have been such a cold and naughty sister to him, and the fact that we only speak to each other maybe thrice in a century, but he never knows what I think. Deep inside I watch his every move unconsciously; deep inside I follow him with my gaze. I seem to be so distant yet deep inside I keep in touch. I don't know if he feels this way, too; I doubt it. I admire him for he seemed to be so determined in training to be a powerful shaman. He seemed to persevere so much in defeating each and every one of his opponents and I admire him. I am just a lousy shaman priestess, a lady who seemed to be so tough outside yet inside of me there is such a part that is easily affected by the storm. And this part is already showing right now. Oh Ren, where are you? My heartbeat had its beating in an abnormal pace, and I am so afraid. I am so nervous…
~THIRD PERSON POV~
The eighteen candles were all given to Jun with such happiness as each of them wishes joys for the debutant. Jun simply reacted with a beam and slight nod after each of them. She seemed to be really contented, but it masks all the tension and nervousness piling up in her. The eighteen roses had come, and as the first guy comes to dance with her, the rumbling noise of the thunder and a splinter of lightning danced across the sky. And no sooner, it rained… as hard as hell. Jun looked outside the glass windows and sighed. She just proceeded dancing. The seventeen roses had passed like a quiet gust of wind.
"Wait for Ren…" she commanded, her voice shaky, as if pleading. The crowd stayed still. Nothing but the loud clashes of rain to the earthen ground was heard.
"I know he would come… he'd SURELY do."
"But… you'll delay the whole party!" The planner interjected, but it was cut short as Jun looked sharply.
"He had a promise one me,
can't you see?"
And at the end of the sentence came another roar of the thunder, the lion of
the skies. Jun looked around to the crowd, and to the planner. They all seemed
so bored, so angry with her, the debutant. She just sighed as she called on her
power spirit Pai Long and asked him to give her the eighteenth rose, the
freshest that Ren should have given her. She received it and sighed yet again.
Ren had broken his promise, and it's all because of her, herself.
"I know what you feel, Miss Jun. I understand." Her power spirit comforted just before he disappeared.
"So now, let's proceed to the ball!" the emcee decided to brighten up the mood, but he failed to make Jun feel well.
As a matter of fact, Jun never felt so low than before in her life. So she just sat on one corner and refused to dance with any other guy present in the party. Just then, when it all seemed so gloomy, a loud unanimous knock reverberated on the door.
~JUN'S POV~
It seemed so clear to me. I heard this knock on the door even before someone could. To tell you, I'm the only one who had heard it beneath the goings-on. I ran as fast as could despite the planner's angry protests and the curious eyes that followed me. Finally, I am there and I opened the door. I sucked in my breath and my heart seemed to stop for a millisecond when I saw him, the boy whom I have been expecting. He's there, shivering and all wet, and he's such a pitiful sight. I squealed his name, and he looked up at me… his eyes so weak and can't focus so well. His hair was all messed up. I heard him utter my name. No Ren, don't speak. Hush now, I want to tell him. Then he asked me,
"Am I late…f-for the eighteen… roses?"
Some of the guests have gathered behind me. Yes, you are… but I really don't mind, I told him. After that, he just fainted and fell his whole weight on my arms. I felt for his neck and was shocked to know that he had such a high fever. I instantly gathered him within my arms, stood up, and darted my way to his room, not minding all the merrymaking and joy around me…
FOOTNOTES: There, there… now Ren had returned, but he has such high fever. Jun is so worried, and she carried him to his room. Whoo, such fluff! But wait, there's much more, especially that the next chapter would be the concluding one. Brace yourselves still for the last chapter of this fic entitled Bittersweet, which will come out later. Bear with me guys! Anyway, just keep on reviewing, and please read! I need more readers, onegai, minna?