For All the Tomorrows
Midorino Mizu
Disclaimer: Paradise Kiss is the property of Ai Yazawa. I'm simply messing with the characters for my own personal amusement.
In Yukari's world, everything was always complicated.
She had lived with George from the time they graduated from high school until her college graduation.
On the day she graduated from the small, simple university where she had attended part-time while she modeled, she broke up with George Koizumi.
It had begun, of course, with one of their fights.
They always fought, about anything. Between her temper and his contradictory expectations, peace was practically an impossibility.
This particular fight had been about her future expectations.
***
Koryuu University's graduation robes were a brilliant scarlet, and Yukari looked beautiful in them, mostly because her smile was so brilliant.
She had exhausted herself in the past year. College was not as pressured as high school had been, but she hadn't been working full-time in high school. Between modeling jobs, parties, and her schoolwork, it was amazing to her that earning her degree had only taken her five years, rather than six or seven.
But she had finished, and she was now the possessor of a degree in Japanese history.
She was happy all afternoon, throughout the celebrations with Miwako, Arashi, and Isabella at the basement studio where they'd all become friends.
Of course, George's Paradise Kiss line was housed in a chic office building by then. He was a genius at designing clothes, and it was quickly recognized. Or as quickly as anything like that happened in the fashion world.
But in any case, they all still met at the original studio for social purposes, and it was there that they had a picnic with champagne and rice balls.
Afterwards, Yukari and George went out to dinner, and had one of their famous rows.
The rest of the restaurant ignored them-there was hardly anyone there who hadn't gotten used to Nikaido's fashion designer son and his model girlfriend's violent fights.
Though Yukari was always more likely to become physically violent then George.
It had begun innocently enough. "So what are you going to do now, Yukari?"
Yukari had merely blinked across the candlelit table at her boyfriend. "W- what do you mean, George?"
George lifted a sardonic eyebrow. "Don't you have any goals anymore?" He sighed and shook his head. "Yukari."
Yukari's eyes narrowed into tiny dark slits and her face flushed red. "George," she gritted out.
"Well, you're nearly twenty-four, Yukari. Don't you think you should start deciding what you want?"
"You're twenty-four now too, George," Yukari returned with admirable coolness. "Don't you think you should decide what you want from me?"
She smiled as she rose to her feet and picked up her purse. "Goodnight, George. I don't imagine I'll see you again tonight. After all, you did sacrifice an entire day of work for my sake.
"I could hardly expect you to give me the night too."
As she swept out of the restaurant, she couldn't help but ponder the fact that George had finally let her have a great exit line.
That night, George slept on a sofa in his office suite.
When he returned to his penthouse apartment the next day, almost all the signs that Yukari had lived there were gone.
All of their friends were careful not to mention them to each other, but George had heard Miwako whisper to Isabella that Yukari had started to date her high school friend, Hiroyuki.
He was very good at pretending that it didn't matter to him.
A week later, he started dating Aso Kaori, who had returned to Japan, and was a designer on George's own level.
***
"Yukari?" The voice was soft and familiar, and Yukari barely started when it came out of nowhere.
"Hi, Hiro," she replied. "Is it almost time to go?"
He nodded with a smile, but his eyes were dark with concern. "Are you sure you're up to this?"
She shrugged. "It's not as if I can avoid him forever; we share mutual best friends. Besides," she continued weakly, "I wouldn't want to disappoint Miwako. Are you sure you'll be all right, though? You don't have to come; I'd probably be all right on my own."
Hiro shrugged and brushed black hair out of his eyes. "I knew they'd get married eventually. I might as well see the event myself." An unexpected smile broke on his face. "It'll be fun to watch Arashi squirm."
An answering smile flashed on Yukari's face. "I knew there'd be an ulterior motive hiding somewhere." She stood up and spun around for him. "So, how do I look?"
"Stunning. As usual."
"That's not really a compliment, you know. But I don't have time to berate you properly." Yukari picked up the jacket that matched her dress, and they walked out the door to the garage, and climbed into Hero's sleek black Mercedes.
They didn't speak on the drive over; they were mostly lost in their own thoughts.
Hiroyuki was probably thinking of Miwako and Arashi.
Yukari didn't think that Hiro was really in love with Miwako anymore. She rather thought he just was used to regretting what had happened instead.
As for herself and George, she wasn't sure. She'd fallen in love with him in matter of days, after he'd tossed her entire world upside down. And she had loved him, for the better part of six years.
But did she love him that way anymore?
No. Their relationship had burned too hot to last forever. If she had stayed with him, he would have driven her completely insane, and she might have learned to hate him.
But Hiroyuki.he'd first been her perfect crush, and then her support, throughout that last semester of high school, and all the way through college. He always listened, and he never judged her.
Yukari loved him. It wasn't the way she had loved George-nothing could be the way she had loved George, but she loved him.
It was, she reflected as she stared at his profile in the darkened car, a love that healed more often than it injured.
Yukari took Hiro's hand and squeezed it lightly. He gave her a questioning glance before he flicked his eyes back to the road.
And he squeezed her hand back.
~Fin
Author's Note: I really do like George and Yukari, really. At the same time, there's something to be said for Hiroyuki's constancy. And I do think that they'd make a really good couple.
So don't shoot me.
Midorino Mizu
Disclaimer: Paradise Kiss is the property of Ai Yazawa. I'm simply messing with the characters for my own personal amusement.
In Yukari's world, everything was always complicated.
She had lived with George from the time they graduated from high school until her college graduation.
On the day she graduated from the small, simple university where she had attended part-time while she modeled, she broke up with George Koizumi.
It had begun, of course, with one of their fights.
They always fought, about anything. Between her temper and his contradictory expectations, peace was practically an impossibility.
This particular fight had been about her future expectations.
***
Koryuu University's graduation robes were a brilliant scarlet, and Yukari looked beautiful in them, mostly because her smile was so brilliant.
She had exhausted herself in the past year. College was not as pressured as high school had been, but she hadn't been working full-time in high school. Between modeling jobs, parties, and her schoolwork, it was amazing to her that earning her degree had only taken her five years, rather than six or seven.
But she had finished, and she was now the possessor of a degree in Japanese history.
She was happy all afternoon, throughout the celebrations with Miwako, Arashi, and Isabella at the basement studio where they'd all become friends.
Of course, George's Paradise Kiss line was housed in a chic office building by then. He was a genius at designing clothes, and it was quickly recognized. Or as quickly as anything like that happened in the fashion world.
But in any case, they all still met at the original studio for social purposes, and it was there that they had a picnic with champagne and rice balls.
Afterwards, Yukari and George went out to dinner, and had one of their famous rows.
The rest of the restaurant ignored them-there was hardly anyone there who hadn't gotten used to Nikaido's fashion designer son and his model girlfriend's violent fights.
Though Yukari was always more likely to become physically violent then George.
It had begun innocently enough. "So what are you going to do now, Yukari?"
Yukari had merely blinked across the candlelit table at her boyfriend. "W- what do you mean, George?"
George lifted a sardonic eyebrow. "Don't you have any goals anymore?" He sighed and shook his head. "Yukari."
Yukari's eyes narrowed into tiny dark slits and her face flushed red. "George," she gritted out.
"Well, you're nearly twenty-four, Yukari. Don't you think you should start deciding what you want?"
"You're twenty-four now too, George," Yukari returned with admirable coolness. "Don't you think you should decide what you want from me?"
She smiled as she rose to her feet and picked up her purse. "Goodnight, George. I don't imagine I'll see you again tonight. After all, you did sacrifice an entire day of work for my sake.
"I could hardly expect you to give me the night too."
As she swept out of the restaurant, she couldn't help but ponder the fact that George had finally let her have a great exit line.
That night, George slept on a sofa in his office suite.
When he returned to his penthouse apartment the next day, almost all the signs that Yukari had lived there were gone.
All of their friends were careful not to mention them to each other, but George had heard Miwako whisper to Isabella that Yukari had started to date her high school friend, Hiroyuki.
He was very good at pretending that it didn't matter to him.
A week later, he started dating Aso Kaori, who had returned to Japan, and was a designer on George's own level.
***
"Yukari?" The voice was soft and familiar, and Yukari barely started when it came out of nowhere.
"Hi, Hiro," she replied. "Is it almost time to go?"
He nodded with a smile, but his eyes were dark with concern. "Are you sure you're up to this?"
She shrugged. "It's not as if I can avoid him forever; we share mutual best friends. Besides," she continued weakly, "I wouldn't want to disappoint Miwako. Are you sure you'll be all right, though? You don't have to come; I'd probably be all right on my own."
Hiro shrugged and brushed black hair out of his eyes. "I knew they'd get married eventually. I might as well see the event myself." An unexpected smile broke on his face. "It'll be fun to watch Arashi squirm."
An answering smile flashed on Yukari's face. "I knew there'd be an ulterior motive hiding somewhere." She stood up and spun around for him. "So, how do I look?"
"Stunning. As usual."
"That's not really a compliment, you know. But I don't have time to berate you properly." Yukari picked up the jacket that matched her dress, and they walked out the door to the garage, and climbed into Hero's sleek black Mercedes.
They didn't speak on the drive over; they were mostly lost in their own thoughts.
Hiroyuki was probably thinking of Miwako and Arashi.
Yukari didn't think that Hiro was really in love with Miwako anymore. She rather thought he just was used to regretting what had happened instead.
As for herself and George, she wasn't sure. She'd fallen in love with him in matter of days, after he'd tossed her entire world upside down. And she had loved him, for the better part of six years.
But did she love him that way anymore?
No. Their relationship had burned too hot to last forever. If she had stayed with him, he would have driven her completely insane, and she might have learned to hate him.
But Hiroyuki.he'd first been her perfect crush, and then her support, throughout that last semester of high school, and all the way through college. He always listened, and he never judged her.
Yukari loved him. It wasn't the way she had loved George-nothing could be the way she had loved George, but she loved him.
It was, she reflected as she stared at his profile in the darkened car, a love that healed more often than it injured.
Yukari took Hiro's hand and squeezed it lightly. He gave her a questioning glance before he flicked his eyes back to the road.
And he squeezed her hand back.
~Fin
Author's Note: I really do like George and Yukari, really. At the same time, there's something to be said for Hiroyuki's constancy. And I do think that they'd make a really good couple.
So don't shoot me.