MUST READ BISHLOV NOTES:
[1] Long wait ne? Sorry. I stumbled upon a roadblock. Still struggling to blast my way to freedom.
[2] Do you guys want me to start a MAILING LIST? I can't promise to update this fic quickly that's why I'm asking if you'd want to be notified through email if I got a new chapter up. Tell me.
[3] There's this R+T SHRINE that I want you guys to visit. As you may know there aren't much of them around and this one's fairly new. There's nothing much in it yet but maybe we could help the webmistress to fill it up with pictures and fan works. She's got cute manga pictures where Terada blushes a lot. If interested see my bio.
[4] My SINCERE GRATITUDE to all of those who reviewed. It's nice to know that there are other people who love Rika and Terada-sensei as much as or even more than I do. Let's spread that love around.
Standard disclaimers are applied here.
PASSION
By bishounen lovah
Chapter 2
Is she coming?
Yoshiyuki glanced at his watch for what seemed like the ninety-ninth time. Soon they would have to leave for the cemetery but still there was no sign of the most important person of this ceremony.
She'll be here soon. She has to be here.
He glanced around the room, easily hiding his disdain with an unemotional mask. These people weren't here to pay their respects. They just wanted to make an appearance for their jobs' sake, all the while hoping that they could chance a scandal or two. None of them really knew who Sasaki Juzo was. None of them really cared.
But she's different. She cared. Perhaps she even cared too much.
And because of that she got hurt.
Oh, he knew about her struggle for a loving relationship with her father. At first he even competed against her. He was just a nobody but Juzo had taken him under his wings even before he married his mother. He was hungry for a father figure just as she was but he had the upper hand…a personal reason why Juzo preferred his company instead of hers.
It was wrong. It was despicable of him to feel good about having a father at the expense of another's. He didn't realize how wrong it was until it was too late. The rift between father and daughter was too great.
Then she went away.
And stayed away.
They had missed her badly. Despite of the way he had acted, Juzo had loved his daughter. The man just couldn't look at her, least of all raise her, when she only reminded him of the love he lost. Juzo used to say in private that she was looking like her mother each day and that they were the most beautiful women he had ever seen.
Perhaps Yoshiyuki should have been offended with the old man's confession; after all, he was still married to his mother then. But he didn't. For in his heart, he couldn't agree more. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he had seen many. And just like Juzo, he loved her very dearly. So much, in fact, that when she ran away from home he had realized an emptiness so great he was unable to eat and sleep properly for months
He loved her but she hated him.
It was no secret that she scorned his very existence. He couldn't blame her, even went as far as hating what he was back then. He was such a scum and it was no wonder why she never tried to make contact with them. He and Juzo were broken-hearted but were not as broken-hearted as she.
Does she still hate me?
Will she come?
Juzo-san, make her come.
He stopped adjusting his cuffs with anxious fingers when he felt the skin of his nape tingle. It was a good sign. His prayers had been answered.
She's here!
Over the years, he had developed some sort of sixth sense where she was concerned. She was always up to something, hatching one devious plan to another in order to get him into trouble. Hence, he had developed a defense mechanism of a sort…a radar that warned him when she was nearby. Years of separation had not dulled this 'gift'. If possible, the awareness was stronger than before.
Soon the doors opened and the whispering began. He braced himself but his composure was shattered once he saw her. If Juzo could see her right now he'd probably fight against the mixture of pride and sorrow.
She no longer resembled her mother in every extent.
She was more beautiful than her mother!
He had seen recent pictures of her. Snapshots that were taken by the private investigator he and Juzo had hired to track her down and check on her. But those pictures could not be compared to the real person. She was an image of perfection as far as he could see and he was having a hard time quelling the temptation of touching even a single curl of her impossibly long hair.
"Welcome home, Rika," he managed to say out loud, inwardly wincing at the raw sound of his voice. He winced some more when her clear brown eyes registered anger for a brief moment.
She hadn't been back for ten minutes and he had already managed to irk her. She was still mad, he realized, but no one else could see through her façade. She scanned the guest-filled room in an unruffled, detached way that Yoshiyuki began to wonder how much she had changed.
Rika had left a badly tempered youth and came back a cool, sophisticated woman.
Her lips thinned in distaste. He would have missed that reaction had he not been watching her closely. More closely than the others. He knew her well enough to interpret her actions. Her nod towards him meant that she acknowledged his presence but had no desire to speak to him or anyone else for that matter. She nodded at several people who called out their condolences but had looked at nothing but her father's ashes.
She reached the altar and Yoshiyuki stepped back to make way for her. Every eye was on her as she knelt down, offered some incense and bowed in respect. It was anyone's guess what her prayers were and what she was thinking as she stared blankly at the framed picture.
Whispered speculations reached his ears, causing him to glance back and shoot a warning look at the audience. It was rude to gossip at such a solemn reunion between father and daughter especially if the circumstances weren't pleasant. It wasn't any of their businesses if she arrived too late. They had no right to judge her because they knew nothing about the secrets of Sasaki Juzo's dysfunctional family.
At least she was able to say goodbye even if it was just in prayer.
She stood after a while and he saw that any trace of emotion that she may have felt whilst praying was completely wiped off her face. Other people might view her completely composed but he knew better. Her back was so stiff that he knew she was having a difficult time holding the emotions in.
He wanted to hold her to him and give her some of his strength. That was out of the question though. She had made it clear that she didn't want anything to do with him…yet. She could only handle one demon at a time. And the last thing he needed was to be slapped, or worse, snubbed in public. That would really give people something to talk about.
Godo appeared at the door again, announcing that everything was ready. The people started filing out the room, leaving Yoshiyuki and Rika staring at each other. Despite the tension between them, there was a slight calm present in the air that signified a temporary truce.
It was time to deliver Sasaki Juzo to his resting place.
"I'd like to carry Father to the grounds," she said after a minute of silence. There was a hard edge in her voice that suggested she was expecting him to protest.
And he could barely keep the shock from his own voice. "Of course."
Did she really think that badly of him?
Did she think that he'd deprive her of her right as principal mourner?
Had he really been such an asinine man?
The answer could only be yes to all of them. He was such an idiot to think that it would be easy to mend fences now that the source of their dispute had passed away…that her coming home meant she was ready to forgive and forget, and perhaps develop a friendship, maybe even more. Okay, so maybe the last one was just plain wishful thinking but since he was fooling himself he might as well go all the way.
Yoshiyuki lifted the urn from the altar and gave it to Rika, his hands lingering near hers to make sure she didn't have any problem with its weight, among other reasons. Their eyes met and for a fraction of a minute he had trouble breathing. She raised an eyebrow in mocking question and that brought him out of his trance. He quickly turned around to get Juzo's picture. She was already halfway across the room when he turned back but he had no trouble catching up and was beside her in a moment.
He held the backseat door of the limousine open for her then followed inside. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her lips compress again. She gave him the same impression that she found something distasteful and this time it was his company. Well, too bad for her because she was stuck with him, he'd make sure of it.
He had already let her go once and, damn it, he won't let her slip away again. Not if he could help it. They belong together. It's just a matter of persuading the woman. All he needed was time to make up for all of his faults and break down her defenses.
Juzo had made sure Yoshiyuki got all the time in the world. The old man was aware of his affection towards Rika and he approved fully. After all, who better to take care of his daughter than his own protégé? He had revised his will shortly before he passed away in an attempt to right his wrongs. Juzo had wanted Rika to reconcile with her past and be happy. It was up to Yoshiyuki to fulfill the man's last wish by convincing her to execute the will.
And convince her, he will, even if he died trying. He would have a hard time with her being so stubborn. Even now she was trying to ignore him, trying to put a distance between them physically as well as psychologically. But that won't stop him. He was just as stubborn.
"I was afraid you won't come," he tried to start a conversation. "I was beginning to wonder if you received my messages."
"I did. I was…detained," she replied evasively.
Detained…He knew very well what, or rather who, detained her. It was that man who had received his messages for her. It got to be him. Who that guy was and what he was doing in Rika's apartment even in the middle of the night, he didn't know. Not that he didn't care. Quite the opposite actually but he wouldn't go into that just yet. He didn't want to think of his Rika that way. He'd rather not.
The important thing was she was here. She came home. She may be hoping to be a continent away from him right now but at least she was here.
The question was could he make her stay?
To be continued…
BISHLOV'S WORDS OF GRATITUDE AND OTHERS:
SuzakuNoMiko/KadokyaputaSakura – Oh, goodie! I'm so glad you liked the plot. Thanks. You're my first reviewer!!!
muraxnekochan – R+T's my fave conventional couple and I'm so happy that I made you like them even for a little bit. I have to admit that this fic may be a bit like S+S but it's only because people tend to write more S+S and E+T. I assure you that this story is made with R+T in mind.
ChibiSakuraAvalon – Here I go again with the 'soon'. For me 'soon' is sometime between two weeks and two months. Hope I didn't make you wait too long.
valene – I know! There are so few R+T fics and most of them are either one-shots or discontinued. Let's see if I can finish this one. Btw, I've got a complete R+T fic called "Unfulfilled Love" so if you haven't read it yet go check it out.
KyteAura – I did tell you something about this fic but I didn't tell you that it was an R+T! You must have forgotten about it. I think it was during that time when I asked if you thought people are only into S+S and E+T. Oh and Rika and Yoshi are not half-siblings. They're stepsiblings. There's a difference since the former is blood related while the latter's just a matter of legality.
Stacy Janice Elton – Now you're what I call an enthusiast. You sent a review even before you read the fic. Hehe. I hoped you liked it though. *Hugs*
Zauriel – And you rock too!!!
L-chan – Okay…so now I'm pressured. I really, really want this story to turn out great but I'm still hung up with Amethyst Eyes that the style of writing between these two fics is similar. I even think some of the sentences are the same. Have patience with me. I hope that by next chapter things will turn out more unique.
Anavi – I think it's cool too. What I meant was I think Rika and Terada-sensei are the coolest. And I think you're cool too because you told me your opinion. Thanks. Long live R+T!!!
white eternity – Thanks *hugs*
Strife-07 – Hey, sweetie! Only a few more days left before summer begins. Are you excited? I'm not because it means I have to find a job and I'd have less time to write and read fics. Piece of advice: enjoy your school days while they last.
Anon. – Ooh. Thanks for your lovely review. I'll try not to disappoint you.
Shattered Midnight Dreams – Well, it's not really 'never'. You just have to know where and what to look but I have to admit that R+T fics are scarce.
God – Thank you, almighty one. I really need lots of blessings these days.
Dr Megalomania – It's cool to have Rika fight back, ne? I always thought she was too meek. But still her original characteristics are still there though they're buried underneath some mask. At least that's what I'm planning to do. Oops. I think I said too much.
lilsweetcherryblossom – Sure thing, sweetie. No, Yoshi's not related to the Sasaki family by blood. His mother is the second wife of Rika's father so they're stepsiblings. Am I still confusing you? Tell me if I am.
embattledcurve – And I hope I can keep it interesting enough for you guys. Tell me if it gets too boring or predictable.
Osama bin Laden – Aren't you supposed to be dead or in hiding or something. Hehe. I know. Corny. But can you blame me? Thanks for dropping by.
hikari – No, this won't be a 50-something-long story. Probably my usual less-than-20. I've been having trouble updating lately because I'm running out of ideas. I might even go for just ten chapters for this one. We'll see…