Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Fushigi Yuugi except for those
characters that I've come up with myself.
Beyond Perception: Perception 3
"Nee Ryuuen, what if Hou-san doesn't allow us a day off tomorrow? It'll be such a pity if we can't get to go watch the wrestling tournament after winning the tickets...and what's more, it's the front row tickets AND a chance to see Gou Heisha in person backstage! Argh!" Gan Kairun lamented, grabbing his sand-colored hair in both hands with frustration.
The boy called Ryuuen sighed deeply as he pushed some of his stray purple hair away from his face. "I dunno. I tried asking the counter officer in the admin building a while ago, and he rejected me outright. I'm placing my hopes with Hou-san now. I think there're two new ESPers today, so thought it'd be better to see Hou-san a little later." Ryuuen said as he recalled the earlier commotion between two particular redheads while he was trying to negotiate with the counter officer. "Let's hope he's done with them, and for us, cross our fingers." Ryuuen flashed his student pass at the training centre's door sensor before entering.
"REKKA....SHINEN!"
The voice caught both by surprise as they looked up just in time to see a semi-circular ring of fire created by a red-haired teenager, whom Ryuuen recognized as one of the two quarreling redheads earlier.
"Phew, that was a huge one," Ryuuen whistled. "But guess he's not done yet, so we'll have to wait a little."
"Well, I don't mind. I guess Hou-san's finishing up with him soon anyway," Kairun said as he folded his arms and leaned against one of the pillars of the building. "Say, Ryuuen...shall we bet whether the new guy'll get stricken with you? In any case, with that long hair of yours, you've already attracted quite a lot of male attention." He grinned mischievously.
"Mou...Kairun, stop that. I'm perfectly straight, alright? It's just a personal preference, that's all," Ryuuen groaned.
"Well, my friend. I can tell you that you're never gonna get a girlfriend...and I mean GIRLfriend...if you keep that hair."
"Nah, I haven't really given it any thought at all. Right now, it's just studies and wrestling.nothing else," Ryuuen replied and waved at their student affairs director when he waved at them.
"Aahh.your life's too boring," Kairun lamented. "At our age, now's the time to broaden our social circle.know more girls. For you, guys could do fine as well. Look.that new guy's hitting on you already." He joked as he noticed the redhead wave at them for no rhyme or reason, before waving back.
A large sweatdrop formed next to Ryuuen's head as he smiled awkwardly and waved back as a form of courtesy. "Kairun, if you don't shut your mouth this instant you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
"Hey, boys. I haven't seen you both in a while. Sorry for making you wait," Jinnou said apologetically as he approached them after the newbie turned to leave the training centre. "I see that Ryuuen's still keeping his hair." He joked.
Ryuuen shot Kairun a death glare when he heard the latter snigger. "No problem, Hou-san. We've got time to spare anyway. Yeah, it's been a long time...actually, we're here to ask of you a favor," the violet-haired boy said as he scratched his head, a little embarrassed and guilty that they visited their sensei only when they needed a favor. He mentally berated himself, keeping in mind to visit out of goodwill the next time.
"Haha...I kind of expected that you're here for some purpose," the director laughed good-heartedly as Ryuuen's face turned red. "Let's go back to the office. I still need to put back the equipment."
The two students waited patiently for Jinnou before he finally settled back down in his seat in the office. "So what kind of a favor would that be? If it's within my means, I'll definitely try to help you."
"Hou-san, we're actually wondering if you could let us have a day off tomorrow. There's a wrestling tournament taking place and it only happens once in four years, and we really would like to go. We've managed to win tickets to even meet some of the participants, and it's really a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity," Kairun rattled on, slightly over-excited and over- enthusiastic about viewing the tournament.
Hou-san frowned a little. "Hmm... but what about school? You'll definitely be missing lessons, won't you?"
"Kairun and I have lessons on only two subjects tomorrow, and there won't be any tests, so it shouldn't be too difficult for us to catch up with the subsequent lessons," Ryuuen chipped in, giving a more reasonable explanation than the one Kairun gave earlier.
"I see. I won't be very worried about you, Ryuuen, since your grades have been quite good and consistent. But as for Kairun... I'm a little concerned about tomorrow's day-off affecting your studies." Jinnou deliberated, his thumb and index finger absently placed under his chin in deep consideration.
"I'll definitely buck up this semester! If my grades are worse than last sem's, you can ground me then!" Kairun protested in desperation.
Jinnou smiled amusedly as he calmed the flustered teenager. "Now, now, young man. I only said that I'm worried about your studies being affected, but I didn't say that you can't go."
Ryuuen and Kairun broke into hopeful smiles. "So that means we can have the day off tomorrow?" They asked almost simultaneously.
"Well, I can't really stop the both of you, can I? Even if I don't allow you to, you'll most likely end up playing truant," Jinnou sighed, resigned to the fact that he is facing two of his most stubborn students.
"Yes! Thank you so much, Hou-san!" Ryuuen smiled gratefully at Jinnou. He could have hugged the director with joy, but thought the better of it lest his ability suffocates the poor man, and that probably might change his mind about giving them the day off. Ryuuen chose to simply shake hands with Jinnou, taking care not to exert too much strength.
"You're the best, Hou-san! Arigatou! Arigatou! Arigatou!" Kairun took Jinnou's hand from Ryuuen, and with both of his own shook it with fervor as he spoke.
Jinnou, although a little taken aback by the two's over-enthusiastic behavior, he envied the young boys' energy and vigor. "I'll give you a day off tomorrow, but you've to promise me you'll make sure your grades won't suffer because of it. I might get into trouble as well, you know?" He warned good-naturedly.
"You can take our word for it," Ryuuen assured, softly nudging Kairun, who nodded fervently and silently praying that he could get at least a pass for all his subjects in the current semester.
"Well, it's settled then. I'll inform your tutors of your absence tomorrow. Is there anything else? If not, you may be dismissed."
"Anou, Hou-san, are you free now? I mean...It's been a while since I've had a chat with you, so this is kind of a good opportunity to catch up with each other...No, don't get it wrong! I don't mean I want to chat because I asked you a favor! I...gahhh...!!" Ryuuen struggled to find the right words to say, but failed miserably. A small part of him did it out of guilt, but Ryuuen genuinely wanted to know how his ex-mentor, ever since the latter had been promoted, had been doing.
Jinnou smiled softly as he saw the violet-haired teenager stuttering. Of the many students whom he taught, Ryuuen was one of the brightest and most sensible, and perhaps the most unique student he ever had taken under his wing. "I've got plenty of time, my boy. In any case, I'd want to know how MY student is doing all this time. I've heard lots of good things about you."
Ryuuen blushed a bright red. Kairun also got the hint and excused himself. "Hou-san, I think I'll go off now. Once again, thanks so much for tomorrow. Ryuuen, I'll check with you later as to where and when to meet tomorrow, kay? Jaa ne, Hou-san!"
After Kairun had left the office, Jinnou spoke up, "So, I heard that you've won the inter-state wrestling championship the second time in a row. As expected from one of my best students," He joked.
Ryuuen smiled sheepishly at the compliment. "Well, that was a tough one. There were many others who were quite strong as well. One of the participants was manipulating his own weight, so you could imagine how hard it was to defeat him when he weighed like an elephant! But I managed to win that round somehow." Ryuuen smirked as he recalled his victory.
Jinnou looked at the boy and commented, "I was wondering... why haven't you cut your ponytail? It's been so long ago. If you don't mind telling me..."
Ryuuen paused a little in hesitation before answering, "Guess I still haven't really come to terms over Kourin's death completely. Perhaps this hair can still sort of remind me of her, although thanks to you, I've already accepted that I can't act like her forever," he smiled sadly, but not long before he brightened up a little, giving a wink as he joked, "At least I've done away with the make-up and attire."
Jinnou laughed. "That was a good thing. Even I initially thought you were a girl, until I saw your ID state clearly that your gender was male, and that made me wonder whether the admin department had made a mistake. But it's really good to know that you're starting to behave like a boy. I'm glad for you."
"Argh, Hou-san, I AM already behaving like a boy. Look at my clothes...they're clearly a guy's. And my face is clean of cosmetics!" Ryuuen protested, before calming down a little and reflecting. "But really, if it weren't for you, I think I would still have remained in Kourin's shadow."
Jinnou gazed empathetically at Ryuuen. The boy had indeed grown a lot. Clad in a buttoned down light brown shirt, its long sleeves rolled up to his elbow, coupled with loose black jeans and sports shoes, Ryuuen would have looked like any typical teenage boy, save for his long hair. And the smile that he almost always wears on his face would make anybody find it hard to believe that beneath this image and smile lies a sad history that only Jinnou and a few other close ones know.
"Do you still blame yourself for her death?" Jinnou inquired. "I've told you before, you're not to blame, you know?"
"If I had been fast enough...if I had known she was following me...to get the ball...she wouldn't have been run over by that car. What's my ESP for if I couldn't at least stop the car to know who killed my sister? I'd rather give up my ESP to have Kourin back. Or at least know who was that bastard behind the wheel." Ryuuen spat, before realizing that he had stood up from his seat, his anger getting the better of him.
Ryuuen heaved a long sigh before settling back down and continued, "Sorry...I'd be lying if I said I'd stopped blaming myself. If I had, I would have cut this long ago." he twirled his long plaited hair.
"As the saying goes, 'Time heals all wounds'. I'm sure you'll be able to forgive yourself in time to come. You've already been able to stop acting like your sister, haven't you?" Jinnou reassured.
"That was thanks to your counseling, Hou-san," Ryuuen insisted. "Anyway, I've sort of put the past behind me. Let's talk about you instead. I'd been wondering how you were able to get promoted to such high position in such short time, and also."
[[Ryuuen, my boy. You didn't realize that it was you alone who achieved what you've achieved today. Your own strong will has made it possible. I wish you all the best]], Jinnou thought as he listened to Ryuuen prattling on about his occupation. He silently prayed to the gods above to bless this boy whom he had come to regard as the son whom he never had.
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//Ladies and Gentlemen, the National Wrestling Championships will commence in 15 minutes. Please proceed to your respective spectator seats while waiting for the event to begin..Ladies and Gentlement.//
"Phew! We finally made it here in time, haven't we?" Kairun grinned as he gave a thumbs-up sign.
Ryuuen panted as he struggled to catch his breath. "Count yourself...lucky....If we're late...kill you..."
"Awww, C'mon Ryuuen. If not for the fact that I was trying hard to maintain my grades, I wouldn't have stayed up the whole night doing my homework and overslept the next day." Kairun lamented.
"That was last week's homework! And you were copying mine! So much for trying to maintain your grades," Ryuuen mumbled, slightly annoyed by his neighboring roommate's tardiness.
Kairun dismissed it lightly. "Nah...If I could, I would have done it faster and saved you so much trouble. Too bad I could only create the school pad or exercise book without the contents."
"I'm glad your ability ends there. Thanks to you, I've got all kinds of junk and pink elephants sitting in my room right now as we speak," Ryuuen complained, indicating the various kinds of display items that Kairun has drawn and created to real life, claiming they were masterpiece gifts to Ryuuen in exchange for his help.
"Hmm...or would you prefer animals? I can't draw too large things, but birds and fishes can do," Kairun suggested.
Ryuuen shuddered when he remembered his friend drawing a frog out of boredom during class, which later manifested into a real-life frog that jumped around the whole classroom causing chaos amongst the students. "Gee, no thanks," he rejected the offer, trying to change the subject. "I think we'd better look for our seats first, in case we can't find them when the event starts."
"Yeah, let's go! I can't wait to see Gou Heisha!"
As expected, the tickets were a total sell-out, and consequently, the spectator seats within the stadium registered a full-house as people from all walks of life and from all areas of the country gathered with a common hobby-wrestling, and unanimous purpose-the National Wrestling Championships. As the last latecomers streamed in, the lights started dimming to a minimum, leaving the stage in the centre the only area basking in the bright spotlights.
Whispers and murmurs evolved into loud cheers and cat whistles as the commentator declared the opening of the competition, and the audience cheered for their individual idols as they competed in the ring. Ryuuen and Kairun rooted for Gou Heisha as they saw him brisk through the selection round, and later the quarter-finals and semi-finals, to end up as one of the two finalists.
Ryuuen had always been a fan of Gou Heisha, a Kutou-jin who had belted several wrestling awards in the ESPer category, including those from the last championships. Gou Heisha, like Ryuuen himself, was an ESPer, his ability being able to transform into half-man, half-wolf. Of course, with the transformation, Gou was able to acquire the sharp instincts and agility of the animal that he partially changed into, an asset that he could put to use in the ring. Ryuuen watched in awe at the final round of competition that was taking place on the wrestling ring, the victory seeming to lean more towards his idol's side as he cheered on.
At half time, both final round participants sat down heavily on opposite sides, worn out from the fight. Gou Heisha sat panting with slight exhaustion, beads of perspiration peppering all over his tall body and face. His opponent was just as tired, if not, in an even worse shape than Heisha, as seen from the bruises on his body that were inflicted from the fight. Although equipped with an ESP that allows his body to increase muscle mass for extending more forceful punches and kicks, he did not have the agility that Gou had for defense.
Heisha re-tied his long gray mane into a neater ponytail before standing back up as the bell rang once again, signaling the resumption of the competition. Heisha's opponent was clearly on the losing end as he tried in vain to pull off any punches. Heisha, on the other hand, was still as agile in any round, skillfully dodging his opponent's attacks and returning his own. The second half of the final round did not take as long as the first, which soon ended as Heisha lifted up his dazed challenger in the air for a few seconds, and with a howl, threw him smack down on the ground, knocking him flat out.
As the trophy was awarded to him, Heisha raised it high in the air for all to see, earning louder cheers and whistles from the audience. He stood standing in the ring for a further few minutes before stepping off to proceed to the backstage, stopping at certain times to turn and bid farewell to those who supported him.
"He's going off! Ryuuen, let's go," Kairun said as he pulled his friend's arm, the sudden movement jerking Ryuuen off his seat.
"Hey, slow down! It's not as if he's gonna disappear anywhere soon. Besides, there're also other people who've won tickets to the backstage, so if Gou Heisha DOES disappear, there's bound to be complaints," Ryuuen reasoned, although he himself was just as excited as Kairun was, who was dragging him amongst the crowd towards the entrance to the backstage.
After showing the letter proving their permitted entrance to several burly men whom Ryuuen presumed to be bodyguards, both teenagers hurried in to look for their idol. Gou Heisha's room was not difficult to locate, since each participant's name was put up clearly on each door, and in alphabetical order, to indicate the respective participant's room. It was obvious who Ryuuen and Kairun were looking for, as they stood outside the room whose door label stated 'Gou Heisha', pausing to take a few deep breaths and entered the room, but not without first knocking politely.
The room was not very large, save for a few gym equipment situated at the side, and a mirror on the opposite wall. At the end of the room where the few couches and bench stands were, the teenagers spotted Gou Heisha chatting with a few other people whom they reckoned to be other backstage ticket winners like them. As both of them approached the group, Heisha laughed heartily at a comment that somebody made as he took a few more gulps of what looked like a glucose supplement beverage from his glass. Ryuuen and Kairun knew their presence was acknowledged when Heisha looked up from the group in their direction.
"You've also won tickets to the backstage I suppose?" Heisha smiled broadly as he stood up from his seat, extending out a large hand to Ryuuen. "You are...?"
Ryuuen and Kairun gulped as Heisha stood up from his sitting position to show the full extent of his height. Although they knew about his 230m-tall stature from the magazines, as well as through the obvious height difference between him and his opponents during matches, the true degree of such altitude could never be clearer than when standing just next to Gou Heisha himself.
"Ryu...Ryuuen," Ryuuen could only utter his name as he took Heisha's hand and shook it, still dumbfounded and feeling smaller and dwarfish than ever before as he stood two to three heads shorter than the giant Kutou-jin.
"And you...?" Heisha turned to Kairun.
"I...I'm Kairun. Pleased to meet you, Gou-san," Kairun shook Heisha's hand, soon forgetting his nervousness as he rattled on, "I've always been a fan of yours. Ryuuen too! We came all the way from Konan just to see your match. We're so happy that you've won!"
Heisha gave another hearty laugh. "I'm very pleased to meet you too, and honored as well to know that some of you actually came from other states just to watch my matches...not just from Konan, but also from Sairou and Hokkan. I really thank you all for your time and effort."
"Oh no, please don't mention it, Gou-san. We are the ones who are fortunate to be able to meet you in person," Ryuuen finally spoke up.
"Yeah, I really like your wrestling techniques, especially the one where you hold the opponent's hands to the back and tackle his legs," chipped in another fan.
"How did you train for your matches? I sure do hope I can get those kind of muscles..." piped up another.
The more Ryuuen chatted with Heisha, the greater the boy's admiration and respect for the professional wrestler. Despite his massive physique, Heisha had a friendly disposition which made him likeable upon first impression, and when tickled, has no qualms about holding back his laughter. Although granted only one hour of interaction with the celebrity, Ryuuen thoroughly enjoyed himself as he listened to Heisha's experiences in being a wrestler, and learnt some wrestling techniques from the man. He would have hoped to have more time to get to know his idol better, but as he and Kairun bid Heisha farewell, he knew that this single brief meeting had strengthened his resolution to be one of the world's top wrestlers.
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"Seems like we haven't missed much for yesterday's lessons," Ryuuen commented as he strode casually back to his hostel room.
"Yeah, as if. I couldn't follow what Chu-sensei said about amines and phenylamines," Kairun lamented as he dragged his feet while walking alongside Ryuuen, both hands holding onto the straps of his backpack. "Chemistry's getting boring."
"Well, if you had been more attentive in class and quit doodling pictures in your textbook, you would have found Chemistry more interesting," Ryuuen chided. "And I don't think you'd want to be grounded next sem by Hou-san, do you?"
Kairun shuddered at the thought of having to stay back in class every day for additional tutoring. "Of course not. But if only all subjects were like Art class, it would have been much more fun, and I could have easily scored straight A's. Or probably if my ESP was something like yours, I wouldn't have had drawn so much and not paid attention in class. If only I had an ability that I could use in wrestling, then I could have hopes of being a pro wrestler. If only I were you, minus the appearance," He sighed. "Anyway, your lover's here."
Ryuuen was ready to hammer Kairun for the appearance insult when he noticed the lone figure strolling down the hostel corridor. With complexion as smooth as porcelain, and well-defined facial features complete with compelling almond-brown eyes, Seishuku Saihitei was regarded by many as the epitome of beauty that neither man nor woman could rival. His silky, chestnut-brown hair reaching past his waist that was usually tied into a loose ponytail was all the more sought after by hair-advertising agencies. The dark grey business suit that he wore belied the youth of his appearance, making him look more matured than his present eighteen years of age.
"Yo, Saihitei! Going back to your office?" Kairun called out towards the end of the corridor from where Saihitei was approaching, eyes fixated onto the diary that he held open in his hands.
Ryuuen's face turned scarlet when Saihitei looked up in their direction and waved. The violet-haired boy had no reason NOT to blush, especially when he, during those days when he was dressed and behaving as Kourin, had actually tried to hit on the popular Adonis in his class. Whether or not Saihitei had realized it, Ryuuen did not, and would not want to know, having avoided his classmate ever since he reverted back to his male identity.
"Hi Kairun, and you too, Ryuuen. Yup, I've got a meeting later on, so I've got to rush back to the office. Haven't spoken much to you both in class. Guess I was too busy shuffling between work and school," Saihitei smiled apologetically. "So how have you been?"
[[Act normal, you baka. What's in the past is over, so be yourself!]] Ryuuen mentally berated himself, trying to focus on the conversation. "Quite okay, I guess. At least we don't have anymore drawn-out frogs or toads hopping around in class," he looked at Kairun, who muttered something about drawing hamsters the next time round, earning a soft laugh from Saihitei. "Apart from that, nothing much eventful I suppose. How's your work getting along? It seems quite tough on you, being the president of your company at this age."
Saihitei sighed. It was not a choice of his to undertake such high position, but rather, an obligation to fulfill as he was the rightful heir to his father's business, which happened to be one of the major shareholders in TESPO and main support to the Konan ESPer Institution. And ever since his father passed away when he was still a child, his burden only became heavier as he spent all his time learning the operations of the company, leaving little time for play. "A little tiring, but guess I'll get by. I'm already used to it anyway."
"Aahhh, how nice if I could have the same privilege as you in getting in and out of school as I please," Kairun bemoaned. "Then I could have taken day-offs without the fear of getting grounded."
"Trust me, you wouldn't want to be in my shoes," Saihitei said. "Besides, when I get out of school, it's always on business."
Ryuuen agreed. "Yeah, if you really had that privilege, I wouldn't be seeing you in class anymore 'cause you'd be practically having a day off every day. Anyway, we need our Seishuku-san to see to it that Konan Institution doesn't collapse, ne?" he joked and unconsciously placed a hand on his hip, a die-hard habit that he was unable to kick off.
"Oh, I didn't know you'd miss me that much if I weren't in class," Kairun placed a hand on his cheek, pretending to be flattered. "But too bad, Ryuuen. I'm not interested in guys. I'm afraid you'll have to look for someone else."
Saihitei laughed lightly as he checked his watch while Ryuuen attempted to strangle Kairun. "Well, guess I'd better be going off for work now, otherwise Konan Institution MIGHT really collapse. It's really nice talking to you both. See you around." He bid them farewell before walking away briskly, realizing how little he knew about his classmates, how interesting some of them could be, and how often he had not smiled in ages.
"Nee, Kairun. Saihitei's not as aloof as we thought him to be, don't you think?" Ryuuen spoke up as Saihitei walked away and out of earshot, relieved that the conversation was not as tense and awkward as he had initially thought. "He seems quite a nice guy."
"Ahh...our Ryuuen's falling in love all over with his old flame," Kairun drawled. "How romantic."
Ryuuen need not say anything, for he sent Kairun flying to the nearest wall.
Kimirei's Comments:
Okay, hope you're all not confused as to why the heck Tomite's in Konan or why on earth Nuriko and Ashitare (if you still haven't figured it out) are on such good terms. Probably because I come from a country with 4 main races inter-mingling all over the country, I thought it might be more logical this way since it's based somewhat on a modern setting where anywhere is accessible to everywhere. Moreover, I've shrunk the FY world into a single country with 4 states, which justifies this point further. But this doesn't mean there aren't any other countries outside this. I might want to include them in future...or maybe not...
As to why some characters are alive when they're supposed to be dead (Tomite), or why some old folks become youthful again (Tokaki), well...It just feels nicer that way. But for the time being, the story will be focused on three main characters. I've given you the first two. The third character will be revealed in the next chapter.
Beyond Perception: Perception 3
"Nee Ryuuen, what if Hou-san doesn't allow us a day off tomorrow? It'll be such a pity if we can't get to go watch the wrestling tournament after winning the tickets...and what's more, it's the front row tickets AND a chance to see Gou Heisha in person backstage! Argh!" Gan Kairun lamented, grabbing his sand-colored hair in both hands with frustration.
The boy called Ryuuen sighed deeply as he pushed some of his stray purple hair away from his face. "I dunno. I tried asking the counter officer in the admin building a while ago, and he rejected me outright. I'm placing my hopes with Hou-san now. I think there're two new ESPers today, so thought it'd be better to see Hou-san a little later." Ryuuen said as he recalled the earlier commotion between two particular redheads while he was trying to negotiate with the counter officer. "Let's hope he's done with them, and for us, cross our fingers." Ryuuen flashed his student pass at the training centre's door sensor before entering.
"REKKA....SHINEN!"
The voice caught both by surprise as they looked up just in time to see a semi-circular ring of fire created by a red-haired teenager, whom Ryuuen recognized as one of the two quarreling redheads earlier.
"Phew, that was a huge one," Ryuuen whistled. "But guess he's not done yet, so we'll have to wait a little."
"Well, I don't mind. I guess Hou-san's finishing up with him soon anyway," Kairun said as he folded his arms and leaned against one of the pillars of the building. "Say, Ryuuen...shall we bet whether the new guy'll get stricken with you? In any case, with that long hair of yours, you've already attracted quite a lot of male attention." He grinned mischievously.
"Mou...Kairun, stop that. I'm perfectly straight, alright? It's just a personal preference, that's all," Ryuuen groaned.
"Well, my friend. I can tell you that you're never gonna get a girlfriend...and I mean GIRLfriend...if you keep that hair."
"Nah, I haven't really given it any thought at all. Right now, it's just studies and wrestling.nothing else," Ryuuen replied and waved at their student affairs director when he waved at them.
"Aahh.your life's too boring," Kairun lamented. "At our age, now's the time to broaden our social circle.know more girls. For you, guys could do fine as well. Look.that new guy's hitting on you already." He joked as he noticed the redhead wave at them for no rhyme or reason, before waving back.
A large sweatdrop formed next to Ryuuen's head as he smiled awkwardly and waved back as a form of courtesy. "Kairun, if you don't shut your mouth this instant you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
"Hey, boys. I haven't seen you both in a while. Sorry for making you wait," Jinnou said apologetically as he approached them after the newbie turned to leave the training centre. "I see that Ryuuen's still keeping his hair." He joked.
Ryuuen shot Kairun a death glare when he heard the latter snigger. "No problem, Hou-san. We've got time to spare anyway. Yeah, it's been a long time...actually, we're here to ask of you a favor," the violet-haired boy said as he scratched his head, a little embarrassed and guilty that they visited their sensei only when they needed a favor. He mentally berated himself, keeping in mind to visit out of goodwill the next time.
"Haha...I kind of expected that you're here for some purpose," the director laughed good-heartedly as Ryuuen's face turned red. "Let's go back to the office. I still need to put back the equipment."
The two students waited patiently for Jinnou before he finally settled back down in his seat in the office. "So what kind of a favor would that be? If it's within my means, I'll definitely try to help you."
"Hou-san, we're actually wondering if you could let us have a day off tomorrow. There's a wrestling tournament taking place and it only happens once in four years, and we really would like to go. We've managed to win tickets to even meet some of the participants, and it's really a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity," Kairun rattled on, slightly over-excited and over- enthusiastic about viewing the tournament.
Hou-san frowned a little. "Hmm... but what about school? You'll definitely be missing lessons, won't you?"
"Kairun and I have lessons on only two subjects tomorrow, and there won't be any tests, so it shouldn't be too difficult for us to catch up with the subsequent lessons," Ryuuen chipped in, giving a more reasonable explanation than the one Kairun gave earlier.
"I see. I won't be very worried about you, Ryuuen, since your grades have been quite good and consistent. But as for Kairun... I'm a little concerned about tomorrow's day-off affecting your studies." Jinnou deliberated, his thumb and index finger absently placed under his chin in deep consideration.
"I'll definitely buck up this semester! If my grades are worse than last sem's, you can ground me then!" Kairun protested in desperation.
Jinnou smiled amusedly as he calmed the flustered teenager. "Now, now, young man. I only said that I'm worried about your studies being affected, but I didn't say that you can't go."
Ryuuen and Kairun broke into hopeful smiles. "So that means we can have the day off tomorrow?" They asked almost simultaneously.
"Well, I can't really stop the both of you, can I? Even if I don't allow you to, you'll most likely end up playing truant," Jinnou sighed, resigned to the fact that he is facing two of his most stubborn students.
"Yes! Thank you so much, Hou-san!" Ryuuen smiled gratefully at Jinnou. He could have hugged the director with joy, but thought the better of it lest his ability suffocates the poor man, and that probably might change his mind about giving them the day off. Ryuuen chose to simply shake hands with Jinnou, taking care not to exert too much strength.
"You're the best, Hou-san! Arigatou! Arigatou! Arigatou!" Kairun took Jinnou's hand from Ryuuen, and with both of his own shook it with fervor as he spoke.
Jinnou, although a little taken aback by the two's over-enthusiastic behavior, he envied the young boys' energy and vigor. "I'll give you a day off tomorrow, but you've to promise me you'll make sure your grades won't suffer because of it. I might get into trouble as well, you know?" He warned good-naturedly.
"You can take our word for it," Ryuuen assured, softly nudging Kairun, who nodded fervently and silently praying that he could get at least a pass for all his subjects in the current semester.
"Well, it's settled then. I'll inform your tutors of your absence tomorrow. Is there anything else? If not, you may be dismissed."
"Anou, Hou-san, are you free now? I mean...It's been a while since I've had a chat with you, so this is kind of a good opportunity to catch up with each other...No, don't get it wrong! I don't mean I want to chat because I asked you a favor! I...gahhh...!!" Ryuuen struggled to find the right words to say, but failed miserably. A small part of him did it out of guilt, but Ryuuen genuinely wanted to know how his ex-mentor, ever since the latter had been promoted, had been doing.
Jinnou smiled softly as he saw the violet-haired teenager stuttering. Of the many students whom he taught, Ryuuen was one of the brightest and most sensible, and perhaps the most unique student he ever had taken under his wing. "I've got plenty of time, my boy. In any case, I'd want to know how MY student is doing all this time. I've heard lots of good things about you."
Ryuuen blushed a bright red. Kairun also got the hint and excused himself. "Hou-san, I think I'll go off now. Once again, thanks so much for tomorrow. Ryuuen, I'll check with you later as to where and when to meet tomorrow, kay? Jaa ne, Hou-san!"
After Kairun had left the office, Jinnou spoke up, "So, I heard that you've won the inter-state wrestling championship the second time in a row. As expected from one of my best students," He joked.
Ryuuen smiled sheepishly at the compliment. "Well, that was a tough one. There were many others who were quite strong as well. One of the participants was manipulating his own weight, so you could imagine how hard it was to defeat him when he weighed like an elephant! But I managed to win that round somehow." Ryuuen smirked as he recalled his victory.
Jinnou looked at the boy and commented, "I was wondering... why haven't you cut your ponytail? It's been so long ago. If you don't mind telling me..."
Ryuuen paused a little in hesitation before answering, "Guess I still haven't really come to terms over Kourin's death completely. Perhaps this hair can still sort of remind me of her, although thanks to you, I've already accepted that I can't act like her forever," he smiled sadly, but not long before he brightened up a little, giving a wink as he joked, "At least I've done away with the make-up and attire."
Jinnou laughed. "That was a good thing. Even I initially thought you were a girl, until I saw your ID state clearly that your gender was male, and that made me wonder whether the admin department had made a mistake. But it's really good to know that you're starting to behave like a boy. I'm glad for you."
"Argh, Hou-san, I AM already behaving like a boy. Look at my clothes...they're clearly a guy's. And my face is clean of cosmetics!" Ryuuen protested, before calming down a little and reflecting. "But really, if it weren't for you, I think I would still have remained in Kourin's shadow."
Jinnou gazed empathetically at Ryuuen. The boy had indeed grown a lot. Clad in a buttoned down light brown shirt, its long sleeves rolled up to his elbow, coupled with loose black jeans and sports shoes, Ryuuen would have looked like any typical teenage boy, save for his long hair. And the smile that he almost always wears on his face would make anybody find it hard to believe that beneath this image and smile lies a sad history that only Jinnou and a few other close ones know.
"Do you still blame yourself for her death?" Jinnou inquired. "I've told you before, you're not to blame, you know?"
"If I had been fast enough...if I had known she was following me...to get the ball...she wouldn't have been run over by that car. What's my ESP for if I couldn't at least stop the car to know who killed my sister? I'd rather give up my ESP to have Kourin back. Or at least know who was that bastard behind the wheel." Ryuuen spat, before realizing that he had stood up from his seat, his anger getting the better of him.
Ryuuen heaved a long sigh before settling back down and continued, "Sorry...I'd be lying if I said I'd stopped blaming myself. If I had, I would have cut this long ago." he twirled his long plaited hair.
"As the saying goes, 'Time heals all wounds'. I'm sure you'll be able to forgive yourself in time to come. You've already been able to stop acting like your sister, haven't you?" Jinnou reassured.
"That was thanks to your counseling, Hou-san," Ryuuen insisted. "Anyway, I've sort of put the past behind me. Let's talk about you instead. I'd been wondering how you were able to get promoted to such high position in such short time, and also."
[[Ryuuen, my boy. You didn't realize that it was you alone who achieved what you've achieved today. Your own strong will has made it possible. I wish you all the best]], Jinnou thought as he listened to Ryuuen prattling on about his occupation. He silently prayed to the gods above to bless this boy whom he had come to regard as the son whom he never had.
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//Ladies and Gentlemen, the National Wrestling Championships will commence in 15 minutes. Please proceed to your respective spectator seats while waiting for the event to begin..Ladies and Gentlement.//
"Phew! We finally made it here in time, haven't we?" Kairun grinned as he gave a thumbs-up sign.
Ryuuen panted as he struggled to catch his breath. "Count yourself...lucky....If we're late...kill you..."
"Awww, C'mon Ryuuen. If not for the fact that I was trying hard to maintain my grades, I wouldn't have stayed up the whole night doing my homework and overslept the next day." Kairun lamented.
"That was last week's homework! And you were copying mine! So much for trying to maintain your grades," Ryuuen mumbled, slightly annoyed by his neighboring roommate's tardiness.
Kairun dismissed it lightly. "Nah...If I could, I would have done it faster and saved you so much trouble. Too bad I could only create the school pad or exercise book without the contents."
"I'm glad your ability ends there. Thanks to you, I've got all kinds of junk and pink elephants sitting in my room right now as we speak," Ryuuen complained, indicating the various kinds of display items that Kairun has drawn and created to real life, claiming they were masterpiece gifts to Ryuuen in exchange for his help.
"Hmm...or would you prefer animals? I can't draw too large things, but birds and fishes can do," Kairun suggested.
Ryuuen shuddered when he remembered his friend drawing a frog out of boredom during class, which later manifested into a real-life frog that jumped around the whole classroom causing chaos amongst the students. "Gee, no thanks," he rejected the offer, trying to change the subject. "I think we'd better look for our seats first, in case we can't find them when the event starts."
"Yeah, let's go! I can't wait to see Gou Heisha!"
As expected, the tickets were a total sell-out, and consequently, the spectator seats within the stadium registered a full-house as people from all walks of life and from all areas of the country gathered with a common hobby-wrestling, and unanimous purpose-the National Wrestling Championships. As the last latecomers streamed in, the lights started dimming to a minimum, leaving the stage in the centre the only area basking in the bright spotlights.
Whispers and murmurs evolved into loud cheers and cat whistles as the commentator declared the opening of the competition, and the audience cheered for their individual idols as they competed in the ring. Ryuuen and Kairun rooted for Gou Heisha as they saw him brisk through the selection round, and later the quarter-finals and semi-finals, to end up as one of the two finalists.
Ryuuen had always been a fan of Gou Heisha, a Kutou-jin who had belted several wrestling awards in the ESPer category, including those from the last championships. Gou Heisha, like Ryuuen himself, was an ESPer, his ability being able to transform into half-man, half-wolf. Of course, with the transformation, Gou was able to acquire the sharp instincts and agility of the animal that he partially changed into, an asset that he could put to use in the ring. Ryuuen watched in awe at the final round of competition that was taking place on the wrestling ring, the victory seeming to lean more towards his idol's side as he cheered on.
At half time, both final round participants sat down heavily on opposite sides, worn out from the fight. Gou Heisha sat panting with slight exhaustion, beads of perspiration peppering all over his tall body and face. His opponent was just as tired, if not, in an even worse shape than Heisha, as seen from the bruises on his body that were inflicted from the fight. Although equipped with an ESP that allows his body to increase muscle mass for extending more forceful punches and kicks, he did not have the agility that Gou had for defense.
Heisha re-tied his long gray mane into a neater ponytail before standing back up as the bell rang once again, signaling the resumption of the competition. Heisha's opponent was clearly on the losing end as he tried in vain to pull off any punches. Heisha, on the other hand, was still as agile in any round, skillfully dodging his opponent's attacks and returning his own. The second half of the final round did not take as long as the first, which soon ended as Heisha lifted up his dazed challenger in the air for a few seconds, and with a howl, threw him smack down on the ground, knocking him flat out.
As the trophy was awarded to him, Heisha raised it high in the air for all to see, earning louder cheers and whistles from the audience. He stood standing in the ring for a further few minutes before stepping off to proceed to the backstage, stopping at certain times to turn and bid farewell to those who supported him.
"He's going off! Ryuuen, let's go," Kairun said as he pulled his friend's arm, the sudden movement jerking Ryuuen off his seat.
"Hey, slow down! It's not as if he's gonna disappear anywhere soon. Besides, there're also other people who've won tickets to the backstage, so if Gou Heisha DOES disappear, there's bound to be complaints," Ryuuen reasoned, although he himself was just as excited as Kairun was, who was dragging him amongst the crowd towards the entrance to the backstage.
After showing the letter proving their permitted entrance to several burly men whom Ryuuen presumed to be bodyguards, both teenagers hurried in to look for their idol. Gou Heisha's room was not difficult to locate, since each participant's name was put up clearly on each door, and in alphabetical order, to indicate the respective participant's room. It was obvious who Ryuuen and Kairun were looking for, as they stood outside the room whose door label stated 'Gou Heisha', pausing to take a few deep breaths and entered the room, but not without first knocking politely.
The room was not very large, save for a few gym equipment situated at the side, and a mirror on the opposite wall. At the end of the room where the few couches and bench stands were, the teenagers spotted Gou Heisha chatting with a few other people whom they reckoned to be other backstage ticket winners like them. As both of them approached the group, Heisha laughed heartily at a comment that somebody made as he took a few more gulps of what looked like a glucose supplement beverage from his glass. Ryuuen and Kairun knew their presence was acknowledged when Heisha looked up from the group in their direction.
"You've also won tickets to the backstage I suppose?" Heisha smiled broadly as he stood up from his seat, extending out a large hand to Ryuuen. "You are...?"
Ryuuen and Kairun gulped as Heisha stood up from his sitting position to show the full extent of his height. Although they knew about his 230m-tall stature from the magazines, as well as through the obvious height difference between him and his opponents during matches, the true degree of such altitude could never be clearer than when standing just next to Gou Heisha himself.
"Ryu...Ryuuen," Ryuuen could only utter his name as he took Heisha's hand and shook it, still dumbfounded and feeling smaller and dwarfish than ever before as he stood two to three heads shorter than the giant Kutou-jin.
"And you...?" Heisha turned to Kairun.
"I...I'm Kairun. Pleased to meet you, Gou-san," Kairun shook Heisha's hand, soon forgetting his nervousness as he rattled on, "I've always been a fan of yours. Ryuuen too! We came all the way from Konan just to see your match. We're so happy that you've won!"
Heisha gave another hearty laugh. "I'm very pleased to meet you too, and honored as well to know that some of you actually came from other states just to watch my matches...not just from Konan, but also from Sairou and Hokkan. I really thank you all for your time and effort."
"Oh no, please don't mention it, Gou-san. We are the ones who are fortunate to be able to meet you in person," Ryuuen finally spoke up.
"Yeah, I really like your wrestling techniques, especially the one where you hold the opponent's hands to the back and tackle his legs," chipped in another fan.
"How did you train for your matches? I sure do hope I can get those kind of muscles..." piped up another.
The more Ryuuen chatted with Heisha, the greater the boy's admiration and respect for the professional wrestler. Despite his massive physique, Heisha had a friendly disposition which made him likeable upon first impression, and when tickled, has no qualms about holding back his laughter. Although granted only one hour of interaction with the celebrity, Ryuuen thoroughly enjoyed himself as he listened to Heisha's experiences in being a wrestler, and learnt some wrestling techniques from the man. He would have hoped to have more time to get to know his idol better, but as he and Kairun bid Heisha farewell, he knew that this single brief meeting had strengthened his resolution to be one of the world's top wrestlers.
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"Seems like we haven't missed much for yesterday's lessons," Ryuuen commented as he strode casually back to his hostel room.
"Yeah, as if. I couldn't follow what Chu-sensei said about amines and phenylamines," Kairun lamented as he dragged his feet while walking alongside Ryuuen, both hands holding onto the straps of his backpack. "Chemistry's getting boring."
"Well, if you had been more attentive in class and quit doodling pictures in your textbook, you would have found Chemistry more interesting," Ryuuen chided. "And I don't think you'd want to be grounded next sem by Hou-san, do you?"
Kairun shuddered at the thought of having to stay back in class every day for additional tutoring. "Of course not. But if only all subjects were like Art class, it would have been much more fun, and I could have easily scored straight A's. Or probably if my ESP was something like yours, I wouldn't have had drawn so much and not paid attention in class. If only I had an ability that I could use in wrestling, then I could have hopes of being a pro wrestler. If only I were you, minus the appearance," He sighed. "Anyway, your lover's here."
Ryuuen was ready to hammer Kairun for the appearance insult when he noticed the lone figure strolling down the hostel corridor. With complexion as smooth as porcelain, and well-defined facial features complete with compelling almond-brown eyes, Seishuku Saihitei was regarded by many as the epitome of beauty that neither man nor woman could rival. His silky, chestnut-brown hair reaching past his waist that was usually tied into a loose ponytail was all the more sought after by hair-advertising agencies. The dark grey business suit that he wore belied the youth of his appearance, making him look more matured than his present eighteen years of age.
"Yo, Saihitei! Going back to your office?" Kairun called out towards the end of the corridor from where Saihitei was approaching, eyes fixated onto the diary that he held open in his hands.
Ryuuen's face turned scarlet when Saihitei looked up in their direction and waved. The violet-haired boy had no reason NOT to blush, especially when he, during those days when he was dressed and behaving as Kourin, had actually tried to hit on the popular Adonis in his class. Whether or not Saihitei had realized it, Ryuuen did not, and would not want to know, having avoided his classmate ever since he reverted back to his male identity.
"Hi Kairun, and you too, Ryuuen. Yup, I've got a meeting later on, so I've got to rush back to the office. Haven't spoken much to you both in class. Guess I was too busy shuffling between work and school," Saihitei smiled apologetically. "So how have you been?"
[[Act normal, you baka. What's in the past is over, so be yourself!]] Ryuuen mentally berated himself, trying to focus on the conversation. "Quite okay, I guess. At least we don't have anymore drawn-out frogs or toads hopping around in class," he looked at Kairun, who muttered something about drawing hamsters the next time round, earning a soft laugh from Saihitei. "Apart from that, nothing much eventful I suppose. How's your work getting along? It seems quite tough on you, being the president of your company at this age."
Saihitei sighed. It was not a choice of his to undertake such high position, but rather, an obligation to fulfill as he was the rightful heir to his father's business, which happened to be one of the major shareholders in TESPO and main support to the Konan ESPer Institution. And ever since his father passed away when he was still a child, his burden only became heavier as he spent all his time learning the operations of the company, leaving little time for play. "A little tiring, but guess I'll get by. I'm already used to it anyway."
"Aahhh, how nice if I could have the same privilege as you in getting in and out of school as I please," Kairun bemoaned. "Then I could have taken day-offs without the fear of getting grounded."
"Trust me, you wouldn't want to be in my shoes," Saihitei said. "Besides, when I get out of school, it's always on business."
Ryuuen agreed. "Yeah, if you really had that privilege, I wouldn't be seeing you in class anymore 'cause you'd be practically having a day off every day. Anyway, we need our Seishuku-san to see to it that Konan Institution doesn't collapse, ne?" he joked and unconsciously placed a hand on his hip, a die-hard habit that he was unable to kick off.
"Oh, I didn't know you'd miss me that much if I weren't in class," Kairun placed a hand on his cheek, pretending to be flattered. "But too bad, Ryuuen. I'm not interested in guys. I'm afraid you'll have to look for someone else."
Saihitei laughed lightly as he checked his watch while Ryuuen attempted to strangle Kairun. "Well, guess I'd better be going off for work now, otherwise Konan Institution MIGHT really collapse. It's really nice talking to you both. See you around." He bid them farewell before walking away briskly, realizing how little he knew about his classmates, how interesting some of them could be, and how often he had not smiled in ages.
"Nee, Kairun. Saihitei's not as aloof as we thought him to be, don't you think?" Ryuuen spoke up as Saihitei walked away and out of earshot, relieved that the conversation was not as tense and awkward as he had initially thought. "He seems quite a nice guy."
"Ahh...our Ryuuen's falling in love all over with his old flame," Kairun drawled. "How romantic."
Ryuuen need not say anything, for he sent Kairun flying to the nearest wall.
Kimirei's Comments:
Okay, hope you're all not confused as to why the heck Tomite's in Konan or why on earth Nuriko and Ashitare (if you still haven't figured it out) are on such good terms. Probably because I come from a country with 4 main races inter-mingling all over the country, I thought it might be more logical this way since it's based somewhat on a modern setting where anywhere is accessible to everywhere. Moreover, I've shrunk the FY world into a single country with 4 states, which justifies this point further. But this doesn't mean there aren't any other countries outside this. I might want to include them in future...or maybe not...
As to why some characters are alive when they're supposed to be dead (Tomite), or why some old folks become youthful again (Tokaki), well...It just feels nicer that way. But for the time being, the story will be focused on three main characters. I've given you the first two. The third character will be revealed in the next chapter.