Disclaimer: I don't own "Escaflowne"or "Save the Last Dance"
I don´t own Nat King Cole´s "When I fall in love".
A/N: Hello again and thanks for the reviews and comments. I´ll try my best to keep the story and characters reasonable, but tell me if it starts to feel that it's not going along well. Also tell me if you have any other suggestions, ideas, questions or other stuff you want to let me know about, I´m just glad receive any kind of critic! (You can also e-mail me at nea_@email.com)
IMPORTANT! Chapter 5 was changed a bit, so you might want to scan through it before reading this one. (Else you might loose track) I know its annoying when I change my chapters all the time, but I always forget some stuff I had to put, or then I just need to change some events so that it would be better in the upcoming chapters. Sorry... Anyway, a discussion between Hitomi and her father was added and Hitomi´s and Sean's history was changed. (Later I found the whole rape-thing a bit too dramatic, and decided to go with something a bit easier. Anyway, WHAT happened is not that important, but more that Hitomi had just something nasty in her past. So...) Now I stop, hope you'll enjoy this and the re-written chapter 5. Happy readings!
Chapter 6: A Haunting Past
Hitomi twirled before the mirror and made last minute improvements on herself. Her hair was on a side parting and waved over her shoulders. Making sure her outfit was fixed, she smiled to her reflection in the mirror and spoke to herself: "So Hitomi, here we go."
She reminisced her conversation with Yukari earlier the day. Her friend was right; though nasty things had happened to her, life still went on, and eventually she would have to overcome the difficulties, so why not do it now. Going out on a date was not tragic at all, though her companion was not from the safest end.
Hitomi pushed aside thoughts like that. If she was going to spend her evening with him, she could not base her thoughts on hearsays. Tonight, he would be just Van, a guy from her school she met recently. Tucking some hair behind her ear, she applied some more lippgloss and then decided that she was ready.
A familiar rumbling sound drifted to her ears. With a final look to the mirror, she winked to her image and then grabbed her black knee length coat from the stool. Quietly exiting her room she went to the door of the adjacent one. Knocking softly, she first heard nothing and hesitantly then opened it.
Peeking inside she sighed. Her father was in the dreamstate of writing that not even an atomic bomb would have wakened his attention. Silently she made her way to the table where he sat, back facing the door.
She scrutinised her father's profile. He was old, closer to 55. The little hair he obtained had long ago lost its healthy colour and was now dull grey. His specs were placed on the tip of his nose, making him look like an old hag. Hitomi tapped his shoulder, but he made no reaction.
"I´m going out."
"Mmmm."
"I´ll be back latest at one o'clock."
"Mmmm."
She sighed. It seemed like the person he had been the day before was just a hallucination of hers. She turned to leave, but at the door her father's voice caught her: "Call me if something happens."
Hitomi spun around, but found her father deep in his work. Her state softened and quietly she pulled the door closed.
Van sat on his bike and leaned his elbows to the handlebars. The lane was quiet, excluding the purring sound that erupted from his motorcycle's engine. He examined the surroundings and noted that the area was not from the most pleasant end and the yard that he was now in front would have caused a fit to his own mother.
A click at the door stole his attention. Van lifted his gaze and for a while it was silent between the two. He stared at the enchantress that stood at the doorsteps, and a lopsided smile crept on his lips. Letting his eyes travel freely on her body, he studied her outfit. She wore a black dress with thin straps and that reached just above her knees, hugging her glorious curves. Her sandy hair waved over her bare shoulders and her already beautiful face had a simple and elegant make-up.
Hitomi stared at Van from her place at the door. He looked utterly sexy, dressed into his black leather jacket that rested over a clear white collar- shirt, which had the first two buttons open revealing a golden chain around his neck. His head was the same messy mop of ebony hair that hanged over his bottomless chestnut eyes and the familiar naughty smile decorated his unusual handsome and tanned face.
"Well, well. All this dress-up for me? I´m flattered."
A scarlet hue visited Hitomi´s cheeks: "I-I wasn't sure where we're going, so..." Quickly straightened herself she made her way through the garden to him. Van just sat there and smiled coyly at her: "You better watch out with that dress, some people out at this hour may not be as honourable in their actions as I am."
Hitomi played like smacking him. Smiling, she put her coat on and then sat herself behind him. Wrapping her hands around his firm upper body, she whispered into his ringed ear: "Then you'll just have to keep company to me for the whole time."
Van grinned and quietly replied: "That, Princess, is something you don't need to worry about."
Hitomi giggled and they drove from the lane.
It was a beautiful evening. The sun was just setting and the air was warm. A cool breeze caressed the two, as they rode on the black giant. Hitomi leaned to Van´s back and again noted how marvellous his male aroma was. She wondered where they were going, but decided to just enjoy herself with him. A trip with a motorcycle was not as bad as she had thought, but she still noticed that her grip to him was quite strong.
They reached the border of the town. "Welcome back" flashed by and Hitomi started wondering what Van was up to. Where were they going? Had she been too confident on him?
A view of the sea came in sight. Hitomi felt how they slowed down and curved to a smaller road that led to the beach. In the distance she saw golden lights twinkle, inviting to come closer. They reached a cosy-looking one-floor building. Van stopped and shut down the engine. Hitomi lifted herself from behind him and looked around herself.
The building had a large wooden terrace with many lonely tables and chairs. Numerous Chinese-type lanterns were placed to hang from the roof beams and illuminated the place with a friendly light. A pleasant smell of food and commingled flavourings drifted to the nostrils and a faint music could be heard from inside. Hitomi glanced at the green sign that hanged over the terrace entrance: "Folken´s..."
"Yeah, this is my brothers place."
Hitomi glanced at Van who stood beside her. He smiled down at her and she felt like getting lost in the depths of his eyes. He held a hand out to her and Hitomi took it, letting him lead her inside.
The restaurant was small and she felt like home the minute she stepped inside. It smelled like a mixture of all the spices in the world and made her suddenly feel hungry. In one of the corners was a huge vinyl record player that filled the area with mild music. Orange and yellow flames danced at the enormous fireplace that was placed at one of the walls. There were not many people; some couples were scattered in random tables and talked quietly.
Van led her to the desk where a tall man stood talking in the phone. When noticing the two, he quickly finished and after hanging up, smiled in a friendly manner. Van greeted him and the two spoke something in Italian. Hitomi listened in fascination at the conversation, though she did not understand one word. The way Van voiced the foreign language was charming and she soon found herself staring at his mouth as he talked. How had she not noticed before that he had the most beautiful lips she had ever seen...
"Who is your company?"
Hitomi snapped out of her trance when realising that the terminology had been switched to English. The man Van had been talking to must be his brother, Hitomi reasoned, since the two shared so much likeness in appearance.
The older one was something around 25, with similar hair as Van´s, though colour was much lighter, more silvery. His eyes were also Van´s, but far from the chocolate hue and closer to reddish ruby. He was a great deal taller than his little brother, close to 1,90 meters and towered over the two. Hitomi felt small, when she was already around 10 centimetres shorter than Van.
Folken smiled at the shy girl before him. Though Van tried his best to hide his stupidities from their mother, he was never and would never be able to mask his doings from his brother. Folken as all too well aware of all the foolish actions his younger brother had accumulated along the past two years.
But it was now that he actually brought someone for exhibition. Before, Van had never taken any girl for him to see, so this one had to be something really special, since he so openly brought her here. Folken studied the girl and then smiled to himself. At least his brother had a good taste.
Hitomi felt clumsy with the situation and so found a nice spot on the wall just above Folken´s shoulder. She gasped when noticing what she was staring.
"M-Millerna!"
Folken frowned and turned to look at the spot where Hitomi was looking. He let out an inwardly laugh and lifted the book-size picture from the wall. Wiping some dust away from the frames, he handed the photograph to her.
Hitomi stared at the picture. The woman in it resembled Millerna greatly, but obtained a certain charisma that the blond lacked. A text in the corner, written in calligraphy hit her eye: "From the beginning till the end, I´ll always love you my dearest friend."
She stared at Folken who took the picture and placed it back to its spot on the wall. Turning to Hitomi, he smiled: "Not quite. She´s Marlene, Millerna´s sister."
Hitomi kept staring at the picture and wondered what it did here. Suddenly a loud scream was heard from behind the door that led to the kitchen. The people in the room turned to see what was happening. Folken sighed and excused himself. Hitomi turned to face Van in wonder, but soon Folken returned with a colourful parrot on his forearm.
Van laughed as he received the bird from Folken: "Causing problems again, were you?"
The bird nodded its head and spoke: "Dryden is stupido, Dryden is stupido, Natal love Van."
Van laughed and turned to Hitomi who was watching the bird in charm. He stroke its head with his index finger and slowly spoke: "Natal, say hello to Hitomi."
The bird flapped its wings a bit and then squirt: "Ciao, ciao."
Hitomi giggled and watched as Van gave the bird back to Folken, who put it to the perch that was placed on the desk. She beamed as turning to Van: "Is it yours?" Van nodded his black mass of hair falling to his eyes. "Its amazing!" she stated smiling.
"That's something you have definitely mistaken about young lady!"
Hitomi startled and twirled to see the speaker. A man with long and thick brown hair pulled to a ribbon stood at the doorway of the kitchen with flours spread all over his white apron that already had reddish blotches. He grinned, revealing a shiny row of white teeth and then made his way beside Folken.
He held his hand out. Hesitantly Hitomi offered hers and he grabbed it placing a light kiss to her knuckles and then smiling: "Bonsoir lefamme enchante." Then with a smirk he added: "Sorry, my French is a bit rusty, I´m Dryden."
From the corner of her eye Hitomi to could see Van frown. Shortly she introduced herself and then asked what he meant with his remark. Dryden laughed making the whole area echo and then looked at her through his round goggles. Hitomi swallowed when noticing how intensely he studied her.
"That bird is one annoying pest! I don't see why it has to spend its time in my kitchen, though I must say once in a while it has one great sense of humour!"
Hitomi nodded, though not so sure what he meant. Her attention was called elsewhere when she heard Van speak: "We´ll sit at the corner, fix us something edible Dryden." Then he grabbed her hand and led her to the far- most table. Soon Folken appeared beside them bringing a single candle and lighting it before leaving the two finally alone.
Hitomi looked around herself in great awe. Had Folken really done all of this alone? As she was admiring her environment, she failed to notice her companion lean back in his chair and watch her profoundly.
Van caught himself staring at her. It was so easy to just deviate from the situation and go astray in her grace. Van frowned; he hated Dryden right now. The guy had no right to flirt with Hitomi while she was accompanying him. He woke from the dream-state when Hitomi lay a hand over his and smiled sweetly.
"Thank you for bringing me here. This place is very beautiful."
Her words touched him deep and his mind screamed for him to kiss her right there and now. The candlelight flickered on her peachy skin and made her features glimmer. She looked like a true goddess. Van inhaled deep, but just then Folken approached them with two dishes and a bottle of wine: "Enjoying?"
Hitomi smiled and nodded courtly: "Yes thank you, very much." Then she curiously looked at the small plates that were placed in front of her: "Mmmm, smells delicious! Can you tell what's in it?"
Folken nodded and poured some wine in her glass as he explained the plates content: "For a start there's some salad with shrimps, oysters, snails and squids. For main dish I asked Dryden to come up with some spaghetti with olive oil and mussels."
Hitomi pulled back a bit and shifted a new kind of eye to her plate. Snails and squids... It did not sound very inviting, but when she saw Van set a fork on his own crustaceans and bravely eat it, she hesitantly picked up a coiled, yellow snail.
She twirled it in her mouth for a while before swallowing. It tasted like rubber and was extremely hard to bite on. Noticing that Van looked at her under his brows, she set down her fork and asked calmly: "What?"
Van shook his head a bit, an amused smile on his lips. Hitomi frowned and cast her eyes on her plate. She did not feel like eating anymore, but it would certainly give a bad picture of her, if she did not finish her food. Lifting her fork again, she rotated the shellfishes to a new order in her plate. Van saw her actions and swallowed a squid before speaking.
"You don't like it?"
Hitomi shot her head up, an ashamed look on her face: "N-no, I mean yes it's good, but..."
Van laughed and called for his brother. Instantly Folken appeared beside them and the two of them spoke. Van mentioned her name and Hitomi noticed how Folken eyed her for a while before silently chuckling. Hitomi kept her gaze downcast even when the older of the brothers took the plates and left.
Along with a more pleasant main dish, Hitomi found herself talking openly and laughing at the things he told her. She felt relaxed with him and noticed how he was far from the arrogant and disobedient guy she was used to.
* *
The sun had set long ago, replaced by the silvery moon that now hanged low, illuminating the beach where two people were silently walking together. Hitomi had slipped her shoes away and let the marble sand tickle her feet. She kept shooting secret glances at Van, but soon knitted her delicate brows when noticing the silence that had wrapped around them. Hesitantly she held her small hand out and placed it in his bigger one.
Van startled a bit from the feeling of her skin on his. He stopped, shifted his gaze down to her two large, emerald orbs, and exhaled heavily. Hitomi looked at him worried: "Is something wrong?"
Van looked, if possible, even deeper into her eyes. Then he turned away and whispered: "I shouldn't be doing this."
Hitomi grabbed his forearm: "Doing what? What is it?"
He turned to her and looked at her with a strange face; something Hitomi had never seen him wear before. Then suddenly she felt his hand on her cheek, caressing it gently with his palm. She stared deep into his beautiful eyes, searching for what he felt. His voice was hoarse as he spoke gently.
"You´re so beautiful."
Hitomi tried to grab her words but discovered them stuck into her throat. Before noticing, she found herself backing from him.
Van frowned, what was it now? He was not doing anything that might hurt or insult her, so why was she pulling away?
"Wha..."
Hitomi shook her head and sent her gaze down to the ground. Van stood before her speechless. There was a long, awkward silence. Then she whispered nearly inaudibly: "I´m sorry... It's just that...I´m not good with men. You...they scare me."
Van kept quiet and waited for her to continue. He did not dare to move, not even breathe. Silently Hitomi went on: "I have one relationship behind. It was tragic enough for me to grieve for the rest of my life that I ever met the guy. So please...please understand."
Hitomi kept her head bent, but it shot up when she heard his next words: "I know how you feel."
She looked at him in wonder and then smiled weakly: "No offence, but it's hard for me to believe that any girl ever left you. I mean... you're too..."
Hitomi bit her lip. Van smiled, but it soon faded away and he looked over the sea and to the crystal-clear sky.
"It's my father. He left me, my brother and my mother two years ago."
Hitomi covered her mouth with her hand to choke the gasp that nearly escaped from her. Silently she reached for him: "Van, I...I´m so sorry...."
"I don't need your pity!"
Hitomi startled at his angry tone. He watched at her furiously, but in few seconds his state calmed back down. He stepped closer to her and took her hand to his, caressing it a bit and then apologising for his harsh actions.
"Sorry, I´m just a bit sore about the subject."
Hitomi smiled her sweet, caring smile. Then, keeping his hand in her own, she started walking along the beach line.
"Can you tell more about your family? At least Folken seems very nice, I wonder if your mother is too. She must be very beautiful."
Van laughed his humorous, masculine laugh and a twinkle in the eye, asked then: "Why so?"
Hitomi looked at him and with a gentle smile, replied: "Because she has such a beautiful son."
Again Van was taken back by the beauty of her words. How had such an incredibly gentle, caring, vulnerable and pure creature ever appeared in his life? Maybe there was a god somewhere. He drank in the sigh of the girl before him and felt like he could tell her anything. She was nothing like the everyday students that hunted him just because of his looks; this girl was truly interested in him and his life.
"My family...well, where should I start. My father was originally from here, America. He was very fond of Da Vinchi´s works and so, when he was 23, he travelled to Italy to study Italian arts. There he met my mother, who was the littlesister of his comrade-student. Well, a year later they got engaged and soon Folken was born. So my father decided to stay."
Van paused and Hitomi could sense the pain the subject was causing. She encouraged him to continue knowing that only talking could rid the grief.
"Five years ago we moved to America. My father wanted to show his origins to the rest of us, and my mother, who works as an architect wanted new ideas from the western culture. I remember hating it. I mean, I was only 12 and all my friends and my life were in Venice. We lived in New York for three years until..."
They had stopped again. Hitomi saw how Van´s expression changed to a sorrowful and mourning one as he looked at the silver moon and closed his eyes. She stepped close to him and whispered softly: "What happened?"
He turned his melancholy face to her. She felt awfully sympathetic due his touching expression. He tried to force a smile to his lips, but all he achieved was a grimace. With a bitter tone he continued:
"My mother found out that he had been in a relationship with another woman beginning from the day we arrived to the airport. It was a horrible heartbreak for her... and for me. Folken didn't care, the two of them never really came along, but my mom... she was in pieces. My father soon moved away to a new apartment, but the rest of us wanted to get as far away as possible from him. I suggested that we moved home, back to Venice, but mother had her work going so well that she refused. So we came here."
Van finished his story and looked at her with a stern expression. Hitomi had the urge to pull him into her consoling embrace and let him cry all the pain and suffering away.
But no tears ever came. His eyes were dry and his facial cast solemn. Finally the silence was broken by his bare voice: "Funny, isn't it? After we moved here, everything lost its importance. Nothing ever meant anything anymore. Folken had his restaurant brought up and mom is doing great with her job. But I... I feel so empty, so lonely..."
Van looked at her for a while and then turned away: "I´m sorry, I shouldn't be pouring the problems my heart holds to you." Suddenly he felt a slim hand on his shoulder and heard Hitomi whisper: "No, I... I feel the same way. I was left too."
Van stared at her downcast face. Slowly she lifted her head and met his tender gaze. He asked her no questions, only smiled at her. She was his fellow sufferer, his companion in misfortune. Faint music from the restaurant waved to the beach where two youths stood under the moonlight.
When I fall in love it will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love
In a restless world like this is
Love is ended before it's begun
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun When I give my heart it will be completely
Or I'll never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you.
* *
Hitomi buried her face into the nape of Van´s neck. The heat his body emitted warmed up her freezing one, as they in silence made their way to the familiar lane. She listened to the steady rumbling the motorcycle emitted. She was lost in her thoughts, when suddenly they slowed down, and a moment later Van´s gentle voice filled the air with its sweetness: "We´re here."
Slowly Hitomi pulled her hands away from his lean front and lifted herself from the seat. Turning to face him, the two stared at each other for long. Like slow motion, Van lifted a hand to her cheek. Her skin felt rich and velvety soft under his fingertips. The situation was awkward, as neither knew what next.
Van felt like 13 again. In silence, he traced his index finger along her jawbone and stopped at her chin. Carefully he tilted it towards himself. Then, tilting his own head a bit, he slowly leaned forward.
Hitomi felt uneasy and thought things were going far too fast. A part of her refused to pull back though, so silently she let her eyelids drop. To her surprise, his lips grazed her cheek, leaving a soft moist feeling on her skin.
Van pulled back and looked thoroughly satisfied. Hitomi did not have time to react or thank him, when he already stepped on the gas and drove away, like wanting to escape from her as quickly as possible. Hitomi sighed and quietly tiptoed to the house and into her room.
* *
Van decided to take a detour home. Through the whole trip together with Hitomi, he had been silent and avoided all the small, insignificant things she had come up with trying to start a discussion. He thought about all the things said that night. He had never talked about his family to anybody. How was it, that this girl, whom he barely knew, made him open his heart so easily? It had been painful to talk about his father, but now he somehow felt peaceful.
* *
Hitomi did not dare to put the lights on, so she quietly undressed in the darkness. It was very late, and the thought of getting less than seven hours of sleep made her moan. As she slipped into her pyjamas, she could not get herself from thinking about what had happened. Van had showed a totally different side of him; something she had not even dreamt of him possessing. He had been open and reflective, and made her believe that somewhere deep within him was a truly modest person. She had actually enjoyed his company...
´What´s the matter with me?!? Didn´t I learn from the last?´
Her mind started yelling at her, making her suddenly doubtful again. Then she remembered his face after telling about his father. No one could make up an expression like that without having any true feelings along. He had been all too emotional to invent a story as horrible as his. She silently groaned; the guy was so confusing!
* *
Van shut down the engine and looked up at his still home. He silently hoped that his mother would not have woken up at the sound of his bike. Quietly like a mouse, he made his way inside. Once safely in his room, he undressed and then climbed between his sheets.
Lying on his back, arms folded behind his neck, he stared at the ceiling and thought about Hitomi. A warm feeling enveloped him, as her sweet smile and happy laughter crawled into his mind. Then, a sudden stab of guilt pierced him, and he rolled to his side. He did not deserve such an incredible girl. As frustration of his mixed feelings haunted him, he tried to solve his emotions:
"What's happening to me?"
* *
I don´t own Nat King Cole´s "When I fall in love".
A/N: Hello again and thanks for the reviews and comments. I´ll try my best to keep the story and characters reasonable, but tell me if it starts to feel that it's not going along well. Also tell me if you have any other suggestions, ideas, questions or other stuff you want to let me know about, I´m just glad receive any kind of critic! (You can also e-mail me at nea_@email.com)
IMPORTANT! Chapter 5 was changed a bit, so you might want to scan through it before reading this one. (Else you might loose track) I know its annoying when I change my chapters all the time, but I always forget some stuff I had to put, or then I just need to change some events so that it would be better in the upcoming chapters. Sorry... Anyway, a discussion between Hitomi and her father was added and Hitomi´s and Sean's history was changed. (Later I found the whole rape-thing a bit too dramatic, and decided to go with something a bit easier. Anyway, WHAT happened is not that important, but more that Hitomi had just something nasty in her past. So...) Now I stop, hope you'll enjoy this and the re-written chapter 5. Happy readings!
Chapter 6: A Haunting Past
Hitomi twirled before the mirror and made last minute improvements on herself. Her hair was on a side parting and waved over her shoulders. Making sure her outfit was fixed, she smiled to her reflection in the mirror and spoke to herself: "So Hitomi, here we go."
She reminisced her conversation with Yukari earlier the day. Her friend was right; though nasty things had happened to her, life still went on, and eventually she would have to overcome the difficulties, so why not do it now. Going out on a date was not tragic at all, though her companion was not from the safest end.
Hitomi pushed aside thoughts like that. If she was going to spend her evening with him, she could not base her thoughts on hearsays. Tonight, he would be just Van, a guy from her school she met recently. Tucking some hair behind her ear, she applied some more lippgloss and then decided that she was ready.
A familiar rumbling sound drifted to her ears. With a final look to the mirror, she winked to her image and then grabbed her black knee length coat from the stool. Quietly exiting her room she went to the door of the adjacent one. Knocking softly, she first heard nothing and hesitantly then opened it.
Peeking inside she sighed. Her father was in the dreamstate of writing that not even an atomic bomb would have wakened his attention. Silently she made her way to the table where he sat, back facing the door.
She scrutinised her father's profile. He was old, closer to 55. The little hair he obtained had long ago lost its healthy colour and was now dull grey. His specs were placed on the tip of his nose, making him look like an old hag. Hitomi tapped his shoulder, but he made no reaction.
"I´m going out."
"Mmmm."
"I´ll be back latest at one o'clock."
"Mmmm."
She sighed. It seemed like the person he had been the day before was just a hallucination of hers. She turned to leave, but at the door her father's voice caught her: "Call me if something happens."
Hitomi spun around, but found her father deep in his work. Her state softened and quietly she pulled the door closed.
Van sat on his bike and leaned his elbows to the handlebars. The lane was quiet, excluding the purring sound that erupted from his motorcycle's engine. He examined the surroundings and noted that the area was not from the most pleasant end and the yard that he was now in front would have caused a fit to his own mother.
A click at the door stole his attention. Van lifted his gaze and for a while it was silent between the two. He stared at the enchantress that stood at the doorsteps, and a lopsided smile crept on his lips. Letting his eyes travel freely on her body, he studied her outfit. She wore a black dress with thin straps and that reached just above her knees, hugging her glorious curves. Her sandy hair waved over her bare shoulders and her already beautiful face had a simple and elegant make-up.
Hitomi stared at Van from her place at the door. He looked utterly sexy, dressed into his black leather jacket that rested over a clear white collar- shirt, which had the first two buttons open revealing a golden chain around his neck. His head was the same messy mop of ebony hair that hanged over his bottomless chestnut eyes and the familiar naughty smile decorated his unusual handsome and tanned face.
"Well, well. All this dress-up for me? I´m flattered."
A scarlet hue visited Hitomi´s cheeks: "I-I wasn't sure where we're going, so..." Quickly straightened herself she made her way through the garden to him. Van just sat there and smiled coyly at her: "You better watch out with that dress, some people out at this hour may not be as honourable in their actions as I am."
Hitomi played like smacking him. Smiling, she put her coat on and then sat herself behind him. Wrapping her hands around his firm upper body, she whispered into his ringed ear: "Then you'll just have to keep company to me for the whole time."
Van grinned and quietly replied: "That, Princess, is something you don't need to worry about."
Hitomi giggled and they drove from the lane.
It was a beautiful evening. The sun was just setting and the air was warm. A cool breeze caressed the two, as they rode on the black giant. Hitomi leaned to Van´s back and again noted how marvellous his male aroma was. She wondered where they were going, but decided to just enjoy herself with him. A trip with a motorcycle was not as bad as she had thought, but she still noticed that her grip to him was quite strong.
They reached the border of the town. "Welcome back" flashed by and Hitomi started wondering what Van was up to. Where were they going? Had she been too confident on him?
A view of the sea came in sight. Hitomi felt how they slowed down and curved to a smaller road that led to the beach. In the distance she saw golden lights twinkle, inviting to come closer. They reached a cosy-looking one-floor building. Van stopped and shut down the engine. Hitomi lifted herself from behind him and looked around herself.
The building had a large wooden terrace with many lonely tables and chairs. Numerous Chinese-type lanterns were placed to hang from the roof beams and illuminated the place with a friendly light. A pleasant smell of food and commingled flavourings drifted to the nostrils and a faint music could be heard from inside. Hitomi glanced at the green sign that hanged over the terrace entrance: "Folken´s..."
"Yeah, this is my brothers place."
Hitomi glanced at Van who stood beside her. He smiled down at her and she felt like getting lost in the depths of his eyes. He held a hand out to her and Hitomi took it, letting him lead her inside.
The restaurant was small and she felt like home the minute she stepped inside. It smelled like a mixture of all the spices in the world and made her suddenly feel hungry. In one of the corners was a huge vinyl record player that filled the area with mild music. Orange and yellow flames danced at the enormous fireplace that was placed at one of the walls. There were not many people; some couples were scattered in random tables and talked quietly.
Van led her to the desk where a tall man stood talking in the phone. When noticing the two, he quickly finished and after hanging up, smiled in a friendly manner. Van greeted him and the two spoke something in Italian. Hitomi listened in fascination at the conversation, though she did not understand one word. The way Van voiced the foreign language was charming and she soon found herself staring at his mouth as he talked. How had she not noticed before that he had the most beautiful lips she had ever seen...
"Who is your company?"
Hitomi snapped out of her trance when realising that the terminology had been switched to English. The man Van had been talking to must be his brother, Hitomi reasoned, since the two shared so much likeness in appearance.
The older one was something around 25, with similar hair as Van´s, though colour was much lighter, more silvery. His eyes were also Van´s, but far from the chocolate hue and closer to reddish ruby. He was a great deal taller than his little brother, close to 1,90 meters and towered over the two. Hitomi felt small, when she was already around 10 centimetres shorter than Van.
Folken smiled at the shy girl before him. Though Van tried his best to hide his stupidities from their mother, he was never and would never be able to mask his doings from his brother. Folken as all too well aware of all the foolish actions his younger brother had accumulated along the past two years.
But it was now that he actually brought someone for exhibition. Before, Van had never taken any girl for him to see, so this one had to be something really special, since he so openly brought her here. Folken studied the girl and then smiled to himself. At least his brother had a good taste.
Hitomi felt clumsy with the situation and so found a nice spot on the wall just above Folken´s shoulder. She gasped when noticing what she was staring.
"M-Millerna!"
Folken frowned and turned to look at the spot where Hitomi was looking. He let out an inwardly laugh and lifted the book-size picture from the wall. Wiping some dust away from the frames, he handed the photograph to her.
Hitomi stared at the picture. The woman in it resembled Millerna greatly, but obtained a certain charisma that the blond lacked. A text in the corner, written in calligraphy hit her eye: "From the beginning till the end, I´ll always love you my dearest friend."
She stared at Folken who took the picture and placed it back to its spot on the wall. Turning to Hitomi, he smiled: "Not quite. She´s Marlene, Millerna´s sister."
Hitomi kept staring at the picture and wondered what it did here. Suddenly a loud scream was heard from behind the door that led to the kitchen. The people in the room turned to see what was happening. Folken sighed and excused himself. Hitomi turned to face Van in wonder, but soon Folken returned with a colourful parrot on his forearm.
Van laughed as he received the bird from Folken: "Causing problems again, were you?"
The bird nodded its head and spoke: "Dryden is stupido, Dryden is stupido, Natal love Van."
Van laughed and turned to Hitomi who was watching the bird in charm. He stroke its head with his index finger and slowly spoke: "Natal, say hello to Hitomi."
The bird flapped its wings a bit and then squirt: "Ciao, ciao."
Hitomi giggled and watched as Van gave the bird back to Folken, who put it to the perch that was placed on the desk. She beamed as turning to Van: "Is it yours?" Van nodded his black mass of hair falling to his eyes. "Its amazing!" she stated smiling.
"That's something you have definitely mistaken about young lady!"
Hitomi startled and twirled to see the speaker. A man with long and thick brown hair pulled to a ribbon stood at the doorway of the kitchen with flours spread all over his white apron that already had reddish blotches. He grinned, revealing a shiny row of white teeth and then made his way beside Folken.
He held his hand out. Hesitantly Hitomi offered hers and he grabbed it placing a light kiss to her knuckles and then smiling: "Bonsoir lefamme enchante." Then with a smirk he added: "Sorry, my French is a bit rusty, I´m Dryden."
From the corner of her eye Hitomi to could see Van frown. Shortly she introduced herself and then asked what he meant with his remark. Dryden laughed making the whole area echo and then looked at her through his round goggles. Hitomi swallowed when noticing how intensely he studied her.
"That bird is one annoying pest! I don't see why it has to spend its time in my kitchen, though I must say once in a while it has one great sense of humour!"
Hitomi nodded, though not so sure what he meant. Her attention was called elsewhere when she heard Van speak: "We´ll sit at the corner, fix us something edible Dryden." Then he grabbed her hand and led her to the far- most table. Soon Folken appeared beside them bringing a single candle and lighting it before leaving the two finally alone.
Hitomi looked around herself in great awe. Had Folken really done all of this alone? As she was admiring her environment, she failed to notice her companion lean back in his chair and watch her profoundly.
Van caught himself staring at her. It was so easy to just deviate from the situation and go astray in her grace. Van frowned; he hated Dryden right now. The guy had no right to flirt with Hitomi while she was accompanying him. He woke from the dream-state when Hitomi lay a hand over his and smiled sweetly.
"Thank you for bringing me here. This place is very beautiful."
Her words touched him deep and his mind screamed for him to kiss her right there and now. The candlelight flickered on her peachy skin and made her features glimmer. She looked like a true goddess. Van inhaled deep, but just then Folken approached them with two dishes and a bottle of wine: "Enjoying?"
Hitomi smiled and nodded courtly: "Yes thank you, very much." Then she curiously looked at the small plates that were placed in front of her: "Mmmm, smells delicious! Can you tell what's in it?"
Folken nodded and poured some wine in her glass as he explained the plates content: "For a start there's some salad with shrimps, oysters, snails and squids. For main dish I asked Dryden to come up with some spaghetti with olive oil and mussels."
Hitomi pulled back a bit and shifted a new kind of eye to her plate. Snails and squids... It did not sound very inviting, but when she saw Van set a fork on his own crustaceans and bravely eat it, she hesitantly picked up a coiled, yellow snail.
She twirled it in her mouth for a while before swallowing. It tasted like rubber and was extremely hard to bite on. Noticing that Van looked at her under his brows, she set down her fork and asked calmly: "What?"
Van shook his head a bit, an amused smile on his lips. Hitomi frowned and cast her eyes on her plate. She did not feel like eating anymore, but it would certainly give a bad picture of her, if she did not finish her food. Lifting her fork again, she rotated the shellfishes to a new order in her plate. Van saw her actions and swallowed a squid before speaking.
"You don't like it?"
Hitomi shot her head up, an ashamed look on her face: "N-no, I mean yes it's good, but..."
Van laughed and called for his brother. Instantly Folken appeared beside them and the two of them spoke. Van mentioned her name and Hitomi noticed how Folken eyed her for a while before silently chuckling. Hitomi kept her gaze downcast even when the older of the brothers took the plates and left.
Along with a more pleasant main dish, Hitomi found herself talking openly and laughing at the things he told her. She felt relaxed with him and noticed how he was far from the arrogant and disobedient guy she was used to.
* *
The sun had set long ago, replaced by the silvery moon that now hanged low, illuminating the beach where two people were silently walking together. Hitomi had slipped her shoes away and let the marble sand tickle her feet. She kept shooting secret glances at Van, but soon knitted her delicate brows when noticing the silence that had wrapped around them. Hesitantly she held her small hand out and placed it in his bigger one.
Van startled a bit from the feeling of her skin on his. He stopped, shifted his gaze down to her two large, emerald orbs, and exhaled heavily. Hitomi looked at him worried: "Is something wrong?"
Van looked, if possible, even deeper into her eyes. Then he turned away and whispered: "I shouldn't be doing this."
Hitomi grabbed his forearm: "Doing what? What is it?"
He turned to her and looked at her with a strange face; something Hitomi had never seen him wear before. Then suddenly she felt his hand on her cheek, caressing it gently with his palm. She stared deep into his beautiful eyes, searching for what he felt. His voice was hoarse as he spoke gently.
"You´re so beautiful."
Hitomi tried to grab her words but discovered them stuck into her throat. Before noticing, she found herself backing from him.
Van frowned, what was it now? He was not doing anything that might hurt or insult her, so why was she pulling away?
"Wha..."
Hitomi shook her head and sent her gaze down to the ground. Van stood before her speechless. There was a long, awkward silence. Then she whispered nearly inaudibly: "I´m sorry... It's just that...I´m not good with men. You...they scare me."
Van kept quiet and waited for her to continue. He did not dare to move, not even breathe. Silently Hitomi went on: "I have one relationship behind. It was tragic enough for me to grieve for the rest of my life that I ever met the guy. So please...please understand."
Hitomi kept her head bent, but it shot up when she heard his next words: "I know how you feel."
She looked at him in wonder and then smiled weakly: "No offence, but it's hard for me to believe that any girl ever left you. I mean... you're too..."
Hitomi bit her lip. Van smiled, but it soon faded away and he looked over the sea and to the crystal-clear sky.
"It's my father. He left me, my brother and my mother two years ago."
Hitomi covered her mouth with her hand to choke the gasp that nearly escaped from her. Silently she reached for him: "Van, I...I´m so sorry...."
"I don't need your pity!"
Hitomi startled at his angry tone. He watched at her furiously, but in few seconds his state calmed back down. He stepped closer to her and took her hand to his, caressing it a bit and then apologising for his harsh actions.
"Sorry, I´m just a bit sore about the subject."
Hitomi smiled her sweet, caring smile. Then, keeping his hand in her own, she started walking along the beach line.
"Can you tell more about your family? At least Folken seems very nice, I wonder if your mother is too. She must be very beautiful."
Van laughed his humorous, masculine laugh and a twinkle in the eye, asked then: "Why so?"
Hitomi looked at him and with a gentle smile, replied: "Because she has such a beautiful son."
Again Van was taken back by the beauty of her words. How had such an incredibly gentle, caring, vulnerable and pure creature ever appeared in his life? Maybe there was a god somewhere. He drank in the sigh of the girl before him and felt like he could tell her anything. She was nothing like the everyday students that hunted him just because of his looks; this girl was truly interested in him and his life.
"My family...well, where should I start. My father was originally from here, America. He was very fond of Da Vinchi´s works and so, when he was 23, he travelled to Italy to study Italian arts. There he met my mother, who was the littlesister of his comrade-student. Well, a year later they got engaged and soon Folken was born. So my father decided to stay."
Van paused and Hitomi could sense the pain the subject was causing. She encouraged him to continue knowing that only talking could rid the grief.
"Five years ago we moved to America. My father wanted to show his origins to the rest of us, and my mother, who works as an architect wanted new ideas from the western culture. I remember hating it. I mean, I was only 12 and all my friends and my life were in Venice. We lived in New York for three years until..."
They had stopped again. Hitomi saw how Van´s expression changed to a sorrowful and mourning one as he looked at the silver moon and closed his eyes. She stepped close to him and whispered softly: "What happened?"
He turned his melancholy face to her. She felt awfully sympathetic due his touching expression. He tried to force a smile to his lips, but all he achieved was a grimace. With a bitter tone he continued:
"My mother found out that he had been in a relationship with another woman beginning from the day we arrived to the airport. It was a horrible heartbreak for her... and for me. Folken didn't care, the two of them never really came along, but my mom... she was in pieces. My father soon moved away to a new apartment, but the rest of us wanted to get as far away as possible from him. I suggested that we moved home, back to Venice, but mother had her work going so well that she refused. So we came here."
Van finished his story and looked at her with a stern expression. Hitomi had the urge to pull him into her consoling embrace and let him cry all the pain and suffering away.
But no tears ever came. His eyes were dry and his facial cast solemn. Finally the silence was broken by his bare voice: "Funny, isn't it? After we moved here, everything lost its importance. Nothing ever meant anything anymore. Folken had his restaurant brought up and mom is doing great with her job. But I... I feel so empty, so lonely..."
Van looked at her for a while and then turned away: "I´m sorry, I shouldn't be pouring the problems my heart holds to you." Suddenly he felt a slim hand on his shoulder and heard Hitomi whisper: "No, I... I feel the same way. I was left too."
Van stared at her downcast face. Slowly she lifted her head and met his tender gaze. He asked her no questions, only smiled at her. She was his fellow sufferer, his companion in misfortune. Faint music from the restaurant waved to the beach where two youths stood under the moonlight.
When I fall in love it will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love
In a restless world like this is
Love is ended before it's begun
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun When I give my heart it will be completely
Or I'll never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you.
* *
Hitomi buried her face into the nape of Van´s neck. The heat his body emitted warmed up her freezing one, as they in silence made their way to the familiar lane. She listened to the steady rumbling the motorcycle emitted. She was lost in her thoughts, when suddenly they slowed down, and a moment later Van´s gentle voice filled the air with its sweetness: "We´re here."
Slowly Hitomi pulled her hands away from his lean front and lifted herself from the seat. Turning to face him, the two stared at each other for long. Like slow motion, Van lifted a hand to her cheek. Her skin felt rich and velvety soft under his fingertips. The situation was awkward, as neither knew what next.
Van felt like 13 again. In silence, he traced his index finger along her jawbone and stopped at her chin. Carefully he tilted it towards himself. Then, tilting his own head a bit, he slowly leaned forward.
Hitomi felt uneasy and thought things were going far too fast. A part of her refused to pull back though, so silently she let her eyelids drop. To her surprise, his lips grazed her cheek, leaving a soft moist feeling on her skin.
Van pulled back and looked thoroughly satisfied. Hitomi did not have time to react or thank him, when he already stepped on the gas and drove away, like wanting to escape from her as quickly as possible. Hitomi sighed and quietly tiptoed to the house and into her room.
* *
Van decided to take a detour home. Through the whole trip together with Hitomi, he had been silent and avoided all the small, insignificant things she had come up with trying to start a discussion. He thought about all the things said that night. He had never talked about his family to anybody. How was it, that this girl, whom he barely knew, made him open his heart so easily? It had been painful to talk about his father, but now he somehow felt peaceful.
* *
Hitomi did not dare to put the lights on, so she quietly undressed in the darkness. It was very late, and the thought of getting less than seven hours of sleep made her moan. As she slipped into her pyjamas, she could not get herself from thinking about what had happened. Van had showed a totally different side of him; something she had not even dreamt of him possessing. He had been open and reflective, and made her believe that somewhere deep within him was a truly modest person. She had actually enjoyed his company...
´What´s the matter with me?!? Didn´t I learn from the last?´
Her mind started yelling at her, making her suddenly doubtful again. Then she remembered his face after telling about his father. No one could make up an expression like that without having any true feelings along. He had been all too emotional to invent a story as horrible as his. She silently groaned; the guy was so confusing!
* *
Van shut down the engine and looked up at his still home. He silently hoped that his mother would not have woken up at the sound of his bike. Quietly like a mouse, he made his way inside. Once safely in his room, he undressed and then climbed between his sheets.
Lying on his back, arms folded behind his neck, he stared at the ceiling and thought about Hitomi. A warm feeling enveloped him, as her sweet smile and happy laughter crawled into his mind. Then, a sudden stab of guilt pierced him, and he rolled to his side. He did not deserve such an incredible girl. As frustration of his mixed feelings haunted him, he tried to solve his emotions:
"What's happening to me?"
* *