Chapter 3
By Lyaliro
Warning: This fanfic contains shoujo-ai, also known as yuri, which is also known as a girlxgirl relationship. Don't flame me because you weren't smart enough to read the warning.
She was, and she wasn't. I don't know how she manages to be that way, but she just is. Chipper yet solemn, sweet yet bitter, shy yet adventurous, but the one thing she didn't manage to be both of was in her appearance. She was absolutely gorgeous. Sky blue eyes she had, understanding and gentle, able to pierce any mask. You could swim in them for days, nay, weeks, and never find land. Her strawberry blonde tresses were like strands of finely hammered gold, like the dwarves serving Loki made for Sif. She was just as tall as I was, and a little more. Her lean, athletic frame would be the envy of any girl. When she entered a room it always became brighter somehow. And yet, she never flaunts her beauty, staying to the alleys of loose clothing and a face without a coat of make-up. In many ways she reminded me of Sakura. In many ways she was the exact opposite of Sakura.
It was by pure chance I met her. I was walking through the same park Sakura and I visit so often, simply admiring the beauty of the trees and grass and the way the sun reflected off the water. The school was on a spring break of sorts, and I didn't intend to waste it. Sakura was off at a surprise family reunion. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her coming, but brushed it aside, instead focusing on the local plant life. Then at a crossing of paths she suddenly swerved to avoid me. Reflexes forced me to jump back even though I was out of danger, which in turn made me lose my balance as I landed and I fell to the ground. I received nothing but minor scratches. And even though she clearly had the most terrible fall, (The bike went off the path, then slid sideways on the grass at an angle until it lost her, finally smashing against a defenseless tree and turning itself upside down.) she stood immediately and rushed to my side, limping slightly, asking with nothing but sincerity in her voice, "Gomen nasei! Are you okay? Did I hit you?"
Behind her I noticed the bicycle's front wheel still spinning. "I-I'm fine," I replied, "but you look far worse than I probably do." She had her hair in a low ponytail, and grass stains were upon her school uniform. A cut ran across her cheek, blood slowly dripping from it. At the time she was wearing a boy's uniform. I doubt anyone could've told the difference in gender. She looked convincing enough to be a male, though a feminine looking one. One could find her handsome as a boy, beautiful as a girl. Her low voice only added to the reasoning that she was a boy. Even I, the ever-alert one with perception like no other, thought 'her' a 'he'.
She briefly touched the side of her face, wincing as she did. "It's nothing," said she, wiping away some blood with her sleeve. "Is there anything I can do to make up for almost running you over?" She asked, again with that tone of complete sincerity.
I shook my head, "No, you don't have to do anything. I didn't get hurt at all."
"At least let me buy lunch for you," she said, almost pleading.
After much volleying of words, I agreed. It was almost noon, and I admit I was getting hungry. A kind nondescript witness of the crash gave her a band-aid before we left. She stood, being that she was crouching beside me during our talk, and extended a hand to help me up. I gratefully took it and brushed myself off. "Here, I'll help you," said I when she tried to put on the band-aid straight. She then picked up her bike, noticeably bent and unusable, and walked in the direction she was originally headed before swerving. For a moment I didn't follow, finally noticing her beauty. She paused and turned her head, asking if I was coming. A few locks of hair were in her face in a way I found oddly endearing. I don't know quite why, but I blushed slightly and nodded, catching up to her.
After a silent walk we arrived at a relatively small restaurant with tables set up outside. The bike she leaned carefully against a tree, though she could've just dropped it on the ground. It's not like she could ride it in its present state anyway. We sat across from each other, a vase of two flowers placed in the center of the table. As an appetizer of sorts a bowl of crackers was set down as we ordered. At the exact same moment we reached over to pick up a cracker, and our hands picked up the same one. This got a laugh from both of us.
"Please, you can have it," said she, but she didn't let go.
"No, no, you're paying for all this," I said, and yet I didn't release the cracker either.
Back and forth our talk went like this until we finally decided that it be snapped in half. I felt a tingle where her fingertips touched mine. It wasn't exactly love at first sight, but it was close enough. When our food arrived I asked a question of her, and this one question soon evolved to a friendly conversation. Our meeting ended when she was making hand motions and her sleeve fell, revealing a watch. Out of habit she glanced at it and was instantly alarmed. "I have to go!" She exclaimed, calling for the check and throwing down a few bills. "Keep the change," she said to the waiter, already rushing over to her bike. I waved, and then my hand froze in the air. I don't even know his name.
I stood immediately, running down the street. She was already a good distance away from me, and going at a fairly fast speed even with a bike in tow. "Hey!" I called, hoping to catch her attention. She paused and turned around. "My name's Tomoyo Daidouji!" I yelled to her.
Smiling, she replied, "I'm Kozue Matsuo! Tomorrow at 3 in the park!"
I called back, a new note of cheer in my voice, "I'll be there!"
The days following involved ice cream, a moonlit stroll, and a movie neither of us paid attention to. There was even one romantic dinner, though a bit cheap. We fell in love.
Two days before the end of our spring break I invited Kozue to my house. Naturally, her jaw dropped to the ground when she first saw it. After a brief tour she quickly adjusted to the large place. We ended up in my room, lying on the bed. Her arm wrapped about my shoulder, my forehead upon the side of her neck. Those strawberry-gold locks of hers smelled of lavender. The clock on my room ticked off the seconds, and it seemed an eternity between each movement of the second hand. She exhaled slowly as I gently kissed her neck. She was nervous for some reason, and at the time I didn't know why. "You're acting strange today. Something bothering you?" I asked.
She shook her head, "No, it's nothing."
I shrugged it off. Kozue turned to face me, leaning in and giving me a long, passionate kiss. It was my first. In the middle of it my hand went onto her chest, finding a certain bump that shouldn't be there. I froze, then pushed her away. My cheeks burned. "Y-you're a girl!?" I half-stated, half-asked, bewildered.
She sat up, eyes glancing around, pleading for anything to come and distract me from that question. Then she sighed and nodded, "Yes."
A million questions to ask and a million accusations ran through my head. But I stopped, sat beside her, took a deep breath and said softly, "Why didn't you tell me?"
She looked so pathetic and rumpled just sitting there, guilt written all over her face. "Because… Because I thought you would leave if I did. I love you, Tomoyo. I don't want to lose you now."
I gazed at her hard, and it seemed she grew smaller and smaller as I looked at her. Then, I finally opened my mouth. Kozue closed her eyes, bracing herself for harsh words. "Love…" I took her in my arms, hugging her tight. My words were sent as whispers in her ear, "Is love. You can't help who you fall in love with. All you can do is hope they love you back, and in this case your hopes have come true." Instantly she straightened up, no longer tiny and insignificant. I laughed and also whispered, "That was my first kiss."
"Oh, really?" She grinned, "The second should be even better."
After that kiss we talked for quite a while. I asked her questions, and she answered them all, holding nothing back. "Does anybody at your school know?"
"No, except for my closest friend. He used to have a crush on me."
"Oh, I see."
"Did you know tha--" Once again her watch interrupted us. "Gah! I need to get going." I nodded and led her to the front door. She gave me a brief peck on the cheek, waving. "Love you. See you tomorrow."
I waved back, replying, "Love you too. Bye."
The day after it rained. The sky did look stormy in the morning, but neither of us brought umbrellas. The plan was to stay most of the day at a zoo. We were simply admiring a few foreign birds around 3 o'clock when I felt a drop on water on my pointed hand. It sprinkled, then drizzled, then escalated to what I imagine would be monsoon-like weather. She suggested we run back to her house, which wasn't terribly far from the zoo. I readily agreed, and off we went.
Her house was a very traditional looking one-story that covered good deal of land. There was even a large wooden gate and a koi pond. We entered, took off our shoes, and she told me to have a seat in the living room. Of course, I stood so my dripping wet self wouldn't ruin the furniture. She left to get towels and drinks. While she was gone I took a look around. Various pictures and odd decorations were on the walls, one of which was a mounted buck's head. Usually those don't bother me much, but the cold eyes seemed to stare directly at me. I turned away from it, and found Kozue standing right in front of me. She threw a soft towel onto my head and placed a hot drink in my hand. "Arigatou," said I, taking a quick sip of the drink before placing it on the coffee table. After that came the task of trying to get my hair at least slightly dry.
"You could take a shower here, if you like. My parents aren't home," she offered, in that same somewhat pleading tone. I nodded gratefully and she pointed me to the nearest bathroom. "Don't worry. I can use the other bathroom. Oh, and you can wear my bathrobe," said she before leaving. The hot, almost scalding, water felt good on my skin. With the help of a blow dryer my hair was left only damp. There was a knock on the door, "You almost finished in there?"
"One moment," I called out, tying the cord on the bathrobe with one hand while opening the door with the other. I found myself staring at a hoodie and a pair of worn down jeans.
"All the other clothes I have are dirty, so these will have to do. Besides, everything else I own is pretty much the same," she said as she handed the clothes to me. I'm not sure why I did, but right in the hallway I undid the bathrobe and let it fall to the floor. Kozue turned around just in time, head bowed so her eyes only looked at the ground. I think she peeked a few times, though. The clothes were loose, just like they fit on her.
"You can turn around now," I said, feeling quite refreshed and cheery. When she did I gave her a long kiss. As we parted she took my hand and led me to a dining room, where a stunning candlelight dinner was set up. I gasped, then asked, "Was I really in the bathroom for that long?"
She giggled and shook her head, "No, I'm just a fast cook."
We sat and ate, and several times during the meal I praised her cooking. It truly was that good. Once we finished I helped her clean the dishes, and a short soap-bubble fight ensued. After that we collapsed on her bed, breaths coming in quick gasps. We lie side by side. I shifted over so I faced her, my hand coming up to her head to brush away a bit of clinging soap. She took her chance there, her arms coming around me and pulling me closer. "When will your parents be back?" I asked quietly, talking into her chest.
Her voice sounded far away as she said, "It'll be a long time before they come."
I didn't detect that note in her voice then, so I snuggled into her and said, "Good."
"You know why I went to all this trouble to make tonight special?"
"No," I answered sleepily, becoming drowsy from a full stomach and my girlfriend's warmth.
"I'm moving in two days," muttered she, her tone full of sadness.
My eyes snapped wide open. I jolted up to a sitting position. I cried out, "But… You can't!"
"I have to. Gomen nasei, Tomoyo-chan," she whispered, adding that playful suffix in a futile attempt to lighten the mood.
"But you…" Words failed me. I didn't want to go back to Sakura again. I didn't want to her to kill me with each innocent smile sent my way. I didn't want to be running on a treadmill, reaching out for a treat when each time my hand brushes it the speed increases. I didn't want to be like the Phoenix, feeling the pain of death at night only to be reborn the next morning. I wanted to be with Kozue, one who understood me and some of my pain. One who would gladly accept me no matter what. One who knew she was a mortal danger and thus carried herself carefully. One who could piece me back together when I broke beyond the repair of others.
For a long time she held me in her arms while I sobbed into her chest, occasionally mumbling a few garbled pieces of words. Somewhere I asked if I could stay till morning. She nodded, just nodded and hugged me tighter. It must've been sometime after midnight when I finally fell asleep, and she was awake to comfort me the whole time. The next morning she cooked up an amazing breakfast to try and stave off the oncoming gloom. Sadly, it didn't work. I ate in silence. I was at the door, waiting for my bodyguards to drive me to school when I finally noticed that I was still in Kozue's clothes.
"Your clothes," I said, pinching a bit of the cloth between my fingers.
She smiled and replied, "Oh, you can keep them, since you look so cute in them. Do you mind if I keep yours?"
I shook my head vigorously, "No, not at all." I smiled slightly, adding, "It'll be a trade."
Kozue offered an empty, forced laugh, "So it is."
I saw my ride approaching in the distance. Sometimes it was helpful to have a long, black limo. "My ride's about to arrive," I said, although she could clearly see it. She gave me one final, meaningful kiss that shamed all our others in comparison. We broke apart as the limo pulled to a stop. Her arms wrapped me in a crushing hug just when I was about to step off the porch.
I could feel her lips graze my ear as she whispered, "I'll come back for you, Tomoyo-chan." She put emphasis on my name, each syllable pronounced clearly and slowly.
I arrived at school just in time, changing in the car. Before class started, Sakura asked me, "Why do you look so sad today?"
I shook my head and smiled my usual masking smile, "It's nothing, Sakura." I tapped her on the nose with the end my pencil.
A/N:So, there ya go. The backstory on Kozue. This turned out longer than I thought it would be, but at least I made my "deadline".
'Nother A/N: You can just disregard my little predictions for next chapter. I doubt they'll be right on the dot. They're just a kinda-sorta guide for the next part. I have a general plan laid out in my head, but other than that, I'm making this up as I go along.
In the next chapter: How will Sakura handle Kozue? And vice versa? And Li's actual reaction, not a lengthy backstory that has nothing to do with him. Bah. I'll put in Li if I feel like it.
