Battles of the Heart
Chapter 12: A Young Girl's Wish
Yutaro sat up in his futon. I can't sleep. I'll go look at the stars for a while, he decided. They were very pretty, but something else was plaguing his thoughts. A certain brunette. Am I starting to like Tsubame? As more than a friend? he wondered. Lately, she had been all he was thinking of. Her shy smile, sparkling eyes, and quiet way of showing affection. It was almost enchanting. Do I have a crush on Tsubame? It was almost a scary thought. She's Yahiko's, not mine.
But you can make her yours, a voice in the back of his head slyly added.
That wouldn't be right. Or fair.
Who said anything about being fair? it demanded, Is it fair that Yahiko's taking Tsubame when she should be yours?
Well-Of course not! It's time to make her yours.
Hai! A determined look crossed his face.
The next morning, Yutaro climbed out of his bed and yawned. Time to make Tsubame-chan mine! He walked downstairs to find Kenshin making breakfast and everybody going about their usual business. And Tsubame was sitting uncomfortably close to Yahiko. "Tsubame-chan, do you mind coming with me for a minute? I want to ask you something."
"Hai, Yutaro-chan. I'll be right back, Yahiko," she smiled and followed Yutaro out to the cherry blossom tree out front.
Yutaro stopped and turned around to face Tsubame. "I need to ask you something." By now the devil on his shoulder had completely taken over his mouth. "Do you love Yahiko?"
Tsubame stared at him, "I-I don't know."
"Do you like Yahiko?"
"Hai. Very much so."
"Do you think you are close to loving him?"
Tsubame saw where the conversation was heading. "Hai," she answered defiantly, but she regretted the forcefulness of her reply at the sight of his momentary face fault. "Yutaro-chan, I like you very very much, but I like Yahiko-chan more."
"What has Yahiko got that I don't?"
"He's kind to me."
"I'm kind to you."
"He's cheerful."
"I'm cheerful."
"He's very good at swordsmanship."
"I'm just as good as he is!"
"He's really smart."
"I'm smarter than he is!"
"He's strong."
"So am I."
"He's playful and silly. He's such a boy at heart."
"…That just shows how mature I am."
"You have all the qualities that Yahiko has, but, I guess I like him above all because he's Yahiko. And you could be better than Yahiko at everything, but you still wouldn't be Yahiko. Gomen, Yutaro-chan."
Yutaro's eyes saddened, "H-hai. Demo, let's go make Yahiko jealous anyway, ne, Tsubame-chan?"
Tsubame smiled and nodded, "But we're still friends, ne, Yutaro-chan?"
"Of course."
He took Tsubame's hand and together they stepped back into the Aoiya.
"Tsubame-chan, ano, would you like to…to come eat at the Shirobecko with me?"
She looked at him strangely, "You mean like a date?"
Yutaro shook his head quickly, "Iie! It's just lunch! Unless you don't want to, of course."
"Iie, I'd love to eat lunch with you, Yutaro," she smiled.
He grinned. This could be his chance.
By the time they had got to the Shirobecko, Sae had seen them. "Aww, you two are so cute! Demo, Tsubame-chan, whatever happened to that nice boy, Yahiko-chan?"
Tsubame blushed and replied quietly, "I'm just eating lunch with Yutaro, that's all." Sae nodded and winked.
They walked over to a vacant table and waited for a waitress to take their order. To their surprise, Sano came over, muttering something under his breath. It sounded suspiciously like curses. Apparently not paying attention to the young pair, he put on a brilliant smile and in a politely sweet voice, greeted them, "Good afternoon! What would you like to – Nani! Tsubame-chan! Yutaro-chan! What are you two doing here?"
Tsubame giggled and Yutaro stared. "Yutaro and me were just getting some lunch. What about you, Sano-san? Are you making money to pay back Tae-san and Megumi-san?"
Sano fell over anime style. "Ano, sorta," he blushed, rubbing the back of his head," Hai, I'm making money to pay back Tae."
Tsubame looked at him strangely, "Demo what about Megumi-san? You owe her some money, too."
Sano laughed nervously, "Y-yeah, but I'll pay her back later…" He trailed off.
She giggled, "Megumi-san wouldn't be happy if she heard you say that."
Sano smirked, "Demo, Yahiko-chan would not be very pleased if he saw you with Yutaro."
Tsubame froze. "Doushite? I'm just eating lunch with Yutaro."
Sano's smirk grew bigger. "Oh really?"
"You think I'm lying, Sano-san?"
"Hai."
"And if I was, what would you do about it?"
Sano stared at her for a moment, "That doesn't sound like you, Tsubame-chan. I think a bit of Yutaro-chan is rubbing off on you. Yahiko-chan will be worried. Maybe I should warn him."
The young girl's face twisted into a mask of horror, "You-you wouldn't! Onegai, don't do that, Sano-san!"
Sano grinned, "Why not? You're just eating lunch, right?"
Now it was Tsubame's turn to smirk. "While we're on the subject of warning people, Megumi-san told Kaoru-san that she was waiting for you to pay her back. Maybe I should tell her to stop waiting and that you're only working to way back Tae-san. She'll be really angry then. Hai, maybe if I warn her beforehand, she won't kill you."
Sano's eyes widened. "You-you-you wouldn't!" he sputtered.
Yutaro grinned, "Yes she would."
Sano almost shrieked.
The two young teens laughed.
When her giggles finally subsided, Tsubame offered a truce. "If you don't tell Yahiko, I won't tell Megumi-san. Deal?"
Sano calmed down, "Sure. So for now, I'm safe from Megitsune's wrath."
"Anyway," Tsubame continued, "I'd like a green tea, onegai."
"I'll have the same," interrupted Yutaro.
Sano walked away. Kami, I can't believe I just had that conversation with a pair of teenagers. How embarrassing. Sagara, you're getting soft. He shook his head. "Two green teas, onegai," he called distractedly to the cook.
"Sure, hey, Sanosuke-kun, why did you take so long talking to the customers?"
He sighed exasperatedly, "Because I did, is there a problem with that?"
The cook frowned, "Of course there is. I missed your company!"
Sano groaned. The woman was hitting on him. How stupid could she be? Very stupid, he decided.
He was brought out of his musings by the sound of her voice. "Sanosuke-kun, the teas are ready. This time, don't take so long out there or I'll miss you!" He groaned again. This woman was really annoying.
Tsubame looked up. "Arigatou, Sano-san."
"Arigatou, Sano-san," repeated Yutaro.
He smiled at them as he handed them their green teas. "Anytime, kids."
He smirked as Yutaro's face twisted slightly into a strange pout. Kinda like Yahiko… he observed.
After finishing their teas, Yutaro stood up and together they put their money on the table and left. Hand in hand, they arrived at the Aoiya.
The two had just sat down under the cherry blossom tree again when Yahiko approached the pair. "Ano, Tsubame, would you like to come with me in to town?"
Tsubame grinned and stood up, "Yes, please!" Her eagerness bothered Yutaro and delighted Yahiko. She followed Yahiko into the marketplace.
The crowd watched as two young teens strode happily among the stalls. "Tsubame-chan! Look at that kimono! It would look pretty on you! So would that one!"
Tsubame smiled at his back, he was so kind to her. He's such a boy! I hope he never changes. As she sped up to catch up with her companion, something caught her eye. She stopped to stare at it. It was so beautiful!
Yahiko noticed she had stopped. Her quiet breaths were no longer following him. Curiously, he turned around and backtracked to where she was standing. Following her eyes, he saw what she was admiring. It was a beautiful kimono. Suddenly, an idea struck him. "Tsubame-chan, why don't you go try it on? Just for fun!" He dragged her inside and they asked the clerk if they could try it on. It was smaller, and it looked about Tsubame's size. "Excuse me, but could she try on that kimono?" Yahiko asked the storekeeper, indicating to Tsubame.
The woman beamed and nodded, "Of course! It looks like it will fit." She reached up and took it down from its place at the window. "Here you go, dear."
Gleefully, Tsubame skipped off to the changing room. The sounds of fabric rustling and rubbing against more fabric filled the quiet store. Finally, after waiting with baited breath, Yahiko saw a hand sliding the curtain covering the small room open. Tsubame pushed the curtain all the way out and shuffled forward. Yahiko's eyes widened and the beam on the storekeeper's face widened.
It was almost as if the kimono was made for Tsubame alone. The white silk fabric gleamed and shone like a pearl and clung to her slight curves easily, falling to her ankles. Big pine green cherry blossoms decorated the hem and her sleeves. The collar was pine green and the rest of the kimono was littered with smaller cherry blossoms and petals, as if blowing in the wind. It had quite a low V-neck neckline, but still remained conservative. Tsubame had been transformed.
"Ano, Yahiko, do I look…okay?"
Yahiko, who had been staring, blinked and exclaimed, "Okay? You don't even look close to 'okay'!" At this, her face fell, but if Yahiko noticed, he didn't comment. "You're, you're…wow. You're beautiful!" Tsubame's face lit up like a star.
"Really?
"Definitely," he assured her.
Tsubame, in a fit of ecstasy, quickly changed back into her first kimono and skipped out.
"It looked like it was made for you, Tsubame-chan. I'm sure if we work together, you can buy it!" he suggested, excitedly.
Tsubame looked doubtful, "I don't know, Yahiko, I don't want to make you pay-"
"Nonsense," he interrupted, "Go on." She hugged him and walked over to the lady.
"How much does this kimono cost?" she inquired timidly.
The lady looked pitifully down at her, "100 yen."
Tsubame was silent. 100 yen? I don't have that kind of money…
Tears began to form in her eyes as she nodded and bit her lip, turning away. Yahiko took her hand and they walked away. They sat down under a nearby cherry tree and he rubbed her back comfortingly as she began to cry quietly. He looked sadly at her tear-stained face. She really wanted that kimono. I wish I hadn't told her to try it on at all. I knew it would be too expensive. This is all my fault. Matte, I have some money at the dojo. He screwed up his face for a moment in thought, 40 yen, I think. And I brought 10 yen. That's 50 yen already… His face brightened for a second. "Right, Tsubame-chan, how much money did you bring?"
Tsubame lifted her tear-stained face to meet his, "Uh, 20 yen. That's all my savings…"
Yahiko frowned for a moment, "Would you be willing to spend all your savings on a kimono?"
Tsubame nodded wordlessly. Yahiko sighed pitifully.
"Tsubame-chan, are you sure?"
She nodded more vigorously this time. He smiled.
"Well, that's 20 yen already," he said hopefully, "Now we only need 80 more."
Tsubame smiled at his attempts to cheer her up. "Yes, but, where will we get that 80 yen?"
Yahiko grinned cockily, "I have some money." He stood up and puffed his chest out in a hopeless attempt to appear heroic.
Tsubame giggled, "Demo, Yahiko-chan, you shouldn't have to pay for something I want…"
Yahiko stopped and looked down at her from his standing position, "Tsubame-chan, if I want to spend my money on a friend, I most certainly can!" His indignant tone caused Tsubame to erupt in giggles again and caught Yahiko by surprise. He wobbled and fell over sideways. Tsubame erupted into yet another fit of giggles. He looked so comical like that, lying on his side, legs in the air and an indignant look plastered on his face as he tried to nurse his injured ego. But he beamed delightedly as he saw the amusement it caused Tsubame. Looks like I'm good for something after all… he mused good-humoredly.
Tsubame took a deep breath and her giggles subsided. Yahiko is so nice. I know he wouldn't hesitate to buy something like that for me, she blushed, but why didn't I want him to say 'friend'?
Cut it Tsubame, you know you want him to say 'you' instead of 'a friend', scolded a voice inside her head. Tsubame sighed quietly.
The sky was darkening. She leaned her head against the tree behind her and yawned slightly. Yahiko plopped down beside her and the two of them sat in comfortable silence. It's so peaceful, just sitting next to her. I wish I could sit like this for the rest of the night. I probably could, 'cause Kaoru's most likely caught up in her dreams of Kenshin. He snickered quietly.
Tsubame looked up. "What's so funny?"
Yahiko smiled, "I'm just thinking of how we could probably sit like this all night since Kaoru will be caught up in her dreams of Kenshin."
Tsubame giggled. "Yes, Kaoru-san does dream about Kenshin a lot, ne?"
Yahiko nodded, still snickering. Tsubame yawned again and her eyes struggled to remain open. Yahiko didn't notice, as he was still thinking of Kaoru's wistful face. Tsubame gave up and let herself drift away to sleep. To his surprise, Tsubame's head fell gently to lean on his shoulder comfortably. He grinned. "So now I'm your headrest, too, ne?" He chuckled quietly and closed his own eyes, surrendering to slumber. His head fell on Tsubame's, and the two cut a cute picture, the twilight stars sparkling down in the shadow of a smiling moon, illuminating a cherry blossom tree where a girl lay, head on the shoulder of a young boy, whose head rested on her own.