Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I'm pretty sure everyone know that.
Warning: This fanfiction contains the yaoi - (male-male relationship). If you don't like it, just please leave. And also, it is AU. Pairing: Riku and Sora
Author's Notes: Gomen! The time sure went so fast. I didn't realize it had been so long since I last update. Oops. Gomen. Well, I present you the new and last chapter.
Warning: You may not like the ending.False Mask 9
Ninth Chapter
Sora closed his mouth. He was still sitting under the tree, looked very depressed. I can't stand it because I can't bear watching him. I made my way to him, sat down besides him. Sora didn't react at all. I swung my arm around his shoulder and hugged him. Sora threw his arms around my waist and still didn't say anything. I wanted him to speak, so I'd know he's okay. It was very unusual for Sora to be very silent after his speech. Usually, he spoke like the waterfall.
He was shuddering, but I soon realized it wasn't because of the chill. He was silently crying. I stroked his back, up and down. I felt like helpless. I wanted to make it better for him but didn't know how.
"Sora, darlin'." I whispered softly, rubbing his back. Sora stopped shaking. "It's okay."
"I know." Sora said. He sniffled and moved away from me. "I miss her." He rubbed his wet eyes with his sleeve. His eyes were slightly red and his cheeks were too. I admitted he looked cute. I nodded in understanding, and watched him to jumps on his feet. I got on my feet as well, and followed Sora to the river. He knelt next to the river. He sank his hands into the cold water and then washed his face. He turned sideways and smiled at me.
"Hey, look." He pointed behind of me. "That's huge bird." I looked over my shoulder, my eyes searched for the huge bird.
"Ow!" I screamed as I felt the sudden strike at my chest. I jerked my head around to find the smirking Sora with his stick. He just pelted me with his stick. "That's cheap trick!"
"Yes! I hit you!" He danced merrily. It was really smarted. My chest was still stinging but I rather die than let him know. I scowled and took a hold of Sora. He stopped dancing and looked at me in surprise.
"Soon, when I'm done with you in the bed, you won't be able to sit for the month." I sneered evilly. Well contented with my new revenge and also pleased to find Sora's face was beet red. He blushed feverishly and refused to look at my eyes. I thought Wakka might be a bad influence on him since he always pulled the tricks on me. "Are you okay?" I said in all serious tone, but also knew it was a bit stupid question to ask.
"Yeah." Sora nodded and dropped his wooden stick.
We were heading for the mall. Wakka wanted to buy the new soccer ball since his ball got landed in his neighbor's yard. Well, let say the ball became the chew toy for the large, nasty dog. Tidus, Sora and Selphie were with us. Selphie and Tidus were talking animatedly while Sora was glued to my right arm. Wakka was marching front of us.
"Sora!" I heard the familiar voice. I saw Kairi approached us, while she shoved some random people that's in her way. Oh uh, she didn't look that happy.
"Kairi! You finally got out!" Tidus exclaimed.
"What? She was in the jail?" Bewildered, Sora whispered to me. Before I could to answer his question, I was smacked right on my face. I was speechless at Kairi who was stomping away right now. My cheek was burning but I didn't move at all. Did she slap me? I rubbed my bruised cheek with my left hand. Kairi was still there, but she's too far. She seemed to be waiting for somebody. And why the hell did she slap me?
"Tidus…" I said, icily at him. Tidus winced at my voice.
"I did! But she won't listen." He mumbled, "I came to her house and tried to talk to her but she won't let me in. And why I have to do it? It doesn't like it's my entire fault." He started to jabber about being unfair, slave and the mean master who happened to be me. I rolled my eyes while Sora sniggered.
"Hey, who is that?" All of a sudden, Wakka spoke up. Our friends and I looked at Kairi. She was holding somebody's arm and definitely in very good mood. He was taller than all of us, and had the hair that's similar to mine.
"It's Ansem." The voice replied from behind. I jumped with a start and saw him. Not another unfamiliar young man. I didn't like the strangers very much. So I just stayed silent and hopefully somebody else will speak to him. Wait, did he just say Ansem? Why did that so familiar to me? Then it clicked in my mind. He's responsible for the rumor about my non-existing affair. I searched for Kairi and Ansem but they were gone. I realized something was wrong. I turned to look at Sora who tensed up. His eyes were full with anger.
"Cloud!" It was Tidus who shouted. I looked at the blonde man. He looked very grim and serious. He narrowed his eyes when he saw me staring. He moved around my gang and kept on walking.
"Bye, Sora." With that, Cloud went around the corner of the store and disappeared from my sights. That's too much for me. I recently got slapped by Kairi and found out she's hanging out with Ansem who tried to break us up and successful at it too. And of course, there were Cloud and Sora.
"Sora? You know Cloud?" I asked him.
"Yeah. He's one who threw the rocks at me." He whispered so Tidus and Wakka won't able to hear him. I understood. I remembered that he said he met some bullies that taunted and teased him about his outfits.
"What's up with Kairi and Ansem?" Tidus said, "Ansem got the bad reputation, and definitely a terrible guy to hang out with."
"Yeah! I say we go after her and force the sense into her, ya." Wakka fumed, "I don't want her to get hurt."
"Hey, what's about Riku? He's one who got hurt in this situation." Tidus stopped and gave me a small smile. I didn't know if that was supposed to be comforting or insulting. My pride was little bruised. "And there're that little fact… we don't know where she is now." I grabbed Sora's hand and half-dragged him with me. I ignored Tidus and Wakka's chattering. Honestly, I didn't really care about Kairi and Ansem. That's fine with me if she wanted to hang out with Ansem.
"Where're we going?" said Sora.
"The mall."
"W-Wait! Wait!" Tidus shouted at us.
So much I hated to admit it… Kairi and Asnem had been in my mind lately. What was Kairi trying to do? Ever since that event in the street, I had been thinking about them. I tried to push the thoughts back in my mind so I could enjoy Sora's company. But obviously, that didn't work. I actually wished Selphie were here with me. She's the expert with distractions since she showed her talents with distracting the highly focused Wakka in the soccer field.
"Riku?" I looked up from the laptop to see Sora standing in the doorway.
"Hello, Sora."
"I got a favor to ask you." Sora said with a grin as he walked into my bedroom. He took a quick glance at my laptop.
"Sure, darlin'."
"Dad said he got time to take me out for the supper. I want to you come with me." He was very nervous when he asked me. He shifted his weight on his right foot.
"Yes, I'd like to." I smiled and closed my laptop. "When we're leaving for the supper?"
"Right now!" Sora grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the bed. I nearly dropped the laptop to the floor, but was luckily it landed on my bed. "He's waiting outside, in his car." I was thrilled to see his father finally. I never met him before, so that's why. I was quite curious to see what's he looked like.
Sora half-dragged out of my house. There, I saw the old, cream-colored van with a lot dents. I did think it's a white van but never had been washed. I jumped into the van with Sora and saw his father in the driver's seat.
"Hello, you must be Riku." He twisted around in his seat to shake my hand. He didn't look anything like Sora. In fact, he looked completely different. He had blonde hair and hazel eyes, and was a bit muscular.
"Nice to meet you, sir." I said politely before putting the seatbelt on.
We sat in the cheap restaurant but it was painted quite unusual. They painted the grapes on the walls and put the decoration that's mostly the fake grapes, vines and other things around in the rooms. The owner of that restaurant must be the big fan of the grapes. Sora was very excited about his father, that's for sure. I believed that Sora and his father didn't go out to the restaurant, or anywhere else very often.
"Riku! Riku!" I felt the hard nudge at my stomach.
"What?" I snapped back to the reality. Sora was looking at me funny. "What?"
"I said that she said she wants your order." He pointed at the waitress who was impatiently tapping on her foot.
"Oh. Um… French fries and coke?" That's all I can think in such short time, actually I never looked at the menu. She nodded and took off from the table. I guess they did have the French fries and coke.
"Oh. Um… French fries and coke?" That's all I can think in such short time, actually I never looked at the menu. She nodded and took off from the table. I guess they did have the French fries and coke.
"So…" Sora's dad started, "Sora told me you're the best soccer player."
"Well, I had beaten Wakka many times and he's good."
"I see." After our brief conversation, we were in the silence. Sora was playing with the edge his napkin and swinging his legs. I noticed his chair was too tall and he can't even touch the floor with his feet. I felt a bit awkward because of his father being there. I didn't know what's to talk about.
Finally, the waitress returned with our meals. Sora wolfed down his sandwich so quickly and I was quite amazed that he had yet to choke on his food.
"How's Leon?" His father said, amused at Sora.
"Usual. Just questions and all. Anyway. Will you let me keep him?" He pulled that puppy eyes trick on his father. Keep what? Who? Did he mean Leon or me? I watched as his father sighed and took the gulp of his water.
"I guess…"
"Great! Thanks!" In the flash, Sora nearly knocked the table over by jump over it to hug his father.
"Get back in your chair or least get off from the table!" His father laughed but was halted when that waitress came back with her angry face on. Sora immediately jumped off from the table and apologized to her. Meanwhile, I was still clueless about 'him'. Sora went back to his wooden chair with the dark red cushion.
"But you have to take care of that rat. I won't feed him myself or anything." His father said. Oh! It was Grey Tail then. I didn't know Sora kept it secret from his own father. Rest of that evening, I didn't speak much. Sora and his father did most of the talking. I quite enjoyed it too. I liked to watch them and way they talked to each one. I eventually realized that his father knew I was his son's boyfriend.
Sora told me that since his mother's death, they never went out for the dinner. So he was pretty excited about it.
The time passed too quickly for my comfort. I felt like the car accident only just happened yesterday. And yet I somehow ended up as Sora's boyfriend. It was a bit too strange for me. It was the couple months since that accident. I gazed at the sunset from my private spot on the cliff. I felt it was too strange. Even more stranger was Kairi and Ansem were now the official couple. Seemed to me, everything that was unlikely to happen… it did happen. And my father was never around when I wanted him to with me so I can tell my mother. He promised that he would but never around.
The sunset sank under the forest and was gone until next morning. All of a sudden, I felt so tired. I sprawled on the grass and slept.
"Riku?" I heard the voice. I slowly opened my eyes to see my mother's kind eyes. She smiled. "It's time to get up. You won't want to miss the school." The school? But… it's summer. No school during the summer…
"I left the money on the kitchen counter so you can buy your lunch. And maybe even treat yourself to the ice cream after the school." She said and walked out of the bedroom. I groaned as I turned over in the bed to see my unset alarm clock. It was the seven o'clock in morning. I didn't remember how I ended up here, not in that spot on the cliff.
But I didn't care. I took a quick shower and changed into the casual outfit. I noticed the newspapers on the dining table. I picked it up and looked at the date. April 3, 2004.
"What the…?" But it was supposed to be end of August. Not April. What did just happened? I felt a bit odd, like something was missing.
"Dad?" I nearly shouted and the panic inside me was slowly growing.
"Yeah?" My father's voice came from the kitchen. I went into there and saw my father. He was stealing the cookies from the jar.
"Where's Sora?"
"Sora? Who's he?" He said, confused. "Never heard of him. Your new friend?" I shook my head and ran out of the house. I felt so empty. It was all a dream…
Just a dream…But it felt so real. It felt so real. How was it possible?
I saw Sora at the school but he didn't recognize me. He simply walked along with his brunette friend and ignored me. Each time, I'd see him and I'd remember my dream. It was hurting so much. I sat down at the café, having the chat with my friends. Well, more like they were chatting but not me. I kept staring at the familiar student at another table.
Sora was so happy since he got a new girlfriend. I was very disturbed about it all. I wished I never had that dream. It only made me even worse. There was no car accident. And I doubted Leon even existed.
"Riku, are you okay?" Kairi said, in her concerned voice. I turned to look at her. I nodded and stared at my old fries. "You got to stop act that way."
"What do you mean?"
"Whenever, something bad happened. You always hide behind your mask." Kairi said.
"Yeah, Riku. Get rid of that false mask!" Tidus grinned. "C'mon, we're your friends. You can tell us everything. Well, not everything. I don't want to know your sex life." I shook my head and ignored them. I glanced at Sora once again and wondered if he even notices me. It had always that way. Ever since he moved around here the couple years ago, I was immediately attracted to him. But he didn't have the same feeling. He always ignored me and didn't even know I existed.
I wished it were different. Like my dream.
THE END