Disclaimer: I don't own much of anything.
A/N: I was feeling inspired by reviews to continue this one shot. Some of you may not like what I've done to the story. I warn you in advance things have taken a weird turn. Review if you like how it's going so far!
Chapter 2
Days turn to weeks, weeks turn to months, and months turn to years all in the blink of an eye. It's believed the best time in your life will be your childhood. It will be the most crucial time in the development of your life determining what type of person you will be. It will be the time where you will find your first real friend, your first crush, your first kiss, and perhaps the dream that will establish your entire future. It's all a matter of who you knew, what you did, and what you got out of it that matters.
Like all good things, childhood was something Rui and Tsukushi had to bid farewell to. Somewhere in the middle of endless games of tag, hide and go seek, and cootie shots they didn't realize that boy and girl had turned into man and woman. Their minds had refused to see the truth that was becoming evident from that small crack in Rui's deepening voice and the newfound curvature in Tsukushi's figure. It was an awkward time for young persons their age. It was a time filled with acne, glasses, braces, and erratic new body growths. They were minor details to the two. For all they saw in each other was their friend, one half of the other.
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Somewhere in the distance of a long winding road stood a girl leaning against a pole letting out another heavy sigh. She glanced up for a moment under heavy eyelashes, squinting through her glasses in hopes to see the faint impending shape of the bus. Her heavy book bag hung over her shoulder slumped to the ground going unnoticed by the girl. She fumbled with her hair trying to retie the long locks into the perfectly symmetrical neat plaited braids she usually kept them in. The cool summer breeze shifted up blowing harder down on her making the edges of her skirt flutter in the wind. Uncomfortably she shifted in her clothes that suddenly felt restricting and itchy. She tugged at the collar of her blouse while pulling down the hem of the skirt that she always considered too short for her tastes. It was school policy, so there was no way out of it. The echo of cars honking at her roused her from her melancholy state. She smirked at the sight of two pristine sports cars winding around each other tempting one another testing the nerves of its drivers. A knowing smirk flickered across her face mischievously. With the loud screeching of tired, the cars came to a halt in front of her. Four men stepped out of the cars grinning from ear to ear.
"I win!' Akira shouted holding up his arms in victory.
"You cheated! I saw what you did," Tsukasa bellowed pointing an accusing finger at Soujiro.
"I have no idea what you are talking about?" Soujiro shrugged his shoulders. He leaned against the car staring up into the deep blue sky feigning innocence.
"Don't give me that. How could I miss you're bare butt pressed against the glass? Any other driver probably would have completely lost control of their car with the sight of that."
"You know you liked it, baby," Soujiro laughed while playfully slapping his butt.
Rui walked away from the bickering trio with a concealing the look on his face that juts screamed "I don't know them." He picked up her fallen bag on the ground and swung it over his shoulder as if it was light as a feather. "How was your day?" he quietly asked.
"Same as always. It just feels good to know that today is the last day of school. Like the saying goes, 'No more pencils. No more books. No more teacher's dirty look'." Her light airy laughter surrounded them enveloping them all in her cheery warmth. "I can't believe our first year of high school passed by so quickly." She leaned back against the pole for support while looking up at the clouds swimming past them in a haze. She pointed a slender finger up in the air giggling to herself, "Hey Rui, doesn't that cloud look a lot like pig."
Her stoic companion smiled to himself. Some things never changed. Tsukushi would always be Tsukushi with her head up in the clouds. "Really, I thought it sorta looked like you."
"Jerk!" she wailed punching him lightly in the arm. She redirected her attention towards Soujiro, Akira, and Tsukasa while cocking her head to the side. "What's up with those three anyways?"
"Tsukasa's just mad that he lost a race against Akira."
"Ahh, I see. I can still see Soujiro's butt print against the glass." She lazily kicked a rock next to her shoe hitting Tsukasa in the ankle. "I think we should end it before there's blood shed. Tsukasa looks like he's about to blow."
"Ow! What was that for?!"
She picked herself up from her comfortable leaning position and marched right up to the three men who although were the same age seemed to tower over her by a head. Unflinching she smacked him over the backside of his head. "Don't tell me you were out racing again! You don't even have a license yet! What would you do if the cops caught you idiots tearing down the streets with no license, no insurance, and complete lack of proper driving skills?! You could have hurt somebody!"
Tsukasa opened his mouth to rebut, but was rendered speechless by her acute assessment of the situation.
"Ooooh! Somebody's in trouble," Soujiro and Akira chorused snickering behind her.
She quickly spun around and gave each of them a swift kick in the shins in response to their taunting. "You two should know better, too."
His temper was flaring up as usual in distaste at her utter lack of respect for him. Even after all these years, it still pissed him off that a girl who was probably on the bottom of society's food chain found the right to boss her around. "Why should I listen to you anyway? My family practically owns this city. No cop would dare stop us knowing who I am. Plus, I've been driving since I was 13. I can manage a simple street race against Akira. I'll do as I damn well please."
"Oh man."
"He's dug himself deep this time."
Tsukushi returned his glare taking one step forwards. Her dangerous whisper directed right at him was enough to make anyone's blood run cold. She plastered on a saccharine sweet smile concealing her rage. "You're right. You're family probably could buy off all the damage you do, but I know one person who would set you straight faster than you can say ouch."
Tsukasa flinched under her attack knowing she would pull out her trump card. It was always her winning ticket in their arguments.
She tapped a finger against her lip. "I wonder what Tsubaki would think about all this. I believe she would be thrilled to know that her underage fifteen year old brother has been drag racing in the middle of the afternoon without a license. Or better yet how would she like to know that you took her favorite Porsche out for a joy ride?"
The mere utterance of her name drained all color from his face. "You wouldn't."
"You want to try me."
"Score one Tsukushi. Tsukasa zero." Akira muttered.
"Fine, you stupid woman," Tsukasa sulked folding his arms over his chest pouting. "Come one guys, let's go. I don't even know why you made us stop for her," he grumbled.
"I'm gonna miss this," Soujiro sighed. He draped one arm around Tsukushi pulling her closer to him. "What are we going to do with no one to engage Tsukasa in battle?"
"Yeah, Tsukushi. It's not going to be the same without you here." Akira sandwiched her between the two hugging onto her other arm for dear life.
"Aww. You two really know how to make a girl feel wanted."
"Dude! Hot girls at ten o'clock."
The two playboys quickly withdrew their arms from Tsukushi as if she had the plague. They smoothed out their clothes for the nonexistent wrinkles making sure they were the images of perfection.
"I'll take the one at the right. Ready?"
Akira nodded his head while his lingering eyes stalked his prey. "Break!"
Like two sleek panthers they easily slipped draped their arms over the two giggling girls whispering sweet nothings enticing them into their trap. Tsukushi rolled her eyes already expectant of the outcome of the situation. One minute it's their precious Tsukushi that is until some hot girl passes by.
"Hey, well see you later at the party, right?" Akira revved up the engine earning with his arm around the perky blonde.
"Sure. Remember it starts at 7."
Soujiro leaned back in the backseat already deep in his game of seduction with his own companion. He broke his attention for a moment to lean out the window with a smug lopsided grin plastered to his face. "Is it ok if we bring our new friends?"
Tsukushi sighed shrugging her shoulders in defeat. It wouldn't be the same without those two sex crazed teens ditching her for a girl. As odd as it sounds, she had had come to rely on the comfort of their idiocy. "Sure." Before she had a chance to say another word the screeching of car tires rang through her ears. "Same old same old," she grumbled.
"Get in the car already. I'm tired of standing around here. Why do you feel the need to take the bus anyway?"
She eyed the driver behind the wheel shuddering at the thought of barreling down the road at 90mph with the music blaring at unfathomable decibels. "Yeah right. Some of us don't have death wishes. I'd rather be wedged between fat smelly man than ride in a car with you."
"Whatever," he rolled his eyes. "You coming or not, Rui?"
"I'll stay here."
"Fine. God, do you realize how demeaning it is to ride on a bus with other commoners? I wouldn't be caught dead on public transportation. It's beneath you." Flashing one of his overly confident, egotistical smiles he sped off leaving a cloud of dust and exhaust in his wake.
Tsukushi proceeded back to her previous position leaning against the cold metal pole. "I'm really going to miss arguing with that idiot," she sighed. She pushed up the rim of her glasses repositioning them on her nose.
Rui stared blankly at her giving no trace of emotion on his face. "It'll be quiet once you're gone, but not too quiet."
"I guess. That pineapple head will never shut the hell up," she laughed. "The bus is here." Tsukushi snatched her book bag out of Rui's hand and slung it over her shoulder. Like everyday after school, she laced her hand in his and dragged him onto the bus shoving their way towards the back. It had to be the back of the bus or nothing. Tsukushi always believed that if you had to ride on the bus, you should ride in the back to feel every bump in the road where it's most fun.
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"My ass is going to hurt after this ride," Rui yelped as the bus hit another large pothole.
"Shut up and enjoy the ride already you big baby. I want to memorize every detail of this ride home." She leaned out against the window pressing her face to the glass. "Times like this I wish you were quiet like you are around everyone else. The scandal it would be if the world saw the great Hanazawa Rui complaining."
"You should be glad I bestow my gift of speech on you," he sneered pretending to act pompous. It wasn't hard since he was using the same tone Tsukasa spoke with 24/7.
"Don't think I can't beat the crap out of you," she warned sticking out her tongue. "You would think that after riding the bus with me for the past year, that you would have gotten used to this. No one told you to ride home with me every single day."
"Well somebody has got to pick you up. Who knows where the hell you might end up. I still remember that first day of school when you called in panic after you missed your stop and ended up somewhere across town."
"That wasn't my fault!" she protested.
"Yeah right. I think spacing out and finding yourself in the middle of nowhere qualifies as not being your fault. One day you're going to have to get your head out of the clouds."
"Yes, mother." Tsukushi pulled the cord on the bus signaling the driver to stop. "And one day you're going to have to stop being so damn serious."
"It's called being responsible."
"Whatever." She opened the window and stuck her head out a bit to feel the cool wind hit her face. "It's going to be hard to leave all of this behind."
"You could stay you know. My mother offered to let you stay here and live with us."
Tsukushi warmly smiled at him for his efforts to get her to stay. "I would never miss seeing my new little brother. I'm still not over the shock that my mother is pregnant. God, I never wanted to imagine that my parents were still doing THAT. They're too old to be having another kid." She leaned back against her seat staring out the window with a blank expression. "It will be nice living with my grandparents. Mom won't have to worry too much about some extra help when the baby comes and she won't have to work anymore."
"My dad was glad about the offer to head the office in Okinawa. It's one less office he needs to worry about."
"I guess everything worked out pretty well in the end." She stood up and hopped down the steps of the back door waving a goodbye at the driver. "Bye, Saito-san!"
The old driver turned around and waved back smiling. "Bye, Tsukushi!" He chuckled as he watched her sullen friend follow her from behind nodding his head in embarrassment watching Tsukushi skip down the street. Those two certainly were an odd match. It was hard not to notice the finely pressed Eitoku uniform he wore. It was a stark contrast to Tsukushi's plain uniform that he recognized as the local public high school uniform. Those two were as opposite as night and day. One was always smiling and laughing, while the other was somber and expressionless. It was still hard to fathom how the two could be friends.
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Rui walked slowly behind Tsukushi in fascination. He could no longer suppress the small smile tugging at his lips thinking about the way she still acted like she was in elementary school. For no reason, she stopped in mid step and turned around flashing him a toothy grin before skipping ahead. He nodded his head agreeing with himself that he would have her no other way.
Even at the age of fifteen she still refused to give up her childish, girly fanciful ways. Tsukushi was one of those girls that never ceased to amaze him. She was unlike the rest of the girls he had ever met. The ones at school all treated him differently as if he were some sort of freak. He knew the way the girls stared at him was purely out of hormonal urges. It was the same look the rest of F4 received wherever they went, awe, fascination, and pure adoration of their looks and status. They were all fake. As a quiet observer of human behavior, he noticed the way those girls obsessed in front of their mirrors trying to recreate some sort of warped idea of beauty and perfection through any means whether it be padded bras, caked on make up, or that attitude of pure snobbery they took on. Tsukushi was different though. When she smiled, she did because she was happy. That was what made her stand out. He could read emotions so easily as they played out on her face from the way her eyes gleamed when she was up to no good, to the way her cheeks flushed when she was mad.
He stopped for a moment and looked at himself. They were really an odd pair. He never thought much about outer appearances, but he knew according to society's standards he was quite handsome. He had escaped puberty better than most with his fair complexion without a single spot of acne and his body perfectly lean and tall. He wasn't exactly muscular or anything, but he had a certain lankiness in his frame that matched him. His messy brown bangs just naturally seemed to fall over his face in that cute way making him all the more mysterious. Tsukushi always mentioned the fact that every time his hand moved to brush the annoying hairs out of his eyes that most girls would kill to be able to be the one doing it. He chuckled at her suggestion thinking she was just being silly.
As Tsukushi walked in front of him, he became mesmerized by the sway of her two braids going back and forth. Tsukushi wasn't exactly plain, but she wasn't exactly the classic beauty either. She always said she preferred to not waste her time on makeup and artificial means of beautifying oneself, but even she had her bouts of vanity. He recounted how many times he had to bear her moans of disgust as she dissected every aspect of her body. She hated the braces she had to get earlier that year and almost killed Tsukasa when he mentioned the nickname "metal mouth". It was only another thing to be added to her list along with the glasses she started wearing in the fifth grade. Things only got worse when the guys began noticing girls and commented on Tsukushi's lack of upper body endowment or once again to Tsukasa's detrimental observation, "her flat as a board chest." That almost left him hospitalized until both Soujiro and Akira both pried her arms off his neck. She got over the wise cracks, though and moved on. She almost had a field day when Rui revealed the secret Soujiro's headgear he wore at night, Akira's special shoes for his bad posture, and not to mention the concealer Tsukasa demanded from his sister at the sight of any blemish that appeared on his face. With the newfound knowledge and a little blackmail, there were no further jabs at each other's personal appearances.
"Hey, Rui!"
"What?" he croaked out slightly disoriented from being interrupted in mid thought.
"Race you back to the house!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she darted like a bat out of hell past the mansion gates. "Last one there's a rotten egg!"
Never to be one left behind in Tsukushi's dust he ran after her patting her on the back in a taunting manner as he sped past her. "You're going to need to move a little faster than that!"
Tsukushi ran until it felt like her heart was about to explode stopping in front of the door to her house. She keeled over hugging her knees thinking she might cough out a lung. Glancing up she noticed that Rui had failed to even break a sweat. "You really suck, you know that! You're so perfect it makes me sick."
"You're just jealous," he laughed patting her on the head like a dog.
Before she could even place her key into the lock, the door swung open revealing Rui's mother giving one last big hug to Tsukushi's mother.
"It's not going to be the same around here without your family, Reiko. Are you sure you won't reconsider? I could be persuaded to raise your Make sure you take plenty of pictures of that little one. I'll take it as a personal insult if you don't send me dozens of photos."
"Don't worry. You'll be getting weekly updates once this little guy comes out." Tsukushi's mother laughed as she patted the large mound of a stomach she carried. "I'm sure Tsukushi will be snapping photos of her little brother all day long until we go blind from the flash she laughed.
"Hello, kids," Mrs. Hanazawa smiled.
"Hi, Mrs. Hanazawa," Tsukushi weakly waved with a tired hand. "Thank you for the new camera by the way. It will come in handy once Susumu is born."
"Think nothing of it, dear. Just think of it as an early birthday present from my husband and I." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Tsukushi in a tight embrace whispering in her ear, "I'll never regret the day you entered this house. You found my son for me. I worry what he will do without you," she sighed. She released Tsukushi and patted Rui on the back. "Let's leave them to finish packing. They've got a big day ahead of them tomorrow."
Rui nodded his head and waved a goodbye.
"I'll see you at the party, later!"
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"Bye, Yuki," Tsukushi whispered through bleary eyes as she hugged her best girl friend goodbye.
"I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer, but I've got to catch a late flight to Canada. I was lucky enough to talk my dad into waiting a day before he took the family on another one of his business trips."
"You've got my new address right?"
"Right here," she smiled as she pulled out a slip of paper form her purse. "Make sure you call me when you get settled. I'll miss you!" Yuki wiped away the onset of tears beginning to flow form her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Same here. You better go before I completely break down like you." She hugged Yuki one last time and watched as her friend walked out the door sadly waving goodbye. With a heavy heart, she walked back into the house dreading the many more goodbyes she would have to make that night. She re- entered her going away party accepting a few more goodbyes from fellow classmates she had known over the years. She scanned the room noticing how the large room was beginning to thin out. A hand tapped on her shoulder and she turned around smiling brightly.
"Good luck in Okinawa, Tsukushi," the boy smiled. He awkwardly ran his fingers through his hair.
"Thank you for coming, Amon." She leaned forward giving him a quick hug and stepped back. "I hope you keep in touch. I'll be insulted if you don't," she joked.
"Okay," he grinned. He turned around and walked out the door running to catch up with this group of friends.
"What, no kiss?!" an obnoxious voice said from behind her.
"I must say, that was a pitiful goodbye," Soujiro agreed.
Tsukushi turned around glaring at the two playboys poking fun at her rather awkward goodbye to her ex-boyfriend. "How would you act around someone you broke up with?"
"I avoid them all together," Akira nodded.
"You're the only person I know who makes an effort to remain 'friends' after breaking up with someone."
"I hate that weirdness, but I couldn't not avoid him."
"Is it just me or doesn't that guy bear a striking resemblance to Tsukasa?"
"You know, after you first told me that I couldn't kiss him without feeling like I was looking at Tsukasa. You're evil."
"Well, he does."
"Who does?" Tsukasa asked from behind the group.
Akira jumped in surprise. "What the hell was that? I thought Rui was the only one who popped up on people like that."
"Like this?" Rui's monotone voice asked from Akira's other side.
"Ah! I hate it when you do that. It's like you're some creepy stalker."
"No one answered my question. Who looks like me?"
"Tsukushi's ex-boyfriend," Soujiro answered.
Tsukasa flashed one of his pompous grins that made Tsukushi want to wipe off with her fist. "She only dated him because she couldn't get the real thing. All she could have of me was some poor imitation."
"I did not date him because he looked like you already" Tsukushi face was turning redder and redder by the moment.
"I'm surprised some guy even found you barely decent looking to go out with in the first place."
"Well at least I've had a boyfriend. Let me count all the girlfriends you have had so far." She stuck her hand out in front of her face mock counting a number with her fingers before crushing her hand into a fist. "Oh yeah, you've never had one," she triumphantly smiled. "No girl will go near you."
"I could go have any girl I want!"
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. We all know you're still pining over me," she giggled. "You're just jealous."
"Am not!"
"I always wondered about him," Akira whispered behind his back.
"Well, Tsukasa does have the mentality of ten year old. I think he insults her as some weird way of masking his true feelings. What do you think Rui?" Soujiro turned to Rui looking for some sort of response.
Rui's lips remained tightly sealed. He looked curiously upon Tsukasa wondering how the poor boy had never realized that perhaps he had a little bit of a crush on Tsukushi. He remembered back to the day that Tsukushi had introduced Amon to them wanting everyone to be friends. He wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms by Tsukasa or the rest of them for that matter. They never told Tsukushi the truth, but a few weeks before they persuaded her to break up with him they had found out his true motives for liking her. He thought she was wealthy like the rest of them and could maybe mooch off a few bucks here and there. Tsukushi thought he was only borrowing money from her and using her to associate in a much higher life style than what he was accustomed to. He was basically using her for the perks.
"I'm sick of arguing about this. It's late and I need to be up early tomorrow morning. Let's just say our goodbyes and get them over with." She walked up to Akira and Soujiro giving them long hugs whispering a few words in their ears. When it came to Tsukasa she only extended a friendly handshake and much to her surprise, he grabbed her into his embrace.
"You better come back soon."
"Don't worry. I promise I'll be back in a year and I'll have a ton of new insults ready for you," she laughed through tears.
"You better come back or I'll hunt you down myself and drag you back here. Who else is going to make that rock over there smile?" He gestured towards Rui with a look of pity.
With a quick peck on their cheeks she waved as F3 disappeared out the door. Inside she worried about what would happen to those three. She knew none of them would be able to keep Tsukasa's anger problems in check. Akira and Soujiro would probably become greater womanizers. Someone mainly she was responsible for whipping them into shape. Rui was the one she worried the most about. Would he revert back into his shell? Leaving them behind was one of the hardest things she had to do. She thought about all the good times they had shared since they were children wondering what life would be like without them. All she could feel was a growing empty hole in her heart that was growing wider with each second.
She felt a familiar hand land on her shoulder sending shivers down her spine. "It's your turn I guess," she sighed. She backed up resting her back against his chest listening to his rhythmic heartbeat through his shirt. She closed her eyes trying to memorize the feeling of being held by Rui, her Rui, the boy she had grown up with.
"I want to show you something," he whispered into her ear.
Obligingly she stepped away from him and took his outstretched hand falling him outside into the gardens. In a daze, she walked behind him taking in the sight around her. At night there was always an eerie tranquility about the gardens that reminded her so much of Rui. She suddenly stopped when she realized that Rui had let go of her hand and was now nowhere to be seen. She looked around her lost in her own confusion wondering where he had gone. Looking out, she fondly recalled where she was. It was a spot overlooking a small lake that when she was a child seemed enormous. The moonlight shimmered across the ripples in the water reflecting small specks of illuminated light against the trees.
"Give me your hand."
Tsukushi looked up recognizing Rui's voice to see him sitting on a bough of the tree she was standing next to. She smiled and put her hand in his stepping against the tree for more support as he lifted her up beside him. Silently she sat there with her hand still in his and leaned her head against his shoulder. She swung her legs back and forth noticing how familiar this all felt. Rui always gave of this feeling that evoked nothing less than home. "Do you remember what happened here?"
"Of course, I do. I was hoping there would be a meteor shower, but all I could do was this."
Her eyes widened immediately as white spark lit up in the air one blast after another. Large fiery balls screamed up into the ear exploding into a burst of white light falling down in a shower of sparks. One after on more fireworks exploded in the air before them in a magnificent shower of light. "It's beautiful, Rui," she whispered.
He remained rigid staring forward at the fireworks display he orchestrated just for her. Rui turned to look down at the childish smile playing on her lips basking in the enjoyment he found whenever he pleased her. "I knew you would like it." He continued to stare out into the night sky until the very last sliver of light fell to the ground. Nothing could last forever and he knew the time they had was drawing to a close. "I don't want you to leave," mumbled.
"Neither do I, but I have to. I won't split up my family." She squeezed his hand tighter. There was a certain quaver of uncertainty in her voice when she spoke the next few words. "It will only be for a year. I promise I'll come back. It's not like you'll never speak to me again. There's always the phone and e-mail. You could even come visit me if you want. I didn't know when to give you this, but now is as good a time." She reached for her purse and pulled out a tiny parcel wrapped in white paper with a dark navy blue ribbon securely tied around it.
"What is it?"
"Just a little something to remember me by."
He carefully tore off the paper and held a small silver case in his hand. Slowly he cracked it open and revealed a photo frame with a picture of Tsukushi staring back at him. Her hair was falling down in waves down her back pooling over her bare shoulders. Her lips curled up in a small smile. Her rosy cheeks contrasted her porcelain complexion. With her head tilted down at an angles wisps of hair fell covering half her face, but beneath the hair he could see a small glimpse of her deep brown eyes. Any other person would have no clue who was in the picture with the face obscured by hair and a strange angle, but Rui could clearly make it out as Tsukushi. As a private joke, she had adorned herself with a pair of soft white angel wings. The diaphanous white gown she wore teasingly revealed a bit of her pale skin beneath while intensifying some sort of white glow that formed around her.
"Thank you."
"You notice something strange about the picture?"
"Why?" he asked cocking his head to one side quizzically.
"Look at the tree."
He squinted a little harder trying to grasp what she was talking about. Somewhere behind her head there was a faint carving behind her head. In small scratches on the bark were the letters, HR and MT. "I don't remember that being on the tree."
"Come down here," she called from the ground below.
He hopped down to the ground into a crouched position before standing upright. He looked up to see her hand over the scratches on the tree.
"I thought we since this was or tree we should mark it as ours. I don't know what will happen to us in the future, but we'll always have this. It's our promise. We'll always be together."
"Always," he replied.
She ran forwards and jumped into his arms wrapping her arms around his neck. He could feel her warm tears falling onto his neck making the hairs stand up. "I don't like saying goodbyes to you."
"We'll do it at the same time, okay."
"Okay, in the count of three we'll turn around and walk away. No looking back, though."
"Agreed."
"Ready. One, two, three."
Rui felt the warmth around him disappear as she turned away form him. He turned around stumbling to walk the few paces away, but in the end broke his promise. For a brief second, he glanced behind him and saw her bury her face in her hand breaking out into a full run away from him. Her figure became smaller and smaller as she ran farther away. He felt a little guilty being a coward and looking back, but he didn't regret it one bit.
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"Hey Rui! Are you coming already?"
Rui nodded his head in silent agreement falling in step with F3. They strode through the airport purposely headed towards the airport terminal where she would be coming from. For the first time in her life, Tsukushi had broken a promise. Bitterly Rui recalled the fact that she had not returned after one year as she had promised. In the blink of an eye, five years had passed and she had yet to return. Now after a long wait she was coming back to him, but not he way he had expected her to.
Tsukasa pushed through the crowd looking out for any signs of her, but grimaced. "Why didn't she just take the private plane like I offered her?"
"You know Tsukushi doesn't like any special treatment or frills," Soujiro repeated for the tenth time that day.
Akira hopped up and down over the crowds of people trying to catch a glimpse of her. "I don't see her yet. She said her flight would be in at 2."
Rui sullenly leaned against a pillar string blankly into space. He carefully hid his excitement and anticipation.
A petite figure emerged out of the gate feeling a bit disoriented after her long flight. She pinched her cheeks trying to rouse herself from her daze. It felt like her heart was beating as loud as the clacking of her heels against the marble floors. She had waited behind a few minutes for the plane to empty out before getting off herself. She hated crowds and thought it would be smarter to wait for the crowds to disperse before getting off. She pushed her sunglasses up onto her head pulling back her bangs. Straightening out the wrinkles in her white silk slip dress she took in a deep breath calming the butterflies in her stomach. She looked down making smiling at the simple platinum band with simple princess cut diamond in the middle. Bending down to pick up her bag, she flipped her long brown locks behind her and proceeded towards the familiar faces she was looking for. She squealed in delight as she launched herself into the arms of the man she had come to see. Enveloped in his warmth she felt safe and comfortable.
The man bent down and captured her lips into a crushing kiss not wanting to let go of her ever again. He released her from his heated kiss and possessively laced an arm around her waist. He turned to F3 and smiled with a smile they had never seen him with before. "I've missed you," he huskily whispered into her ear.
"I've missed you, too."
Proudly grinning, Akira turned towards F3. "I love saying this. I would officially like to introduce you to, Tsukushi, my fiancée."
A/N: I was feeling inspired by reviews to continue this one shot. Some of you may not like what I've done to the story. I warn you in advance things have taken a weird turn. Review if you like how it's going so far!
Chapter 2
Days turn to weeks, weeks turn to months, and months turn to years all in the blink of an eye. It's believed the best time in your life will be your childhood. It will be the most crucial time in the development of your life determining what type of person you will be. It will be the time where you will find your first real friend, your first crush, your first kiss, and perhaps the dream that will establish your entire future. It's all a matter of who you knew, what you did, and what you got out of it that matters.
Like all good things, childhood was something Rui and Tsukushi had to bid farewell to. Somewhere in the middle of endless games of tag, hide and go seek, and cootie shots they didn't realize that boy and girl had turned into man and woman. Their minds had refused to see the truth that was becoming evident from that small crack in Rui's deepening voice and the newfound curvature in Tsukushi's figure. It was an awkward time for young persons their age. It was a time filled with acne, glasses, braces, and erratic new body growths. They were minor details to the two. For all they saw in each other was their friend, one half of the other.
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Somewhere in the distance of a long winding road stood a girl leaning against a pole letting out another heavy sigh. She glanced up for a moment under heavy eyelashes, squinting through her glasses in hopes to see the faint impending shape of the bus. Her heavy book bag hung over her shoulder slumped to the ground going unnoticed by the girl. She fumbled with her hair trying to retie the long locks into the perfectly symmetrical neat plaited braids she usually kept them in. The cool summer breeze shifted up blowing harder down on her making the edges of her skirt flutter in the wind. Uncomfortably she shifted in her clothes that suddenly felt restricting and itchy. She tugged at the collar of her blouse while pulling down the hem of the skirt that she always considered too short for her tastes. It was school policy, so there was no way out of it. The echo of cars honking at her roused her from her melancholy state. She smirked at the sight of two pristine sports cars winding around each other tempting one another testing the nerves of its drivers. A knowing smirk flickered across her face mischievously. With the loud screeching of tired, the cars came to a halt in front of her. Four men stepped out of the cars grinning from ear to ear.
"I win!' Akira shouted holding up his arms in victory.
"You cheated! I saw what you did," Tsukasa bellowed pointing an accusing finger at Soujiro.
"I have no idea what you are talking about?" Soujiro shrugged his shoulders. He leaned against the car staring up into the deep blue sky feigning innocence.
"Don't give me that. How could I miss you're bare butt pressed against the glass? Any other driver probably would have completely lost control of their car with the sight of that."
"You know you liked it, baby," Soujiro laughed while playfully slapping his butt.
Rui walked away from the bickering trio with a concealing the look on his face that juts screamed "I don't know them." He picked up her fallen bag on the ground and swung it over his shoulder as if it was light as a feather. "How was your day?" he quietly asked.
"Same as always. It just feels good to know that today is the last day of school. Like the saying goes, 'No more pencils. No more books. No more teacher's dirty look'." Her light airy laughter surrounded them enveloping them all in her cheery warmth. "I can't believe our first year of high school passed by so quickly." She leaned back against the pole for support while looking up at the clouds swimming past them in a haze. She pointed a slender finger up in the air giggling to herself, "Hey Rui, doesn't that cloud look a lot like pig."
Her stoic companion smiled to himself. Some things never changed. Tsukushi would always be Tsukushi with her head up in the clouds. "Really, I thought it sorta looked like you."
"Jerk!" she wailed punching him lightly in the arm. She redirected her attention towards Soujiro, Akira, and Tsukasa while cocking her head to the side. "What's up with those three anyways?"
"Tsukasa's just mad that he lost a race against Akira."
"Ahh, I see. I can still see Soujiro's butt print against the glass." She lazily kicked a rock next to her shoe hitting Tsukasa in the ankle. "I think we should end it before there's blood shed. Tsukasa looks like he's about to blow."
"Ow! What was that for?!"
She picked herself up from her comfortable leaning position and marched right up to the three men who although were the same age seemed to tower over her by a head. Unflinching she smacked him over the backside of his head. "Don't tell me you were out racing again! You don't even have a license yet! What would you do if the cops caught you idiots tearing down the streets with no license, no insurance, and complete lack of proper driving skills?! You could have hurt somebody!"
Tsukasa opened his mouth to rebut, but was rendered speechless by her acute assessment of the situation.
"Ooooh! Somebody's in trouble," Soujiro and Akira chorused snickering behind her.
She quickly spun around and gave each of them a swift kick in the shins in response to their taunting. "You two should know better, too."
His temper was flaring up as usual in distaste at her utter lack of respect for him. Even after all these years, it still pissed him off that a girl who was probably on the bottom of society's food chain found the right to boss her around. "Why should I listen to you anyway? My family practically owns this city. No cop would dare stop us knowing who I am. Plus, I've been driving since I was 13. I can manage a simple street race against Akira. I'll do as I damn well please."
"Oh man."
"He's dug himself deep this time."
Tsukushi returned his glare taking one step forwards. Her dangerous whisper directed right at him was enough to make anyone's blood run cold. She plastered on a saccharine sweet smile concealing her rage. "You're right. You're family probably could buy off all the damage you do, but I know one person who would set you straight faster than you can say ouch."
Tsukasa flinched under her attack knowing she would pull out her trump card. It was always her winning ticket in their arguments.
She tapped a finger against her lip. "I wonder what Tsubaki would think about all this. I believe she would be thrilled to know that her underage fifteen year old brother has been drag racing in the middle of the afternoon without a license. Or better yet how would she like to know that you took her favorite Porsche out for a joy ride?"
The mere utterance of her name drained all color from his face. "You wouldn't."
"You want to try me."
"Score one Tsukushi. Tsukasa zero." Akira muttered.
"Fine, you stupid woman," Tsukasa sulked folding his arms over his chest pouting. "Come one guys, let's go. I don't even know why you made us stop for her," he grumbled.
"I'm gonna miss this," Soujiro sighed. He draped one arm around Tsukushi pulling her closer to him. "What are we going to do with no one to engage Tsukasa in battle?"
"Yeah, Tsukushi. It's not going to be the same without you here." Akira sandwiched her between the two hugging onto her other arm for dear life.
"Aww. You two really know how to make a girl feel wanted."
"Dude! Hot girls at ten o'clock."
The two playboys quickly withdrew their arms from Tsukushi as if she had the plague. They smoothed out their clothes for the nonexistent wrinkles making sure they were the images of perfection.
"I'll take the one at the right. Ready?"
Akira nodded his head while his lingering eyes stalked his prey. "Break!"
Like two sleek panthers they easily slipped draped their arms over the two giggling girls whispering sweet nothings enticing them into their trap. Tsukushi rolled her eyes already expectant of the outcome of the situation. One minute it's their precious Tsukushi that is until some hot girl passes by.
"Hey, well see you later at the party, right?" Akira revved up the engine earning with his arm around the perky blonde.
"Sure. Remember it starts at 7."
Soujiro leaned back in the backseat already deep in his game of seduction with his own companion. He broke his attention for a moment to lean out the window with a smug lopsided grin plastered to his face. "Is it ok if we bring our new friends?"
Tsukushi sighed shrugging her shoulders in defeat. It wouldn't be the same without those two sex crazed teens ditching her for a girl. As odd as it sounds, she had had come to rely on the comfort of their idiocy. "Sure." Before she had a chance to say another word the screeching of car tires rang through her ears. "Same old same old," she grumbled.
"Get in the car already. I'm tired of standing around here. Why do you feel the need to take the bus anyway?"
She eyed the driver behind the wheel shuddering at the thought of barreling down the road at 90mph with the music blaring at unfathomable decibels. "Yeah right. Some of us don't have death wishes. I'd rather be wedged between fat smelly man than ride in a car with you."
"Whatever," he rolled his eyes. "You coming or not, Rui?"
"I'll stay here."
"Fine. God, do you realize how demeaning it is to ride on a bus with other commoners? I wouldn't be caught dead on public transportation. It's beneath you." Flashing one of his overly confident, egotistical smiles he sped off leaving a cloud of dust and exhaust in his wake.
Tsukushi proceeded back to her previous position leaning against the cold metal pole. "I'm really going to miss arguing with that idiot," she sighed. She pushed up the rim of her glasses repositioning them on her nose.
Rui stared blankly at her giving no trace of emotion on his face. "It'll be quiet once you're gone, but not too quiet."
"I guess. That pineapple head will never shut the hell up," she laughed. "The bus is here." Tsukushi snatched her book bag out of Rui's hand and slung it over her shoulder. Like everyday after school, she laced her hand in his and dragged him onto the bus shoving their way towards the back. It had to be the back of the bus or nothing. Tsukushi always believed that if you had to ride on the bus, you should ride in the back to feel every bump in the road where it's most fun.
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"My ass is going to hurt after this ride," Rui yelped as the bus hit another large pothole.
"Shut up and enjoy the ride already you big baby. I want to memorize every detail of this ride home." She leaned out against the window pressing her face to the glass. "Times like this I wish you were quiet like you are around everyone else. The scandal it would be if the world saw the great Hanazawa Rui complaining."
"You should be glad I bestow my gift of speech on you," he sneered pretending to act pompous. It wasn't hard since he was using the same tone Tsukasa spoke with 24/7.
"Don't think I can't beat the crap out of you," she warned sticking out her tongue. "You would think that after riding the bus with me for the past year, that you would have gotten used to this. No one told you to ride home with me every single day."
"Well somebody has got to pick you up. Who knows where the hell you might end up. I still remember that first day of school when you called in panic after you missed your stop and ended up somewhere across town."
"That wasn't my fault!" she protested.
"Yeah right. I think spacing out and finding yourself in the middle of nowhere qualifies as not being your fault. One day you're going to have to get your head out of the clouds."
"Yes, mother." Tsukushi pulled the cord on the bus signaling the driver to stop. "And one day you're going to have to stop being so damn serious."
"It's called being responsible."
"Whatever." She opened the window and stuck her head out a bit to feel the cool wind hit her face. "It's going to be hard to leave all of this behind."
"You could stay you know. My mother offered to let you stay here and live with us."
Tsukushi warmly smiled at him for his efforts to get her to stay. "I would never miss seeing my new little brother. I'm still not over the shock that my mother is pregnant. God, I never wanted to imagine that my parents were still doing THAT. They're too old to be having another kid." She leaned back against her seat staring out the window with a blank expression. "It will be nice living with my grandparents. Mom won't have to worry too much about some extra help when the baby comes and she won't have to work anymore."
"My dad was glad about the offer to head the office in Okinawa. It's one less office he needs to worry about."
"I guess everything worked out pretty well in the end." She stood up and hopped down the steps of the back door waving a goodbye at the driver. "Bye, Saito-san!"
The old driver turned around and waved back smiling. "Bye, Tsukushi!" He chuckled as he watched her sullen friend follow her from behind nodding his head in embarrassment watching Tsukushi skip down the street. Those two certainly were an odd match. It was hard not to notice the finely pressed Eitoku uniform he wore. It was a stark contrast to Tsukushi's plain uniform that he recognized as the local public high school uniform. Those two were as opposite as night and day. One was always smiling and laughing, while the other was somber and expressionless. It was still hard to fathom how the two could be friends.
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Rui walked slowly behind Tsukushi in fascination. He could no longer suppress the small smile tugging at his lips thinking about the way she still acted like she was in elementary school. For no reason, she stopped in mid step and turned around flashing him a toothy grin before skipping ahead. He nodded his head agreeing with himself that he would have her no other way.
Even at the age of fifteen she still refused to give up her childish, girly fanciful ways. Tsukushi was one of those girls that never ceased to amaze him. She was unlike the rest of the girls he had ever met. The ones at school all treated him differently as if he were some sort of freak. He knew the way the girls stared at him was purely out of hormonal urges. It was the same look the rest of F4 received wherever they went, awe, fascination, and pure adoration of their looks and status. They were all fake. As a quiet observer of human behavior, he noticed the way those girls obsessed in front of their mirrors trying to recreate some sort of warped idea of beauty and perfection through any means whether it be padded bras, caked on make up, or that attitude of pure snobbery they took on. Tsukushi was different though. When she smiled, she did because she was happy. That was what made her stand out. He could read emotions so easily as they played out on her face from the way her eyes gleamed when she was up to no good, to the way her cheeks flushed when she was mad.
He stopped for a moment and looked at himself. They were really an odd pair. He never thought much about outer appearances, but he knew according to society's standards he was quite handsome. He had escaped puberty better than most with his fair complexion without a single spot of acne and his body perfectly lean and tall. He wasn't exactly muscular or anything, but he had a certain lankiness in his frame that matched him. His messy brown bangs just naturally seemed to fall over his face in that cute way making him all the more mysterious. Tsukushi always mentioned the fact that every time his hand moved to brush the annoying hairs out of his eyes that most girls would kill to be able to be the one doing it. He chuckled at her suggestion thinking she was just being silly.
As Tsukushi walked in front of him, he became mesmerized by the sway of her two braids going back and forth. Tsukushi wasn't exactly plain, but she wasn't exactly the classic beauty either. She always said she preferred to not waste her time on makeup and artificial means of beautifying oneself, but even she had her bouts of vanity. He recounted how many times he had to bear her moans of disgust as she dissected every aspect of her body. She hated the braces she had to get earlier that year and almost killed Tsukasa when he mentioned the nickname "metal mouth". It was only another thing to be added to her list along with the glasses she started wearing in the fifth grade. Things only got worse when the guys began noticing girls and commented on Tsukushi's lack of upper body endowment or once again to Tsukasa's detrimental observation, "her flat as a board chest." That almost left him hospitalized until both Soujiro and Akira both pried her arms off his neck. She got over the wise cracks, though and moved on. She almost had a field day when Rui revealed the secret Soujiro's headgear he wore at night, Akira's special shoes for his bad posture, and not to mention the concealer Tsukasa demanded from his sister at the sight of any blemish that appeared on his face. With the newfound knowledge and a little blackmail, there were no further jabs at each other's personal appearances.
"Hey, Rui!"
"What?" he croaked out slightly disoriented from being interrupted in mid thought.
"Race you back to the house!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she darted like a bat out of hell past the mansion gates. "Last one there's a rotten egg!"
Never to be one left behind in Tsukushi's dust he ran after her patting her on the back in a taunting manner as he sped past her. "You're going to need to move a little faster than that!"
Tsukushi ran until it felt like her heart was about to explode stopping in front of the door to her house. She keeled over hugging her knees thinking she might cough out a lung. Glancing up she noticed that Rui had failed to even break a sweat. "You really suck, you know that! You're so perfect it makes me sick."
"You're just jealous," he laughed patting her on the head like a dog.
Before she could even place her key into the lock, the door swung open revealing Rui's mother giving one last big hug to Tsukushi's mother.
"It's not going to be the same around here without your family, Reiko. Are you sure you won't reconsider? I could be persuaded to raise your Make sure you take plenty of pictures of that little one. I'll take it as a personal insult if you don't send me dozens of photos."
"Don't worry. You'll be getting weekly updates once this little guy comes out." Tsukushi's mother laughed as she patted the large mound of a stomach she carried. "I'm sure Tsukushi will be snapping photos of her little brother all day long until we go blind from the flash she laughed.
"Hello, kids," Mrs. Hanazawa smiled.
"Hi, Mrs. Hanazawa," Tsukushi weakly waved with a tired hand. "Thank you for the new camera by the way. It will come in handy once Susumu is born."
"Think nothing of it, dear. Just think of it as an early birthday present from my husband and I." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Tsukushi in a tight embrace whispering in her ear, "I'll never regret the day you entered this house. You found my son for me. I worry what he will do without you," she sighed. She released Tsukushi and patted Rui on the back. "Let's leave them to finish packing. They've got a big day ahead of them tomorrow."
Rui nodded his head and waved a goodbye.
"I'll see you at the party, later!"
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"Bye, Yuki," Tsukushi whispered through bleary eyes as she hugged her best girl friend goodbye.
"I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer, but I've got to catch a late flight to Canada. I was lucky enough to talk my dad into waiting a day before he took the family on another one of his business trips."
"You've got my new address right?"
"Right here," she smiled as she pulled out a slip of paper form her purse. "Make sure you call me when you get settled. I'll miss you!" Yuki wiped away the onset of tears beginning to flow form her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Same here. You better go before I completely break down like you." She hugged Yuki one last time and watched as her friend walked out the door sadly waving goodbye. With a heavy heart, she walked back into the house dreading the many more goodbyes she would have to make that night. She re- entered her going away party accepting a few more goodbyes from fellow classmates she had known over the years. She scanned the room noticing how the large room was beginning to thin out. A hand tapped on her shoulder and she turned around smiling brightly.
"Good luck in Okinawa, Tsukushi," the boy smiled. He awkwardly ran his fingers through his hair.
"Thank you for coming, Amon." She leaned forward giving him a quick hug and stepped back. "I hope you keep in touch. I'll be insulted if you don't," she joked.
"Okay," he grinned. He turned around and walked out the door running to catch up with this group of friends.
"What, no kiss?!" an obnoxious voice said from behind her.
"I must say, that was a pitiful goodbye," Soujiro agreed.
Tsukushi turned around glaring at the two playboys poking fun at her rather awkward goodbye to her ex-boyfriend. "How would you act around someone you broke up with?"
"I avoid them all together," Akira nodded.
"You're the only person I know who makes an effort to remain 'friends' after breaking up with someone."
"I hate that weirdness, but I couldn't not avoid him."
"Is it just me or doesn't that guy bear a striking resemblance to Tsukasa?"
"You know, after you first told me that I couldn't kiss him without feeling like I was looking at Tsukasa. You're evil."
"Well, he does."
"Who does?" Tsukasa asked from behind the group.
Akira jumped in surprise. "What the hell was that? I thought Rui was the only one who popped up on people like that."
"Like this?" Rui's monotone voice asked from Akira's other side.
"Ah! I hate it when you do that. It's like you're some creepy stalker."
"No one answered my question. Who looks like me?"
"Tsukushi's ex-boyfriend," Soujiro answered.
Tsukasa flashed one of his pompous grins that made Tsukushi want to wipe off with her fist. "She only dated him because she couldn't get the real thing. All she could have of me was some poor imitation."
"I did not date him because he looked like you already" Tsukushi face was turning redder and redder by the moment.
"I'm surprised some guy even found you barely decent looking to go out with in the first place."
"Well at least I've had a boyfriend. Let me count all the girlfriends you have had so far." She stuck her hand out in front of her face mock counting a number with her fingers before crushing her hand into a fist. "Oh yeah, you've never had one," she triumphantly smiled. "No girl will go near you."
"I could go have any girl I want!"
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. We all know you're still pining over me," she giggled. "You're just jealous."
"Am not!"
"I always wondered about him," Akira whispered behind his back.
"Well, Tsukasa does have the mentality of ten year old. I think he insults her as some weird way of masking his true feelings. What do you think Rui?" Soujiro turned to Rui looking for some sort of response.
Rui's lips remained tightly sealed. He looked curiously upon Tsukasa wondering how the poor boy had never realized that perhaps he had a little bit of a crush on Tsukushi. He remembered back to the day that Tsukushi had introduced Amon to them wanting everyone to be friends. He wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms by Tsukasa or the rest of them for that matter. They never told Tsukushi the truth, but a few weeks before they persuaded her to break up with him they had found out his true motives for liking her. He thought she was wealthy like the rest of them and could maybe mooch off a few bucks here and there. Tsukushi thought he was only borrowing money from her and using her to associate in a much higher life style than what he was accustomed to. He was basically using her for the perks.
"I'm sick of arguing about this. It's late and I need to be up early tomorrow morning. Let's just say our goodbyes and get them over with." She walked up to Akira and Soujiro giving them long hugs whispering a few words in their ears. When it came to Tsukasa she only extended a friendly handshake and much to her surprise, he grabbed her into his embrace.
"You better come back soon."
"Don't worry. I promise I'll be back in a year and I'll have a ton of new insults ready for you," she laughed through tears.
"You better come back or I'll hunt you down myself and drag you back here. Who else is going to make that rock over there smile?" He gestured towards Rui with a look of pity.
With a quick peck on their cheeks she waved as F3 disappeared out the door. Inside she worried about what would happen to those three. She knew none of them would be able to keep Tsukasa's anger problems in check. Akira and Soujiro would probably become greater womanizers. Someone mainly she was responsible for whipping them into shape. Rui was the one she worried the most about. Would he revert back into his shell? Leaving them behind was one of the hardest things she had to do. She thought about all the good times they had shared since they were children wondering what life would be like without them. All she could feel was a growing empty hole in her heart that was growing wider with each second.
She felt a familiar hand land on her shoulder sending shivers down her spine. "It's your turn I guess," she sighed. She backed up resting her back against his chest listening to his rhythmic heartbeat through his shirt. She closed her eyes trying to memorize the feeling of being held by Rui, her Rui, the boy she had grown up with.
"I want to show you something," he whispered into her ear.
Obligingly she stepped away from him and took his outstretched hand falling him outside into the gardens. In a daze, she walked behind him taking in the sight around her. At night there was always an eerie tranquility about the gardens that reminded her so much of Rui. She suddenly stopped when she realized that Rui had let go of her hand and was now nowhere to be seen. She looked around her lost in her own confusion wondering where he had gone. Looking out, she fondly recalled where she was. It was a spot overlooking a small lake that when she was a child seemed enormous. The moonlight shimmered across the ripples in the water reflecting small specks of illuminated light against the trees.
"Give me your hand."
Tsukushi looked up recognizing Rui's voice to see him sitting on a bough of the tree she was standing next to. She smiled and put her hand in his stepping against the tree for more support as he lifted her up beside him. Silently she sat there with her hand still in his and leaned her head against his shoulder. She swung her legs back and forth noticing how familiar this all felt. Rui always gave of this feeling that evoked nothing less than home. "Do you remember what happened here?"
"Of course, I do. I was hoping there would be a meteor shower, but all I could do was this."
Her eyes widened immediately as white spark lit up in the air one blast after another. Large fiery balls screamed up into the ear exploding into a burst of white light falling down in a shower of sparks. One after on more fireworks exploded in the air before them in a magnificent shower of light. "It's beautiful, Rui," she whispered.
He remained rigid staring forward at the fireworks display he orchestrated just for her. Rui turned to look down at the childish smile playing on her lips basking in the enjoyment he found whenever he pleased her. "I knew you would like it." He continued to stare out into the night sky until the very last sliver of light fell to the ground. Nothing could last forever and he knew the time they had was drawing to a close. "I don't want you to leave," mumbled.
"Neither do I, but I have to. I won't split up my family." She squeezed his hand tighter. There was a certain quaver of uncertainty in her voice when she spoke the next few words. "It will only be for a year. I promise I'll come back. It's not like you'll never speak to me again. There's always the phone and e-mail. You could even come visit me if you want. I didn't know when to give you this, but now is as good a time." She reached for her purse and pulled out a tiny parcel wrapped in white paper with a dark navy blue ribbon securely tied around it.
"What is it?"
"Just a little something to remember me by."
He carefully tore off the paper and held a small silver case in his hand. Slowly he cracked it open and revealed a photo frame with a picture of Tsukushi staring back at him. Her hair was falling down in waves down her back pooling over her bare shoulders. Her lips curled up in a small smile. Her rosy cheeks contrasted her porcelain complexion. With her head tilted down at an angles wisps of hair fell covering half her face, but beneath the hair he could see a small glimpse of her deep brown eyes. Any other person would have no clue who was in the picture with the face obscured by hair and a strange angle, but Rui could clearly make it out as Tsukushi. As a private joke, she had adorned herself with a pair of soft white angel wings. The diaphanous white gown she wore teasingly revealed a bit of her pale skin beneath while intensifying some sort of white glow that formed around her.
"Thank you."
"You notice something strange about the picture?"
"Why?" he asked cocking his head to one side quizzically.
"Look at the tree."
He squinted a little harder trying to grasp what she was talking about. Somewhere behind her head there was a faint carving behind her head. In small scratches on the bark were the letters, HR and MT. "I don't remember that being on the tree."
"Come down here," she called from the ground below.
He hopped down to the ground into a crouched position before standing upright. He looked up to see her hand over the scratches on the tree.
"I thought we since this was or tree we should mark it as ours. I don't know what will happen to us in the future, but we'll always have this. It's our promise. We'll always be together."
"Always," he replied.
She ran forwards and jumped into his arms wrapping her arms around his neck. He could feel her warm tears falling onto his neck making the hairs stand up. "I don't like saying goodbyes to you."
"We'll do it at the same time, okay."
"Okay, in the count of three we'll turn around and walk away. No looking back, though."
"Agreed."
"Ready. One, two, three."
Rui felt the warmth around him disappear as she turned away form him. He turned around stumbling to walk the few paces away, but in the end broke his promise. For a brief second, he glanced behind him and saw her bury her face in her hand breaking out into a full run away from him. Her figure became smaller and smaller as she ran farther away. He felt a little guilty being a coward and looking back, but he didn't regret it one bit.
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"Hey Rui! Are you coming already?"
Rui nodded his head in silent agreement falling in step with F3. They strode through the airport purposely headed towards the airport terminal where she would be coming from. For the first time in her life, Tsukushi had broken a promise. Bitterly Rui recalled the fact that she had not returned after one year as she had promised. In the blink of an eye, five years had passed and she had yet to return. Now after a long wait she was coming back to him, but not he way he had expected her to.
Tsukasa pushed through the crowd looking out for any signs of her, but grimaced. "Why didn't she just take the private plane like I offered her?"
"You know Tsukushi doesn't like any special treatment or frills," Soujiro repeated for the tenth time that day.
Akira hopped up and down over the crowds of people trying to catch a glimpse of her. "I don't see her yet. She said her flight would be in at 2."
Rui sullenly leaned against a pillar string blankly into space. He carefully hid his excitement and anticipation.
A petite figure emerged out of the gate feeling a bit disoriented after her long flight. She pinched her cheeks trying to rouse herself from her daze. It felt like her heart was beating as loud as the clacking of her heels against the marble floors. She had waited behind a few minutes for the plane to empty out before getting off herself. She hated crowds and thought it would be smarter to wait for the crowds to disperse before getting off. She pushed her sunglasses up onto her head pulling back her bangs. Straightening out the wrinkles in her white silk slip dress she took in a deep breath calming the butterflies in her stomach. She looked down making smiling at the simple platinum band with simple princess cut diamond in the middle. Bending down to pick up her bag, she flipped her long brown locks behind her and proceeded towards the familiar faces she was looking for. She squealed in delight as she launched herself into the arms of the man she had come to see. Enveloped in his warmth she felt safe and comfortable.
The man bent down and captured her lips into a crushing kiss not wanting to let go of her ever again. He released her from his heated kiss and possessively laced an arm around her waist. He turned to F3 and smiled with a smile they had never seen him with before. "I've missed you," he huskily whispered into her ear.
"I've missed you, too."
Proudly grinning, Akira turned towards F3. "I love saying this. I would officially like to introduce you to, Tsukushi, my fiancée."