"Paper Crane" part two

-endymion-

A/N: usual disclaimers apply.

(Nina)

"Hmmm!" I stretched my arms over my head once I stepped out into the cool evening air. Whew! It felt good to be out of that stuffy place!

I took off the high-heeled shoes grandpa made me wear and made a beeline towards my favorite spot in the garden; the tiny stream.

I flopped down on the grass, disregarding the fact that my dress skirt would be covered with grass stains later on, and let my feet dip into the cool water of the stream.

I took a deep breath and let it out with a whoosh. It felt really good.

I leaned back, propping myself up by my arms and looked up. The sky looked beautiful The stars looked like twinkling diamonds on velvet, and the moon was as round and bright as a pearl. I wonder if Tsujiai-kun is looking up at the sky tonight too...

Just as I was beginning to smile, something glowing settled on my nose.

I let out a shriek and fell spectacularly onto my back.

I swatted it out of my face. "What the--" I murmured, sitting back up.

Laughter rang loud in the stillness of the night. I twisted my neck around and saw the culprit.

"Yuta, hidoi!!!" I exclaimed angrily. My so-called friend was clutching his stomach, laughing heavily at my misfortune (which he imposed himself). "You know I'm afraid of bugs! You sent that firefly didn't you?"

He strolled over, kicked my discarded shoes out of the way and sat down indian-style beside me.

"Yeah, I sent it," he said, an annoyingly cheeky grin still on his lips. "But that wasn't a firefly."

"Huh? Then what was it?"

He snapped his fingers and something rose from the ground and floated in midair towards me.

"Show-off," I rolled my eyes and snatched it out of the air. I took a good look at it. "Oro...paper crane?"

"Correct!" Yuta said, clapping his hands with only a hint of sarcasm. "Didn't think you had it in ya."

I stuck my tongue out at him. Juvenile, I know, but this is Yuta I'm talking to here. Sticking out my tongue is a kind of reflex when he starts to tease me. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Same reason as you," he shrugged.

"Are you sure of my reason for stepping out?" I challenged him.

"Nina, I've known you all my life," he smirked, and pointed a finger at me. "You always leave the ballroom for the same reason. Boredom."

"Sometimes Yuta,you can be such a--" I began then cut myself off. "Never mind. Not even you can spoil my good mood."

"Let me guess why," he replied. "It's coz you're going back, isn't it?"

"Bingo!" I said cheerfully.

I looked at the paper crane in my hand. I used to love making these things when I was younger. Origami was something I was really good at. In fact, it was the only thing I could do better than Yuta. I tried teaching him long ago, but he'd grow impatient and use the paper as spitballs. He might be a genius but he was a disgusting child once.

"Ne, Yuta, when did you learn how to make a paper crane?" I wondered out loud. The crane I held was done perfectly.

"When I found out I could make one with magic," he grinned wolfishly. I laughed. I should've known.

"Ne, Nina," he said, his voice dropped in volume.

"Hmm?"

"Do you really want to go back there?"

Was that a trick question?

"Of course I do," I replied. "My whole life is there. I belong there now."

"I see," he said quietly. I glanced at him, puzzled at his sudden change in character. He was dead serious. "Do you like it better there?"

Hmm. That's a tough one. Darn Yuta. "Honestly? Yeah, I think so," I sighed. "Don't get me wrong. I love it here, but back there, it's just...I don't know. Different. Back there I feel normal yet special at the same time."

"But you're special here too," Yuta said, completely catching me off-guard. That was a very un-Yuta-like thing to say. I looked back at him and his eyes held mine. "Don't you know that?"

OK. What on earth is going on here?

There were a load of questions I wanted to ask him right now, but inexplicably, my mouth went dry. The look in his eyes made the words die in my throat. It was as if he was probing my eyes for something, like he was looking for something he never found. It was a deep, searching look that was so full of meaning.

So, why's he looking at me like that?

Before anybody could answer that question, he was brushing his fingers against my cheek and his lips met mine.

(Yuta)

I kissed her before I could stop myself.

And it was better than I have ever imagined. I could tell that this is her first, by the way she hesitated, as though she didn't know what to do. Then she got used to the feeling and she started to respond. Our lips brushed slowly and gently against each other innocently. I didn't dare deepen the kiss, or she might whack me.

Tch. Well at least that's one thing I beat Tsujiai at.

When we pulled away, she had a questioning look on her face.

"Yuta, what--"

I put a finger on her lips to silence her. "Please listen," I said and proceeded to embrace her.

"I know it was wrong of me to do that, especially without your consent, and especially with me knowing how you felt about Tsujiai, but I wanted to do that for so long, Nina," I whispered in her ear. "I've loved you for God knows how long, I don't know how or why, but I do. Now you know why I tried to help Maya collect the stones. You know why I wanted to date Ayu. You know why I kept on going back to your world. I'm sorry all I ever did was pester you. I didn't know how else to show you how I felt. I know its Tsujiai you like, but please let me hug you for the very first and last time before you fly back to him tomorrow. Let me make you feel just how much I care for you."

I let my arms linger around her a little longer before I drew them back. Still I held her close enough to look into her eyes.

"I love you, Nina Sakura."

"Oh Yuta..." she murmured. I took one look at her and I knew the answers to those what ifs. She looked ready to burst into tears. She opened her mouth to speak but I shook my head sadly.

"You don't really have to say anything," I told her, forcing a smile and pinching her cheek. "I don't want you to suffer any more than you already are. I'll spare you from the pain of rejecting an old friend."

I kissed her forehead one last time before standing up to leave.

(Nina)

I looked up at Yuta as he stood up and walk away.

What just happened here? I couldn't believe anything I heard. I wanted to believe it was also one of his pranks, but I knew it wasn't.

Then everything just clicked together. Oh God, how could I have been so dense?

No wait..don't answer that.

"Have a nice life, Nina," he said, his obnoxious, indifferent tone said from a distance. "Take care of that crane, now."

I stared at the paper crane once more. Something wasn't right with it. Well, besides the fact that it was crushed after Yuta hugged me.

Without really knowing what I was doing, I unfolded it carefully. It was an old note.

Dear Nina,

Got tickets to that night ride you wanted. You know, the flying ones. Got extras for Ayu and Kaji. Do you want to ride it with me?

With love,

Yuta

'What on earth..?' I thought, and glanced at the date. Hmm…I remembered this day…Ayu-chan and Kaji-kun's sort of anniversary (when they confessed their feelings for each other in and out of the library.) It was the day or two before my lovely night with Tsujiai on the flying carriage. So the ticket was supposed to be for Yuta, then...

No way…it was the same day that Ayu-chan first found out about how I felt for Tsujiai! Darn Ayu-chan and that love thermometer!

But wait..How'd he know about that? He had been watching me that closely all that time?

"Yuta!" I called out, getting on my feet.

I searched the garden with blurry eyes. I didn't even realize I was crying.

But he was gone.

A crumpled paper crane is all he left behind.

-end-

Author's Babbles:

so how was it? I'm all for Nina/Tsujiai but I just love Yuta so much! I wanted give him at least a chance to voice out how he felt. And I'm a sucker for sad endings. Gomen ne if the Nina and Yuta seemed a little (or a lot) off-character and gomen if some parts didn't make any sense!

oh, a shout out to all fellow pinoy readers and writers! ;p

please review! Mucho arigatou!