Behind a Smile: 04: Ano Onna no Shiawase
Author's notes: The Shimabara Arc just started!!! Poop, that Shouzo just ruins everything for Sayo and Sano…Anyway, thanks for the great reviews!!!! I suddenly got a wave of inspiration and I started to write this chapter a little bit earlier!
**
04:Ano Onna no Shiawase//Of That Girl's Happiness::04
**
"Kenshin!!"
"Ken-san!!"
"Oi, Kenshin!"
Looking up, he suddenly realized that he had just hit the back of Himura Kenshin's head.
**
"Kenshin-san!" said Soujiro, immediately running to the swirly-eyed redhead, forgetting about the ball slowly rolling to Misao and Aoshi. "Gomen nasai, gomen nasai!!"
"Orooo…" Kenshin managed to say, head still hurting from the full impact of the soccer ball. "It's alright, Soujiro-dono…oroooo…"
"Kenshin! Kenshin!" screamed Kamiya Kaoru worriedly, shaking Kenshin as Megumi, Sano and Soujiro peered at him. Misao and Aoshi, meanwhile, only stared on, with Misao still in Aoshi's arms. "Are you alright, Kenshin? Are you okay?"
The soccer star, meanwhile, kneeled in front of the dizzy supposed-to-be Battousai and bowed. "Gomen nasai, Kenshin-san! Gomen nasai, gomen nasai, gomen nasai!"
The red head, finally recovered but still a little woozy, sat up and looked at Soujiro with a weird look on his face.
"It's alright, Soujiro-dono…" Kenshin remarked, making Soujiro look up.
"But I still hit you on the head with my soccer ball! I'm so sorry." Soujiro said, continuing his never-ending apologies until Sano bonked him upside his head, since there was no Misao to do it.
"He said it's alright, Soujiro. Now let's go home, shall we?" Sano proposed, making Soujiro stand up and turn around, only to see his best friend in the arms of a Shinomori Aoshi.
"Shi-shinomori-sempai…" Misao muttered out, lost completely deep down in his ice-blue eyes. The 20-year-old, meanwhile, only smiled a small smile and apparently not noticing a blank-looking Seta Soujiro a few feet away.
"You look more beautiful than the last time I saw you." Commented Aoshi, making traces of pink race across Misao's already flushed cheeks. Accepting help from the dark-haired man, Misao stood up with a dreamy smile on her face.
"A-arigato…" Misao murmured, her voice soft as she answered to his comment. Curious of what could make Soujiro stand there like a total idiot, the rest of the Kenshin-gumi looked up to see what the blue-eyed teen was staring dumbly at.
"Say," Aoshi started, looking down at the nervous Misao. "Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?"
Shock.
Complete shock ran through the girl's veins as she stood there, gawking at the college sophomore like a complete moron. Aoshi was asking her out to a date? THE Shinomori Aoshi? The man she'd been dreaming of for the past two weeks?
Meanwhile, Soujiro was more stunned than ever. His legs felt like huge bars of lead, difficult to move. How come whenever he wanted to get away he always end up stuck? His heart was beating fast inside his chest, beads of sweat silently trickling down his forehead as he blinked a few times, dreading what Misao was going to answer.
"Makimachi-san?"
With a small shake of her head, her long braid of ebony black trailing behind her, Misao answered to his question.
"Ye-yes!" she said gladly, her eyes spilling out the emotion of joy.
His heart was beating so fast that it started to hurt. He wanted to peel his blue eyes away from the scene before him, but his body wouldn't respond. He wanted his ears to block out what they were talking about, but the words kept on coming like knives staked through his heart.
Why did it hurt so much though? Wasn't he supposed to be happy for her? Wasn't he supposed to support her all the way – even help her in achieving her goal? But how come he didn't want that to happen? How come it started to hurt inside – starting to eat him up alive? It was all strange…Soujiro only heard of feelings like these – he never knew how to handle them, for he never felt them. He always felt satisfied in his life. But now…
Aoshi continued to unknowingly torture Soujiro's soul little by little. "Alright then – what about tomorrow, seven 'o clock?"
Mouths were hung open, eyes widened to their fullest extent. Every member of the Kenshin-gumi was anticipating Makimachi Misao's answer.
Soujiro meanwhile, was near to fainting. But he wouldn't though – he taught himself to be strong, and he will be strong. He clenched his fist tightly as his eyes continued to take in the scene, his ears listening on his best friend's conversation.
Kaoru and Megumi eyed Misao nervously, as well as Sano and Kenshin. They, the four of them, were having suspicions that Soujiro was in love with Misao, and it seems that the event unfolding before them was the proof that their suspicion was true. Soujiro's hand was trembling, and he was still standing there like a statue. Some part of them wanted to drag Soujiro away, so that he wouldn't hear the rest.
"Tomorrow?" Misao repeated, joyous of what was happening to her right now. "At seven? Okay!"
That was it.
At a blink of an eye, and for the first time, Soujiro's smile was lost and a thin line was its replacement, warm blue eyes now lost to a blank stare. Kaoru, Megumi, Sano and Kenshin were all surprised of what Misao was doing. Tomorrow was Soujiro's birthday! And at that same time his birthday dinner would start, Misao would be off frolicking with Aoshi in her happy little world. How the hell could she forget about Soujiro's birthday?! It was her best friend's birthday, for god's sake!
The two girls were already worried about how Soujiro would feel. The four silently shifted their gaze to the soccer star, whose lips slowly turned to a small smile, his eyes closed in response. His fist loosened, and he started to walk towards the gate, as if nothing happened at all. Along the way, he picked up his soccer ball, but proceeded without any word at all.
"Soujiro-kun!!" said Megumi and Kaoru at the same time, running up to the silent supposed-to-be Tenken with a creepy, contented smile pasted on his pale lips. Kenshin and Sano immediately followed, their footsteps echoing throughout the almost-empty campus.
"I'll see you then, Makimachi-san." Aoshi then bid goodbye, smiling to the girl as she grinned happily herself. After a few seconds, basking in her happiness, Misao quickly ran to where the group was, a huge fan girl smile spread on her face.
"Sou-chan!" Misao said happily, facing Soujiro with the biggest of grins. "Guess what, Aoshi-sama asked me out! Ain't that cool?! Finally, I get to be with him!"
The silence she was receiving from her best friend snapped her shortly out of her little reverie.
"Sou-chan?" she asked, peering concernedly at his face. "Sou-chan, anything wrong –
His soft voice broke her sentence in half. He smiled at the girl, feeling limp inside as his eyes were cast upon her emerald ones. Avoiding her gaze, he just smiled once again and started to walk away. "Of course, Misao-chan. As long as you're happy."
Relieved that her best friend was 'okay', Misao happily hugged the blue-eyed boy, not getting the usual response. But the events made her not notice. "Oh Sou-chan!! You're the best friend a girl could ever have!!! Thanks!"
*
"I'm worried."
"Be quiet for a moment – here comes Kenshin."
It was 6:50 in the evening, with the full moon glowing brightly and the cold, autumn wind playing over the clump of trees in either side of the Shishio manor. Leaves of golden brown flew about everywhere, the sweet sound of trickling water invading the four's ears. It was a peaceful night, beautiful and gloomy at the same time.
"Happy birthday, Soujiro-dono." Kenshin greeted the blue-eyed boy, giving him a colorfully wrapped present as he walked in the huge mansion. They were all dressed formerly – Yumi asked them to do so. Speaking of her, the maroon-haired lady entered the hall in an elegant purple dress.
"Hmm?" Yumi said, looking around the hall to see a bouncy black-haired girl. "Someone's missing. Where's Misao-chan?"
The question shot right through Soujiro after he closed the door behind Kenshin. "She couldn't come – she had better things to do, Yumi-san." He answered with a smile, making questions swim around Yumi's brain. Shaking his head a little, Soujiro gestured towards the ballroom. "Shall we?"
Music of a string quartet drifted to them like a piece of heaven. Curious, the rest looked at Soujiro for some answers on why there were people inside.
"I invited some people over – Soujiro's old friends from England." They were wide-eyed as Yumi and Soujiro laughed. "They were happy they could come."
Finally opening the door, Yumi smiled and led everybody inside. Tables covered with white linen cloths were scattered all over, with matching centerpieces of blue and white candles. A huge buffet table was placed on one corner of the room, making Sano's mouth water; also, a large space was dedicated to those who wished to dance – there were already many people, dancing and lounging on the given tables. It was weird, to all of them, even to Soujiro – he was just turning eighteen, not eighty!
"Yumi-san…I…" Soujiro started, wide-eyed at the people who stared at him and clapped. "I don't know what to say…"
The maroon-haired woman only smiled, her sweetheart approaching her. "Courtesy of Shishio Makoto." Said a deep voice, belonging to Shishio Makoto himself.
"Shishio-san! What happened to you?"
The man was covered in linen bandages, making the whole Kenshin-gumi gape at him in surprise. Shishio only chuckled.
"Don't worry, Soujiro – I was just caught up in a car accident a while back in London – I'll be fine." Shishio explained, walking inside as the Kenshin-gumi entered the ballroom. "Happy birthday. I knew you'd be surprised."
Soujiro stammered out the next words. "It's just my birthday – I, I never imagined it to be THIS grand!"
Sano, meanwhile, smacked Soujiro on his back, making him stumble a bit. "Oh c'mon, Soujiro! It IS your birthday, so relax and have fun!"
"Hai, hai!" said Kenshin, urging Soujiro to walk on and have a seat on their table, which was positioned on the very center of the room. "Your party will only go to waste if you don't enjoy it, Soujiro-dono."
**
The silent flicker of the flames sent candlelight softly waving over his angelic features. He poked his food, playing with the huge slice of chocolate foolishly as his friends ate happily around him. It was strange – it was a party, for him, but Soujiro never felt like it was his party. It felt that it was missing something – like a bubbly Misao giggling and talking happily, her genki spirit being spread around contagiously.
"Eh? Soujiro-kun, doushita no?" Kaoru asked, gulping down a piece of the black forest cake placed on her plate.
Soujiro was snapped out of his thoughts. "Ara? Iie, nandemonai desu yo. I'm just thinking about…"
"Misao." Megumi ended his sentence, sighing audibly as she placed her fork on her plate.
"I just remembered that Misao-chan loves chocolate…and she's…" Soujiro started, still poking at the slice of cake before him, staring blankly at the red cherry that rested on top of the slice. "…not here…and she would've killed us if we had cake and she didn't."
"Oh c'mon, Soujiro!" Sano said, pounding his fist against the table with cake bits spattering all over Kenshin and Megumi. Kenshin tried to avoid the small pieces of regurgitated cake bits as an eyebrow dangerously twitched, sending the message that Megumi was annoyed. "It's her fault why she's not here, choosing to go with that Aoshi guy instead of –
He was cut off by the warning glare sent to his way by Kaoru and a dangerous smirk placed on Megumi's lips.
"Ano ne, Sou-kun…" Kaoru started, looking concernedly at the birthday celebrant.
"Hai, Kaoru-san?" Soujiro asked, curious of what was bothering his friends.
"We have a question to ask of you, Soujiro-dono." Kenshin started, with his friends except for Soujiro agreeing that it was time to ask the question.
"We've been wondering for a while if you…" Sano continued, his amber eyes locked on Soujiro's smiling face.
"If you're…" Megumi ended the query. "If you're in love with Misao-chan."
The question shot right through the startled boy, now a man, not knowing what to answer. What IS love, anyway? Why did love have to be this way for him? According to Yumi's stories about her and Shishio, it wasn't like this – love for them was like a slice of heaven, no trouble and pain accompanying it. Love for him was beginning to hurt; it was starting to make him believe that love isn't all it's known to be. But DID he love Misao? Love her so much it started to hurt him like this?
"Sou-kun, you don't have to answer our question –
The soccer star only stared quietly down at the slice of cake before him, a smile creeping up to his lips as he started to talk, still in a soft-spoken voice.
"What is love?"
The four looked up from their plates, looking curiously at the blue-eyed boy who was staring at the cake before him.
"Nani de gozaru yo, Soujiro-dono?"
"Sou-kun…?"
"Soujiro, you ok?"
"Soujiro-kun…"
Glancing towards the people sitting around the table, he smiled and continued his questions. "What IS love? Do you call being infatuated with a person you've known for eight years 'love'? Do you call 'jealousy' a feeling that induces rage inside you? Is this 'jealousy' something that you have to experience when 'loving' someone?"
Everyone was concerned about Soujiro right about now. The four was looking at him with expressions of trepidation, with the joyous crowd of people around them oblivious to the happenings in the birthday celebrant's so-called perfect life.
"I never felt 'love' before. I just heard about it from Yumi-san and Shishio-san, but they could never explain it to me, always at the loss of words whenever I asked, unable to find the right ones. So I just brushed it off when I was a kid and continued on living my life. I always felt satisfied, so I never knew how 'jealousy' felt either. So what I'm experiencing…is this what you call love? What would you say, Kaoru-san? Kenshin-san? Sanosuke-san? Megumi-san…?"
Uncomfortable silence passed between the five, with the string quartet playing a song that fitted the silence well. The loud chattering and the noise of the crowd didn't disturb the teens, for the questions that were spoken were still on their minds.
"Soujiro-dono…" Kenshin started, glancing softly at the dark-haired eighteen-year-old. "How long have you been feeling this way?"
"I always loved her as a friend, Kenshin-san." Soujiro answered, his gaze now lowered to the piece of chocolate. "But ever since Shinomori-san made himself known to her…these feelings of mine became stronger – they started to trouble me wherever I go. I just…don't know how to deal with it."
"Then you are in love with her, Sou-kun." Kaoru stated, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Why don't you tell her, before it's too late?" Megumi suggested, worried about Soujiro's well being.
"Yeah, before that Aoshi guy gets Misao?"
"No, I won't." Soujiro answered, once again taking the group by surprise as he smiled. "If I did, she'll only be confused on who to choose – Aoshi, or the 'other' candidate. I'd only wreck the happiness she has now. I don't want to be the 'other' candidate – the one who has to be an obstacle." He sighed, picking up his fork. "I'll only get in the way of her happiness."
Kaoru looked flabbergasted by Soujiro's statement. "Sou-kun, what about your happiness? You deserve to live a happy life too, you know!"
"If Misao-chan's happy, then I'm alright. Her happiness is the only thing that matters to me, minna-san." Soujiro finished, sticking his fork in his cake and reducing it, placing the cake bit in his mouth.
Author's notes: yet again another longer and unexpected chapter! Next up: Misao's HUGE announcement!! (well, not entirely HUGE, but it's still an announcement) I've been listening to RK's Her Most Beautiful Smile the whole while I finished this chapter, and I think I'm gonna cry… Sou-chaaan!!!!
Ahem. Anyway, Special notes for special people!!
White Witch-san: Ah, you have checked out 'For the Sake of Friendship' already? Wai! Good for you! I liked that story very much, and that is the reason why I thought its plot would fit the Sou/Misao pairing well. I hope it did. Anyway, Soujiro would do something Eriol did— prhumph! (tatsumi, her teddy bear, had just covered her mouth). Hmph, anyway, is this quick? O.O when I was doing my X fic I seem to update every day… O.O And Innocence rocks too, but it's shorter than Journey. ^^ Thanks for reviewing!
Midaoru-san: Wai! You're Filipino too, or you just know how to speak in Tagalog. Hehehe. ^^ Anyway, I'd have to think of more hilarious stuff to do to the gang…seems that this ficcie's going down the old Drama road. ^^ Yeah, that must have HURT, a Shukuchi-inspired soccer ball…O.O And how come "Kenshin…?" is Kaoru's super-duper cliché line? Weird…she says it all the time. ^^; Thanks for reviewing!
Lord Cirenmas: Thank you!
Cat H-san: Wow! Cebu!!! I want to go there someday… Anyway, oh don't worry – Sou-chan WILL do something about it. When he has enough of it. Heeheehee…and Aoshi's going to be that convenient guy who catches Misao and gives Sou-chan the heartbreak. ^^ Thanks for reviewing!
chachatheanimegirl-san: Arigato! I'll keep updating, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story!
Mitchy-san: People seem to like that part… ^^ Thanks for reviewing and for liking my other works – and here's the latest update!
Jane-san: eee…creepy…it's just that Jane's my name too…well, second name, but most people call me by that name. Anyway, I would prefer if people called me Alex. ANWAY, sure, I'll be happy to e-mail you. ^^ and yes, gusto ko mga eriol+tomoyo fics. Cute nila eh. ^^ I based this fic off one, titled 'For the Sake of Friendship' by Megori.
Thank you so much, you guys! Heeheehee, while I was playing the piano downstairs I suddenly composed something that fit something…oh yeah, when Sou-chan thinks about Misao and…makes us sniffle. Haha. And A. Pikachu has finally acquired the glorious help of the…INDEX CARDS!!!!!!! This technique of remembering your story's plot has been tested on the story 'Triangular', and it works!!!!! Just write down your plot in short, chopped up sentences on index cards, choose whatever size, (don't mind the grammar: a. Pikachu has written a sentence like 'Fuuma Kamui go home Subaru'…if it IS a sentence at all – to many people it doesn't make sense but to A. Pikachu it does…) and poof – you don't have to worry about forgetting your plot! Just make sure NOT to misplace them…
Okay, that sounded stupid. Still, thank you so much, and now that I have my index cards (with writings on them, the only decipherable words 'Misao' and Sou'…) I will go on and make the next chapter! Please, review!!!!!
A. Pikachu