Behind a Smile: 13: Anata wo Wakarimasen
Author's notes: Hiya!!! Thank you so much for your support!!!! I don't know what to say!
Well, I guess…here's the thirteenth chapter!
***
13::Anata wo Wakarimasen//I Didn't Recognize You::13
***
A single, perfectly white snowflake strayed itself into her lonely room, depositing itself on her study table. Winter has found itself soaring high above the busy streets of Tokyo, raining snowflakes down the people scurrying around the shopping districts for Christmas gifts.
Schoolgirls can be seen trotting around the park, excited about going home and starting their Christmas shopping, skirts flipping up against the cold, harsh wind. Mothers, meanwhile, can be seen holding hands with their children, walking around as the other hand clutched shopping bag handles.
And couples. Oh, the perfectly happy couples which Misao hated so much. Every time she looked out of her window (that overlooked the park, by the way), she could see loving couples being touchy-feely and all lovey-dovey; holding hands, embracing, arms around their shoulders…even sharing a few short kisses once in a while in public. Oh, how Misao hated them so much, flaunting off their prefect relationship to the world.
The girl sighed, placing her chin on her palm once again, tapping her mechanical pencil on the pad of paper she had been writing on a few minutes ago. She couldn't think of anything to write on her essay – it was like everything she had thought of a while ago had been erased from her mind. She couldn't concentrate on anything else…except…
She craned her neck. There was one of them – a couple lovingly holding hands and waltzing across the park, not having a care in the world. Misao envied them – she envied them so much, for she wanted herself to be engaged in a relationship just like theirs, with her beloved Seta Soujiro in tow.
She'd imagined it many times, as she stared out the window. Soujiro would be carrying her shopping bags for her, with the small ones in her hands, dropping her off towards her house's gates; a benign smile on his face that could wipe her anytime off her feet. Then she'd hide her blush, say goodbye, but Soujiro intercepts with a sweet goodbye kiss…
"I can't concentrate…" Misao muttered, dropping her pen and standing up abruptly from her chair. "I need a walk."
So she did have a walk; after putting on her winter clothes and walking down the stairs, accepting weird glances from Okon and Omasu as they hurried themselves to serve the customers of their world-famous restaurant.
Her thoughts started to dwell on Shinomori Aoshi once again, as she walked down the road, remembering on how sweet and understanding he had been.
**
She cried profusely on a friend's shoulder, unable to hold back tears any longer. It had been so hard to know that she was the one who had caused that much pain to her best friend…
"Misao-chan?"
She raised her head – eyes completely bloodshot.
"I…I'm so sorry."
She didn't reply.
"I guess…I just acted too rashly about it…the engagement, I mean…"
She knew he couldn't find the right words to say; she couldn't either.
"Maybe I just…acted…maybe I just…did everything too fast…"
She only nodded. She knew what he meant – now words could be of help now.
"And I'm just so sorry…and I think…it would be best if I…left you alone for some time. For you to…be okay…"
She nodded again.
**
"Misao-chaaan!!!!!!"
The emerald-eyed girl turned around, scanning the place for a familiar places, searching the grounds for the source of her name.
"Misao-chaaan!!!!"
A smile broke out on her lips as she tightened her bright blue coat. Snow was beginning to fall harder now. "Kaoru-chan!" Misao acknowledged the girl running towards her, waving as the rest of the Kenshingumi followed. "How come everyone's here?"
Sanosuke grinned. "We saw you coming out of your house when we were just about to come over."
Kenshin smiled grimly, although no one could notice it. "So we followed you here."
"Are you okay? Are you alright?" Megumi immediately asked.
Misao nodded.
"It's just that it's snowing…"
Kaoru smiled apologetically. "You remember him, don't you?"
Misao nodded again. "I just miss him so much…and the fact that I'm the one who drove him away…it's not helping."
"Here," Megumi said, smiling as she approached an empty bench in the more secluded parts of the snow-laden park. "Sit down and pour your heart out."
It was at times like these when Misao appreciated her friends the most. They don't pry information out of her – they just let her pour it all out until she's taken a whole load out of her chest. And right after these little sessions, she'd feel a whole lot better.
And pour it all out she did. She said every feeling she felt the whole 2 months she's been keeping inside – every ounce of guilt and pain being taken off her shoulders. The Kenshingumi listened to every word she said, understanding the whole situation completely as the snow continued to fall. Once she was reaching the end of her little monologue, something furry rubbed up against her leg and tugged down on her bright blue coat.
"Huh —? What is that…?" Misao suddenly exclaimed, looking down at her feet to see a beagle, it front paw lodged on her coat and consistently tugging it.
Her eyes widened in recognition. "Hey — I know you! You're…you're —
**
"Ara…I wonder where that little dog has gone to…"
Seta Soujiro readjusted the black hat he was wearing atop his head. In his black-gloved hands lay a limp, leather leash.
He had agreed to his now close friend's pleads to accompany her home. It was the start of the winter break when Honjou Kamatari asked him to go home, back to Japan, for a little rest and relaxation from the hectic hallways of Oxford University. He agreed, and a week later, they were already in their homeland, with Shishio Yumi tagging along…of course, after a long week's stay in Kyoto, they headed to Japan for Yumi to arrange something in their business.
Soujiro sighed – he never knew that Misao-chan could be so excited in coming home. He told Yumi and Kamatari he'd be off with his dog for a walk around the park – but he ended up chasing after his dog, not walking after it.
"Where could she have gone?" Soujiro asked himself, looking here and there, occasionally lowering his black sunglasses if needed. At once, he saw his beloved beagle disturbing a stranger, tugging on her coat as she barked a few times. The eighteen-year-old boy chuckled to himself, breaking into a jog as he hurried towards his dog.
"Ara, Misao-chan," Soujiro said amusedly, kneeling down to his dog's level and got the silver end of the leash, attaching it to Misao-chan's collar. "You shouldn't have bothered these people…"
The girl Misao-chan was bothering looked curiously down at him as he fumbled with the dog's collar. The people surrounding her were peering inquisitively at him as well. Did he do something wrong?
**
Misao looked at the crouched teen before her, her heart thumping wildly against her chest. The voice sounded so familiar, yet so distant…
The teen was clad in all black – from his hat to his boots; almost everything was darkly hued. He had a black hat atop his head, black sunglasses shielding his eyes, a black sweater over a white button-up shirt, black slacks, and to finish it off, he was wearing black, buckle boots with a long, black, trench coat.
He was utterly unrecognizable from his position.
'Misao-chan'? Did this boy know her?
The teen stood up to his full height. Even his stature was familiar to her – but the boy had grown a few inches in a short span of time. As he stood up, his sunglasses dropped down to the bridge of his nose, revealing sparkling sapphire orbs peering kindly at the group of five.
"Is something wrong?"
Five pairs of eyes widened in recognition.
It was a very familiar face they found staring at them, a face often filled with a smile full of emptiness the last time it was visible to them. But he seemed too different now – his smile was full of happiness instead of regret…he seemed so happy, so full of life…like nothing happened to him.
And Kenshin was suddenly hit with a strike of remembrance. His purple eyes strayed over the boy's neck, which was still covered in bandages. He looked down at his feet to avoid anything.
"Soujiro! Soujiro-kun!" Kaoru suddenly exclaimed, a smile breaking out on her features. Megumi was smiling too, while Sanosuke was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Kenshin, meanwhile, was just smiling a small smile.
Misao was racking with sobs. Her emerald eyes were brimming with countless tears at the sight of her best friend, standing there in front of her, a smile spread on his lips. Was the bench she was sitting on so magical that her wish suddenly came true?
She couldn't find any words to say to her beloved best friend. It was as if nothing can compare to the joy of having him back. Warmth suddenly spread towards her fingertips as her hot tears started to stream down her flushed cheeks, breath coming out in short gasps and in puffy smoke.
"And you must be Kaoru-san!" Soujiro smiled, remembering the phone conversation he had with them when he was still in England. Yumi had asked him to talk to his friends in Japan.
The rest of the Kenshingumi noticed the bandages wrapped around Soujiro's slender neck. But to avoid any conversation about it, Soujiro only raised the collar of his trench coat so that his bandages were unable to be seen.
But the boy still had a problem though – he couldn't remember who was the girl Misao-chan was bothering. He had racked his brains for the name, but he couldn't remember it…but the girl was all to familiar, a pang of pain delivered to his heart as he tried to recall the name.
Misao was waiting for her name to roll off Soujiro's tongue – but it didn't happen. He was happily conversing with the rest of the Kenshingumi when Misao stood up.
Soujiro smiled politely at her.
"And you must be?" Soujiro politely asked, smiling at the startled girl. Misao was shocked and confused – was Soujiro kidding around?
Misao silently studied the look on Soujiro's face. He looked totally honest.
"Ano…Sou-kun, she's Makimachi Misao." Megumi said quietly, remembering the selective amnesia he had just suffered through.
Misao choked on her words. Was this true? Soujiro didn't remember who she was?
"Sou desu ka?" Soujiro bowed to her. "Hajimemashite, Makimachi-san."
Misao was still too shocked on the name. 'Makimachi-san'? Somehow, the name was like a knife being staked through her heart…. And he was the one who said it…the one that would normally call her 'Misao-chan' said her name like she was some stranger…
Makimachi-san…"M-makimachi-san?" Misao choked out. "Sou—!!"
"Sou-chaaan!!!!"
The boy smiled. "Ara, she's already here…how early of her…"
The rest of the group turned to the direction of the voice, interested on who the girl might be. Soujiro was just laughing as the dog struggled against the bindings of her collar, trying to go to the girl standing on the other end of the park. She was waving her hands frantically over their direction, a smile spread across her lovely features.
Misao's eyes widened once more. The girl was absolutely beautiful; she had ebony locks which were artistically but naturally styled under a dark green bonnet, sparkling emerald eyes, a very beautiful figure which was covered in a long, yellow dress topped with a dark green trench coat. She had pale yellow boots on, which was half-buried in snow.
"Kamatari-chan!" said the soccer star, waving back as well. His tone was full of happiness and amusement as Kamatari ran towards the group, a lopsided grin placed upon her lips.
"Sou-chan!" Kamatari repeated, finally stopping in between Misao and Soujiro. Misao was still gaping at her, refusing to believe that Soujiro just used '-chan' to call her.
"God, Sou-chan, I've been looking for you all over the park! I never knew how big this park could be…" Kamatari gasped out, meeting the stares of the Kenshingumi. "Ah, I haven't introduced myself! Hi, I'm Honjou Kamatari – nice to meet you!"
Misao was still speechless, the knife suddenly twisting itself, lodged in her heart. Who was this girl? And what was she to Soujiro?
Slowly, the Kenshingumi introduced their selves to the newcomer.
"I'm so sorry we can't stay and chat — we have to go back home." Kamatari said with a smile. She turned to the girl beside her, smiling brightly at the shocked girl. "Ja!"
Soujiro politely bowed. "Ja, minna-san."
And with that, the two left, tears instantly brimming emerald eyes as she watched them.
Author's notes: …
WHITE WITCH-san: NOOO!!! Hindeeeee!!!!!! Meteor Garden 2!?!?!?!?! NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hindi ko pa nga alam Meteor Garden nung naisip ko to eh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PSYCHO-KYUGURL-san: Surely, I'd be happy to. ^^
PIXIE AYANAMI-san: Misao will…wait – Misao already does. ^^
SOUJIRO-FAN-san: OUR beloved Soujiro. ^^ He's going to get his memory back…soon, think.
LORD CIRENMAS: Thank you.
ZHAKEENA-san: Wow! And dami talagang pinoy! That's alright – I get lazy sometimes and just read the latest chapter of some stories too.
ZEONREBORN-san: I'm afraid I don't get what you mean about his personality being affected. ^^; As for how many chapters…uh, I think only 3-4 more, minimum of 2. ^^
MITCHY-san: Yes, second year high school na po ako, and my school is located at Quezon City. I don't like to divulge facts muna – if okay lang sa yo ikaw na lang muna. ^^ And wait nga lang – Balikbayan class? Ano yun? Now I get the feeling na sa international school ka nag-aaral…*sigh* I feel so small…
KEN-san: thank you for the Kenshin part! I was so happy about that!
MiTa-san: I hope you liked the chapter!
SILVER NIGHTINGALE-san: Kamatari's role here is to be — nah, it would be revealed on later chapters. ^^
METAJOKER-san: Huh? *whimpers* You're mad at me because I update…?
TESUKA-CHAN: *thinks hard* How come I already saw your name somewhere? It sounds so familiar, yet I can't remember… So sorry to disappoint you about the Misao-going-to-England thingy…*sigh* I already had the whole plot laid out. ^^; And syeeeeet – ang dami talagang pinoy!! Grabe na to ah, nakakatuwa!!!! I concentrated mostly on Soujiro this time because I noticed that most fanfics always use Misao's side. I hope I can portray her character better. ^^
REGINA-TERRAE-san: Oh she will see…she will see…
BRITTANY-CHAN-san: Don't worry, the ending's coming soon.
DRAGONA 2007-san: well, not completely.
intoxiCating-san: Syeeeeeet!!!!!! Ang dami tlgang pinooooooy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy! She'll realize, alright.
Have nothing to say. I'm sleepy, I have three reflections to make. Nothing more.