Thank you for all the reviews. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: Hana Yori Dango belongs to Yuki Kamio sensei.
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Chapter 8: Raphael
Tsukushi
Tsukushi lied back at the downy soft beige sofa. Her head lay on the arm rest, "I miss this sometime." I mused to myself. "Wealth does have its advantages. A comfortable bed, good, delicious food, servants dedicated to your every wish, and a hot bath to sink in whenever I want.no wonder Domyoji is that spoiled. Sometimes, I forget, I've absorbed into the role of poor girl too long, how long has it been? Ten years? Eleven? Ever since I decided to live with Mama.
Raphael
I walked into the living room, finding for Tsukushi. "That girl must be day- dreaming somewhere again. Silly girl. She's probably talking a loud again." A small smile tugs at the corner of my lips. Almost everything that girl does amuses me. And true enough I hear her mumblings, I was about to stir her out of her daze when I caught an unfamiliar name, '.no wonder Domyoji is that spoiled.', who is that Domyoji, the name sounds familiar, I must have heard of it somewhere. I'll ask Tatsuha afterwards, he never forgets anything he has read, seen or heard before, an advantage but sometimes a hindrance, to remember everything too clearly when it is better left forgotten, like. '.live with Mama.' Tsukushi's voice once again penetrated my jumbled thoughts. Yes, how long has it been? Tsukushi should have grown up pampered, but that hot- headed, stubborn, sentimental fool. Parents! There are good parents and there are bad parents. And Tsuksuhi's and mine fall into the later category.
I never met my parents before, and I don't really care, since they were the ones who abandoned me in the first place. They left me on a wooden tub and left it a drift in the sea. How old- fashioned can you get? Probably thought the Sea God will take pity on the naked baby and crown him as Sea Prince. Fat chance. I did not meet any Sea God or anything even near that category. But someone in Heaven must have taken pity of me, because I did meet Granpa, Tatsuha and Dominic. They were out fishing, the sea current had drifted my tub towards the Kamiryu's island, and somehow or other, fate decided we should meet.
Tatsuha then was only 3, Dominic in his early twenties, and Granpa.no one knows his real age. Fate played a heavy hand, Tatsuha wanted the tub to play sail boat, Dominic rowed their boat over, saw baby me, carried me up into Granpa's arm and he decided to adopt me. I don't know what made him do so, but Dominic said "Because you didn't cry, you were almost sinking with that half leaky boat, naked and wet, but you didn't cry. You just looked up into Master's eyes defiantly, as if challenging anyone and anything who wants to take your life away. You were strong. Maybe he saw the Kamiryu attitude in you."
Whatever the reason, I was brought to live on the island. My playmates were at first Tatsuha only, then Ryu and Nick came. Finally, our precious sister, Tsukushi. Tsukushi's father at that time was not on the island often, I rarely saw him. I was brought up with the same privileges as the others, no less. Kamiryu believe in nourishing potentials and talents. Granma once told me, when Granpa brought me home, he told her to name me, a name for a future healer. She said, Granpa could see in my eyes, a person who appreciates the fragility, rareness, and preciousness of life. He said I would do everything within my reach to save my life and those I love. Granma named me Raphael, after the angel of healing. Granpa frowned at her, she told me chuckling. "An English angel?" his voice hinted on displeasure. "Yes." Knowing Granma she probably looked back at him without a blinking. "Fine." Granpa relented, knowing it was he who told her to name me. Granma must have smiled.
So Raphael I was. It was not until I was 12 years old that I received my sir name officially, Kamiryu. Raphael Kamiryu. Like I said, you have to prove you are worthy to bear the Kamiryu name or not. It had to be worked for.
Kamiryu's are given the best education money can buy. We study everything under the sun, history, economics, music, biology, business, art, law, physics, philosophy. but in the end, my interest was in medicine. But my main clients are the Kamiryus, though I do volunteer in public hospitals sometimes. Kamiryus can't catch every disease you know, and it was a good way to keep me on my toes.
Enough self-pity.this is not my style, I walked into the room making a point to make some noise, "Kushi, daydreaming again?" I planted a kiss on her forehead.
"I never daydream" Tsukushi retorted.
I just looked at her, and lifted an eyebrow.
"Okay, okay, maybe just a little." She amended.
I kept my silence, only looking at her.
"Okay, maybe a lot. Happy?" she admitted grudgingly.
I grinned, and ruffled her hair. "What were you daydreaming about?"
"Nothing."
I sat down beside her, and she laid her head on my lap like we used to do. I started to stroke her soft hair, slowly, enjoying the feel of it through my fingers. "No secrets remember?"
Once when we were young, we promised each other that we will not hide our thought from each other, but what was said between us was a secret. It was actually Tsukushi's idea when she found me in a slump.
"You are looking out to the sea again." A young Tsukushi said.
Silence. I felt her presence beside me, sitting by my side with me.
"Raphael, secrets make you sad ne. When you are sad, and you hide it, you get even sadder. When you are angry and you tell no one, you get angrier. But when you are happy and you keep it a secret, with no one to share, it is no longer happiness ne."
I stared at the impling who was only 5 years old spurting life philosophy out of her tiny mouth.
"It does not matter if you only tell it to your dog, or the sea, or the tree, or the bunny, or the wind, as long as you tell it to someone, then you will feel all better. But of course, it is much better if you tell someone who cares about you."
Silence.
"And Kushi cares about Raphael."
I could only stare at the little angel who sat beside me, hugging her legs to herself, looking out at the sea as if she saw more than what I saw- water, acres and acres of water.
"What do you see?" I asked her. She turned to face me, eyes questioning my meaning. "What do you see when you look out there?" I pointed out at the sea.
Understanding dawned on her hazel eyes, "I see, white horses racing each other, racing to the finish line, trying to see who gets to shore first. I see their blue green field where they run without a care, playing tag. They bask in the suns radiance, the light blue sky and the snow white clouds their ever changing. The clouds tell another story, there is an orange, an apple, grapes and melons playing together, but look over there, the rice ball is all alone. Why? They wouldn't let it play with them, because its not one of the gang? Nope, because it never told them it wanted to play, never told anyone it was lonely, and unhappy."
'How could someone so young understand more about life than I, someone so much older than her?' I hugged her.
"Raphael, promise. No secrets between us. And secrets not told to anyone else." She was stuck out her little finger.
"Promise." Our little finger hooks around each other, shaking three times, saying, "A promise to the one you love is a promise you keep. Breaking the promise means breaking their trust. May lightning strike them, water choke them, air smother them."
She was the one who was silent now. I was doing some over dose of self pity. "I miss the luxury sometimes. Someone to pick up after you for once, not worrying about money, a soft, real bed, not a futon, and delicious food."
I kept on stoking her hair. We don't interrupt unless the other has finished.
"I was thinking about someone, and mama."
I noticed she left out the 'someone's' name.
"Did you know I just realized that it has been such a long time since I could daydream then talk about it afterwards? Raphael, I missed you guys." She whispered, drifting into slumber.
"Kushi, Kushi, do you never give yourself a break. You are only human, you too need to rest, eat, be cared for. You don't have to prove yourself every single second of your life. Take your time; we will always be behind you. Give a chance to care for you. You are not a real weed you know. Even weeds need to take a little time out, if they are trampled to many times. And your time out is overdue. I don't know what has happened this last two years but I feel you are all tensed up. Time out. We will watch over you. Sleep now." I whispered to her.
"Time out." She mumbled sleepily.
'I think some updating is overdue too. I should find out what has happened to you during our absence.'
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Chapter 8: Raphael
Tsukushi
Tsukushi lied back at the downy soft beige sofa. Her head lay on the arm rest, "I miss this sometime." I mused to myself. "Wealth does have its advantages. A comfortable bed, good, delicious food, servants dedicated to your every wish, and a hot bath to sink in whenever I want.no wonder Domyoji is that spoiled. Sometimes, I forget, I've absorbed into the role of poor girl too long, how long has it been? Ten years? Eleven? Ever since I decided to live with Mama.
Raphael
I walked into the living room, finding for Tsukushi. "That girl must be day- dreaming somewhere again. Silly girl. She's probably talking a loud again." A small smile tugs at the corner of my lips. Almost everything that girl does amuses me. And true enough I hear her mumblings, I was about to stir her out of her daze when I caught an unfamiliar name, '.no wonder Domyoji is that spoiled.', who is that Domyoji, the name sounds familiar, I must have heard of it somewhere. I'll ask Tatsuha afterwards, he never forgets anything he has read, seen or heard before, an advantage but sometimes a hindrance, to remember everything too clearly when it is better left forgotten, like. '.live with Mama.' Tsukushi's voice once again penetrated my jumbled thoughts. Yes, how long has it been? Tsukushi should have grown up pampered, but that hot- headed, stubborn, sentimental fool. Parents! There are good parents and there are bad parents. And Tsuksuhi's and mine fall into the later category.
I never met my parents before, and I don't really care, since they were the ones who abandoned me in the first place. They left me on a wooden tub and left it a drift in the sea. How old- fashioned can you get? Probably thought the Sea God will take pity on the naked baby and crown him as Sea Prince. Fat chance. I did not meet any Sea God or anything even near that category. But someone in Heaven must have taken pity of me, because I did meet Granpa, Tatsuha and Dominic. They were out fishing, the sea current had drifted my tub towards the Kamiryu's island, and somehow or other, fate decided we should meet.
Tatsuha then was only 3, Dominic in his early twenties, and Granpa.no one knows his real age. Fate played a heavy hand, Tatsuha wanted the tub to play sail boat, Dominic rowed their boat over, saw baby me, carried me up into Granpa's arm and he decided to adopt me. I don't know what made him do so, but Dominic said "Because you didn't cry, you were almost sinking with that half leaky boat, naked and wet, but you didn't cry. You just looked up into Master's eyes defiantly, as if challenging anyone and anything who wants to take your life away. You were strong. Maybe he saw the Kamiryu attitude in you."
Whatever the reason, I was brought to live on the island. My playmates were at first Tatsuha only, then Ryu and Nick came. Finally, our precious sister, Tsukushi. Tsukushi's father at that time was not on the island often, I rarely saw him. I was brought up with the same privileges as the others, no less. Kamiryu believe in nourishing potentials and talents. Granma once told me, when Granpa brought me home, he told her to name me, a name for a future healer. She said, Granpa could see in my eyes, a person who appreciates the fragility, rareness, and preciousness of life. He said I would do everything within my reach to save my life and those I love. Granma named me Raphael, after the angel of healing. Granpa frowned at her, she told me chuckling. "An English angel?" his voice hinted on displeasure. "Yes." Knowing Granma she probably looked back at him without a blinking. "Fine." Granpa relented, knowing it was he who told her to name me. Granma must have smiled.
So Raphael I was. It was not until I was 12 years old that I received my sir name officially, Kamiryu. Raphael Kamiryu. Like I said, you have to prove you are worthy to bear the Kamiryu name or not. It had to be worked for.
Kamiryu's are given the best education money can buy. We study everything under the sun, history, economics, music, biology, business, art, law, physics, philosophy. but in the end, my interest was in medicine. But my main clients are the Kamiryus, though I do volunteer in public hospitals sometimes. Kamiryus can't catch every disease you know, and it was a good way to keep me on my toes.
Enough self-pity.this is not my style, I walked into the room making a point to make some noise, "Kushi, daydreaming again?" I planted a kiss on her forehead.
"I never daydream" Tsukushi retorted.
I just looked at her, and lifted an eyebrow.
"Okay, okay, maybe just a little." She amended.
I kept my silence, only looking at her.
"Okay, maybe a lot. Happy?" she admitted grudgingly.
I grinned, and ruffled her hair. "What were you daydreaming about?"
"Nothing."
I sat down beside her, and she laid her head on my lap like we used to do. I started to stroke her soft hair, slowly, enjoying the feel of it through my fingers. "No secrets remember?"
Once when we were young, we promised each other that we will not hide our thought from each other, but what was said between us was a secret. It was actually Tsukushi's idea when she found me in a slump.
"You are looking out to the sea again." A young Tsukushi said.
Silence. I felt her presence beside me, sitting by my side with me.
"Raphael, secrets make you sad ne. When you are sad, and you hide it, you get even sadder. When you are angry and you tell no one, you get angrier. But when you are happy and you keep it a secret, with no one to share, it is no longer happiness ne."
I stared at the impling who was only 5 years old spurting life philosophy out of her tiny mouth.
"It does not matter if you only tell it to your dog, or the sea, or the tree, or the bunny, or the wind, as long as you tell it to someone, then you will feel all better. But of course, it is much better if you tell someone who cares about you."
Silence.
"And Kushi cares about Raphael."
I could only stare at the little angel who sat beside me, hugging her legs to herself, looking out at the sea as if she saw more than what I saw- water, acres and acres of water.
"What do you see?" I asked her. She turned to face me, eyes questioning my meaning. "What do you see when you look out there?" I pointed out at the sea.
Understanding dawned on her hazel eyes, "I see, white horses racing each other, racing to the finish line, trying to see who gets to shore first. I see their blue green field where they run without a care, playing tag. They bask in the suns radiance, the light blue sky and the snow white clouds their ever changing. The clouds tell another story, there is an orange, an apple, grapes and melons playing together, but look over there, the rice ball is all alone. Why? They wouldn't let it play with them, because its not one of the gang? Nope, because it never told them it wanted to play, never told anyone it was lonely, and unhappy."
'How could someone so young understand more about life than I, someone so much older than her?' I hugged her.
"Raphael, promise. No secrets between us. And secrets not told to anyone else." She was stuck out her little finger.
"Promise." Our little finger hooks around each other, shaking three times, saying, "A promise to the one you love is a promise you keep. Breaking the promise means breaking their trust. May lightning strike them, water choke them, air smother them."
She was the one who was silent now. I was doing some over dose of self pity. "I miss the luxury sometimes. Someone to pick up after you for once, not worrying about money, a soft, real bed, not a futon, and delicious food."
I kept on stoking her hair. We don't interrupt unless the other has finished.
"I was thinking about someone, and mama."
I noticed she left out the 'someone's' name.
"Did you know I just realized that it has been such a long time since I could daydream then talk about it afterwards? Raphael, I missed you guys." She whispered, drifting into slumber.
"Kushi, Kushi, do you never give yourself a break. You are only human, you too need to rest, eat, be cared for. You don't have to prove yourself every single second of your life. Take your time; we will always be behind you. Give a chance to care for you. You are not a real weed you know. Even weeds need to take a little time out, if they are trampled to many times. And your time out is overdue. I don't know what has happened this last two years but I feel you are all tensed up. Time out. We will watch over you. Sleep now." I whispered to her.
"Time out." She mumbled sleepily.
'I think some updating is overdue too. I should find out what has happened to you during our absence.'
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