Li Kaede, this chapter is for you.
Chapter 5: I Love You And Only You
"No, Rukawa-san, Hanamichi isn't here," Youhei said to the man at the end of the line. "Don't worry, I'll ask our friends if they had seen him. Yes. Yes. I'll call as soon as I recieved word. Goodbye." Then he replace the reciever back to its cradle ansd turned to the sullen redhead who was occupying his bed.
"Now will you tell me what happened?"
"I saw the stupid fox sucking Haruko-chan's face,"Hanamichi replied darkly as he pressed an ice bag at his jaw that was still throbbing angrily.
"That's it?" Youhei asked in disbelief. "And then you went berserk and beat the hell out of him?"
"That may seem a little insignificant to you and amusing, but to me it isn't," Hanamichi growled and winced as the pain in his jaw throbbed more painfully. "Since, my mother and I moved in that house of theirs, my life has been but a pathetic piece of shit."
"Cool your jets, Pepper," his friend soothed him. "I'll let you stay the night but you've got to face it, bro. So long as your Mom is married and happy with Rukawa-kun's dad, you're going to have to share your life with 'the bad blue eyed fox'."
"Married and happy, huh?" Hanamichi echoed thoughtfully and Youhei recognized the cunning glint in his friend's amber eyes.
"Don't you even think it, Hanamichi," he warned the redhead and glowered at him. "Stop being so selfish and think about your Mom. If she's happy then leave her be and make the most out of your situation. And maybe after a while, you'll get used to Rukawa-kun."
"Maybe, being the operative word," Hanamichi said glumly.
-----
"He isn't at Youhei's either," Kai said as he handed the cordless tot he waiting butler. "Where can he be?" And surveyed the room with worried eyes as Nanami tended to Kaede's bruises.
"Can you tell us what happened again, Kaede?" Takoa asked the boy, he arrived as soon as he recieved his daughter's distress call.
Kaede told them again without leaving anything out and said finally, "And, Kaa-chan, he said that I stole you away from him."
"He was jealous?" Nanami whispered incredously. "Oh, that foolish boy." And unshed tears brightened her honey eyes.
"I told you, Nanami, you coddled that boy too much and now look what happened," Takoa chided.
"Oh, Daddy, was I a bad mother?" Nanami saked in distress and Takoa's eyes softened and reached out to pat her hand consolingly.
""I'm sorry, princess, for that stupid remark. Tasteless, I might add," Takoa said, a little guilty. "No, you've done a fine job of raising that grandson of mine."
"In fact, Hanamichi is lucky to have you as a mother," Kaede said quietly and Nanami looked at her stepson gratefully, givng him a comforting hug.
"Maybe he'll turn up tomorrow at school," Takoa siad suddenly giving the others hope. "I'll notify the principal so that he'll give us a heads up when he shows up at school." And he nodded tot eh butler when the cordless reciever was handed to him.
Later that night, as Kaede lay in bed, he thought of all the possible whereabouts of his errant stepbrother and called them up himself but all of them was no help. He pondered on the last name on his list and picked up the reciever again and dialled the number.
"Konnbanwa, Mito-un," he greeted when the other line picked up. "Gomen nasai for calling so late."
"Rukawa-kun?" Youhei muttered in surprise almost falling out of the bed. "What can I do for you?"
"I know that he's there, Mito-kun," Kaede began. "Can you help me with this? Okaa-san is worried very much."
"Of course," Youhei answered looking at the slumbering redhead at his bedroom floor. "What do you want me to do?"
-----
Next morning, Kaede sneaked out quietly from the his room and made a beeline to the stairs. He reached out to the knob when he heard someone clear his throat and turned to see Takoa.
"You're up early," Takoa said with a benign smile. "I don't suppose you'll be doing what i think you'll be doing."
"Ohayou, Sakada-san," he greeted politely and straightened.
"There's no need to be formal, boy," the elderly man crowed. "Call me Jiya."
"Jiya," Kaede repeated politely as he inched closer to the door. "Begging your pardon, sir, but I've got an..er, early basketball practice. I really must leave." Then, he reached for the door and opened it widely.
"You don't lie convincingly, Kaede. Work on that," the old man adviced him as he stepped out of the threshold. "Oh, and by the way, when you caught up with that stubborn ass tell hem Jiya wants a word with him, nee?"
Kaede paused in surprise and looked back at the old man but Takoa was already out of sight. Creepy, he thought and shuddered. He hopped in his Benz and drove off to Haruko's.
-----
"Just a bite, Pepper, please?"
"No."
"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
"Youhei, I said no."
"Hanamichi, eat the damned bacon and eggs," Youhei said as he tried to stall for time but the redhead was already out the door. "Hanamichi, you damned prick, come back here!" And he ran out after him but he didn't have to go very far to look for him when he saw his best friend standing not far off, glowering at somebody.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Hanamichi growled soflty as the passenger of the silver Benz convertible alighted.
"I'm here to take you home. Okaa-san is worried," Kaede replied. "As for Haruko, I'm really not sure."
Hanamichi's gaze flitted to Haruko's direction and he forced himself to look at her coldly, then he turned to Kaede again. "Since when did you care?"
"D'ahou," Kaede muttered instead.
"Teme, kitsune! You itching for another face bashing?" Hanamichi glowered as he shook his fist in a barely cintrelled anger.
"No, please, Hanamichi, don't," Haruko cried out and stood between the brothers.
"Why? Scared that I'll ruin your boyfriend's pretty face?" he asked coldly making her flinch. He let out an angry hiss and pocketed his hands, walking away from the the two of them, surprising Haruko, Youhei and Kaede.
"Come back here, you stubborn prick!" Haruko said angrily, tears brightened her eyes. "Why do always jump to conclusions? He is not my boyriend, Sakuragi! If it wasn't for him, I'd probably continue to blind myself from the truth. The truth that its not him that I love, but somebody else."
"Then, who?" Hanamichi asked slowly facing her, his eyes guarded and his stance defeated.
"He's very short tempered, a little stubborn. Always loud and boisterous," Haruko said softly and looked at him pleading ly. "Maybe you know him, he calls himself 'tensai' and -" Haruko didn't finish what she was saying because Hanamichi wrapped his arms around her in a tender embrace, muffling her words.
"Hush. I love you, Akagi Haruko," he whispered tenderly. "I've been anting to tell you that for tha longest time."
"I love you, Hanamichi, and only you," Haruko said when she looked up at him.
Kaede and Youhei looked on the embracing couple, feeling embarassed and happy at the tender scene that unfolded. Finally, it was Youhei who broke them apart when he cleared his throat and said, "Guys, I hate to spoil the mood bt we're going to be late."
"Oh, shoot! We've missed the train," Hanamichi cursed when he saw the time.
"We could take my car if you want," Kaede suggested hesitantly. "There's room for all of us."
Hanamichi stared at him for the longest time as if seeing him for the first time and remembered Youhei's words. Kaede didn't flinch or looked away from those scrutinizing orbs.
"Why not? But..." Hanamichi said and the others looked at him expectantly. "...I want the top down, if you please." And walked hand in hand with Haruko to the convertible.
"No more running away, okay?" Kaede said as he started the engine.
"I promise," Hanamichi said firmly, "Kaede."
To youhei's surprise and Haruko's delight, the icy fox known as Rukawa Kaede broke into a smile, a smile with out mockery and coldness but with sincerity and warmth, and Hanamichi returned the gesture.
Maybe, Hanamichi thought contentedly as they sped off.
That's all, folks! For now at least.
Standard disclaimers reply!!
REVIEW!!!!
Chapter 5: I Love You And Only You
"No, Rukawa-san, Hanamichi isn't here," Youhei said to the man at the end of the line. "Don't worry, I'll ask our friends if they had seen him. Yes. Yes. I'll call as soon as I recieved word. Goodbye." Then he replace the reciever back to its cradle ansd turned to the sullen redhead who was occupying his bed.
"Now will you tell me what happened?"
"I saw the stupid fox sucking Haruko-chan's face,"Hanamichi replied darkly as he pressed an ice bag at his jaw that was still throbbing angrily.
"That's it?" Youhei asked in disbelief. "And then you went berserk and beat the hell out of him?"
"That may seem a little insignificant to you and amusing, but to me it isn't," Hanamichi growled and winced as the pain in his jaw throbbed more painfully. "Since, my mother and I moved in that house of theirs, my life has been but a pathetic piece of shit."
"Cool your jets, Pepper," his friend soothed him. "I'll let you stay the night but you've got to face it, bro. So long as your Mom is married and happy with Rukawa-kun's dad, you're going to have to share your life with 'the bad blue eyed fox'."
"Married and happy, huh?" Hanamichi echoed thoughtfully and Youhei recognized the cunning glint in his friend's amber eyes.
"Don't you even think it, Hanamichi," he warned the redhead and glowered at him. "Stop being so selfish and think about your Mom. If she's happy then leave her be and make the most out of your situation. And maybe after a while, you'll get used to Rukawa-kun."
"Maybe, being the operative word," Hanamichi said glumly.
-----
"He isn't at Youhei's either," Kai said as he handed the cordless tot he waiting butler. "Where can he be?" And surveyed the room with worried eyes as Nanami tended to Kaede's bruises.
"Can you tell us what happened again, Kaede?" Takoa asked the boy, he arrived as soon as he recieved his daughter's distress call.
Kaede told them again without leaving anything out and said finally, "And, Kaa-chan, he said that I stole you away from him."
"He was jealous?" Nanami whispered incredously. "Oh, that foolish boy." And unshed tears brightened her honey eyes.
"I told you, Nanami, you coddled that boy too much and now look what happened," Takoa chided.
"Oh, Daddy, was I a bad mother?" Nanami saked in distress and Takoa's eyes softened and reached out to pat her hand consolingly.
""I'm sorry, princess, for that stupid remark. Tasteless, I might add," Takoa said, a little guilty. "No, you've done a fine job of raising that grandson of mine."
"In fact, Hanamichi is lucky to have you as a mother," Kaede said quietly and Nanami looked at her stepson gratefully, givng him a comforting hug.
"Maybe he'll turn up tomorrow at school," Takoa siad suddenly giving the others hope. "I'll notify the principal so that he'll give us a heads up when he shows up at school." And he nodded tot eh butler when the cordless reciever was handed to him.
Later that night, as Kaede lay in bed, he thought of all the possible whereabouts of his errant stepbrother and called them up himself but all of them was no help. He pondered on the last name on his list and picked up the reciever again and dialled the number.
"Konnbanwa, Mito-un," he greeted when the other line picked up. "Gomen nasai for calling so late."
"Rukawa-kun?" Youhei muttered in surprise almost falling out of the bed. "What can I do for you?"
"I know that he's there, Mito-kun," Kaede began. "Can you help me with this? Okaa-san is worried very much."
"Of course," Youhei answered looking at the slumbering redhead at his bedroom floor. "What do you want me to do?"
-----
Next morning, Kaede sneaked out quietly from the his room and made a beeline to the stairs. He reached out to the knob when he heard someone clear his throat and turned to see Takoa.
"You're up early," Takoa said with a benign smile. "I don't suppose you'll be doing what i think you'll be doing."
"Ohayou, Sakada-san," he greeted politely and straightened.
"There's no need to be formal, boy," the elderly man crowed. "Call me Jiya."
"Jiya," Kaede repeated politely as he inched closer to the door. "Begging your pardon, sir, but I've got an..er, early basketball practice. I really must leave." Then, he reached for the door and opened it widely.
"You don't lie convincingly, Kaede. Work on that," the old man adviced him as he stepped out of the threshold. "Oh, and by the way, when you caught up with that stubborn ass tell hem Jiya wants a word with him, nee?"
Kaede paused in surprise and looked back at the old man but Takoa was already out of sight. Creepy, he thought and shuddered. He hopped in his Benz and drove off to Haruko's.
-----
"Just a bite, Pepper, please?"
"No."
"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
"Youhei, I said no."
"Hanamichi, eat the damned bacon and eggs," Youhei said as he tried to stall for time but the redhead was already out the door. "Hanamichi, you damned prick, come back here!" And he ran out after him but he didn't have to go very far to look for him when he saw his best friend standing not far off, glowering at somebody.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Hanamichi growled soflty as the passenger of the silver Benz convertible alighted.
"I'm here to take you home. Okaa-san is worried," Kaede replied. "As for Haruko, I'm really not sure."
Hanamichi's gaze flitted to Haruko's direction and he forced himself to look at her coldly, then he turned to Kaede again. "Since when did you care?"
"D'ahou," Kaede muttered instead.
"Teme, kitsune! You itching for another face bashing?" Hanamichi glowered as he shook his fist in a barely cintrelled anger.
"No, please, Hanamichi, don't," Haruko cried out and stood between the brothers.
"Why? Scared that I'll ruin your boyfriend's pretty face?" he asked coldly making her flinch. He let out an angry hiss and pocketed his hands, walking away from the the two of them, surprising Haruko, Youhei and Kaede.
"Come back here, you stubborn prick!" Haruko said angrily, tears brightened her eyes. "Why do always jump to conclusions? He is not my boyriend, Sakuragi! If it wasn't for him, I'd probably continue to blind myself from the truth. The truth that its not him that I love, but somebody else."
"Then, who?" Hanamichi asked slowly facing her, his eyes guarded and his stance defeated.
"He's very short tempered, a little stubborn. Always loud and boisterous," Haruko said softly and looked at him pleading ly. "Maybe you know him, he calls himself 'tensai' and -" Haruko didn't finish what she was saying because Hanamichi wrapped his arms around her in a tender embrace, muffling her words.
"Hush. I love you, Akagi Haruko," he whispered tenderly. "I've been anting to tell you that for tha longest time."
"I love you, Hanamichi, and only you," Haruko said when she looked up at him.
Kaede and Youhei looked on the embracing couple, feeling embarassed and happy at the tender scene that unfolded. Finally, it was Youhei who broke them apart when he cleared his throat and said, "Guys, I hate to spoil the mood bt we're going to be late."
"Oh, shoot! We've missed the train," Hanamichi cursed when he saw the time.
"We could take my car if you want," Kaede suggested hesitantly. "There's room for all of us."
Hanamichi stared at him for the longest time as if seeing him for the first time and remembered Youhei's words. Kaede didn't flinch or looked away from those scrutinizing orbs.
"Why not? But..." Hanamichi said and the others looked at him expectantly. "...I want the top down, if you please." And walked hand in hand with Haruko to the convertible.
"No more running away, okay?" Kaede said as he started the engine.
"I promise," Hanamichi said firmly, "Kaede."
To youhei's surprise and Haruko's delight, the icy fox known as Rukawa Kaede broke into a smile, a smile with out mockery and coldness but with sincerity and warmth, and Hanamichi returned the gesture.
Maybe, Hanamichi thought contentedly as they sped off.
That's all, folks! For now at least.
Standard disclaimers reply!!
REVIEW!!!!