Author's NoTe: Hope everyone liked the last chapter! Please continue to read and review!!
And now.drum roll the next chapter!! dun-dun-dun!!
Chapter 9
Past Memories
Clyne Publishing had recently released Kira's book and as predicted, it was a success. Everyone everywhere wanted to know the amazing writer, only his picture available on the Clyne Publising website. His location unknown to all. But the work he put into it had brought both the company and Kira tons of money, that's for sure.
Little Pieces
Chapter - Past Principles
I only knew a bit back then when everyone told me to be a good boy, when I was told to just be me. A klutz, seems hard to believe, I was, one time I fell into a garbage can. But of course...
----
Kira fidgeted in the black limo as Lacus crossed her legs comfortably staring out the window, the pouring rain coming down on them. Not a good sign of the meeting at all. Kira felt like he was about to faint as they headed for the office building. He was so nervous. Lacus felt him fidget more and rolled her eyes as she turned to him and gave him a nod and a reassuring smile.
"Just five minutes, Kira," she giggled. Kira blinked. This time placed memories in their head once again.
"Would the Clyne and Yamato group please present their presentation?" their teacher nodded to the two as they both shakily got up to present their project. Kira stumbled out of his chair as he nearly fell to the ground. The class laughed around him as Lacus helped him up, gave him a nod and a reassuring smile.
"Just five minutes," she giggled.
----
Athrun had kindly offered to help clean out the Clyne attic along with a few other friends such as Nicol and Dearka, but they couldn't imagine what job they had taken. The day had been long and hard as they were finally to the point where they were halfway done. Athrun had begun cleaning out a box full of Lacus' homework from the younger days. On the top were her college papers and in the middle her high school works. Deciding to take a small break, Athrun grabbed out a small piece of paper in bright pink, note paper to be exact. His eyes read, knowing Lacus wouldn't mind, it was only a research paper. She had gotten an A of course, with a bit of extra credit points. Pulling out another one randomly, he found it was neither homework nor a test. It was on a simple sheet of pink paper and the note made him cringe.
When she felt sad
She'd sit at her computer eating chocolate ice cream
When she felt sad
She'd go to her blonde-haired friend and laugh
When she felt sad
She'd talk to her blue-haired friend and laugh
When she felt sad
She'd embrace her father and accompany him with work
When she felt sad
She'd cry herself to sleep
When she felt sad
She'd think of a dark brown-haired boy with violet eyes
And it ended there. Athrun dropped the paper back into the trunk and shut it closed. He knew there were probably more poems about Kira and them, so a thought came to him. He waved Nicol to come over and he happily came.
"Yes, Athrun? Another box for the recycle?"
Athrun shook his head. "Actually no. Could you and Dearka put it in my car, I want to do something with it. I'm sure Lacus won't mind. It's just a bunch of old papers."
"Got it," Nicol grunted as he dragged the trunk with him and motioned Dearka over to him.
----
Kira cracked his knuckles as Lacus sat there patiently. He was already sweating.
"Kira, it hasn't even started," she laughed.
"I know, but I just can't do it! What if I - "
"Ah, don't worry."
"Dammit, Kira, you don't even know who sent you that note? It's been three weeks already!" Cagalli exclaimed waving her arms in the air as Athrun walked beside her. Kira stared down and sighed with his hands gripping tightly on his backpack strap.
"I know, but it just doesn't add up. Who'd like me?" he moved his arms behind his head. "I mean, I'm clumsy...I make a lot of mistakes..."
"Not to mention you fell in a garbage can," Athrun sneered.
"You're not helping, Athrun," Cagalli glared. "Eh? Lacus?" the three paused as Lacus sat with her legs stretched out and her backpack on her lap as she stared downward with a blank look on her face. "Lacus?" Cagalli moved her head in front of her. "Hello?" Lacus turned her head slowly, looking so dazed.
"Lacus, are you alright?" Athrun crouched down and stared at her. "Is something wrong?" Lacus slowly shook her head and continued to stare downward at her backpack. Becoming worried, Kira bent down as well and a thought came to him. He moved his hand over her forehead and pulled his hand back. He sighed.
"You came to school with a fever again?" he groaned as he carried her backpack to the side and helped her up. "Come on, I'm bringing you to the nurse's office." Cagalli blinked at Kira.
"How did you know that she was sick?" she questioned.
"Easy, her ears are red and her head's burning," he remarked swinging her backpack over his shoulder. "Come on, Lacus," he grabbed her by the wrist and began walking but she didn't move. "Lacus, let's go."
"No," her soft voice coming out.
"What?"
"No, I won't go. There's a test in geometry today. I don't want the teachers to have to wait till I come back to put it in their grade books. The marking period ends after this test. I don't want to make it inconvenient for them. I have to stay," she shook her head along with her words.
"But Lacus..."
"I won't go, Kira, that's final. It's my fault for playing the rain again last night. I should've listened to you guys," she turned back to Athrun and Cagalli. "I'm sorry," she broke a smile and a cough came out immediately after. Running his hands through his hair, Kira forcefully grabbed her away from Athrun and Cagalli and gripped her by the shoulders in front of him.
"You are going home," he ordered.
"No," she simply said. Her face red and her breathing ragged as she coughed again.
"Lacus, Kira's right. One test won't..." Kira's hand stopped Cagalli's protest as Lacus stared down.
"I'm not going, Kira. Leave me alone," she said angrily as she shook his hands off. "I can take care of myself. I've been through worse."
"Fine, since you won't walk yourself to the nurse's office," he picked her up while throwing Athrun his backpack. "I'll carry you." Athrun and Cagalli gaped at them, and so did a few other spectators.
"Kira...isn't that a little..." Athrun shrugged. "...overdoing it?"
"She's being too stubborn, I'm taking her and that's final," he sighed as he carried her all the way.
"Kira, put me down!!" Lacus fidgeted, but the grip on her arm made her stay still.
"Not until you're home."
NEXT
"Found out about the note yet?" Cagalli yawned, bored out of her mind as they ate their lunch on the grass.
"Nope...no one's actually come up and told me any useful information lately. I would like to know who it is," Kira said sadly as he took a small bite of his burger.
"Cagalli, can we just tell him? This is getting ridiculous?" Athrun whispered into her ear. Cagalli poked him in the head. "Ow," he rubbed the spot.
"We've worked too hard to just tell him!!" she whispered harshly.
"I'm sure you'll find out soon, Kira. There aren't that many girls in our school," Lacus laughed nervously.
"Lacus, you're kidding right? There's over 200 hundred!" Athrun exclaimed.
"All the more reason to start asking!" she giggled giving him a pat on the shoulder. "You just might be looking too hard or maybe too little."
"I'll take the first one as an answer!" Cagalli remarked excitedly as Athrun sighed at her. "What?!" she passed him a glare. "He is looking too hard! Aren't I right? Lacus! You agree, right?!" Lacus stared up at her, apparently she had spaced out.
"I'm sorry, say again?" she said quickly recovering from her loss of consciousness. Kira stared at her worriedly.
"Are you sure you're completely fever-free? You're quiet again," he said feeling her head once again.
"I'm perfect, Kira. Just..." she stared into his eyes. She didn't finish her sentence as she stood up with her tray and walked away. Cagalli stared worriedly at where Lacus once sat and picked up her tray.
"I'll just...I'll just go," she smiled an unusual smile as Athrun have her a nod.
"What was that all about?" Kira blinked.
"Kira, are you that dense?" Athrun raised an eyebrow at him.
"Dense?"
"Ah...well...how do I put this?" he scratched his head. "Well, you know how well...err...let's just say the person you're looking for is very close."
"Close? How close?" he said with a curious tone.
"Just close."
----
"Lacus, wait a minute!" Cagalli rushed to stop her in her tracks.
"Yes?" she faced her politely.
"Tell Kira."
"Tell him what?"
"Tell him that you - "
"He doesn't need to know," she shrugged with a non-caring smile as she continued to walk.
"Lacus, hold it!" Cagalli ordered as she forced her to a corner. "You know you wrote that letter and you know Kira cares about you, too. So why don't you just -"
"What? Tell him and expect we feel the exact same way about each other. What if that love is just like a sibling love? Like the one he has for you? Or one that's like a buddy-buddy thing like with Athrun? I can't keep wishing for something that might not even exist. Please stop this nonsense. I have class."
"Lacus, wait!!"
Lacus closed her eyes as she remembered that day when Cagalli had chased her. The fact that Kira still did not know...it amazingly surprised her. She turned toward him, the sweat beads clearly visible on his face. She took out a hankerchief and wiped the side of his face.
"Calm down," she smiled weakly.
Kira
placed the food on his glass table, not caring for the grease as he
plopped on his couch and got back up to grab his Big Mac.
"Come on, Lacus! Eat!" he said with a stuffed mouth.
"Kira..." she sighed as she grabbed a napkin and wiped the side of his mouth covered in ketchup.
Gulping down his first bite, he grabbed his coke and sipped speedily. "Thanks," he said after wiping his mouth with the side of his shirt.
Lacus turned away, yeah, and that only happened a few weeks ago.
"Lacus?" Kira spoke quietly.
"Yes?" she answered with a heavy sigh.
"Have you ever wondered...have you ever wondered if Fllay and I were meant to be?" he asked cluelessly with a shrug. He knew of Lacus' feelings for him yet he decided to ask her the question. She was the only one he could ask.
Lacus squinted at the ground. Her vision felt blurry as she tried to think of an answer. "I'm not sure, Kira."
Cocking
his head to the side at the question his classmate had given him,
Kira made a confused and innocent face. "I'm not sure what you're
asking me, Karina."
She had long dark brown hair that fell a little below her shoulders as she felt like she was shrinking slowly underneath him. "Would you be my date for the winter ball dance?" her high squeaky voice came out. Kira blinked and scratched his head.
"Well...."
"If you don't want to that's completely fine with me! I mean, I could just go with someone else..." the fifth period bell rang as the rustle of students got out of their lunch seats and headed for their classes.
"I'll think about it, don't worry, I will!" Kira laughed as he waved a goodbye and headed for his class. Lacus sat comfortably in her seat as the teacher welcomed the students inside and Kira took his seat beside her.
"Hey," she smiled.
"Hey," he replied. After the few moments, the teacher turned around to write a couple of notes for the student to write. Kira took this as a solid chance to ask Lacus as he took out a piece of binder paper and scribbled a few fast notes and swiftly handing it to Lacus. She opened it slowly as to not to disturb the class with the small crinkles of the paper. Her eyes read the few scribbles :
Has anyone asked you to the winter ball?
Lacus clicked her pen and wrote her own note as she handed it back to Kira, this time unfolded. He read her purple ink and blinked.
No. I thought I just might go alone. I need to take pictures for the yearbook. Why? Has anyone asked you?
Mumbling something, Kira scribbled and handed it back to her while tapping his fingers against the desk waiting for her reply.
Well, yeah. This girl in my biology class asked me, you know, Karina? I told her I'd think about it. What do you think?
She cringed at the note and tried to think good thoughts for Kira. But nothing came as she scribbled a very small sentence.
I'm not sure. If you want to, that's fine.
Kira gaped at the note. Lacus gave much better answers than this. He pointed to the paper and she gave a simple shrug. She sighed as she began scribbling the proper notes for their final up ahead. Kira would ask her if she could her notes so it was fine. But still, she truly wanted to go with him but unfortunately...
"Hey, Lacus!" a friend beside her whispered. Lacus turned her head slightly.
"What?"
"Michael said he'd take pictures at the winter ball instead. He thought it'd be nice if you go with someone like Kira for example."
"But I had the camera ready and everything," Lacus made an upset face.
"Ah, don't worry. You can do the picnic and the yearbook page for it. Tell Kira! Cagalli tells me you've been dying to ask him!" her friend winked. Lacus face flushed a dark red.
"I have not!" she relented when the teacher raised an eyebrow at the two as they both sulked in their seats. Kira crumpled the note and shoved it into his backpack as he awaited for the bell to ring. Once it did, both Lacus and Kira rushed out of the room and slowed their pace once out of the classroom.
"What was that all about?" Kira raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing, don't worry about it. It's just I won't be able to do the pictures for the ball."
"Well...you can go with me," he said simply. She widened her eyes at him.
"But what about Karina?"
"I don't know her that well and I don't think we'll have much fun if we know nothing about each other, right?" he chuckled.
Yeah, he had made that day's decision on his own. Lacus smiled to herself. Kira had done a lot of things on his own. But this was a much bigger matter. "Kira, do you love her with all your heart?" Kira's eyes widened as he heard her question. He gulped and his face went red as he clasped his hands together and arched forward to lean his elbows on his knees and pressed his head to his knuckles.
"That...I have to think about. She's so...She' so..."
"She's just so difficult sometimes!" Kira outraged as he threw his bag on his bed while it was unzipped allowing all his papers to fall to the floor.
"Oh?" Athrun settled on the carpet floor as he calmly got out his notebook and textbooks.
"She doesn't tell me anything that's going on! She makes me worry when she doesn't want me to worry. But lately she's been moping around looking all sad and not telling me anything! It feels like she doesn't want me around anymore especially after that day I got the note, she's been so quiet!" Kira panted as he tried to calm down picking up his papers.
"Have you tried to talking to her?"
"Only a million times!" he exclaimed nearly crunching up his algebra homework.
"You said it got worse after the note, right?"
"Haven't you noticed? She's so quiet, she's not ...she's not happy like before."
"It's a wonder that you notice these things Kira. But you don't notice..." he paused and Kira gave him a look.
"Athrun?"
"Nevermind. Don't worry, it's probably just a phase."
"No, tell me. What don't I notice?"
Athrun bonked him on the head with his notebook. "You don't notice that I'm getting only a B Average in history. So help me or my dad'll kill me."
"It's just a B."
"It's just my dad," Athrun remarked with a tired voice.
"I care about her, Lacus. I really do. But sometimes I wonder where she goes off to sometimes. She always seems to disappear on me like that time when...wait a minute, that was you," Kira scratched his head. "Uh...well..." Lacus laughed. "What's so funny?"
"Why don't you try clearing your head first before we talk about this? You seem still very confused."
"I am!!"
"Kira, why don't we try thinking about something else...a bit more...peaceful, ne?"
"Like what?" Kira told rudely.
"Like that time when..."
----
Cagalli laughed her head off as she looked through her little Lacus and Kira blackmail photo album. She was hoping she'd be able to use it someday, but she never got to when she started going out with Athrun. But of course, she still took pictures of Lacus and Kira together and their little moments. It was so enjoyable to see her clueless brother have these little cute boy-crush on her. She couldn't stop giggling.
"What's so funny, Ms. Athha?" Athrun joked as he plopped on the bed next to her.
"Look at this," she pointed to the picture in right-hand corner.
"Oh! I remember that! That's when..."
Kira and Lacus practiced their dance for the school play, it was eight at night and Cagalli passed by after hearing the music. Athrun had come along with her. She clapped her hands happily as she grabbed her small camera from out of her pocket.
"I'm
so glad I brought my camera with me!!" she squealed pulling Athrun
toward the bleachers for a closer look.
"One, two, three, one, two, three," a skip, a hop and a twirl (okay, not literally, but it sounded nice). Lacus counted as she and Kira moved in a synchronized way.
"Hold on, Lacus, isn't the twirl before the..."
"Oh, yeah. My bad, sorry," Lacus laughed as they continued to practice. Cagalli made a face as she saw that no little moment was coming and a thought came to her. She whispered to Athrun something and he protested with his own face but she only glared at him. He scratched his head hard, took off his shoe, and threw it at the tape recorder. Cagalli glared at him.
"How are you supposed to get your shoe back now?" Cagalli twitched.
"You said throw it!" he snapped.
"Yeah, but not like-" but once she heard Lacus and Kira talking she swerved her camera back into view.
"Oh, what are we supposed to do now?" Lacus sighed as she stared at the broken recorder.
"First of all, we have to buy the classroom a new one," Kira scratched his head as he looked at any possible way to fix it. Lacus knelt down to place the broken pieces back onto the chair until she noticed Athrun's red shoe.
"Hey, that's - "
"Whoa, wha-wHA!" Kira cried out as he slipped on a piece of the broken boombox and fell onto Lacus' side who blushed wildly and tipped on her side and fell on the cold ground of the gym. Kira opened his eyes again to find him in an 'accidental' kiss with Lacus and he pulled away immediately, both completely cherry red. "L-let me help you up," he tried to say casually as she dusted her skirt off standing straight up.
Lacus smiled uncomfortably forgetting about the shoe and began piling up the pieces. "Let's throw this away before anyone else...slips," she gulped. Cagalli nearly jumped for joy in her spot with Athrun.
"Another moment for the books!!" she cried out happily. Athrun chuckled.
"Still...I wonder what's going through Kira's head right now..." he sneered. Cagalli smacked him in the head.
"Stop thinking nasty thoughts."
Cagalli broke out laughing as Athrun recalled the moment. That was the best day of her life excluding anything else.
"And then, I called Kira and you know what he kept saying?" Athrun was on the verge of laughing tears as he remembered Kira's words.
"Tell me!!" Cagalli giggled profusely.
"We were talking about homework and somehow he got lips, kiss, fall, and Lacus all mumbled in the math assignment. Ah-ha...haha..." Athrun held on to his shirt for breath as he reminisced on the good old days.
"It's too bad though..." Cagalli had stopped laughing and tears were coming out of her eyes. She looked so pale and her fists clenched. Athrun stared at her worriedly.
"Cagalli?" he reached to touch her shoulder but she pulled away, but turned to stare at him with tears draping down her face dripping down to the photo album."T-They can never be together now...unless Lacus does something. That...little...conniving...that girl..." Cagalli sniffed, "I ABSOLUTELY DISPISE HER!" she broke out and fell into Athrun's arms. She hiccupped as her tears began to rush faster. "He was supposed to be with Lacus! That was the plan! They've known each other since elementary! How can he pick some new girl off the block if he doesn't even manage to think about someone he's known for his whole life?! It's just not fair!! He was supposed to be with Lacus!!" she cried aloud as tears flew left and right. Athrun only rubbed his blonde princess's head.
"I wish they could be together, too, Cagalli...I wish it, too."
----
Feeling Kira's head, Kira stared up at her surprised. Lacus smiled.
"Just checking if you have a fever. You're sweating like you're about to faint. I told you already. CALM DOWN," she gave him another reassuring smile as Kira did his best to smile back.
"I...well...I ... Lacus..." his words came out in mumbles. What he wanted to say? He didn't know. What he should say? He didn't know. What he felt in his heart at that very moment? He couldn't describe. Gritting his teeth together, he turned away. Lacus sighed. What could possibly be going through her best friend's mind at that very moment. Staring up at the ceiling, she fluttered her eyes and turned to face Kira again who stared down looking so confused like a puppy.
"Kira," she stated his name plainly as he turned around to face her. She did the one thing that Kira would never expect.
Closing her eyes, she placed one hand on his cheek and planted a full kiss on his lips.
Kira's eyes widened as he realized what was happening at that very moment. Thoughts raced through his mind as all the times he had been with Lacus came back to him.
"Aww...that's so sweet!! You got a gift on Valentine's Day!!" Lacus laughed as she nudged his arm. "Ne, Ne? Sounds like someone's crushing on Kira Yamato!"
"Lacus!! Come on! I don't even know who it is!" Kira stated with his arms hanging out as they sat at the park, supposed to be doing homework.
"But Lacus...I mean...you know that rumor about this weird ribbon thing on St. White's Day?"
"Yes. If you tie one around a girl you care about, your love will last forever. It's a very sweet superstition," Lacus giggled. "I've already found three in my locker. One even had a white rose and small milky chocolate!"
Kira glared at his friend's smiling face. "You got ribbons?" he asked rudely with crossed arms. Lacus stopped smiling and stared at him innocently.
"Is that bad?"
"So that means guys are after you, right?" he cocked an eyebrow as he leaned forward. Lacus backed her head away and nodded. "Throw it all away."
With that, Lacus puffed her face angrily. "But they're really pretty! I bet the people would've worked really hard on those gifts! That's not fair, Kira!"
"It's not safe! What if they start stalking you or something?!"
"Why are you getting so worried? They're only gifts!"
"I still say throw them away. I don't like guys staring at you like that."
"Kira, did you forget again? We're friends...you even stated yourself."
"Well, I might as well be your bodyguard, too, if guys don't keep their hands off you," he looked around looking completely annoyed at a couple of stares coming into Lacus' direction. "See? People are staring at you right now."
"I already said calm down!! They won't hurt me!" she laughed.
"Not if I'm here."
THE NEXT AFTERNOON
"Lacus?" a dark purple-haired boy came up to Lacus shyly with a ribbon in his hand. Lacus smiled at him.
"Hello, Koru. What can I do for you today?"
"Well, I know it's a bit late...but will you accept my ribbon?" he gulped, blushing. Unknown to neither of them, Kira watched shadowed in the small alleyway between the bathrooms. He felt a small bit of jealousy grow in him. The perk in his ears twitched as he heard a rumble of boys coming in with all white ribbons in hand.
"No way...they couldn't all be..." Kira began and slapped himself in the face when he noticed all the boys reaching for a strand of Lacus' hair, hoping to tie their late ribbons around one of the strands.
"Hey! Let go! You guys are hurting me!" Lacus itched to get away as she suddenly neared for the stairs. Kira's eyes widened as he noticed how close she was to falling. He immediately left his spot and grabbed her away from the raging boys and down the flight of stairs into the small space under the stairs. Lacus fell to the ground as well as Kira, both feeling exhausted.
"I told you," Kira glared.
"Were you always there?" Lacus blinked. "Were you watching me or something?"
Kira blushed and turned away from her. "I was not. I just happened to be there."
Lacus giggled, knowing the truth as she planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks." She got up as the last few boys cleared away and decided to go out. "I guess I'll be going then."
Kira had a strange feeling and before he could tell what he was doing, he had grabbed a white ribbon he had been keeping in his pocket and wrapped it around Lacus' ponytail. She swung her head around to face him with a surprised look on her face. "So no one else will try and go after you. They'll all think you're taken," he shrugged.
"Kira..." she moaned out. Kira gave her a wink and passed her by until a tug on his arm stopped him. He swerved around to face her. Her face turning red as she stared to the ground. "C-Could you stay with me? Just in case...they come back."
Smiling to himself, Kira laughed. "Won't that give them the idea that we're together?"
Lacus giggled. "At least they won't chase me."
Kira walked back to her side and fixed the ribbon he had made on her ponytail. "Then let's make it convincing."
And they both walked off, arm-in-arm.
Kira now regretted for not realizing how deeply in love he had fallen for the pink-haired girl known as Lacus Clyne. He had been such a fool, not knowing that his actions were all signs of love. She had thanked him so many times for being there for her and he had thanked her for being there for him. The truth was if Lacus had not been there his whole life, he probably wouldn't have gotten through high school or his present-day life. Deciding to take full advantage of the situation, he cupped Lacus face in hands and returned the kiss with all his heart. The love that he had not shown for the one he loved, he would do his best to show it in the present, then to regret not doing it in the past. Even though he still felt obligated to protect the one in Japan, he knew that being with Lacus made him even happier no matter how wrong it felt to be with two people.
"Kira, I can't breathe," she mumbled as she pulled away, her face red as she gasped for air. Kira opened his eyes and chuckled as he took his own small breath of air.
"Done?" Kira cocked his head to the side as he reached to touch her face again. Lacus widened her eyes at him.
"Done, what are you-MM!" she was silenced as Kira returned her last kiss with his own nearly knocking her off her chair. She tried her best to hold still as she found herself playing tongues with her supposed 'friend'.
For the moment, it felt like they were the only ones in the world. For that moment, they felt like they had no worries. For that moment, they felt their love reach a point where there's no turning back and that you have to keep going until you hit a grand slam.
But all good things come to an end, as a knock on the waiting room door came; and Lacus and Kira were forced to stop their kiss and separated lips. Both ready and waiting for the challenges to come. But Kira took a glance at Lacus and whispered into her ear something that made Lacus giggle.
"I'm not nervous anymore," he laughed as they both turned to the man standing at the door.
"They're ready for you now," the voice said as they both got up and headed for the darkened room.
Author's Note : How did you like it? Please review!!! wink
