Senko-san: Okay! As promised, I'm gonna reveal some of Yue's background in this chapter! Okay! Let's begin!!!
My Unforgettable Vacation
Chapter 8
Another boring day passed. We didn't go anywhere today either. Gojyo and I were talking again, as if "that incident" never happened...
Goku was watching the television, Hakkai was preparing coffee, Gojyo was slugging at the sofa, smoking, and I was reading today's newspaper.
"Argh! That's it! I'm bored to DEATH!!!" Gojyo yelled.
"Oi! Don't yell out like that!" Goku told him, unplugging his ears.
"Don't tell me none of you have plans???" He asked, ignoring Goku's remark.
"Gome... I don't have any good ideas at the moment..." Hakkai placed the coffee in front of him.
He glanced at me. I continued reading my newspaper, ignoring him.
"Ch!" He leaned back and thought for awhile.
Suddenly he snapped his fingers.
"I've got it!" he grinned.
"You've got what?" Hakkai asked, sipping his coffee.
"Let's all go to the pub!" He suggested.
"Ah?" Hakkai looked at him.
"The pub??? Is there anything interesting there?" Goku turned to face him as well.
"Of course! It'll be fun! C'mon!!! Let's go!"
"Hmph! Of course, that's a place that you'll ALWAYS be interested in..." I said sarcastically.
"What do you think, Hakkai? C'mon! Back me up here!" He pretended not to hear me either.
"Well...I guess it's okay... What do you think, Sanzo?"
"Ch! Do as you wish..." I told them.
"Ne, ne! Hakkai! Will there be lots of food???"
"Ch! Urusei na bakasaru!" Gojyo whacked his head.
"Ittei na! Omae ero kappa!!!"
"Yare yare desu ne..." Hakkai sighed helplessly.
They began to quarrel again, making me wasting my bullets trying to tell them to shut up... but they all agreed that we'll all go to the pub tonight...
I got to admit, tonight, was a blast. Though of course, I wouldn't show it to them. But I felt all of us let ourselves go tonight. We drank, (all except for Goku), they sang, we even played poker, but Hakkai won most of the time, like usual...
Hakkai's POV
I really enjoyed myself tonight. Finally, all of us could release our tensions since the day Yue left... I wonder how she is doing? I glanced at my watch. It was getting late.
"Minna san? I think it's high-time for us to head back..."
"Ah??? C'mon Hakkai!!! Don't be a party-pooper!!!" Gojyo grumbled, his face was blushing red from all the beer.
"Gome ne, but we really have to head back... You know very well they wouldn't allow us to sleep here anyway, don't you, Gojyo?" I smiled at him.
"Aah! Wakatte iru..." He waved his hand, getting up.
Goku was already asleep, so I had to wake him up.
"Ah??? Is breakfast ready?" He muttered, rubbing his eyes.
"Ch! Bakasaru..." Sanzo said under his breath while he paid the bill.
"It's still the middle of the night, saru!!!" Gojyo teased.
"Don't call me that, you ero kappa!!!" He grumbled back, still half-asleep.
I chuckled watching them as we headed out of the pub towards the car. As we were about to turn towards the parking lot I heard something. I paused to hear whether I heard it right...or was I just imagining it??? Then, I heard it again! I looked towards the source of the noise; the alley opposite the car park.
"What's up, Hakkai?" Gojyo looked at me, making the others stop on their tracks as well.
"...I thought I heard something..."
"Eh? Heard what?" Gojyo slowly approached me, trying to listen as well.
Hakuryu flew onto my shoulder, nudging me on the cheek, concerned. The faint sound of boxes being pushed, and things crashing was heard again. I smiled and patted it comfortingly. Slowly, I headed towards the alley.
I stopped in front of it to look around. The whole area was poorly lit and everything was a mess. There was something in the air as well. Despite the stinky smell from the dumpsters, the dampness, there was a new smell to it... Yes...very new...
"Oi...Hakkai..." Gojyo was behind me now.
"Aah... You smell it too, don't you, Gojyo?"
Though Gojyo looked drunk, I knew he was still sane. He needs more liquor than what he drunk tonight to knock him out. I heard Sanzo gripping his Shoureiju tight as well. Goku was also ready if there was any trouble... All of us cautiously entered. The smell grew stronger... the smell of blood...
Suddenly, I saw some movements between some crates. I slowly approached them. At first, all I could see was a shadowy figure sitting there...but as I got closer... I realized that the figure looked awfully familiar...
"It's... It's Yue!!!" I exclaimed, kneeling in front of her.
"Nani??? What is she doing at a place like this???" Gojyo let his guard down, so did Sanzo and Goku.
"I don't know...demo..." I looked at her.
She seemed unconscious. I gently placed my hands on her shoulder, trying to wake her up. Just as I did so, she suddenly turned wild!!! She tried to push me away, screaming.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!!! DON'T TOUCH ME!!!" She kept repeating.
I exchanged glances with the others and tried to calm her down. My hands were still firm on her shoulders. I tried to shake her once more.
"Yue!!! Calm down!!! It's me, Hakkai!!! Calm yourself!!! It's us! We're all here!!!" I told her.
At first, she didn't listen. It's as if she went hysteric! But I tried again and this time she looked hard at me.
"H-Hakkai???" she croaked.
"Yes, it's me... Daijobu desu ka?" I asked, concerned.
She was quiet for a while. She just stared at us...then, her tears trickled down uncontrollably. Before I could do anything else she hugged me tight and began sobbing softly. I was shocked, but I slowly patted her comfortingly and exchanged glances with the others again. All of them looked worried, but relieved that we found her.
I suddenly felt something trickling down my neck, and my shirt was damp... I felt puzzled, as my hands began to feel sticky... I slowly placed them under the weak beam of light and got another shock... They were covered with blood!
"Yue! You're wounded!!!"
"What??? Yue! What happened???" Gojyo knelt beside me.
"Yue? Yue!!! Shimatta!!! She fainted!!!" I told them.
"Ch! Then what are you still doing there??? Get her into my car!" Sanzo suddenly voiced out.
"Hai!" I got up with her in my arms.
All of us hurried to Sanzo's car.
"Goku! You take care of her!" Sanzo told him, slamming the back door with both of them in the back seat.
"Em! Wakatta!" Goku obeyed.
"Gojyo and I will follow you guys from the back! We have to get her to the hospital!" I said, starting Hakuryu (in his jeep form) up.
With that, Sanzo started his engine and drove like crazy!!! I never saw him drive like that!
"Oi, Hakkai! You better be careful too!" Gojyo held to his seat tightly.
I didn't realize I was driving just as mad!!!
"Gome ne, but that can't be helped, Gojyo..." I told him.
Sanzo's POV
I was beginning to speed up. There was only one destination in my mind; the hospital. At times, I will glance at the mirror, watching Goku trying his best to make sure she wasn't being thrown about by my reckless way of driving...
"Sanzo...?"
"Nanda?"
"...She'll be alright...won't she?"
I noticed a sad and worried tone in his voice.
"Aah... Don't worry. She won't die so easily... I just wish she will stop annoying me this way!!!" I told him.
Suddenly, he giggled. I glanced at him from the mirror for a short while, puzzled.
"What's so funny?"
"Iya. I never heard you tell anyone not to worry before... It feels...weird..." he replied, still grinning.
"Ch! Urusei!!!" I blushed slightly.
Damn! Luckily, he didn't notice it, thanks to all the alcohol I drank earlier... If I weren't driving, I'd teach him a lesson he'll never forget!!! (Though I knew he wasn't to blame...)
Soon, they arrived at the hospital and she sent to the E.R. It was in the hospital, they noticed, she was much more wounded than they thought...
As they watched her being sent in, they had a better look at her than when they were at the alley... Her blouse was ripped, revealing her nearly tore-out bra, the zippers of her jeans weren't working as well. Someone had ripped it open roughly. Despite that, she was bleeding everywhere...her arms, legs, neck...her back... There were even burnt cigarette markings on her arms and rope markings on her wrists and ankles...
They refused to say anything. They've seen enough... They knew what happened to her... She was abused...and was nearly rapped...
Their anger grew stronger and stronger... Sadly, they weren't able to do anything... not until she told them everything... everything that happened to her the last few days...
Hours later, the doctor told them she was going to be alright, but she will be in a lot of stress... They were told to return in the morning, since they weren't related to her and the visiting hours were over some time ago.
They decided to do just that, since they knew there is nothing they could do until she wakes up...
The next day, they visited her again. Hakkai brought some porridge for her, Gojyo brought flowers, and Goku brought a big basket full of fruits!
All of them were silent, entertaining their own thoughts. The hours slaved by, and neither of them refused to step out of the room.
Goku slowly approached her, and sat down. He didn't like the feeling he was experiencing at that moment... He hated it... He felt so...helpless... There was nothing he, or the others could do...
"Yue...please wake up..." he whispered, trying his best not to cry.
Sanzo kept watching him, but remained where he was. Somehow, he felt that he should try to comfort him, but decided against it.
'Why should I even bother? Perhaps...it's better if I let him be...' He thought.
Suddenly, Goku felt a stir. He looked at her. She was beginning to wake up!
"Yue! Are you awake? Can you hear me???" He exclaimed excitedly.
His excitement draws the others to come by the bed as well. All of them looked at her anxiously as she regained consciousness.
"...Minna..." She slowly looked at all of them.
"Yue! Daijobu desu ka?" Hakkai asked her again.
"...Yeah, I guess so..." she smiled weakly at all of them.
"Yukatta..." Hakkai sighed with relief.
"What are all of you doing here? Where am I, anyway?" She looked around her.
"Don't you remember? We found you by the alley last night. This is the hospital..." Gojyo told her.
"Sooka? ...The alley? I don't know...that's still a blur to me..." she held her forehead.
Suddenly, Sanzo approached her. She noticed it and stared at him. The others were speechless. They just stared at him, confused.
"Can you think straight?" he asked.
"H-huh???"
"Answer the question! Can you think straight???" his voice was serious.
"Sanzo, I don't think-..." Hakkai tried to stop him.
"Urusei... If you don't wanna listen, go outside!" His voice sounded dangerously threatening.
"Oi, Sanzo... don't push it..." Gojyo reminded him.
"...Sanzo... What's the matter?" She carefully questioned him.
She had this uncomfortable feeling... Why was Sanzo acting like this??? Why is he mad at Hakkai??? No...perhaps...not at Hakkai... perhaps...-
He turned and looked at her once more. His eyes were cold. Her heart began to beat faster... She knew what he wanted... THEY wanted... Answers... They wanted her to tell her everything about her herself... and her family...
"Ha! Ha! ...I knew I couldn't hide it from you guys forever..." she chuckled painfully.
"...Yue...can you tell us what's going on?" Hakkai asked gently.
She slowly nodded. She waited until the four were comfortable and then, began her "story"...
"I come from a wealthy family... but, there was never love in our family... Instead, there is only jealousy, greed, hate... True, the person you guys met that day is my brother... I have two older brothers, and I'm the youngest... My mother passed away after giving birth to me... So, there are only my father, my brothers and I... but... I... never felt they cared for me... They'll know how to 'pretend' when they are in public, though... Heh! ...They are such good actors..." She tightened her grip on the blanket, trying her best not to cry.
"But when I met you guys... I... felt so happy... I knew... I'll never feel like that when I'm with my family... That's why I... I... didn't want to go home... Sumimasen... Sanzo... I-I never should have used your place as a place for me to escape..." Without her realizing it, her tears were trickling down her cheeks.
"Ah? Baka... Why am I crying???" she rubbed away the tears and tried to smile.
"Ch! You dared use my chalet to escape, but when you were caught, you weren't brave enough to do anything!!! What's the point of escaping in the first place???" Sanzo told her.
She looked at him, surprised. He... he's not mad because I "used" him???
"Yue? You knew you'd be safe with us, don't you?" Gojyo asked.
She exchanged glances with him and nodded.
"Then, why'd you still follow your brother home that day?"
She bit her lower lip. She slowly took a deep breath and answered...
"I didn't want any of you to get hurt..." she muttered.
"Hurt??? What do you mean???" Goku asked, still puzzled.
"I had a close friend once... but when my family knew about her, they... they threatened me that they'll hurt her... and her family... So... I told her about it... She wouldn't listen... and then...-"
"Yue...?" Hakkai looked concerned.
"What happened?" Gojyo asked.
"Their... house... was burnt down... They couldn't escape... They... all of them... and it's all my fault!!!"
"Yue! Calm down! It was just an accident! It had nothing to do with you!" Hakkai tried to comfort her.
"No... It WAS my fault, Hakkai! Later, my brother told me it was their doing... I wanted to go to the police... but... I had no proof that they did it... I... couldn't do anything to avenge her..." she muttered between sobs.
Hakkai shushed her and hugged her comfortingly. Everyone was quite for awhile... Suddenly, Sanzo held her chin gently, making her face him.
"You're much more annoying than I thought..." he told her.
There was something in his eyes, though... What was that? Is he... feeling sorry for me??? There wasn't a streak of anger in his eyes at all...
All of them decided to stay with her the whole day, till the visiting hours were over...
Senko-san: Huh... okay! Another long chappie! Sorry if it's too "jumbled-up" !!! But I hope you guys'll still send your reviews! Yup! Just keep 'em comin' my way!!! Oh! Another thing before I forget! Um... I kinda need you guys' help for this one... it's about the ending of this fanfic. I have two endings in mind, so, would you guys want me into two different categories, or stick to one ending only? It's been bugging me for weeks!!! Don't worry! I'm not ending it yet!!! But I do need your opinions, so please tell me, okay??? THANKS!!!