You'll Choke On Those Words
Dengon Mitsukai
Thanks to ALMOST everyone (hah, Shannon…) for the kind reviews and not telling me to go cut myself because I suck. Anyway, the prologue was a complete success – I've kept you guessing and you all have no clue! Mwah ha ha! Thanks to the kind reviewers and please enjoy this next chapter! It's for you guys after all!
Disclaimer: Although I love the series Shaman King, I don't own it (Kuso!).
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Chapter One: I'm A Nervous Wreck (When It Comes To This)…X – x – x – x – x – X
Yoh set his knapsack down on the table next to his Chinese friend Tao Ren and sighed. They had agreed to meet at one o'clock sharp, and it was now one twenty-three. Yoh had been a full twenty-three minutes late. He had searched high and low for Ren in the courtyard, dashing around statues and hedges alike in his quest to find the mysterious meeting place Ren had set up. Although, Yoh couldn't blame him. The are he had picked was in secrecy, just as their conversation was to be kept. Kuso, Kuso! Why can't you ever just be on time? Yoh scolded himself as Ren seemed to be gathering his thoughts.
Yoh considered Ren. He looked a substantial amount more exhausted than normal, which was only to be expected, after all, he had gone from popular to leper in the matter of a few moments (and if only Ren could remember what he had done!). But it seemed to be wearing Ren thin, like a pair of shoes that you loved up until that one day that they just didn't seem to suit your needs anymore… yes, it was like Ren was no longer needed by anyone. His bright emerald eyes, which normally flashed with a sarcastic yet mysterious excitement looked dull and bloodshot, as if he had actually stayed up all night contemplating his situation. His clothes were slightly wrinkled (normally Ren took immaculate care of his clothing, and Yoh was beginning to worry more than a little), and his face looked bored.
Ren finally spoke, his voice gravely and worn-out from what seemed like a long conversation. But how could that be possible? No one would talk to him. So maybe he had found someone other than Yoh who would listen. "I have no fucking clue what to say." Or, well, maybe not. He looked at Yoh. "I hope you've found something out…?"
Yoh looked into Ren's eyes. "Maybe we should start with exactly what happened that day. I want every last detail."
Ren sighed. "You want details? I got details." Yoh watched Ren shift uncomfortably, and yawn and stretch a little. He then closed his eyes. "So, I was invited to that party and I thought to myself, Hey Ren! You should go to that party. Wouldn't that be nice? Alright, so I agree with myself and I go to this party because how bad can a party really be, right? I mean, a party with all your friends, at that! So, I went to this party and the moment I got there I just knew something was off. Maybe it was the cheesy music they were playing, or the scent of alcohol lingering in the air... I just knew something was off. It turned out to be a total bust, too. Horo and I just played air hockey for the beginning of the party." Ren opened his eyes and grinned. "Then I had some alcohol, talked with some friends, drank some more, and I can't remember a goddamn thing."
Yoh sighed and looked Ren in the eyes. "Are you sure that you can't remember anything else?"
He stared blankly back at Yoh. Can I remember anything else? Can I remember anything else? Don't you think I've been tearing myself to pieces trying to remember every stupid detail of that damn party? Do you think I want to do this to myself? It's like I'm not even here anymore! I feel like those crayons you get in that 60 crayon box of crayons, like 'Red Violet' and 'Macaroni and Cheese', the only colors you never have a use for. I used to be, like, green! People used to care! What happened, how bad have I really screwed myself over! "Not a thing more, not a thing less."
The brunette sighed. He knew Ren was hiding something from him, he just had to figure out what. Maybe Ren wasn't ready to know what happened. After all, it had been quite a scene, as he had heard it. But, he just didn't get it. Why was it such a big deal? He'd figured it would have blown over by now. But he couldn't just come out and say that he'd know all along that Ren had...
The bell rang. Ren looked sourly at the doorway. "Just forget it and let's get to class."
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Ren practically dropped the phone on his computer when he found out. How could Yoh have done this to me? We're best friends! How could he have known all along and not bothered to tell me! How could he have known, and still he hasn't told me? He could hear the phone ringing in the distance but he ignored it, knowing it was only Yoh trying to pick up the pieces of a mess that had grown quite out of control. There was no way he was going to let Yoh slide on this one. So what if no one needed him? He didn't need anyone else, either. This was just another perfect example of it.
The voicemail clicked on, and Yoh's gravely voice spread through Ren's room like wildfire. "Ren, I know you don't want to talk to me, and I know you're incredibly angry, and I know you have the right to be, but don't you want to know what happened? I'm sorry, I'm sorry and I should have told you earlier, but I just couldn't, it was just… I'm really not supposed to tell you now either. Piri told me, Ren… and it's bad, but not as bad as everyone's making it. Oh god, this is your answering machine and I'm going on and on. Well, please, call me back. You owe it to yourself…" The answering machine clicked off, and the soft red glow of the number 1 indicating one new message glowed for quite some time before Ren decided to delete the message.
Should I call Yoh back, or should I let him sit in his own mess for a few hours? Normally, Ren would have let Yoh sit in his own misery, and think about just who he had upset, and just how serious it really was. But Yoh knew and Ren needed to know, and for this reason and this reason only he could let Yoh off the hook. He had to call Yoh back. He had to know… it was just eating him apart.
He wanted to know.
He had to know.
Ren dialed Yoh's number and waited for him to pick up. He heard Yoh's familiar greeting, and said immediately, "I'm not calling because I forgive you. I don't, and I may never forgive you. I just… I really need to know. I guess I really need your help."
Yoh sighed. "You don't want to know."
Ren snorted. Of course he wanted to know. He had to know. "Tell me."
"Ren… You…"
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Ugh, the suspense is just killing my readers off! Heh. That was supposed to be funny, but it's just not. Well, thanks for reading, please review, and I promise next chapter you'll find out what kind of a man Tao Ren is! Dengon Mitsukai