All right, before you even get started, STOP! DON'T READ THIS CHAPTER WITHOUT READING THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE! -takes in a long deep breath- okay, no more yelling, promise. Because I couldn't leave you all on something utterly depressing as Tawna crying in her room over Balmung (that's no fun) I have posted this nifty little side story. Because it IS a side story you have no clue who most of the characters are, but you will find them out soon enough (they do make an appearance in the next chapter, nine). Now that you know on to the story!
Side Story: HomecomingTatsu awoke as the morning light finally hit his face, a bright reality of what today was. He sat up, his chestnut brown eyes half-dazedly stared at the red digital numbers on his alarm clock and he thought about hitting the snooze button, giving him ten more minutes of relaxation. Immediately he thought against it, shoving himself up on his muscular forearms. Suddenly, what the date was actually occurred in his mind and he gasped slightly before nearly leaping out of bed. He ran out of the room, almost tripping amongst the things scattered all over his bedroom floor. His dark tan skin shuddered at the cold air in the house as he dashed down the hall, throwing the door to the bathroom open before slamming it again behind him.
He threw off his tank top and boxers, starting the water in the shower. He caught the look at himself in the mirror, snorting disgustedly at his bed head. Feeling the steam rise from beneath the vinyl curtain he hopped into the hot water, sighing at its feel all over his skin.
'How could I be running late today, of all days?!' he snapped at himself shutting his eyes in shame. 'She's going to be so disappointed…' A flash of a beautiful childish face went through his mind, her gorgeous amethyst eyes shining back at him. "I don't have time for this…"
Washing up as best he could, he ran out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. He dashed into the laundry room, where his clothes were hanging. He had just taken the time to wash them yesterday, and they were only a week old as is. "Bought specially for the occasion." He smiled as he ran back up the steps.
Ten minutes later, he was running out of the house, his dress shoes slipping slightly as the soles were wet from standing on the bathroom tile floor. 'Now, one more stop before I get there…' he smirked, his thoughts drifting off one last time. 'Wait for me, Yue…'
' …He had only been planning on skipping last period, but as he stalked down the hall, he couldn't help but hear the nearby conversation…'
"What makes you think you're so much better then us, huh?"
"You're a snot-nosed, preppy brat!"
"What gave you the right to tease Uriko anyway?"
Turning the corner he saw three seniors gathered around a corner by the exit in the back of the school. Two were huge, brawly-looking upperclassmen with deep-throated voices. One was leaning up against the wall, and the other was blocking his view entirely with his bulky body. A petite black-headed girl stood next to them, a hand on her hip and smirking at whatever the two boys had cornered. As one of the students moved, he caught a glimpse of a small girl, cowering in the crevice, her wide amethyst eyes staring at them behind her glasses, in some hopes of being left alone.
Tatsu clenched his fists, irritated by this. Not only was this wasting his time and he still could be caught. But picking on defenseless girls was not about to be ignored either. "Hey you punks!" he barked. "What the hell did she do to you?!"
All three whipped around in surprise, before the two guys smirked. "It's just a freshman." One of them stated.
"You here to save the little girl?" the other added, sneering at him.
"Saving her is only half of it," he replied with a smirk of his own. "The real fun will be beating the shit out of you two."
"What was that?!" One of them roared, while the other straight charged him.
Tatsu saw him coming and rushed forward, bringing his knee up into the other man's groin in mid stride. His elbow came down against the back of his neck and he heard a slight groan escape his mouth as he fainted against him.
"YOU!!" his friend rushed him now, enraged by his comrade's defeat. Tatsu wasted no time on grabbing his arm and bending it behind him, before shoving the boy's head into a nearby locker with enough force to dent the metal.
He sighed depressingly. "Well that was no fun…" glaring at the ebony-haired girl he spoke. "If you report any of this, you'll be next. Now, get to class."
She nodded repeatedly before running off past him.
"Well, that was interesting." Walking forward he saw the young girl stand up, looking down at her skirt as she rubbed the bruises on one of her arms. "Why don't we- hey!"
She had suddenly jumped him, hugging him. "Thank you." She said softly, her voice silent and sweet. "Thank you so much sir! I don't know what I would have done without you."
He blushed. "H-Hey, it's cool. They didn't need to be picking on you. And don't call me 'sir'. My name's Tatsu." He shrugged away, his face still crimson. "Well I have to get going. If those guys keep picking on you, come find me sometime. I'll beat them up for you again.' With a smile he dashed past her out the door.
Yue stared out the window, looking at interest at the clouds out the window. They were getting close and her anticipation was building. She couldn't wait to see her family again, couldn't wait to see him. The entire flight had been nothing but memories, bittersweet ones and she sighed remembering back.
"Hi again."
She had looked up out of her book to see his handsome lean form standing there beside her, smirking down at her.
She swallowed. "H-Hello again..." she closed her book, sliding the bookmark in between the pages. "I'll move if you want me to…"
"No!" he replied suddenly, causing her to blink. "I think you get the wrong idea. I'm not here to…" he sighed. "What's your name?" He asked after a minute.
"Yue." She said softly, not looking at him. "Yue Yukisagi-Su."
"Yue…" he rolled it off his tongue, loving the sound of it. It was perfect for her. "Do you remember mine?"
How could she not- he had been the one person to stick up for her among all the times the other kids had picked on her. "You're, Tatsu, right?" she pleaded she was getting it right.
He smiled, a true smile at her that made her blush slightly. "That's me. So Yue, what are you reading?" he asked.
"This?" she stared at what she was holding. "It's just a book on the American Civil War. Do you like books?" she hoped she wasn't making a fool out of herself.
"Not really." He chuckled. "School's not really my strong point."
She blushed again, figuring she had screwed up their conversation. "W-What do you like?" she knew it sounded dumb, but she couldn't think of any other way to answer.
"Computers." He shrugged. "I work in a computer shop. Oh, and video games!" his eyes lit up. "I love games. RPGs and fighting games are the best. What about you? Do you play any?"
"Does Solitaire count?" She asked timidly.
He thought for a moment. "Yeah I guess so. You're going to have to learn to play." He sat down next to her. "What are you doing after school?"
"Usually I go to my friend Tawna's house…she lives next door." She explained softly.
"Do you think she would mind if you spent the afternoon with me?"
The girl's face went crimson at the thought. "No? I don't think she'll mind."
He smiled down on her. "Good because you're coming to spend the afternoon with me."
…and then….
"I can't believe you're leaving me."
She remembered the hurt and betrayal in his eyes as she looked at him, just before she left for China.
"I can't help it!"
"Yes you can! Yue… I don't want you to go!"
"Tatsu…" she smiled up at him. "I'll see you soon. The World, remember? I won't be that far away from you."
He hugged her to him. "You'll still be in Hong Kong."
"You'll get over it." She teased. "You have to promise me you'll do good in school while I'm gone. You need to graduate Tatsu."
"I'll try. I don't know what I'm going to do without your study lessons, but I'll try." He stepped back as they called her gate number. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too."
She sighed. It had been two years… what did he look like now? Was he still the same freeloader and carefree boy she had known long ago? Was he single, a bookworm, and athlete? It had been two years, and they had never talked online of seeing each other offline until she was given permission to come back to Japan. The realization that she might not even recognize him made her panic, but she forced that out of her mind. She would know him. She had to; he was the only person who she really cared for.
As the plane hit the ground, her verves began to get to her and she had to remind herself to breathe. Stepping into the aisle and off the plane she swallowed.
Tatsu swallowed as people started coming off the plane, hoping he would still recognize her. Two years could do a lot on a woman… was she still wearing glasses? Did she wear makeup? How about her clothing style? He checked over everyone frantically, double-checking to make sure she hadn't already passed. Suddenly his eyes fell on a form moving through the doors, and he was sure for a moment he had stopped breathing.
She had the toned body of a woman, and rather tall for someone of Asian blood. Chin-length violet hair fell across her cheeks and her eyes were still the beautiful color of amethyst. She was dressed in khaki pants and a blue Chinese-style silk shirt that fit her body perfectly.
He saw her looking around and he regained composure, hoping she hadn't caught him staring like some letch. Suddenly her eyes locked with his and he saw the look on her face as she did a double take. He smiled and nodded, silently assuring her.
She ran toward him, wrapping her arms around him tightly and burying her head up against his muscular neck. "I can't believe this…" she whispered before looking up. "Tatsu, is it really you?"
He nodded again. In his own eyes, he hadn't changed much but in hers, this muscular young man who was a result of daily weight training, kickboxing and Final Fantasy games was totally different from the scrawny boy she had once known. She hugged him again; just to make sure he was real. "I missed you…so much…"
"I missed you too…" he spoke, his voice deeper then she could remember it. "Welcome home, Yue."
He smiled into her dark purple hair. He had been waiting for this day since she left. Now his miserable period was over. With Yue's homecoming, maybe life could go back to the way it just to be- with her really by his side.
