Truth Is
Blueskyti: I get your point, but I never really actually said that Soujiro was the bad guy. I was just explaining that the group that he was a part of was not the greatest.
Leona Westley: Yeah about Sano…well I don't know if I explained this but Soujiro and Sano are supposed to go to the same school. And since news flies within schools, he hears about all of the stuff that they do.
Some-slut: I don't personally think fictional characters are hot. Misao might or not on the other hand. I don't know, maybe you should ask her? COME ON WOMAN! I just type whatever to move the story along. You can keep in mind that not everything I write is everything I think.
And Note to all: I think I mentioned at the end of the first chapter that you would see some things that you would see in a non-AU or 'regular' story. Like how Soujiro was a part of Shishio's group, how he and Misao meet blah blah blah. What I'm trying to do is tell another version of the story in modern-day times. So I guess it's pretty lame but there are going to be some factors in the story that you're familiar with. Sorry and have fun!
There were times when Soujiro didn't quite see the same person in the mirror each and every day. Sometimes he saw an innocent kid, other times he saw a person who was so angry, and then on certain occasions he saw a lost kid just trying to find his way.
He had to admit to himself though, ever since his father had been hospitalized, he began to see a nobody standing before him. It scared him for a while but soon enough, he learned to cope with it.
But ever since he moved into the Makimacho household, the nobody he once saw before him began to transform into a person worth viewing…
…A person who seemed strong and needed.
A person he liked.
But why was being his new self so difficult now? He had become a better person, but there were times when he didn't want to show it. Such as times like when he was at the guy Sanosuke's party and times when he was around…
…Misao?
Chapter four – Our Reflection and Destruction
Misao hopped out of the shower and turned on the blow drier, "Crap I just have like…20 MINUTES!" she screamed as she flew out of her bathroom and swung her closet door open, "Crap, crap, crap, crap…"
Misao pulled out a dark blue polo with a white spaghetti strap underneath and just a cute pair of pants. She scurried back to the bathroom and worked with the blow drier until you heard the doorbell ring. You ran downstairs to get the door to find Omasu standing there talking on her cell.
"Yeah can I call you back? I'm at a friend's house. 'Kay, I'll talk to you later. What's up Missy?"
Misao stared at her friend for a while before Omasu asked, "What?"
"Rude much?"
Omasu rolled her eyes, "Well come on Misao! I'm sorry."
Misao stared at her for a moment before yanking Omasu arm and flying upstairs, "MISAO! LET ME GOOO!" Omasu hollered as Misao threw her on your bed.
"What am I going to do with my hair?" Misao yelled as Omasu pulled out a stick of gum and began to chew on it.
"Iono…just leave it in a braid like you normally do…it's cute and all."
Misao gauged her hands in the air, "NO! It has to be special! Should I do curls? Or crimps? Or just straight? Or maybe I should just cut it all off…"
"NO!" Omasu now realized her friend was really loosing it, "Misao, I didn't do anything special, I just got ready how I normally do when I'm getting ready for school and stuff. You don't have to make it all out you know."
Misao whimpered, "But Sano's really, really-,"
"Don't say it! I don't want to picture my cousin like that. Going on a double date with my cousin is weird enough."
Misao nodded off, "Well you don't have to stick around…I just had to tell my mom that so she would bug out of anything."
Ding
Dong
"Crap! Braid my hair really quick."
"Fine…"
A few seconds later, after Omasu's mad braiding skills, Misao ran downstairs to get Sano and Omasu's date.
"Hey Misao! Lookin' lovely today. And this is my friend Kimishiro."
"Hi," Misao said rather quietly, "Hey come on in, Omasu will be ready in just a quick sec so hold on for a little…"
"I'm done," Omasu yelled while walking down the stairs before she jumped back at the sight of Sano's friend Kimishiro.
"WHAT'S HE DOING HERE?" She yelled as audibly as she could. Sano just chuckled on the other hand and shrugged, "You did this on purpose! How could you?"
"Hey! I'm right here!" Kimishiro yelled.
Misao's glances dodged around the room, "Huh?"
Sano sat down next to her, "Ah, it's this whole thing that happened a while ago and apparently they haven't let go."
Misao watched as Omasu refused to come down the stairs while the other decided to plop himself on a couch opposite of them. It was then that Misao stepped up to grab Omasu and pull her downstairs, "We'll meet you outside." Sanosuke said loudly so Misao could hear.
Misao smiled at him as he walked out but quickly turned to Omasu, "What's your deal with him?"
Omasu pouted, "I used to like him."
"SO?"
"So," Omasu began, "somehow word got out and he turned me down the worst way anyone could."
"And how was that?"
She sighed, "He came up to my face and turned me down…if front of everybody."
"Ouch…do how long ago was this?"
"Fourth grade."
Misao stayed silent for a while soaking up what she just heard, "Omasu I can't believe you…GET OVER IT!"
"It's not that easy! Then the jackass came up to me a couple months ago and asked me out. I mean come on."
"What are you talking about come on?"
"He totally and completely embarrassed me!"
"Omasu…," Misao started but didn't finish. She just sat up and walked down the stairs. While Omasu reluctantly followed. They headed out and met up with Sanosuke and Kimishiro. Omasu refused to make eye contact.
"We thought we'd take you ladies shopping." Sano said rather proudly for some reason.
"So you're buying all our stuff?" Omasu asked hopefully.
"Hello no," Kimishiro replied to the side.
They then all hopped into the car and drove off. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the shopping center.
"And this is where we split up." Sanosuke said as he took Misao from around the shoulder and walked off from Omasu and Kimishiro.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" They both yelled in unison with beyond frightened faces.
"I mean, you guys go that way, and me 'n Missy here will go this way. Got it? Good."
He walked off with Misao before Omasu and Kimishiro could make any sort of comeback.
Ten minutes into the date, Misao finally asked Sano, "So you want them to get together?"
He looked down at you, "Huh?"
"It just seems," she began, "That you really want to get them together. Because Omasu was telling me about how he turned her down, and then a couple months ago he asked her out and yeah… it just seems they don't have such a great history together."
Sano chuckled a little, "Oh so you know about that?"
Misao nodded.
"Well," he began while the two of you sat on a bench, "what you or Omasu don't know is that Kimi actually did like Omasu when he found out that she liked him, but I told him that it was just a joke she was messing with or something, so when she confronted him, he said no. Like a month later I told him that I was wrong, so he felt like a complete jerkoff. So she stayed bitter I guess and he finally gained the courage to ask her again. But since she was bitter, she said no and I kind of felt like all of this was my fault."
"Aw," Misao cooed, "that's so sweet," Misao was turning up her game.
"Not really…"
Misao looked up, "how come?"
"'Cause I'm kind of…"
"Kind of what?"
"I feel really bad about this…"
"Seriously what?"
"I'm kind of using you."
Her heart stopped for a slight second. Using her?
"What do you mean?" She barely got out.
Sano sighed and set his hand behind his head, "I gave Kimishiro a few details about my idea to get them two together. But when I told Omasu I had a guy for her to go out with, she said she didn't want to do it alone. So then I asked her if I would go on a double date with her, would she go, and she said fine. So…then I picked you 'cause you and her are really tight. So I thought you'd understand the situation…"
He looked up at Misao.
Even though her heart had almost split in two, she kept a smile on her face. Sure she had been semi tricked into a false relationship, but it was for her best friend's sake. It was worth the pain…right?
Right.
But Misao couldn't help but think to herself about when it would finally be her turn to be the one. Be the special person your significant other would need.
Maybe she wanted to be needed.
Maybe she wanted to be loved.
The only thing she did know was that she wanted someone.
Someone she could count on.
But where would she find a person like that? No one really needed her, and no other guy really loved her. And there apparently weren't any guys she could count on.
First Aoshi…
Then Sanosuke…
How many more broken hearts would Misao need to replace. And at such a young age too.
When…
"Are you alright Misao?" Sano asked. She then realized she was staring off into the distance.
"Yeah…that's actually still really sweet of you to do that for your cousin. I mean, my cousins would sell me to slavery in a second if they could."
He chuckled sadly a little before he apologized, "I'm really sorry you know."
Misao smiled and nodded, "It's ok." No it wasn't.
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
No.
Why couldn't she show how she really felt…?
"Thanks missy."
You're not welcome.
"It's ok, so that Kimyo was your girlfriend?"
"Friends with benefits…well yeah I guess we are."
"You better not tell her about this!" You said laughingly while he chuckled too.
"Hey let's go back and see how the other two are doing."
You smiled and nodded as you sat up and walked by his side. Misao was really getting sick of this game. This game she wasn't winning. The game she wasn't moving forward at all. If anything, she was moving backward.
Life sucks.
It has its ravines and mountains.
'Yeah,' Misao thought to herself, 'Well then I'm making a straight tumble towards the bottom.'
Misao needed someone to save her.
When Misao and Sano finally caught up with Omasu and Kimishiro, Misao could tell that made up a little but not nearly enough to where Sano wanted them to be.
But Misao could tell that deep down, each one of them cared a great deal for each other.
So romantic…
But romance sucks.
The rest of the day passed by nicely but when Misao and Omasu got back to Misao's house, all hell broke loose.
'AND THEN THE ONLY REASON I CAME ALONG WAS SO YOU AND KIMISHIRO WOULD BE COMFORTABLE!"
Omasu sat on Misao's bed while Misao went on, "Then he tells me about his stupid friends with benefits relationship with Kimyo…God. I can't believe what an idiot I am."
She sat next to Omasu and brought her hands to her eyes as she rubbed them. Omasu then rubbed and patted her back, "You're not an idiot Misao…"
Misao looked up, her eyes a little red since she was on the verge of crying, "Yes I am! You should've seen me all I could do was nod and smile. It's like I don't have a mind of my own!"
Just then, they heard the bottom door close, "Hello?"
It was Soujiro.
"Uh oh…" Omasu said nervously as she ran up to the door to the room and peeked out, "Hi Sou! How was your trip?"
He looked up and saw Omasu sticking her head out of Misao's room, "Oh it was ok. Is Misao here?"
Omasu tucked her head back in before looking back out, "Um, no?"
Soujiro stared at her for a moment until she tucked her head in Misao's room once more and then popped out again, "Well, she is, but she doesn't feel like talking."
"Why?"
Omasu tucked her head back in once more but this time lasted a little longer then they previously did. Once she came back out, she replied, "Miss Makimachi isn't seeing visitors at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep….beep."
Soujiro chuckled a little before glancing to the side and chuckling, "Ok, tell her that I hope everything's alright and I'll be here just in case she needs anything."
Omasu tucked back in Misao's room one last time and returned, "She says thanks."
Soujiro turned but kept his eye on the slightly opened door that led to her room. He really was worried about what was up with her. Could it have been the fact that she saw him in his second life? He had to admit to himself, the life he was leading at home wasn't the way to go at all. But always in his mind, he really, really wanted to change. He wanted something better.
And you know what's funny? Ever since he met Misao, he felt that he could just relax and be himself…
And that's all he ever wanted.
He stepped into the kitchen and stopped at the counter as he gazed down at the white tiles. He really, really didn't want Misao to see him the other night. He didn't even know why he went to that stupid party in the first place. And he didn't plan on going back any time soon.
An hour later, he heard the front door open and shut. Omasu must've left.
A couple minutes later, Misao walked into the kitchen but jumped back at the sight of Soujiro, "Oh, I didn't know you were here…"
He stared at her funny for a moment before turning around, "Can I get you anything?"
She shook her head, "I'm fine…how was your trip…to see your parents?"
He stayed silent for a little while before answering, "It was fine."
"How's your Dad?"
"He's getting worse."
"Oh…sorry."
"It's ok."
This conversation was just getting more and more awkward by the second. But by the time a whole minute had passed by Soujiro finally spoke up, "You don't have to act like you didn't see me there."
"What do you mean?" she asked while looking up. She had been asking that question a lot lately…
"At Omasu's cousin's house."
"Oh."
A few more seconds passed…
"So?" Misao asked, "It was just a party."
"He told you things, didn't he?" Soujiro asked as his eye grew darker and softer at the same time.
"Who's he?"
He looked down for a moment and then picked his head up as he asked, "Can you just tell me everything that happened there?"
She shrugged, "Not much…I swear I didn't drink anything though!" He chuckled for a moment before she continued, "No, but nothing happened."
Soujiro didn't believe her for a second. He knew Sano told her things about him that he never wanted her to hear. Sanosuke even told Soujiro that he told Misao about him because he wanted her to be able to know the situation.
He looked down. He couldn't just escape, could he?
Misao then headed towards the door that led to the hallway, "Hey well, I'm going to the movies with Omasu in a little while so if you hear me leave…well that means I'm leaving," she glanced at Soujiro who was really looking down, "Do you wanna come?"
He perked up, "Is it ok?"
"Well duh, that's why I'm inviting you," he nodded while she went on, "Just be ready in like, half an hour."
"I'm afraid I don't need that long."
"Why not?"
"I'm not a girl."
"Oh shut up!" she yelled as she slammed the door behind her.
Half an hour later…
Hey Sou are you ready?" Misao hollered as she walked down the stairs. Soujiro was sitting on the couch fast asleep. As she stepped next to him, she saw how sad he really looked. He couldn't be a bad guy, and even if he hung out with the wrong group, it didn't have to mean he was like them. But as she continued to watch him, she got a great idea. She ran to the kitchen next to the potted plant and grabbed the squirt bottle and set it to mist. She ran back to Soujiro and, "ACHOO!" as she squirted the bottle at his face.
She couldn't decided what was funnier, the fact that he practically fell off the couch or his face after it happened.
"HAHAHA" Misao went on as she continued to crack up.
"That's disgusting!" he called out as he sat up. All Misao did was hold up the squirt bottle.
"I'm gonna get you for that," Soujiro said darkly but still with a smile on his face.
Misao just giggled as she scampered away, "No you won't!"
He chased after her and just as she was about to run up the stairs, he wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled her back as they fell onto the carpet on the ground. As Misao sat up and turned around, she saw that Soujiro was still lying on his back with his eyes closed, "Sou?" she asked nervously not knowing if he was ok.
He murmured, "Mmhm?" while his eyes remained closed.
"Why don't you open your eyes?"
"I don't feel like it."
Misao leaned in close and tried to pry open his eyes, "Come…on!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"What are you two doing?"
It was Omasu.
Misao and Soujiro glanced up to her but shortly realized the awkward position they were in. Misao climbed off Soujiro and asked Omasu, "Ready?"
"Well yeah, that's why I'm here. Come on, I have the good car today!"
Misao hopped as she heard this and ran outside and screamed, "IT'S BEAUTIFUL!"
Omasu and Soujiro walked out to see a beautiful silver sports car with a leather hood. Omasu was loaded apparently. Misao was already hugging it while Soujiro walked up and stroked it, "Nice," he whispered to himself.
"Ok, ok, stop molesting my car and get it, we're already late."
"Oh shut up Omasu," Misao chided as she sat next to her and Sou took the back.
Omasu turned around to look at Soujiro and then Misao, "So I assume we're taking Soujiro with us?"
"Yeah," Misao said nonchalantly obviously forgetting the 'certain people' they were meeting at the theater.
"Whatever you say Missy." Omasu said warningly as she sped off.
When they parked, they walked up to the entrance of the theater.
"Oh…crap." Misao said quietly as she saw Sanosuke and Kimishiro walking up to them.
"Hey guys…," Sano welcomed, but as soon as he saw Soujiro.
Just then Misao and Omasu looked back since they expected Sano to be acting a little differently since Soujiro was there with them. But when they looked back, he was gone.
"What are you two looking at?" Kimishiro asked as he neared the group.
"Oh, it's you. Nothing."
Kimishiro set his hands back in defense, "Whoa, what's with the attitude?"
"She's just not in the mood to see you I guess," Sanosuke chuckled as he patted his saddened friend on the back, "I picked out a scary one."
"Ooh, why Sano?" Omasu whined, "You know how I get in scary movies!"
"Yeah I do. You crawl up into the fetal position."
Everyone laughed while Omasu hit him quite hard on the shoulder, "I've already bought the tickets so have a nice time trying to get out of them," Sano laughed once more.
"Man…" she whimpered.
Once they were inside of the movie theater, Omasu already had her hands over her eyes, "Omasu!" Kimishiro yelled, "The screen's black! There isn't anything there!"
"Shut up, shut up! Get away from me!" She squealed as she batted his hands away.
For the rest of the time until the movie started, Sano and Kimishiro kept trying to scare her. But the whole while, Misao kept wondering where Soujiro went. But the real fun started when the movie actually began.
"Hey look, he's gonna get it," Kimishiro whispered into Omasu's ear as she whimpered and refused to watch what appeared on the screen.
"BOO!" Sano whispered loudly into her ear.
Maybe it was that she screamed that made everything even funnier than it had been originally. But after Omasu screamed, she bolted out the door.
"She's been gone for a while," Kimishiro mumbled.
"I'll go look for her," Misao said as she sat up and headed for the door.
"Better hurry," Sano warned, "movie's about to start."
With a nod, Misao then exited the movie room, "Omasu!" she called out but with no prevail. She thought for a moment and decided to check out all of the theaters while she was at it…, "Omasu?"
Five minutes later, Misao finally found herself entering a comedy. She scanned the room to see if she could find the top of Omasu's head.
But instead of finding Omasu's, she found Soujiro's.
"Sou!"
He was sitting kind of towards the back row so it wasn't a problem about the name-calling, "Oh, hi."
Misao sat down next to him, "So felt like ditching us?"
He glanced back at the screen, "I didn't exactly want to see Sagara here."
Misao pondered for a moment of what Sagara meant until she realized it was Sano's last name, "What? You don't like him?"
"No, he doesn't like me."
"Oh…"
They stayed silent for a while until Misao glanced at the screen and asked, "Mind if I stay here with you?"
Soujiro turned his head towards her, "Aren't you with Omasu, Sagara, and his friend?"
She waved him off, "I can just say I was looking for Omasu, cause I really was."
"Why?"
"We were seeing a horror flick and she jetted out."
He smiled and then the both of them then continued to watch the film.
It was only after the movie did they speak to each other again, "You know," Soujiro began, "you're smile is really pretty."
"What?" She asked as she tried to divert the conversation.
He flicked her chin and smiled, "You're smile is pretty," he said a little softer.
She blushed a little bit as she turned around, "Come on, we better get back to Sano and Kimishiro…and who knows where Omasu is!"
He neared her backside, "Their movie doesn't get out for another half an hour though…"
She turned around to face him again, "Sou, are you feeling alright? I mean…"
"You mean what?" he asked as he brushed some of her bangs out of her eyes.
"I mean," she stuttered as she thought for a moment…but Misao always had a habit of talking before she thought, "Is this how you treated Asuko?"
He backed away a little bit, "See? I can tell Sagara was saying stuff about me."
Misao shoved her hands against her face, "YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T MEAN ANY OF THAT?"
"Did you want me to mean any of it?" he asked smoothly.
"Wha…" but she couldn't find the words to finish, "You know what? Have a nice time catching a ride home!" Misao then stormed out of the room and Soujiro watched her go. He felt a little bad but he really wanted to know if she was telling the truth or not.
As soon as Sano and Kimishiro's movie let out, Misao was waiting for them. Even Omasu was there with them, "Makimachi!" Kimishiro yelled, "Where'd you go? Omasu came running back in a couple minutes after you left!"
Misao scratched the back of her head, "My bad guys…the ticket people wouldn't let me back in…"
"That sucks, it was a good movie though. We'll have to catch it sometime later. My treat!" Sano offered as Misao giggled.
But out of the corner of her eye, she could've sworn she saw Soujiro walking out of the theater with a guy who had a band-aid on his cheek…
Half an hour later, Misao and Omasu got home, "I'll see you later!" Misao called out as she walked up the steps and turned the key to her house, "Damn key!" she whispered while the key got stuck.
Just then, she heard the door click. Once it opened, she glanced upward to see a weary looking Soujiro, "It took you long enough to get home. What is it, like a ten minute drive from the theater?"
"I was hanging out a little! And how'd you get home?"
He shrugged, "I got a ride from a friend who was there."
"Makoto?"
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
He walked over to her, "Misao, how come to seem to know so much about me? Exactly how much did Sagara tell you?"
"He didn't tell me that much!" she defended, "And why's it such a bad thing to know all of this about you?"
He paused for a while, "Everyone has their privacy you know."
"But you live with me! You're like my brother almost! And I barely know anything about you!"
He glanced at her with a concerned look, "Brother?"
She sighed, "Yeah brother! Why?"
"Nothing. But Missy, you just have to understand, sometimes there are things Id don't want you to know for your own safety."
"Oh give me a break! That sounds so corny!"
"Misao-,"
"What?"
"I'm serious!"
He said as he grabbed the sides of her arms.
"I can protect myself, thank you very much."
He sighed and held his forehead with the palm of his hand, "I…"
"Hm?"
He threw his hand down and looked at her with eyes that she could only describe as…, "I just didn't want you to know…out of all people! I thought I could start over with you…so please, don't dig any deeper…"
…sad.
She gazed at him for a while as he stared back at her. After a minute, a funny feeling churned in the bowels of her stomach, "What do you mean, 'start over with me?'"
His eyes widened a little as he turned around, "Just never mind. I'm going to go to bed." He then walked up the stairs. Misao then sat on the sofa and began to flip through the channels trying to comprehend the situation. But it wasn't before long until she heard familiar footsteps walking down the stairs, "Hey Misao?"
Sou.
"Yeah what?"
"Um," he sounded like he was having problems speaking, "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow."
"Sure."
"Ok, goodnight then."
"'Night."
Then Soujiro headed up the stairs once more.
End.
Well, well, well. I must say I had a spurt of imagination and I had to run on it for a whole chapter. You might be a little confused with this chapter because it bounces around all the time but so do I so please don't give me grief for it. You might also notice that on the description is reads, 'temporarily on hold,' and that's what it is. And same with When Dreams Come True. Thing is, I've run out of ideas for now and also I'm dedicated most of my time to my friend and my story and yes, it is coming out. So watch out for that one and see you later.
Bye!
NaiLAUG!