10-year-old Cagalli and Athrun were gazing at the sunset together, with the blond sitting on the bench while the dark-haired boy leaned against a tree.
The park had a great view of the sunset. And they considered this place to be their very own private spot because of the trees hiding it from view. No one else knew of it other than themselves, which made it that much more magical.
As the skies slowly enveloped the vista and stroked it with a blend of magnificent orange and red, Cagalli looked up to Athrun and called out shyly.
"A-Athrun?"
Her best friend glanced at her. "What is it, princess?"
She blushed and looked down. "Will we always be best friends, you and I? Will you always be there for me? Because I never want to be apart from you..."
Athrun was silent as he watched the sun setting, his dark blue hair drifting with the caress of the sea breeze. Then he smiled softly to himself.
'Yes, Cagalli...we will always be best friends. And I will always be there for you."
I promise...
4. Four
Cagalli stared at her best friend for a long moment, jaw dropping to the floor.
"W-WHAT?"
Athrun smiled. "I read somewhere in an encyclopedia that a kiss would free the primitive urges of a human being. So if I experienced 'kisses' then perhaps it might stimulate the hormonal biological instinct lying dormant in me for years. By doing so proving to myself and everyone else that I am homosexually disinclined. " He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "And that would make you...my first kiss."
Cagalli colored lightly but scowled. "So I'm going to be used as some kind of human guinea pig for your evil experiments, Dr. Frankenstein?"
"Don't think of it as an experimental project. Think of it as a new experience between two best friends. Besides, it is scientifically unsound if my kisses make my kiss-ie awaken to life from death."
She crewed up her nose. "Spoken like a true professor, Athrun Zala. Now let me reiterate my yesterday night's scientific terminology: This is the DUMBEST idea you've given me yet!" Cagalli threw up her hands. "I thought you were smart, but man, was I wrong! There is NO WAY am I going to become a test subject to your inexperienced lips. What if a kiss from you sends me into a coma?"
His lips twitched. "I doubt my kisses would be THAT life-threatening. Besides, a simple lip-lock would mean nothing to either one of us. And this isn't the first time you would be kissing, would it?"
Yes, it would be. But she wasn't about to tell him that! "Well, why can't you find some other girl to play lip-lock with?" she asked frantically.
"Hmm...Let's see. Could it be because you're the only female friend I know?"
She continued to look unconvinced and he grew desperate. "Please, Cagalli? Pretty please with banana split sundae and whipped cream with chocolate sprinkles on top? After all, best friends help each other out when they are suffering from some hardship, right? And you wouldn't want me to go through an uncertain sexuality complex, do you?" he pleaded.
Cagalli hesitated. But when he fixed her his adorable puppy-dog look, she sighed resignedly.
"Well...I guess one kiss wouldn't hurt...but only ONE, you hear? Then I'm going to brush my teeth and floss at least six times!" She made a face.
Athrun raised one hand solemnly. "I promise I brushed my teeth at least three times a day, so it should be sparkling clean and minty fresh to spare you from radical teeth flossing. Okay, let's get started then, shall we?" He placed the half-eaten banana split sundae on the coffee-table and stood up. "Now if you'll come closer please..."
He slowly drew her into his arms.
She was starting to have second-thoughts about this. "M-Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all..."
"Nonsense...a kiss is all I ask. Surely as your best friend you would spare me one."
"B-But think of the –"
"Cagalli, I am about to kiss you now. Relax. I promise you this will be swift and succinct."
"But I –"
"Cagalli, please."
"But you –"
Her protest came too late. He had already leaned down and kissed her.
Kira Yamato was walking into the room after his day in school, deep in thought over his latest school project. But when he opened the front door, his jaw dropped open in surprise.
There was Cagalli and Athrun...KISSING!
The brotherly instinct in Kira wanted to run in there, punch Athrun to Kingdom Come and demand he let go of his sister!
But as he took a step into the room, he remembered an unintended confession of Cagalli's a long time ago...
"He's in love...in love with someone else..."
13-year-old Kira found his blond sister rushing up into her bedroom, mumbling incoherent words as she went. He frowned. Were those tears in her eyes?
Worried, he followed her into her room, intent on asking her exactly what made her cry and then pulverizing the reason. He found her lying down on her bed, facedown.
"Cagalli, what's wrong?"
But she wouldn't answer. All he heard were sniffles and mumbles.
"Cagalli..."
She slowly raised her head, her eyes swimming with moist. "K-Kira..."
He quickly sat down beside her on the bed and gently touched her shoulder. "What is it, sis? You know you can tell me whatever it is that's bugging you. Who made you cry?" It must have been a pretty big reason. His tomboyish sister hardly ever cried unless it was something truly awful.
"I'M NOT CRYING! I'm just...a bit upset," she sniffled.
Kira sighed. "Okay then, why are you so upset?"
"It's...Athrun."
"Your best friend? What did he do?"
"He didn't do anything. It was what he said..."
"What did he say?"
Cagalli sighed sadly and shook her head. "It's nothing. I'm just getting overemotional. Must be a female thing..."
"Don't be silly. You're not like most females and you don't bawl your eyes out easily." Kira frowned and pressed on, "So what did he say to you?"
She paused. "He said he was in love with the new girl in school."
"And...?"
"And...Well, I guess I'll just have to accept it. I'm buddy-buddy material and that's all...who would ever see me as more than that...?" she murmured in a faraway tone.
Kira's violet eyes widened. So that's it! His sister was in love with her own best friend! Still, he didn't think Cagalli would appreciate it if she knew he had sniffed out her feelings for Athrun, so he kept quiet.
Cagalli sniffled again and pointed to the doorway. "C-Could you please leave me for awhile, Kira? I-I need some alone time..."
Kira nodded understandingly. "Fine...but if you want an ear, you know I'm always a room away, alright?"
She nodded and smiled gratefully. "Thank you."
He ruffled her blond head affectionately.
Kira's eyes softened. Perhaps it was not right to destroy her small piece of happiness at the moment. As quietly as possible, he closed the door and walked away. The public library would make a better place to begin his research than his bedroom.
Banana split sundae.
She had always wondered what it would be like to kiss him. How he would taste like. Now she knew.
He tasted like banana split sundae.
It was no surprise. He did eat some a few minutes ago...but how could it taste so incredibly sexy when it was on his lips?
And it didn't help that it was also her favorite flavor.
His lips were soft and warm against hers, gentle and coaxing. Cagalli melted like ice-cream in his arms. When he probed her mouth, she eagerly complied and pulled his head down.
When they finally broke the kiss, Cagalli was weak in the knees. Literally.
Wow. Was this really his first kiss?
Athrun cleared his throat. "S-So how is it? Was it too bad?"
Bad? That was the most amazing, mind-blowing thing Cagalli had ever been subjected to! She was still feeling lightheaded from the aftereffects of their lip-lock. Luckily Athrun was still holding her or she would have fallen flat on her face to the floor!
"I-It wasn't too bad," she smiled weakly. "In fact, I think I can safely conclude that you're not sexually dysfunctional after all. If your first kiss is like that, Athrun Zala, I can assure you Lacus would never be able to resist you."
Athrun blinked. Lacus, who? ...Oh yes, Lacus Clyne! The girl he was supposed to be hopelessly in love with! Strange, how could he forget the name of the love of his life?
His pensive gaze shifted to Cagalli's lips. He never noticed before just how temptingly kissable they really were...
...And I'm going insane. Snap out of it, Zala! This is Cagalli Yula Athha you're talking about, not some girl. She's your best friend! You don't think inappropriate thoughts about your best friend. It's against the universal laws of friendship!
After all, it was much easier to turn friendship into love, than love into friendship.
He shouldn't have feelings for his best friend and ruin their special friendship altogether.
So he was horrified when he felt like kissing her again.
-And what did I tell you?
-You again! What do I have to do to get rid of you!
-You can't. May I remind you that I am your own 'mind'? Even if you hit your cranium against the wall a million times, I'd still be here, Zala, albeit suffering from major blood loss and maybe a few mental problems...but yeah, I'd still be here.
-But I was never tortured by YOU until yesterday!
-Ah yes...ever since Cagalli accepted Mr. Big-Head-but-Small-Brain's invitation to the dance. But I've always been 'here', Zala. I only grew ten times louder when your thick brain didn't want to process something very important because you're denying yourself. But amazingly, you still haven't caught the hint yet, have you?
-If you mean the 'hint' that I'm growing nuts, then yes, I've got the 'hint'.
-Humph. How stubborn...but then again since I AM your mind, I guess I'm stubborn as well.
-I refuse to listen to any more of this garbage. I am now going to shut you out of my head. Goodbye.
Cagalli blinked. Athrun had zonked out. "Err...Athrun, are you alright?"
"Oh, Cagalli, I-I have to go, err, home to do some, err, chores. Thanks for, umm, helping me." Athrun let go of Cagalli, smiled politely, and then calmly walked out of the living room.
There was a heartbroken look on her face as she slowly sat down on her divan and sighed heavily.
Now what had she done?
She might as well have signed her death warrant!
For now that she had a taste of his kisses...
...she wasn't sure she could live without them.
As soon as he closed the door behind him, Athrun took a deep breath.
-I will NOT fall for my best friend. I will NOT think of her lips. And I will NOT think of kissing her again. It's stupid and wrong and improper.
-...
-Aren't you going to give some smart comeback?
-I would...but it wouldn't do any good. Just know this, Zala. Cagalli won't always be there for you. Someday she's going to leave you for another man in her life. And when that day comes, please do remember I TOLD YOU SO
Athrun scowled. Sometimes he really hated his mind.
When Athrun finally reached his room, he tried to bury his concentration into revising his studies.
But just like last night, he couldn't seem to find any interest in the great wonders of physics. He kept glancing at the clock on his table, wondering if Cagalli was in the middle of preparing for the school dance...with Yuuna.
"It's not worth a single brain cell thinking of something so useless. After all, the dance is for couples and you don't have a date," he told himself sternly. "There are better things to do. Like learning about Albert Einstein and his mathematical formulas...or Isaac Newton and his discovery of the relativity of gravity. You have no time to think of..."
...Cagalli.
He slowly closed his physics book.
He told himself he only wanted to check on Cagalli. You know, to see how Yuuna might be treating her. He told himself he was only thinking of his best friend's well-being...that the reason why he was storming over to Cagalli's house and hiding behind some bushes was only out of concern...a friend for a friend.
So why did he feel like a jealous boyfriend spying on her?
"It's Kira's job to play the overprotective brother. Not me," Athrun muttered.
So why is he kneeling down here?
"Because I care for my best friend," he muttered again.
Yep, he was crazy. He was talking to himself. Out-loud. Hopefully no one heard or they would have caught him and placed him in the psychosomatic ward where it was safe for sanity-opposed people like him.
Thankfully he didn't need to wait long for her reappearance. At half past six, Cagalli descended from the steps of her home.
She was dressed in a sea green dress with a long flowing white skirt. Matching green ribbons adorned her flaxen tresses and she even applied some light make-up and jewelry. And she HATED make-up!
Athrun's breath caught in his throat. He'd never seen his best friend wearing a dress before. Heck, he thought she was going with the usual jeans and shirt!
Damn, she was pretty.
Really, really pretty.
And when he saw Yuuna's car stop in front of Cagalli and whistling, he had an almost overpowering urge to MURDER him.
A stab of guilt pricked him. After all, it was rude and indecent to spy on other people.
But, he thought with narrowed eyes as Yuuna grabbed Cagalli's waist, it's all in the name of friendship...
To be continued...