+ Into the Façade +
In the world where the boundaries between acting and living fade, life becomes confused… unreal… and almost as if imagination had taken over reality… The façade goes into place and life then becomes a living stage.
Eiji stared off into space, eyes unfocused and dim, shimmering softly under the first hints of the morning rays beyond the vast horizon. Suddenly, a hand came to rest on his wave of soft crimson hair and he glanced up to his long time friend, taking in the caring eyes and beautiful smile.
"Come on Eiji, let's go."
Eiji reached down to sling his bag over his head, letting it rest nicely within his shoulder blades before walking off dazedly.
Immediately, Oishi sensed something terribly amiss.
"Eiji?"
The younger boy merely stared at the uneven road that they walked on, eyes hinting that he was deep within another plane of thoughts. This was not like him. Then, his lips parted in preparation for speech.
"Oishi, have you had an encounter whereby someone had such painful secrets but never wanted to share it? The excruciating anguish practically radiating from him yet you are helpless to do anything?"
Oishi was startled by the question, knowing very well something must had very much penetrated his long time friend's happiness for such a deep, dark thought to arise from his usually happy demeanor.
"Is it the new student?" Oishi asked, light dawning on him just as the shadows of the night were cast away by the awakening of the morning sun.
Silence… but affinity with the younger boy helped him understand. Eiji was someone that needed no words to describe, especially for Oishi. They were like two peas in a pod, one helpless without the other.
For the rest of the journey, they hardly talked, mere actions speaking more than words can convey. Oishi pulled Eiji close, his arms going around the other's head to tug him towards him.
Perhaps today would be a turning point in their lives… the opening of another phase of complications at Erinnerugen. But who knows? One can't judge fate…
Chapter 004- Another New Day
By fannychan
Together, the duo entered the grand hallway leading to the main hall. There was absolute silence. Turning the corner to the near empty hall, they walked towards their lockers. Eiji was the quicker one and, closing his locker, he leaned on it just as Oishi was finishing up beside him.
"So here we are again, another day." He sighed. "Somehow I feel this heavy tension, pressing down on me. I wonder what will happen during today's lesson… It seems no longer is life that predictable, after yesterday…"
"Don't think so much Eiji." Oishi laughed, trying to brighten the mood. "Things will get better somehow."
Eiji said nothing, just looking at the once empty locker which now has a small tag where there was a row of neat text stating 'Echizen Ryoma'.
"Anyway, I have to go to the lecture hall to see Ryuzaki-sensei. See you during break!"
Eiji waved goodbye as Oishi hurried up the stairs to the third floor. Then, straightening up, he turned to head up the stairs to class when the familiar head of silky green hair was seen entering the hall. Immediately, Eiji detoured to walk towards Ryoma only to be stopped when the secretary from the principal's office beckoned for Ryoma from her spot at the doorway.
Turning back towards the stairs, Eiji hugged his books tightly, eyes glancing back now and then to look back at the spot where Ryoma was last seen before he had disappeared behind the wooden solid door.
"This is your locker code. We've placed all of your textbooks inside a locker we had put aside for you. The locker fee has also been included in your school fee. If there are any more questions regarding this, you can come and see me."
Ryoma thanked the secretary and headed out of the room, scanning the hall for his locker. He saw it a distance away, located along the left wall.
Walking briefly towards it, he carefully turned the knob with accordance to the numbers on the sheet of paper he was given. Without much of a hassle, the handle slid smoothly under his grip and the door was pulled open. Inside, there was a neat stack of books, meticulously displayed in an orderly manner. Placing the backpack he brought along on the white tiled floor, he took out the brown envelope he had placed inside it that morning, selecting his timetable out of the stack.
Choosing the books for the subjects of the day, he placed them back in his bag before closing his locker. Then zipping his bag and hefting it upon his shoulders, he headed towards the stairs, eyes blurred and weary.
As he made his way up, occasionally, the steps seemed to just merge into a whole big block and he would stumble, grasping onto the railing to keep him upright. But he managed to climb the flight of stairs, though collapsing on reaching the final step. Then, he tilted his head, desperately trying to keep the tears to stay within his eyes by the action but still, a drop or two simply flowed, unbidded.
A soft hand suddenly brushed the moisture away, helping him up into a standing position. Ryoma knew who it was instantly, not needing to even look up at him. There was the faint scent of sweet lavender.
"Remember there's rehearsal later. I'll see you then…" Fuji smiled, as he always did, and walked towards his class at the far corner.
Ryoma sighed, slightly embarrassed at being caught while wallowing in his self-pity. Using his sleeve to clean whatsoever traces of tears there might be, he too headed to class, spirit dampened by the aspect of the 7th period. The last thing on his mind was a meeting with Tezuka…
Pushing open the door to his classroom, Ryoma sat heavily on his seat, eyes closing briefly before quickly standing up again. A hand suddenly caught hold his shirt. Startled, he looked back into the worried eyes of the taller boy.
"Are you okay Echizen?"
Ryoma nodded abruptly, pulling the fabric free from Eiji's hand.
"I need to go to the restroom."
With that, Ryoma walked out of the door, leaving his dejected friend staring miserably in his wake.
Along the hallway, he turned back to see the classroom of 3A. Half of him wanted to go there and call Fuji out but his pride made him think otherwise. Nevertheless, he headed towards the washroom, sighing at his own pathetic being.
The sight of himself in the mirror was something that he had half-expected- bloodshot eyes, swollen eyelids and dark eye bags. It had, after all, been a restless night. Deftly, he splashed water unto his face in an attempt to better his appearance.
The reading of the script had no less made things worse. The things in it just seemed so parallel to that day five years ago…
15 minutes later…
"Come on people! We don't have all the time in the world! Quick! We have to get this rehearsal done by three periods. The performance is next week!"
Ann had seemed more hassled than normal, some parts of her hair sticking out at odd angles. This was the scene Ryoma arrived to. Somehow, he had managed to get rid of the evidence of his depression, as if making it vanish from the surface of the earth. But that was the life of an actor, to enchant the audience behind the façade of a mask.
"Oh good! You're here Ryoma. Fuji told me he told you to memorize your script… you did memorize it, didn't you?" Her voice took on a menacing note, as if indicating that if Ryoma said otherwise, unspeakably horrible things will be done to him by the power of the director.
Quickly, Ryoma nodded.
"Oh good," Ann said, calming down. "Now then, why don't you head to the dressing room for your costume?"
Without another word, Ryoma did as he was told, wanting nothing more to do with the agitated director. He could only pity the people who were forced to deal with her wrath.
Opening the door, he was shocked to find a group of girls pounce on him.
"We'll fix you up just right Riore-chan!" One of the girls squealed.
Echizen nodded dumbly but was not surprised. This is what usually happens to him at his old school. A new school would probably not make it any different…
Walking down a short passageway and entering one of the doors, a few minutes later, Ryoma was every inch the role of younger brother Riore. He wore a tan baggy knee-length pants and a sleeveless t-shirt with a hood. The look simply fitted him perfectly.
The girls turned to each other and gave a thumbs-up.
"Another job well done!" they chorused in unison.
"Well Ryoma-chan, you are all done now."
As he thanked them and headed out of the door, he heard them saying, "I think Tensuke-kun will enter next hehe…!"
Tesuke name of character in play was the male lead along with Rie who is played by Fuji. Somehow, the atmosphere lowered several degrees before Ryoma stalked away, leaving the girls blinking in confusion.
What is wrong with me? Ryoma thought silently, marching briefly past the few doors before coming to a halt, eyes resting on the person that had materialized before him, fully clothed in his smart, sleek pants and shirt, covered in a worn brown overcoat.
Ryoma played ignorant, purposefully walking in an attempt to brush pass him but slim fingers curled around his arm and gripped it tightly.
Suddenly, before Ryoma knew what was going on, Fuji leaned over to brush his lips Ryoma's right cheek before letting him go and continuing towards the make-up room in a brief rustle of wind, leaving Ryoma standing there, frozen and dumbstruck.
What had just happened? Ryoma blinked once, but recovered. His hand reached up to caressed the spot when he felt soft lips on his face, and somehow filling his heart with warmth that he had lacked for years…
But the feeling that swiftly struck his heart faded, as he headed back towards the main stage, and the growing voices of people from the outside…
"WAII! Ryoma-chan, you look PERFECT! Everything I have envisioned you to be." Ann danced happily as soon as she saw Ryoma in his costume.
"I know this is a bit rushed… and I guess it would be near impossible for flawless results. But with your flair for acting, I bet that this would still pull off without a hitch!"
Ryoma stared at her with empty, golden eyes, which glinted ever so slightly under the bright lights that shone heavily down on them. Ann blinked, before heading off. She knew better than to bother him any more than she needed to. His blankness was simply the replica of the principal she had seen all her years here, until recently… Or should she say- because of Echizen Ryoma…
"Okay people, we are about to start! Backstage crew- go and do some last minutes adjustments! I don't want anything to go wrong! Okay, Fuji, Yakuto acting as Tensuke please get ready for the first scene. Concerning Ryoma, just help him along if he messed up somehow. It's his first rehearsal after all."
Settling down in her director's seat placed conspicuously in the middle of the red carpet that led to the front of the stage, she glanced sideways, where Ryoma was standing up to head to backstage to prepare for his act, before diverting her attention back to the play as the lights dimmed ever so slowly… till everything faded into nothingness except the two silent figures on the stage…
---
A soft sob carried itself through the across, feminine and filled with utmost anguish and pain. From the darkness, Tensuke appeared, eyes stern and emotionless, before kneeling down beside Rie.
"Rie… don't. Don't hurt yourself anymore than it already is. I'll help… We'll find him. Just don't cry…"
Rie glanced up, eyes sparkling with tears, shed and unshed, clutching desperately at a worn journal. Then he pushed himself up, locking them into an embrace, his brown overcoat crumpling at the edges, and tears mottling the brown into a dark hue.
Tensuke stood up carefully and helped Rie limp slowly offstage.
"I'll always be here Rie. Forever… eternally." And the lights dimmed…
---
Ann smiled to herself as the first scene was came to an end. For the longest time, she had never been more proud of a play she directed. Wonderful actors and beautiful scripts were all that was needed to touch the hearts of the audience… and that was what she got.
---
The lights now lit once again, but changed its focus. One could barely see the shape of a lone figure, resting against a prop. The fake wall looked so real under the dim lighting, with nooks and crannies hiding shadows like that of a genuine abused wall.
His green hair was dyed black as he stood up, eyes half-hooded by the darkness. A few figures came on stage, dressed in rags and tattered clothing, a stark contrast from his own, which was, though casual, but clean and refined clothes.
"Riore, let's go! Heard that we are going to stake out the alley on the right of coroner's street. Informants say there's gonna be a rich man's party nearby so if we are lucky, few of those rich folks might drop by for the taking."
Riore hesitated for an instant, glancing back into the distant painted concrete landscape of the city before he was led away…
---
A warm comforting tone floated through the speakers onto the cast below, narrating in her soft sweet tone.
---
"And it was in the city where everything had begun. Beneath the advancement of technology and concrete jungle landscapes was something not as simple as it seems. Brutal killings, polluted air… these contributed to a dying earth, slowly fading and taking humanity along with her.
But beneath this destruction, there was a boy- young and innocent, with beautiful big eyes and a lovely smile which was able to please the heavens. This boy was Heteru Riore.
For years, he lived, blinded by the other, evil side of life under the protectiveness of his brother, Heteru Rie. He did not see his parents fighting, nor did he hear them. Rie made sure of that. Never was there a time Riore could even think that his pleasant life was entirely isolated and enclosed from the world… never…
But there was only so much Rie could do before Riore found out. All things pure will be contaminated, never lasting… That was the law that surrounded mankind.
Arriving home one day, Riore opened the door only to be suddenly flung back from the force of his mother's body, sagging limpless against him. Banging his head sharply on the concrete floor, Riore recovered quickly. He backed away, not wanting any longer to feel the heavy weight on him.
Then something terrible happened… something too horrifying and frightfully real that it was unable to be explained in simple terms. Riore ran away from home that day.
The incident haunted the brothers for every waking moment… But what was it exactly? Only the two brothers knew…
Now, two years had past ever since Riore's disappearance, yet Rie still continued to search restlessly, knowing and believing that one day, he would find his brother and draw him slowly back to light… someday… And it was then he met Tensuke…
Thus this starts our story of two brothers… both separated, alone, lost. And a helpful friend, warm and caring- a person who would lead these brothers out of the dark… or will he?
---
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ryoma, Fuji or anyone from POT . … /sniff/ But nevermind… I own the plushies hehe.
Chibi fanny: Hmph!
Fanny chan: Wahh… so many people is going to kill me… but please I beg of u to review… don't abandon this fic nor me. /teary eyes/ I've been really busy with examinations and a lot of other things. But I promise not to be like this again… /feels really repentant/ WAHH! Even chibi fanny's angry with me.
Well, actually, this chapter was meant to be much longer. But without motivation I couldn't write properly. So, instead of keeping all of you waiting, I decided to split it and get this up first. Please be warned I was still in daze mode when writing and editing this… have teeny bits of Ryoma/Fuji… more will come soon. I have it planned out… it will come in most likely next or chapter 6. hehe… but please be patient with me. I'll try to upload more during this month of June when I have no school hee… I received some marks today… for my exams… and I'm scared…
But on the better side, I FINALLY FOUND THE YAMI NO MATSUEI MANGA IN A LANGUAGE I CAN UNDERSTAND! SO HAPPY!... thought there was only jap ones hehe…
Thankies have been permenantly removed due to some rules and regulations in v.v…
Whee… I have a blog… denise. maybe I should start a fanfiction blog then u know that I didn't just… die. Haha.
-To be Continued…-
-Published on: 28-05-04-