yvonne : rumors... yeah, I got them right here. Actually, I intended that students didn't see them because it was a Saturday... but some students were already saying things about them 'having a date' because Fuuko didn't even threw away the paper. And now, since the students saw it on Monday... whoopee! And about the ToFuu scenes, I was getting into that.
:-) : :-)
Yanagi-chyan : Maybe you can should change your browser 'coz if its IE, I won't even wonder. In my opinion, its getting unreliable as time passes by. Thanks for the comment.
817 : I'm not sure as of yet. Actually, my sister's already killing me because she said this is already long enough (for her though). But what can I say? I have readers to satisfy.
Alex : Uh, actually I didn't... my bad. ; But imagine him as a very dashing bishounen. Kinda like Keisuke Yuuki... OMG. did I just say that he's a bishounen? Is he?
STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY
Literary Obsessions Chapter Six : Sense and Sensibility
"Akira-kun." Fuuko said in an almost inaudible whisper. She was surprised that he was already back from one of his briefing. She didn't have to ask for he answered her unspoken question. "I'm early." He walked towards her and stared at her, then to the direction where Mikagami's car sped off to.
"Was that Mikagami?" Yuu asked, his face was still devoid of expression. She couldn't even tell if he was angry or what. She only nodded her head. When he didn't speak, she broke the silence herself. "We had to do a project together."
"Where?"
"His place." She still looked at his expressionless face. She frowned. "Is something the matter? Did your proctor try to eat you or something?" She joked, making a feeble attempt to lighten up the mood.
"Nah. Nothing like that." He then stepped to her side and placed his arm around her slender shoulders. "I was just... surprised." He gave it a gentle squeeze and smiled at her. "Daijobu." He assured her, and when she smiled back, she looked towards the sky.
"Well, might as well leave early for that movie or else we'll be out too late." He then trudged her to walk forward and she did. She let out a small smile for him, and they started walking together towards the mall's movie house.
'What the hell is the matter with me?' Mikagami asked, gripping the wheel in frustration while he drove. He didn't have any particular destination. As of yet, he didn't want to go home. He was debating internally. He was starting to notice Fuuko; he was starting to care... and he didn't like that one bit.
At first, him taking Fuuko to his house with her going to read about the presentation was a valid excuse, but now, after what had happened earlier (not to mention he was fully aware that the draft was already done), he thought it became a lame excuse to get her to be near him. 'I did say that I would stop being cold to my old friends... but I didn't thought it would end like this.' He sped up some more and decided to take a detour home. He did a quick U-turn at the next intersection. 'Akira-sempai said it would be easy if I tried, but now its getting too complicated... its confusing.' And that scene where he almost didn't want her to meet Akira-sempai... the way he asked about them... and the way he felt when he heard her answer. 'Which was an obvious lie.' He thought. He groaned. 'It isn't supposed to be this way! Think of it as only for school work... school work... school work...' He repeated it over and over again, like an annoying mantra on his head.
They were now inside the movie house, and for the record, Yuu was too quiet for Fuuko. They would usually get kicked out of the movie house because the two of them were too noisy. She nudged him with her elbow. "Daijobu? You're awfully quiet." She whispered.
"I'm fine." He answered flatly, never peeling his eyes off the screen. Fuuko looked back on the screen, but her gaze fell on his fists. It was clenched rather hard. She decided to wait before asking again. 'What's up with him?'
They were walking down the streets of Tokyo, back to the hostels. It was a good ten-minute walk. Fuuko looked at Yuu's fist. It wasn't clenched anymore, but she still asked. "What's up with you, Akira-kun?"
Yuu acted like he didn't hear her. But Fuuko, being Fuuko, pinched him on his arm. "Ow. Nothing, ok?" He said while rubbing his arm. She stopped walking. "If you're mad, why don't you just tell me?"
Yuu stopped in front of her. She stood there, her expression had turned into a serious one now. He looked at her and he scratched his head. "I'm not mad, ok, Fuuko?"
"Uso da yo." Fuuko said, her face still dead serious. "Are you sure you're not really gay? 'Coz it seems like that you're jealous of me being with Mi-chan nowadays."
He almost laughed. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not? And I'm not jealous, ok?" He assured, suppressing his emotions... he didn't want to start an argument with her and end up shouting at her. 'Ask the other way around, Fuuko. That could work.' He thought. She still didn't budge at where she was standing. She only moved to fold her arms in front of her chest. "Then, why are you mad? Don't even try denying it. I can tell."
Yuu searched his brain for excuses to use. When she's this upset, she can't be fooled by a simple excuse. "It's just some matters about the internship, ok? I'm not mad at you."
She became pensieve about it. Then, she mellowed down. "You sure?" She asked.
"Definitely."
"Ok. I need to get home now. Mom might already be calling at the hostel and Mina-chan might start drabbling again if I get home any later." She smiled, and she was glad he did, too. They walked back in the hostel.
"What happens next?" Harukawa-sensei asked her students. She was explaining 'The Iliad' and was now in the part where Patroclus had died. "What did Achilles do when he found out that his best friend died in his mortal enemy's hand?" She looked at her students, and many of them were not listening. Many of them were whispering, then looking at Fuuko and Mikagami. She sighed, then called out Mikagami. "Mikagami-kun?"
"He rejoins Agammemnon in the war against Troy." Harukawa-sensei, seemingly pleased with his answer, went on with her discussion. Five minutes later, the bell rang.
Harukawa-sensei cleared her throat as the students started standing. "I want you to watch one of the plays to be presented at the University Theatre for the upcoming two weeks. Do a paper about the play you've watched and include the name of the school who presented it. If possible, interview some of the participants in the play, and I'd be adding additional points to the ones who could interview the director and the stage manager themselves. This will be your preliminary exam and is due on the last day of the performances."
Harukawa-sensei then made them submit their drafts for their presentations. Fuuko panicked a little, knowing that she hasn't typed a thing yet for Mikagami to include into his. She looked at him with worry.
"It's done." He said and showed a folder to her. He then stood up and submitted it to Harukawa-sensei before leaving the room. Fuuko ran after him.
"Arigato." She said while matching her pace with Mikagami. The latter only nodded his head. "This is my last class." She informed him.
"Good. Then, we can finish where you dropped off." He said, walking towards the stairs. She only followed him, not bothering to ask anymore questions...
...and she was not even aware that the whole student body had fallen silent. They were listening at their conversation... and as soon as they were out of sight, the students had already been spreading rumors around. They all made different stories, but one main topic-
"Is Mikagami dating that girl!"
One shouted. Some of them were already in tears, many of them started whispering... and one figure then didn't feel happy at what he was hearing and seeing as he walked way behind the two in the corridors.
"Uh, there are awfully many students at the parking lot today," she noticed, mentioning it to Mikagami rather nervously. He ignored her. "Don't you think so, Mi-chan?"
'Mi-chan?'
'What the heck did she call him?'
'Oh my god, so it is true!'
'Are they dating?'
'Where are they going?'
'Isn't she the one who's always with the dashing SC Vice President?'
'Hey, I thought they were dating?'
'Aren't they a couple?'
'How come she's getting all those hot bishounens? She isn't even THAT pretty.'
'I'm hungry...'
Mikagami wished that they would really whisper if that's what they planned to do so. He shook his head, pressed the button on his keychain and opened the door to his car. "Get in if you still want to live."
She gulped, looking at the students who, obviously, were talking about them. She got in the car and Mikagami closed the door. He climbed in at the driver's seat, revved the engine up, and screeched out of the parking lot.
A lot more rumors got around.
Fuuko sat at Mikagami's couch. She felt relieved to be out of sight of the students. 'Well, at least for now.' She thought. She sighed. 'This never even happened in high school... and the people there were supposed to be more immature.'
Mikagami was in the kitchen, preparing some drinks and snacks for her. She thought he had went up to his room to fetch her the stuff he wants her to read for the presentation. She was surprised when she saw him carrying drinks and snacks back to the living room. "Arigato."
He went back inside, then came back to the living room with the stuff she had to read. She took out the book and a pen, and got started at her work. He, too, did the same.
An hour later...
Mikagami shifted in his seat and went over a couple of papers for his research. Satisfied with what was written there, he removed his glasses and sat back on the chair. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and smiled to himself. 'Finally, I got it done.' He sighed in relief and his face went back to its expressionless state as he looked at an almost forgotten visitor of his. He looked at the sofa and saw Fuuko. He almost fell over at what he saw.
She was asleep. Her hand dangled at her sides and the book was on her lap, opened in the last chapter. 'She didn't even waited until she had finished the last chapter.' He also saw a few papers scattered about at her side of the canter table. There were five or six pages there, with some notes neatly written on it. There were even some drawings. He continued looking at her. He shook his head. 'I should wake her up and get the work done.'
But, when he stared at her once more, his gaze suddenly got stuck on her that he sat back unconciously, never taking his eyes off of her. She looked peaceful and her chest was slowly moved up and down. Her head kept moving, subconciously preventing it to fall over. His eyes fell on her face. He gulped when he saw how lovely her lips were and how she glowed with her long hair, even with only light make-up.
He closed his eyes and placed his head on his hand. 'This is Kirisawa... and you're not supposed to like her.' He thought. He looked at her again, and what he was thinking before went back again. He shook his head. He didn't need to be thinking about those things right now. So, to stop his own train of thoughts, he stood up and grabbed on small throw pillow. He placed it behind her head and allowed her to sleep. He then went into his own room and took a book to read. 'I need distraction.'
Fuuko yawned and lifted her head. 'Oh my god, I've fallen asleep!' She then sat up straight and picked up the book, so that she could start reading again. "Gomen. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
No answer.
She looked beside her and saw the whole room was empty, except for her. "Mi-chan?" She whispered, looking around. 'Where'd he go?' She stood up and went to check the other rooms.
"Mi-chan? Yoohoo..." Fuuko called like a child playing hide and seek as she peeked at every room. She even peeked at the bathroom. She looked everywhere except the last room on the other end of the house. 'Maybe he's in there.'
She walked towards the room and opened its door. She didn't even bother knocking.
"Mi-chan?" She peeked first, looking at the other end of the room. Seeing no one was there, she let herself in. "Mi-chan?" She called a little louder.
"Mi-" she suddenly stopped when she faced his bed with the one she was looking for sprawled over it. She smirked.
'So, he fell asleep, too.' She thought while standing beside the bed with her hands on her hips. She decided to leave him be and went back to the living room and continue what she was doing before she fell asleep.
Mikagami woke up ten minutes later. He staggered slightly into the living room and plopped down the sofa next to Fuuko. She looked up from the notes she was now revising and arched a brow at him. "Oi, Mi-chan." She called.
He looked at her like she was some ghost. She laughed slightly. "Are you alright?"
'Damn, I forgot she was still here.' He thought and immediately changed his expression. "Are you done?" He asked, not even bothering to answer her question. She passed him the notes she was revising. "Yeah, here. I was just doing some changes."
He took the papers from her and skimmed through it. It was very detailed; more detailed than he expected. He saw her stand up and combed her fingers through her hair, then picking up her bag. She looked at him, asking if she can leave.
He arranged the papers neatly over his own work, then took his keys.
"Uh..." She started. He looked at her. "Maybe I can take a cab or something out of here."
"You're not bothered with those rumors, are you?" He asked her. She swallowed a bit hard. "Well, I do think its much better if I'd arrive alone at the hostels."
He turned from her and opened the door. "If you want to get out of the subdivision with a sore feet," he said, pointing at her high-heeled shoes, "then walk yourself. I am willing to bet that you won't be pretty much walking tomorrow."
'Well, that was sensible enough.' She thought. She sighed in defeat. "Fine, but don't blame me if rumors continue to flame around us tomorrow at school."
'Like there's going to be any difference.' He thought, but managed to suppress himself from saying it out loud.
Mikagami parked his car in front of her hostel... and as expected, students started looking out of the window as soon as Fuuko opened the door. He even heard one student shout, "Hey, its Mikagami's car!" It gathered even more female population.
He smacked himself mentally. 'Note to self: Listen to Kirisawa at times like this.'
Fuuko bent over. The students were still whispering, but were hushing each other as if they were going to hear whatever she was going to say to Mikagami when they were in their rooms. "I warned you." She said to him. He shot her a murderous glare, as if accusing her that this was her fault. He dismissed her by shifting the gear and preparing to leave. "See you tomorrow, Kirisawa." She smiled first before standing up, then he drove away.
The students then started their whispering. She sweatdropped. 'This is so much like high school.'
'How dare she take Mikagami away from me!' One student cried, tears pouring out of her eyes. 'Overactor.' Fuuko thought as she saw that girl. The girl glared at her before bursting into more tears. She shook her head in disbelief before walking inside the hostel. As soon as she took a step towards the door, she swore she can almost hear their feet running in a hurry to meet her. 'And kill me.'
She opened the door and saw them leaning on their own doors. She decided to ignore them. They followed her with their eyes. One girl stopped Fuuko in her tracks. The snide girl looked at her up and down before talking. She made a face of obvious repulse. "Is this Mikagami's type?" The insulting girl laughed. "Nuh-uh. I mean, dream on! You're like so flat and so plain!" The girl pointed at Fuuko's chest and she almost popped a vein. She then looked at the snide girl's chest, then to her face, and frowned. The girl looked like a slut. He face looked like it was dipped in make-up, her hair fixed in some fancy way and she was wearing a bathrobe that made her chest spill out. 'Eeww...' Fuuko thought. Fuuko pushed the girl aside and ran up the stairs. She quickly fished for her keys and immediately slammed the door as she got in. 'I swear that was so...' She thought. The image of the girl went back to her mind. She shivered and walked inside the room.
"Soooo... how did the big date went?" Mina asked while she skimmed through her medical books.
"Kami, Mina! Don't scare me like that!"
Mina laughed at Fuuko, who almost fell over when the latter heard her speak. "I was just asking."
"For the last time, it wasn't a date! You asked me the same thing last Saturday."
Mina only waved her hand at Fuuko. "Yeah, yeah... and the whole school just made this whole story of you two dating. Uh huh."
Fuuko rolled her eyes at her roommate. Although Mina looked uninterested, she still wanted info about her 'big date'.
"You have no idea at what predicament I'm in." Fuuko groaned as she lied down on her bed, covering her face with her hands.
"Of course, I do. That predicament is the only thing I heard about since this afternoon." Mina turned the page on her book and started highlighting some details there. "It's like you're some Hollywood star. Everyone's talking about the two of you."
Inwardly, Fuuko wanted to smack Mina. She didn't know if Mina was on her side or what. She stood up and grabbed her towel and prepared to take a shower.
"Hey, come to think of it. I thought that Akira-san and you were a couple?" Mina asked her as she stepped into the bathroom. Fuuko answered by slamming the door at her. Her roommate only grinned.
"I'm going out to get something to eat." Mina said while fixing herself in front of the mirror. "You wanna come?"
Fuuko didn't even look up from her laptop. "No, thanks. I'm kinda not ready to go out yet."
Mina raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Seriously, Mina. The people out there almost ate me." Mina laughed. "So, they did. Females can be so unforgiving at times." Mina then fixed her hair then took her wallet. "Well, call me if you want anything, ok?" Fuuko only nodded and Mina went out. The phone started ringing.
"Konbanwa. Hatsuhano and Kirisawa's room." Fuuko answered as she started typing again.
"Fuuko?" the voice on the other line asked. "Yeah. Akira-kun?"
"I thought you were dead." he joked. She groaned on the phone. "Aw, not you too." She couldn't see him, but she could imagine him smirking. "It was all over school, you know."
"Yes, I am well aware of that, thank you." Fuuko spat. She twirled her pen and went to her bed while still holding the phone. She lied on her back. "I swear, they were ready to kill me."
"I was getting ready to save your life when I heard one sophomore shouted that 'Mi-chan's' car was outside."
"Be glad you didn't. They just casted you in the little story that they're making up."
"Honto?" He paused. "Then maybe, I should've come down to save your life."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, then maybe I'll be the one to kill you once we've gone out of earshot. What were you planning to do? Kiss me in front of them to prove that I wasn't dating Mi-chan?"
Yuu's face fell serious on the other line, but his voice remained in an annoying tone. "Maybe."
"You're just going to make matters worse. You obviously have no idea that some of them were your fans."
Yuu sat up and looked out his window. He could see the lights from one of the corners of the university. "I have fans? Really?" He asked, pretending to be happy about it.
"Some of them even thought we were a couple. Sheesh! These people sure do think of everything." She stated in a disbelieving tone. He bitterly smiled and fell silent.
"Hey." Fuuko asked while sitting up. "You ok, Akira-kun?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." Yuu answered and sat himself back on the chair. "Hey, can you meet me at the lobby? I'm sure you haven't had dinner yet."
Fuuko hesitated. She walked over to the desk where her laptop was and sat on the chair in front of it. "I'm trying to finish a paper of mine. It's due Wednesday."
"Don't worry, I'll finish it for you." Yuu assured as he wore his jacket. "I'll just pick you up in your room then." Fuuko opened her mouth to answer but he already hung up. She placed back the phone on its cradle and frowned. "Now, how am I going to finish you?" She said as she clicked on the save button. She sighed and pushed the power button. She grabbed her keys and her jacket and was already starting to walk towards the door when Yuu knocked. As soon as was out, he tugged at her hand and pulled her. "Let's go." She closed the door and walked with him to the restaurant. 'So much for not going out.'
When they arrived at the first floor, some of the students were hanging around there. They were laughing at something, but fell silent when they saw the two of them. They walked past the students. Their eyes followed Yuu's hand that was still holding hers. Fuuko noticed this. 'I swear I am going to kill you, Akira-kun, if they get more wrong ideas.' She thought, while blushing. She tried to pull her hand, but he held it tighter. She sighed in defeat and let him hold it.
Mikagami was now alone in his house, eating his lasagna in front of the television. He was watching CNN, but his mind was way far from it. He was thinking about her again and his food was almost neglected. He couldn't believe he thought about her in another way besides the fact that Fuuko was annoying and was very close to being a boy and a monkey at the same time. He just kept twisting his fork on his lasagna and his eyes stared at the TV... but his mind was spacing out some more.
He remembered the way he stared at her when she fell asleep. She might've melted with the way he stared at her. And that offer for a ride back to the hostel, he wanted to kill himself right then and there. 'Honestly, Mikagami, that was a lame excuse not to let her leave your sight. Wait, scratch that... what the hell...' He thought. Frowning and looking at his plate like it was his dinner's fault he was thinking like that, he stomped back into the kitchen, placed the unfinished meal into the fridge and turned off the TV. 'Maybe an early sleep will get rid of these thoughts.' He retreated back into his room and shut off his bedlight.
Five minutes later...
Mikagami still couldn't find himself to sleep. 'Darn thoughts.' He cursed mentally. He then called up one person he knew that could help him. 'It's still early. I'll call him.'
"Do you mind telling me the details of your visit to Mikagami's house?" Yuu asked over dinner. Fuuko swallowed what she was eating before talking. "Well, he was more hospitable today. He even made me snacks." She told him. "But he made me do even more work for the presentation. Too bad, I fell asleep over them." She explained to Yuu like a child telling her parents some story. "And guess what? He fell asleep, too. Found him sprawled on his bed on his room."
Yuu almost choked. "You went in his room?"
"Yeah. Just to check where he was. He wasn't answering so I looked for him around the house. I had no idea it was his room so I went in." Fuuko took a bite of her garlic bread before proceeding. "Anyways, he woke up a few minutes later, then he drove me back to the hostels. I could see he really did change, like you said before. He's much more nicer than before, and he doesn't insult or ignore me that much anymore. Not like that I miss that or anything."
Yuu absent-mindedly nodded. "Well, he really is a great guy. You knew each other longer so the two of you should stop treating each other like strangers. I see I knocked some sense into his head after all."
Fuuko looked up at him with a confused expression. "What exactly did you do to Mi-chan, Akira-kun?" She asked, her face changed into a grin. He threw a small piece of bread at her.
"I know what you're thinking, Kirisawa. I'm not whatever you are thinking."
"I didn't say anything." Fuuko defended. She laughed at his expression. "Nah, seriously. What did you do to him?"
"I just said some stuff." Yuu told her. She raised her brows in question as she drank her lemonade. "And those would be?"
"Between him and me." Yuu answered. Fuuko pouted at him and threw back another small piece of garlic bread.
"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be the one to tell you." Yuu smiled at her. She was still pouting and picked on her bread.
He was drinking his iced tea when his phone rang.
"Hai?" Yuu answered.
"Sempai, it's me. Can we talk tomorrow?" Mikagami said on the other line.
"Sure. What time and place?" Yuu answered while looking at the now pensieve Fuuko.
"SC Office at nine. Are you free by then?"
Yuu paused for a while, checking his schedule mentally. "Yeah, my class doesn't start until later in the afternoon."
"See you then. Ja." And the line went dead.
"Who was that?" Fuuko asked, taking another drink of her lemonade.
Yuu kept his phone and turned to finish his dinner. "A classmate. He wants to discuss something with me tomorrow." He half -lied.
"Oh." Fuuko then ate the last serving on her plate. "I'm done." She announced. Yuu quickly finished his and signaled to one of the waitresses before standing up to leave.
Yuu walked Fuuko to her door in the hostel. His room was still two floors up. "Thanks for dinner." Fuuko said before opening the door to her room.
He only smiled at her, then fished something out of his pocket. "Here. I almost forgot to give it to you." He gave her a small box. She opened it and found a heart-shaped hair clip inside it.
"What's this for?" She asked while staring at it. "It's cute."
"Nothing. Just figured I'd give it to you." He answered. She started raising it and staring at it in awe. He chuckled. "You're getting too girly, Fuuko." She glared at him. He chuckled again, then turned around to leave.
"Good night, Fuuko." Then, Yuu almost ran to the stairs.
"Night." She said to his retreating figure, then went back inside her room.
A/N: Haa... another chapter done :P