I thought I had already written a V-Day special for this - but apparently, I hadn't! so I wrote this up - kinda crappy, but I think it's okay. Enjoy!
(Trying to update this before I go to bed, so no reviewer's response today! sorry - catch up later!)
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Chocolate Onigiris
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Assignment 22.6 – Analysis of traditional Holidays
During this point of our studies of traditions and holidays of the modern age, we are met with Valentine's Day. Write a five hundred word essay about the meaning of Valentine's Day in your own words. Plagiarism will cause a receiving mark of zero.
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His eye twitched involuntarily.
The V-Word. V-Day.
It's today, isn't it?
Had it snuck up on him so fast again!
Of course, his initial reaction was to run as fast as he could to the mountains to avoid Kagura. She'd be all over him when he got home … but, if he started for the train station right after school, he'd probably be at Kyoto by nightfall. No way she'd follow him all the way down there. There. It's settled. He'll get away for a few weeks. Why not?
"Finished!"
Kyo blinked, startled, and looked behind him to see who called out.
Tohru. That's why not. He couldn't leave her behind. Ever.
The brunette smiled and set her pencil down on the desk, then proceeded to stretch her arms above her head, letting out a relaxing sigh. Her friends Uo and Hana stared at her in surprise. "What?" Uo asked in disbelief. "How? She only gave it to us an hour ago!"
"I dunno," Tohru said with a shrug. "It came easily to me."
Kyo rested his head in his hand as he watched her speak. Those smiles of hers. It was always perfect and meaningful. How could she smile like that twenty-four-seven? I guess it comes easily to her, he thought, as the bell ran to signify the beginning of lunch.
As he stood up and packed his bag, he began to think about all the reasons for Valentine's Day. The original holiday originated from a priest – Saint Valentines, his name might've been. His abbey was next door to an orphanage filled with ugly girls, and every February 14th he 'd shower them in candy.
But what good is that if they eat a ton of chocolate every year? Then they get fat and feel even more ugly, his brain argued as he walked into the hallway, past other students that were either giggling about the assignment, or hating the fact that they had to do it for marks.
Hm, he thought, as he started to head towards his locker, having an itch to play soccer during his break and needing his outdoor shoes. Mostly, Valentine's day is about love. There's the girls that love it because they've had a great amount of it in their lifetime, he looked out the corner of his eye to see such a girl, with her friends, giggling insanely squeaky giggles.
And then there are those that haven't been that lucky in love, he looked to his opposite side, to see a disgruntled girl, all by herself, look at her assignment in disgust and throw it in the trash.
I guess I fall under that category, he thought at he rounded the corner. Having Kagura chase me with a wedding dress isn't very lucky. And that's the reason that I have a negative feeling about Valentine's day.
Well, it's not the only reason.
Kyo had to stop, and he frowned. There were two people blocking his locker – a boy and a girl. The boy happened to be making out with the girl (going to second base a number of times in five seconds) and as luck would have it, they were blocking his locker.
Sighing in annoyance, he walked up to the two and shoved them over (surprisingly, their lips never lost contact with the others). Opening his locker, he started to exchange books from the morning for afternoon textbooks. While he kicked off his shoes, he started to think it over again.
Lately it hasn't been so bad. What with Tohru being around all the time …I'm not as negative as I used to be. The curse isn't bugging me as much. But why do I feel like a moron every time I'm around her? Sometimes I'm a blubbering idiot! Who would fall for a blubbering idiot?
He slammed his locker shut and made his way to the front door, sitting on the curb as he tied his shoes. And who dubbed Valentine's Day the day of Love, anyway? Who said the Saint was being all that nice? Maybe the 13th is the annual bake sale for his abbey and no one liked his chocolates so he dumped them on the ugly chicks, thinking "Oh Nobody Likes Them Anyway – Being Fat Won't Change Anything?"
"So, can we expect you at home tonight?"
Kyo nearly jumped out of his skin when Yuki's voice entered his ears. He glared up at the boy standing beside him. "Probably not," he answered.
Yuki shrugged. "Thought so. Just wanted to make sure.'
With that, he walked off without another word.
Kyo bit his lip as he watched his retreating back. Another weird thing. Yuki and I haven't gotten into a fist-fight for a good five months. Hell, we've argued, but nothing too serious or physical.
Staring down at his feet, he suddenly thought, Am I getting soft? Is that what love does? It makes you weak? … hold on a sec, who says I'm in love? And with Who!
Bubbly laughter filled his ears, and he turned around.
Tohru was walking by with her friends, heading towards the cafeteria for their lunch. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the orange haired boy, and took the time to face him, smile and wave.
A blush rose to his cheeks. His heart sped up, sending heated blood throughout his body – and yet he could barely lift his arm to weakly wave back.
Why
do you always do this to me?
Why
couldn't you just see through me?
How come,
you act like this, like you just don't care at all?
Do you expect me to believe
I was the only one to fall?
The pair of eyes stayed connected until she disappeared around the corner.
I can feel
I can feel you near me
Even though you're far away
I can feel
I can feel you baby
Why…
So, Kyo, feeling confused and hot, stood up and ran outside to play soccer with his classmates, trying to take the girl off his mind.
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The local soccer club had a meeting after school that day, and they gladly allowed Kyo to join them (so he wouldn't have to head home). Once practice was done, and the boys showered and began to head home, the sun had already set. Kyo waved goodbye to the last of the members and he headed down a street towards home.
Maybe Kagura's gone by now. Her school's having regional testing tomorrow or something. She wouldn't have stuck around that long.
Down the dark streets he went, his mind racing through everything it had thought during lunchtime. Watching couples in restaurants and walking hand in hand beside him only made him more confused. Thoughts about Tohru finishing her test early got him thinking oddly, too. How could she have finished so fast? Maybe she was in love and that's why it came easily? … if so, with who?
The idea of her being in love with Yuki made his heart ache. And the idea of them in the same position as the couple that blocked his locker made him want to hurl.
It's not supposed to feel this way
I need you
I need you
More and more each day
It's not supposed to hurt this way
I need you
I need you
Tell me
Are you and me still together?
Tell me
Do you think we can last forever?
Tell me
Why
This is driving me nuts, he thought. I love her. I know it. But I don't want to be feeling like this just because I'm in the "spirit of the season". I want it to be real. Which it is. Or is it? Aw crap.
He slowed to a halt – in front of a gourmet chocolate store. The smell nauseated him (chocolate is poison for cats) but he couldn't help looking in the window anyways.
There was the normal display of Valentine's chocolates; chocolate hearts, cupids, wedding bells … and then there was some odd stuff. Like smiley faces, and they even had sushi replicas.
And sitting in an open display of gold foil was a chocolate Onigiri.
It was made from a mold, but it looked pretty realistic. White chocolate for the rice, and milk chocolate for the seaweed strip.
Biting his lip as his mind debated what to do, he thought, I should get that for her. Just to show I care, you know? But what if she doesn't feel the same? … Then it'll be a gift from a friend. Yeah, a friendly valentine's day present.
So, he sucked in a deep breath and entered the store, not saying a word as he ordered one chocolate Onigiri to go by pointing at the tray of Onigiri in the glass display (he was too scared to inhale the scent and feel sick). Then, he ran out of the building, and ran around the corner-
- only to slam into Tohru.
They both yelped and jumped back quickly, waiting for Kyo to turn into a cat as their minds raced with excuses to tell bystanders – but nothing happened.
As they looked at each other in surprise, Kyo said, "Must've not had enough contact."
Tohru smiled in relief. "Yeah, guess not."
Kyo straightened up, and grabbed his purchase off the ground when he dropped it. "What are you doing out this late?" he asked.
"Well, um, Yuki said that you were going to stay at school, and take the long way home, so I wanted to meet up with you."
His red cheeks began to clash with his hair, and he mumbled, "R-Really?"
To his surprise (and delight) Tohru was pink in the face as well. "Yes – I-I wanted to talk to you."
Kyo stared dumbfoundedly for a moment, not expecting this at all – but his common sense got the better of him. "It's dark out – couldn't it have waited till I got home?" As the hurt look on her face surfaced, he quickly said, "N-Not that I don't want to hang out with you, It's just that there's some really creepy guys out there, you know?"
She watched him, expressionless, for a moment. Then, she smiled again. "Thanks for worrying about me, Kyo." And then she moved her hand forward and wrapped it around his.
Instinct told him to lower his head, since the heat in his face was overpowering him. "N-No problem."
"C'mon, let's go home."
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The conversation on the way home was a little awkward. He had no idea why Tohru was so wound up, but he knew that if he didn't let go of her hand soon, he'd turn into a cat because of stress. But he didn't want to let go. He enjoyed the feel, even though it scared him. He never imagined being this close in contact with Tohru, yet here they were.
Changing the subject for the fifth time, Kyo asked, "So, you got your essay done already?"
Tohru nodded. "Yeah. It was easy for me."
Kyo tilted his head. "How come?" Why! Why Ask That Of All Things! Idiot!
"Well," she started to swing the arm that connects them a bit, rocking it back and forth as they walked. "I always felt that Valentine's Day wasn't always about lovers. When I was little, my mom always got me a bag of valentine's candy and I always got it for her, too. And I'd make it for my grandpa and other relatives. It's not always about romantic love – it's a day of companionship, no matter what kind of relationship."
Hey
Listen to what we're not saying
Let's Play
A different game than what we're playing
Try
To look at me and really see my heart
Do you expect me to believe
I'm gonna let us fall apart?
Suddenly, she let out a nervous laugh, and said, "Not that I don't believe in romantic love, or anything."
Kyo suddenly felt daring, and said, "Never said you didn't. … I … I got something for you."
Tohru blinked rapidly and came to a halt. "Wh-What?"
He finally let go of her hand, only to hold her palm up. He placed the bag in her hand and said, "Happy Valentine's Day, Tohru."
And before she could even have a chance to open the gift, he leaned forward and placed a soft, sweet kiss on her lips.
It's not supposed to feel this way
I need you, I need you, I need you ...
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Fin
Song: "Why" by Avril Lavigne
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