Note: It gets a bit heavy in this part so prepare for some dose of drama. wink
Closer
Fuuko walked along his side in mutual silence, leaving ample space between the two of them. A gentle breeze caressed her hair as she continued to make her way towards her purpose. The only sound she could hear was their footsteps clicking against the cold pavement. Her slender arms embraced the books she carried closer to her chest, secretly wishing that the silence would end soon. She constantly walked with her eyes turned downwards on the asphalt surface.
Even from the corner of his eye, he could already see her apprehension. She was not exactly used to the silence, he figured. Tokiya brushed his long silver mane back with his fingertips as the breeze was getting a bit too playful with it. Putting his hand back into the pocket of his pants, he decided to become a bit more accommodating than he would usually allow himself to.
"We're almost there,"
"I know…"
They quietly passed by an empty playground. Its rickety swings lazily swung back and forth, emitting a creaking sound due to the rust engulfing its chains. The jovial laughter of elated children was no longer heard and the stillness seemed to be cutting through the air like a sharp sword, piercing through the ears of the anxious young woman bearing purple locks. Fuuko tried to dismiss her trepidation by looking up at the mauve sky, hoping that lady Luna would appear from high above and greet her in solitude. She closed her eyes and breathed in the crisp air encircling the ambiance. Maybe the silence wasn't so bad after all.
She slowly opened her eyes and found herself heading towards a direction that differed from Tokiya's choice of course. They finally met the fork on the road that lead to the silver-haired teenager's home; Fuuko always took the one on the left while Tokiya, the right.
"Where are you going?" Tokiya asked her. "My house is this way."
Fuuko raised a curious eyebrow. "This road leads to the same destination."
"This path is much shorter."
"But I want to go this way."
"Why?"
Fuuko sighed. "Because I like passing by the cherry blossoms. Have you been there yet?"
"Well, yes, but—"
"Will you walk with me, then?"
"We're going to be—"
"Please?"
Tokiya's cerulean and cold eyes lingered on Fuuko's viridian ones.
"Fine," he stated impassively. One short stop wouldn't hurt.
A smile crossed Fuuko's lips as she began to make her way toward the long valley of cherry blossom trees that loomed over her. She felt like such a brat for forcing him to go her way, but she just couldn't let someone break her daily ritual of passing by the sanctuary that gave her some sort of indiscernible strength. Tokiya walked alongside her, passing by the blossoms without so much a glance as he continued to pursue the path leading to his home.
"Where are Domon and Kaoru?" Fuuko asked him in curiosity. "Aren't they coming too?"
"They will come," Tokiya replied as he brushed off the stray velvet petals on his shoulders. "They were pressed with matters that rendered them unavailable at the moment."
Tokiya bit back the profanities that involuntarily came flowing right after. He was in the presence of a lady after all; it was only appropriate to save the vulgarity for those who really deserve it.
And to his satisfaction, the curses would go well with the agonizing blows that would grace the boys later on.
A soft and milky hand suddenly caught his wrist and tugged on it. Submitting to reality, he found himself being dragged along by his band mate. His eyes were fixed coldly on the back of her head as he was continuously being heaved forward like a tugboat.
"Where in Merlin's name are you taking me?" Tokiya snapped as they swerved from the cement path and into the thick throng of trees. "Take your hand off my wrist this instant!"
Fuuko disregarded his command and continued to make her way through the multitude of branches that crossed her way. If he didn't like it so much, then why doesn't he free himself from her weak grasp?
As much as Tokiya's irritation was increasing with each step, his curiosity was getting the best of him. As far as he knew Fuuko, she would never use physical force to get what she wanted. Verbally, yes, but it was seldom and her tone of voice wasn't like Recca's— loud, monkey-like, and obnoxious. It must be important, he thought. After debating that it was a good reason enough to be hauled into God-knows-where, his senses drifted onto the soft hand that encircled his firm wrist. He studied her slender fingers and the way they curved comfortably around his forehand, the silky texture of her palm, the paleness of her skin, the smooth—
"WATCH OUT!"
And before he could observe its delicate features any further, an explosive pain met his forehead and the darkness consumed his blunt senses.
"Oww,"
Tokiya winced as the pain shot through his head like a speeding bullet. He gingerly touched the tender bump, cut, bruise, or whatever it was on his forehead. The wound was still fresh. His half-processing brain tried to accustom itself to the situation, but the only thing that he could make out was the fact that his head was lying on something soft and warm. He flinched as another wave of pain surged through his skull. As his initial reaction, Tokiya shot up into an upright position, but was gently pushed back down by the same hand that caused him to feel the ache in the first place.
"Don't make any sudden movements; it will just hurt more,"
Tokiya managed to turn his attention towards the voice. His eyes glazed over Fuuko's concerned countenance. "What happened? Where am I?"
"You got hit by a tree branch," Fuuko started as a hot sensation slowly crept up her cheeks. "I thought you would do the same way I did, ducking and all, but I guess you weren't paying much attention to where you were going,"
"Argh, damn it," Tokiya mumbled.
"I'm sorry for all this," Fuuko started softly. "If I hadn't forcefully pulled you, that wound wouldn't be there,"
Damn right it wouldn't, Tokiya thought heatedly.
"It's alright. It doesn't matter," He replied nonchalantly.
Finding that his eyes were back its 20/20 self, he scanned the environment around him. A giant cherry blossom tree loomed over them and graciously sprinkled its carnation-colored blossoms from above. Crisp winds gently lead the stray petals over the edge of the cliff that was just meters away from them and only thing that lighted the sorroundings was the sun setting opposite from where they sat.
Tokiya weakly forced himself to sit up with the only strength that he could muster. "Why are we here anyway?"
"Because," Fuuko started as she helped her wounded companion to an upright postion. "This is the one place that I have to go to everyday. It provides a comfortable atmosphere where I can be myself." A chuckle escaped her lips as her band mate gave her a skeptical expression. "People like me need some quiet time too, you know."
Tokiya heaved a sigh as he leaned on the old trunk behind him. He never knew that sitting up could be such a hard task to do. It was even worse than trying to get Recca and Domon to stop fighting over the last dumpling on the table. He looked to his side to find Fuuko with her arms folded around her knees, eyes looking toward the horizon. "People like you?"
A soft smile graced her lips as she hoisted herself on her feet and sauntered toward the cliff's edge. "Yup,"
Tokiya's stomach suddenly somersaulted as he watched his band mate tiptoe on the very edge of the precipice, her arms spread wide like a bird about to depart from the ground. Just a millimeter more into that boundary and she may very well be eaten alive by the waves that crashed against rigid rock face below. Despite this probability, it seemed as if she didn't mind the danger that could possibly end her life in a heartbeat. Even from behind, he could tell that there wasn't a trace of trepidation on her face. Only one question lingered on his mind…
Was this girl insane?!
"Aren't you afraid to fall?" Tokiya asked softly as to not startle the purple-haired maiden. Grabbing support from the rigid tree trunk, he pulled himself up from the earthy ground. Regardless of the fact that the constant thumping of his head almost drove him mad, the palpitating of his heart dominated over all sense of pain. His stomach tossed and tumbled in agitation. Fuuko was inches from irrevocable death and the apprehension hastily increasing inside of him was on the verge of ignition.
To his relief, Fuuko slowly lowered her arms and took a few steps back from the edge. She turned and padded over to Tokiya, whose sapphire orbs were locked on her viridian ones. A heartrending smile graced her lips as she walked closer to the silver-haired beauty. Tokiya's body stiffened as he saw the poignant look in her eyes. He couldn't quite find the right words to express the sensation that washed over him at that moment, but somehow, he knew exactly what Fuuko felt during that point in time.
Fuuko stopped a few good inches between them. Her body bent slightly forward to level her head with his.
"I've already fallen," she whispered.
And a crisp wind blew past the both of them.
"Hold still," Fuuko insisted as she wiped the cut on his forehead with a cloth and some hydrogen peroxide. Tokiya winced as he felt the sting of the solution against his open wound.
"It hurts," he replied through clenched teeth. As much as he persevered in showing no pain on his features, the stinging overpowered him too much to no avail.
"There, all done," Fuuko taped the last part of the gauze pad. A sigh escaped her lips as she admired her work. It wasn't so bad if she said so herself.
They both sat in silence in Tokiya's living room. Entering his extravagant domicile just minutes ago, Fuuko rushed to retrieve the first aid kit in a nearby bathroom as instructed by her older band mate. She then diligently cleaned the wound in hopes that her gentle fingers won't hurt the him any longer. Now that she was finished, she decided that the jamming practice should be cancelled due to the situation at hand.
"I guess we're done for today," Fuuko finally spoke as she stood to throw the blood-soaked cotton in a waste basket close by. "At this state, I don't think we'll be very productive, anyway."
Tokiya nodded in concurrence. "I'll tell Domon and Kaoru once they get here."
Grabbing her bag from the couch, Fuuko made her way towards the door. "I'll let myself out. Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"I'll be fine,"
An expression of doubt crossed Fuuko's features before flashing Tokiya a small smile. "Okay, then. I'll see you tomorrow,"
And with that, the door opened and shut closed once more.
Tokiya was alone once more inside his glamorous residence. He heaved a sigh as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the plump headrest of his chair. Fuuko's countenance flashed before his eyes together with everything that happened hours ago. He recalled how her fingers carefully bandaged and cleaned the wound on his forehead, the way her eyes showed a flint of determination in the process of her work, and the relief on her face when she knew that everything was going to be alright.
After years of being deprived from physical contact, the warmth of someone else somehow made him feel a sense of comfort and security. He was human after all. No one wants to be alone. After the death of his family members, he detached himself from any intimate relationship that may cross his way. He figured that if he didn't have to be so attached to anybody, then there won't be any need for tears or sorrow.
Another image of Fuuko materialized in his mind before the darkness consumed him once more.