Chapter 4
It had been 3 days and Takuya found himself perched on windows and stopping in the middle of walks. Kouji seemed to be free from the schedule of everyday life. He read books in the trees and by the lake. In the three days, Takuya had become even more determined to prove Kouji was magical. With the calming effect he had while sleeping or the way he.. Well he still needed proof. But he was sure beyond sure that he could prove it!
Today the 'rents had planned a hike. Kouichi and Kouji were standing at the bottom of the trail talking when Takuya and his parents showed up. When Kouichi waved to Takuya, Kouji cast him a glare and turned around.
"Ya, and a good morning to you too, Mr. Grumpy." Takuya glanced at his parents, who didn't seem to mind..whew..
"Ya, whatever." Kouji responded nonchalantly.
"Well, now that we're all here. Let's get a move on." Mr. Minamoto smiled and they all headed up the trail.
Kouji wasn't saying anything, as per usual, while Kouichi watched the parents who were engaging in lovely conversation. The only one acting strange was Takuya. He was quiet and he seemed slower.. since he was farthest back. Kouji paused in walking and looked back at him, so far behind.
"Hurry up, Kanbara! Snails walk faster!" and he turned back around. He was last before Takuya, but he was always in the back and he was right behind everyone.
Said brunette growled and glared at Kouji. Whatever sense of calm he had been effected by the last few days was gone. He ran up and grabbed Kouji's shoulder, turning him around. They just glared at each other for a minute before Kouji shook his hand off and they both kept walking.
10 minutes later, Takuya was watching the pieces of trash on the side of the trail as they passed them. The trail would be a lot cleaner if someone just cleaned...
"Hey Kouji." Takuya called. Said boy stopped and looked at Takuya with bored eyes.
"Ya?"
"I bet you could clean this whole trail up!"
"What!" Kouji looked around at the debris. "Why?"
"I've been thinking for the past few days. And I'm almost sure of it..." he got lost in thought.
"...sure of what, Takuya?" at the time, Takuya didn't notice that Kouji had called him by name..
"You've got to be magic Kouji. Seriously. Try it! I bet you could clean the trail if you wanted to."
"Oh give me a break, Kanbara!" Kouji groaned. "You think I could clean the trail? What? I snap my fingers.." he snapped his fingers. "... and all the trash vanishes? Get a new hobby besides me, would ya?" Kouji shook his head and kept walking.
Takuya puffed out his cheeks in anger before simmering down and following.
"At least I have an imagination. All you do is stare and brood." he muttered under his breath. Kouji tensed slightly, fully able to hear him. As Takuya hurried past him to Kouichi, Kouji looked warily at the path behind them.
– – – – – – –
Takuya dunked his head into the water. They'd made it to the end of the trail at the waterfall and lake. He came out for air and sighed.
"Water! Wonderful cold water!" he fell back onto the ground under a nearby tree. The parents were setting up a picnic spot. The Minamoto's set out the blanket and the Kanbara's took out the food.
"Hey mom.."
"Yes, Kouichi?"
"Did you bring anything to drink?" the older twin asked, looking through the stuff.
"No. They say the water is clear enough to drink up here." she handed Kouichi a glass and the boy headed to the lake. He glanced at Kouji who was by the waterfall.
Kouji looked around, making sure Takuya wasn't looking at him and sat behind the waterfall. He reached out his hand to the water and with one finger, purified the water enough for drinking. Kouichi could actually see the difference as he got some water. Kouji stood back up and sighed.
"WHACHA DOIN'!" Takuya shouted as he popped out of nowhere. Kouji jumped, nearly given a heart attack. Takuya tapped him slightly and the boy went through the waterfall into the lake. Kouji stayed underwater for a second.
'Oh my god! I'll kill him!' he shouted mentally, calmly his beating heart. 'I wonder if he saw me purify the water...'
"Kouji?" Takuya asked, leaning over the water. Where was that prick? Arms suddenly flew from the water and pulled Takuya in. "Ahhh!"
SPLASH!
Takuya gasped as he broke the surface and looked around instinctively for an attacker. Kouji was being helped out by his brother not far off.
"You okay?"
"I'll live.." Kouji took off his bandana and squeezed the water from it. He shook his hair out as best he could and turned to look at Takuya. Said boy sank under the water very fast.
Why? His heart was still beating fast and what made him duck under the water? All Kouji did was look at him!
An image of Kouji, soaked as though he'd stood in a sprinkler, flashed in his mind and he blushed.
'What the hell is wrong with me!' hands grabbed him from the water and pulled him up. He was then dragged to the shore and pulled out, all by the same person. Looking up, it was Kouji with his famous 'in deep thought' eyes.
"Uh..." was all that came out as they were called to come eat.
— –
Kouji looked at the sky, darkening each passing second. Takuya was looking for the trash he'd seen on the way up. It wasn't there. They were on their way down and the entire trail was clean! Spotless! He cast a glance at Kouji.
"It's going to rain.." he informed them, bringing his gaze from the sky.
"Apparently." Kouichi took his time to glance at the sky. Something wet hit his nose, he wiped it away. "I think it is raining.."
"Beautiful." moaned Kouji.
"Great!" Takuya through his hands in the air and tried catching some of the few raindrops.
"Lets hurry back." Kousei Minamoto said, waving behind him for them to hurry up.
It wasn't long before they got back to the resort. Takuya and Kouji headed straight back to the room, while Kouichi asked about dinner and... stuff. Kouji let his bag drop to the floor. Takuya walked in as Kouji undid his hair and let his bandana fall to the floor. He grabbed a change of clothes and entered the bathroom before Takuya could even speak.
He heard the water get turned on as he got ready for bed. He was taking off his shirt as he wondered back to Kouji's sad eyes.
It was like Kouji had a world behind his eyes and only Takuya seemed to wonder about it. Kouji hid in that world to protect.. Or to hide...what he was really feeling. And it was obviously sad... Kouji was always sad and mostly always off in his own world. Why? What was there in his world...?
– – – – – – – –
Kouji ran to the phone and dialed Takuya's number.
'Hello?'
"Hey, Taku!"
'Kou!'
"Can you go to the park tomorrow. Mom says we are."
'I'll ask mom.' there was silence. Kouji flinched in pain. What was that sudden pain he'd felt? He shook it off as Takuya came back on.
'She said okay!' he declared cheerfully.
"Great! See ya tomorrow!"
'Kouji?'
"Ya?"
'I.. love you.'
"Well.. I love you too, Takuya."
It was almost 10 minutes of silence before either could decide to say goodbye and hang up.
— – – –
Kouji opened his eyes as the water ran over his body. He regained the light his eyes always lost when he thought.
That had been the day everything started to go wrong. When he lost control of it all.
He looked down at his hands, suds being washed away. His right hand closed and began to glow. A small bottle of lotion broke on the sink and Kouji instantly released his hand.
'I hate magic.' he cursed as he finished washing off and got out of the shower.
5 minutes later, he was drying his hair and walking out of the bathroom in new clothes. He raised his head, dropping the towel to dry the lower part of his hair. As his eyes rose, he saw Takuya staring at him. The following silence allowed only the rain.
'Takuya.. Why are you staring at me like that?'
'I..um.. It's nothing, Kouji. I'm sorry.'
Kouji took in a silent breath and waited. He wouldn't ask this time.
Takuya turned and cast his eyes down ever so slightly. Kouji sighed inwardly and sat in the chair as Takuya drifted to sleep that night. Kouichi came in later but went to bed never noticing his brother in the still, wooden chair. Kouji took no notice of Kouichi, either.
Deep in his own world, Kouji relived the worst day of his life and if any had been awake they would see the lone tear falling. Sliding painfully slow down his soft cheeks and finally falling away.
In this dark room, where two boys slept and one dreamed, the only sound was the usually calm rhythm of the rain hitting the window. The forgotten clock blinked 12:17 pm, not having been set. The numbers flashed 3 times when they momentarily changed to blink 'K-O-U-J-I'.
Oh I'm so happy! -the easily encouraged writer has more reviewers-
It: Onee.. my wrist hurts..
Onee-chan: maybe your writing too much...
It: but I havent written anything lately..
Onee: Aha! slacker! -acussing finger pointing-
