Disclaimer: None of the HYD characters belongs to me.
Timeline: Manga volume 1.
Pairing: Tsukushi x ?
A/N: Dear Readers. I do hope you will find this chapter interesting. As for me, I'm quite satisfied with myself. I managed to sort all the thing that I wanted. Thanks for reading.
A Special Thanks to my Beta-reader, Juliagulia1017. She makes my strory alive!
"Speech"
Thoughts
« All I want is you »
By Cocky-sark
Chapter 7
Previously
Lovingly, he caressed her bruised lips with his thumb and then Tsukushi heard the door close. Seconds later, when the lights turned back on, she found herself alone in the hallway.
At dawn, Tsukushi felt something tickling her face, rousing from her deep slumber. As she lazily opened one eye, she saw something akin to a green caterpillar crawling on her nose. She jumped from her bed, clutching her rapidly beating heart while screaming bloody murder the entire time. Once she was completely awake, Tsukushi saw an extremely cheerful Tsukasa standing in the corner of her room holding his stomach as tears threatened to fall down his cheeks, not to mention the disgusting smirk he wore on his face.
Tsukasa found the ultimate satisfaction in scaring her out of her wits!
That bastard, fumed Tsukushi inwardly, balling her fist. She couldn't believe it! He had played a prank on her! Quickly, she moved to whack Tsukasa on the side of his head while successfully wiping the smug smile off his face.
"Hey, what was that for?" he cried while massaging his aching head.
A vein appeared on her forehead as she retorted, "Ask yourself, you idiot! Besides, what are you doing in my room?"
Tsukasa composed himself. "I came to tell you that breakfast has been served." Then, clearing his throat, he continued, "And get ready to head out- we're going to visit the rest of Hong Kong."
"How do you know Kazuya-kun and I didn't visit all the sights of the city yesterday?" taunted Tsukushi.
Tsukasa snorted, "Nouveau riche told me you two didn't." He moved to her door and added, "Just go and get ready, we're all waiting for you!"
Fifty minutes later, she found the F4, Kazuya and Shizuka sitting down at the table and eating their breakfast. "Good morning," said Tsukushi.
Shizuka's face lit up with a smile, "Good morning Makino-san."
"Don't tell me you're all coming with us?" Tsukushi added, a bit incredulously.
"Of course we are. It's boring to stay inside all day," answered Akira.
"Besides, I'm looking forward to meeting some cute Hong Kong girls," added Soujiro.
"I'll bet you are..." muttered Tsukushi, as Soujiro winked at her flirtatiously.
Tsukushi's gaze met Rui's marble-like ones. He seemed normal, well, as normal as he could be. He smiled faintly at her and she bowed slightly in return. Then she ate quickly.
Tsukasa had noticed their behavior toward one another and frowned with irritation. Something must've happened between them last evening. Half an hour later, they all left the mansion. Unbeknownst to them, Asai and Co. were following hot on their trails.
"What parts of Hong Kong did you two see yesterday?" asked Tsukasa. The group was sitting in a limo.
"We had visited the Central and the South Side," answered Kazuya.
Tsukushi was quiet ever since they left Tsukasa's mansion. Last night's event had replayed in her mind. Someone had kissed her. A stranger in the dark had stolen her first kiss from her. She had been so surprised that she did not react at first. During the entire process, her mind kept screaming at her to fight the person off but she couldn't, not when her body had been numbed to the overwhelming sensations. Even now, she still could feel his lingering kiss. Unconsciously, her cheeks reddened.
"Tsukushi-chan, are you all right?" asked Kazuya, puzzled by her odd behavior.
Tsukushi jumped a little after answering, "Huh? Nothing, I'm fine. Couldn't be better!" The group looked at her strangely.
"We were saying that we would begin the tour by the Western District," informed Kazuya.
Tsukushi's eyes grew round and her mouth formed a perfect 'O', "O-ok, whatever you guys want!" she agreed hastily.
They stepped out of the limo and began their tour by taking a ride on the Hillside Escalator.
Kazuya looked at a map and declared, "Do you know that we're riding on the world's longest outdoor escalator?"
"Awesome!" said Tsukushi in fascination.
Tsukasa shook his head at their antics. Commoners, he scoffed.
Little by little, they viewed the sights of the Western District. Around midday, they sat at one of the hottest restaurant in Staunton Street. Tsukushi could see the females' envious stares. Many girls had turned their head when they saw the F4, some squealed in delight when Soujiro winked at them or as Akira gave them seductive smiles. It was even worse when Tsukasa or Rui looked directly into their admiring eyes. Shizuka seemed not to notice the hostile gazes, but Tsukushi could sense them very well. They spent the afternoon visiting museums, temples and famous streets. Surprisingly, the F4, Kazuya, Shizuka and Tsukushi had fun and reluctantly, the poor girl had to confess that the F4 were not at all that bad. When the group entered a shopping mall, Tsukushi lost herself amidst the large throngs of people there. A boy walked straight into her purely by accident, then he smiled and handed her an advertising paper. He said something to her in Cantonese and Tsukushi waved her hands in front of her, trying to communicate with the boy that she didn't understand the language.
"Just to let you know that tonight would be the Seven Sisters Festival! It will take place at the Lovers' Stone on Bowen Street in Wan Chai. It's a festival for girls and young lovers!" he explained in broken English, while giving Tsukushi a gentle smile.
Unfortunately for the boy however, Tsukasa arrived at that moment and growled, "Who the Hell are you?" He cracked his knuckles menacingly. The frightened boy just ran away as if the devil was nipping at his heels.
Tsukasa grabbed Tsukushi's hand. "Could you stop flirting with every guy, you stupid woman?" he demanded, frustrated that she had been speaking to someone other than himself.
"I wasn't flirting!" hissed Tsukushi, she tried to snatch her hand away but Tsukasa's grip was firm.
Minutes later, they joined the others in a café.
"I was scared for a minute," said Shizuka, the worry ebbing away from her features the moment she saw Tsukushi.
"Sorry," Tsukushi said sheepishly as she sat down. "I got separated from you because of the large masses of people."
"In addition, you were flirting with that stupid guy!" growled Tsukasa, who took a seat near her.
Tsukushi clenched her fists, annoyance clearly evident on her face. "I already told you, idiot, that I was not flirting, the boy was just," she handed the paper, "giving me this!"
Soujiro took the piece of paper from Tsukasa's hand and read, "There will be party tonight for the Seven Sisters Festival, all unmarried girls and young lovers are invited," he said.
"I will not go to that commoner festival!" snorted Tsukasa.
Soujiro's bright smile was frightening, "I'll go."
"It would be fun, wouldn't it Rui? What do you think?" asked Shizuka with a gentle smile.
"Why not?" the quiet boy answered.
"Tsukushi-chan, what about you?" asked Kazuya.
"I want to see the Festival," replied Tsukushi, and then added, "It'll be great since we don't have to put up with Domyouji's grumpy mood." Everybody smiled pleasantly.
Kazuya smiled widely as he exclaimed, "Then I'm going too!"
Tsukasa did not like to be tossed aside like that. His blood boiled at the view of Tsukushi chatting with that boy. He did not know how he would react if she were to meet someone else, or worse- kiss a complete stranger at this Festival. And as he had once told her before, he just wasn't willing to let her go. "Then, I'll go too, just to piss you off!" he said with a leer. Tsukushi just rolled her eyes.
At dusk, the Festival began, young girls and lovers were scattered everywhere on Bowen Street. The place was packed. Quickly, beautiful virgin girls dressed in white robes began to dance, in accordance with the religious rites for the Celebrations. Then a needlework competition took place.
"The Legend featured a weaver maid with six older sisters, who led a lonely life working throughout the year. Her father, the Heavenly Emperor, felt sorry for her and allowed her to marry a cow herder from across the Milky Way. After the wedding, she neglected her weaving duties and the Emperor ordered her to return to Heaven and visit her husband only once a year - on the seventh day of the seventh moon, i.e. tonight," explained Kazuya.
"You do really know lots of thing Kazuya-kun!" smiled Tsukushi. Tsukasa just grit his teeth in aggravation.
Kazuya felt proud and added, "It's a celebration of their everlasting love, even though they could just see each other once a year."
"It is also said that young girls would find their husband if they touched the 'Lovers' Stone'," smiled Shizuka as she gestured towards the rock.
Hidden from the group, Asai and Co. who had followed them since they left that morning, after hearing this bit of information, they each rushed over to touch the Stone.
Tsukushi noticed them straight away. "Huh? What are you and your friends doing here?"
"Hong Kong is a free place now, isn't it?" replied Asai arrogantly.
Tsukasa snorted, "They followed us since we left the mansion."
Asai and Co. grew red with embarrassment. Tsukushi smirked meaningfully. Suddenly, the crowd pushed against Tsukushi's group; Tsukasa, Rui, Shizuka and Tsukushi were unaware that they had each touched the 'Lover's Stone' at the same time. A second jostling of the crowd parted the entire group, Tsukushi felt stifled- there too many people bumping into her. Abruptly, someone caught her by the arm and dragged her away from all the commotion.
"Hanazawa Rui, where are the others?" inquired Tsukushi once they made their way into a hotel suite.
Rui just shrugged, "I don't know. I don't care."
Tsukushi grew uncomfortable and began to pace around the room, "Why don't you care? Kazuya could be hurt--and Shizuka-san! Don't you care for Shizuka-san's safety?"
"They're fine," he replied deadpan.
"Fine? How can you possibly know that if we're in here and they're out there?" retorted Tsukushi frantically.
"Shizuka is really going back to Paris," murmured Rui sadly.
Tsukushi stopped pacing the room immediately. "Is this ok with you?" She moved to sit in an armchair next to Rui.
"Shizuka can be pretty stubborn at times but if that is what she wants then I can't do anything to stop her," answered the young man.
Tsukushi felt tears in her eyes; Rui seemed so forlorn. She handed him the handkerchief that she always kept with her, the one that Rui had given her.
Rui looked up, surprised by her tears, and then chuckled, "You look like you need it more than I do!"
Tears continued to make their way down from her eyes. "Sorry that I can't do much," she sniffed.
"You do. Just being with you makes me feel good," he smiled faintly, then without any warning, he leaned down and kissed her.
In the meantime, the F3, Shizuka and Kazuya arrived at home. Even though he didn't show it, Tsukasa was really worried. He had hoped Tsukushi would be home already but she wasn't. Rui was absent as well.
"I hope Tsukushi-chan is okay," prayed Kazuya as worried as Tsukasa, if not more.
"Rui isn't here, either," added Shizuka.
Soujiro chuckled, "Knowing him, he's probably asleep in some hotel room."
Inwardly, Tsukasa felt something odd. Something stirred in his heart. Absentmindedly, he remembered last night's activity. He had kissed Tsukushi in the dark. Utter jealousy compelled him to abduct Tsukushi; he couldn't stand seeing her in another man's arms. He wouldn't let anyone else kiss her. The powerful feelings that surged trough his veins during the kiss made him understand one thing- he cared for Tsukushi as he had never cared for anybody else before.
Rui and Tsukushi fell onto the bed. The girl moaned while they were kissing, then she remembered her first kiss. She sat up abruptly; Rui did the same and looked at her, puzzled.
Tsukushi murmured, "It wasn't you last night." It was more a statement than a question.
"Last night?" repeated Rui. "You had been kissed during the game?"
Tsukushi nodded, "I didn't see the person. I prayed it was you but..." her cheeks reddened at her confession, "Hanazawa Rui, I should be happy that you kissed me, but I know better... You're still in love with Shizuka-san, and you're just hurt right now and would do anything to take the pain away, even if you had to kiss me to do it," Tsukushi said at once.
Rui massaged his temple and with a weary face, he smiled, "You're right, Makino. I'm still in love with Shizuka. I'm sorry."
"Let's go back to the mansion," proposed Tsukushi thoughtfully, dismissing his apology. She was sure it was the right thing to do. Maybe she and Rui could be happy, but now wasn't the right time. Not when he was so emotionally unstable.
"Hm, let's go," he agreed and they left the hotel room.
The two friends were unaware that Sakurako had filmed them entering the room and then exiting it an hour later. The pretty girl smiled maliciously.
An hour and half later, Tsukushi and Rui entered the Domyouji's garden. Rui had bought a fresh fruit basket and incense.
"Hanazawa Rui, why did you buy these things?" asked a curious Tsukushi.
"You can just call me Rui," he offered.
"I'm used to calling you Hanazawa Rui," Tsukushi said with a faint grimace. "You can call me Tsukushi if you want," she added quickly.
"As you like, even though I'd prefer it if you called me Rui. As for these offerings, they're for you--" he smiled.
Tsukushi cut him off, "Geez, Hanazawa Rui I'm not dead nor do I feel ill!"
Rui burst out laughing. "You're really the best medicine for making my worries go away. Silly girl, it's a part of the worship. Young girls are offered fruits and incense to burn into the night sky towards the two stars that represent the weaver maid and the cow herder so that they could find happiness," he explained.
Tsukushi could have buried herself in a hole from embarrassment. "O-ok." Rui handed to her the offerings and left her alone in the beautiful illuminated garden. She did as he had instructed and prayed for a peaceful life instead of happiness. She paused when she heard footsteps coming towards her. Assuming it was Rui, she asked without turning her head, "Have you forgotten something?" She had not expected to be so tightly embraced. 'This cologne... I know this scent,' thought Tsukushi frantically.
Then a smooth voice confirmed her doubts, "I thought something bad happened to you." He took a deep breath of her scent before letting her go from his arms.
"You- you... You were the one who kissed me yesterday! You stole my first kiss, you bloody thief!" growled Tsukushi, jabbing her finger into the chest of the now smirking boy.
"You should be proud that this Domyouji Tsukasa was your first kiss." Tsukasa grinned meaningfully.
"There is nothing to be proud of! Just give me back my first kiss!" shouted Tsukushi, frustrated beyond belief.
Quickly, Tsukasa hugged her tight against his body and kissed her thoroughly.
Special Thanks to Ren Aizawa, LokiGirl, Gentileschi, Mangadreams, Az09, Kaneshirosan, Aya Ilaria, Shin-Ora and Inu-kami.
