Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Tactics. They are the property of Kinoshita Sakura and Higashiyama Kazuko.
A/N: Finally! Finals are over! I can breathe again! LoL
More questions in this chappy . . . *evil laugh* When will the answers pop up, you say? Surely, in the later, much later chapters! As always, please R+R, thank you! They really motivate me to keep writing! ^_^
REVISED: July 4, 2010
My god, this was HORRIBLE! It pained me to see so many grammar mistakes…Looking back at my A/N, I suppose it was probably because I was just done with finals. I remember sweating bullets over them. (ahem, lame excuse…cause my writing is lacking quite a bit in every possible department) PLUS, Haruka sounded too much like a horndog, so I had to change that little bit of it. XD
Happy 4th of July!
Breathe
Chapter 6: I'll Start Over
By: LadyYuina
Ichi sat beside Kantarou as he scribbled on with the story of his life. It was not an easy fear to conquer, but now that he was good and done with it, it was actually quite nice to have the dog's presence beside him. Youko and Haruka were still fast asleep - the sun's rays had barely peeked out above the mountain's cones. Pen in hand, Kantarou hesitated, piecing together his thoughts.
Monk Nanao had left Kantarou with a burning hope to meet a Tengu no matter what the cost. He studied long and hard of the many folklores, myths, and legends of ancient creatures dating back centuries ago - if he could get his hands on it he'd study it, page for page, word for word. He made up his mind to call the being, Haruka. It was rather silly to remind himself of her, but yet he couldn't forget the name . . .
Her beautiful blue eyes, brilliant red hair, and gentle smile was going to be forever burned into his memory. Most likely, there would be no other person that he would love . . . She was his everything, his shining star. Haruka was going to be name he was going to use in remembrance of her.
There was also another person in his life . . . A woman with striking golden-brown eyes. A feature he found most fascinating, because they were a few shades lighter than the average Japanese person's. However, at some point in time, he had forgotten her . . .
"I think that is enough for now. Besides, the others will be waking up soon. Shall we go out for a walk, Ichi?" The dog wagged her tail as she stood up. Kantarou let out a light chuckle, and he too stood up. He made his way to his room and stowed away his precious writing. His pen was placed on his desk on a spot he normally left it at.
Out in the relative calm of the early risers, Kantarou and Ichi listened to the birds' joyous chirping. He hadn't gone on a nature walk in years, and it now made him wonder why he had stopped in the first place. Thoughts swirled around inside his mind as he took slow deliberate steps along a well-worn dirt path. The woman with the sharp golden-brown eyes kept appearing in his mind. He could envision her eyes clearly, but her very appearance was muddled and hard to distinguish. Why can't I remember her . . .?
"Kantarou."
Kantarou stopped and turned, now face to face with the mysterious, cloaked woman again. Oddly enough a somewhat slight smirk graced his lips. It was the perfect timing. "Do you always appear and disappear as you please?" He studied her critically - nothing did strike out as notable except her murky brown eyes. It was as if that alone defined her very being.
"You're progressing much too slowly; I urge you to go faster," she demanded.
"Hold it right there." Kantarou crossed his arms in a defiant manner. "I don't know your name, and yet you're ordering me to write more? You've got to be kidding me. And besides, I don't work for you."
"My name holds no importance whatsoever. Your goal is to finish your story . . . When you write your hands tell you things you didn't know or recall before, correct?" Kantarou narrowed his eyes at her. This woman had nailed it just like that. "Do not think too hard about this and simply do as I ask of you."
There and then, Kantarou knew he should discontinue his writing . . . However, that was easier said than done. She spoke the truth, and his own writing did hold some certainties in his life, and of secretive ones that he didn't know about in his past. But he, as a spiritualist, should know better than anyone that one could be easily manipulated by a youkai without their ever realizing it. For instance, this could all be a trick on his mind, and this unnamed woman was simply some youkai trying to expose a weakness. The end result would most likely be death.
"Why should I care? You're probably some youkai trying to make use of me. I'll have you know I won't fall for it."
"You've not inked down Rekkugen's name yet?" she suddenly asked, taking Kantarou by surprise.
"Rekkugen?" He had no idea who this was.
She sighed. "My time is running out. I must go." She vanished before Kantarou even blinked. Ichi was barking like she had gone mad. The silver-haired man looked at her. Even though the woman was gone Ichi was still snarling, barking as if something was still there . . .
"Quiet down, Ichi, there's nothing there. She's already gone," Kantarou reprimanded. Despite his reassurance he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rising. Vaguely, he sensed there was still a presence remaining where the mysterious woman had disappeared, though he found it odd that his bracelet was not reacting . . .
Youko yawned, stretched lazily, and took a minute more or two of shut-eye before she decided to get out of bed. Glancing out her bedroom window she could tell it was around six-thirty in the morning, simply by judging the amount of light penetrating through the clouds. Rubbing at her eyes she yawned again. Much like a well-oiled machine she went through her daily motions of dressing and getting ready for the day ahead. The first thing that usually came to mind was how to prepare breakfast. Fish and rice were pretty much it, but at times she tried quite hard to make a decent dish out of it.
Meanwhile, across the hall Haruka sat up in his own futon, having just missed Youko's time by ten minutes. As usual he could smell breakfast being cooked. And the Tengu too, out of habit, found his feet making their way to his Master's room. Usually at this time Kantarou would still be sleeping, but when he was a hand's width away from opening the screen door, Kantarou had just rounded the corner at the end of the hallway.
"Good morning, Kantarou," he called out to him. Even from the distance he was at he could tell something seemed amiss about the man. "Kantarou, are you all right?"
"I'm fine. And good morning to you, Haruka." He let out a wide smile as he came nearer.
"I'm surprised you're already up."
He studied his face and noticed right away that the smile was not genuine - it was quite unlike how he normally smiled when he was happy or content. Or perhaps Haruka paid so much attention to the man that he could simply tell the majority of the time. Yet he knew if he said he could see through his little act, he'd obviously brush it off as nothing and tell him not to worry. This was quite an unhealthy trait indeed. Oddly enough though this brought to mind of someone else in Haruka's life. It had been many, many, many years ago, and there was no way he could remember . . . And yet he felt it wasn't something easily dismissible either.
It didn't make Kantarou feel any better about it, but Ichi hadn't been barking for no reason - there was something . . . something sinister. Kantarou knew that he couldn't let this bother him . . . If he did he knew it could cost him his life, and yet he couldn't stop thinking about it. Worst of all, it wasn't hard to tell that Haruka was worried. He was broadcasting his cry for the truth like a magnetic force, one in which the red-eyed man didn't wish to comply to. Telling Haruka or Youko about it would only put them at risk as well, and he didn't want that.
"I needed to go to the bathroom, so that's why I got up. Youko's already making breakfast, right?" The Tengu nodded. "Then I won't go back to sleep; I'll see if I can start on Reiko's next scoop."
"Kantarou."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"The smile you showed me before - it's wasn't normal."
"Huh? What do you mean not normal?" Kantarou asked.
"I meant it wasn't how you usually smile; you were only smiling like that to hide something you don't want others to know about."
Kantarou sweat dropped. "Haruka, you're reading into it too much. I had no idea you paid such close attention."
Lying, he said, "it's not that I pay close attention. Rather, it's easy to pick up when something's amiss about you, and it's not difficult because I have been with you for so long."
In actuality, he came to realize he was deeply in love with this human man, but it also frightened him to think of being rejected if he were to ever confess.
"If something is truly bothering you, it won't hurt to tell me about it. I promise you I will keep it a secret from the others."
"Look, I'm fine, all right? Quit pestering me." He brushed past the Tengu and went towards the kitchen. He could tell breakfast was nearly done by now, so it was pointless to go into his room.
"Ah, Kantarou, did you wash up yet?" Youko asked, spoon in hand.
"Yeah."
"Okay, have a seat then. By the way, where's Haruka?"
"He'll be here shortly."
Youko couldn't keep her eyes off of Haruka as she ate her breakfast. The same went for Haruka - he couldn't keep his eyes off their Master. It was by the most subtle of things, but Youko, being a female, naturally came to the conclusion that Haruka liked their Master. The like she was thinking of stemmed farther from the like she shared with Kantarou; however, it made her wonder if Kantarou was even remotely aware of the Tengu's feelings, because if he was he wasn't really showing any signs.
"Youko, the fish tastes plain. Did you not add salt?" Kantarou asked, his face crinkling with disdain.
"Excuse me, Mr. Whiner, I'd like to see you try cooking a meal for us!" Youko retorted. "It's your own fault, you know. We don't even have any money to buy a pound of salt."
"Why's that? All I've bought recently was . . . Oh . . ."
"Oh? Is that all you can say? Kan-chan, that thing nearly cost a fortune! You didn't have to pick out a haori that nice looking! Besides, I could have mended your old one for you!"
"I wouldn't dream of keeping my other haori. It holds too many memories; by far there are more good than bad, but still . . ."
"Enough of that. I hope you've started on the next article for the monthly column? Reiko will be expecting it in three weeks. You've had quite a few clients recently, so take experiences from that." Youko shoved a chopstick full of rice into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully.
"It's three weeks away . . . I don't have to worry about it yet. Stop being such a worry-wart. You're almost as bad as Reiko," Kantarou commented. Youko had had enough then, and Kantarou and the fox youkai battled it out with name calling - much like how children did in elementary school when they had a dispute over something. Haruka, on the other hand, remained silent the entire time.
"I challenge you, Kan-chan. Winner gets the title for the day, okay?" Youko asked.
"What title? Explain."
"If I win you have to call me Master and do what I want for a day." Kantarou then mentioned if she lost. "If I lose then I won't nag you for a day about Reiko's next article. And you can make me do extra chores or whatever. Agreed?"
"Tough choices there . . . Okay, you're on! When did you want to do this?"
"Tonight, I wanna see you whip up something that is edible, or at least good. Suffice to say, from your previous cooking morsels they all tasted horrible." Youko laughed with mock pride. "I'm pretty sure it won't be any different this time."
"Just you watch! I have improved after all those tries. Haruka's tried my meals before, and he hadn't complained about the most recent ones. Right, Haruka?" Kantarou looked at the Tengu expectantly, wanting him to answer. "Right . . . Haruka?"
"Haruka?" Youko peered closely at him. He was completely spacing out . . . It was more than obvious.
"Haruka!" Kantarou shouted. That, in its own way brought the black-haired Tengu to his senses. He looked from Youko to Kantarou. He wondered why Youko was focusing on his face so hard . . . "Were you listening?"
"Listening to what?" he dumbly asked.
"About my previous meals that I've cooked. They didn't taste bad, did they?" Haruka shook his head - it was a lie, but he wanted to please his Master above all else. "See, Youko, Haruka didn't think they were awful."
"We'll see."
Chapter 6: END
