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Chapter 4
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Age 7
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Thick fingers pressed a bandage against my cheek, the action not ungentle but practiced. My mouth moved in a snarl at the pressure, but no sound escaped. Well at least it matches the one on my nose... "Did you at least hit him back?" Otōsan asked lowly.
"Akio!" Okāsan snapped from the doorway, and I couldn't help but grin, leaning forward so our foreheads nearly touched.
"I broke his nose." I whispered, and his honey colored eyes danced. Otōsan laughed, neck craning back as his shoulders shook before bending forward and slamming his palm onto the top of my head. The weight of his movement hurt my neck, but the ruffle and exclamation of, "That's my girl!" made my stomach warm in happiness.
"If you're going to encourage this savage behavior, Akio, the very least you could do is not inform Kyōko of this." Okāsan said, crossing her arms across her chest. My grin faded.
She had a point. It was no secret that Kyōko and I cared for each other. The time it took for my memories to settle a few years ago had made Kyōko mature a little too much in worrying over me.
"I got it, Okāsan." I said, and after searching my eyes for a moment (possibly looking for my seriousness or sincerity or both), she gave me a nod before turning and exiting the bathroom.
Her exit soon spurted reminders of everything Kyōko and I had done, the memories sharper than my past ones, the feelings just as powerful. I was struck with just how much—
I do not deserve Sasagawa Kyōko.
"Suzume." I blushed furiously at the personal nickname, ears hot. Otōsan reached over and tugged on a long strand of fringe in an affectionately gentle way, making my head cock. "I'm proud of you." He smiled, and a warmth spread from my chest all the way down to my curling toes. I don't know what he thought I was thinking, but his statement was good enough to lighten my mood.
"Onēchan?!"
Uh oh.
"What happened? You're hurt!" I forced a laugh and rubbed the back of my neck, mind racing for an excuse. "I fell down the stairs!"
She pouted, "You have to be more careful, Onēchan!" I froze, smile still in place. Oh my god, she actually believed me. It was hard not to have my jaw drop to the floor.
"Oh, Ryōhei," Okāsan popped her head into the bathroom, dish towel drying her hands. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. Do you think you can pick up Kyōko after school?"
"Hm? Yeah." I answered, not thinking twice of it.
The next day, Kyōya stared at the bandage on my cheek for a good long while.
What? Is there rice on it again?
"What happened?" He asked instead, face unsurprisingly blank. AW~! He cares~!
"I fell down the stairs." I answered, grinning and rubbing the back of my neck. Oops. Can't have Kyōya knowing I got into a fight. He'd kick my ass for kicking ass.
His eyes narrowed, and he dramatically closed the book he had been reading. "I'm not your oblivious sister, Sasagawa."
I bristled, instantly getting defensive. "Oi, don't insult Kyōko, Kyōya!" He snarled, a more vicious reaction than the usual frowning whenever I called him by his given name.
"Don't say my name so casually, herbivore."
I ignored him.
"I won't be coming over today." I informed, scooting close enough to sit beside him on the bean bag. "I have to pick up Kyōko after school."
"Get away from me." He replied, shoving me off and making me land on a particularly ugly bruise I received yesterday.
Sweet mother of—!
A foot slammed against my rear, "No cussing." Damn, did I say that out loud?
"It hurts, Kyōya~!" Another kick to the ass. Motherf—
"Don't say my name so casually, herbivore."
"That one actually hurt, you fuck—!" This time, the boy's heel grinded against my tailbone. "No cussing."
"Ow, ow, ow! I give! I give!" I thanked whatever god was out there the moment Hibari stopped assaulting me.
Why was I friends with him again..?
"Hm? Sasagawa-chan? Didn't you send those nice high school boys to pick up your sister?" A shiver ran down my spine at those words. The boy whose nose I broke yesterday immediately resurfaced in my mind. His threat was suddenly ominous as it echoed in my ears...
He had told me I would regret it.
Don't fuck with me— "They even left you this note with a place to meet up at." I snatched the paper from her fingers, mumbling some goodbye as I ran out of the damn classroom.
Don't fuck me. Don't fuck with me. Don't fuck with me. Don't fuck with me.
Dark thoughts began to run around my head, memories and reality blurring together as my last day as Sunday Hightower began to resurface in déjà vu.
Nonono. Mistake. Mistake. They better not touch Kyōko! I'll kill them! I'll fucking kill them! It's happening again. Monday. It's Monday. I'll fucking kill them! If they touch Kyōko—! Thoughts, images, and sound began to mingle in dangerous combinations.
My heart pounded and my temples throbbed and my chest ached from the panic and the fear and the mere desperation to save my little sister.
This time. This time.
I nearly fell at my too sharp turn for the park. The smell of rubber and my fear prominent in the air. My eyes met Kyōko's tearful gaze, and I remembered how Monday didn't cry even though that man was—
"No, Onēchan! Run away!" There were three of them, and the one who most resembled the boy I pummeled yesterday wrapped his hand around my little sister's arm—
"Hey!" My voice carried, and I felt all the more powerful as the sound seemed to bounce back at me in its intensity. "If you fucks have a problem with me, you don't need to call me out using my little sister as bait you cowards!"
His eyes narrowed, his companions chuckling and cooing at me upon discovering I was a member of the opposite sex. "Dude, did this girl seriously break your brother's nose?"
"I bet she cried about breaking a nail right after!" they guffawed, clutching at their stomachs. The obvious leader of the trio smoothly shut them up with a shout, "If you bastards think you can handle teaching a girl a lesson, I'll leave it up to you."
He turned, dragging a struggling Kyōko behind him. Dragging. Struggling. Kyōko.
"N-No! Stop it! Leave Onēchan alone!" Screaming.
I wasn't hesitating this time.
"Dude, I don't think I can hit a girl—," I silenced him with a fist to the face, relishing the eyes rolling back into his head. One.
"What the—," I quickly punched the other one in the abdomen, feeling all air leave his lungs quickly enough to knock him out. Two.
I made my way over to the third as fast as I could, catching his attention when Kyōko shouted a relieved, "Onēchan!"
"What a persistent—" I broke the hold he had on my little sister with a jab to the elbow, hearing a pop, and then a scream. "Fuck, you little—!" I kicked out his feet from under him, satisfied at the air that escaped him. I grabbed a fistful of his collar, pulled him towards me, and socked him in the face. KillhimKillhimKillhim.
There was a crack, and Kyōko shrieked at the sound. "If you dare touch Kyōko again, you bastard—" I punched him one more time, his teeth tearing at my knuckles. "I'll fucking kill you. If you so much as think about touching my little sister again—" I reared back my right arm and placed all of my strength into the blow. There was a snap like cracking plastic, and I knew I broke something, but I didn't care what. "killing you would be a mercy." KillhimKillhimKillhim.
"O-Onēchan!" Kyōko's voice brought me out of my stupor, and I found it hard to collect my bearing and to even think about letting go of the boy. He was shaking, his fingers clutching the grass on either side of him.
More! More! He needs more—!
No. I inhaled deeply, "Kyōko," Kyōko, Kyōko, Kyōko. I let go of the high schooler, looking away and turning towards my little sister. "Are you okay?" She was trembling, clutching her hands to her chest and crying silently.
"O-Onēchan…" She sniffed, little fists rising to rub at her cheeks. "I was s-so scared." Her shoulders shook, and guilt struck me to core, reality smacking me upside the head.
What…did I just do? A little girl just witnessed her older sister fucking beat the crap out of three high school boys!
I could have killed him, I realized. I really could have killed him.
I was so close… and in front of Kyōko no less!
What a sister...
"I'm sorry…" I breathed, worried and anxious at her mental state. "I'm so sorry, Kyōko." I stood, nervously cautious. Will she push me away? Will she hate me? Will she be scared of me? I stepped towards her, growing in confidence when she didn't pull away. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer to me and rubbing at her back as she trembled against my neck. "I'm so sorry…"
"It's so scary…"
"I know." I mumbled into her hair, slowing my strokes against her back.
"Please…" I blinked, confused at the sudden strength in her voice. She raised her head, honey colored eyes bright with tears. "Please don't fight again, Onēchan…"
My throat went dry, and my heart began to pound the longer the silence lengthened.
Never fight again? I was a boxer.
But right here, right now, I could only think of calming her down and being well and safe—
I swallowed, the action awkward and painful. "Okay," I breathed, voice cracking in the middle of the lie.
"Promise?"
Fuck...
"I promise." She smiled in relief, and that small moment made everything okay.
Suddenly her eyes flicked over my shoulder, pupils dilating in fear. A shiver ran down my spine and I spun, extending myself to better cover Kyōko upon noting a figure and weapon. There was a sharp pain before I could properly process it and then fireworks exploding behind my eyes as I fell.
AAH! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!
Kyōko was screaming, that was her voice, and those were her hands pulling at my shoulders. I could faintly hear that guy cursing at me, lava pooling into my skull, quickly followed by, "Hey! What are you kids doing over there?!"
IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HUUUUUURTS!
"Help! Help!" Kyōko was still screaming, hot tears landing on my face and closed eyelids. "Onēchan is—!" She choked on her tears, "Onēchan is—!"
"Hah...hah...hah…"
I was getting light headed, and my ears were starting to ring. The left side of my head was burning. I was sure it was melting off at the fire.
Wow, what I sight I must be.
My hand lifted to the wound, palm trying to stop the blood. Because there was obviously blood running down my face. The smell was there. The taste was there. The heat was there.
And I promptly passed out in the middle of Kyōko's cries and wondering if the bastard damaged anything.
I woke up to Hibari's mother arranging a vase of magnolias on my left. The sweet smell made me nauseous and I quickly closed my eyes at the bright light coming from the window. After an appropriate amount of wincing passed, I opened my eyes again, watching as the morning sun created a halo around her head—
No. If I remembered correctly, it was called and aureola.
She was humming something, but I couldn't tell if it was Namimori's middle school or city anthem.
But that small moment… of utter peace… was the most beautiful thing…
And then it all came back—
Inhale.
And the door opened.
"Suzume, is she—?" Okāsan walked in, pupils catching mine. There were bags under her silver eyes, and her silver hair was sloppily pushed away from her tired face. There was a small second of confusion. I didn't know that she was aware of Otōsan's nickname for me, but the way she used it—
"Ryōhei!" I breathed in the smell of Okāsan's sweater, mind trying to catch up to the tackle I had just received. OwOwOw! She pulled away, hands running through my long hair, why is it down?, and eyes watering with tears. "You're okay…" She breathed, hands on either side of my face shaking slightly. She hugged me again before I could say anything, untangling herself to yell over her shoulder, "Akio! She's awake!"
She turned back to me, the relief in her eyes fading to annoyance and anger, "What were you thinking?" She hissed harshly over the sound of pounding feet. Uh—
"Ryōhei!" Otōsan nearly broke down the door, arms waving to catch his balance as he slid into the room. Honey colored eyes met mine, and I suddenly remembered Kyōko—
Is she—?
I was surrounded by muscle and warm skin before I could move, the awkward stubble on Otōsan's jaw irritating my forehead. He's usually clean shaven! "You're okay, Suzume…" And I blushed furiously, the nickname melting me to a happy-and-relieved-and-relishing-in-this-small-cuddle-session puddle. I wrapped my arms around my parents, cursing my short arms, trying not to snicker at Okāsan's angry-but-relieved rants, and grinning at Otōsan's take-it-easy sentence fragments and nervous chuckles as she turned her fury on him.
This...is my family… Huh. It was so warm...
I felt someone place their hand over my left, and, knowing it was Hibari's mother, intertwined my fingers with her's. She's family too... I opened one eye, encouraging her to join in by opening a space in our cuddle puddle, taking Otōsan and Okāsan by surprise.
"Oh, I don't think I—" Otōsan snatched her wrist and pulled her in, eliciting a feminine squeak and nervous mumbles that quickly dissipated the moment we engulfed her in our warmth.
It made me sad. That the small period of time didn't last.
After talking to the police and doctors (the wound would obviously scar and the boy was going to be charged), Kyōko ran in with cries of, "Onēchan!" after being picked up my Mrs. Hibari from school.
My first thought was, Is she okay?!, before she threw her arms around my waist, and I ran my hands along exposed skin, looking for injuries and luckily finding none. Thank god. I ran my fingers through her hair, relieved and feeling the tension leave my shoulders. She's okay. She lifted her head and looked at me with teary eyes, "What? Crying already?" I teased, using the sleeve of my hospital gown to wipe her cheeks. She's okay...
"You're never fighting again, right, Onēchan?" She sniffed, honey colored eyes wide and mouth frowning. There was a desperate tone to her gaze and voice, and I found myself laughing and smiling to make it go away.
Because Kyōko should not have that kind of expression.
"I promised you didn't I?" I smiled at her, and she gave me a relieved grin. The thought of making that smile go away… It nearly made me rethink my actions. But there's a problem I needed to address. I had promised her I wouldn't fight, but I was a boxer and I knew I wouldn't be stopping. Ever.
"But, Kyōko," She blinked curiously, unsuspecting of my feelings. Ignorant to my manipulation. No matter all that I've done, she was still able to retain such pure emotions when concerning me. She held no ill-will and never judged me.
What a sister I was...
I swallowed, a little nervous on how she'd take the truth... "I'm a boxer, I'll be fighting in the ring a lot. I have my pride. So…" I placed my hand on the top of her caramel colored hair, slowly ruffling it, hoping it gave her comfort, "To make sure you never worry for my safety, I'll make sure I'll walk out without a scratch."
I grinned at her, mildly fearful of her reaction, and it took a while for her to give me a slow nod, "Un." She mumbled, looking at the bed sheets. "Good girl." I whispered, ruffling her hair some more in relief.
I turned my attention to the dark shadow in the doorway, beaming at the boy. "Hey, Kyōya! How was school? Did I miss anything?" I wanted to hug the little bugger. I had just gone through multiple displays of love and I wanted to share it with him. So, I extended my arms, toes wiggling in expectation.
His steel gray eyes ran over the bandage covering my eyebrow, the pupils catching sight of the new gauze over the injury I received the day before yesterday. Man, is there a place I'm not injured?
He looked me in the eye, lips pressing together in annoyance, brow furrowed in disappointment. "Weak." And then he turned on his heel and walked out.
Well… I let my arms fall to my lap in disappointment.
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Omake: What Really Happened
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(for you Ryōhei/Hibari shippers)
"Ne, Kyōya." I leaned forward, tapping the light cut along his jaw with my index finger. He winced, scooting several centimeters away from me, giving the book in his lap his full attention. "What happened there?"
"None of your business, Sasagawa." He turned the page, but he wasn't reading, because it didn't take too long for him to flip another one.
"Eh~, is that so…" I replied, digging into the pockets of track jacket for the newspaper clipping I cut out this morning. There really was nothing to do in that hospital bed, and the daily news was just sitting on my bedside… "Have you heard about what happened to the kid who split my head open, yesterday?" I showed him the picture, the teenager beaten almost beyond recognition. "I heard he was… Bitten. To. Death."
The boy flinched, head snapping up to scowl at me. "Don't be ridiculous," He slapped the clipping from my hand, and I watched it flutter to the ground not too far away.
I pressed my lips together to stop from grinning, the words out before I could stop them, "Don't be like that Kyōya! I think it's kind of sweet that you—" I stopped, voice mute in disbelief. I didn't move, eyes trying to process what I was seeing.
"Are you… Are you blushing?" Oh my god, he was. The faint pink color bloomed to a rosy shade at my question, and I grew giddy at the reaction. "Oh my god, you—!"
Clank.
"OW~! Fucking god, that hurt like a bitch!" I cried, clutching at my head and wriggling in pain. Ow! Ow! Holy mother of—
"The inside of your head is hollow."
"What? That was the sound of the tonfa..!" My mind went blank. Okay, I had no excuse. "But seriously, Kyōya," He frowned at me, the blush already fading, mouth open to retort at me calling him by his given name, "Thank you." I smiled sincerely at him, hoping it sent a powerful enough message to compare to Kyōko's usual smiles. Unlikely, but it was worth a try.
Hibari Kyōya's cheeks flushed red.
Thanks to:
Thao Sama (thanks to Hibari, I can now write interesting chapters until the plot begins :), Dustflame (thank you, it was a spur of the moment thing), MusicOfMadness (haha, she's very stubborn that way), A fan (the cover art is actually what she would look like as a female. i really like it!), Teafully (i feel like Ryōhei and Kyōya will be spending a lot of time together), Not-Gonna-Update (i want Ryōhei to have a special connection with her dad, since he taught her how to box...), Onesmartcookie78 (it's a pet peeve of mine in a way, sorry about that, but I won't be changing it), Jessy (your review made me laugh...so hard), little101 (i wish it did. thanks for the review!)
Well, I feel as if the ending was rushed...
There's that Omake for femRyōheiOC/Hibari shippers. I think official parings will only start around the time of the Daily Life Arc. Yeah, that sounds good.
Thanks for the reviews guys! I'm freaking my sister out with all of my happiness squealing/dancing/fidgeting! Don't stop though.
Um... I have space in my rough drafts for two ideas that will become chapters and three spaces for Omakes if you guys want that. If you do, then those who are interested, can fill that in. Just review or PM me the ideas. :)
Um...yeah. Thanks guys! I love you! The support is really raising my self-esteem!
I'll be updating soon! Maybe. Hopefully.
—prince
