Honestly, the reviews are disappointing but nevertheless, inspiration hits and I will write.
One Shot: Chapter 2
"Sakuno," A voice teased lightly as an arm snaked around her waist. She let out a sigh as she continued stirring the broth. "I want to make love to you."
"Fuji." She rolled her eyes and wriggled free from his grasp, looking directly at him, ladle in hand. "Please don't do that, not when I am cooking." She turned her back towards him and resumed her cooking.
The guy merely smiled and walked out of the kitchen. Sakuno looked at the broth and wondered how she had gotten herself into this mess. After she returned from New York, he had been waiting at her doorstep for her, not to mention the thousands of roses that surrounded him and the house. In that moment of weakness, she had succumbed to his light words. Damn those eyes! She cursed. She never could resist them.
And so, nearly eight months later, they were still living together, despite her saying that she would never ever go back to him when they first broke up.
New York… her thoughts drifted as she remembered the distinct stranger she had met on the plane. The guy whose name she never knew. She smiled wistfully at the memory of him, stirring absentmindedly.
She wondered if he still thought of her.
"Please take care of yourself!" He yelled from the platform and waved as she nodded and waved back. Upon seeing him turn and vanishing from sight, she was relieved and went about looking for a seat.
It was tiring to be with him, her boyfriend but she did not know why she still did not have the heart to break up with him. Every time she resolved to break up, those magical lips of his would stop her from speaking. It infuriated her to no end that she was still so weak.
At last, it was time for her to finish her thesis and she set about for Hokkaido University and looked forward to the solitude she would be getting. A welcome respite indeed.
She located her seat and put her luggage into the hold. As she struggled with the last piece, a hand reached out and smoothly slid the offending piece in.
"Ah! Thank you!" She turned to smile at the kind stranger only to realize that…
"It's you!" The stranger cried and the two found themselves staring at the other. It seemed like it was only yesterday when the two had parted at the airport again.
"What a pleasant surprise…" She murmured as he gently tipped his cap. "Do you by any chance happen to be sitting opposite me?" She gestured at the seat.
He chuckled. "Why I believe so." She smiled as they settled down and the train started to move off. They were silent for a while, until she could not bear it any longer and broke the silence.
"So, where are you headed to?"
"Well, Osaka actually, and you… ah, let me try to guess since I can read your mind quite well, the last time I remembered." She blushed. He tapped his fingers to his forehead, as though in deep thought. "Hokkaido?"
"Ah! How did you know! I am quite sure there's no brochure around this time!" She exclaimed, surprised once again. He shrugged.
"Pyshcic."
"Mou, you're teasing me." She let out a little pout as she settled back into her seat.
"I thought I would see you around Tokyo. Gee, it's stuffy." He unbuttoned the top button of his polo shirt. "Never did see you around."
"Well, I was busy."
"Oh, with a guy?" He asked, looking at her curiously. She stiffened, rather unsure of what to say.
"Yes." She finally said. "My ex, actually." He gave a little 'oh' and settled back into his seat. The train roared past the city.
"Well, he must have really wanted you back." He said nonchantly, although if she did listen closer, there was a very faint hint of disappointment.
"Maybe." She looked out of the window and bit her lip. The last bit of Tokyo disappeared as the train sped past to yet another stop. "So! What have you been up to!" She asked cheerfully.
"Well, nothing much. Just some tennis here and there."
"Oh, then why are you heading to Osaka?"
"To meet some people. Maybe visit Universal Studios for a while." He was rather indifferent in his answers and she felt a little disappointed. After all that expectations, he seemed so much different. He closed his eyes, only to open them shortly after and looked at her.
"I didn't think I would see you again. It was stupid to not ask your name." He finally confessed, looking rather sheepish.
"Ryuuzaki Sakuno." She said first, a bit surprised at her boldness.
"Sakuno… that's a nice name. Sakura… Sakuno… pretty much the same ne?" He looked at her, a twinkling in his eye. "Ryoma Echizhen."
"Ryoma…." She said it, unfamiliar with it but repeated it slowly. "Ryoma… Oh! Where's your cat? Karupin?"
He laughed. "You remembered? I didn't bring him along because I can't afford to look after him. My friends are taking care of him for me. The pampered little prince." He said it rather fondly, as though thinking of it right at that minute.
"Pity, I would have loved to play with it."
"You would. So, what are you going to Hokkaido for? It's cold at this time of the year, isn't it?" He asked, curious. His book forgotten, he shifted uneasily in the seat. He gestured at the seat next to her. "May I?"
She looked at him, puzzled before realizing he wanted to sit next to her. "Oh! Please do. Well, I'm going to complete my thesis."
"Interesting. What's it on?"
She twirled a lock of her long, brown hair. "Well, I don't want to bore you."
"Oh come on. There's still a long way to go to Osaka from here!" He teased. She smiled.
"Well, it's on the simplicity of the complexity of human relations. Still with me?"
"Kind of. Go on."
"Ok. It's like an exploration on how relations are formed, on the entire random nature of it. There's that human connection, that bond which somehow forms when you meet someone."
"So you are trying to explain how it forms?" He asked thoughtfully. She looked a little disappointed.
"Truth is, I have no idea. That's why I need the space to think."
"Ah, a thinking professor in the making. Interesting. Well, I guess the connection just happens. Maybe there is a god somewhere. You believe in a god?" She frowned when he asked that.
"Not really. I believe we can control our destiny."
"Like even in an accident?"
"Well, that's something unforeseen."
"Then maybe there really is someone dictating this. Like…" He looked around for an example. "How about you and I? It was totally random. How do you control that?"
She laughed. "Ryoma, are you trying to convert me or something?"
"Nah. Just exploring. I like to dabble in these kind of philosophical stuff sometimes."
"That's why I say I am impressed by you. Guys your age wouldn't be thinking of this. They would be thinking of how to get up a girl's skirt."
"I think of that too."
"Oh! Pity!" They both laughed. "I feel so awful and it's your fault Ryoma."
"Well, Sakuno, I do believe you have very low expectations."
"Maybe a bit too low." She stopped smiling and let out a sigh.
"Your ex?" He asked cautiously. She looked at him ruefully and nodded. "How did he manage to convince you?"
"Truth is, I don't know."
"Good in bed?"
"Ryoma!" Her cheeks coloured.
He shrugged. "It's normal. But it's ok if you don't want to answer."
"Well, maybe. But the point is I don't know if I want to spend my life with him. I mean, well, I don't know."
"No connection?"
"There was."
"Well, it can always get cut off." He shrugged again. "It happens."
"Maybe. How about you?"
"Nah, I don't want to repeat my ex's story again."
"So you're scared!" She exclaimed. He looked at her curiously, those warm eyes.
"Scared?'
"Once bitten twice shy kind of a thing. You know."
"True. I think so. It's hard to fall in love but even harder to fall out of love."
"A real philosopher you are! Maybe you should help me write my thesis!" She laughed and playfully punched his arm.
"I charge exorbitantly."
"Take credit cards?"
"Sure." He let out a little yawn. "I am kinda bummed out."
"Me too." She shifted in her seat. "Let's sleep?"
"Great idea."
"Good night, Ryoma."
"Good night, Sakuno." And there was silence until a voice spoke up.
"Ne Sakuno?"
"Yes?"
"Never mind."
"Ryoma!"
"Good night."
Reviews are appreciated!