AN: Sorry for the long wait!Here's the third chapter! Our leads finally get their "screen time" in this chapter. If you read the manga, this is more understandable. If not that's okay too! Enjoy the story!
CHAPTER 3
"The Lake Versus The Beach"
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"It's finally coming isn't, Yuki-kun?"
"Just wait and see. It'll come...summer's end"
What are you talking about?
Light had broken though the darkness of sleep to reveal a face of a dark-haired boy with a pair a huge brown eyes.
"I am talking about Princess Yun-Yun and why her royal highness won't awaken to my princely ...Ow! Ow!"
"Your stupidy is enough to wake me up!" the awoken gray-haired boyfumed as he pulled on his friend's ear. He was irritated that he was awaken and that the other boy invaded his privacy. "How did you get in here?"
"Who was the man that gave you key? He is sure to have a copy!"
"You should of just knocked!"
"It wouldn't wake your royal highness!"
"Oh yeah? Wanna take it outside?" Yuki jumped out of his bed and lifted his arms in fighting stance. The other boy mirrored his stance.
"Let's take here! Right here! Right now!"
The two boys threw punches without hitting each other and then laughed at their absurdity. The dark-haired boy put his arm around his friend's shoulders.
"I just want to tell you to get dress for the beach. Meet ya downstairs in a few?" He let the other boy go and headed to the doorway.
"Yeah," Yuki nodded.
After Yuki dressed in his beach attire, he went downstairs and saw the area was different than the day before, not only it was clean, but there were no people. They left already?
"Everybody's already at the beach! I just stayed behind so I could take you and hopefully... another person."
"Another person...is there...?"
"Yeah, she stayed to make breakfast for you...since the breakfast ended an hour ago. There was nothing for you left...so she insisted that she stay and fix something else. A stubborn person she is."
While Manabe was talking, Yuki stood and gazed out of the glass of the sliding doors. He could see his mysterious cook standing by the lake. He put his hand on the glass door and blushed.
"It's in the kitchen...already heated up." Manbae pulled Yuki from his spot and pushed him to the kitchen. "Come on! We don't have all day! Eat! Eat!"
Yuki ate as quickly as he could with Manabe rushing him. Afterwards, Manabe went outside to the back to talk to the "cook by the lake" and then, dragged the gray-haired boy to his car. As he dragged him, Yuki remembered the "cook" left behind.
"Hey! What about her?" he said while Manabe was pulling him by the arm to his car.
"Forget it. She wouldn't go even if I threaten her. She insisted that she doesn't want to go." Manabe said.
"But still!" Yuki yanked his arm away from him and headed back to the house.
Manabe shook his head and sighed. "Make that two stubborn people."
Yuki rushed to through the sliding doors and spotted the girl by the lake. He walked over and stood silently beside her. There were no sounds, but the whispers of the summer breeze and splashes made by the birds by the lake as they swoop down to have their morning meal. The soft breeze gently move the fabric of the girl's periwinkle dress and the soft tresses of her dark brown hair. She glanced over at the boy beside her and looked away.
"I want to thank you for breakfast. It was surprisingly good."
"Surprisingly?" she questioned.
"Heh," the boy chuckled. "I was surprised what a good cook you are."
The girl responded with a light blush.
"Ano...we're leaving for the beach now...why don't you come along?"
The girl's face became tense. "I don't like the beach."
"You prefer the lake?"
"I just don't want to go." Silence had returned between the two.
Why doesn't she want to go? I could see the reasons why I wouldn't want to go. It's too hot. The sand's bothersome. I get feverish too...but...but still it's fun. I would want to go just to be with everyone. Everyone...
Why does it matter if I go or not? He could just go on ahead...unless...unless...he doesn't want...
"If you don't go...it'll be no fun. I wanted you to go because I know it'll be fun. If you don't like the water, then stay on the shore. If you don't like the sand, then stay along the water. If you don't like either...we could always stay here."
He'll stay here?
"No, you don't..." she faced the boy as he gently held his hand out to her. He smiled softly at her.
"Machi doesn't like the beach...because it'll be lonely, ne?"
Yuki...
"Either way, you're going!" he said sanguinely as he took her hand and pulled her along with him. She silently gave in as he escorted her to Manabe's car.
The boy by the car was surprised to see his sister's attendance. He smiled and went inside of his car to start it. The other two joined him inside.
Just how does he do it...
Twenty-minutes later, they arrived by at the sunny summer scenery. There were people hanging around doing different activities: volleyball, swimming, sand-castle building, sun-bathing, reading, etcetra. Asume and Kimi came to greet the newcomers.
"Hey! Machi's here too! Kimi is glad Machi came!" the girl in the pink floral bikini said. She took Machi by the hand. "Sou, let's hang out!" They disappeared into the beach ahead. Yuki smiled. At least someone else is happy to see her too.
Asume lead her boyfriend by the arm as they walked to the beach with Yuki following behind, carrying the umbrella and towels. They laid their towels and set their stuff next to Kimi and Asume's already laid out towels. After the umbrella was set, Manabe instantly set off out into the sea with his girfriend, leaving Yuki to relax on his own. He leaned back with supporting arms on the large, beige beach towel underneath the placed umbrella. As he watched everyone doing their own activity, a memory of his last summer vacation came to pass.
This feels so familiar. Yes. Last year. I remember...such a bittersweet memory.
"I must tell you something...the lid must be opened."
I couldn't get myself to tell her that I was letting her go. The truth about her and me really hurt during that time. I wanted to be the one to love her...but in the end...it was not that way.
"You should call Honda-san by name."
Tohru...Tohru...I should call her by name...but should I really? Tohru...It's like something sacred to my lips. It's strange though...when I was told to say "her" name...it came so easily to me...
"Machi..."
From the distance, Yuki could see the two female cabinet members standing along side one another, conversing, although the girl in his mind is not a frequent chatter. He watched in wonder what the two were talking about. In the forefront, the dark-haired girl next to the silent one smiled at her with her hands interlocked together, behind her back.
"Kimi knows what Machi's thinking!" she exclaimed.
The girl gave her a unsmiling look and glanced at the other girl from the side. "What am I thinking?"
"Hee, hee...about that boy staring at you from far away." Kimi pointed out the pointed to the boy with the lean of her head.
"What?" A hint of red started to form on the other girl's cheeks when she glanced quickly at the boy.
"Come on! I knew it ever since this past spring! You like Yun-Yun!" the girl said excitedly. "Kimi also knows that Yun-Yun like Machi too!"
"Don't say such irrelevant things!" Machi snapped with a burning red face.
"Machi doesn't have to be embarrassed about it! It's normal! Kimi like boys too! Yun-Yun is a nice guy, ne? He's always nice to Machi."
"Just because he's nice...it doesn't mean that..." she paused as she looked down and away from the other girl.
"Kimi thinks there is something. Mmmhmm! There's something." Kimi ended the conversation when she saw the boy in question heading their direction. She smiled at him and leaned her head to one side.
"Hey Kimi. Machi. I am going for a walk, do you two care to join me?" the boy asked.
"Ano...Kimi wants to go in the water! Yun-Yun should get in too! It's fun!" the girl replied.
"Maybe some other day. We'll be here for two weeks, so maybe another day."
"Awww...okay. Kimi go to the water anyways! Machi probably wants to take a walk!" The girl dashed towards the ocean where the others were swimming. "Have fun you two!" She splashed into the water and joined the others who includes, Manabe, Asume, Asume's friends and the student reps who were at the party.
The pair stared at the crowd in the ocean. Yuki smiled serenely at the crew while the girl next to him just stared. "That sounds like fun, but I don't like crowds." He turned to the girl next to him, "Shall we?"
They walked quietly, side by side along the ocean shore with the salty water stroking at their feet and the sand shifting between their toes. The view ahead was the rockiness of the beach with gulls surrounding around the rocky area. Yuki stopped and looked at the sky above. He smiled forlornly. Machi gazed at his sad smile.
She spoke softly by his side, "You laugh, but still smile sadly. Something is still making you sad?"
The boy still looked out to the sky, but his smile turned into a contented one. "It because it was like the sky...unable to be reached. That's what I used to think...when I was not free."
She was like the sky too...except she remained like the sky. If I continue to reach for her, I'll never reach her and only drown in desperation and dependence. Now, because I let go...this period had came to me.
"Who was your captor? The reason you were not free," the girl's voice interrupted his train of thought. He looked at her and walked over to the rocky shore. He sat on one of the rocks with her following.
"I used to blame many people for my weaknesses, especially certain people inmy family...but, now I only have myself to blame. I used their tormenting as an excuse to be weak."
"I didn't know you went through that." The girl viewed the ocean ahead of them. "No wonder you seemed so lonely during that time. You weren't free." A hand went over hers and held it. She looked over at her held hand and blushed lightly.
"You really know how to 'see', Machi. You have a deeper perception of things that many people couldn't see. That's what I like about you." He looked in her direction and smiled. The smile faded slowly while he look at her. "Yet..." he frowned. "The only reason you could see it...was because you could feel it yourself. You know exactly how I feel because you are feeling it."
Machi looked at him with widened eyes and hopped off the rock they were sitting at. She looked at him furiously. "I don't want your pity." She turned away and made tracks.
Yuki stared as she walked away. "Gomen, Machi. It's the truth, not pity."
In the afternoon, everybody left to go home except Manabe's student council crew, his girlfriend and her friends, who are all staying at his lake house. He ordered bento boxes for everyone when they returned from their beach excursion (of course they have to pay, with the exception of Machi and Asume). When the food arrived, everyone ate at the two bench tables located near the house, a little distant from the lake. Asume ate with her pals at one table while her boyfriend at with his pals at the other. She and the girls talked about some of the representatives and how odd some of them were. Then, their conversation shifted over to the prince of Kaibara High.
"We didn't get to see too much of Yuu-chan today!" said a long brown hair girl (the one who sat by Yuki in the car), named Rina. She was wearing a blue tank top and jean shorts over her bathing suit. "Hey Yuu-chan! Where were you at the beach? We were searching for you!" she called out to the table in facing her.
Yuki cringed a little when he heard his newfound nickname being used. He nervously smiled at the girl. "A-Ano... I was just walking...that's all."
"That's fine! We still have time to spend with Yuu-chan!" she chimed from the other table. The other girl turned and giggled. "Tomorrow, ne? Yuu-chan?"
"H-Huh?" Yuki sweated at the girl's assertiveness.
"Rika-chan...Yuu-chan probably has something else in mind." Asume scolded as she lightly patted her friends hand.
"Yun-Yun doesn't mind!" her boyfriend responded. "He'd be happy to escort you ladies! To the mall that is...unless there is another "district" in mind..." he lightly tapped the gray-haired boy with his elbow.
"What other 'district'? And why did you decide for me!" the boy growled.
"Daijabou, Yun-Yun! You'll have fun...trust me!" the boy assured.
"But..." he looked over at the empty space near Kimi. He glowered and rested his elbow on the table with his chin sitting in his palm. Kimi looked at the empty space and sighed unnoticeably.
"So, Yuu-chan will go? Right?" Rina asked, looking in Yuki's direction.
"Okay...I'll go," Yuki gave in still glowering at the space. Rina pouted and walked over to the boy. She lowered to his eye level and gave him concerned look.
"Are you sure? You don't have to...you just... don't seem too happy."
"It's alright," Yuki lifted his head off of his chin and replaced his glower with a light smile. "I was just tired. I would like to escort you and your friends, Sujaki-san."
"Really?! Arigato, Yuu-chan! It'll be fun! Just wait until tomorrow!" she gleamed as she returned to tell her friends the good news. Manabe patted him on the back.
"You're such a good sport, Yuu-chan!" he cheered.
"Jeez, thanks a lot," Yuki said sarcastically. "Don't call me Yuu-chan."
"Sorry, it got rubbed on me by my girl."
As everyone continued to talk amongst themselves, Yuki walked to the lake, hoping to find her. However, she was not present. He sighed.
Was I too quick to confront her of her own struggles? She always have known mine and aided me whenever I tried to break through. I want to help her...
"Yun-Yun?" Yuki glanced over his right and saw the secretary of his cabinet. "Kimi knows what's bothering Yun-Yun." She walked over beside him. "Machi's mysteriousness, ne?"
"Hai...she's a real mystery."
"Kimi always known Yellow likes Red."
"Huh?" the boy confused over her saying.
"Remember last year's end-of-the-term celebration? We went to that new eateryKimi chose,to celebrate.Kimi didn't understand why Machi was still in her uniform...remember?"
"Yeah. I remember. She also answered my question...she liked the color of the leaf I gave her."
"Does Yun-Yun remember what color was that leaf?" She smiled as she asked.
"It's red," he answered without thinking about it.
"Machi likes Red!" Kimi sing-songed. "Think about it, Yun-Yun!" she called out as she skipped over back to the tables.
"She likes red. What does yellow have to do with it?" he asked himself. "Hey...wait...she didn't mean our student council colors. I was red, Kimi was pink, Manabe was black, Nao was blue and Machi...was... yellow." He blushed profusely.
How could I miss that? Was I that dense? That's why she looked at me like that when I asked her long ago. If she said "red" then...what would I think?
In the evening, everyone gather around the dinner table for a surprise dinner by the host himself, with the help of his girlfriend, of course. When his dish was served to him, Yuki looked at it and poked the charred substance on his plate. "Manabe, I don't want to be discourteous, but is this suppose to be fish?" Manabe walked over and poked at it with a wooden spoon.
"Hmmm...I think it is...Yeah," he nodded with his hand underneath his chin.
"You think it is...why are poking at my food?"
"Just eat!" Manabe yelled.
"You don't have to yell!" Yuki retorted. He went back to probing his dinner. Asume brought out the last bowl of rice to him and looked over his shoulder.
"That's salmon, Yuu-chan. Created by Nabe-chan with friendly love!" she answered his question fully. Yuki redden with embarrassment for being obnoxious to his friend who was trying to fix him dinner. When the two chefs seated themselves, Yuki looked over at the other boy's direction and frowned. "Hey Manabe..."
"Yeah?" the boy responded a little irately.
"Thanks for fixing my plate. I am sorry for being rude...I apologize. Gomen."
"It's all cool, man. Just eat," the boy said coolly.
"Hai. Idakimas." Yuki began to cut the charred meat into pieces and at them one by one slowly. The taste was as it was expected, but not as bad. As he ate the reminder of his meal, he stole a few glances of the girl next to his friend. She was eating silently, ignoring everyone around her.
Is she still mad at me?
After dinner, Yuki was going to help in the kitchen but he got kicked out by Asume's friends, who already took the job.
"It's alright, Yuu-chan! You already done us the favor to escort us to the mall!" Rina told him. "Go on and rest up for tomorrow!"
Yuki wondered around the first floor until he saw lighted room of the study go off. Machi walked out of the door with a few books in her arms. He walked over to her. "Hey Machi, were you doing your summer homework?"
"I am done with that long ago. I was just looking for a few books."
"I see...are you still mad about earlier?"
"I wasn't mad at you...I was angry with myself."
"No need to be angry...it's alright. We all have our weaknesses...but it's our choice alone what we are to do with them. However, despite your weaknesses...I believe that you're fighting to make them your strengths. I just want you to know I am here to support you."
The girl looked up at him with her eyes gazing in awe. Her head lowered."Thank you, Yuki. Same here. I'll be here to support you in your weaknesses." After she said her words, he lifted his hand and pat her left shoulder.
"You have always been a good support. Thank you." he gently smiled. The girl faced away to hide her blushing reaction.
"FREAKO PEVERTO! UNREASONABLE PROBING!" yelled Manabe from behind.
"There you go again! Shouting redundant nothings!" Yuki retorted to the other boy's ferocity.
"First my food, now you are being perverted! Yun-Yun's being rebellious today!" the boy cried.
"Now you are just being ridiculous. Not making any sense here?"
"Just admit it Yun-Yun...you are a pervert in the closet!"
"What?! Say that again and I'll make sure you get stuffed in your own closet!"
"Now you are not making any sense!" The two continued on squabbling and wringing each other necks as the girl with them watched. She was joined with the other girls, who were amused over this nonsense.
After the boys rekindled their friendship, everyone went their separate ways to prepare for the next day ahead. Yuki changed into his pajamas and rested on his bed. He closed his eyes as he shifted into his relaxed state. A sound of laughter had evaded his rested state.
What's going on?
The boy got up from his bed and sauntered down the lighted hallway from his room. The noise grew louder as he move closer to Kimi's room. Her door was partially open to reveal a group of girls laughing and joking around.
Oh, it's just them. Back to bed I go...
Just as the boy retreated, his "unnecessary" nickname was called, "Yuu-chann!"
"Yes?" Yuki turned and saw a pink-pajama clad girl with short-dark hair. She was one of Asume's friends. Her name was Akira.
"Why don't you come and join us, since you are here! We didn't know you were lonely!"
That's not it.
"No, I was just passing by...on my way to bed. If you don't mind..."
"Aww, come on, Yuu-channn! You are not an old man! It's only nine! Come on!" she grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of Kimi's room.
Not again.
When the two entered, everyone looked in their direction and became even more boisterous. "Yaaayy-Yuuu-chan is here!" cheered a light brown haired girl in a white robe with pink pants, named Noriko. She trotted over to where Akria and Yuki sat themselves and sat next to Yuki. The boy apprehensively looked both sides of him to make sure no one was sneaking a "hug" from him. Kimi was sitting on her bed with a cheery smile pasted on her face, for this was one of the rarest moments to see her colleague in this position.
"Yun-Yun! You came to chat with us? Kimi's happy!" the girl lowered herself off of her bed and sat net to Asume, who was trying to tell her pals to not make Yuki so uncomfortable.
"Yuu-chan, are you alright with this? I mean, you are not uncomfortable with us are you?" she asked concernedly.
"Heh...daijabou, Mizua-san," Yuki replied nervously. "It's just that I never been..."he paused when he realized that the girl he was talking to was his best's friend's girl. "A-Ano...where's the other guy?"
"Nabe-chan is such a baby. He went to sleep when I wanted to stay up and watch the stars! He's being unromantic, but that's okay...I still love him. Oh well, at least Yuu-chan is here! Does Yuu-chan have a special someone also?"
Yuki sweated after he heard that question. Nobody has ever attempted to ask him because they all assumed he he's "special" and nobody's good for him. Kimi patted her new friend on the back and beamed, "No one has ever asked him that before! Even Kimi never asked! Yun-Yun is shy about these things. Ne, Yun-Yun?"
Yuki blinked at his associate."You're quite right, Kimi. These things don't come so easily for me..." he hesitated to look upon everyone. All the girls were quiet and somewhat serious. Sitting next to Asume, was Rina; another dark-haired girl named Miki; and a brown haired girl named, Suisuki. Yuki stared across from them, lost of words.
I never seen such a crowd of calm people. People who has no care in the world where I came from or who I was. They treated me like I am another regular person...even though they are a group of girls.
"Yun-Yun? Are you okay?" Kimi brought his mind back into reality.
Yuki gave her a gentle smile. "Yeah, I was just thinking about how everyone's different than the girls at my school. Kimi knew how the girls were right?"
Kimi excitedly grinned and nodded. "They worship him like a prince. You all know he is known as the Prince of Kaibara High?"
"We heard from Nabe-chan," Asume said. "I find that quite unbelievable! We go to an all girls school, so we could only imagine what it might have been like to have a prince at our school!"
"There is also a fan club called 'Puri Yuki' ," Kimi continued her explanation of the phenomenon of Kaibara High. "They were so mean to Kimi, just because Kimi was being friendly and get to spend more time with Yun-Yun!"
"That's just crazy fandom, almost like a movie star!" Rina commented.
"It's not like that," Yuki said, "It more like they felt they can't approach me. That I am only there for them to view and worship. More like an idol. Even the boys were that way. Strange isn't it?"
Everyone stood silent for a moment. Kimi leaned her head to one side and smile serenely at the boy for explaining what he kept inside for so long. She understood that this type of thing makes him feel out of place. "Kimi understand now. Yun-Yun doesn't like being a prince, ne?"
Yuki just responded with a carefree grin and nodded. The girls responded in a similar fashion and continued asking Yuki more about his school, working in the student council and his favorite things. The boy begun to feel more confident in talking with his new friends as the conversation grew longer. Watching him from afar, through the cracks of the doors was someone still lost in her own fears and weaknesses. She felt a certain warmth was she watched the boy beamed brightly in his newfound assertiveness.
He smiled sadly long ago...in a crowd similar to this. He was right about me feeling his loneliness because I myself had always been alone. When I saw him walked the halls at school, I watched him walk alone, gazing at the crowd he wished he could be a part of. I didn't want him to be alone, so I tried my best to greet him day by day...trying my hardest to show him that he's alone no more. Now, he smiles more freely, more careless of his insecurity...because he's in his period of freedom.
As she headed back to her room, with a glass of water in her hand, his voice called for her. "Machi."
She turned around to face the one she watched earlier. He walked closer and lowered his face close to hers. Her eyebrows lifted at his nearness. "I never forgotten you, if that's what you are worried about." Her face went crimson and she quickly spun around. As she spun, she spilled some of the water in her glass on herself and the boy facing her.
"I am not worried about anything!" she steamed and stormed to her room.
Yuki shook his head at the water spelt on the shirt of his pajamas and just marveled on the girl's adorable reaction. He headed back to his room and gazed at the window outside. A soft smile formed on his face as he thought of the girl earlier.
She's always retreating when I flattered her. She doesn't want me to see that cute blush she has. How endearing. I hope she could smile someday. I bet when she does smile, it is just as cute as that blush. Please let me be the one to make her smile...just as she makes me.
AN: Oh my, Yuki has loosen up a little more once he see the girls aren't as bad as they seem to be. He's already comfortable with the leading lady from the time before. If you read CH 100 from the manga, that's is where that comfortableness began. Okay, Yuki gets to know his new friends better in the next crazy chapter! See ya!