THE WEDDING
By: silver gem yuki and Krizzie
Yuki: Hey!
Krizzie: Um… hi.
Yuki: What happened to you???
Krizzie: I'm bummed, damn inspiration.
Yuki: Isn't inspiration good?
Krizzie: Yeah, but it came to me in the middle of the night, so I was forced to type this chapter up before I lost it. Damn.
Yuki: Well, I'm glad you began writing again. It's been a really long wait… and no one's reviewing anymore. Although I'm still mad…
Krizzie: Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. Let's start, and as an act of apology, I'll encourage Yuki to write down more chapters… yawn… and I'll write an extra long chapter for you guys who still trust that I will update… if there's anybody… damn, my eyes are getting droopy.
Date: April 8, 2004 (Thu.)
After breakfast, the group was assembled in Sanae and Tsubasa's room by the very girl who arranged their trip, except Takeshi who was arranging his stuff inside Hyuga and Wakashimazu's room.
"So… where are we going today?" Sanae asked, excited. Krizzie smiled, taking out her organizer and checking out the ninth of April.
"Hmm… we're going to Quezon City next week…" she said in a slow manner, dragging her finger down the page as her eyes scanned the rest. "We're going to be staying there for more or less… hmm… a month… unless you want to explore Manila a little bit further…" she looked up to see their faces.
"I want to see a little bit of Manila first before we go… but let's follow your plan of going there next week." Tsubasa spoke up.
Krizzie grinned and shut her notebook. "Well, how about we go to the seaside?"
Yuki beamed. "The beach!"
"Not exactly… but just as good." Krizzie replied just as little Takeshi entered. He smiled, apparently hearing most of their conversation.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" he asked, everyone smiled at him, glad that he was over with the airport incident. "Let's go!"
"Yeah!!!"
--
Genzou's eyes narrowed as he brought his hand up to pinch his nose. His glare redirected itself from the ocean towards a very… very… annoying cheerleader.
"What?" Krizzie asked with a glare just as scary. "It's nice here."
Yuki beamed, her hands clasped in front of her almost like in a praying position. "I think it's romantic." She smirked at two of the couples in the group. "Perfect for taking the ladies for a stroll, ne, Matsuyama, Tsubasa?"
Said boys reddened to the roots of their hair before suggesting just that to their female counterparts. Anna squealed and rushed to get a camera from out of nowhere and record them.
Meanwhile, people around were eyeing the 43 people curiously. "Foreigners? And dami ata…" (Foreigners? Isn't there a little too many?) one man said to another. This caught the group's attention as more whisperings were uttered.
"Hapon?" (Japanese?)
"Anong ginagawa nila dito?" (What are they doing here?)
"Ang cute nung isang guy doon o! Yung may cap. Tingin mo he'll notice me?" (That guy over there is so cute! The one with the cap. You think he'll notice me?)
At this point, the few people in the large group who spoke the country's native language snickered, while still being able to look horrified, for Anna, Yuki and Krizzie anyway.
"I seriously didn't understand a single word." Hajime said with a frown. This time, the stares were planted on him. (Remember, they're Japanese, so even if the Filipinos spoke English, our poor Japanese characters won't understand won't have much to understand… well, except for those who paid attention to their English class anyway.)
"I understand a few words…" Sanae muttered. Genzou looked at her before nodding in agreement.
"They spoke a few English words." he mumbled out loud. "And I just hate to think that girl was speaking about me." He stole a glance at the girl, who was wearing a pink spaghetti-strapped top with a single flower in the middle, pink belt, flared jeans and pink floral sandals. She was quite good-looking, with fair skin, dark hair and eyes but Genzou wasn't much of a woman-chaser anyway.
Krizzie smirked. "Oh she's got the eye for you alright. Don't worry wise guy, girls here don't often make the first moves… at least, I think." she paused, as if scrutinizing every girl in the area. "Hell, I don't care. Let's just enjoy are visit here! Okay, for starters, this is the Manila Bay, though not so clean anymore, it is one of Philippine's tourists spot. We are at Roxas Boulevard, Manila. And this is one spot to choose if you want to watch the sunset. Any questions?"
Izawa raised his hand, albeit hesitantly. "Um… where can we get breakfast?"
--
They ate at a small tent-like… structure. It was lucky that they were early, since they occupied all the tables and a few even ate at the seats nearby. They were just too many.
Krizzie had finished eating and left her utensils at the table for the waiter to clean up. She grabbed her backpack and peered inside. They had plenty of cash, but most were in Japanese yen. "Hey, I think our current peso money would be able to cover the bill... but there won't be so much after that. I'm going to look for a money changer somewhere." She took the current peso bills and placed them on Anna's hands, telling her to handle the payments.
Yuki looked up. "I'll go with you. I'm finished eating anyway."
Rueloko and Akari stood up as well, joining the duo. "Us too." they chorused. Sanae and Tsubasa insisted that they come along as well.
After a minute, Genzou and Ishizaki had also invited themselves. With a sigh, Krizzie and her small company went inside the first bus to look for the said money changer. While she was gone, she entrusted her job as tour guide to Anna, Ian and Ina. The one who will make sure they were complete was Yoshiko.
Anna smiled, looking at the change they have left. "How about we go for a bike ride?"
--
Krizzie counted the money on her hand. "Well, do you think I should change it all right away?" she asked Yuki. The girl nodded.
"Yup, you don't want to go again and again, do you?" she asked. "It's only logical."
Krizzie glared at her. "So, are you implying that I'm stupid for asking?"
Yuki smiled smugly. "Nope, I actually praise you for being smart enough to ask… least of all ask me."
Krizzie returned her gaze to the money before she returned the bundles to the bag. "Remind me never to ask you for advice."
The bus ride was fairly silent, and Krizzie was a bit worried that she was ruining Sanae and Tsubasa's engagement for not being able to come up with great activities. She looked at them and asked, "Hey guys, you don't happen to be mad at me… do you? You know… for the trip being boring and all…"
Sanae tore her gaze away from the bus window and looked at her with a grin. "Absolutely not! It's really quite entertaining to brisk around unfamiliar grounds. It's really different from Japan." Tsubasa nodded in silent agreement. Krizzie smiled.
"The streets are filthy." Genzou grumbled.
Yuki sighed. "Well, that's the Philippine streets for you. But… the government's doing something about this… well, I hope anyway. Don't worry; there are a lot of places where it's garbage free."
"I sure hope so…" the keeper muttered. He gazed at Krizzie. "This trip you arranged is boring you know. We aren't doing anything really fun… or even amusing."
Krizzie snorted. "If you want amusing, just watch cable TV." She turned to the window and the conversation was over.
Genzou groaned, cupping his chin before he looked out the window as well. Ishizaki transferred from his own seat to the one next to the goalie and nudged him with a very annoying elbow.
"Ooh… fighting with the cheerleader, are we?" he teased. Genzou rolled his eyes and ignored the monkey.
Ishizaki only stopped his teasing when Akari's phone rang. The cheerleader got it from her bag and answered it. "Anna? Oh… okay… fine… will the money last? Are you sure…? Okay… well, are you really, REALLY sure? Well… no, somehow, I don't… Okay, okay… I'll tell Krizzie. Have fun." she hung up and turned to Krizzie.
"Anong sabi?" Krizzie asked. (What did she say?)
"Dinala nanaman ni Ms. Sexy silang lahat dun sa Luneta. Magba-bike daw." (Ms. Sexy took them again to the Luneta park. She said they were going to ride some bikes.)
"Pa'no yung pera?" asked Krizzie, alarm bells ringing in her head. (What about the money?)
"Oo nga!" Rueloko exclaimed from beside Akari. "Kasya ba?" (Yeah! Is it enough?)
"Kasya daw sabi niya, nagmamayabang pa na magaling daw ang math niya. Biniro ko pa nga na hindi ako tiwala sa mathematical skills niya, sinigawan pa nga ako sa phone. MVP talaga…" (She told me they have enough budget, even boasting that she's great in math. I even joked around that I don't trust her mathematical skills and the girl screamed on the other line. She's truly the MVP…)
Krizzie smirked. "Yeah, Most Violent Pupil…"
The two received weird looks from four of their friends and they exchanged smirks.
The bus halted into a stop and the small group went down and groaned when they were faced with a very, very long line.
"Um guys… why don't I wait for you inside the bus...?" Rueloko asked with a nervous grin.
--
After ten minutes, colorful bikes in a straight line could be seen pedaling around and around. It was an amusing sight really, and it makes me think that the darn Wakabayashi should've stayed and witnessed it. After all, didn't he want some amusement?
Using the rest of the money, Anna had rented 12 bikes for the 36 of them, meaning 3 per vehicle. Two sat inside the cart and the last one, who is often male, would have to stand on two small metal bars on either side of the last wheel of the bike and either cling to the driver or the roof of the cart.
"Angkas na lang kayo!" Ina had joked, though nobody understood her language except for few of them, who, instead of explaining it to their poor comrades, just snickered themselves senseless. Ha! Some friends…
"What the fuck did you say?" Hyuga yelled from his position, wobbling slightly when they ran across a rock. Takeshi giggled beside Ina when he heard more insane profanities rush out of his sempai's mouth.
Ina quirked her eyebrow. "Well, I don't really know how to say it in Japanese so you would have to bear with being oblivious."
"I can understand English!" Takeshi proclaimed proudly. "Well… at least, a little."
Ina smiled sheepishly. "Sorry… but I don't exactly know how to say it in English either."
Takeshi pouted. "Man…"
Ina grinned.
Meanwhile…
"HEY!!!"
Urabe gazed lamely inside the cart. "What is it now?" he asked.
Anna glared at him before sending an apologetic glance towards Taro, looking at his coffee-stained shirt. "I'm sorry Taro-kun… I really didn't mean to…"
Taro smiled reassuringly. "It's okay Anna-chan. Don't worry… I'll be fine. I have a change of clothes in my bag." he grinned. "Only… I left it at the bus…"
This only made Anna worry more. "The same bus Krizzie and the others used?" she asked.
Taro smiled sheepishly. "'fraid so…"
--
"Okay, well here we go!" Ishizaki said, trying to lighten up the mood a bit. But if we took a glance at his companions, we could safely say that it wasn't successful.
"We only advanced a step Ishizaki." Akari muttered angrily as she stared at the long queue.
Krizzie groaned. "Man, this is turning to be the worst day EVER!!" Slumping her shoulders, Krizzie tried hard not to yell at the top of her lungs… though she must say it was quite… very tempting.
Genzou watched her inner struggle with much amusement. "Hey, you could be part of Cable TV, seeing you pissed like that reminds of a character from one of the channels I've seen… his name was Squidwart Tentacles or something…"
As Akari, who had obviously watched Spongebob Squarepants, giggled at her little corner, Krizzie found herself introducing her best friend to the goalkeeper. "MEET MY FIST, YOU BIG FAT JERK!!!"
--
"Okay, here we are!" Anna announced with a huge grin.
Ken gave her look. "And here is…?"
Anna's grin flashed at him. "We are somewhere in the middle of the Philippines, which, unfortunately, I have no idea whereof whatsoever."
"WTF???"
--
"AT LAST!!!" Krizzie beamed, tears flowing down her cheek as they finally reached the start of the line. She was about to knock on the office when Sanae took the money from her hands.
"Why don't I come with you? I want to see what's it's like…"
"B-But this is your engagement!!!"
Sanae pouted. "Come on… please?"
Krizzie sighed, raising her hands as a sign of defeat. "Fine, fine, you can come." She held the doorknob and was about to twist it when Akari stopped her.
"Hey, if both of you are going, I am too. I don't plan on staying with those three guys." she said stubbornly. "If Rueloko was here, it would be fine… since we have the same interests and I can have someone to talk to… but in this case…"
"Hey!" Tsubasa retorted. "Are you saying we're not interesting enough for conversation?"
"Yeah!" Akari snapped. "Got a problem with that?"
"Hmph!"
"Stupid soccer players…"
Sanae sweatdropped. "Let's just go in. I'm sure the guys could pretty much take care of themselves."
"I doubt it." Akari replied but pushed the two girls inside nonetheless.
--
"God, please tell me you're joking." Hyuga muttered as he stepped down from the bicycle, looking suspiciously at the grinning girl's face.
"As hard as I wish the same thing, I'm afraid it's untrue." Anna replied.
"Goddammit!"