Disclaimer: I don't own Flame of Recca or any of its characters.

BLT 3: Broken Hearts, Love Lost, and Tortured Souls

"Recca!" Fuuko burst through the double doors of the roof top like she was the Calvary.

What she saw in the roof tops was enough to break her heart.

Recca was in the corner, hugging one of his knees, staring into space. His uniform looked ruffled, his cap had flown off somewhere, his hair was sticking up every which way. The phone he used to call Fuuko was about a foot away from him. He looked like he was just beaten up by someone.

"Recca, you look like you spent the night here," Fuuko joked weakly as she walked to him. She then unceremoniously dropped next to him as she closely scrutinized his appearance. "You did spend the night here!"

"She said no," Recca croaked.

"Recca," Fuuko said softly as she saw a small velvet box. Knowing what was inside the box, she took it and opened it.

"She said no," Recca started to rock back and forth.

"Recca, stop it. You're starting to scare me."

"I asked her, and she said no."

"Recca snap out of it!" She finally cannot take it anymore. "So she said no! Wait, what am I saying? Of course she'll say no!"

Recca's head snapped up, but he did stop rocking himself.

"What the hell were you thinking, Recca?" Fuuko stood up and started to pace the space in front of Recca.

Recca's head turned to follow Fuuko's crazed ramblings, he looked like he was watching a tennis match.

"Asking her to marry you? We're not even out of high school yet!" Fuuko ranted. "What if she says yes, Recca? What are you going to do about it? What will you feed her?"

"Fuuko."

"What if you get her pregnant or something? How would the two of you go to school or work and at the same time try taking care of the baby?" Fuuko knew she was raving like a lunatic. But lately, she had been trying to control the emotional roller coaster that she had been it and it felt really good to let it all out.

"Fuuko."

"The way I see it, Recca," she continued. "Is that you shouldn't be sad that she said no."

"Fuuko!"

"You should be thankful."

"FUUKO!"

Fuuko abruptly stopped and turned to Recca, irritated that her rant was interrupted. "What?" She demanded.

"I get it." The cheeky grin was back. "I get your point."

Fuuko took a deep breath and nodded. "Good."

"And thanks. I needed that."

Fuuko gave him a slow smile. "Anytime, Hanabishi. That's what I'm here for." She then tossed him the velvet box.

There was a commotion in the school after classes, judging by the amount of people that had congregated by the school gates.

But Fuuko merely watched it in disinterest from the window of the guidance counselor's office. Earlier, she had prevailed upon Recca to go home and collect himself. She'll check on him later. But now, she had her own demons to deal with.

"So, Kirisawa-san, have we heard from them yet?" The guidance counselor, Kasama-san, asked.

Fuuko nodded her head as she took out a white envelope from her bag. "But I haven't opened it yet." She admitted.

Kasama-san smiled in amusement. "Scared, Kirisawa-san? That doesn't sound like the boisterous freshman who often get sent here for beating up men twice as large as she is."

"I'm not scared, Kasama-san." Fuuko told her truthfully. "I'm terrified."

"Ah, yes." Kasama-san stood up and faced the windows. "But as they say, the best way to conquer your fear is to face them head on."

Fuuko shrugged. "But the problem is, I don't know what I'm scared of, that they'll say yes or that they'll say no."

Kasama-san turned around and looked at her. She then took the envelope that Fuuko had placed on her table. "Ah. Youth is really wasted on the young," she shook her head.

Fuuko frowned at her. "Now I know how you and mom came to be friends. Both of you like saying clichés that make absolutely no sense."

"Speaking of your mom, I take it you still haven't told them about this," Kasama-san asked, waving the envelope a little.

Fuuko shook her head. "The only people who knows are you and Ganko."

Kasama-san had this strange little smile upon her face when she heard Fuuko say that, a smile that hinted that she knew something that Fuuko doesn't. Fuuko waited for her to say something, but Kasama-san merely handed her back the envelope.

"Scoot, Kirisawa-san," she told her. "I can do no more for you. The only person who can give you the courage to open that harmless little envelope is yourself. So stop wasting everyone's time and be a woman and open it."

Fuuko grimaced.

"Go!" Kasama-san insisted. "You can still make it to track practice if you hurry. And I demand to be informed of the contents of the envelope once you find the backbone to open it!"

Fuuko grinned a little as she collected her things and stood up. "Thanks, Kasama-san," she bowed.

"Where is everybody?" Fuuko frowned as she jogged into the field, her pony-tail bobbing up and down in rhythm to her steps. It was empty except for the track and field captain, Aoko-san.

Aoko shrugged. "They went to check on the commotion near the school gates and they never made it back."

Fuuko noticed how annoyed their captain was and smirked as she placed her duffel bag on the ground.

"And where were you?" She demanded.

"Oh. I got called in the guidance counselor's office," she replied off-handedly as she dropped down for stretching exercises.

Aoko wrinkled her nose. "I thought you were over those kind of stuff."

Fuuko's head snapped up. "What kind of stuff?" She glared at Aoko.

"Oh, you know," Aoko replied airily. "Those tomboyish stunts that you pulled when you were still a sophomore. I mean, as Mikagami-san's girlfriend, you have really high standards to uphold,"

Fuuko growled low in her throat. "Shut up about the Mikagami standards already,"

Aoko was a die-hard Mikagami fan. And she had taken it upon herself to educate Fuuko as to how the purple-haired girl ought to act as Mikagami's girlfriend.

"Fuuko, you should be thankful that Mikagami likes you. I mean, you are so lucky that,"

"Shut up," Fuuko said, standing up. "Shut up or I'll shut you up!"

"Fuuko!" Aoko gasped in shock. "Mikagami-san's girlfriend, you should not threaten other people. I mean, one day, Mikagami-san would rise and power, and his wife should be someone who the people could easily approach and—"

"Aoko, if you're so good about it, why don't you be his girlfriend?" Fuuko cried out in exasperation. "I'm outta here," grumbling, she picked up her things and walked away.

"Well, you know what? Maybe I will!" Aoko called after her. "I got into a uni in the same district as Tokyo U, you know!"

Fuuko froze.

Aoko held her breath. Maybe she had pushed the other girl too far. But that was really her plan. Visit Tokyo U from time to time, chat with Mikagami-san about Fuuko and make him realize how lacking the purple-haired girl was. And then make him fall in love with her. With Fuuko far, far away in another university and Mikagami-san was without his girlfriend, that couldn't be farfetched, right?

Fuuko let out a frustrated scream before walking away.

Aoko smirked. What Mikagami-san saw in that tomboy, she would never know.

Mikagami frowned as he wandered the campus. Something was bothering Fuuko, he just knew it. Maybe it was his fault. He knew he had neglected her because of his finals week. He had literally locked himself in his room to study. But only because he wanted to go home so bad. He knew he had to pass everything or else he would get delayed in getting home, completing his incompletes and taking removal exams. So he had studied his brains off.

In hindsight, maybe he should've warned his girlfriend of his plan.

A rare smile crossed his lips. Nah. He wanted to surprise her.

There was collective squeal of delight that broke down somewhere to his right.

His head swiftly turned.

"He smiled! I can't believe he smiled!"

The frown was back on his face.

A crowd had gathered around him, a crowd that was mostly female. Some were pretending to go about their business. Some were openly staring. Some were doing things to get his attention.

Mikagami surveyed the crowd. Thankfully, he saw a familiar face in the crowd. Great. Finally we can get somewhere. He started to move towards his target. "Ishijima!" He called out.

Aoko couldn't believe her luck. She and Fuuko were just talking about him, and here he was in the flesh.

"Where's Fuuko?" The big lug of a man known as Domon Ishijima asked Aoko.

Aoko shrugged as daintily as she could while she totally ignored Domon and batted her lashes at Mikagami-san. "She went off earlier screaming like a lunatic," she said as she shuddered. "She was starting to scare me."

Mikagami's eyes narrowed. So he was correct, something was bugging Fuuko. "Arigatou," he muttered as he turned away.

Domon bowed to her clumsily as he followed Mikagami.

"He talked to me!" Aoko shrieked.

Domon grinned. "You still have it in you, Mikagami," he said in amusement after the shriek died down. "But I'll have you know that since you went to Tokyo, I had been keeping the girls busy."

Mikagami nodded. Right. "Where do you think she is?"

Domon shrugged. "I would ask Recca, but he was absent today,"

Hanabishi. That's right. Ganko-chan did mention something about an emergency with Hanabishi. With those thoughts in mind, Mikagami broke off into a run.

"Hey, Mikagami, wait!" Domon called out, unable to keep in pace with Mikagami's speed. "Aw, nuts!"

Fuuko sighed as she reached their front porch. She collapsed on the ground and placed her back on the wall. She closed her eyes and groaned.

Talking about Mi-chan made her remember her dilemma.

She was looking forward to that afternoon's run because she wanted to forget her problems for a while.

Aoko sure ruined a lot of things for her.

Her eyes flew open. Mi-chan! She was talking to him earlier on the phone and she hung up on him because of Recca. She slapped her forehead. He was so gonna kill her! She checked her watch. He had afternoon classes, so she knew he wouldn't be in his apartment until late. She made a mental note to call him later.

Right now, she needs to face her fears.

She took her bag and tossed its contents on the ground. She then saw the offending piece of envelope.

With trembling fingers, she reached for it.

She took a deep breath as she held it in her fingers. She tried to feel its contents. They said that if it was thin, it was bad news. If it was thick, it was good news. But what if it was somewhere in between?

She sighed. No time like the present.

Slowly, she tore it off.

Great. The envelope was now open.

She reached in and inch by inch pulled out the stapled pieces of paper.

Now the papers were out of the envelope. She threw the torn envelope away.

She counted to ten, then with agonizing slowness, she slowly unfolded the papers.

She forced herself to read the headline of the letter word per word. Then, the address. Then, the date. Then, her address. Then, the heading.

Dear Miss Kirisawa. Good tidings to you!

Fuuko read the whole first page without comprehending anything.

So she read it again.

In the middle of her second reading, she started crying.

Then, she started to laugh.

Then, she was doing both at the same time.

What a great time to loose her sanity!

"Hanabishi!" Mikagami pounded on the door. "I know you're in there, just open the door before I break it open!"

"Recca, open the door!" Shigeo Hanabishi shouted from downstairs.

A groggy Recca greeted Mikagami.

Recca's eyes widened comically. "Mikagami?" He gasped. Then, he pounded Mikagami's back a little too hard. "Hey! How are you doing? When did you get back?" Then he paused. "Did you see Fuuko already?"

"That's what I'm here for." Mikagami told him dryly. "I missed her in school."

"Oh." Recca swiped at his eyes and yawned. "So why are you here? Shouldn't you head over to their place?"

Mikagami glared at him. "I was talking to her earlier when you called about an emergency."

Recca looked abashed. "Sorry about that."

"Knowing Fuuko, she would've gone straight here from school to check on you." Mikagami said.

Recca nodded. "But she's not here."

"I can see that."

"So where can she possibly be?"

Fuuko was staring off into space when Ganko found her.

Ganko squealed and launched herself at Fuuko in excitement. "Did you see Tokiya-niichan? What did he say? Are you going out tonight? Can I come with you?"

"What? Tokiya? How?" Fuuko grumbled as she struggled to keep the over-eager Ganko off her stomach.

"Tokiya-niichan. He called earlier. He going was back and he was going to surprise you so he checked with me to ask if your schedule is free this afternoon and if you didn't have any exam for tomorrow,"

Fuuko's heart swelled. He was back! Then, she noticed the papers she was clutching and immediately turned pale. "Tokiya's here?"

Ganko's hand flew to her mouth. "You didn't know?" Her eyes watered. "You mean, I spoiled the surprise?"

"I took off from school this afternoon," she told Ganko absent-mindedly. No. He can't be here. She can't see him yet. She needs more time. She has to get herself together first before she can see him.

"Oh, Tokiya-niisan's gonna be mad!"

"Ganko." Fuuko told the younger girl. "Don't worry about it, you did me a huge favor."

Ganko's sobbing has ceased. "Really?"

Fuuko nodded. "I have to go somewhere. Tell mom I might not make it for dinner."

Ganko grinned, thinking that her elder sister would go look for her boyfriend. "No dinner. Gotcha!"

~tbc

P.S.

Remember the envelope in Chapter 1? Well, now it's open. What do you think is in it?

A shout-out to Dark Phoenix (ah, yes, the power of selective knowledge, one which never worked in school. Anyways, I really thought that Yanagi is one of those smart ones. I mean, I always perceive her to be the perfect damsel-in-distress, you know the type, pretty, kind-hearted, smart. I dunno. I mean, she teaches small kids, she can lip-read, she doesn't seem to sweat school. Or maybe it's just me. Oh, well… Let's just say that she is smart. Am too lazy to go back and correct previous chapters. And is that argh a good thing or a bad thing? Hmm…), da*mouse (thanks! I guess it was inspired by one of my conversations with my college buddies about whether or not a male and a female who grew up together can stay just friends. That and my angst that how come FoR deviated from the anime norm where two friends who grew up together end up being more that friends 'cause I don't like Yanagi that much), G (I think this is the longest installment so far. And thanks for encouraging me to write longer chapters. I got really discouraged once when someone reviewed to say that they didn't read my fic because they thought it was too long and that made it boring. Oh, well. I believe you more and I like your reviews better ^^),