Chapter Seven
Disclaimer: I do not own Hana Yori Dango.
A/N I dedicate this chapter to latafmodginkianp1618 for her kind review telling me to take my time.
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Soujiro watched the person in front of him intently. This girl that captured the hearts of two of his best friends, and he suspected at one point, all three. She stood up to them, and weeks of vicious hazing only to come out stronger. He had thought her crude and nothing at all like he was taught a lady should be, then like everyone else, he had come to admire her. He counted her as a friend, and hoped that she wouldn't make this too difficult for him.
"Are you going to say anything, Nishikado-san?" Tsukushi said, putting down her cup. "You take me from work and bring me to a café. The F4 only go to cafés when they have something to talk about. So, talk."
He suppressed a smile. She was a character, this girl. If anyone else spoke to him like that, they'd be living on the streets with no possibility of anything else for the rest of their lives by the next day. "You know why I'm here, Makino."
"What Yuki does in her personal life is none of my business. Her past boyfriends never spoke to me, and you're not even her boyfriend."
Yet. He wanted to say, but something she said caught his attention. "Past boyfriends? There was only that idiot Nakatsu, right?"
She raised her brow. "That was three years ago. Did you think she never moved on after him? After you?"
He frowned, filing his questions away for later. Yuki didn't have a boyfriend now, that's all that mattered. "It would mean a lot to Yuki if you didn't have a problem with me."
She snorted. "You kicked me out of my boyfriend's abnormally comfy bed. I don't owe you any favors."
"I needed his advice." He protested. "Not that it did me any good. All I got out of it was manual labor and hours in a locked shed."
Her eyes widened. "You went to the festival? You helped out? You were locked in a shed?"
He shrugged. "Someone eventually let me out. When I tried to return the favor, I was attacked by the girl's boyfriend. For some reason Yuki started talking to me again after that, then we got to this bridge. I ended up with a cold the next day because she thought it would be a great idea to jump off that damn thing."
Tsukushi grinned. "I'll be damned. The Soujiro Nishikado, doing all that by himself. I'm impressed. I wonder if Hanazawa Rui would jump off a bridge with me…"
"Yuki promised me a date. I don't want to have to worry about you going after my blood for it."
She stared at him. "Oh. You're serious."
He stopped the scowl from forming, barely. "I never joke about self preservation."
"Nishikado-san, you aren't really expecting to give my approval to someone like you, do you?" She didn't sound arrogant, just genuinely perplexed. "Hand over my best friend to a playboy? Isn't that like handing over a lamb to a lion?"
Soujiro was affronted. "Despite what you may think of me, Makino, I do know how to treat a girl."
"See, I don't think you do. You're used to convenient bodies. Charm them a little, and you've got your fun for the night. I doubt you've ever been with a girl. Not a girl like Yuki." She returned. "She has a sweetness to her that most girls have lost a long time ago. I think that you're just a little out of your depth with her." There was no little smugness in her voice.
It irritated him that he hadn't anything to say to argue. So, he said the first thing he knew might faze her. "She's not as innocent as you think she is. Yes, Yuki's a sweet girl, but she's also a grown woman who can make decisions. She stands up for herself and others without blinking an eye. You can't protect her forever, and she doesn't need you to."
"That's not what I'm doing. This conversation isn't about me protecting her, it's about you proving yourself."
He stared at her, uncomprehendingly.
"Yuki and I grew up together so of course I'd be protective of her. I've gotten into a lot of fights with guys who made her cry even back in elementary. She's like a sister to me." She finished her tea. "Like most sisters I do want to be there for her, but I also want her to able to stand on her own feet. Yuki is more than capable of handling the likes of you. Sweet as she is, I've seen her angry. She'll rip your eyes out and hand them to you if you piss her off enough." She set her cup down and looked him directly in the eye, something she only did when she was serious. "But have you forgotten how harsh your world is to outsiders? How many people will make her regret getting involved with you?"
Suddenly Soujiro was reminded of all the hell Tsukushi went through to be with Tsukasa, and early on with Rui. Being who he was, there weren't many people brave enough to say unkind things, let alone demeaning things. What would it cost Yuki to be with him?
"And you're not even worth it. I don't know why you haven't been tossed out yet. When Yuki rejects a guy, really rejects him, he stays gone. Either too afraid of her, or too busy with another girl. She probably doesn't want to hurt someone she considers a friend. Go back to your night life, Nishikado-san. It's where you belong."
He hated that dismissive tone she was using, and like always when he was angry, he spoke without thinking. "Look, I don't know if I'm good enough for Yuki. I don't know if I'll always be there to protect her. I don't know if I'll ever hurt her. Monogamous relationships are new to me, but I like Yuki enough to try. I regard her in a different way than others girls, and I respect her too much to fool around. There is something between us, a chemistry and compatibility that I want to explore. Maybe I'll get bored, or maybe it might grow to something more. I don't know. What I want is the chance to see for myself. I don't think you have a right to say whether or not I deserve one." He panted, glaring at her, cursing himself for not having enough control.
She blinked at him. Well, that was…different. "Okay."
"Okay, what?"
She took out her wallet and began counting out her side of the bill. "I'm not going to tell Yuki to ditch you, but I'm not going to endorse you either. I won't support you, but I won't stand in your way."
"So, that's it?" It couldn't be that easy.
"I still think you'll hurt her. That sooner or later you'll return to your old ways and crush her, but you are trying Nishikado-san. I hope that things work out." She took her jacket from the chair and slipped it on. "You interrupt my time with Hanazawa Rui again, though, and I won't be so lenient."
He sat there for awhile after she left, a slow smile crawling up his face. He had seen the fights she had with Tsukasa, and had always wondered what it would be like to go toe-to-toe against her. In terms of fights, he had probably lost, but still, she was a good sport about it. Now, to find Yuki…
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Yuki jumped when her phone rang. A familiar number flashed and for the first time in months she picked up. "Hello, Nishikado-san."
"Yuki! Ah, to hear your sweet voice on phone after so long..."
She smiled. "I glad you're feeling better, want to jump off a bridge again? It's warmer today."
There was a long silence on the other end, and she laughed. "That was a joke, Nishikado-san."
"Oh, yeah, ha." She grinned at his forced laugh. "So, when do I get that date, Yuki-chan?"
"Hmm…how does next Tuesday, sound?" She asked, flippantly.
"I want to see you sooner than that. What about right now? You look so lonely sitting on that bench."
She blinked and looked around. She saw him standing by a tree near the entrance of the park. He waved to her, and started walking. Once he got to the bench, he was greeted with her cheerful smile. He forgot how much it warmed him.
"Stalking now are we?" She asked, teasingly.
"Can I help that you draw me? Like a flower is drawn to the sun, I miss you like the sun misses the flower in the depths of winter."
She burst into giggles. "Nishikado-san, you are perfectly ridiculous."
He grinned. "I'll have you know, that was an original line. I haven't used it yet."
"Original? I believe a saw a movie with that line. 'Each time I leave you, the pieces of my broken heart are so small they can pass through the eye of a needle.' A Knights Tale." She recited.
He sighed. Why was it so hard to charm her, the way he did other women? "Still resisting, Yuki?"
"I did say that there were tests." She reminded him. "I maintain that we don't need to date to prove that we're just friends, but I owe you at least one chance. Better not waste it. What would you like to do today?"
"Today? As in right now?"
She raised a brow. "Is there something wrong with now?"
"Well, no but I—"
She smiled. "Spontaneity never hurt anyone, Nishikado-san. What is it that you want to do right now? This second?"
Her eyes incited an immediate and honest answer. "Mall."
"Eh?"
His answer had puzzled even himself before he looked resolute. "Let's go to the mall." He didn't like the doubtful look that came over her face. "But you must make the effort, at least pretend we're a couple, or else it doesn't count as a date."
Yuki pursed her lips. Her plan was to let him do whatever he wanted, and just maintain a strong atmosphere of platonic friendship. Could she do that while pretending to be a girlfriend? "Alright. If that's what you want."
An hour later they were at Tokyo mall, one of the biggest malls in the country and a popular date spot. "What do you want to do, Nishikado-san? We could have lunch, or we could just window shop, unless there was something in particular you need to purchase here." But he wasn't paying attention. He was looking down at their hands. When they left his car he insisted they hold hands, but he didn't seem satisfied with it. He frowned at them, puzzling over his displeasure.
"Nishikado-san?"
Then his face cleared and he let go to shift their hands, lacing his fingers through hers. "That's better."
She blushed. "You're so strange, Nishikado-san." But didn't shake him off. They walked around the mall hand-in-hand, attracting quite a bit of attention. It pleased him that there more people commenting on their complimentary than there were objecting to their pairing.
As they walked, looking through the windows of the stores, Soujiro couldn't help but notice how soft her hand was. He had always avoided such contact with his girlfriends. Not only was it a level of intimacy he wasn't comfortable with, but their hands had never felt anything but sweaty in his hands. Yuki's palms were anything but sweaty, they were smooth and warm. Her small hand fit perfectly in his. He turned his gaze up to her face. They were standing in front of a pet shop, and she was cooing over the puppies behind the glass. The little black lab pressed his paws up against the window. Her expression was animated as she talked to the pup. Her eyes soft. Looking at her, really looking at her…he realized something. Yuki was pretty.
She glanced at him and caught him staring. Self-consciously she reached a hand to her face. "What is it? Is there something on my face?"
He smiled, a light flirtations smile. "You're adorable, Yuki. I'm so glad you're mine."
Her cheeks warmed with the compliment, and reddened further when he brought their connected fingers up to his lips to kiss her knuckles. Several women around them squealed in glee. "Mou, don't say things like that, Nishikado-san." Make the effort, he had said. She looked away, shyly. "P-People are staring."
"Ah, come on, Yuki-chan. Won't you say my name?" He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Just once?" She felt him lick the edge of her, and she couldn't hold back the shriek, all the blood going to her face. "Soujiro!" She yelled, involuntarily.
He laughed uproariously when she began feebly punching his shoulder. "You're so mean!"
He looked at her face, red with frustration and embarrassment. "Don't be mad, Yuki-tan" He took advantage of her frozen surprise, and pulled her in his arms. This is fun, he thought, really fun. Is this what dating is like? He wondered now why he'd never done it before. Yuki was still pouting, and he couldn't help it. He kissed her lightly on her lips.
Mou, he's taking this date-thing way too far. But she couldn't say anything, for he seemed to be really enjoying himself. What surprised her was that he hadn't once looked at another girl.
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"Isn't this cute, Akira-kun?" His mother chirped, holding up a frilly dress.
Akira looked at all the frills and lace and made a face. "I'm pretty sure you already have one of those, Okaa-chan."
"Really?" She looked at it, front and back. "Well, might as well get two. Twice as cute, ne?"
He rolled his eyes. He really hated his monthly shopping trips with her. Mother-Son time, she called it, where she'd drag him to every cute male and female dress shop all over the country.
"Oh, look, Akira-kun. There's Soujiro-kun with that sweet friend of Tsukushi-chi's. What's her name again?"
Akira's eyes flew toward the window, and sure enough there was Soujiro and Yuki. Holding hands, sweet-as-you-please, in front of a store window.
"Usa-chan?" He asked, using his mother's first name, which never failed to please her.
"Hmmm?" This time she was paying more attention to a tea set on sale.
"Can I go play with them for the day? I promise to make it up to you…a week on that island you like?"
Her eyes widened, and smiled brightly. "Of course, darling. Go have fun with your friends. I'll schedule our flight for next week, okay?" To please her, and keep her from asking questions, he gave her a kiss on the cheek and hurried to get to his friends. He darted behind a pillar and listened to them.
"I saw your reaction to the sailor suit, Nishikado-san. I am not going in there." Yuki said, firmly.
Akira raised a brow. Sailor suit? The store they stood in front of was a popular costume's shop.
"You did say it was cute, Yuki-chan. Won't you humor me? You can dress me up too if you want." There was something in his tone that was unfamiliar to him. Soujiro had always treated Yuki much kinder than any other girl, and he was trying to get her to date him, but the tone spoke of something…deeper.
Currently she was looking at him speculatively. "Dress you up? And you won't complain? You'll wear it for the whole day?"
He nodded. She sighed. "Alright. But you can't dress me up like a prostitute." Soujiro's eager smile lit up his whole face, an expression he hadn't seen since they were children. He moved when they entered the shop, watching them through the window. Soujiro had pulled something black and lacey from the racks, and pushed it in her hands while pushing her to the dressing room. He laughed when she came out, a bright blush on her face. Akira shook his head. Maid uniform. He was one of the few people who know of Soujiro's strange fetishes.
When Soujiro steered her to a mirror she laughed, despite herself. Pinching the edges of her skirt in both hands, she gave a small curtsy. "Welcome home, Master. What would you like? Dinner? A bath?" She smiled up at him as she delivered her line. "Or me?"
Soujiro grinned.
They're having fun. Akira observed their animated faces, and heard their laughter, before turning around walking away from the store.Soujiro and Yuki had gone out together before, but they now exhumed a different aura. One of them was going to fall for the other, of that much he was certain. A few weeks ago, he would have bet it was Yuki, but Soujiro was different with her than he was before. It would be great if they could just be together, but it wasn't ever that simple. He remembered how they looked when he first caught sight of them. Holding hands, and arguing. He smiled. Well, good luck to the crazy couple.
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"I can't believe I let you talk me into walking out like this." Yuki muttered, half stunned at herself.
Soujiro looked her over again. The classic Lolita dress they bought fit her well. All white silk, and lace ribbons, the owner was kind enough to curl Yuki's hair and tie a layered bow atop her head. "Consider it retribution for that Lolita comment before."
"Don't you feel like a dirty old man? I mean really…here you are, walking next to a child-looking girl in your clean business suit, and looking like a cat that got the canary. If you get arrested today, I'll laugh."
He grinned. "You look very nice, Yuki. We'll have to come back to that store."
"Pervert. It's my turn, right? I get to dress you?"
He nodded, unconcerned. "Do you worse, my Sweetling. I'm all yours." Honestly, how bad could it be?
An hour later, Soujiro was not so confident. "Yuki-chan, do we really have to do this?"
She looked up from the racks she was sifting through. His aggrieved expression made her smile, but she hid it. "Are you reengaging on our agreement, Nishikado-san?"
"No, but…" He looked at the rows of t-shirts, and jeans. It was a world apart from the designer stores his wardrobe came from.
She went over to him and ran a hand up the sleeve of his suit jacket. "Name brand outfits. Italian suits." She reached up to ruffle his hair. "Not a strand dare be out of place."
He frowned. "Are you mocking me, Yuki-chan?"
She giggled. "No, of course not. It's just that whenever I see you, you're either business casual or business formal. Do you even own a pair of jeans?"
He did not. Rui had been the first of them to venture away from expensive clothing to the commoner casual garb. He had requested to try them and found them too stiff for his liking.
"Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"Is there something wrong with trying something new?" When he still looked reluctant, she tried a new tact.
"Please, baby? For me?" She looked up at through lowered lashes. "I've always thought you'd look super sexy in a tight pair of denims."
His eyes darkened. That look and tone he'd seen before, but on her it was a thousand times more potent. "You're a dangerous woman, Yuki."
She smiled expectantly.
He sighed. "Alright. Nothing too constricting though."
"Yay." She went back to the racks and pulled out several shirts, some plain and some of gothic designs. She grabbed a pair of jeans, pushed them into his hands and dragged him to the dressing room.
Inside, he slipped them on and frowned at his reflection.
"Hmm…not quite right." He turned at her voice. He wasn't sure he liked the calculated way she looked at his form.
Five changes later, he came out and Yuki's eyes nearly fell out of her head. He stood before her like any other guy she'd pass on the street, and he looked like a god.
Soujiro preened at the appreciative look on her face, as she circled him. He wore a black and red stripped shirt, a hooded jacket, and loosely fitted jeans. He grinned when she licked her lips. It did wonders for his ego that she found him attractive.
"Mmm, now this could date." She said without thinking.
He chuckled when he slapped a hand over her mouth. "I'm glad you approve."
"We're not done yet, Nishikado-san."
"Eh?"
"I feel like…I want to…put a mark on you." She said it haltingly, and blushed, like it took her something to admit it.
His eyes widened. They paid for the clothes, and he could only gap when she brought him next door.
"No. Absolutely not."
"Nishikado-san—"
"Yuki, this isn't just me not wanting to participate in self-mutilation. My father would decapitate me."
She laughed. "Wow. I believe that is the first time you've ever sounded like a regular guy."
"I'm still not doing it." He crossed her arms, trying to steel himself against whatever form of persuasion she going to use.
"Okay, I'll give you a choice. Tattoo." She nodded at the store in front of them. "Piercing." She gestured to the man sitting on the corner, every surface of his body covered in rings and studs. "Or a dye job." She smiled at a girl with pink and blue hair, who smiled back.
He stared down at her smiling face. There was no bluff in her eyes. She was serious. After a moment, her smile dropped. "I'm being pushy, aren't I? It's alright, Nishikado-san. Why don't we go eat somewhere?" She started walking away from the store, and he could only follow, feeling as if he had failed somehow.
"Excuse me, miss?" They both looked up when the policeman approached. "Are you all right? Is this man bothering you?"
Yuki's eyes widened. She turned and only saw an offended Soujiro. "Oh, Officer this is—"
But he had moved onto Soujiro. "What sort of trouble are you trying to cause?" His voice stern. "A nice girl like this will only end up on the streets because of guys like you. Have you no shame?"
Yuki burst out into giggles at the shocked appalled look on Soujiro's face. "Officer, you don't need to worry. He's my boyfriend. A good student from a good family." The man had the grace to look embarrassed.
"Well then. Carry on." He strode away.
Soujiro and Yuki shared a look, and they laughed. "Let's go eat, Nishikado-san."
They ate at a ramen shop, another first for Soujiro and he walked her home.
"Well, as first dates go, this one wasn't too bad."
"If you gave me some time to plan things out, I could really impress you."
"I don't know, Nishikado-san. I've been on some pretty incredible dates in the past." She cocked her head, a secret smile blooming on her face. "Guys from all walks of life have some unique things to offer."
"Hn. Let's see how I can compete." They got to her door. "So, do you kiss on the first date, Yuki-chan?"
"I think I can make an exception." This is a test, she told herself, if this has any hope of staying platonic I should be able to keep focus. He leaned in, his face getting closer and closer. Then heaven. His lips on hers, a sweet feeling rising up and taking hold of her being. His scent surrounded her, and the flavor of him was something she could become easily addicted to. Then it was over.
"Good night, Yuki-chan." He stepped back, a little smile on his face, as if he knew exactly what his kiss had done to her.
"Good night, Nishikado-san. I'll call you." She was proud she was able to keep her voice strong. When she closed the door behind her, she leaned weakly against it. Her knees giving out and her heart thundering in her chest. Okay, so this relationship has little of hope of remaining platonic. What do I do now?
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How dare she kiss him! How dare she even touch him! Someone fumed, in the shadows. Everyone knew of that girl's relationship with the great Soujiro Nishikado. There was nothing special about her, yet Soujiro could neither bed her nor let her go. The photographs of them said it all, it would only be a matter of time before he gave his heart to her. That wasn't happening, not if she had anything to say about it.
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A/N
Okay, I thank everyone for their suggestions. I will probably be using them and the plots bunnies they inspired intermittently throughout the story. This chapter was inspired a little bit by Quiet and Complicated and LoserLove. Tell me what you think.
