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Trip to Paris Chapter 3: Ooh la la!
Written in the POV of Tohru
We were in the air; the plane was traveling smoothly over the clouds. I took the picture of my mother out of my bag and held it out so she faced the window. "Look mom, we're in the plane!" I turned to look at Kyo, " Look at the clouds below! Aren't they beautiful Kyo-kun?"
He looked out the window and nodded in agreement,"Yeah, you're right." He smiled at me and my heart filled with warmth-- I was glad that I could make him smile.
I looked out of the window and down into the land below us. The clouds actually looked liked the ocean from above, and you could see all the homes and fields down below, lined up in neat columns and rows. Flight attendants were coming down the hall and were passing out trays of food to the passengers; it was almost lunch time and we wouldn't be arriving in Paris for another 12 hours. It would be around 2 p.m. in Paris, or at least I thought so-- Paris was 8 hours behind Japan, so it should be 2p.m. Then again, I was never really good in math.
When the flight attendants arrived by our table, we had the option of getting a beef plate, which had steak and rice, or the Japanese plate with 4 varieties of sushi. In the end, I decided to get the Japanese plate with Kyo.
"Well, Mom, I'm going to eat now so I'll let you rest," I said to the picture as I pulled the table that was attached to the seat in front down and placed it in front of my tray."Kyo-kun, what do you think Paris will be like?" I wondered.
"Well, I wouldn't really know because I haven't been there!" He picked up a sushi and shoved it into his mouth.
Yuki was sitting a couple of rows ahead of me, next to the student council treasurer, Machi Kuragi. The disgruntle Yuki Fan Club was glaring at Machi, sitting in front of where Shigure and Ayame were.
Machi stared at the perfectly cut Jello in front of her and chopped a piece of it off as Yuki concentrated on eating his steak. Uo finished eating and gave her remains to Hana, who started eating the food given to her just as she finished her own.
"Where do you stuff all that food?" I heard Uo ask Hana.
"That, I do not know," Hana replied. She glanced to her, left where the Yuki Fan Club girls were sitting as they stared at her. "Want me to send waves down your body?" she asked them.
"No! You're a witch!" The girls started to yell that Hana was a freak and the flight
attendants had to come and calm them down.
I took a last bite of my California roll and gave my tray to an attendant that passed by. Shigure and Ayame were looking through a tour guide of Paris as Haru listened to some music and Hatori scanned through a health magazine.
I didn't really know what to do; I wanted to talk to Kyo, but I had nothing to talk about. Instead, I opted for staring at the magazine stuffed in the pocket of the chair in front of me.
"Hey, is there something bothering you?" I heard Kyo ask.
I ripped my eyes off of the magazine and glanced up to see Kyo looking back at me. "No! I'm just bored, so don't worry about me!" I stammered throughout the sentence as I waved my hands in the air. I quickly changed the subject, "So Kyo-kun, what do you want to do in Paris?"
"Well, I guess I just want to see what it looks like and just relax." He looked down at me and smiled his weird smile.
"Kyonkichi! Are you FLIRTING with our little flower there?" Ayame exclaimed from the right of us.
All eyes fixed upon us, the girls glaring at me, their mouths hung open, and their looks on their face showed anger. Some girls looked hurt, thinking that he was smiling at me because we were together. My face flushed to a deep shade of red and I averted eye contact from the people staring.
"No! Shut up!" Kyo got red in the face and looked down at the floor.
A girl passed by and stopped where we were,"Tohru Honda, how dare you think you have the right to talk to Kyo Sohma?" I only looked back at her, unsure of how to reply.
"And who do you think you are telling her what to do!" Kyo yelled back at her. The girl looked hurt and returned to her seat.
"I'm sorry that you had to yell at that girl Kyo-kun," I muttered.
"Just get some rest, okay? You need the energy for Paris." I nodded my head and relaxed myself, letting my body rest and eventually I fell asleep.
---
What felt like only moments later, I slowly opened my eyes and found myself leaning on
Kyo's shoulder. He was still sleeping and I blushed at the thought of people seeing us sleeping like that and raised my head off of his shoulder. I looked out the window and saw that the sky was dark and it was night time. Most of the people on the plane were asleep, only a few were awake. I had slept for quite a while and the pilot soon announced that we were landing in about an
hour. Everyone shook themselves awake and the attendants came down the aisle
handing out packages of peanuts and a cup of guava juice to the people. I took a bag and cup and set them down on the table.
Kyo chose that moment to wake up and I greeted him, "Good evening Kyo-kun, did you rest well?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled. He rubbed his eyes and stretched his body.
I nodded and turned to the picture, "Mom, did you hear that? I'll be landing soon." I took the bag of peanuts and opened it up and popped one into my mouth. I chewed it slowly and finished the bag off in minutes.
The pilot made another announcement a bit later and said that we were to be landing in fifteen minutes and suggested we start securing our things. I took the picture of my mother and smiled down at it before putting it back in my bag. I locked the table in place and buckled in my seat belt and slowly waited for the landing.
Shigure, on the other hand, stood up and addressed the class, "Okay, I'm not used to this teaching thing, and I have never heard of or been to Paris."
"Then how did you get the job?" a boy in our class asked.
"Let's just say that I knew your previous teacher. Okay, now back to Paris. So, we will be staying in this hotel called the Best Western Premier Opéra Richepanse Hotel, which Hatori here chose, so if you hate it, blame him. When we arrive, we will claim our luggage and together ride this bus that Hatori rented and go there."
"Why didn't Hatori get the job if he did everything?" the same boy from before asked.
"I'm your teacher because your other teacher asked me!"
"Sir, will you please take your seat? The plane will land in a couple of minutes."
"Why, anything for such a beautiful-"
He was cut off by Kyo who threw a peanut at him and glared at him.
"Yes, I will take my seat," he sighed and sat down. At that moment, the pilot announced that we needed to buckle in our seat belts because we were going to land.
I looked down the window and saw Pairs and the Eiffel Tower. "Look Kyo-kun! It's Paris!"
He leaned on my shoulder and quickly removed it when I flinched; I blushed and shook my hair so it blocked my face. I checked to see that my belt was on and looked to check on Kyo and the others, they had it on too. I felt the plane tilt down a little and it soon plunged down into the Earth. It sped up and I felt a knot in my stomach tighten and I felt a little light headed. My body flowed with the movement of the plane. Sometimes it would slowly rise or push me down. I looked out the window to see we were flying through clouds.
My ears deafened at the sound of the motor and the land came into view. I saw the Eiffel Tower and the plane slowed as it became closer to the ground. I closed my eyes, wishing that it would be over soon. Finally, the plane landed and carefully parked into the gate.
"Are you okay, Tohru?" Kyo asked me.
"Yes, I'm fine, Kyo-kun. Thank you for asking." I smiled up at him and lightly blushed. Everyone had risen now, and were gathering all of their belongings. I picked up my messenger bag and followed
my class out of the plane.
"So, orangetop do anything to you?" Uo asked.
"No, he was fine! It was fun sitting by him."
"Yes. My waves are telling me something, but it is up to you to make the move." Hana agreed.
Uo chuckled and patted my back, "Don't worry, Tohru, one day you'll get him." I blushed and smiled at them-- they were the only other people who knew about my secret crush on Kyo.
"Ms. Honda, was your flight good?" Yuki asked me.
"Yes, Yuki-kun! Kyo was fun to stay with. And how was yours?"
"Mine was good as well."
Kyo followed from behind and went over to claim our luggage. Different luggage in different colors went around the conveyer belt. I carefully searched for a pink luggage and spotted it in the other end. I grabbed it and placed it on the floor. Uo went for her yellow luggage and swung it in the air, almost hitting Kyo on the head.
"Will you watch where you're swinging that!" Kyo exclaimed.
"Will you watch where you're walking!" Uo shouted back.
Kyo went over and pulled his orange luggage out of the conveyer belt and Hana retrieved her black one. I looked over the crowd of heads and saw Yuki standing next to his blue luggage and helping Machi to find hers. I smiled over at them and returned to Hana, Uo and Kyo. Kyo and Uo were still arguing over the incident that happened earlier with Hana standing between them.
"Everyone, will you please quiet down as I do a head count, so I can concentrate!" Shigure called out. Everyone's voice turned into a whisper except for Uo and Kyo.
"Do you want to send me to the hospital!" Kyo continued.
"If you only watched where you were walking!" Uo shot back.
"Shigure! Uo and Kyo are here!" Ayame yelled to Shigure, who was frustrated in finding which student was which.
"Okay! I forgot who's who so please say "here" when I say your name!" Shigure yelled over Kyo and Uo.
"Arisa Uotani!"
"I'll punch your head off if you don't stop yelling!"
"Okay she's here. Haru!"
"I'm standing right next to you."
"Oh, right. Yuki?"
"I'll get that for you Machi."
"Okay, Yuki and Machi are here. Manabe?"
"Machi likes red!"
"Okay. He's here. Kimi?"
"Yun Yun, where are you!"
The noise increased and Shigure got even more frustrated. His face started to sweat and his eyes showed weakness. "Okay, everyone!" he called out, "Keep still! There are 15 of you guys so I'll just
count!" Everyone continued talking but stayed where they were as Shigure did a head count.
"Okay! Everyone is here! Now let's head over to the bus!" he announced after he was finished.
Everyone gathered together in a group and looked around the area as we exited the airport. There was a red double Decker waiting in front of the airport. "Okay! This is the bus we will be riding it to the hotel, so everyone please board the bus!"
The class lined up and walked into the bus. Basically, the bus was like every other except that there was a set of stairs for access to the second floor. The chairs were red as well as the floor and the bus was also wider than the original by probably two times. Everyone went up to the second floor and I just followed the group; I was sitting between Uo and Kyo, Hana being next to Uo. I hadn't seen Yuki for a while and looked around to find him sitting a few rows in front of us, talking to Machi, who was
being teased by Manabe while Yuki was annoyed by Kimi.
The engine of the bus roared as the driver turned the bus on. We left the airport and were headed towards the hotel. The road was smooth and I looked around Paris. It was in the afternoon and people were roaming around.
Once we were settled, Shigure spoke, "Now, I will read you a history of the hotel we are going to from this tourist book."
"How did you get this job again?" Kimi asked.
Shigure ignored her question and continued, "Welcome, lovers of Parisian charm! The Best Western Premier Opéra Richepanse Hotel is located in the heart of the prestigious Paris, between the Place de la Concorde and the Opera, this hotel's staff works hard to assure the well being of its guests. At walking distance to the Madeleine and rue SaintHonoré, the Paris of fashion, antique dealers, restaurants, shows, and museums, you can stroll from one enjoyable location to another: Concorde, Opera, place Vendôme, Louvre, Tuileries, and more.
"Ideal for business and for imaginative walks through Paris, the Opéra Richepanse hotel blends comfort and relaxation. The rooms and suites offer both discreet charm and all the modern conveniences: air conditioning, cable television, safe, mini bar. This unique address plays the tradition card and the modernity card. In this jewel box of serenity, you will be pampered with a personalized welcome and professional service. Breakfast time is truly enjoyable. Guests may choose to have a continental breakfast served in their room, or the delightful buffet served in the traditional vaulted cellar."
The bus halted to a stop and I looked out the window to see the hotel we were staying in. There was a pair of black, shiny stairs that led up to the entrance of the hotel. The name of the hotel was in yellow lettering as it was over a blue background that was in the shape of an arch upon a solid wall. There were two pots of plants on the each side of the entrance filled with beautiful red and white roses.
"So! We have arrived, let's get off the bus and head over to the
lobby!" Shigure announced.
There were sounds of people zipping up their backpacks and pulling their luggage as we exited the bus. I stepped off the bus first amongst the four of us and took a closer look at the hotel. It was very pretty and the building was massive. The wall was beige and there were windows spread all over the place.
"So Tohru, what do you think of Paris so far?" Uo asked from behind.
"It's beautiful!" I said, smiling.
"Okay class, we will now go to the lobby where I will assign your rooms and room mates."
The commotion increased as every girl in class; excluding Hana, Uo, and myself, chattered with their friends hoping to be roomed with Kyo or Yuki. Everyone else in the class prayed they didn't get Hana. I looked around and saw the Yuki Fan Club girls staring greedily at Yuki as he helped Machi with her luggage. I wondered what was up with them but whatever it was, Yuki was happy and that's all that counted.
The class bunched together as we squeezed through the small entrance of the hotel. I looked around and saw that the walls were painted beige with a brown mahogany border. Brown leather chairs were surrounding a small coffee table that had white lilies on it. The check in counter was straight ahead and Shigure walked over to it. The class immediately began to wander all over the place and Hatori had to get them all
together.
Once Shigure checked us in, he came back holding a stack of cards and held a clipboard. "Okay, class! I have the room cards and now please listen as I say who you will be staying with and where you will be staying. You will be paired off in twos, except for one pair who will have three. The first group, going in room 200: Yuki, Machi and Manabe"
There were cries and groans as the class complained. Machi was frustrated and made a fist with which she used to threaten Manabe as Yuki tried calming her down.
"Mr. Sohma, are you crazy? You cannot pair Yuki and Machi together!"
"Young lady, I am the teacher. So, continuing where I was, in Room 201: Kyo and Tohru!"
"Orangetop you better not do anything bad to Tohru!" Uo warned.
"What am I? A criminal?" Kyo wondered.
Shigure continued with what he was saying, ignoring the complaints of the girls in the class. "In room 202: Hana and Uo."
"At least we'll be next door; I'm keeping an eye on you, orangetop!"
"What the hell do you think I will do her!"
Shigure continued with the list and once he was all done he told us to go up to our rooms and unpack, and come down the lobby in half an hour. We all went in small groups up the elevator to our rooms. Shigure and Ayame were sharing a room as Haru and Hatori shared another.
"Looks like we'll be room mates Kyo-kun!" I grinned up at him. I was really happy that I could be with Kyo; it gave us a chance to be alone together. We passed by the rooms until we came upon room 201 and swiped the card. The door matched the wood on the wall and the number of the room was in gold. The door opened and we walked in.
I peered into the room and my mouth shot down. It was massive and against the wall to our left was a huge, blue bed. There were two grand windows that went from the ceiling to the floor, with a small gap between the two. A small table and two chairs sat between them and gold curtains hung on the side. There was a wooden vanity that was to our left, directly in front of the bed.
"Isn't this room beautiful Kyo-kun?" I asked, awe-struck, as I walked into the room and placed my luggage and messenger bag onto the bed. Kyo followed and we walked over to the window. I looked out into the city and couldn't wait for what adventures awaited me.