Hello people, and welcome again to the second chapter of my fanfiction! The story will be kinda fast paced from here, so i'm expecting to finish it quickly. I apologize for my not-so-perfect english, anyway; i'm still a beginner with english writing. Told this, have a nice reading!
2. A lonely goldfinch's lovesong
Rin and Ren had been my personal bodyguards since i was little. I still remember the day when i first met them.
It was an ordinary evening like the others; i was happily playing the housekeeper with my grandmother, while mum was preparing dinner for that night.
Suddenly i heard the main door of the house opening and, knowing that it was probably dad coming back from work, i leaned over the door.
That was when, before my eyes, i could see the image of my father, covered in dust and wounds, who was helding two little boys under each of his arms, both badly injured, taking shape and inprint itself in my mind.
I immediately started crying and screaming. Mum and granny came running right away, frightened from my alarmed voice.
Needless to say, a fuss was created. All the members of the family rushed to main hall, asking what was the meaning of that and panicking like crazy. On my side, i couldn't understand a thing: i was scared too.
The only thing i can clearly recall from that day was the reassuring and sweet voice of my mother, who was trying to pacify me.
"Don't worry, Haru. Dad is fine, and also the kids will be." she said to me, smiling innocently, while stroking my hair.
By that time, i was already very mad with my parents for the birthday accident, but deep down i still loved them, that's why seeing my dad in those conditions had been quite the shock.
That night i couldn't eat or sleep at all. I was still shaking in fear! I desperately wanted to see my dad and the two unknown kids, but i wasn't even allowed to leave the private apartment where me and my family were living.
I felt useless.
I felt weak.
Of course, there weren't many things a kid of my age could've done for helping them, but i still felt obligated to do something or at least acting tough. In the end i climbed down my bed and went in the living room, then i sitted on the big sofa, with a blanket wrapping and warming me up and i waited there all night, waiting for some news, pointlessly trying to fight the heavy sleep urge as a result of all that crying and freaking out.
In a way or another, i managed to stay awake. I still remember the red light of the breaking dawn, slightly colouring and enlighting the cold room. I was deeply amazed by that sublime picture.
As my mother told me, dad was fine. He had fully recovered from his injuries, but the kids remained in the medical room about three days longer.
With my tiny back leaned against my parents room door, i could hear them talking about the found children.
"They were in Magano, laying on the ground. It seemed like a kegare attacked them. I just couldn't leave them there!"
"You did the right thing taking them here, darling."
I couldn't see anything, apart from the dark floor behind my feet, but i imagined my mom caressing dad's shoulder and comforting his restless heart.
"Just...why they were there in the first place?"
"It doesn''t seem like Rokuro's case, right?"
Rokuro Enmadou was a close friend of my family, i used to play with him a lot! He was cheerful and strong. Maybe i could have had a little crush on him at that time, but till that moment, i never knew he was found in Magano as well.
"No. it's quite different..."
"What should we do now?"
Yes, what should we have done back then? The kids didn't have anyone, from what i could understand. They were all alone.
"I don't know."
Stretching out my ears, i patienly waited for someone to speak again, throwing an eye into the room, from a little gap of the door. Silence began to fill the room.
"What about...taking them in?" mum suggested.
My father lifted his face and slowly turned to face her.
"What do you mean?"
After that bold suggestion my curiosity started to increase. Mum laughed a bit.
"I know this might sound crazy or too hasty, but they have no parents, and their family didn't come for them. So i was thinking that we could welcome them into our family."
Dad opened wide his eyes in surprise, parting his lips with astonishment then i looked into the void of the room, probably thinking about it.
"You don't have to answer me right away, you can take your time to properly reasoning on this idea."
"No. i got it. I think...it's not a bad one."
This time, the stunned one was my mother.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Dad suddenly got up and walked towards the window. I retired and slightly hid myself behind the door, escaping the light of the room.
"In any case, i was thinking about hiring someone to look after Haru when we're not home."
"You mean, a babysitter?"
Dad slightly laughed.
"No, more like a guardian. I need someone who can protect her. It doesn't matter if they are just children like her, they could keep an eye on her and also start training to get stronger."
"So, you want to make them Haru's bodyguards?"
His crimson head nodded in response. He began looking out of the window, staring at the bright moon in the night sky. Mom was still pondering about his suggestion.
On my side, i was a bit shoked. They really wanted to adopt other children?! I wasn't enough to them? I felt like burst into the room and start yelling at them; i didn't need anyone to look after me! I could have handle myself just fine! But i guessed to them, i was still a delicate and defenseless creature.
Scratching on the wooden door, i started biting my lip in frustration.
"I see. I think you're right. Also, Haru might be feeling less lonely with other kids around her!"
No! It's not true! I'm fine on my own!
"Yes, then is decided. Let's introduce them to the whole family, tomorrow."
Enough.
After hearing my father's intention, i walked away from the half-closed door in resentment. I couldn't believe it!
Parading in the crowded streets of Tokyo, while listening to my favorite song through the earphones, i felt like drifting in the melancholy of those old dusty memories od mine.
Why was i even remembering them now?
Ahh, my mood is totally ruined now, i thought, anooyingly revolving my eyes.
My only thought at that time should have been preparing myself to go to school and fight against any possible lecture from the teacher. Such a pain! But i was expecting it since i skipped school for the tenth time this month.
Talking about school, a started wondering how things were going for Rin and Ren. They used to attend an onmoyji designed high school, after all! My bodyguards had to be strongest and most diligent exorcists out there.
The only reason they didn't follow me in my ordinary school was mainly this one.
I completely refused to attend an high school for onmyouji! It went against my personal policy. I didn't even care if my parents didn't agree with me; as i already said a thousand times, i'm going to live my life the way that i want to! Rin and Ren have the right to go for their own way too.
I'm not a kid anymore. I never felt like one.
The twins usually used to tag along with me wherever i went, untill, at one point, i decided that i didn't want to feel like not having my personal space and time, so i talked to them and explicitly said,
Guys, i love you, i swear, but i'd like to have a life too!
They didn't make a stand for too much. I'm a stubborn and tough girl, after all.
Love.
Was that really love what made us so close?
At first i didn't get along with Ren and Rin at all. I despised them from the bottom of my heart.
To my eyes, they were just a pair of strangers; intruders that weren't needed or welcomed into the houshold, at least from me.
The first time they were introduced by my parents i was black from rage.
"Everybody, me and my wife are very glad to welcome these two children as new members of the Amawaka clan. Even though they're not blood-related to the family, we'd like you to accept and treat them with kindness."
The main hall was filled with clan members, even the minor and farest ones, who were surprisingly hyped for the entry in the family of the two twins. Except me, who i was rumbling in discomfiture.
Each of them, had two big amber-like eyes gathered in a discomfortable expression, snow white skin without no impurities and light coral-pink hair, a bit messy but silky-looking. Indeed, they were cute.
By that time, i think i was 5 years-old. Later i came to know that they were just two years older than me. They were both staring in confusion at the big crowd in the room, looking frightened as well and visibly stunned.
One of them, grabbed my mum's long skirt, searching for someone to reassuring himself. Needless to say, i growled in jealousy.
"Oh, c'mon Ren, there's nothing to be scared of." she told him, while patting his head.
Even though i was an impulsive and short-tempered child, i'd been learned what self-restrain meant, therefore i decided i couldn't fly off the handle yet and kept on waiting.
"Say your name to everyone, i bet they're all curious to know you!"
In that moment i could clearly see their different personalities.
The child who was named "Ren" didn't move a single inch, instead, his legs were trembling, then he burried his face into my mother's dress.
The other one, suddenly held his hands and forced him in making a step forward, parting his body from my mother's.
"M-my name is Rin! Please be gentle with us!"
His voice was loud and clear, trying to act fearless even when he was about to wet himself.
Everyone's faces started sparkling in delight.
Oh my, so cute!...
He kinda looks like Shimon-sama!
They will grow into handsome young men, one day.
I hope they'll become Haru-sama's friends!
The hall was suddenly refilled with comments and fervour for the brief introduction of the stranger no. 1. Now everybody was waiting for the other twin to finally speak up.
Silence.
People was staring at the show with their stretched necks, looking forward to the little boy's introducing.
"Hora Onii-chan, say your name!" Rin encouraged his twin brother.
Ren was indeed a shy boy, but this is what made him look cute into everyone's eyes.
"My name...is Ren. Nice to m-meet you."
Again, people started making a fuss over it. Saying how they were both looking so lovely and well-behaved.
Already fed up with the whole situation, i walked away from the room, marching with my clenched fists and a grampy expression painted on my face. Dad quickly noticed that and started calling for me, but i couldn't care less about it. I was too angry to listen.
The following day i found myself into bright greenness of the garden, surrounded by thousand different types of plants and flowers. Gardenias, Orchid, Lavander...i knew the name of each of them; in particular i used to know everything about my father's bonsai.
At the center of the green pieace of ground, there was a big, crystalline pond where i had fun gazing at the flash Koi carps, swimming in a dance of vivid colours.
Right above the pond, a big and old cherry blossom tree was towering over a good part of the colourful and perfumed garden.
It was beautiful.
In my eyes, the petals shiny-pink shades were sparkling at the blowing of the spring breeze; the robust and reddish branches gently waving under the sun's rays, and the sweet fragrance coming from the already mature blossoms. The whole garden was dominated by this marvelous picture, perfect and charming in every single detail.
At that time, i spent my younger days gazing at it without never unstick my eyes from that view. I felt like hypnotized by the shades, the brightness and shape of his long branches.
I always thought at that tree like the prettiest thing about the whole mansion, that's why i used to worship it like it was the embodiment of a Kami of grace and beauty, bringing offers and praying under the simple elegance of those cherry blossoms, of growing up into a fine lady one day.
My parents used to laughed at me with innocence those days. Well, they were the one who indoctrinated me with fairytales and myths of the Shinto's culture, so they should have felt responsible for my strange behaviour.
What they didn't know about me, was my passion for singing.
I used to be very careful about it, because i didn't want anybody to find out and then force me to sing in front of the other family members.
So i sang in front of the big tree's majesty, wishing for my prayers to be listened, and i keept on arranging harmonies untill the last remaining musical note in my throat finally went out.
Singing, to me, was like going to another world, or better, it was like re-colouring the actual world with different and more glowing tonalities, making it the way i wanted it to be like. Happiness and serenity were spurting from every little symphony, every little word, making me forget about the grayness and loneliness of the real world.
That garden was my stage and i was the star of it.
Nobody couldn't possibly have broken the magic and the harmony between me and my piece of dream.
Or at least, this is what i used to think...
"Ah! You sing very well!"
My heart jumped inside my tiny chest. I slowly turned my face to the entrance of the garden and saw one of the little twins standing there, amazed with his big sparkling eyes of amber.
I freezed in embarrassment.
"Eh? Oh, please go on! I want to hear more of your singing!" he said with his slightly rosy cheeks.
Now that i was looking closely, wasn't he the coward kid who was clingling to mum's skirt?
Suddenly my stunned gaze turned into a fulminant one. That brat!
He quickly noticed my intimidating expression and started getting nervous.
"I-i'm sorry, i didn't want to disturb you!"
He put his hands forth for clearing himself. I think i saw his legs shaking, at that time.
"But you did it anyway!" i yelled at him. It wasn't my intention to be kind with one of them. Plus, he cought me in a holy and precious timing, totally destroying the mood which i created with my own strenght. He deserved to be scolded!
"I'm so-sorry..."
Oh no. He was looking really down, like he was actually feeling guilty for it; keeping his big round eyes clinged to the ground, torturing his hands in anxiety, i imagined him on the verge of crying.
In fact, at some point, i started hearing him sobbing from a distance.
What was wrong with him?! We looked even older than me! Such a crybaby.
I suddenly felt awkward as i was watching him, wipping away his tear. What a pain! I didn't know what to do. Keep on being mean to him, or forgiving him?
Tangled up in self-doubt, i could saw the little boy slowly walking towards a specific spot of the garden. He stopped in front of the chrysanthemums's shrubbery and picked up one of the flowers.
Shame!Sin! How could you touch them without permission?!
"What are you doing, are you crazy?!" i screamed rushing to him. "These flowers are the Amawaka's family holy jewels! Who do you think you are to-"
In a few seconds, the little boy stretched his tiny arm towards me, with the chrysanthemum's blossom he just collected, and offered to me, still facing the ground in guiltiness.
"Eh?..."
I stopped and stared. He took a deep breath, still trembling.
"I'm sorry i-if i interrupted you while s-singing..." his words were disrupted by the hiccups from before, but he still wanted to apologize. "...i just wanted to...hear you again."
My face turned serious.
" Would you accept-"
"No."
A dried and direct "No".
Needless to say, the boy looked at me with a deeply shocked expression, with his trembling hand about to make the flower fall.
Silence began to kindly land on the garden. A brutal and too loud silence.
Seeing no reaction from the kid stadining in front of me, i explained myself better.
"I won't accept neither the flower or your apologisies."
He let his arm fall at his side, still faintly holding the chrysanthemum in his cluched hand, throwing his eyes to ground, again, in disappointment.
I closed my eyes and added " Therefore, you're going to be punished in order to purify your sin!" i said with a loud voice, pointing my finger against him.
He watched me in a stunning expression.
"Eh...Ehh?"
"Yes, you heard me here. Prepare yourself!" i said grinning with pleasure.
Suddenly we heard a rumor from a near bush.
"Sounds funny! Can i play along with you?"
I nearly shouted at the sudden appearance of the other twin, who was hiding among the plants.
Already and totally upset for their unforgivable intrusion into my holy space, i took a deep breath in my lungs and screamed.
"Moouu! What a pain!"
After that, i made them begg me for my forgivenness at least a hundred times, making them bow down to the ground. Then i sang along with them to the cherry blossom tree, asking at the "kami" to purify their sins. I basically tricked them into doing a lot of embarrassing things in order to become pure again, but actually i was just teasing them.
So in the following days of our time together, i also forced them to clean the floors and bringing me food whenever i wanted to. I laughed my heart off those days!
"Ojou-sama, when will the punishment finish?" Ren asked.
From the height of my nobilty i answered them while watching them cleaning the garden's flowerbeds.
"Humpf, there is no end to the punishment!"
They both looked me with a stunning and dusty face.
"What do you mean, 'jou-chan?"
"I mean, you two are my bodyguards from now on, basically my slaves, my dogs. You have to do whatever i say, without complaining! This is what the contract says!"
"A-actually, your parents told us to protect you. They didn't say anything about all this..."
Ren said in her usual trembling voice.
"Listen to me, what my parents said or didn't said it doesn't matter! I never listen to them anyway, and you two should do the same. Just be my dogs for the rest of your lives, following my orders!" i pointed my magical wand to them, while saying that.
"But ojou-sama..."
"What's wih this ojou-sama anyway?!"
Rin lifted his head, rubbing his small finger under the nose and making it even more dirtier with ground than before. "Ah, your parents told us to call yo-"
"Enough with mum and dad!" i yelled "I said, you just have to listen to me!"
"Then, how should we call you ojou- aaahh!" Ren scared himself.
I gave my back to them, turning around, and making a short pause in the middle of the discussion.
"...Haru."
"Haru? like the sun?" asked Rin.
"Woah, such a cool and cute name!" Ren answered.
"Yeah, right?"
The boys started discussing about my name, filling me with compliments which profoundly embarrassed me. I was glad they were thinking those things about my name, but i couldn't refrain myself from bursting in awkwardness.
"St-stop talking about my name, now! You still have a lot of work to do!" i yelled at them, feeling my cheeks burning.
In the time, i'v grown to like them little by little. They made me laugh and smile from the bottom of my heart and i loved the way they kept me company. I thought i've forgotten loneliness for a while, thanks to them!
They quickly became my two older brothers, even though we weren't blood-related; always by my side, my loyal games companions.
I was very scared to lose them when i heard they needed to start the training session for becoming onmyouji's. I almost lost faith in them at that time...
"Haru, come out of there!"
"I don't want to!"
I was eight years-old when i just heard from my father that Ren and Rin were required to become quilified exorcists in no time, for my own sake. So i locked myself in the storage as sign of protesting.
I thought they were going to leave me behind, just as mom and dad did when i was younger. All to throw themselves into a suicidal mission! It was so ridiculous!
I didn't want my precious brothers to abandon me, slowly walking away from my life, again. Only to do what? Following my parents will, even when i've always told them to not listen to them.
"I know you're quite upset now, but let us talk to you!"
"No, go away!"
I was angry and sad, wrapping my arms around my knees while sitting on the dusty floor of the warehouse, with my back against the door, desperetely trying to choke my sobbings. I didn't want to talk to them and hearing their pitiful excuses! I was hurted enough.
As i shifted my eyes next to me, i saw a white daisy laying on the floor. Ren and Rin made it slide in a small hole of the door and i perfecly knew what it meant, since i've always studied the flowers language.
Loyalty and love, purity, affection, patience.
They already knew what my weaknesses were. I suddenly recalled my first time meeting with them and, moved by it, i picked up the little flower and tangled it in my hair.
Opening the door, i really hoped from the bottom of my heart they woulnd't have noticed my eyes, red and still watery from all the crying, but after seeing their concerned expressions i could tell they did.
Ren smiled at me with sweetness in his eyes and put a hand on my head, patting me. Rin, on the other part, pinched my cheek in a playful way making me rumble.
"Give me a break!" i told him.
He laughed in amusement "No way, princess!".
Stop calling me like that... i thought while looking away.
"May we come in?"
Ren was kind and polite as always. He was growing up well from the crybaby he used to be in the past.
I nodded and agreed, letting them entering in the dark and dirty stockroom. All three of us, we sitted on the old chest of drawers and started talking about the main topic. I was still looking at the ground, for the first time, showing them my fragiity.
"I know what you're thinking, Haru. You probably think we're going to forget about you and stop being at your side. Isn't it?"
Biting my lip and frowning my eyebrows. i stood still with my clenched fists, totally hurted in my pride. Ren was right, he completely hit the target.
I didn't answer, but everybody knows that who stays quite usually agrees.
"This is not gonna happen! We'll be training to become strong enough to protect you!"
"Exactly as Nii-san said, you should be feeling glad about it! We're gonna be like your knights on white horses an-"
"Uzakenaide..." i murmured from my shaded face.
Silence arose. Suddenly Ren hugged me.
"Haru, we love you, we don't want anythng bad to happen to you. No matter how much different our ways might become, we will always be loyal and caring to you. You are our little sister!Please, trust us."
I remember i started crying like a baby after hearing Ren's words. Rin came along as well, hugging me together with his brother and we stayed like that untill i stopped crying. It had passed so much time since i actually accepted someone's body warmth...
It felt good.
Even now i get mad at them when they put their onmyouji's stuff before me, but in my heart, i know they still care for me, that we're bounded by a speacial feeling of brotherhood and friendship which will never be destroyed by anything.
They are now strong exorcists of the Amawaka's household, and i'm just the spoiled little princess of that big castle. It's okay to me, though!
I was fine by just having those two around me.
Author's note:
Mouu!: it's japanese exclamation which stands for "Uff!"
Ojou-sama/'jou-chan: both mean "milady" or "miss"
Uzakenaide: it means "don't joke with me" or something, in japanese.
Nii-san: another way of calling "brother"
OH MY GOD! I finally finished this endless chapter! Yes, Haru is quite the tsundere, here! I could say she's even more tsundere than her father. *giggles*
I probably missed something in the twins story, but don't worry, when i'll remember it i'll find a way to put it inside the next chapter ;)! I hope you liked this "little" overview of the two bodyguards brothers! Stay tuned for updates!
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