Four: Brickroad -Giù su un Ginocchio,Le Melodie mi Liberi-
A/N: Yes, The King of Fluff has returned.
Disclaimer: I do not own the songs.
For what felt like an eternity, I was able to smile again.
"It's pretty." I muttered as I looked at the sunflower design on the lower right portion. "I-I'm glad it suits your taste, my Lady. And the fitting? Is it alright?" he asked nervously, his hands clasped together. I nodded at him and beamed another smile. "Yes, it fits me perfectly. You chose well, Mr. Lehrer." I said and left the mirror. The light cotton dress that Mr. Lehrer handed me, and the matching wide brimmed hat with a yellow ribbon on it, were the first thing that he gave me since I met him in an unusual way. He heaved a sigh of relief and eyes shone brightly. "I'm very, very happy that it fitted you. It was selected by pure estimation." He said as he dabbed his forehead lightly.
"Are we going somewhere, that's why you asked me to dress?" I asked him. He smiled lightly and nodded. "Y-Yes. Since we're all set to leave this hotel for the mansion, then I might as well take you to a little tour in this town." He replied. "Oh, we're already going to the…big house?" I repeated in an airy whisper. "Yes, my Lady. Although the mansion seeks for your understanding with the delay in your ascend there. Some preparations were still needed and they wanted everything to be in perfect order when you come." He related.
"Preparations?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "Uh, yes. A party will be held in honor of your arrival, my Lady. Nobles and prominent people from the Duke's peers and family will be coming to see you." He said. I felt my knees buckle down in an instant with what I have just heard. "Whoa, wait up! Nobles? Prominent people? Goodness! Are they trying to kill me?" I squeaked my horror. Heck, the most notable person that I have ever met in my whole life was Hamai Misa-san.
"Don't worry, my Lady! The party wont start immediately. Maybe it will take place about four to five days after your arrival. You'd be specially trained and guided for the proper etiquette and socializing for that day." Mr. Lehrer eased my tension. "For now, why don't we start early for the tour? There are lots of good places to see." He said. I accepted his offer and the next thing I knew, he was escorting me down.
And then there I was, growling again because of what greeted my eyes.
"What…Mr. Lehrer, what is he doing here?" I directed my rage at the third man. His arms were crossed and he was leaning casually at the car's side. He was facing the other side but his scowl was very much obvious. "I thought that…he might get lonely and bored if we leave him behind. And…aren't the two of you together?" he inquired.
"No freaking way, Mr. Lehrer. Not in a million years." I immediately said. Tsuchiura grunted and scratched the back of his head. "Who would want to be together with a brat like her?" he muttered.
"Are you saying something?" I blared at him. He shrugged his shoulders and stretched his arms up. "Oh, nothing in particular." He responded and yawned. "P-Please, not now, My Lady, Mr. Tsuchiura! Why don't we just go on with our trip?" Mr. Lehrer stepped in between. Tsuchiura and I glared at each other for a few more breaths and before following him. Mr. Lehrer opened the passenger seat of the black car and he did the same for Tsuchiura on the other side. I scooted to my side of the window and avoided any kind of contact with him. Heck, I even made sure that the smallest and tiniest part of my dress's hem was not within three inches of his reach. He did the same too, on his side, and crossed his arms, taking up the least possible space he could get. His head was constantly whipped away from me…
Mr. Lehrer was our driver for the day. I was glad that he did not bring any men in black with us. "Uh…" he muttered when he checked at us with the use of the front mirror. "Are you two sure that you're fine in that sitting arrangement?" he whispered. "Yeah, I'm perfectly fine here, Rufus." I hissed and lowered the brim of the hat to block some of the stray rays. "Don't worry about me." Tsuchiura whispered, his head still whipped away. I wonder if his neck is aching by now…
"Alright then…" Mr. Lehrer said before starting the black ride.
Forty minutes later, I found ourselves standing on the middle of whoever knows, save for Rufus, with the great heat of the noontime sun pouring on us like some rainfall on a stormy day. The car, very unfortunately, broke and needs utmost repair immediately. Rufus tried to call the hotel and his men in black for assistance but, very unfortunately still, his phone went dead. The place where we got stranded was like a prelude to the great mountainside, with civilization seeming to revert back to the time where the greatest advancement in life that you can get was a wagon with a horse.
"I am terribly sorry for this unfortunate event, my Lady. I am truly embarrassed with this." Rufus said to me when he emerged from under the car, with his white polo covered in grime and oil. "Well, it cant be helped. Besides, an accident is an accident." I said, trying to cheer him up.
"I'll go look for a store somewhere and buy us some drinks. Maybe I can also find a place to have my battery charged even for a while or contact my men. Will that be okay with you, my Lady?" he asked me as he pushed back his glasses. "Sure, sure. I'm going to be fine here. No one's going to eat me here, I suppose." I managed to crack a joke to lighten up his mood. Which worked, by the way. He nodded at us before leaving. "Mr. Tsuchiura, please take care of her for me." He said before fading away.
Sheesh, talk about last will.
Silence enveloped us again. I really want to get inside and far away from his as possible but the air conditioning unit was out of use. It will be like a mini-hell if I decided to step in the black car. I glanced at him again and still, that head whipped away thing of his was there. Never fading.
I tried to make myself talk to him and apologize. But whenever I remember the look of rage and anger in his eyes, I always fall back.
I was scared of seeing those. Again. Suddenly, he sighed and moved. Maybe, this was a sign that we could make up. My cheery hope broke down to pieces when I saw him leaning on his knees and breathing hard. "H-Hey! What's happening to you?" I said and went beside him, placing a hand on his broad shoulders. He leaned away and staggered to stand up to go to the side of the car. Is he planning to get in that extreme sauna? "Where do you think are you going?" I asked him as he pulled open the door. "It doesn't concern you." He grunted and began to take raspy breaths. "Will you just stop being so stubborn? I'm only concerned about you." I said and felt his forehead. Goodness, it was hot! His sweat was terribly cold too. "Tsuchiura, you're sick!" I gasped and dabbed his forehead with my hanky. He shoved me away and walked farther. "Come here, you jerk. I'm not going to kill you." I hissed and followed him. He swayed for a bit and he fell by the hood of the car. "Tsuchiura!" I screamed and dashed to where the panting lad was. I lifted his head to my lap and my eyes began to water. "Dammit, you jerk! What's happening to you?" I fought the urge to totally cry but my voice cracked. Tsuchiura's eyes opened slightly and his dreamy eyes seemed to lose focus.
"N-Nami…"
I panicked as his raspy voice came to my ears. "Y-Yeah?" I answered back, dabbing his neck and face with the hanky and flapping the hat to him for cool air. He reached out his hand and it rested on my cheek, which stopped me. "I-I'm sorry…" he muttered before closing his eyes again and returning to a fit of raspy breath. "H-Hey, hey mister! Don't you dare die!" I said as I gently slapped his face. His brows curled slightly and he coughed a bit. "Who said…that I'm dying, you brat? I-It's too hot." He muttered and his eyes opened and he looked feverish now. "O-Okay." I said and began to unbutton the first two ones of his polo. "How's that?" I asked and fanned him again. His expression lightened and he nodded slightly. "W-Water…" he muttered again. "Rufus will coming back soon. Don't worry and just hang on." I assured him, or more likely assured myself. I looked up and squinted at the high noon sun. If Rufus wont come back immediately…
"Nami," his voice was a little more solid now. "Hmm?"
He coughed a bit. "I said I'm sorry." He said. I looked at him and I saw his eyes soft with pleading. "I…"
"Is my apology accepted now?" he asked, a playful smile appeared on his face. I smiled back and lightly tapped his forehead. "You have to sing your apology to me, mister. Like the old times." I said, looking at the surroundings. "Huh? Like a serenade?" he asked.
"Yup. And it must be in English!" I added. "What?" though weak, his voice was now solid and full of disbelief. "Why? You want German instead?" I raised a brow. "Uh…no. English is fine." He said before closing his eyes again.
"You smell nice." He said softly when a soft breeze blow. "Was that a compliment or what?" I tapped him again and he hissed. "Is that how you treat a sick person?" he grunted. "But seriously, you do smell great." He added. "Then I'd have to thank Rufus for that. He specifically chose my dress and other stuff. He's such a great guy, don't you think?" I mused aloud. "Yeah." He said and kept silent.
After about ten more minutes of being dried in the sun and nursing a sick guy, Rufus appeared and behind him were his men and another car. The car went ahead and parked beside our own. "My Lady! What happened to him?" Rufus asked as two men assisted Tsuchiura. "He got sick from the intense heat, I guess." I answered as he lent me hand. "Thank you. Let's go and have him checked." I said and we sped off fast.
I was dropped off by the hotel, together with three men and Rufus directed the car to the nearest hospital and joined Tsuchiura. "He'll be fine now." Rufus had assured me when I stepped down the car. I caught a glimpse of Tsuchiura leaning back and his face in a pained contortion. I nodded at Rufus and he closed the door. The image of the car going away suddenly felt different, like…I'm going to see it again. Shaking off the weird idea, I headed back to my own room and I suddenly realized that after my 'abduction'…
It was my first time to be alone. I don't really have an issue with Silence but with the way things had turned, I missed Tsuchiura's company. He might be very stubborn (but not as stubborn as a certain blue-haired violinist AKA his beastfriend) but his presence is something that I have grown to depend on. Like how solid he seemed, that no matter what happens, I can always have him beside me and everything would be fine.
My dinner was served and after that, I took a good bath. I had quite some time keeping my calm as I waited for their return. I wondered what was taking them this long.
At about the time I was going to sleep, a knock came to my door. It opened, revealing Rufus. "My Lady," he greeted and bowed. I stood and went to him. "How's he?" I asked immediately. He smiled and nodded in response. "The doctor said that he was just over fatigued and a mild case of heat stroke. He was advised to rest until tomorrow." He added and closed the door behind. "I want to see him." I said and tried to reach for the handle but he stopped me. "Mr. Tsuchiura is already sleeping, My Lady. I think it's best that we postpone your visit until tomorrow." He calmly replied. "But…" I said and eventually realized that what he has told me would be the best thing to do. "I think so too." I resigned to soft sigh and walked back to sit again.
He walked in too and stopped a few feet away from me. "How was the rest of the day for you, my Lady?" he asked. I gave him a tired smile. "Fine but a little bit…troubling, I guess. I couldn't sit still all day." I confessed. His smile eased the tension in me. "I understand. I want to apologize again for the accident earlier. I hope that you will still continue to trust me, my Lady." He bowed. "Ah, it's okay, Rufus. It's not your fault, anyway." I answered. He sighed and went to the window and opened it. "The night air is nice and cool, my Lady. It might help you to sleep with much ease tonight." He said and almost instantly, I calming night breeze came in. "You're right. I might as well leave it open for a while before…"
I was cut when the sound of a guitar came floating in. I looked at Rufus, who only looked back at me with the same confusion, so I decided to check it out myself. As I neared it, a strong baritone voice wrapped the soft melody of the guitar. It cant be…
There he was on the street, together with one of the men in black who was serving as the guitarist. A small crowd was forming around them, mostly ladies who were swooning over his act.
You are sunlight and I moon
Joined by the gods of fortune
Midnight and high noon
Sharing the sky
We have been blessed, you and I
What in the world is he…
But I have to admit, his singing voice was something that I found very charming of him.
You are here like a mystery
I'm from a world that's so different
From all that you are
How in the light of one night
Did we come so far?
Another melody entered when he finished the first part. A considerable amount of people were already outside. Some men were whistling at him and the girls were all getting giddy and giggling. As much as I deny it, he was pretty romantic. I couldn't help but grace him a smile whenever he stares at from below. My heart skipped a beat when he smiled in return, a certain twinkle in his eyes.
Take my hand
We'll walk a while, we'll talk a while
Feel my love, always there beside you
Be the one
I know you'll tell me everything
You are the one I cherish more than anything
A man from the crowd gave him a small cluster of flowers, handpicked from somewhere. Tsuchiura nodded at me and stretched out his flower-bearing hand to me, as if offering them to me. A couple of howls and whistles emerged from the people below and I felt a flush come up to my face.
I love you more than you'll ever know
I love you more than you'll ever see
More than my heart could ever show
I love you more than you'll ever know
His act has ended. He bowed at everyone and looked up to me again. This time, what he did next intensified the mushy atmosphere he had created.
He knelt on one knee.
"Nami," he called out to me. "I offer you my sincerest apology. Please accept it." He said, his eyes sternly fixed on mine. I looked back at Rufus who only nodded and bowed. I knew it, he was an accomplice.
"Will you just get up there? You're causing too much a scene!" I said to him. "I wont stand here until you say that you're accepting my apology." He said. "Oh come on, Tsuchiura! Get up here. You could have just knocked on my door and then we could talk." I retorted. "But you said you wanted me to sing to you." He reasoned out.
"It was just a joke! And you took it very seriously!"
"I knew that it was a joke but I wanted to do everything to make you believe that I am very sorry for what I've done."
Feeling my face heating up more and more, I succumbed to him. "Yes, you are forgiven. I accept your apology so get up here and stop that act right now." I said and his smile was the most wonderful and fascinating thing that I've ever seen. He quickly stood and dashed right in the hotel. People started to follow him but the men in black forbade them. Rufus chuckled and pushed up his glasses. "I believe that's my cue to leave. I'll see you in the morning, my Lady. Good night." He said and went away. Not long after, a rapid wave of knocks came to my door. I had just turned the knob open when it was pushed from the other side, and very much immediately, in a blur, something unexpected happened.
He embraced me tight. "T-Tsuchiura!" I gasped at him. "I'm so sorry…" he whispered as he placed a hand on the back of my head. "I am so sorry, Nami." He repeated and I could feel a slight tinge of pain in his voice. "I already told you, you're forgiven." I nervously replied. "C-Can you let go of me now? It's fine, big guy." I said lightly tapping his back.
"Can you just let me be like this for a few more while?" he asked softly.
"…Okay." I replied and leaned my head on his shoulders. "I'm sorry too." I said before allowing a tear to rush down swiftly.