Hello Everyone! Here is Chapter Three! Sorry it's so late on Thursday, but for some reason they wouldn't let me upload it earlier! =(
Either way, before I go on any further I'm going to answer the top three question I got. Soooo, here we go!
Q: Why is Talim so meeeean?
A: Well that's the thing- Talim is NOT a mean person at all. In fact, she 's overly nice and well, everyone loves her. However, It's Yun-Seong that brings out the "evil" side of her, if you will. But I prefer to call it her "spunk" . It's just the type of relationship they've always had.
Q: What? Yun-Seong already HAS a girlfriend?
A: Yes, yes he does. And don't worry, this is still a YunTal fic by ALL means. But the gf is necessary in this point of time. And yes, she will be revealed VERY soon.
Q: Ummm…where is everyone else? o.O
A: Lol, no worries. They come in soon enough, but I have to set the setting up first. Thennnn-insert crazy awesome SC frands stage right!
Okayyyy! With that, we can get right to the story! If you have any question, feel free to ask in a review or PM me =)
Enjoy Chapter 3!
Disclaimer: Not mine! But Alana, Li, and Ren (Grandpa) Kazehime are. And they kick ASS!
Chapter 3: A "Beautiful" Family
The sincerest love is the love of food ~
Bernard Shaw.
"Welcome to the Grand Kazehime Estate of Hospitality,"
The once quarreling teenagers now stood peacefully side-by-side, bowing deeply to the esteemed company before them. High School uniforms had been traded in for traditional Japanese dressings similar to that of the lovely Mrs. Kazehime's. Talim was in a kimono of velvety maroon, crisp black lilies scattered aimlessly along the fabric. Yun-seong was in a simple yet highly suiting navy hakama, his black obi tied loosely around his waist.
"Konbanwa! Watashi no namae wa Kazehime, Talim. Dohzo yorishiku!" In flawless Japanese, Talim greeted the couple. She was regal and polite in everyway. "It is a great honor to have such valued guests in our home. Is there anything I could do to service you?"
One of the guests, an older woman with silver curls and steely grey eyes, gave her a small smile and nodded appreciatively. "Yes dear, a couple glasses of lemonade would be lovely," Her resigned husband placed a hand on her shoulder in silent question. She turned to look at him, grinned, then added "And also, a couple of cigars if you have any,"
"Of course, I'll have it sent to your room right away. Is there anything else I can do for you?" Talim kindly asked.
"No, that'll be all for now dear,"
"As you wish, Ma'am" she took another small bow then gestured to the young man beside me her. "This is Hong, Yun-Seong. He will carry your luggage to your room for you,"
Yun-Seong bowed once again. "Konbanwa, dohzo yorishiku,"
The older woman noticeably brightened at the boy in front of her. "Well aren't you handsome," Talim's eyes widened slightly as the woman extended a dainty hand out towards the red head. "Pleased to meet you, indeed"
With a surprised chuckle, he lightly grasped her hand in his and kissed it. Her husband shook his head at his wife's flirtatious behavior. "I hope you enjoy your stay, Ma'am," Yun-Seong responded, his voice a few octaves lower than normally. She giggled with glee like a school girl. "Ahhh Kai, he's much like you back when you were young!"
Then she leaned forward to Talim and whispered. "Which means you better keep an eye on him. I can only imagine the trouble this one stirs up,"
"You have no idea," said Talim, with a deep sigh.
An airy laugh escaped the genteel old woman. "My, does that sigh sound excruciatingly familiar. Brings back good memories…" Her arm wrapped firmly around her husband's. "But don't you worry, dear. It'll all be worth it in the end. One day,"
The petite girl's face turned straight scarlet as she tried her best not to look sick to her stomach. "Ah-h-h-h umm, no, no ma'am. I'm afraid you have the wrong idea. You see, we're' not-,"
"Come along, darling," said Yun-seong wrapping one arm around her shoulder and swooping up the luggage with the other. "You have to show the guest to their room,"
Chocolate eyes glowed severely in his direction. "Of course," Talim gritted through smiling teeth. "Please, this way,"
As she did her best to count backwards from ten, Yun-Seong "guided" them up the stairs and around the corner to the awaiting suite. The older couple chattered happily between each other, completely oblivious to the unspoken battle of wills up ahead.
"You're so good at this, Mini!" Yun-Seong whispered.
"…,"
"No, I mean it. Really good!"
Talim squeezed her eyes shut to block out his childish taunting. Just keep counting, she reminded herself, just keep counting. "…Mmhmm,"
"I mean, I wish I was as stuck-up – I mean sophisticated - as you are! You handle these things so well!"
Screw counting.
She breathed another huge sigh before she retorted."…Remind me to hurt you later, Hong. I'm so good at that. Really good,"
He smirked at the gratification of irritating her twice in one day already.
"Will do, snookums,"
Three times, if he got lucky.
"You two did very well tonight, I appreciate you coming home early and helping set things up. It made a huge difference in time management,"
It was dinnertime in the Kazehime household. All of the illustrious cultural robes from earlier had turned into rutty jeans and comfy t-shirts. The giant cherry wood table was surrounded by the majority of Talim's large immediate family; her and her mother on one side and Yun-Seong and her father on the opposite. At the head of the table sat Ren Kazehime, the eldest member of the house. He was a short yet bulky man with winter hair and gleaming hazel eyes. His posture and elegance was that of kings and every thoughtful word that left his lips sounded like an old ancient proverb. He was the biological grandfather of Talim, and father to her own father, Sandput.
"The Hakage's truly enjoyed you kids tonight. Said you were some of the best mannered young adults they'd ever had the pleasure of meeting. And best looking ones as well," Mrs. Kazehime continued, winking at the teens. "Ren, you should be pleased. You're grandchildren are golden," She passed the mashed potatoes in his direction.
Grandpa Kazehime's eyes crinkled as he smiled at the two. Dinner had only just begun and they were already throwing rough whispers at one another. Thankfully, things were still in the first stage as far as their skirmishes went – the safe zone.
"Oh, is that so Lidi?" he began, his voice warm and hearty. "You children were on your best behavior then, I presume?"
"Grandpa!" Talim cried, giving him a hurt expression. Did he really think she was just as mischievous as the lunkhead next to her?
"I apologize, sweetheart," her grandfather recovered. "Of course, you're always on your best behavior,"
Her smile was big and white in reply. "Thank-you!"
Yun-Seong snorted, snatching the plate of pork chops out of Talim's hands. "Whatever, you're just the favorite. Therefore everything you do, whether wrong or stupid, is always just fiiiiine. Must be nice,"
She snatched them back and glared up at him. "I am not the favorite, I'm just actually nice and apply myself! And the term is wrong or right, not wrong or stupid, those words simply aren't opposites,"
"I know what I said, Mini," Yun-Seong reached for the pork chops a second time and placed 3 on his plate without a second glance. "That was the point,"
"Ha. Ha. You're just so clever,"
"Speaking of clever, where are you two 's sisters?"
Not seconds after the words left Mrs. Kazehime's mouth in came two boisterous, giggling young women. They we're older than Talim and Yun-Seong, but not by much. One was a mirror image of the other Kazehime women in the family – eyes, nose, lips and all. Her hair was light caramel and fell in loose curls down her shoulders. She wasn't very tall, but her height of 5'6 made her tower over the other girls in her family. The other woman had striking red hair and glowing almond eyes. Unlike her friend's naturally tan complexion her skin was creamy ivory. Pin straight locks fell luxuriously past her waist, framing perfect cheekbones and the smile of a goddess.
Both girls were extraordinarily beautiful.
Both girls were also extraordinarily loud and obnoxious.
"Chiiiiiicka did you see the look on that idiot's face? Like wow!"
"I know, tell me about it! You'd think I'd told him his dog had died!"
"Well it's not exactly like 'Piss off, you make me sick' is any better, Li,"
"Ehhh, he's a big boy. He'll be alright,"
"And a good evening to you, girls," said Mr. Kazehime, nodding in their direction.
"Hey Pops! Hey Mom!" answered the tanner one of the two, moving around to kiss both parents on their cheeks. She wormed her way over to the younger Kazehime and ruffled her hair good-naturedly. "Hey Lil' bit!"
"You know I don't like that," Talim said, lightly pouting, but gave a small smile towards her sister anyway.
"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Kazehime!" said the red haired girl enthusiastically. She walked over to a very occupied Yun-Seong and back-handed him upside his head. "Sup, chump,"
He spit out the rice in his mouth and glared up at her. "Ew, what are you doing here? Don't you have college or something to be doing?"
Both girls walked over to Ren Kazehime and gave him a double bear hug. " Hi Grandpaaaa!" they chorused in unison.
He patted their backs cheerfully. "Hello girls!" They beamed down at him as he asked about the ups and downs of their day.
Yun-Seong frowned at the girl who attacked him. "Yo! Didn't you hear me Li?"
She took a small bow towards Grandpa Kazehime respectively before heading towards the matching red head and taking the seat next to him. "What you don't have eyes, dummy? I was saying hi to Grandpa!"
"You can multi-task," he mumbled with another full mouth of rice.
"Can't handle someone not paying attention to you for one whole second, Hong?" said Talim sticking a well-cut piece of pork chop into her mouth.
He turned to glare at her. "Can't handle not being annoying as all heck for one whole second, Wind Princess?"
"Look who's talking," she responded with a dry laugh.
"Oh boy, here we go…" said Li, rolling her eyes knowingly. She smirked across the table to her partner in crime who had just sat down. "Who do you think's going to win this one, Alana?"
"I don't know," she responded thoughtfully, twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. "Yun-Seong may be obnoxiously charming and insistent, but Talim has the winning feature here…and that's brains,"
"Touche'," Li gasped as if in awe.
Talim giggled at the silliness of the girls, and even more at the fact that his own sister was turning on him. "Geez, even Li knows how…incapable you are,"
For a split second his temper flared, and he almost fast-forward their little skirmish from stage one to stage five. But, he had one last trick underneath his sleeve. He grinned evilly and turned his attention to his dinner before, just loud enough for only Talim to hear, he muttered.
"Better incapable than undoable,"
Her head tilted to the side for the briefest of moments as she the comment sink in. Seconds later she was setting down her silverware and turning to face him head on.
Ding-Ding-Ding!
"Okay, that's it! Where do you get off telling me that-,"
The entire table sighed in agony as 'Round 2' went into full effect. Even though this wasn't particularly a new thing, sometimes it was nice to hope for a quiet non-abrasive family dinner for once.
"So when do you think their gonna do it?" Alana openly asked to Li across the table as if she were talking about the weather.
"Alana!" her parents scolded. Grandpa Kazehime rumbled deep in laughter at her audacity.
Talim and Yun-Seong continued to argue, completely oblivious to what was happening around them.
"What! It's not like we don't know it's going to happen. Look at them! Their sexual tension is as think as Wisconsin cheese,"
"And that's some thick cheese," supported Li. "By the way, the answer is next year if you ask me,"
"Oh my God, I can't handle this…," Mrs. Kazehime said placing her head in her palm. "Sandput, please," she admonished her husband.
"Girls, you're giving my dear wife a headache. Not mention weirding me out as well…,"
"I think it's all quite hilarious," Grandpa Kazehime said good-naturedly.
Li smiled gratefully at him. "I knew there was a reason I liked you, old man,"
Sandput sighed and scratched the back of his neck uneasily. "Dad, please don't encourage them,"
"Oh son, it's all in good fun,"
"You're not the one who has to parent these brats…,"
"I resent that!" Li and Alana exclaimed in unison.
"See what I mean?" Mr. Kazehime said tiredly.
"I already experienced parenthood with three stubborn boys of my own a long time ago," Grandpa Kazehime leaned back into his chair and placed his hands on his belly in contentment. "Being a grandparent is a well-deserved reward. You'll understand in ten years or so,"
"'Or so' is darn right…," he pointed fiercely to Alana. "Listen well, no kids until I have no kids…and then add twenty years to that," he then turned his sharp gaze to Li. "You too, Red. The last thing your dad and I need are you two goobers walking around knocked up,"
Alana gazed at him from the corner of her eye. "Guess I'm going to have to break things off with that hippie I've been screwing then. He's not as careful as he should be…,"
All eyes at the table (minus the still bickering teenagers) turned to gawk in disbelief at the eldest Kazehime's boldness. Oh sweet mercy, this was not going to end well. If there was one thing that could overshadow the angry sparks between Yun-Seong and Talim, it was a rebellious Alana and her strict father.
Li instantly burst into laughter at the crazy antics of her best friend. "Oh my God, Alana. You're a frickin idiot!"
Sandput eyed her with incredulity. "Alana Sjare-Rah Kazehime! If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times-,"
Lidi shook her head in misery. Fantastic. Now there were two arguments going on at the dinner table plus one insanely spastic girl laughing uncontrollably at the whole thing. Good lord, why did she even bother with forcing them into have these family dinners? It always ended up with her having some sort of headache. She vainly wished that she had enough ibuprofen to help ease the pain tonight.
Ding, Ding, Ding
Ding, Ding, Ding
Ding, Ding, Ding
Almost as if he had hit a gong, the entire table swirled around to look at the elder of the family. He sat tall and proud at the head of table. His cup was held high in his giant hand and his face glowed with an inner happiness few people in the world had ever been blessed to know. A small crinkle of sadness melted into his expression.
It pained him his wife wasn't here to see how beautiful their family had become.
It pained him his best friend wasn't able to see as well.
Sandput turned concerned eyes onto his father upon noticing the slight falter in his stature.
"Dad?" he asked, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder.
Grandpa Kazehime regarded him with a small nod then turned to look back at his awaiting family. "A toast," he stated simply. "A toast to us, to our family. I am so thankful for every single one of you, and I can't imagine a life with not one of you in it," He raised his cup grandly. "To a beautiful family! I love you all more than you could know,"
Sandput gazed at Lidi from across the table, their eyes both reflecting small bits of confusion.
The young adults stared silently up at their grandfather, unsure of what or how to react to his random yet heartfelt toast. Talim turned to look at Yun-Seong who simply shrugged his shoulders and lifted his glass as well. "To a beautiful family," he repeated, and soon enough, everyone did the same.
The rest of dinner flew by as smooth and uneventful as possible with casual conversations about the day and small discussions of the current events of the world. Yun-Seong would throw minor teases in Talim's direction but it seemed she was done with him for the rest of the evening. She wouldn't even bother to look in his direction. Alana and Li were talking rather loudly about the cow's brain they dissected in biology today while Sandput and Lidi held hands across the table, staring sweetly into the other's eyes like high school sweethearts.
Old Grandpa Kazehime smiled warm and lovingly at his twisted family; his children, his grandchildren, his best friend's grandchildren. Tears began to swell in his eyes just from the simple fact of how much they had grown in what seemed like such a short amount of time. How adult they really were becoming, it was the greatest blessing he could ever have asked for.
And it broke his heart in two to know that too soon, he would be pulled away from all of this…
Hope you enjoyed! RnR peeps, they make me smile! =)
"Konbanwa! Watashi no namae wa Kazehime, Talim. Dohzo yorishiku!":
"Good Evening! My name is Talim Kazehime. Pleased to meet you!"