Chapter 10
Aaarg! Writer's block is a bitch! It was like this chapter DID NOT want to get written. I tried over and over to start it, but the words just wouldn't appear! Lots of head banging ensued.
Disclaimer: Still don't own it.
"It was all just a huge mistake." Riku said, reaching over the table and taking Daisuke's hand. They had been sitting in Haagen-Dazs for about fifteen minutes before Riku finally got around to asking him about Hiwatari. It was an uncomfortable topic for both of them, but once she made it clear that Risa was at fault the mood lightened considerably. "From what she said, Hiwatari-kun is really upset over the whole thing."
"Great." Daisuke whined and put his head down on the table. "Aw, this trip was supposed to be relaxing!"
"Yeah, I know . . ." She paused thoughtfully. "Do you think . . . there could be anything between them? Hiwatari-kun and Risa, I mean."
Daisuke looked surprised. "Satoshi and Risa?" He repeated. "Why would you say that?"
"Because . . . well . . ." She didn't want to blab her sisters secrets to anyone, but Daisuke was her boyfriend, and the closest person to Satoshi Hiwatari. So if anyone would be of help, it would be him. "My sister . . . she seems to think she has . . . feelings . . . for Hiwatari-kun."
"What?!" His expression went from surprised to astonished in an instant. "S-Satoshi? But she hardly even knows him!"
"I know, I know . . . but she seems really . . . serious about it. It's not like it was with Dark. She loved to brag about it with him, but with Hiwatari . . . it's like she doesn't want me to know . . ."
"Kind of like the way you were about me?" Daisuke said with a sweet smile.
"Yeah. Kind of like that." She said. She leaned across the table and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He blushed and smiled sheepishly at her.
"Ahem . . . so . . . uh, what now?"
"I think we should find Hiwatari." Riku said, standing up. Daisuke nodded and followed her example.
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Risa awoke with a start and glanced at her clock. 3:37 already? Had she really been asleep for that long? She remembered waking up a couple of times and thinking "Just five more minutes. Five minutes turned into ten . . . fifteen. . . fifty . . . an hour and a half . . . finally three hours. Goodness, she felt lazy!
She sighed and crawled out of bed, her stomach growling loudly. Ah . . . she hadn't eaten today . . . Riku still wasn't back - no surprise there - so she couldn't hang around her and Daisuke. Well, there were restaurants everywhere. She could probably find something to eat . . .
She blushed, feeling a little guilty about the dreams she suddenly remembered - a dream that involved Satoshi Hiwatari and a hot tub - then shook her head. He hated her. He had every right to hate her. She shouldn't be fantasizing about a guy who was probably wishing he had left her to swim with the jellyfish. Unrequited love was sort of romantic. Unrequited lust was just pathetic.
Sighing, she brushed out her hair and replaced the flower. She still looked nice - maybe she would run into Hiwatari. If that happened, maybe she could get him to forgive her. It wasn't just that she liked him . . . she just wanted him to know that she was sorry for what she did.
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"Satoshi! Hey, Satoshi!" Satoshi Hiwatari turned around to find Daisuke waving frantically and running in his direction, followed closely by Riku. He had been standing on the beach - the one they were supposed to go to, watching the waves and planning out his next painting. It was the only thing he could do when he was angry - lose himself in the world of art.
"Hey." He said when they caught up to him. Daisuke stopped to catch his breath.
"Hey." He finally managed to say, and looked up at him with a bright grin. "Riku and I just got back from Haagen-Dazs. We've been looking everywhere for you."
"Really." He looked genuinely surprised. "Why?"
"I thought . . . well . . ."
"You know, I think I'm going to go back to my room. I forgot . . . my . . . camera." She said. "Bye Diasuke, bye Hiwatari-kun." With that, she ran off, allowing them their privacy. Daisuke smiled up at Satoshi.
"Wanna go for a walk?" Daisuke suggested. Satoshi shrugged.
"Sure." He said, and Daisuke's smile broadened. "Where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere." he looked up at the skies, then at his watch. "We might want to get back to the hotel. It rains at four thirty, remember?"
"Yeah." Satoshi said.
"You've been thinking about painting." Daisuke said as they started to leave.
"Of course. But how did you guess?"
Daisuke shrugged. "Just a guess. You are a Hikari, after all. I just figured . . ." He smiled. "I guess you find it as relaxing as I do."
"Yeah." Satoshi muttered.
"Um . . . Satoshi . . ."
"Yes, Daisuke?"
"Sorry . . . about last night." He sighed, but Satoshi merely shrugged.
"It's okay."
They were walking on concrete now, making their way back to the hotel. It was only a few blocks away, but they were walking slowly.
"No, it's not okay." Daisuke said. Satoshi walked a few more steps before realizing Daisuke had stopped.
"Daisuke, yes it is. Don't worry about it."
"Satoshi, you know that if you were . . . like that . . . I wouldn't mind . . . I mean . . . it wouldn't affect our friendship at all . . ."
"I know that, Daisuke. But I assure you, I'm not gay. I harbor no romantic feelings toward you whatsoever."
"Really?'
"Really."
"So . . . then . . . I'm not . . ."
"You're not my sacred maiden." Satoshi said with a slight smile..
"Oh! Thank God!" He said with a laugh. "N-no offense, Satoshi . . . it's just that . . ."
"I understand." Satoshi said. Daisuke smiled nervously. Time for plan "Follow-Riku's-orders-and-try-to-set-Satoshi-up-with-Risa"!
"Sooo . . . whois your sacred maiden?"
"I don't know." Satoshi answered honestly. "I'm not even sure if I have one."
"What? What do you mean? Of course you have a sacred maiden!"
"I just don't know . . . sometimes I wonder if there is someone out there for me."
"Satoshi . . . don't be like that."
"It's the truth." Satoshi shrugged. "I mean, I am a Hikari. My family . . . has always been fated to be alone."
"But Krad's gone now! You have nothing to worry about!"
"I know. I know." He shrugged. "It's really not a big deal. If there is a sacred maiden out there for me, I'll find her eventually."
"Hmm . . . Well, I'm just glad it's not me."
"Trust me, so am I." Satoshi said with a smirk.
"Hey, look out!" Someone shouted a moment before Satoshi was knocked to the ground. The boy got off of his bicycle, horrified, and helped him to his feet. "I'm so sorry!" He said. "I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you okay?"
"I think so." Satoshi muttered, fighting back the urge to tell him to pay more attention.
"I'm really really sorry."
"It's not a big deal." He gave him a death glare that said "get back on your bike and get out of my sight this instant!"
"Uh . . . okay, well if you're sure . . . I gotta go!" He said hastily and jumped back on his bicycle.
"Hmm . . . you'd think he'd pay more attention . . ."
"You're bleeding!" Daisuke said, grabbing Satoshi's arm. Indeed, one of his elbows had been skinned.
"Oh . . ."
"Here!" Daisuke pulled a red band-aid out of his pocket.
". . . Well prepared, aren't we Daisuke?" He took the band-aid, looked at it, and smirked. A chuckle escaped from his mouth.
"Wh-what's so funny?"
"I . . . don't think you meant to give me this."
"Huh?" Daisuke took the band-aid from him. True Love it said on the wrapper. Daisuke and Satoshi both looked at each other for a second before both boys burst out laughing. Okay, it was mostly Daisuke - Satoshi merely chuckled quietly. Still, it was more than he was used to. They glanced at each other again and the laughter started over.
"H-Here," Daisuke finally managed to say. "Take this one instead." He handed him a more platonic band-aid, still chuckling slightly.
"Thanks." Satoshi opened the band-aid and carefully applied it to his elbow. "That was kind of awkward."
"Just a little." Daisuke laughed, then looked at the threatening sky. "Oh! We'd better get going. I think I just felt a raindrop!"
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Curfew was at ten. By ten-thirty, Daisuke and Satoshi were engrossed in a horror movie. Well, Daisuke was. Satoshi was merely pointing out the flaws.
"You'd think she'd be smart enough to use her cellphone to call the police, instead of her boyfriend." He muttered. Daisuke shot him a look.
"Maybe she's too scared to think straight."
"Obviously. If she were thinking straight, she wouldn't have gone into the house in the first place. She would've told the police that her sister was missing, and they could've found her for her . . ."
"You're ruining this for me, you know." Daisuke said with a grin.
"Ah. Sorry."
There was a knock on the door. They both glanced at each other. They'd already had their room checked. Daisuke got up to answer the door.
"Maybe it's the axe murderer." Satoshi said. Daisuke looked at him from over his shoulder.
"Don't even joke . . . Oh! It's Riku!" He opened the door. "Hey! . . . What's wrong? What is it?"
"It's Risa." She said, her voice shaking. "It's way past curfew, and she hasn't come back yet."
"I'm sure she's alright -" He started, but she shook her head.
"No! You don't understand! She's out there by herself, and you know what a magnet she is for trouble! I hate to say this about her . . . but she really can't take care of herself." She looked at him pleadingly.
"Don't worry! I'll go with you to find her!"
"It will actually be better if we split up." Satoshi said, tugging a sweater on over his head and walking to the door.
"Oh! Hiwatari-kun! You're coming too?"
He nodded. "Normally I would say we should all stick together, but we need to cover as much ground as possible. Daisuke, you go with Harada-san. I'll go by myself."
"Will you be okay?"
"Of course." He said with a shrug. "Oh, and you might want to grab a sweater. I've heard it gets cold at night . . ."
Meh, I just realized how slow this story is going. Bah, sorry guys. I'll try to pick things up in the next chapter . . . once my writing mojo comes back. I was feeling like blah with this chapter, so sorry if it's crappy. I'll update asap, and tryto make the next chapter better.