Chapter 9: New Feelings?
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to KOEI TECMO, TECMO and Team NINJA. I am not Yosuke Hayashi.
A/N: Since I know people wanted me to update in time, I decided to update it right after my SC! fanfic. Okay, so Ryu/Kasumi Rig/Mila right? Kasumi's then Ryu's then Mila's POV. Sorry if I took so long, school just started and I haven't been able to write anything.
Hope you're still reading:D
Don't forget to R&R!:)
"Hitomi!" Our dance teacher yells for the umpteenth time. We all stop mid-spin as she walks to Hitomi, irritation mixed with anger filling her expression, "stop! Stop! You missed seven steps! You never miss a step!" Her foot tapped against the wooden floor irritably. Hitomi's head hangs in shame.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm just quite distracted." She whispers faintly. Miss Tsukino sighs, not pleased.
"Hitomi, I'm sorry for yelling at you, but I've had enough. You are the ballerina for our show, and I cannot allow you to make the slightest mistake, do you understand me?" She asks. My German friend nods, and Miss Tsukino turns the music back on. However, it seems that Hitomi is not making any improvement. Normally, she's so into dancing that she often forgets that it's a lesson.
Miss Tsukino runs a hand through her dark hair, "Okay, ladies. We're done for today, don't forget to often come and practice. The show is in three weeks. Hitomi, I want you to practice the most, or else I'll give your role to Kasumi," my eyes widen in surprise as Hitomi's face falls, "I'm sorry, but it's like that. By next week, you have to improve, alright?" She nods and Miss Tsukino turns around to grab her bag, dismissing us. I watch Hitomi worriedly, before walking up to her. I really don't care if she hasn't been talking to us these past few days. The ball is tomorrow and I didn't want her to stay clear from us. Hayate and her haven't been speaking either. Maybe it's because of their fight. She turns to me, surprised when I tap her shoulder.
"Hey, Hitomi," I smile softly, noticing the puffy eyes and tear stained tears, "are you alright? You just haven't been talking to us these days, and we're starting to get worried." She slings her bag over her shoulder, not looking at me anymore.
"It's nothing," she mutters, "just...I'm just concentrated on a lot of things and...just don't worry about me. Tell the others that." Then she runs, not giving me a smile or anything.
"Hitomi, wait!" I grab my bag and run after her, but she's already gone. I sigh in frustration.
"Kasumi." A voice behind me sounds. I turn around, feeling my heart skip a beat as I meet Hayabusa's green eyes. He smiles at me, while I stare at him, confused.
"Ryu?" I call him by his first name, a new habit, "what are you doing here? Rig was supposed to pick me up." I say. He scowls.
"He said that he had something to do with his father. Told me to come and pick you up." He says. My face falls. I was hoping to spend some time with him. He always has something to do before me.
Seeing my pitiful expression, Hayabusa takes my hand and says, "hey, it doesn't matter anymore, okay? I'm here, right? I'll always be there for you." He smiles softly. I smile back, feeling my heart melt. He's right. He's always there.
But I can't say I'm not disappointed that I'm not with Rig.
Asshole.
That's what he is.
How could he live his girlfriend at her dance club, while he promised her to pick her up? What if he had forgotten to ask anyone to pick her up? What if she had walked home alone, while it was getting dark? She could have been kidnapped!
Alright, I know I'm overreacting slightly. Kasumi is perfectly capable to take care of herself, but I'll always be worried about her. Not only is she my best friend's little sister, and a friend of mine, but I...I care for her.
I know it's wrong to like, or even care so much for someone that belongs to another, but it can't be helped. She's the shy girl who dropped her books and apologised five thousand times, while a clearly told her that it was fine. She's the seven year old who yelled at me for taking her brother away. She's the girl who lives in her brother's shadow, but illuminates the room when she shows herself truly.
But I cannot love her, not after that accident...
"I don't understand why Hitomi acts this way," Kasumi cuts through my thoughts, as we get into my car. I pull out of the parking lot and make my way onto the road.
"What happened?" I ask. I was not really friends with Hitomi. We barely interacted. I only know her through Hayate.
"Today in ballet she seemed so distracted, yet she never is and she's the ballerina for our show," Kasumi continues, "she hasn't been speaking with Hayate either."
"That's why he's so moody all the time. He doesn't have his best friend at his side." I say, and Kasumi nods in my direction, quite sadly.
"She's also been giving us the silent treatment. Like she's angry with us or something. When I try to ask Hayate about it, he just storms away and locks himself in his room. Normally, he tells me everything." She says, a dark look cast on her face. I shake my head angrily. Hayate is not even talking to me. I also tried to talk to him, but no. Mister is doing his popular jock image.
"Maybe I can talk to him?" I offer, "he is my best friend too and maybe I can knock some sense into him." She shakes her head tightening her grip on her sports bag.
"No. He's my twin brother. I must talk to him." She says, then looks at me. I chuckle softly.
"Are we seriously going to have this argument again? Your twin brother, but my best friend, Kasumi." I reply, smiling. She grins, but however, she stills shakes her head.
"I'll talk to him and you talk to Hitomi. I know you and her aren't really the best of friends so how about you bond like that?" She smiles at me. I groan but nod, just as we are in front of her house. She unbuckles her seat belt and leans in to hug me. I startle for a while until I respond by wrapping my arms around her. Letting go, she looks at me.
"Thanks, Ryu. You're a true friend." She smiles. My heart cracks a little at the word 'friend' but I push it aside. I cannot like her that way. It's just impossible!
"I should probably get going to Hitomi's house. The faster I get there, the faster she'll get Hayate out of his depression." I say and Kasumi laughs.
"You're too over-confident. Be safe on the way." She grins, grabs her bag and skips away through the gates of her house. I smile at myself, but it's gone as soon as it's there. I'm ridiculous! After the worst Christmas spent with her, I fall for another girl in January!
I shouldn't, I really shouldn't, but I can't help but remember how much I wanted to stay in her arms just a minute ago.
...
"Thanks for receiving me, Mrs Buchfink. I really appreciate it." I say as Hitomi's mother seats me down. She giggles like a child.
"It's nothing, little ninja! Hitomi has been quite depressed these days, but it's understandable after these news." She muses while grabbing her bag and files. I raise an eyebrow at her.
"News?" I ask, "what news?" I was confused. There was nothing major going on in the news right now...
"She didn't tell you?" I shake my head, "well, my husband has decided that we would-" She is cut off suddenly.
"No, Mama. Stop." Hitomi appears, her voice barely a whisper. Mrs Buchfink turns to her daughter, her expression turning from chipper to concerned.
"Hitomi," Mrs Buchfink cracks a smile, "Ryu has come here to see you." I wave at her, but she doesn't do anything. She just stares at me for quite a long time before her mother clears her throat.
"I'll leave you two teens to talk, okay? I'm already late for work. I love you, cupcake." She smiles to her daughter but Hitomi says nothing in return. Sighing, she walks through the front door and leaves without another word. Hitomi walks and sits down next to me, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Would you like some tea or anything, Hayabusa?" She whispers to me.
"No," I shake my head, "I came here to talk, not have tea." I am a little annoyed. She speaks to me like she's just met me. I don't like it.
She looks at me, "okay...what is it?" She asks me.
"Why aren't you speaking to us? Did we do something wrong? Everyone's worried, Hayate is acting like a dick because he needs you, Hitomi." I growl, seeing her flinch, "why are you doing this to us? Why are you doing this to him?" I question. Hitomi remains quiet for a moment before answering.
"I'm not mad at any of you," she mutters, "if anyone should be mad at anyone, you guys should be mad at me."
"Why? You have nothing to-" I start but she cuts me off.
"I told Hayate that I loved him." She says bluntly. My mouth parts in shock as I look at her. Then, anger seeps inside of me.
"So he rejected you?!" I growl, "that idiotic- is this why you haven't been speaking to us? Because of Hayate?!" He's an idiot! He's no better than Rig! I'm seething with anger until I hear the next words that come out of Hitomi's mouth.
"If it was that easy, we would have been best friends again the next day. I...I was...it's not because of him, Hayabusa. It's something else." She says, her eyes brimming with tears. My anger tones down as I look at her, concerned, confused and curious.
"I'm moving, Hayabusa," she says, a sob escaping her lips, not seeing me freeze in horror, "I'm moving the day after our Matric dance and I'm never going to come back. I couldn't face any of you, I knew it would hurt if I interacted with you and had gotten closer to you. So I tried to distance myself so I could allow myself to let you go." She starts crying as soon as she's done.
Let me go!
I stiffen slightly as I remember her words. But I push it aside as I wrap my arms around her in a comforting manner. She stains my shirt with her tears, but I let her do it. We aren't really close, but she's a friend, a friend that needs support.
When she's done crying, she looks up at me. Her eyes held so much remorse and sadness that I couldn't help but let my heart crack a little. Suddenly, she's looking at me weirdly. I've never seen her look at me that way, so I frown, about to ask her what was wrong but she cuts me off with a silent,
"Hayate..."
So she does something that I probably will never forget...she kisses me.
Immediately, I try to push her off me, but she's persistent, pressing herself even more onto me. With a strong shove of mine, she finally pulls away.
"What are you doing, Hitomi?!" I exclaim, my eyes wide. Her eyes are also wide, and then fill with tears.
"Hayabusa, I'm sorry! I-I-I just can't do anything right!" She suddenly shouts and stands up, running out of the room. I'm about to go after her, but a hand on my shoulder stops me. I turn around, and then feel my stomach turn with dread. It's Mr Buchfink. And he doesn't look like he's very happy.
"Jacky! Sarah! Can you please at least wait for me?!" I shout to my blond friends to the front, who only laugh in response.
"Mila, you're really too slow. I really wonder how you go so quickly on ice, yet, you can't even run a hundred meters without getting tired." Sarah laughs at me. I scowl. Sarah and Jacky Bryant have been my friends for years. I secretly had a small crush on Jacky, because of his handsome looks and good soul. However, he was dating Tina Armstrong, who his sister believed was loved by him greatly. I was jealous of Tina. Seriously, she's rich, pretty, nice, vice captain of the cheer leading squad and popular. A guy's dream girl. I was nothing like that. I wasn't pretty, I wasn't rich, I wasn't popular...the only thing people knew me as was the troublemaker or the tomboy.
However, they didn't know that secretly...I did figure skating. I won competition over competition, earning my title of 'Ice Princess'. Normally, outside, I would just brush it off, but inside I would feel really giddy. Figure skating was my life. I loved doing it with Sarah and Jacky and occasionally Leon.
When we get to the ice rink, other skaters already are on the ice spinning, sliding, training...this was my universe. Where I could escape school and just be me...
Unfortunately, my little paradise completely crumbles before me when I see Rig Donovan on the benches, staring at the female figure skaters with a smirk on his face. I scowl and walk up to him with my skates on. He doesn't notice me at first because he's staring at some blonde, but then I pick him up by the shirt. He startles, then stares at me as I glare at him venomously.
"Mila Diaz?! What would a girl like you be doing in an ice rink? Oh...maybe I was right...maybe you are a lesbian and came to watch other girls, is that it?" He raises his eyebrows suggestively. I slap him, hard on the cheek.
"Fuck you, Donovan," I growl, "I don't know why you're here, but if you tell anyone I figure skate...God help you." I spit. He blinks, then notices my outfit. Petersoner Mila Diaz would not wear pink or other bright colours, but I am. Rig stares at my body for longer than I would like, until he looks back up at my face.
"You look hot. Why'd you hide this amazing figure?" He grins wolfishly. Stifling a groan, I let him go, muttering an insult as I walk away. Jacky catches up to me his gaze questioning.
"Who was that?" He asks. I huff.
"No one important. Just a pig that I want to see die. Let's go already. I'll show you my new moves." I reply, pulling him onto the ice. Immediately, I can feel myself come alive. I move as graciously as I can, determined to show Jacky how I improved. I spin, jump, slide, and don't even notice that everyone has stopped to watch me. I smile, feeling carefree. This is my haven...
When I'm done, everyone starts to applaud. Sarah sends me a thumbs up, and Jacky is grinning from ear to ear. I blush and smile back at him.
However, they're not the only ones I notice staring.
I catch Rig Donovan's eyes.
He's staring at me.
And he's smiling.
I should really be worried about the butterflies gnawing at my stomach when I saw him do so.
A/N: I SERIOUSLY DIDN'T LIKE THIS.
I could have made an effort but I didn't. I'm sorry. There's been quite a lot of things on my mind these days...
Anyways, I'm glad I'm done with this chapter, cuz next chapter is...drum roll please...
THE VALENTINE BALL!
Fortunately for Kokoro fans, Kokoro is FINALLY going to have a point of view. We are centering around Eliyane, Ryuumi, Hayomi and JannLei...maybe some Rila...p.s: I made those myself.
Jacky and Sarah have made their appearance!
Next is...Akira!
Should I make a Akoro?(AkiraxKokoro)?
Last minute songs?
Thoughts on chapter?
Don't forget to R&R!:D