Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot...

Twists of Fate

Chapter One - A Letter for Rui

by: chocopeanutplease

A familiar sound reached his ears while he was trying to catch some sleep. He absolutely hated that sound when he was in his current condition then. What kind of condition, you might ask? It was the span of time in a person's daily routine when a person closes his eyes and forgets about the world, the span of time when he wanders in dreamland. Sleep.

Sleep. It was what this guy loves best and does best. In his room in which the only furniture was the bed situated right in the middle of the deserted room and a reclined couch located near the windows stretching from the ceiling to a normal person's knee, it seemed that all he could do to let time pass was sleep.

And that's what he was currently doing then. Sleeping. It was an inconvenient truth though, that due to a possession of a certain cell phone, he couldn't avoid its obnoxious ringing (a loud ringing at that) due to a certain person who didn't seem to have anything to do in life but to continually disturb his peace.

"Hmmm," Hanazawa Rui voiced to his phone waiting for the other line to respond. He didn't even have enough energy and enthusiasm to bring himself to say a concrete word to the disturber of his peace.

"Rui!" was the excited response of the person who called him.

'That idiot,' Rui thought the moment he was awake enough to recognize the voice on the other line.

"Rui? Rui?! Are you still there? Were you sleeping just now? Did I wake you up? You sleepy head. You really need to shorten your sleeping time, you know. Eight hours is enough for a guy at your age! Studies say that lengthy sleep can cause patterned baldness to teenage guys. You should keep that in mind, all right? Geez! You should be thankful to have a genius friend like me to be concerned about your health…" Tsukasa was out of breath after saying all those stuff to Rui. He didn't even notice that he said everything in one breath. He didn't even care if Rui understood what he said; he wasn't sure if the information he shared was true, anyway. In fact, he hoped that Rui didn't understand any of it.

Too bad for Tsukasa, though, Rui did heard, understood and analyzed what he just said.

"Tsukasa, you idiot, yes, I was sleeping just now. Yes, you did wake me up. That doesn't bother you at all, though, does it? Anyway, what do you even care if I sleep 14 or 15 hours a day? It's not like I sleep in your room or something…"

"What the hell! Why would you sleep in my room?! That's sick!" Tsukasa retorted.

"You don't get the point!" Rui shouted exasperatedly. If there was any person who could effectively wake Hanazawa Rui up from his sweet slumber, it is certainly Doumyouji Tsukasa. Tsukasa's stupidity at least. "Anyway, I've had enough of your stupid information about heath tips. You once said that because of eating grated apples, the chances of me getting bald is high… How stupid of me to believe that! Biology 101,my dear friend: patterned baldness is genetic, you idiot! Weren't you even listening to Biology classes?"

"Well, of course not, Mr. Know-It-All! What's the point? I'll graduate, anyway. I own the school, remember?" Tsukasa just rolled his eyes. 'diligent Rui, as always…' he thought.

"Your simple-mindedness never ceases to amaze me," Rui muttered softly to himself while slowly shaking his head in awe.

"What? What are you muttering about, huh?" Tsukasa put on a face that reflects suspicion. This was completely pointless though since Rui didn't see even Tsukasa's mere shadow.

"Nothing…"

"Oh, come on, Rui. Spill it out… or maybe you weren't sleeping before I called you. Maybe you were talking with Shizuka and you were disgruntled when I called you up, huh? Or maybe…"

" 'Maybe… maybe…' Don't you know any other word?! Why did you call me up anyway? Hurry up and get to the point already!" Rui was more than eager to cut their pointless drawn-out conversation. He felt that his brain cells were being taken away from him every minute he talks with the idiot named Tsukasa.

"Suddenly switching to defensive mode, eh? There's no doubt you were talking with Shi-"

"I'll hang this up now!" Rui threatened the playful Tsukasa.

"Ok! Ok! Calm down, will you? Anyway, I just feel so lonely here. Soujiro and Akira both have dates, you know? I have no one to talk to at all. And then I thought-"

"And then you thought about calling me even though you knew I was already asleep." Rui finished the sentence for him.

"Heh. I was just thinking maybe you could-"

"I am not going there to keep you company no matter how you beg for it, just so you know."

"Why don't you let me finish what I am going to say?"

"What's the point? I know you well enough to know what thoughtless thing you would blurt out next."

"Just for a while, maybe you could-"

"I repeat: I am not going there to keep you company no matter how you beg for it, ok?"

"Good!"

"Eh?" Rui was taken aback by Tsukasa's response.

"The three of us will just come over your place then! Bye!" Tsukasa displayed his signature smirk once again after coming up with the brilliant idea of visiting Rui instead of hanging out with uninteresting girls.

"What the-?! Tsukasa!!"

Rui stared at his phone for a whole minute.

'That idiot hang up on me.' He angrily thought.

Meanwhile, back at the club were the F3 were…

"Bad news! Big news!" Tsukasa ran back from the rooftop to the VIP lounge where Soujiro and Akira were.

"What is it?!" the two heatedly asked Tsukasa since he disturbed them from the pleasure of the company of the girls in their arms.

Tsukasa was seriously out of breath after his sprint form the rooftop to where he was then. It took quite a while for him to stabilize his breathing andt he forgot what he was supposed to tell the two.

"Doumyouji Tsukasa, you are just jealous that we have dates and you have none…" Soujiro teased.

"Huh?!"

"You were trying to come up with brilliant plans to disturb us and our dates, eh? That's why you were gone for quite some time. Or maybe you were at the bar drinking, trying to drown your sorrow for not being handsome enough to get yourself a hot date?" Akira taunted more.

"Excuse me! I can acquire more dates than you two can together; I just don't want to!"

"Yeah, right…" the two playboys chorused and got their attention off Tsukasa. Tsukasa suddenly realized that he didn't fulfill the purpose of running all the way from where he came from.

"Omaera! Listen, I just got a call from the Hanazawa residence. Something bad happened to Rui! We need to go there immediately!" Tsukasa yelled at the two.

"Nani?!"

"Why the hell didn't you say so right away?!"

As Tsukasa expected, Soujiro and Akira responded perfectly according to his plans. He inwardly grinned at his impromptu plan that just might lead him to victory.

It took them barely ten minutes to reach their destination, Rui's house, or mansion for that matter. This was made possible by Soujiro's exceptional driving prowess. It was evident that his rashness with women rubbed off on his skills with the steering wheel. Perhaps, it was the other way around. Either way, they reached the house without realizing it. Everything was because of Tsukasa's sly plan, even though it was just a mere fluke.

The three got off the car and barged into the Hanazawa residence. Being friends with Rui for more than half their lives, they already knew the obstacle course leading to Rui's unbelievably furniture-lacking room.

Soujiro and Akira ran relentlessly, wanting to know what happened to their friend. Tsukasa followed suit, unenthusiastic to find out the reaction of the two playboys when they learn that they were hopelessly fooled.

Meanwhile, Rui was absent-mindedly stroking his favorite white teddy bear. His mind was directed to other things. He thought of his family.

Hanazawa Rui was an only child. His father passed away when he was three due to a terrible car accident. At that time, he and his mother left their house and moved in with his maternal grandparents who took them in. They took care of him while his mother was away in France, venturing in business affairs. Rui had just visited his mother in France a year before. She was still the same caring and loving mother that he used to know. She firmly refused to return to Japan, though. Even her son Rui didn't know the reason behind this.

Rui grew up without the warmth of parents by his side. Sure, he was financially backed up by his grandparents and his mother, but he still didn't feel their concern. Heck, he didn't even feel their presence.

It surely was a blessing in disguise for Rui to have met three such awesome (awesome? uhm... er...) friends to bring him out of his shell and accept him for who he was. In spite of their stupidity and foolishness, he trusted and loved all three of them.

Rui was still stroking his teddy bear with a preoccupied state of mind as the F3 barged through his house. Rui had this huge teddy bear since he was young. His mother gave it to him before she left for France when he was three years old. She didn't return since then. The teddy bear was the only thing that kept Rui company when he was alone in his room. It had been a routine for Rui to hug his stuffed toy after experiencing his usual nightmares.

It took quite some time before it registered to Rui's brain that there was loud tapping (or pounding, rather) at his door. It was a miracle the door wasn't broken down by the net force applied by his friends.

Rui instinctively hugged his teddy bear tightly. This was his survival attack against nightmares. (He thought he was having a nightmare due to intense daydreaming minutes before.)

"RUI!!"

That, more than anything else brought Rui back to reality. It was funny how a single voice can shatter a guy's made up world. Well, not exactly a single voice, but three voices. Tsukasa joined in the shout so as not to look suspicious, knowing that Rui was in no sort of danger at all.

However, the moment of truth for the three trespassers was nearing as Rui motioned towards the door.

As the intricately-crafted rosewood door was opened, Akira and Soujiro started their tirade.

"Rui!"

"Rui, daijoubu ka?!"

"Tsukasa said something bad happened to you!"

"We rushed over here, you know?!"

"In a manner of speaking…" Tsukasa butted in.

"Eh?"

"What are you talking about now, Tsukasa?"

"You are always 'rush' Soujiro, in women, in driving. It makes me sick!"

"Baka…" Soujiro and Akira chorused.

Akira was suddenly getting into school-teacher mode. "English 101… 'rash' is different from 'rush'. Got it? Do you understand, Tsukasa-kun?" Akira used a teacher-ish high pitched voice for his speech while pointing his index finger inches from Tsukasa's nose.

"That's what I meant!" Tsukasa shooed Akira with a wave of his hand.

"Anyway, Rui, say something, will you?!" Soujiro wanted to get the topic off his playboy and driving skills. 'I am not rash… At least, I don't think so…' he thought. Anyway, he was already tired of Tsukasa's stupidity and he wanted to know what happened to Rui. Therefore, it was like hitting three birds with one stone. Perfect, huh?

Rui, however, did not say anything at all. Instead, he raised his eyebrows at Soujiro and Akira. Then he glared at Tsukasa. No words were needed to be said. Everyone understood the situation they were in.

Just as Tsukasa was about to get some serious strangling from Soujiro and Akira for ruining their dates, a knock came from the slightly-open door. Perfect timing. For Tsukasa, anyway.

"Young Master Rui, would you and your friends like anything to drink?" Sanada-san, the Hanazawa butler, had always been the one taking care of Rui since he was taken in by his grandparents.

"Yes, the usual please." It was Tsukasa who spoke.

Sanada-san, unsure of what to do, looked at Rui for confirmation. Rui merely nodded. Right on cue, the butler left.

"What the hell, Tsukasa?"

"You don't own this place…"

"Well, since Rui doesn't seem to be in the mood to talk, I did him some huge favor in dealing with the butler." Tsukasa reasoned out to the two and defended his action. Tsukasa winked at Rui but it was utterly hopeless to try to communicate with the lost-in-another-world guy.

"Rui, are you still with us?!"

"Rui, we would be honored to hear even just a single syllable coming from you…"

No response.

"RUI!!" The three shook Rui to bring him back to reality. Rui looked at his friends, concern painted in their eyes.

"Uh… Gomen… I guess, I just miss my mother too much…" Rui admitted softly.

"Why don't you go and visit her in France? You might be able to see Shizuka there too…" Akira suggested.

"I can't. She doesn't want me to go there. I would just be a disturbance, like I was the last time I went there." Rui bitterly stated. His friends could tell the pain he was undergoing. Rui noticed and appreciated the concern of his friends.

"Ahh… Gomen! What's the point of being gloomy anyway? Haha…" Rui laughed humorlessly just to drive away the tense atmosphere. Just then, a knock came again.

"Young Master, your drinks…"

'Perfect timing, Sanada-san,' Rui thought. 'I need to give this guy a pay raise.' But then, Rui remembered that he wasn't the one who pay for the salaries of the people in the Hanazawa household. Oh well.

The F4 gladly indulged in their drinks, thankful for a reason to ease the tension.

Just as Sanada-san was about to leave them, he remembered something.

"Young Master, a letter just came for you. It was-"

Rui didn't let Sanada-san continue the sentence any further. He immediately grabbed the letter and searched for the sender's name.

'Lucky!!' he thought.

"Guys, enjoy your drinks… I'll just… go…" Rui bade them goodbye. It all happened too fast. The three were caught unaware. They just stared at the doorway devoid of Rui.

"What just happened there?" Akira blinked.

"What was that all about?" Soujiro asked nonchalantly.

"Oh come on, you idiots… A letter… Rui running off to read it somewhere… What else could that be?" Tsukasa blurted out. He shot his eyebrows up and down, signifying that he was hinting on something and implying that if Soujiro and Akira didn't understand it, they were idiots.

"What do you infer, Mr. Genius?"

"Just say so already!" Soujiro was nearing his limit. Tsukasa's stupid antics really got into his nerves.

"It's just that, perhaps, it was a love letter…" Tsukasa stated.

"From?" Akira asked.

Pause.

"Shizuka…" Soujiro stated the obvious.

The three continued to savor their drinks without the host present.

Meanwhile, Rui ran off to his favorite room in the whole mansion. One's bedroom was not necessarily one's favorite room. It might even be possible that several bitter moments that were better off forgotten happen there. Lucky for Rui, in a figuratively empty house, he found a room that he could treasure. He found a room that he could feel solace in. He found a sanctuary.

He discovered the room when he was three. When his mother told him that she was leaving for France and that Rui was supposed to live in that mansion, he ran off knowing nothing about the floor plan of the mansion which was as good as an obstacle course at that time. He wandered off and reached a varnished door. Shapes of roses with intricate details and of various sizes were carefully carved on the door. It was utterly breathtaking. Rui couldn't help but let his hands travel along the door, feeling wonder that such a work of art existed.

He entered the room, eager to find out what more that door could offer. It was relatively small compared to the usual sizes of rooms in a mansion. What caught Rui's eye however was the floor-length window at the end of the room. He was awed, not by the window but by the sight seen through the window. The adjective amazing could be an understatement.

It was exceptional.

It was incredible.

Rui saw the sun setting behind the tall buildings of Tokyo, its radiance illuminating the city for a few more minutes before night, its rays beautifully diffracting through the structures and reaching Rui's eyes. Moreover, the windows were open so the light breeze fanned his cheeks and brought him a feeling of serenity. He couldn't forget that moment.

At the present, Rui made his way to that room for the sole purpose of reading his letter there. He carefully opened it as if it was a delicate treasure. It was more like a note than a letter, though.

Only two sentences were present.

"Eh?" was Rui's only reaction.

...to be continued...

What could the letter be about? Who was it from? Read and review please.

Please don't get me wrong. It may seem that Rui is the main character here. Rui is A main character, but not THE main character. Got it? It is just the beginning of the story anyway. More characters will appear soon.

Please look forward to more chapters. I, on the other hand, will look forward to more reviews...

Any comments are highly appreciated and welcome...

Arigatou yo!