Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing except the plot...
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Twists of Fate
Chapter Two - Goodbye Rui, Hello Eitoku
by: chocopeanutplease
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As Rui read the letter in his hands, he noticed that only two sentences were present.
"Eh?" was Rui's only reaction.
He read the letter thrice in quick succession before it had sunk in him. He had to rub his eyes and focus them properly to make sure that he read it right, that he wasn't imagining things.
It said:
Rui,
Come to France as soon as possible. I need to discuss something with you.
Kaa-chan
Rui stared at the letter with disbelief. Still, it was undeniable that it came from his mother. He just couldn't forget her sophisticated script. The number of notes he received from her since he was young, even when she was already in France, was totally uncountable.
It was actually weird for his mother to send him a letter, or a note for that matter, rather than just calling him up or sending him an e-mail. The other alternatives were more practical and efficient. They were what people would normally do to communicate to people in a different country. Letter sending was just so… ancient… so past tense.
Rui was amazed and snorted at his mother's old-fashioned style. Still, he was delighted to receive the letter. And she was asking him to go to France to discuss something with her! How great is that?!
However, a twinge of disappointment came over him. The letter seemed so… empty… so devoid of emotion. Yes, it was written by his mother herself. An effort was evident in that. Rui still felt empty, though. His mother didn't even ask how he was doing. She didn't even mention how she was doing there. The letter had no motherly feel in it. It seemed more like a business letter or something of that sort.
"Oh well…" Rui breathed as he exhaled.
"I guess I have to pack," Rui said to nobody in particular. He didn't know how many clothes to pack, though. He had no idea how long he would be staying in France, thanks to his mother's inadequate message.
"As soon as possible, huh? I guess I'll pack tonight and then leave tomorrow. That's soon enough. Oh, yes! Plane ticket. I need plane ticket. I guess Sanada-san can take care of that. What else? Hmmm…" Rui trailed off voicing his plans in an almost inaudible whisper that even a person a feet away from him couldn't understand. That was the unique thing about Rui; he seemed to be more talkative with himself than with others.
"Maa, I guess I'll have to tell the guys that I'd be leaving…" he reluctantly left the room after waiting for twilight to come. It was his favorite time of the day: sunset to twilight. He couldn't resist the opportunity of witnessing it before leaving for France. Perhaps the twilight in France was different from the twilight in Tokyo.
He began his journey to his room unwillingly, letting his feet lead the way. He was preoccupied then.
'I need to discuss something with you,' Rui thought about what his mother wrote. What could that something be? He was utterly bewildered at the cryptic message.
'Maybe she wanted me to come and live with her there and study there… Maybe she wanted to come back to Japan and she needs me to help her get ready… Maybe she wanted Shizuka and me to be engaged or something since Shizuka is currently in France studying International Law… Or maybe…" He trailed off with his speculations as he reached the door to his room. He knew that the only way to find out is to leave for France as soon as possible.
He entered the room and found the three still drinking their hearts out.
"Yo!" Rui greeted them nonchalantly.
"So…" Soujiro started.
"So… what?" Rui asked, confused, as he glanced at the ridiculous faces of his three friends. He felt that they were expecting some sort of explanation from him, and he had absolutely no idea what it was.
"The letter…" Tsukasa hinted.
"Oh! I almost forgot! I need to pack. I will fly to France tomorrow…" Rui stated as he motioned toward his walk-in closet. It was actually outside his room but there was a connecting door. He went to gather his clothes and stuff. When the three were out of Rui's range of hearing capability, they proceeded with their conversation.
"Fly…" Akira started.
"…to France," Soujiro continued.
"Ha! See? I told you it was a love letter from Shizuka! She surely misses him and all that mushy stuff… Haha… Maybe they will talk about their plans for engagement or something…" Tsukasa said, cocky that his bizarre idea actually explained the situation.
"I see…" Akira said as he nodded as realization seemed to dawn on him.
"You may be right…" Soujiro said considering Tsukasa's supposition.
"I may be right, you say? Well, of course I'm right! I've never been wrong in my entire life!" Tsukasa declared with hand gestures that signify that what he declared should have been obvious to them already, that they were idiots for not knowing it.
Soujiro rolled his eyes and Akira shook his head, both in a whatever-you-say-Doumyouji-Tsukasa-sama sort of way.
Rui reentered the room carrying clothing and footwear good for three days.
'I could just buy some stuff there if I would have to stay longer…' he thought.
As he returned to the room, the three shot huge smiles at him, as if they heard big news about him and they wanted to congratulate him. And that's exactly what they did – congratulate him.
"Omedetou, Rui!" they chorused, with bright, genuine smiles plastered on their face.
"Eh?" was all Rui could come up with. He was hopelessly confused of why they were congratulating him.
"You're getting engaged with Shizuka, huh…" Soujiro patted Rui's shoulder as he said it signifying his appreciation. It was not a question. It was a wondering statement.
"So you're going to France to officially get engaged… How nice…" Akira's was also a statement. It was also not a question.
Rui was devastated and surprised at what Soujiro and Akira said. What bothered him most was that they seemed so sure that he was going to France to get engaged to Shizuka.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" he demanded an answer from the two and eyed Tsukasa suspiciously.
"Aww… come on, Rui. You are going to France to get engaged to Shizuka, right? She sent you a love letter asking you to go there. How nice… You don't have to hide it from us, you know? We won't take her away from you. You have nothing to worry about. We support you all the way. So you-" Tsukasa said continuously leaving no room for Rui to butt in and negate what Tsukasa just said.
It was a truth generally acknowledged that Hanazawa Rui was naturally a composed person. He could easily sort out his emotions and act prudently in doing so. He could find the perfect answers to every situation he was faced with.
Needless to say, his personality was perfect for dealing with his idiotic and gullible friends.
"I am going to France tomorrow because my mother asked me to. She said that we need to discuss something. The letter was from her. And I am NOT going to get engaged with Shizuka." Rui explained everything slowly and clearly to the three of them using simple words and simple sentences.
Tsukasa, though, drunk as he was, wouldn't let the matter drop.
"Whatever you say, Rui…" Tsukasa held his hands up as if in surrender. It was blatant that he didn't even consider a single word of explanation that came from Rui.
"I guess we should leave now," Akira started.
"Yeah, you still need to pack, don't you?" Soujiro said.
"How long will you stay there?" Akira asked, concerned, evident that he would miss Rui much.
"Honestly, I have no idea. Don't worry. I can take care of myself." Rui stated to his friends, taking into account that they were concerned about him.
"Yeah, of course we won't worry. You have Shizuka to take care of you, anyway." Tsukasa wouldn't let the teasing drop. He actually still believed that Rui was going to get engaged with Shizuka. Akira and Soujiro already believed that Rui was asked to go to France by his mother, but Tsukasa was one heck of a stubborn idiot to believe that.
"But it's the first day of school tomorrow…" Soujiro reasoned out to make Rui stay.
"Heh… When has school stopped us from doing what we need to do?" Rui replied with a smirk on his lips. "Which reminds me… Promise me something." Rui looked at each of them with a dead serious face. He used his finger to point at Soujiro, then at Akira, then at Tsukasa.
"Fine…" they replied.
"Don't see me off tomorrow. Go to school. Attend class!" Rui continued, his crooked smile revealing a sight of his white teeth.
"EHH?!" was all that could be heard after Rui's words.
"Why?!"
"What the hell for?!"
"Oh, nothing. I just felt the need of torturing you before I go to France. Just a little token for you before I leave. Heh." Rui's mood was lightened after saying those sadistic words to his friends and making them promise to do so. Rui noticed the similar expression on their faces.
"Aww.. What's with the sulking face? Be thankful I'm concerned about the state of your mental capacity. Otherwise, you'll end up being like Tsukasa here." Rui said pointing at Tsukasa and slyly winking at him.
"What is that supposed to mean, huh?!" Tsukasa charged at Rui, demanding an answer from him about the obvious, while clutching the collar of Rui's shirt.
Rui felt being silly since it was the last time he would be seeing those guys before he would leave for France. He was not sure how his trip to France would fare. He wasn't sure how long he would be parted from those three. All he knew for sure was that he would miss them and their craziness.
For the last time, he felt the need to be crazy.
Rui deliberately stuck out his tongue at Tsukasa while the latter was clutching his upper clothing. It was the sort of thing that children do when they got the better of someone, though it was just too ridiculous to be done at the moment when they were already seventeen years old.
Akira and Soujiro laughed at Rui's childish antics. They used to do that to Rui back when they were still kids. It was sort of nostalgic.
Tsukasa was taken aback by Rui's tongue sticking feat that he too couldn't suppress a wave of laughter.
Rui merely smiled at the three of them, knowing deep down that they would miss each other truly.
As the hilarity subsided, they decided to call it a night. They all said their goodbyes and stuff like that.
Each of the three hugged Rui to reassure him that he had always had three such amazing friends who would be concerned about him and would fly to France to help him out whenever the need arose.
"See you…"
"Take care…"
"Keep in touch…"
They motioned toward the door in the act of leaving.
"Hey!" Rui called out to them.
"Nani?" they called out, peeping from the door frame into Rui's room.
"Be sure to keep your promise!" Rui shouted with a serious face but with eyes signifying humor.
"That's sick!!" Soujiro whispered the thoughts of the three of them as they rolled their eyes at Rui's ridiculously crazy ideas.
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It has already been a year since Rui left for France. It has already been a year since the three attended their classes that first day to fulfill their promise.
'A man never turns back from his words' was what Tsukasa said at that time so they decided to keep their promise.
It has already been a year indeed but Rui still hadn't returned. They kept in touch, of course. Still, it didn't change the fact that Rui wasn't present with them, laughing with them, sharing his silence.
It was now the start of another school year for them at Eitoku, their second, but not just for them, though.
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Shigeru, Sakurako, Yuki and Tsukushi were also about to dive into the unknown that their second year of Eitoku was to offer.
Tsukushi actually spent her first year at Tokyo High.
Every year, Eitoku granted a scholarship for any student who excelled in academics, art or athletics. This year it was given to Makino Tsukushi after a representative from Eitoku witnessed her exhibit at Tokyo High and after further recommendation from her former high school.
"You definitely have to accept that scholarship! I heard that there are a lot of rich guys studying at that Eitoku school. You can make your big catch there and bring us out of poverty…" Tsukushi's mother urged her and pestered her each day after receiving the news.
"Mama! Of course I will accept the scholarship, but not for the fact that there are several rich guys there…"Tsukushi replied, irritated.
"Eh? Why would you accept the scholarship then?" her mother queried. 'What other reason could she have' her mother wondered, which was clearly her narrow-minded thinking.
"Oh, I don't know… Perhaps it's the fact that it's a scholarship! Be thankful you won't pay for my tuition." Tsukushi didn't mind concealing the sarcasm in her tone and words due to her immense annoyance. Her mother had already been pestering her for a whole fortnight.
"Besides, my best friend, Yuki, is currently studying there and in the same year as me. She'll help me find my way around," Tsukushi continued reasoning out to her unreasonable mother.
"You have grown to be wise, Tsukushi," her father commented. She smiled appreciatively at her father.
"Onee-chan is so cool! I'll also work hard to earn a scholarship!" Susumu chimed in and actually meant what he said.
Tsukushi smiled lovingly at her whole family. Even though they had crazy ideas about sudden richness, she still loved them deeply. She would do almost anything to support her family.
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As Tsukushi walked into Eitoku High School for her first day of school, she was completely taken by awe. Indeed, she had already been there when she enrolled but the sight was just too amazing to not be gawked for even the second time. A year would probably not be enough to make her be used to wonders the place can build up on her.
There were several tall buildings reaching at least three floors high. There was a huge field for the physical development of the students. The school was so in touch with nature with its towering trees and well-trimmed grasses and shrubs. Tsukushi observed all these just as she was entering the gate.
'I wonder what other wonders this school possesses,' she thought as she sighed at her surroundings.
"Oh! Look! It's Tsukushi!" Yuki excitedly muttered to Shigeru and Sakurako as she pointed at the awestruck Tsukushi. They were at the entrance of the main building of the school. Yuki brought Shigeru and Sakurako with her to introduce them to Tsukushi.
"Tsukushi!" Yuki was wildly waving her hands for Tsukushi to notice as she edged toward her.
"Oh, Yuki!" she said as she noticed her friend who was trying to break the her preoccupation and catch her attention in doing so. The old best friends hugged each other comically.
"Tsukushi, this is Shigeru and this is Sakurako," Yuki pointed at each of them and introduced them each to make them acquainted with each other.
"So, Tsukushi-chan, you came here on an Art scholarship?" Sakurako curiously asked.
"Yeah, that's right," Tsukushi cheerfully replied, glad that she was starting to make new friends at a new school.
"Sugooooi! You must do really great masterpieces then! You're amazing, Tsukushi-chan. I've never actually heard of Art scholars before…" Shigeru praised Tsukushi while wondering to herself.
"Heh… I'm not that great. I just happen to be lucky, I guess." Tsukushi humbly offered.
The bell suddenly rang while they were in the middle of their chatting.
"What class are you in?" Sakurako kept on with her interrogation of Tsukushi.
"Hmm… 2-C…"
"Really?! We're all in the same class then…" Shigeru smiled brightly at Tsukushi once again, her energy never diminishing at such a nice day.
"Hurry! Or we are going to be late for Geometry on our first day of school!" Yuki yelled back at them as she led the way.
'That Yuki, studious as usual,' Tsukushi thought as she tried to catch up with the other girls, exerting her energy right at the start of the day.
'Chotto! Did she just say Geometry?! What an extremely nice way to start a day, then,' Tsukushi thought, her sarcasm starting to kick in. She didn't actually hate Mathematics. She despised it! Everything related to it. She felt sick just thinking about it. She only made it through junior high Mathematics due to Yuki's constant guidance.
The day passed uneventfully as to be expected of every first day of class. It was mainly introduction of teachers and students and the course syllabus. The students would just be damned if the lessons already started with their mind still on vacation mode.
As they were dismissed for the day with no more classes to worry about, they proceeded with their chattering.
"You're probably joining the Art Club aren't you?" Sakurako asked Tsukushi inquisitively.
"Yeah, I guess so. It is the reason I got in here anyway…" Tsukushi replied while thinking if the people in Eitoku would appreciate her artistic style at all.
"You make it sound like it's just an obligation," Sakurako noticed in Tsukushi's tone of voice.
"Oh no, no! Please don't get me wrong. I really do love art. I am just worried that I am-" Tsukushi was cut short by the amazement at what she observed. She didn't reach her limit yet for her dose of amazement for that day.
The Gymnastics Club door was opened. Tsukushi happened to glance and she then watched with admiration and frustration both evident in her eyes noticeable to Yuki.
Tsukushi had always been dazzled by gymnasts and ballet dancers for their incredible grace and poise every time they moved their body. She even wanted to take up ballet classes when she was young but their budget couldn't sustain it. She just vented her frustration to a much cheaper alternative, art, particularly painting. She discovered that she had talent in this field. She even got to sell some of her masterpieces to add to their family budget.
In fact, Tsukushi had another frustration besides gymnastics and ballet.
Tsukushi stopped in mid-sentence to appreciate the girls that were training.
"Let's go, Tsukushi-chan! The Art Club room is just around the corner over there," Shigeru said as she waved a hand for Tsukushi and Yuki to come to Sakurako and her.
"Let's go, Tsukushi… Don't go looking so frustrated... Be thankful you have an artistic talent." Yuki encourage her down-hearted friend.
"Yuki," Tsukushi warmly called out to her best friend, appreciating her understanding.
"Club activities are held every day after dismissal. It is an option to come or not, but officers are required to be there every day. I believe that there is currently an art exhibit in the Art club." Yuki spoke so enthusiastically, being a member of the Art club herself, along with Shigeru and Sakurako.
"Really?! Oh, I'd like to go see!" Tsukushi hurried over to catch up to Shigeru and Sakurako while dragging Yuki with her.
The four girls entered the Art club hall. It was brightly lit with spotlights to accentuate the masterpieces of previous Art club members. There were paintings, sketches, photographs and sculptures. Those that were exhibited were indeed spectacular. Tsukushi proceeded directly to the section allotted for paintings and examined each carefully, as if imagining the artist in his/her act of adding and mixing the colors to produce a brilliant effect.
She was too absorbed that she didn't notice that almost all of the girls were flocking towards the terrace of the hall. Eitoku, being a rich school and all, had terraces at each club hall, probably a place for club members to take a breather or something. The club halls were at the second floor and were situated in such a way that the terraces were facing the entrance of the school. Therefore, people at the terrace could have a 20/20 vision of any person or any vehicle that entered the school grounds.
"KYAAA!! The F4! It's the F4!!" All of the girls at the Art club hall except Tsukushi were at the terrace ogling at the dazzling and handsome group.
Absorbed in her own thoughts, Tsukushi was oblivious that she was the only girl left in the hall. She was busy staring at the black-and-white photographed portrait of a woman who was around her twenties. She was stark-naked with her shorter-than-shoulder-length hair sprawled across her face but still revealing her features and her smile. Her smile was what held Tsukushi's gaze, her smile that seemed worry-free and completely trusting. It was entitled 'Goddess'.
"Nice title. Suits her," Tsukushi whispered to herself as she was busy ogling at that carefree smile while the other girls were busily ogling a certain group of guys.
"Tsukushi!" Yuki called out to her. Shigeru, however, headed toward Tsukushi, clutching her arm securely to take her to the terrace.
"Come with me and be introduced to the F4!" Shigeru happily told Tsukushi as she yanked her away from the photograph that Shigeru considered repulsive.
'Eh? F4…? Who the hell?' Tsukushi wondered confusedly as she let Shigeru drag her to wherever.
...to be continued...
So, how did you find the story? Read and review please.
Do you think it is too slow-paced? No major development in the plot? It is just the beginning of the story anyway. More characters will appear soon.
More action will come soon… Please look forward to it.
Lately, laziness has attacked me very badly. I just laze around watching TV, eating… Actually, I am currently reading the manga HanaKimi, but I forgot to download volume 14 so I wouldn't proceed until I get a copy of that.
That photograph the 'goddess' actually came from HK, so I say now:
I do not own HanaKimi! I hope, though. The Japanese live action was my favorite comedy series ever. Ever! Nakatsu is just so cute! With his monologs and all. I love it very much! I recommend that you watch it. The Taiwanese version is a bit weird, though. The Taiwanese 'Mizuki' looks too much like a guy; it's creepy.
While I was editing this, I watched Boys Love in crunchyroll. It was extremely disturbing. Extremely. Disturbing. The plot was nice though. The ending was a bit stupid, though. Yeah, it was dramatic but it was irrational. Oh well. The quotes were nice. I recommend you watch to understand what I mean. And be disturbed in the process.
Anyway, I hope I could get over my laziness soon.
To those who reviewed, thank you very much! Love you!
To anime07, addieXmitsume and lhotshot83, I am so happy that you like my story! I will try my best to update as regularly as possible… just go ahead and guess what will happen…
Any comments are highly appreciated and welcome...
Arigatou yo!