Disclaimer: If Yukimura Seiichi is the demigod, Echizen Ryoma, the prince, Echizen Nanjiro, the king, then Konomi Takeshi is the god of TeniPuri. I, on the other hand, am only a mere messenger of his shoujo-y thoughts that he is reluctant to publish. Or it would be an honor to be called an alter-writer-ego of Konomi-sensei.
~oOo~
A/N: I'm assuming that at least someone here wants to bitch slap me now since I'm not able to fulfill my promise(s). I'll do my best to make you enjoy every bit of reading this fanfiction, so I make sure every chapter comes out not looking rushed. Ah, excuses. What would life be on earth be without excuses? Anyway, don't be shocked after reading this (although, this half-chapter is meant to be a shocker). The first part is an introduction to the script of Romeo and Juliet as written by the Theater Club (The modern Japan-set plot) just so you are not lead astray in reading.
Enjoy!
~oOo~
His Eyes on Hers
~oOo~
Chapter 16: Metamorphoses, Second
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Fukanou*, Japan, year 20XX. Amidst a society wherein technology, modernization and Westernization have taken place, there exist two clans that persisted to struggle against the test of time. For one, they have outsmarted many other rival clans from the feudal ages and have come out triumphant, establishing their names as badges of history itself. The clans, however, have come to realize that they were not the only one to live out as a survivor. Hence, this rivalry between these clans which started to be implicitly established became stronger as the modernization of their society became more ostensible. These clans are the Katayama and the Katsushiro.
The Katayama clan has started as a clan of brave warriors, of wielders of swords, of samurais and senshis. They have remained true to the call of bravery and duty, and they are the knights of the Fukanou. Without fail, they have carried this tradition, and in the modern society, they still serve Fukanou by being the main constituent of the Metropolitan Police, with the head of the clan, Katayama Junichiro, the head of the department.
On the other face of Fukanou is the clan of Katsushiro. When daylight shines, they maintain their neat and clean appearance as high-class businessmen, making transactions in the legal way. Once the sun sets, everything changes and the clan which started as tekiyas from the feudal era transform as the leaders and members of the infamous group of yakuza. Fukanou knows of such history of the Katsushiro clan, from past to present and most probably the future, but only a little percentage of the population of Fukanou had guts to report the exact misfits done by the clan. Truth be told, the Katsushiro need not be reported. Everyone knows, anyway.
The clans of Katayama and Katsushiro have known each other more than anyone else, and though they have co-existed for centuries, they continue to exterminate each other, such that one and only one of them will continue to exist and bound Fukanou as theirs.
Fukanou, Japan, year 20XX. As this tale of rivalry continues, so will the hate and pride of these clans continue to clash in order to defeat the other. The other is always the eyesore, the other is always the enemy, the other is always the hated by the other.
So when a love of young hearts between these clans starts, its story of love is bound to be tragic. So it should be, a love of star-cross'd lovers, a story which ending everyone knew beforehand, yet would still bring a tear to the heart, a song of tragedy which will forever be sung to the wind by their whispers of love.
And so, the foretold tale of Ayame and Tatsuya unfolds, once again.
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"Okay, that'd be for Scene 4. Actrons and props people! Please get ready for Scene 5!" Suzuhara-sensei clapped his hands and the club members rushed towards their destinations. In a flash, tables and chairs appeared. The actrons for the next scene were nervous, and they tried to hush themselves.
"Are we all ready? Sounds, are we good?" Kokuten-sensei asked, and she received a thumbs-up from the person in charge. "Lighting people, please help the props people first. We'll practice with you for the last rehearsals."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Actrons, ready?" The male coach asked, and the said persons affirmed.
"Ready, Ayame-san?" Hiroshi asked Sakuno, encouraging her.
"Ready as you are, Tatsuya-san." She offered a small smile.
"Well then. Act II, Scene 5. Action!"
Mayu, the overall in charge of sounds, pressed the Play button of the CD player. From the player came music produced by violins, basses, cellos, flutes and reeds, though in whispered tones. The soft music also made the 'waiters' to enter.
In their hands, they were balancing trays containing table napkins. These waiters moved towards the guests, which were seated around tables across the hall. There were soft murmurs and laughs from the ladies, and gentlemen laughed more freely, tapping each other on the shoulders. On a corner, two servants were arguing about their tasks and were bashing the other servants who were not doing their part in the preparations.
"They're here. Hurry, quick! Our masters have appeared! We must not be seen slacking!" The first servant of the Clan of Katayama was nervous.
"What are you even doing! Junichiro-dono is about to welcome the guests! Let's scurry back to the kitchen!"
As the two scampered back to the place they were supposed to be, the members of Katayama Clan entered. Katayama Junichiro walked together with his wife Inaba, the matriarch of the clan. Right behind them is their daughter, Ayame. The other members of the clan walked behind the first family. One of those members who sent the lady guests smiling and batting their eyelashes is Ayame's cousin, Jinjiro. The family and the other Katayama clan members were in their formal attire, signifying their status and power as the Katayamas.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!" the patriarch of the Katayama clan said at full volume. He continued his welcome speech as the atmosphere inside the dining hall glistened with glee. He commented on how the young ladies were lucky to dance the night away, and how he and his cousins were not able to dance that long anymore. Laughter did not subside as the guests and the hosts exchanged words.
"Junichiro, louder! You're the head of this clan!" Kokuten-sensei reminded the actor of the said role. "As Katayama, you are fierce and elegant, even during these gatherings!"
"Yes, Coach!"
"Continue as is. Sounds, please. Ayame, Tatsuya and Jinjiro, there are no light cues, so remember where you put your eyes and attention."
"Understood, Coach!"
"Very well, indeed. Music, please!" in a booming voice, Junichiro raised his arms.
Mayu turned the volume up.
And the round of applause. The guests stood up as the melody of the strings and woodwind filled the hall. The ladies waited for the gentlemen to ask them for a dance. This is the dance of the guests, of the invited and the desired. Of the Katayama clan, for everyone in Fukanou. Everyone, except for the Katsushiros. The rival clan. Their rival clan. Nothing should come between the rival clans, except for hate, rivalry, pride. But as bound to happen, the clans of Katayama and the Katsushiro will soon find out that another thing will come between them – love.
For a second when the eyes of the young Ayame and Tatsuya met, their hearts have fallen.
A sight for young Tatsuya held him to be curious and bold beyond belief.
Hiroshi inwardly smiled. 'This is effortless acting. To look at your beloved… emotions pour out naturally.'
And a sight for Ayame which made her reserved and inquisitive, unlike before.
Sakuno's eyes widened when she saw the sincerity in Hiroshi's stare. 'Hiroshi's really… amazing.'
"Man, I'm bored. Can't we dance with these hot chicks? We should make you dance." Toshiro, Tatsuya's friend, sneered.
"Indeed." Katsushiro Haru, Tatsuya's cousin, put his arm around Tatsuya's shoulders. "It isn't easy sneaking into the rival's territory, 'ya know. Might as well hook up with someone here."
"At least, for tonight!" Toshiro and Haru chorused and laughed, and punched each other's fist. They left Tatsuya for a moment and continued ogling the ladies while exchanging dirty jokes to themselves. One waiter eyed the trio and vaguely recognized them, making him shiver. But before he could ever step far away from the trio, Tatsuya neared him.
"Excuse me," Tatsuya found himself asking, as his eyes were fixed at no other than the daughter of the Katayama, "Who's the beautiful lady right there?"
The waiter shivered and stuttered, "I don't k-know, S-sir. P-please excuse me-e!"
Tatsuya did not even notice how the waiter almost ran back to the kitchen out of fear knowing he was a Katsushiro. Instead, and out of the blue, he gazed at the young lady who never let his attention linger to anything else and sang a song.
"Kyaaaa~! Hiroshi-sama's going to sing again!" One of the props people suppressed her squeal, and so were the other girl members of the club. Tomoka, too, stopped bickering with one of her fellows when she heard Hiroshi started singing. She watched, and as she expected, a tear started its course from her right eye to her cheek.
'These words wrapped in art… Please unwrap them and unveil what I'm really feeling for you, Sakuno.' Hiroshi's notes were fluttery as Sakuno listened to it and tried to conquer the smile that was forming in her lips.
'As Ayame, I can't hear him because of the distance between us. Instead, I see him as a wonderful creature brought down from heaven.' Sakuno was keeping in character as a young Katayama, surprised and amused by the sight of Tatsuya. 'But listening to Hiroshi-kun's voice… It's hard not to smile.'
The voice of a foe, he can't tolerate. Jinjiro, cousin of Ayame, heard the faint singing of Tatsuya and it was enough to make his blood boil. An archenemy in their territory, how impudent! That was reckless and hasty of a Katsushiro. Would he want to want his blood shed in his enemy's house?
"What's wrong, Jinjiro?" His uncle, Junichiro, put a hand on his shoulder, making him pause. "You seem to be not enjoying our celebration."
"Junichiro-jisama," he motioned towards a young lad, who appeared to be singing, "this is a Katsushiro. At our house! How can I be calm when I know the mouse is lurking in here?"
The older man examined the young man, "Is this Tatsuya?"
"Yes, it's him." Jinjiro swore that of looks could kill, this young man was dead moments ago.
"Be calm, young Jinjiro." Head Officer Katayama smiled and tightened his grip around the shoulder of his niece. "He might be a Katsushiro, but I've never heard of any yakuza incidents involving him. As I look at him now, he could pass as any gentlemen in here."
"But Junichiro-jisama, he is a Katsushiro! This is a chance to silence him and prevent him from being a full-fledged yakuza!"
"Good expression, Jinjiro! Same with you, Junichiro. Keep it like that!" Suzuhara-sensei's smiles were beaming with pride, looking at his students.
"Major Inspector Katayama Jinjiro, I am the master of this house." He lowered his voice and kept his eyes at Tatsuya. "Spare him. I don't want to dishonor such a good lad in our house, no less. Keep your temper to yourself. Besides, you should be enjoying yourself. This is a rare chance, being we are needed by Fukanou all the time."
"Such a shame." Jinjiro whispered to himself, and answered his uncle.
"Very well indeed, 'Ji-sama.I shall endure my trembling flesh out of anger. I shall trust your words as the master of this house and as your nephew."
They walked away after a last look at the love-struck Tatsuya.
"Great going, Matsuo and Masato! Keep doing it like that." The long red tresses of Kokuten-sensei flowed as she shook her head. "You're good, no?"
Matsuo and Masato -the actrons for Jinjiro, the Tybalt Capulet, and Junichiro, the head of the clan, respectively, both scratched the back of their necks after receiving the praises from their coach. It wasn't every day that she gave them praises like that, so they could indulge with this.
"Thank you so much, Kokuten-sensei!" They bowed down, "We'll continue to do our best!"
"Okay, okay, that's too much praising." Suzuhara-sensei appeared behind Kokuten-sensei and clapped his hands twice. He appeared to be unamused. "Next, Ayame ,Tatsuya and Ayame's nurse, Yoshio. Get ready."
She was especially hot-headed when she inspected the props which were being made by her committee. It was chilly since it was nearing winter, but the props committee members were sweating as their slave-driver leader walked to and fro, looking at what they have done so far.
"Ah, T-tomoka-san, I-I think… we can r-recycle this huge thing h-here," a shaking props member raised her hand and called the attention of the said person. Tomoka eyed the shaking girl, and then walked towards the thing the girl pointed out to her.
"I'll go ask the coach," came the blunt reply and she swiftly moved towards Kokuten-sensei. The older woman excused herself and asked his co-coach to supervise the actrons. The two women then came back and approached the huge, dusty thing that the props member pointed out.
"Well, in order to minimize the cost of production, we can use this." Kokuten-sensei carefully covered her nose and mouth as she spoke as loud as she could. "Please ask help from the other members to carry this thing outside and remove all the dust."
"Yes, Ma'am!" Tomoka and the other member answered.
"And please, be careful not to drop it. I'm allergic to dust, so please."
They nodded and looked for their male props members to do the said task since the cardboard structure actually weighed more than it actually looked. Kokuten-sensei continued to eye the huge thing and covered her nose. Suzuhara-sensei momentarily halted the practice of the scene and came up to her and noticed her worried face.
"Are you sure you're gonna be fine?" He asked, and looked carefully at the boys who started to move the big thing out. "Did you bring your med mask with you?"
"I'm going to be fine." She smiled, when a loud thud caused them to nervously look back at the huge thing. Apparently, one of the boys dropped it when he could not control his sneeze.
"We're sorry!" The whole props committee managed to say out loud before disappearing out of the room. Some of the members of the club started sneezing. Kokuten-sensei moved as far as she could towards the stage, and Suzuhara-sensei asked the others to turn the electric fan on and open all the windows and the doors. All of the club's activities were momentarily stopped.
"Miko?" Suzuhara-sensei momentarily forgot the formalities when he remembered her previous asthma attacks. True enough, he saw his co-coach crouched on the floor, wheezing and coughing violently. He rushed towards her, panic-stricken.
"No, don't be scared. Don't be scared." Suzuhara Keiichi chanted to himself, and thought quickly of what to do.
"Do you have your inhaler with you, Miko?"
The rest of the club was shaking as they watched helplessly.
"Anyone, give me Miko's bag! The inhaler's in there! Quick!"
A girl was unsteady as she got Kokuten-sensei's bag, rummaged through its contents, and extracted a plastic tube. Another guy rushed it towards Suzuhara-sensei.
"Thank you." Suzuhara-sensei administered the inhaler like an expert. Again, the whole club watched. Some of the girls held their hands together.
It was like an eternity as they waited for the asthma attack of their coach to subside. But when Kokuten Miko was finally through with that attack, everyone was relieved.
"I'm so sorry!" the girl who asked about the dusty thing bowed down low. The rest of those who carried the huge thing out also bowed down, as well as Tomoka.
"We're sorry!"
"I'm fine now," came the weak answer of their female coach. "I should have told you earlier about this."
Suzuhara-sensei motioned her to refrain from talking.
"Listen up, Theater Club." His voice was far more serious than the usual. Hiroshi walked towards Sakuno and stayed at her side.
"The practices will continue, but without our supervision. I'll be bringing Mi-" he paused, "Kokuten-san to the hospital since the clinic's not open. I don't know how long it will take us, so I entrust you to continue with everything later."
Everyone nodded.
"I'm leaving the club to you, guys. Actrons,"
Heads shot up.
"You can practice anywhere you're comfortable with."
"Yes, Sir!"
"Props? Double time. There's a lot to be done. And next time, make sure things around here are dust-free. My co-coach is very allergic to that."
"We understand, Suzuhara-sensei."
Without any other words, the couple left the members of the Theater Club alone. Everyone walked towards their respective committees to talk about what's going to happen next as they also talked in hushed voices.
"We're going to split up. Hiroshi and Sakuno, practice together, since you are Tatsuya and Ayame, after all." The acting leader and the actress for Katayama Inaba pointed at the two, "I'll arrange the rest of the cast here."
Hiroshi and Sakuno nodded as they looked at each other briefly.
"Can't I join Hiroshi-sama, Leader?" Saika appeared all of a sudden, after acting as a spectator for the rest of the practice. Strangely enough, she was reassigned as Katayama Chieko, the role first assigned to Sakuno. After all, Saika wouldn't want to lose, either way. Her two 'friends' were behind her, wearing a smug face.
"Sure. You just have one scene to appear in, anyway." The leader looked aside and smiled sarcastically. She continued talking to her co-actrons.
A vein popped in Saika's beautiful forehead. "Tch." She raised her chin and hugged herself. "Whatever would happen to Romeo and Juliet if Rosaline did not break Romeo's heart?"
She looked at Hiroshi and found him talking to Sakuno. Another vein popped in her beautiful forehead when she saw how his eyes softened when talking to Sakuno.
"Hiroshi-sama!" In her well-crafted voice, she sang his voice. A peek and Saika still saw her Hiroshi continued talking to one of her archenemies, Sakuno. Unable to keep her anger, she made a fist and moved in between Hiroshi and Sakuno.
"Hiroshi-sama…" she became awe-struck when she looked for the nth time at her Hiroshi-sama, such that her eyes sparkled. Both her friends became awe-struck as well and recited the Hiroshi-sama chant.
"Yes, Saika-san?" Although she was happy that he called her first name, upon noticing that Hiroshi's eyes were back to normal (they did not look soft anymore), Saika cringed.
"I have to join the two of you in your practice, since I'm Chieko."
"Ah. I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Hiroshi scratched his cheek, making it a bit pink. Saika started to drool, and she neared her face towards her infatuation…
"I think you can practice your very short scene here in the club room, since it won't take much time." Tomoka pulled Saika as far as possible from Hiroshi without looking rather violent. Saika's two friends immediately disappeared upon detecting Tomoka's presence.
"YOU again?" Saika flailed her arms out, her shiny, black hair turning snake-like, "and I was just…"
"Practicing with Hiroshi?" Tomoka's eyebrows wiggled. "Sure. I'll drag you there at the corner, so you can practice your Chieko with him."
Saika's eyes almost dropped to the floor at her disbelief. 'This girl likes Hiroshi-sama, right?'
Hiroshi and Sakuno appeared right behind Tomoka after a few seconds. "Of course, Sakuno has to watch. So she can point out if you're swooning already."
"Osakada!" Saika shouted while holding her bandaged arm closer to her.
Tomoka smiled at Sakuno, held both her hands, and then hummed as she went back to her work.
"Ah, anou, I'll do my best to supervise you, though I think I'm not too competent…" Sakuno looked at the floor and smiled daintily. Hiroshi only smiled at this, then proceeded to walk towards Saika.
"I'm confident that we can do this fast since you've been acting for so long…" Hiroshi held Saika's hand.
Saika instantly swooned. As she did, Sakuno raised one of her yellow flags, from where she got it, no one knows.
"Funabashi-san?" Hiroshi had to catch the said girl. When he did, Saika's nose bled.
Nonetheless, after a number of pathetic attempts to make Saika stop swooning and make her act right like she should, they were finally done. Hiroshi scratched his head, "I really thought we could finish with this faster."
"I'm so sorry, Hiroshi-sama…" she really was apologetic. What was wrong with her, showing her bad side to her beloved? She looked down and twirled with her black hair, a sight very rare for anyone to see. Funabashi Saika had never been apologetic and shy before.
"It's okay, Saika-san." Hiroshi placed a hand on her shoulder. Sakuno watched him as she comforted their Chieko. "Thank you for the hard work. I guess I'm placing too much stress you, not even considering that you may not be feeling really well."
Sakuno covered her lips to hide the smile they were forming. 'Hiroshi-kun… You're really every girl's charmer."
"No, i-it's really my fault, Hiroshi-sama." And upon seeing how he was reassuringher, she fainted, her eyes in heart shape. Her two followers unexpectedly appeared and caught her just in time, as Hiroshi was busy looking at Sakuno while he was supposedly talking to Saika.
"But you see, Sakuno-san and I have to practice our scenes longer because she needs more guidance."
Sakuno nodded, but she could not help thinking what Hiroshi's last sentence even implied, and she looked away to hide her blush.
"Ah, Saika-san?" Hiroshi looked at the floor to see Saika's love-struck state.
"Hang in there, Saika-chan!" her followers frantically fanned her.
"Oh, I see." Tomoka smiled sadly. "I can't join you two since we're not yet done here, so go on ahead…without me."
"You can follow us once you're done, Tomo-chan." Sakuno encouraged her, as she looked at Hiroshi and implicitly motioned for him to do the same. Hiroshi only nodded at Tomoka. He was still feeling awkward because of their argument before.
"I don't think I could still follow you, though." Tomo-chan felt awkward as well, but she could only sigh. "I'm sooo tired, I think I'll need a rest after everything …" Sakuno could only frown, while thinking of what she could do to for her two friends to make up after their argument once again.
"Hiroshi wanted to be with you so badly, Sakuno-chan."
Hiroshi, upon feeling slightly agitated again at how Tomoka's words were spoken, tugged at Sakuno's arm.
"Permission granted. Let's go, Sakuno-chan. Bye, Tomo-chan."
Sakuno looked at Tomoka, and then at Hiroshi, and back at Tomoka, who looked away by then.
"I really don't get you guys." She whispered to herself, as she gently pulled her arm away from Hiroshi. The latter looked at her, surprised.
"Hiroshi-kun, sorry. I'm just… confused." Sakuno looked away, and pulled her bag closer to her.
"So am I…" Hiroshi said, and stopped walking to look at the setting sun. "So am I…"
Sakuno observed Hiroshi, and tried to cheer him up. "Ah, Hiroshi-kun!" He looked at her and saw her make a big smile.
"Let's go practice our lines at the park. There's still ample light."
He smiled.
"Let's go."
She swiveled her chair to get her mug of hot coffee. She sipped and took some papers and scanned them. She nodded to herself, put the mug and the papers aside, and sighed to herself as she looked out of the window.
"Ah, Ryuzaki-sensei. There you are. I was looking for you."
The old woman swiveled her chair to look at who was at the door of the faculty office.
"Oh, if it isn't the principal of the Senior High Department." The old woman stood up and offered a chair for the visitor. "May I ask what brings the Principal here?"
The old man laughed, "Stop with the formalities, Sumire. I was just in for a visit for my friend."
"Yes, I know. But seriously, why? You should have just called me into your office." Sumire noticed the brown envelope the Principal was holding.
"I was just curious of this case. Perhaps you can help me with this?" The principal started to empty the contents of the said envelope, piquing the interest of the tennis coach.
"Don't tell me you were just being nosy again since you don't have anything interesting to do."
The Principal only grinned after he shook his head.
"Ryuzaki-sensei, you know this child, right?"
Ryuzaki Sumire examined the photo that the other showed her. Chocolate brown hair and eyes. If she did not notice that the child was a male, she could have mistaken it for her granddaughter. But she knew who it was.
"Yes, why did you ask?"
The Principal showed her some documents.
"I don't think there has been a mix-up. He reminds me of one of your sons."
And Sumire's eyes widened in skepticism. She had to look away again at the documents and back at the picture.
"His earlier documents used the last name 'Ryuzaki'. But when he started studying, it was changed to his mother's last name."
Sumire's eyebrows furrowed. "You're pointing out that…?"
"Just so you'd know… Maybe, I'm trying to initiate an unexpected family reunion?"
Sumire stood up as the Principal gestured that he would leave. He left her the brown envelope.
"You're always making my head ache." Ryuzaki-sensei massaged her head, "but thank you for snooping into this student's history."
The Prinicipal only laughed. "I never expected you would thank me for something like that."
Sumire smirked. "Me, too."
Hiroshi opened the door to his room. He opened the lights and showed Sakuno the way inside.
"Please excuse me." Sakuno bowed to no one in particular and left her shoes at the doorway. She hugged her bag tighter as she followed Hiroshi inside the room.
'I'm alone with Hiroshi… again.'
"Feel at home, Sakuno-san." Hiroshi warmly said, as he noticed Sakuno moving warily inside his apartment. He suddenly blushed at the thought that he actually brought her inside his room. He mentally shook his head off of these thoughts that started to wander inside his head.
"Uh… Un." She nodded, and delicately placed her bag on a chair. She looked around more, and felt a little cozy.
"I'm sorry it took longer than I expected. Our lines are fine up to Scene V of the Third Act." He arranged some things. "We'll just have to practice the tone and the blocking."
She continued looking around, nodding her head.
"I'll go make some tea for us."
"Thank you, Hiroshi-kun."
He disappeared into the kitchen when she noted a pile of albums neatly stacked in a shelf.
"Hiroshi-kun, uhm, anou…" She wanted to punch herself for even asking. "Can I take a look at your albums?"
Hiroshi smiled a very large smile as he peeked at her from the kitchen that she was startled a little.
"What do you want to see there…?" He asked, a mysterious thought behind his smile. "Sakuno-san?"
She shook her head and blushed crimson. "I-I was just curious, that's all!" He saw her panic and laughed a bit.
"Do as you please, Juliet. Look at Romeo when he was younger, and fall in love with me more."
"Hiroshi-kun!" Sakuno was as red as a ripe tomato as she tried to hide her face.
"Yes, yes. Still the panicky Sakuno-san, I see." And he chuckled before working back on the tea. When she was left to look at him, she sighed and smiled. 'I'm happy he can laugh again.'
Again, when she took a glance at the stack of albums, she blushed. With a sneaky face, she looked at Hiroshi, then at the album. She took an album as silently as she could as she kept an eye at Hiroshi.
"I can see you, Sakuno-san."
"Eep!" she squeaked in surprise when she was caught.
"No really, I don't mind. Go ahead." He permitted. Well, I do mind you doing that a lot.
She sighed as flipped the cover of the album. The first page consisted of Hiroshi's baby pictures. He was in his baby crib, albeit reluctant to smile at the camera and even looked grumpy. She giggled as she whispered, 'How cute!'
The next page, on the other hand, comprised of Hiroshi's pictures when he was about a year old. The pictures were taken in some amusement park, with a woman Sakuno assumed was Hiroshi's mom.
"No wonder Hiroshi looks good," she commented. She peered longer at Hiroshi's mom, whose smile and face rang a bell.
Another turn of the page and she saw a strange family picture. It was a typical family picture -there was a father, a mother and a baby son, but the rest of the picture was strange. It seemed not to be kept well. First, the face of the father was crossed out, making most of his features concealed. She also noticed that there was dirt superimposed on the father's image. She tried to remove the grime by wiping it away with her hanky, only to realize that the supposedly dirt was actually a part of the picture – it was a birthmark on the father's hand. She was a bit astonished when she saw something she should have not seen.
"Can it be..? Impossible, it must be coincidence…" She assumed as she continued looking at the image, particularly at the father. "After all, why would this man resemble my father?"
When the owner of the room finally arrived with the tea, she hurriedly returned back the album.
"Are you happy now, princess?" Hiroshi asked as she placed a teacup in front of her. Sakuno look dazed, but nodded.
Hiroshi regarded her with curiosity, and smiled awkwardly to himself. If this continues, I might not be able to stop myself.
"Tatsuya-kun, at 9 tomorrow. Promise me, you'll come…"
"Why should I break my promise with my beloved? Ayame-chan… Tomorrow."
"Yoshio-san is calling me. Tatsuya-kun, be careful going home. There're a lot of CCTVs."
"I would not want to leave… but I must go. Ayame-chan, bid me good night with a…"
Sakuno's eyebrow arched. There's no line like that in the script!
But Hiroshi continued to come closer, "with a kiss."
Sensing the danger and the hazy look in his eyes, she finally pushed him away. Her heart was pounding as she watched him. "H-Hiroshi-kun! It's n-not in the s-script!"
Hiroshi smiled, his eyes frowning. It was another of this occurrence when Sakuno thought that Hiroshi would cry.
"It is. It's a script in my mind from long ago. I wanted to tell you this a long time ago, but I stopped myself, knowing that if I didn't tell you this, it would be better for us."
She covered her lips, as she continued stuttering. "D-don't tell… m-me…"
"If this script will change Romeo and Juliet," he was dead serious, "I don't want this script to change us."
Her eyes grew wider. Her lips were shaking, and she covered her lips more, if that is even more possible.
"I'm afraid I lost to my feelings… to my fear of losing you. I may not make sense now, but there's one thing I want you to know. Sakuno…"
Hiroshi looked at her straight in the eyes, but he wasn't able to hold his gaze.
"I like you."
The cold atmosphere continued to hover around her. She shook silently, and she rubbed her arms with her hands. On her right hand is a piece of paper, containing drawings of streets and boxes assuming buildings and landmarks.
"I'm sorry."
He held his shaking head with both hands.
"I'm sorry, I can't restrain myself anymore."
She fell on her bottom.
"Hiroshi-kun, you're just confused…"
"No, I'm not confused!" His eyes were, for the first time, steely when he answered her. "I've never been so sure in my whole life."
She looked away, unable to meet the look. It was the first time he looked at her that way.
"But I'm begging you, Sakuno, please…"
Sakuno continued listening, as she tried to convince herself that what was she thinking was right. 'He is just confusing me with Tomo-chan…'
"Can we continue working with each other… as if nothing happened?"
"What?"
"I'm sorry, it my fault for being too inconsiderate. But," Hiroshi's face were now covering his face, "it just… came out. Though I understand, things will really change."
The young Ryuzaki pitied Hiroshi. "Hiroshi-kun…"
"Don't mistake what I've told you with something else." He tried to provide a grin for her. "I'm not asking you to tell me, 'I like you too,'" he frowned. I know who you like, anyway.
"Nor am I asking you to go out with me."
And just like that, he sincerely smiled at her, like when he smiled at her when they were talking at the classroom or when they were practicing at the Theater Club before. She wanted to cry.
"I just wanted you know what I really feel for you."
She clutched the map he drew for her so that she wouldn't be lost on her way home and rubbed her eyes hard.
"I'm sorry again, I won't be able to accompany you to your home. So here, I drew you a map!"
She tried her hardest to keep her tears to herself. For one, she hated how Hiroshi could smile at her like that, like everything was back to normal, like it did not feel awkward at all, like he did not confessed to her.
"Thank you, Hiroshi-kun."
And again, for a split-second, she understood that she wasn't the only person in here who fought back crying.
She opened the door to the living room and slowly walked to her room. When she closed the door to her room, she put her bag aside. Sakuno kneeled at the side of her bed and placed her face at the bed. She tilted her face to her bed, and cried.
"Sakuno, I'm home."
Sumire savored the scent coming in from the kitchen. Her granddaughter was cooking.
"Sakuno?"
"Yes, Baa-chan?" She smiled at her grandmother, a smile saying as if she really had a great day. Sumire was hesitant.
"How's practice?"
"It was tiring… but it was great."
Sumire nodded, while her Sakuno continued to smile.
'Just who do you think am I?'
"Baa-chan, you can just wait. This'll be ready in a moment."
"I'll go arrange the table, then."
Sumire found herself going tactless, half-thinking that breaking the news would make Sakuno a little bit more genuinely happy.
"Ah, Sakuno? I just remembered. Please keep this a secret for a while, okay?"
"What is it, Baa-chan?"
"Nakayama Hiroshi, is it? Your classmate?"
The teenager flinched upon hearing his name.
"What about Hiroshi-kun?"
Sumire stared at her, and her lips broke into a smile.
"He might just be your long-lost uncle's…"
A bell in her head rang.
"…son."
~oOo~
* No such real place as Fukanou, I made that up. Fukanou means 'impossible.'
A/N: You now see what I mean? That's why this is entitled as such. I'm ready with my basket of love for the constructive criticisms, and a shield for the arrows of hate. C'mon, bring it on! I've got a cookie in return! :D Again, sorry for the long wait. Must just be me, I started this story back when I was starting college, and now, I'm about to graduate. This will end soon, so I have to update more frequently. My college days will end as this story will end. Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites and subscriptions (haha :P). Although I've said this quite a few times, it still holds true. You, people, are the ones making me continue (and my beta, of course). Thank you so much, and again I'm sorry. Until the next update! :3
PS: Some minor tweaks MAY still be occur in this chapter, so, uh, watch out. :)