.:AN:.
Alright, before we get this show going, here are some responses to the reviews for the second chapter of A Month!
midnightsprite: Haha, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Death101- Fox Version: (bows formally) Thank you!
yokonyomi398: Thank you for saying so. And yes, I have noticed that my writing style back when is rather...interesting. =) I appreciate you pointing that out, so no need to apologize. I will try to use my commas more sparingly!
When Darkness Rises: Haha, well, it is Kurama. Kinda hard to pull the wool over his eyes, but it's nice to surprise, ain't it?
KiyoshiXI: Do I really have hairy, butt-scratching monkey henchmen? (eyes Conscience, who shakes its head and mouths "NO" rather vehemently) Um...I'm not at liberty to share that sort of information at this time... but thanks for the support! (looks at Conscience again) YES! YES I HAVE HAIRY, BUTT-SCRATCHING MONEKY HENCHMEN THAT HAVE TAKEN OVER THE - (gets attacked by Conscience and knocked unconscious)
Conscience: Nothing to see here, people, move along...
InuKurama: Haha, thank you, I hope that you continue to enjoy the story!
darkiceraven: Sorry for the confusion, bud. To answer your question, I posted a note at the beginning of the last chapter. If you're still interested in understanding, please check it out, and if you've still got questions, send a PM my way, and I'll try to help straighten things out for ya. =)
.fan:Thank you! Of course, I will do my best!
PervyMonk: Well, I guess we know now why your name is PervyMonk, huh? =D... actually, I know the real reason why... YOU ARE A MIROKU FAN! (points dramatically) Haha, just kidding witcha... anyways, thanks for reviewing again, I really feel loved!
'.Serene. Panda.': Haha, you know Kurama. He's a closet pervert. =P That could explain a lot...except, not really. Darn. Oh well, thanks for the review again! Go off, be happy that no one has the powers of Kurama and can track your potty breaks!
(starts doing another happy jig)
(stops when Payne notices everyone staring)
Yeah, I'm an idiot, you don't need to tell me… I already know! HAHA! SINCE I DON'T KNOW YOU, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE, I CAN AT LEAST ROB YOU OF THAT! HAHA!
(everybody just continues to stare at Payne)
Um… Okay, anyways...
Conscience: (pops into frame) Fear not, I am here in time to keep Payne in check!
You are now free to move to another country…
Conscience: (checks Payne, hockey-style)
Ow! You suck! (shakes fist)
Conscience: Sure do. But enough about me, don't you have something to tell these wonderful people?
Oh, yeah, I do huh? Okay, this chapter will be from Suichi's POV… as in, Little Suichi—the stepbrother! DUH!
So, here it is!
Chapter 3: Cover to Cover
Shuichi's POV:
You know what's worse than rushing from one place to another after a hard day at school?
I'll tell you what's worse. Having to sit outside, where it's a little bit windy, and a little bit chilly, while you're a little bit hungry, and more than a little bit pissed off. That's what's worse. That's one of the worst things you can do. Want to know why? Because it throws off the whole psyche. It confuses the mind. Thinking to yourself, "We got to go, we've got to hurry, we need to go faster, faster faster!" only to then stop abruptly, realizing, "Wait, there's so much time to waste now. Doing absolutely nothing. What. The Hell."
Want to know how I know this? I'll tell you. It's a good story.
So I was walking along, enjoying the sort of day that seems to just remind you that summer's coming. The best kind of day. The coolness of the breeze, but the warmth of the sun? It was a good day. I get home, ready to walk in, maybe settle down with a bite to eat, work on a bit of homework in front of the TV, get all lazy and comfortable, you know?
Yeah, but guess what? First thing that happens when I open the door, Dad pulls me in, picks me up – I'm on his friggin back! – throws me in the shower and says to get ready for dinner.
Dinner. At nearly four o'clock in the afternoon.
Why did we do this? Why was I forced to get all pampered and prettied up, for a dinner that Dad decided to inform me about as I'm getting dressed in a rented tux?
Because Dad thought he didn't know where the place was and he didn't want to be late.
Don't worry, Dad, we'll find the place easily enough, I said.
It will be easy, I said.
She won't hate you if you're a little late, I said.
Don't act so nervous, I said.
Fine, we'll leave early, I said. Just for the sake of your sanity, we'll leave early.
And look at us now, standing outside, waiting for our "dates" that were probably going to arrive on time instead of coming early like us. The waiting area is packed with people trying to get reservations, so we can't wait inside. Even if we could, Dad doesn't want to risk the chance that this woman of his would show up, change her mind, and leave again before he even saw her. So we're waiting outside. No benches. No sitting on the curb.
Party time.
You know, being spontaneously treated to a nice dinner isn't really what's got me in a foul mood. Even the tux is kinda nice to wear, since I never really have the opportunity to get all fancy. I'm just a bit irked because Dad just told me that he was planning on asking the woman, whom I haven't even met yet… to marry him.
Oh, joy.
"Dad," I attempt to ask calmly. "Why are we doing this again?"
"I told you before, Shuichi," he responds in that chastising tone of his. He's still staring out at the parking lot, eager to see the woman we're waiting for. "I'm really starting to love Shiori, and I think it's time that you two met."
"Well, we can do that somewhere else! Like, at home? What's the big deal? So, you're going to ask her to marry you, what about it, huh? You're not asking her tonight, so it's not like there's any need to look nice and all that."
Dad briefly looks down at me, seeming in search for words. After a few seconds, he returns his gaze to the lot. "You'll understand when you're older," Dad states simply.
There was a beat of silence in which I do my best to figure out how to respond to that sort of comment. Honestly, I'm not sure if I want to "understand" when I get older. It seems like a lot of wasted energy to me.
"What's she like?" I try to ask in an offhand manner, partly to keep him distracted, but mostly to keep me distracted.
"Well…" he sighs, his eyes gaining that familiar far-away look that he always gets when he thinks about her, "She's beautiful. Not just on the outside, but on the inside, too. She's caring, loving, and almost delicate… There are no words that can justify her properly. She's already led an eventful life, through a sickness that should have taken her life, to raising a well-behaved and respectable child."
"Huh?" I ask with confusion. Then, I remember with an, "Oh, yeah, her son that's also named Suichi… Have you met him before?"
"Briefly," Dad responds with a wry smile. "We were supposed to have lunch together while you were at your friend's house the other day, but he had to leave shortly afterwards due to his job."
Ha. That's likely.
"Really? What does he do?"
"I'm not sure. I never got the chance to ask him."
That makes me curious, if not a little suspicious. "What'd you think of him?"
"That's a bit hard to say," my dad hums again, bouncing on the balls of his feet a bit from the cold. See, I knew it would be better to be indoors waiting, but it's comforting to know I'm not the only one freezing. "He seemed pleasant enough, but his manners were remarkable. He was a perfect gentleman, Shiori did an excellent job."
"Huh… well, that's weird." I decided I probably wouldn't like this kid. He sounds boring. "How old is he?"
Dad looks like he's about to respond, when his eyes suddenly catch sight of something in the lot. The smile that immediately spreads across his face os enough of an indicator for me to figure out what he saw. "You can ask him yourself, son," Dad says, giving my shoulder an affectionate squeeze with his hand before stepping off the sidewalk to go meet the arrivals. With a small huff, I stuff my fists in my pants pockets and follow, eyes on the ground.
"I'm sorry," I hear a woman's soft voice say with sincerity as I approach. "I hope we didn't keep you waiting for too long…"
"It was nothing," Dad assures her. I'm all that interested in the pleasantries, so I continue to kick lightly at the loose gravel on the asphalt. "I was afraid that I wouldn't find the place that we agreed on, so we left early just in case. We were just having an interesting conversation concerning you. Suichi was quite fascinated with you two." I roll my eyes at that comment. Thanks, Dad, way to make me sound lame.
"Oh, yes, I almost forgot!" the woman I assume is Shiori exclaims. "This is my son, Suichi. I know that you two have met before, but I figured your son ought to know."
I feel Dad nudge me in the side, so I take it as my cue to start paying attention.
Dear God, if I had been drinking anything, I would have spat it out in a second.
It isn't just that Suichi was beautiful - and yes, I am actually using the word beautiful to describe a teenaged boy. I mean, yeah, his hair is incredibly long and his eyes were an incredibly pure color of emerald, but there was so much more to him, like there was something lying beneath the surface that was just as startling. Intimidating, even. Looking at Suichi reminds me of those ancient books in my school's library, with the edges of the paper painted gold, and the covers that were so aged and tattered yet still held a majestic, eternal beauty to them. Every time I looked at one of those books, I had such a strong sense of inferiority that I couldn't even bring myself to touch their covers, let alone read its contents. As if the pages inside held words and ideas that I couldn't even begin to comprehend. No matter how pretty the book was, the knowledge and history of that book steered me away.
Yeah, Suichi was a good-looking guy – but his eyes invoked the same feelings those archaic books did. Despite how normal he looked in that simple tuxedo, I felt he was far older than any of us standing here.
Suddenly I understood what Dad had meant when he said it was "hard to say" when it came to describing Suichi. I can feel my throat closing up just at the prospect of having to talk to this guy.
Suichi, totally unaware of my silence, holds his hand out to Dad and says, "It's a pleasure to see you again, sir."
Dad takes it and shakes firmly, saying, "Likewise. I was disappointed when you weren't able to stay longer with us. Even though I always enjoy your mother's company, I had been looking forward to meeting with you, as well."
"My sincerest apologies," Suichi responds smoothly, seeming to be genuinely contrite about their past meeting. "My...employment needed me immediately, and I couldn't afford to ignore the call. I hope you understand."
"Not a problem, son, just thought I'd say how glad I am that you could make it tonight."
"As am I."
"Well then," Dad says with renewed vigor, directing the attention to me when he also puts his strong hand on my shoulder. "Shuichi, I'd like you to meet Shiori, and her son, uh… Suichi."
Well, Dad had been right when he had described Shiori to me before. She's beautiful too, and has kind eyes. "Hello, Shuichi," she says in that soft voice of hers, and I take a liking to her immediately. I bow to her with a nervous smile, and a "nice to meet you" of my own. If she was anywhere as nice to talk to as she was to look at, I wouldn't have too much trouble accepting her as family. When I turn to Suichi to do the same, I feel my face give a small spasm from nerves.
Suichi smiles nicely, proffers his hand to me as well, and says, "It is a pleasure to meet you, too, Shuichi. Mother has told me a great deal about you. I must say that I have wanted to meet you for quite a long time."
Hesitantly, I grip his hand and shake it, unable to peel my gaze off of him.
The sense of age and wisdom in the older teen's eyes is even more intense up close. It's almost terrifying.
And Jesus, he was one beautiful guy. That was also kind of disconcerting.
Figuring I should say something in response, I merely mutter out a "Nice to meet you, too" because I'm afraid if I try to say anything more, I'll say something weird. Like, "Are you sure you're human?" I attempt to keep eye-contact throughout the whole exchange, but I catch a glimmer of something in the older Suichi's eyes that makes me pause.
His eyes are laughing at me.
He's honestly amused.
I'm not sure why, but I suddenly flush with embarrassment. My face is burning, and I can't keep it down. It strikes me quite suddenly that maybe, since I'm being so weird about him, I can assume he has the ability to read minds as well. And that he heard my question, and found it funny.
"U-uh…" I stammer, trying to think clearly. I clear my throat and say in a jumpy voice, "I-I'm really hungry, could we go in and order?"
"Yes, of course," Shiori cuts in with a bright smile. Clapping her hands together, she adds, "It's quite nippy out here, and we don't want to lose our reservation! Did you two really stand outside waiting for us all this time?"
"I already told you it wasn't long," Dad rebuts with a grin, and the two immediately start doing that whole "old married couple" bickering. Dad wraps an arm around Shiori's waist and guides her towards the restaurant, with Suichi following close and me bringing up the rear. When we reach the building, the older Suichi holds the door open for our parents, since he's the closest to it. They thank him with cheery smiles, and he responds with one of his own.
Then he looks at me.
His eyes are still laughing, but there was a polite kindness in them as he silently gestures for me to follow in after them.
Strange, how that simple request is the hardest thing for my body to obey at this moment. I walk stiffly over to the door, and try to muster up a casual smile – just a simple, stupid smile! – but my body freezes when he pins me with his gaze, straight in the eye.
Such scrutiny is definitely piercing. I feel like I am now the book, only this book is laid wide open and easily read, all of my secrets right there for him to see. There's no way to recover from that sort of unexpected exposure, and my mind temporarily shuts down in near-terror.
I don't know how long I stare at him, but when Dad yells, "Hurry it up, you two! We've got our table!" I'm startled out of that daze and figure I've stared long enough.
Sharply breaking the connection, I walk through the door while trying to control my shuddered breathing. Minamino – for at this point it seems strange to refer to this person with a name so human as my own – simply quirks his lips at me and bows before following me inside to our parents.
I sit in front of Minamino with Shiori on my side, while my Dad sat across from her. It's not a small table, but it was comfy enough. The pristine tablecloth that is spread across the surface almost makes me groan. I never fail to spill stuff on white fabric.
"What were you two talking about?" Shiori asks us cheerfully as we take our seats.
Funny. As if I'd ever be able to say more than five words to that guy without sounding like a complete idiot.
"Nothing," I reply quickly.
"Oh?" Her eyes have the same twinkling laughter that Minamino had. Was this a whole family of mind-readers?
"Mother, it truly was nothing," Minamino tells her in a placating tone, and I'm grateful for the intervention. My brain doesn't feel like it's functioning properly anymore. "We were just sharing our thoughts about the evening with each other. Nothing you need concern yourself over."
Is that what we were doing?
Okay, fine by me.
"If you say so, Suichi," Shiori concedes with a knowing look. She then directs our attention the menus placed before us, and asks, "What would you three like to order for dinner?"
.:AN:.
And that's the end of the chapter…
(everyone cheers)
EXCUSE ME!
(everyone cries)
Much better.
Conscience: How about, no?
How about, you leave me alone!
Conscience: Look, I'm not here to bother you. This time.
(raises eyebrow) Really?
Conscience: Really really. I just wanted to say this: EVERYBODY, READ AND REVIEW OR ELSE I WILL PERSONALLY SEE TO IT THAT YOU ALL LIVE OUT THE REST OF YOUR LIVES WITH ANNOYING CONSCIENCES LIKE ME!
(falls over anime-style) Thank you… I think.
Conscience: No problem! I'm getting a raise for my efforts anyways! (big thumbs up)
Oh, boy… everyone, I don't mean to be rude, just ignore the bold letters from now on—and tell me what you think of the chapter! I'd appreciate it, really! I don't want you to think that I'm conceited or demanding about the review things, so it is now a suggestion, not a necessity. Oh, and if you ever feel like reading the bold letters, just think of what it says as entertainment. Or, you can skip over them and such (sometimes I do that), just pay attention when you see this WARNING, CAUTION, or ATTENTION, just in case I think you need to know something about the story or chapter.
Ja matta!