4,508 words. I already typed those two weeks ago for this. You know what I did? I deleted them all for the purpose of quality. Aviann Te, I admit that the developments will surely not be up to your taste. I admit that the concept was okay in chapter 13, but I made it a total fiasco in the screen within two half-days of typing time, and not in the best condition either.
Warning: Long-winded dialogue, occasional fluff and barely any plot development. Everyone wants to see 2795 moments, don't they?
When will drama be seeping in now that the light-heartedness is kind of gone? SORRY, NOT YET.
EDIT: WILL EDIT THIS ONE AGAIN ONCE I HAVE THE TIME.
I just hope the three of us can be the best of friends forever. Better yet, I wish that didn't sound as lame like a kid that wished it.
It will be actually better if both didn't confess that they liked me. It would probably be best if Gokudera-kun just didn't tell me even till the end. If they haven't fought, then even if we didn't talk much of the time, we'd still be friends. Just friends. Tsuna-san and Gokudera-kun will still be talking and laughing with Yamamoto-kun until graduation. No bad commotion will happen. That's the way it's supposed to be.
After watching many romantic movies with Haru, I think they're really not exaggerating when you have to choose between this guy and his best mate.
If I don't choose though... Hmm... Wow, best idea I'll ever have.
Yeah... if I do that then...
It's probably okay and they won't suffer. Yes!
Fine, that's what I'm going to do.
My gawd, why did I got all emo when there's a simple solution to strike the thin line between common sense and ignorance?
~K27~
"Maybe"
(Sounds courtesy of pianist Yiruma)
If I act like Ms. Deadpan, then I might be able to pull this off.
"Had a nice sleep, Kyoko?" roared my brother, practically humming to himself despite the fact that he was disqualified for not riding with his partner Terumi ("EXTREMELY UGLY TO THE EXTREMELY UGLY HAG!") in the wee seconds of the race."It'll be a little rainy today so you better bring at least two umbrellas in case your friend Haru forgets to bring hers," he adds with a small addition of some action with it.
"Geez Onii-chan you sound just like an old man," I roll my eyes and continue to enjoy my job this morning as a dishwasher.
"I am old," is his weary reply as I hear him leafing through the pages of his textbook. "The finals are next week and we're taking it together. Time sure flies, doesn't it? You'll be eighteen soon. Then there's still the results of your college entrance exams..."
"P-please don't make me remember," I groan and add a little more of this and that. "It's bad enough that I can't choose between Tsuna-san and his Right arm already..."
"You've been blabbing about this since two nights ago! I am extremely on Sawada's side no matter how hard you'll make me."
Geez, Onii-chan's still as predictable as a rock.
"I'm not going to be on anybody's side," I huff tiredly and push my brother's plate into the sink's sea of soap. "I want to be a nun when I grow up."
"EXTREMELY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!" Onii-chan's chair fell with a big clatter. Yep, as expected.
"DON'T ORDER ME AROUND! I'M ALREADY AN ADULT!" I turn to face Onii-chan. I'm seething now. "i HAVE A RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT I WANT TO BE. JUST BECAUSE HE'S YOUR BOSS DOESN'T MEAN-"
"I'M CHOOSING BASED ON EXPERIENCE!"
"YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A GIRLFRIEND! H-E-L-L-O?" I add some cheerleading to the last word. "HOW WILL EVEN YOU KNOW?"
"Obviously, I'VE BEEN WITH THEM FOR TWO YEARS DAMMIT! THE OCTOPUS HEAD-"
"DON'T CALL HIM THAT!"
"IF YOU SAW WHAT HE'S LIKE WHEN HE LOSES IT YOU'LL DEFINITELY-"
"I ALREADY TOLD YOU I'M NOT GOING TO CHOOSE EITHER OF THEM," I say firmly, my hand shaking as it unconsciously begins to wash the plate again.
"I'm just warning you," Onii-chan conceded in the shouting match and merely places his hand on my shoulder. His eyes try to meet mine as he tells me this in a serious voice. "You already know that the Octopus Head's-
"I told you Onii-chan..."
"Then fine. That G-Gokudera's (okay, dear sister?) and Chrome's relationship fell apart because he's too preoccupied with work. She's just his punching bag when he gets home."
"Gokudera-kun's not like that!" I continue to deny.
"His Tenth is much more important to the extreme. If he has to choose between Tsuna and you, it'll be the Boss."
"He's willing to hit him in the face for my sake." I answer back curtly and slaps his hand aside. Seriously, I'm getting mad now.
"How will you know that it'll be his final decision? You can't trust him, Kyoko."
"And you expect me to trust your words? Gokudera-kun's different from then. He's just afraid of love, that's all." I turn my back on him and furiously begin to wipe the plates clean. "And he likes me a lot. He was scared at first but eventually he..."
"Are you EXTREMELY sure that he'll not toss you aside once he's done loving you?" he snorts. "He shouts at girls and even hurts them when given the chance. That girl friend of yours is a good example."
"He didn't hurt Haru-chan! He'll never do that!" Goddammit, why are they all so mean to Gokudera-kun? Why can't they just trust him to repent his ways? "I hate it!" The glass I was wiping shattered to the floor and I felt a burning sensation as a shard struck through my leg. I didn't give a damn. "Why don't you just give him a chance?" I am crying now as I clean the shards. "Eff don't- I can do it myself!" I tell him forcibly as I hastily used a plastic by the sink to get the glass. I'll take the dustpan later.
"You like Gokudera too, don't you?"
The question catches me off-guard. I look at him in shock. These minutes are the only minutes in my life where I saw Onii-chan serious like this.
"Well maybe I do!" I yell, my color rising as I ran now to get the dustpan. The tears won't stop again. Even as I go down to get the broom and dustpan, my anger just won't fall in temperature.
After a couple of more nonsensical swearing, I managed to wipe the floor clean. My brother was silent throughout my work. As I slung my bag for school though, he swooped down and bandaged my leg.
"Hope this will help," he fixes a small smile as he cleans the wound with a cotton ball (I wince as he does this).
"Whatever." I ignore this kind gesture as he does his work.
"I just don't want you to make the wrong decision like I did when I joined the Family. Even if you say you won't decide, you can't run from it sooner or later."
"I hate it when you preach." I try to smile, but my lips won't budge. I'm not in the mood to be peace-making with him.
He finishes bandaging my leg and stands to pat my head. "I'll probably have a future in counselling then."
"Only after the end of the world," I mutter under my breath. I wave as I walk to the door. "I'll be going then Onii-chan," I bid him tonelessly.
I then turn my head and finally find the strength to smile at him. I hastily wipe my tears as I say goodbye.
Once I close the door I am surprised that Haru's not going to be walking with me to school.
Instead, Tsuna-san is there by our gate, his light smile curling to a frown once he sees my tear-stained face.
"What happened Kyoko-san?" He asks, eyeing my swollen eyes as I fought back the sobbing. NOW is definitely not the time to be embarrassed.
"Just some sibling fight," I tell him, trying to sound indifferent as I take a hanky from my bag and began to wipe my face like crazy. I try not to meet his eyes again.
He doesn't give another back-up question as we then walk to the right. I try to be just a couple of feet away from him, in case other people get funny ideas.
This is really awkward. This is probably the first time that only a guy aside from- from that brother of mine (I still can't forgive him) walked me to school in my year of higher learning. Much more, I'm walking actually with a Mafia Boss! This doesn't come too often for a girl like me.
It's not that I'm fangirling or anything! It's just... a little different from the world I had shut myself in. Once Tsuna-san came and shattered my dull mirror called reality that I had adopted for three years... life just became a bit brighter. I can't thank him enough for that.
I hated him yes... but I guess it's just because I am afraid of change.
But not all things change, most definitely since three nights ago when the Tsuna I know projected a sliver of the Dame-Tsuna I know so well.
Wow, me and my long-winded rants.
"Where's Haru-chan?" I ask out of the blue to just stray my mind off thinking about 'that forest episode'. My hatred of Onii-chan is slowly dissipating, so I can at least sound mellow. Haha, I sound like such a stupid pacifist.
"Yamamoto and Miura-san said they're kinda busy for the project they have to present. Gokudera (Aha! I seem to hear him sound bitter as he utters his name!) said that he'll pass coming with me and went ahead."
Wow, this is really... shocking. Gokudera-kun doesn't want to be with Tsuna-san once Yamamoto-kun's not around.
Hmm... but then again, it'll be more awkward if the two of them do walk me to school...
Okay, silence takes over AGAIN after he answers.
"Speaking of which..." I try to rouse up stuff as we walk, I still not looking at him. "Is it alright to ask you something about Gokudera-kun's love life?" What the heck, I think I sound so straight to the point.
"Eh?" Even Tsuna-san stops. "Is that what you were fighting about earlier?" I knew this guy would hear!
I nod. I hear a chuckle escape his lips. "I thought it's not because of something that shallow..."
"Well it's not!" I cut across fumingly, my anger temperature skyrocketing again. "It's just that my dearest brother keeps telling me Gokudera is one sadistic bastard when he had Chrome-san. I have been with Gokudera-kun and you for more than a month already and Gokudera-kun- IS- THE- OPPOSITE!"
He never even tries to interrupt my ranting and raving of 12 seconds.
"Do you want to know the truth?" is his answer.
"It's not that obvious, is it?" I fold my arms and let him do the talking.
There's a pause, and before I can do anything I hear him come closer by a few feet to my left. "Kyoko-san, it's not something good to divulge something bad about Gokudera."
"Don't tell me that he's one son of a bitch please!"
"Well... He's kind when I'm around but... he's not like that exactly once his temper flares up. It happened just two years ago when Gokudera decided to ask Chrome out. He has this intense crush on Chrome for a couple of months then. She answers him yes after a month and they started dating. All's well until...
"It happened two months after they started going out. I was in a mission with Chrome Dokuro somewhere in Southern Italy and we were kind of outmatched. It was a miracle that she managed to drag me out of there by herself; Reborn also had an appointment then and we kind of rushed head-on. My condition got worse and worse after a week. It's a good thing though that they did manage to save me.
"Gokudera was shaken after that. He keeps blaming Chrome for what happened to me."
"T-that's kind of rude even by Gokudera-kun standards..."
"He had a point blaming her. It turned out that Chrome had to kind of fight the Rokudo Mukuro inside of her to keep him from possessing me."
"Who the hell is Rokudo Mukuro?"
"Ah... long story short, he's my real Mist Guardian and a former enemy. It's hard fighting someone like him, and Chrome's not in the best condition either."
"He still can't let that slide then?"
"Er... no."
"So he keeps beating up Chrome to a pulp whenever he returns home?"
"Not exactly. Gokudera's kind most of the time, it's just that he was so angry at her he can't even dare call her name out loud. Whenever she catches sight of Chrome, the memory of me makes him lose his senses."
"He's really loyal to you then."
"Well he had to choose that time too. He chose to be by my side most of the time, and things started to fall apart after that. Sorry, but I don't want to let you in the details."
I can't find the words to utter right now. Gokudera-kun was loyal to Tsuna to the point that he can be sired one hell of a knight for these efforts of his. And I ruined it all...
"Ryohei-san is a little tactless to tell his little sister a touchy topic like that."
I try to ignore the 'little sister' and giggle. "I already knew by then. Gokudera-kun already told me some of the details."
"Oh, did he really?" I hear him say interestedly.
"Apparently he was trying to make me not like him or something. It's probably his tactic to make him find no reason to like me back. Then he did the unthinkable when he fought you that time."
"He tends to act unpredictably, but in good reason. Even I was a little surprised when he challenged me to a duel," he says good-naturedly.
"Yeah, and because of the shock, you managed to beat him to the point of making him fall three times," I then reply sarcastically.
"He's really stubborn you know. He just can't say it outright until he knows that it'll be too late. You tried to get in the way too..."
I thought my anger will get the better of me again, but it didn't happen. I even smiled at him.
"You already knew the truth?"
"Yeah. Even Yamamoto and Haru-san noticed whenever he's with you. And for you to actually not see it... oh god, you're so dense."
"S-shut it." I don't need him reprimanding me now, honestly.
But then immediately, I remember that time when he told Haru about our competition with her heart on the line. When it comes to stuff like that, I can sense it but when it comes to things like this, sweet Sanmyaku...
"We're here now," he tells me as we pass the school gates. With this, he pats me on the shoulder. "I won't be coming with you to class. I already sent an excuse. Ryohei-san says we need to practice for another National competition somewhere in Okinawa come next week." He adds with a wink, "Now no more Sawada to weigh you down in your studies."
"Until next week anyway." I stick my tongue out.
"Right..." he then waves and I watch him turn round the left side of a building and he is gone.
Oh no. I forgot to ask him how Haru-chan started talking to me again. Eff!
"Morning, Kyoko-chan!" I hear Yamamoto's breezy voice and catch sight of him waving enthusiastically at the building entrance to where we have our classes. I hastily run up to him.
"Hi Yamamoto-kun," I grin. Yamamoto-kun's smile is too infectious to make me feel down.
"Haru-san's a little busy chatting with the class right now about how we managed to snatch first place," he says as we stride off to the classroom. "Sorry about that."
I wave it off. "Let her. She needs to brag about something at least once in a while."
He chuckles as he ruffles my hair. "Proud of her best friend winning, I see..."
"And you? In love with my best friend, I notice," I retort with a titter.
For the first time ever, Yamamoto actually goes RED.
It happened for at least three seconds before another smile appears again.
"Guilty as charged then?" he says embarrassedly.
"When are you going to confess?" I ask earnestly.
He shrugs. "I don't know. Maybe you can tell me when, Kyoko-san?"
I shake my head vigorously. "D-don't expect me to give decent advice on stuff like that."
He sighs and then opens our classroom door, where almost every classmate of mine are seating attentively in their seats and Haru is happily talking with them on the teacher's table.
"It's actually Takeshi-kun who led us to victory!" Haru tells the class giddily. "He like, knew a shortcut so we wouldn't pass through that super-steep cliff-"
"Actually, Chrome told me about that," Yamamoto whispered in my ear.
"-and just ride onto the bay. It's a little on the wet side though, so we had to pay with soggy stuff before we had to bike through sand... Oh hi, Takeshi-kun and Kyoko-chan!"
Everyone's heads immediately turn to our direction. In a split-second though, a silver-haired head immediately starts looking once more at his desk. After though, people give their full attention again at Haru.
"Does Haru know about the fight?" I hiss at Yamamoto-kun.
"In order for her to forgive you, Tsuna had to spill the beans. But she doesn't know about Tsuna confessing to you too."
"What the eff, you know?"
"Er, Tsuna had to spill what happened so I can convince Haru."
"So you're the one who actually talked to her to snap out of it?"
"Yeah, you can say that."
"Well, thank Tsuna-san for being quiet about that," I hiss more to myself than to Yamamoto-kun as we go to our seats. I can see Gokudera-kun's back and hear Haru continue blabbing on about her victory.
As my gaze found his back, I "_"-ed. I just remembered what I said about Gokudera-kun back at home. My retort to Onii-chan's question keeps echoing again and again.
I didn't dare greeting him 'Good Morning' with my face red.
~K27~
"Kyoko-chan! What happened?" Haru kept waking me up as she and Yamamoto-kun crowded at my dying figure.
"I can't freaking understand Analytic Geometry!" I wail as I slam my head on the table again. I hate the Math we're having now. Our teacher had me prove the figure was a rhombus and my head spinning. Calculus was alright then, but Analytic Geometry makes me hurl.
"Oh but your problem was difficult. I just had to prove mine was a parallelogram so it was easy," Haru laughed. "Come on girl! Don't let that get you down."
"I've been spending the whole week trying to figure it out," I moan. "No matter how much I try, I just couldn't apply the stupid formulas. Stupid math block..."
"Girl, now you're kind of exaggerating. You want to go get some food?"
I forgot that it was recess time already. No wonder most of the class is out.
"Nah, I'll just try solving some problems again," I sigh as I rummage through my Math notebook and try my best in scribbling a decent solution to the problems earlier.
"Kay then. I'll treat you with the noodle bread then. Let's go, Takeshi-kun."
Sure enough, I hear their footsteps disappearing and the sharp click of the door. From my right I can hear the muffled sounds of conversation between the lunchbox gang again.
Okay, Kyoko concentrate! Freaking rhombus, why the hell can't I pinpoint your point locations in the x and y axis? Oh my gawd, I'm really so weak.
"Kyoko-san, you've got the coordinates wrong."
My face has gone red as I confirm my worst fears: Gokudera-kun didn't go to the canteen. My eyes turn ahead and I continue to "_" furiously; his face is just across my desk.
Just now I finally get to examine him closely. His hair is now no longer a mere buzz-cut. Hair tufts are growing carefully from his used- to-be bald scalp. There's still a big bandage on his cheek where he received Tsuna-san's punch. His left hand is no longer in a sling, but it's still in a cast (? Haha, I'm really such a noob when it comes to first aid stuff even when I'm a girl). I wince slightly.
He doesn't smile as his pencil strides into my notebook, and there I see his writing for the first time. He writes the solution cleanly and in decent hand-writing. I never thought that Gokudera-kun has good writing skills.
"There," he says curtly once he finishes writing the answer. I just ogled at it, praising the order of how he put the solution and his easy-to-understand hand-writing.
"T-thanks," I beam nervously as I look at what he wrote.
"If you want, I can teach you some more about this on Saturday. B-but only if you have the time..."
Weird images begin to float like a roll of film in my mind. But to think of Gokudera-kun grappling me once I'm inside his house is kind of an overstatement. I must trust Gokudera-kun and prove to Onii-chan he's actually nice!
"If it's for learning something and acing the finals, I'm up for it," I tell him energetically, shaking his injure-free hand. "You've got yourself a deal, Gokudera-kun!"
In my friendly gesture, he manages to crack up a grin.
"Er, okay then-"
"HOLY CANARY KYOKO-CHAN!" Haru has to ruin this brief moment of light intimacy as she comes bursting through our room, eyes and mouth wide.
Gokudera-kun is quickly back in his desk. I try to use every ounce of my brainpower to prevent my hands from grabbing a chair and throwing it at Haru.
"Kyoko-chan, there's going to be a prom!" she squeals excitedly. "The night after Valentine's Day, O.M can you believe it?"
"Oh, ok." Seriously, she has to ruin everything JUST. FOR. THAT?
Sure enough, Yamamoto-kun also walks into the classroom, followed by the class, which whispered in excited giggles. The guys however, were impressively nodding to each other's gaze. I'm guessing ESP doing its magic on these dudes.
"Ahoy, mates!" waves Yamamoto-kun happily. "I just want to inform everyone that you don't need to squeeze through the hallways to know your partners for the Promenade. I will tack this list on the wall of our bulletin." He shows the scented baby pink paper in where the names of the partners are typed in gag-worthy curlicues. "And, our principal requested that every class of the senior batch MUST DO A PRESENTATION. Anyone here having ideas for that?"
Many yawned.
"Well that is all, thanks for listening, arr!" With a final grunt he strides up to the bulletin and pins the list. It takes just two seconds before the entire class closes in to find their partners.
"My gawd, I'll be going with Yamada-san!"
"Hi five guys! I'll be with Aki-chan!"
"SAYURI-CHAN IS WITH YAGI-KUN?"
"Shucks, I'm definitely not going with you, you sick-"
"Oh right!" shouts Yamamoto-kun above the din. "In case any of you is in protest with the principal's wishes, he'll be putting three more weeks of schooling after graduation and no recommendation letters. Just tell me if you have any protests ok?"
There was no more groaning and jeering after as they scuffle to see their names.
"Say, Yamamoto-kun!" Haru calls him in earnest. "Who will I be going out with?"
"Oh, Gokudera!" he answers quickly.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?" Gokudera-kun and Haru shout at the same time. Both immediately look at each other. "WHAT IS THAT PRINCIPAL TRYING TO PULL?"
Yamamoto-kun isn't even listening. He then turns at my direction and smiles happily as he speaks, "And Kyoko-san, you'll be with Sawada Tsuna. Make sure you tell him." I swear I hear him snigger as he tells me this.
I fight the urge to puke.
~K27~
I got more praises from my teacher in Economics today. Looks like in a few months' time, I'll be participating in a cake-making contest somewhere in Tokyo.
I'm not complaining or anything, it's just that... she had currently asked Sawada but he turned her down. I feel like a no-good replacement with her offer.
But still I accept, of course. There's no harm done anyway if I participate. I just need to practice my craft a little bit more.
Gokudera-kun is silent for the rest of the day, and I don't try to wonder why since I already know. He's just a little hesitant when I'm around. But I miss the old Gokudera-kun, seriously. I want more life. Yamamoto-kun isn't around due to an emergency meeting with the principal (AKA Reborn-chan). Haru-chan is quiet too. She keeps sending more messages in her phone than sending any signals that I'm chatting with her right this instant.
~K27~
"Well this sucks," says a gloomy Haru as we make our way back home. It took us at least thirty minutes before we squeezed past the entire student body population who all wants to get a glimpse of who their partners will be. "If we practice for tomorrow, who knows what-"
"If you hag suck at dancing-"
"Well excuse me!" Haru shouts back. "I've been doing ballet since I was five!"
"That's a good one!"
"Seriously I'm going to shave that scalp of yours clean again if you fucking NOT SHUT UP!"
I used to be happy hearing them argue. Now though I find it really annoying. Maybe it's because I found out that Gokudera-kun really just hates her. And... maybe it's just because they act so childish.
Or maybe it's just because I envy Haru for still being in normal terms with Gokudera-kun, whereas I...
"Kyoko-chan is so lucky!" she yells as she looks more like a drunken old maid with Yamamoto-kun supporting her. Her right forefinger is pointing at me accusingly. "Just because you're partners with Tsuna-san..."
"And you think it's the fairytale combo right? Wrong!" I fold my arms and attempt to keep my voice down even though the predictable mentioning of my partner makes me boil. "He's going to bail on me. I really know it."
"But he's different than then. Look, he technically didn't bail on you at that time.."
"Tsk, sure. At the prom we'll see who's going to just sit there and begrudgingly watch you guys prance around the dance floor."
"You're so pessimistic."
"Haha, 'kay."
I hear my phone beep. My heart sank when it comes across the message.
I didn't bring clothes. Bring clothes right this instant.
Your brother.
"What the hell-" I hear somebody roar from behind before he burst from laughing.
"Kay, Gokudera-kun you're the best already," I mutter as I rummage through my bags. Sure enough, I take out the plastic bag where I usually put his clothes. He has this bad habit sometimes whenever he wakes up late. "You guys go on without me," I tell them as I zip back my things in my bag.
"Seriously?" says Haru, who checks my phone. "We can wait for you. It'll take a few minutes anyway."
"Nah, don't try. He's going to be fussy about me picking him clothes," I wave them off and get my cell back. As usual, onii-chan I despise your bad timing.
"Er, okay then. Just make sure you'd be with your brother just in case," Haru says uneasily as she returns my wave almost half-heartedly.
"Bye, Kyoko-chan."
"See you guys."
With something close to a heavy heart, I trudge to Onii-chan's place AKA the Boxing Gym. I want to hit him now, seriously. I wanted to have a shopping spree with Haru on what we're going to wear. Oh man, there's the dress and the shoes and the accessories we need to fuss over. I have enough money at home. There are also the contributions in school we'll probably give, just in case. I don't probably have enough to pay for them all.
Argh. I open the door and close it softly behind me. I heave my anger back at my belly as I inhale and exhale.
"Kyoko-san?"
Dammit, onii-chan no Sukiyaki tonight!
I am really foolish because I should probably have noticed that THE GYM WAS EMPTY AND HE'S HERE.
"Where's my brother?" I eye him warily. Beside him was a sandbag which his left gloved hand tries to stop moving. I look around. He is really the only person here.
"He left with his friends a couple of minutes ago," Tsuna-san now explains, also eyeing me carefully. "I was asked to practice more and..."
"My gawd," I titter nervously. "My brother sure is smart. He probably wanted this to happen."
"I can see that," he smiles as he probably scrutinizes my appearance. I quickly get my comb and begins to straighten it like mad.
I inch closer and closer to a seat near my left. He laughs a little more before doing his thing with the sandbag.
"Er, when will your competition start anyway?" I ask as I stare out in the window. The sun is just too plain orangey. I tap my feet subconsciously.
"This Saturday," he smiles weakly as he puts more concentration in practice.
"Okay then," I say, suddenly remembering that my study session with Gokudera-kun also will happen this Saturday. "Go KO them or something, to the extreme."
There is a speedy silence.
Darn, I think I just slipped out something overtly stupid.
"Thanks," he answers, smiling at me before landing a combination at the sandbag that makes me shudder a little. I keep remembering the time when he beat up Gokudera-kun.
Haha, I feel down after that memory comes back.
"Reborn's up to his usual antics again. For a promenade to happen once the exams are over really..."
"Oh, I see you know about the Prom," I roll my eyes. Darn it, I sound too excited. I don't like it!
"A club member told us earlier. We don't know who our partners will be though. Ryohei-san and the others probably headed there to find out."
"So you don't know yet..." I fight the urge to just laugh. So he can really be clueless sometimes... Har-har. Well, my brother did something right at least. He made sure that I can be one step ahead of Sawada Tsunayoshi.
He stops practicing and is now looking at me albeit a little nervously. I had expected that he'll be...blank with all this. I'm used to the blank look on his face and to see it have even an expression will make my day at least a little more... er exciting.
I know. I'm a little weird thinking it that way.
"Well, I'm going to be your partner," I say casually. Deep inside though, I am slowly dying of nervousness. It's not just because of peer pressure where everyone wants you to be this perfect girl, but because...
I just want to perform above his expectations and make at least a good impression on him.
"Figures. Reborn is becoming really predictable lately," he laughs off and looks at the clock. It's nearing five. "Hm. Practice is over I guess," he smiles and catches me off-guard again. Oh my, I'm really just used to the emotionless Tsuna-san that it makes me... feel weird when I talk to this guy. With his teeth, he manages to untwine the laces of his gloves and carefully takes them out, revealing those wrappy-stuff my brother wears even at home.
I watch him still as he takes them off, revealing a fist that looks a little... hurt? (Oh gawd, how can I describe it anyway?) He shrugs all of this and then scoops up the gloves and those white bandages. "I'll be going to change. You can go now if you want. I'll probably just ask Hibari-san to accompany you. It's not good that you'll wait for me when you still have work after classes."
I feel a sharp pang on my chest. So he knows now about that time...
Is this his implied way of apologizing for that?
"I'm a patient girl, Tsuna-san. Worry not," I say, graciously accepting that apology. "I still have a couple of minutes. Plus, the job place is not really that far from the house so I'll stay."
His eyes widen for a moment and he nods, promising he'll be back.
Once the door closes a sigh of relief escapes from my lips and my knees suddenly begin to wobble. It's hard bearing a calm facade in front of Sawada. Maybe this is what Gokudera-kun feels whenever he sees me.
I see Tsuna-san as someone perfect, perfect enough for the girls to give up on pursuing him since they know he's too good enough for them.
He's really cool, and I salute him for being more confident in his bearing and his casual talk.
And... I didn't realize it sooner because I'm just too preoccupied with my obsession to defeat him just once.
Can this mean- can this mean really that I... deep inside me... I was just using that feeling to hide the fact that I liked him all along?
I really don't know.
"I thought you left."
I jump and my eyes narrow as he approaches. I turn beet red because of the crazy actions I probably did as I talked to myself. He's just wearing the Namimori varsity jacket (which is rumoured to be designed by Hibari-san) and pants.
"As if I will. I, unlike you, keep my word," was my swift remark. He is now behind me. I twirl around and he's now locking the entrance.
"Well you'll be eating your words once I take you out to the prom," he says as we continue to walk. It's another pretty sunset-ty sky, only the blue is now slightly ebbing away the orange. "I think this is wrong I mean, what is Reborn thinking of putting partners instead of making us ask them out instead?"
"So you don't want me to be your partner?" I raise my eyebrows.
He sounds definitely alarmed once he hears my reaction. "It's not that! It's just... well... to be honest... agh... I just don't want you to see me appear no-good."
"What do you mean? Come on, I'm the one who should be saying that, seeing that I fare poorer than you." We continue walking. Surely... I didn't hear him actually scared?
What is this?
"I might sound so dame, I mean of all the things I can't do it has to be THAT..."
"Just tell me!" I turn.
He is now looking at his shoes, his throat appears dry. All the thoughts about Tsuna-san being hot (hate the word!) and cool just vanished to be replaced by someone less confident. This someone goes red when he catches my eye, and he is genuinely nervous as he mouths his reply.
"Didn't catch you there," I cup my ear and giggle.
"Well..." he now tries to catch his breath as his eyes try to avoid mine. "I can't dance."
"That-" I am not taken aback. I want to scream at him for making this such an anti-climax to what happened today and I definitely want to tear his hair out or something. Come. On. So what? "You're so lame." I try to sound as toneless as possible.
He slaps his head. My eyes immediately find again those reddened hands he brushed off earlier. "Ahahaha, right."
I bite my lip. He's honest too, even in my standards. He can easily tell me stuff like this whereas I can't. I can only offer my retorts, and silly questions. I can't tell him my weaknesses... my fears...
"I salute you, you know." I laugh, and soon enough we're walking side-by-side. "You can talk to me so casually, despite the fact that you told me two nights ago that-" I coughed the 'l-word' out. "You can still chat with me like this, and without that stammering that you carried before..."
The streetlights are already on despite the sunset still harbouring its rays.
He chuckles lightly before instinctively bowing his head. "It's not easy, I admit. Most of the time, I just need to find out words to say to make myself appear different in front of you. That's why I was avoiding you most of the time. I thought you changed. You were always mad at me and you didn't like me showing off."
"Well," I turn pink at his words. "It was your fault in the first place. If you hadn't started showing off your skills then maybe I would've tolerated you more. You're just amazing, you are. I mean... come on! You're only seventeen and you're already the heir to the most influential Mafia in the world!"
"Amazing... really..." he trails off to dramatic effect, and I see his familiar habit of placing his hands on his pockets. I can finally see he has turned the palest of pink. So he does this whenever he's nervous... probably. And I only managed to notice it now, oh how ignorant of me. "And yet I can't even tell the girl I liked since prep school that I like her. I only managed to get the strength to tell her when one of my best friends had to punch me to my senses."
By then, I look at him. He doesn't look like he was exaggerating.
"So even then at middle school..."
"Yes, I really liked you," he smiles. I curse his confidence of saying these words. He's making me lose steam already. My temperature is going up, I can feel it.
I cannot find the words to answer him. We then continue walking on. My head is inclined to the bag I was lifting to hide my skirt in the front.
He probably wanted to tell me this for a long time now.
"I want to ask you something too, Kyoko-san."
My eyes only find his swollen hands.
"Er, ask away." Seriously, I think this guy will ask me the continuation of that question. Oh my gawd, he's going to ask me 'Do you like me too?' or 'Do you feel the same way?' and I still don't know what I should say... what must I say?
Panic mode is near breaking-point.
"If you know, you can watch my match this Saturday, if Ryohei-san lets you I mean... obviously he won't- but maybe- if you can come that is- eh but-"
I remember then my study session with Gokudera-kun.
"I-I'll think about it," I answer.
He sounds a little hopeful as he says, "Okay."
My eyes continue staring at his hands. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.
"What happened to your hands?" I try to sound as light and casual as I can.
He holds his right and examines it.
"Oh..." he laughs. "Still wouldn't get better after that fight with Gokudera-kun. It'll be all right," he assures me.
"Well just make sure you're not injured before a battle. That'll kill you someday, with the Mafia crap you're going through..."
"I'll try," he smiles faintly, and as he looks at me the Tuna charm comes into full view and I turn pink again. So not cool.
"You should've pulled your punches on Gokudera-kun though," I say a little flustered as I look away. "I mean... he was a little hesitant at first and all..."
"He wouldn't have been hurt that much if he just told you outright his feelings. It's also not good to hold back at your opponent, as Gokudera had poorly demonstrated..."
"So you knew about him liking me?"
"It was definitely obvious. Kyoko-san, I am amazed at the level of denseness you have."
"Is that an insult?" I ask, flushing a little. I don't need someone to tell me that again.
"I say more of a fact," he repeats his lines in that baseball game that seemed to happen such a long time ago.
"Oh..." We're now at the gates of our house. We stop, and he then does a Yamamoto-kun when he pats my head.
"Thanks for the chat," he smiles the smile I know so well.
I don't answer as I look from his hands up to his ragged tea charm and then to his friendly eyes.
Then my mouth found words.
"Thanks for not changing that much," I grin and squeeze his arm tightly. "It's going to be just like the good old times right?"
He puts his hands once more in his pockets. "I really miss talking to you like this."
He took the words right out of my mouth.
He then turns and I manage to blush as he jogs away. Once I open the gates, I couldn't suppress my smile.
"Me too, Tsuna-kun- Me too."
So you're still there. I finally found you, dame Tsuna.
~K27~
Next Chapter: And we're in for an emotional roller coaster and a curtain-closer.
Fudge, I watched the Thai movie 'A crazy little thing called love' last 11.02. For a person who hates reading/ watching romance in HS life, I freaking cried at the pool scene near the end. I can relate, eff!
100 REVIEWS. I am currently on top of the world. THANK YOU. I know, most of you will probably say 'big deal, this author on the other hand had _ reviews compared to this'. Ok lol, it's probably because his/her OTP is different from 2795. Secondly, it's probably because readers dig his setting and plot. Thirdly, that person must be amazing. On the other hand here, it's YOU GUYS who are AMAZING. Thank you! That is all I can say now. Thank you for still following this. Thank you very much. -smiles widely-
Oh yah, this chap and the next chapters for the Prom is for Aviann Te.
REVIEWS CORNER:
long live marshmallows: It's nothing, lol. I do that most of the time, and regretfully too. :/ Ahaha, yes I guess? But then again, I rushed it all basically. It's such a disaster for me so... –shrugs like Tsuna-
Taira-keimei: Oh you can still comment! I made sure of that. :3 Lol, I'd never do that. OTL though, I finally talked with a guy elem classmate after four years. It only consisted of four words, but who cares? He was a frenemy in elem, and he was one of the closest guys I had ever talked to. Too bad we got teased because of it and we fell apart. (WHO CAN RELATE?) And, there IS a PM-ing message here. LOL.
aviann te: You know, when I read your critique I had basically almost lost the desire to write the next chapter and contemplated suicide (I tend to exaggerate). You say you felt that this story was going downhill. I salute you for still sticking with it despite that. You are right, I made you down since you put your faith in my fic, and I failed you.
Actually, I don't understand her too. She's still having a mental battle, and she doesn't want to admit she's in love with *cough*. She admires him, but despite that she had never actually been close to him so she thought 'okay, just a petty crush'. You did, yes. I typed that all in four hours, can you believe that? I found it really shitty and I kept thinking of what you all will say because everything was rushed. You are honest, and despite being negative I like it that you were frank with it. So yes, I'm willing to try winning you over again without dragging the plot. I cannot forget the help you gave me.
TsubasaFan1230: Er she had already now. Is that ok?
Yup It Is: Oh, I'm flattered that you actually like my writing style. Thanks. And uh, I never stumbled on 'actiony' so IDK. xD
Thank you for even leaving a review. I'm loving you now, babe. Be more serious in school, OTL.
ApersonkindofPerson: What the hell your name is so hard to type! Dude, I don't like it that you kept reading this until night time! Anyhow thanks for loving Kyoko too! She needs more love, srsly!
Princess Arcs di Cielo: Whew, this name is also hard to type! xD Thanks for still reviewing. Next time, just deflate your excitement and talk. I'll love you once you do. *blows kiss*
ZiaLiaLis: Dear 100th reviewer, I owe you AGAIN.
O.M (Oh my, lol) you like drama? Me like more drama. Without drama, it'll get a little boring, wouldn't it?
More like PROCRASTINATED. I was busy and I wanted to type this so badly so I screwed the world and basically typed. 5995 IS LOVE... despite it not being your fave. I'm glad you like. 2795 is opted to be, of course still the OTP because I love you. No, I'm not kidding. I DO LOVE YOU. RAWR.
Oh, Gokudera? Sorry about not explaining things properly (should put explanations in next chapter if I don't get that busy). Actually, he wanted to settle the issue 'like men' so he challenged his Tenth to a fight in order for him to not feel guilty. He actually wanted to act all 'ascetic' in there by letting Tsuna beat him up since he still thinks it's his stupidity that caused him to fall for Kyoko. No, the 2795 moment made me puke since my fail writing got the upper hand. It was nearing four AM and I had to wrap things up soon or else I won't be able to finish the chapter by 6 AM and make mom catch me using the PC.
Oh, he'll have a role... if things start to get serious. I mean more explosions and stuff like that. He's currently the character I'm digging (HOT-HOT-HOT- HOTTIEST OF THEM ALL!) but I still can't fit him here. I don't like unnecessary character interactions since the story will drag. I WILL FIND A WAY, WORRY NOT.
P.S. "_" means blushing. Because Kyoko doesn't want to admit the 'b-word'. *Brick'd*
Minuit Chanson17: :3 Words aren't enough to describe my love. Thank you for the long reviews everytime girl.
And... for those who still haven't reviewed but had followed this fic for so long, I'm still waiting. :*)