DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN POT
Chapter Five
It was a perfect day in Tokyo, what with the lively dandelions and rosemary's singing with joy together with the sun. Street people talking happily and merrily with each other as the wind blew their stress away. Some pet owners found this day to be a perfect one to take their pets on a walk and the cute little creatures would bark or meow to greet each other. Children's smiles even made it better, giving Tokyo people more light to shine their day.
Everything was just right!
"No! Everything is not right!" a navy haired girl slammed her hands on the white veiled table, making the vase and her cup of creamy coffee stumble. If she knew it'll end up this way, she wouldn't have ordered coffee. It just made her more stressed.
The people together with the manager at the café looked at her as if she had just grown horns. The way she glared at each and every person just ruined their good mood for today. She glanced at the counter table where she saw the manager and the waitress talked quietly with each other, obviously the topic was her.
You can't blame them, weren't it just a while ago when a girl with mushroom hair slammed their table as well? The male manager thought of how monstrous a girl could be when mad. And he shivered at the thought.
Giving the others a glare, Mai looked at her watch once again and found out he was already late by an hour. Is he really going to abandon her here? After sacrificing tennis practice which she would probably regret later?
That damn Yuuta! Having the guts of leaving me hanging in the air on thin thread!
Her eyes popped out, did that sound just so dramatic in your ears as well? Groaning, she decided that perhaps time has just passed by so much that people had changed. (even though she had just left Tokyo a few days ago… she just want to exaggerate things)
Maybe he just had no time to spare on a poor little trying hard girl like me. Her once smiling face a while ago now replaced with its opposite. Looks like she had to return to Kanagawa district with a failure.
Deciding to return home after finishing her cup of coffee, Mai just focused her eyes on the view outside, hoping to find something that would lighten up her mood. And she successfully found one.
A girl with blue permy hair was merrily singing on the streets beside a teen age black haired boy who was plucking the guitar strings with ease and bob of the head. The passersby stopping for a while to listen to their song and some even drop coins or bills on the small box placed on the ground.
Even though she could hear none, she could sense the light mood coming off from their song, seeping its way through the clear crystal walls beside her. And slowly, the indifferent mood she was feeling was slowly fading and melting away.
A smile slowly crept its way towards her face. Memories rising from where she had hidden them and she can't help but feel remorse to remember it all. Remorse for she couldn't go back to the way it was before.
The guy and girl, slowly on her imagination, were being replaced by a navy haired one and a brunette. Both singing with glee, without a single care in the world, for it was just the two of them that was in their own world.
The brunette was smiling towards her, forgetting the fact that this was the girl who had kicked him the abdomen before. While the navy haired girl on the other hand, smiled at him liked he had been the angel that took him from the protective arms of the Child of God with a promise of protecting her.
They sing with glee, with happiness, with joy and with delight.
A soft giggle escaped her lips when she remembered the day the brunette and the navy haired met. It was all a mistake but it turned out really well, as if everything started perfect from the start.
The people on the shop were probably staring at her with judgmental eyes, but she could care less.
She was still smiling with bliss when the image was ruined with a puff of smoke and a scream from the outside. Only the echo was heard from the café and Mai almost thought it was all part of her imagination. And upon blinking her eyes a few times, she realized it was all reality.
"Thief! Thief!" she heard before a man in blue sweater and black pants ran away from the smoke who was soon followed by a brunette man with white and brown striped jersey, making her abruptly stood up, the cup of coffee spill on the white veiled table, creating a stain the laundry would surely curse.
"Yuuta!" she muttered before abruptly taking her tennis bag and ran outside to follow the so-called thief and the running brunette. She heard the manager shout incoherent words towards her before she had exited the café but she didn't understood a single one of them. Either way she shouted back and waved her free hand without looking back.
"Sorry! I promise to buy more coffee next time to compensate the mess!"
Her long navy hair swishing behind her as she ran on the busy streets. The people whom she bumped with would either curse or gave a 'hey' and 'ouch' towards her. Muttering a sorry, she never stopped running, hoping to get a glimpse of brunette to make sure she was taking the right path.
After running a few miles, she finally caught a glimpse of spiky chocolate hair which was still too far for her liking. Stopping and panting a few, she looked around to search for a thing that would probably help her. Finding none, she looked to her left to find a small alley which was not unfamiliar to her. Being a explorer before, she knew almost every twist and turns in Tokyo. Smiling, she immediately entered through it with a run.
The brunette ran without panting, all the rigorous training paying off. But he could just curse when the thief was still fast enough for him too catch. And it annoyed him to hell that he, a simple thief who doesn't practice like there was never tomorrow, could run faster than him. He made a mental note to extend his jogging session every morning.
Curses, he could hear them behind him. Don't they know that he was chasing a criminal? They should've helped him instead of cursing and telling him how un-respectful he was and how could he, a student of St. Rudolph, known for being a modest school, run like a mad man on the streets of Tokyo.
But before he thought of the numerous reasons he would have to tell his school, he needed to catch this thief first.
Breaking his heels, he sighed when he found no other way to catch the man. He considered not hurting him but it looks like there was no other way to stop him right now.
Looking around him and finding out there was less people that could be accidentally hit, he took out his tennis racket and a tennis ball from his bag.
"Here goes." He threw the ball up in the air and hit it with force that could knock even a full-sized man. Now the only problem is, would he hit him accurately? And he was answered when the thief's head bonked its way to the side, forcing him to stop. Giving him more time to follow him.
He was about to run towards him when a petite girl from the left appeared with a flying kick towards the thief's stomach, making him fall to the ground with a thud.
"Yuki?" was all he could mutter before the girl faced him and gave a victory pose with a grin.
Mai found her way out the alley and luckily sent a flying kick towards the thief after seeing a tennis ball hit his head.
She was proud of herself for putting her karate lesson in practice. She never thought it could come in handy in the future.
"Yuuta-kun!" she loudly shouted as soon as the brunette reached them with a jog, his faced showed confusion and disbelief.
"And just what are you doing here!? Aren't you supposed to be in the café?!" he, as well, shouted, much to the crowds displeasure. They looked at them as if they had just grown eyes, and luckily, the two were used to it. This is just the way they talk to each other even before, shouting as if each of their ears never functions.
But there was just one thing that bothered her, did she just heard worry in his voice? Raising an eyebrow on him and narrowing her eyes, she tried to study his well-being. His body was tense, his jaw was clenched and his eyes fierce. Oh no that was just not concern.
"Woah! Woah! Hold it a second! I just helped you catch this… this… ugly creature that should have been wiped off from the surface of the earth and this is what I get!" she crossed her arms in front of her chest and puffed air, making strands of blue bangs float in the air.
Sighing a mouthful of air, he shook his head side by side, knowing it was useless to argue with a pissed off Yuki, he just walked towards the thief and took the donation box from his hands. He flinched when he saw the drooling man on the ground, his eyes dilating. Yuki had really put on force on his kick and he just doesn't want to be the next victim.
"And I don't even get a single sorry for making me wait for two hours straight." He heard her hissed through words and he knew he's in a lot more trouble now. Sighing, again, he made his way towards her, and without saying a word, carried her tennis bag, gently pulled her on her still folded elbow and led her back to the café.
Right now, he knew it's best to stay silent and let her tantrums fade, for if he tried to talk to her, who knows what kind of karate kick she would send him. Seriously, this girl could be called Karate Queen with her kicks.
"Thank you so much! You don't know how thankful we are!" the singers bowed their heads towards the savior of the day, oblivious to the fact that one of them was still holding a grudge to the other.
"It's fine. I just hope that next time you would be more careful so it won't happen again." Yuuta said as he smiled at them, his right hand still holding Mai's elbow and her bag on the other shoulder together with his, carrying two tennis bags was never too much for an athlete like him.
"Could you guys stay a little bit more? We want to dedicate a song for the two of you." The girl singer said, eager eyes travelling to the both of them. She saw Mai's blank eyes and somehow, being a musician, she knew just what the girl needed to lighten up her mood.
"U-uhm… sure." Yuuta answered with a doubt, getting a glimpse to the girl beside her, who was sending daggers to the inanimate air. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when Mai just shifted her gaze to the far right.
They silently watched as the two musicians whisper to each other, perhaps about the song they'll sing, and got ready, the donation box now in between them above a high plastic chair.
"Hi again to everyone." The girl one started. "After the commotion that had happened, we are once again here to bring music towards everyone's hearts. And the song we're going to sing would be dedicated to these two students who had valiantly helped us."
And the crowd around them gave a round of applause, making the two of them bow and smile uncomfortably.
And then she sang while the boy made wonders through the guitar…
'I've been awake for a while now
You've got me feelin' like a child now
'Cause every time I see your bubbly face
I get the tingles in a silly place
It starts in my toes
And I crinkle my nose
Wherever it goes I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Wherever you go
The rain is fallin' on my window pane
But we are hidin' in a safer place
Under the covers stayin' safe and warm
You give me feelings that I adore'
Yuuta slowly felt Mai's elbow move and upon looking at her, he saw that he had already let her guard down, her arms now on resting on her side and the fierceness now removed from her eyes. And he too, had slowly removed his hand from her elbows, his eyes now calmer and a small smile was on his lips.
'They start in my toes
Make me crinkle my nose
Wherever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Wherever you go
What am I gonna say
When you make me feel this way?
I just, mmm
It starts in my toes
Makes me crinkle my nose
Wherever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Wherever you go'
Mai can't help but relax her mind as she heard the girl's voice. This was better than seeing her sing with delight behind the crystal walls, for now, she could really feel the lightness inside her. And somehow, she forgot that she was mad at the brunette beside her.
I've been asleep for a while now
You tucked me in just like a child now
'Cause every time you hold me in your arms
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth
It starts in my soul
And I lose all control
When you kiss my nose
The feelin' shows
'Cause you make me smile
Baby just take your time now
Holdin' me tight'
They could remember everything. And once again, the wall that had been established by itself by the days of without seeing each other had break down also by itself.
'Wherever, wherever, where ever you go
Wherever, wherever, where ever you go'
After they had sang, the male took Yuuta for a talk on the far left corner of the street, leaving Mai standing there together with the other girl.
Mai watched them, most especially Yuuta. The way his eyes grew wide then back to normal and how he talk so fast though she couldn't hear what he was saying.
Will she forgive him now? She wanted to but she can't help but hold a grudge onto him.
"Hey." She glanced to the sound that appeared on her right. The permy haired teen was smiling at her and she returned back the smile.
"Are you two alright?" Mai saw the concern in her eyes and perhaps it was just right to answer her. But before she could speak, the other one stopped her.
"He was watching us all the time and I swear if I measured it right, he was watching us for already an hour and a half. I just don't know why but everytime I caught his eye, I caught a glimpse of the memories flooding his mind." And she gave Mai a knowing look.
So he was here for an hour already huh? And she thought he had already abandoned her.
Then Mai, now can answer her previous question without a doubt.
"I think were fine now." Mai answered smiling, her eyes staring at the brunette who had also looked at her with gentle eyes.
And once again, they were bestfriends.
Mai sat on the swing, her foot tracing unequal shapes on the sand as she waited for a brunette who ended up buying ice cream for the two of them.
An hour had passed since the thief incident and up until now, they hadn't talked with each other. Well, if you could call a 'yes' or 'no' conversation as talking. So far, they still hadn't move on from the tantrums she had a while ago.
"Argh! Stupid me." She muttered before a shadow loomed over her.
"Hey. Eat." She reached for the vanilla-chocolate ice cream he had bought for her before he took place of the empty swing on her right. Her mind processing the fact that he bought her flavor, which means he was not mad. It had always been their silent sign, whenever he was mad at her, often for being a blabbermouth, he would give her her favorite flavored ice cream and then they were okay again.
But, what was she thinking?! Weren't she the one who was mad?!
'I should've been the one to give him ice cream.' She pouted at the thought and began licking her own food.
"How's Kanagawa?" he started, breaking the silence that irritated him from the start. From the corner of his eyes, he saw her looked at him, eyes wide and lips stained with white and brown.
'Tsk. Still so dirty.' He thought, but did nothing of it nonetheless. Still looking straight while eating, he heard her cleared her mouth before speaking.
"It was… "
.
.
.
.
.
.
Seconds had passed and still he heard none. Stopping himself from eating and head hanging low, he decided to shift his attention to the girl beside him. Her dyed lips apart, eyes blankly blinking at the space down below and the ice cream on her hands now melted and dripping on her raised left hand.
All in all, she was wrecked. That was all he could say.
"H-hoy-"
"It was great!" He almost jumped when Mai shouted and turned to him with a grin. Then upon seeing his horror face, she began laughing like a mad woman.
"Hey!" she gave him a shove before continuing. "Haha! And you thought I was having a hard there huh! Haha! Well that's where you're wrong Yuuta! Haha! It was really fun there really. Everyday I get to be with my brother and we play tennis together and –and-and I get to know the Rikkai Dai tennis team! The people they are also veeeery kind! They welcome me so much it made feel so at home! They would always come with me during lunch and we would go out to the mall and hang out! And Seeichi-nii-"
Her blabber mouth stopped when strawberry flavored substance was shoved onto her mouth. Her free hand instantly holding the cone before it fell to the ground. Now three flavors colored her face, making her even more mess up.
"Tsk. You're talking too much again. I don't understand why you still try to pretend that things are fine. You're the worst liar by the way." He said, annoyed, as he wiped the pink liquid on his hand before it could even get sticky.
Mai licked her lips by her tongue, still leaving remnant around it. She smiled slowly; he really does know her pretty well. After being together for a while, he learned how to distinguish the kinds of yammer she let out.
And this one, the one she had just given him was far more than the rattle on she does before. It carried grudge and lie and repentance. And it annoyed him to hell that she still tried to hide it from him.
Sighing, he said.
"So, are we going to lie at each other's face right now or are going to tell the truth?" He faced her once again after finishing the remaining tacky substance from his hands. His expression: displeased.
That was when Mai decided that lying would just ruin the day more.
"Sorry for being mad a while ago. I-I was just… I know it was… I shouldn't have… " Giving a sigh before continuing, she looked at the children playing on the sand box not far from them. They were so happy. Free. Untroubled. And innocent. She remembered when she was still their age. Unfortunately, she had never felt that way before, and it saddened her more.
"It's just that I just wanted someone to talk to, other than the non-living things back from home. Someone that would make me feel that I still exist with a use and not just Seeichi's copycat."
Mai glanced down at the two ice creams on her hands, already melted and was dripping its way to the ground creating a colorful puddle. And then out of nowhere, a hand took them from her and threw it at the trash bin just beside the swing.
"Stop being so dramatic. It doesn't suit you." From Yuuta, Mai returned her eyes to her hands which were being wiped off by a pair of tan ones with a white cloth which she recognized as his hanky.
Then suddenly after the first two insulting sentences, she felt lighthearted. If it were heard by some other person other than her, they would've probably bawl like a baby, but in her case, she knew that it was the closest thing to comfort that Fuji Yuuta can do.
"Yuuta-kun. Are you still trying to beat your brother? What if it never happened? What will you do? Will you stop playing tennis? What-"
"Do you think that's still important for me? Sure I'll beat him, but what happens after that, I'll decide about it after."
He said as he still tried to wipe the stain on her hands, not caring if he was touching it like what a kind boyfriend would do. It was not as if he was wiping it with care anyway, in fact, he was rubbing it with slight force due to the stains that dried and hard to get wiped up. He could already see blemishes on her skin so he decided to use some water from his jug.
"But have you ever thought if you'll ever be happy after that?" that made him stop from what he was washing and Mai stared at his eyes which seemed to drift off from reality but came back after a while.
"When will you ever take care of yourself tattletale." Then he focused his attention to the stain in his mouth, wiping it with more force than what he put on her hands. Mai could only try to purse her lips and close her eyes as she move away, the swing moving much to her displeasure.
"Will you stop moving?!" And then she stopped, and his hands now gently wiped her lips, cheek and up to her jaw. Yeah, she gets that a lot when she eats the cold staple. That was why she tried to avoid that stuff in public, she doesn't want to get much attention what with the colorful stain all over her face.
"Seriously Yuki, you need to take care of yourself more especially now that I'm far-" Then he stopped, his eyes staying longer in the air upon realization of what he was about to say. Even Mai was surprised he was to say that. And then, as if the wind just passed, he put his back on her to return his hankerchief on his bag.
"What gets you so dramatic anyway?" He said, his back still on her. Smiling, she wanted to convince herself that Yuuta truly misses her, that he was also longing for her just as she does. But that still didn't remove the fact that he had just changed topic. Again.
"Now what? I sneak out from Mizuki-senpai just to receive this kind of silence? Are you sick or what?"
Mai gave out a giggle. Okay she was back to normal.
"It was so boring back there. I mean the people there was so TERRIBLE!" She almost ripped off her hair upon emphasizing the last word, making Yuuta give a smirk. Now this is the Yuki she knew.
"Mai-" He stopped as soon as the said girl glared daggers on him. He swore it made him almost shiver.
"I-I mean Yuki. What made them so terrible? As far as I knew almost all of them were your childhood friends."
"And now I thought you were listening to me all those time I was talking about my childhood nightmares and monsters." Mai said as she raised a skeptical eyebrow on him, crossing her arms in front of her like a teacher that caught her student's unfinished homework.
"You can't expect me to remember every single thing you said!"
"Well at least remember the most important ones!"
And here they are, completely back to normal, shouting at each other without a care in the world.
Mai huffed air as she glared at innocent air that did nothing but give life to human beings. Yuuta on the other hand scowled as he tried to find reasons on why he even considered sneaking out just for this girl.
"Why was that guitar boy talking to you a while ago by the way?" Mai, being one to recover sooner, shifted the subject. If they were to be seen by others, they would've thought they were crazy. Shouting, scowling and making faces at each other then go back to normal conversation within a minute.
"Oh that. He gave me this." Yuuta unfolded a piece of paper from her jersey pocket.
Mai read with her eyes.
'WANTED: SINGER/ DANCER/ RAPPER
AGE: 12-16
AUDITION PLACE: Seishun Miniature Park behind Seishun Gakuen
AUDTION DATE: JULY 07 AND 08 (SATURDAY & SUNDAY) from 4 pm to 7pm
Audition and be part of the next winning group to join the Tokyo Sing-and-Dance Battle'
"He said he saw us before when we performed at one of the streets of Tokyo. He said we were the ones that gave them the idea of singing for the crowd. We maybe suited for the competition he said." Her eyes still carried confusion, every word he said never sinking on her mind.
How can they be an inspiration if they had just sung once in the street before?
She remembered that time. It was the first time they met. They both had lost their bag back then after fighting about the tennis racket that had fallen on the street they both claimed as theirs. She even gave Yuuta a kick in the abdomen back there when he won't let go. And after a while, found out that the bus had already left with their bags inside. How those bags came there? Blame it all to them. And that led them to singing on the streets rather than to beg for money for transportation. After that, the continuous accidental meeting became non-stop.
'"You're Yukimura right? Yukimura Seeichi's younger sister?"
"Never call me Yukimura! Understand?!"
"Tsk we're not even close to call each other by our first names."
"I don't care!"
"Yuki-"
"Stop!"
"Yuki? You want me to call you Yuki?"'
"Hey what are giggling about freaky Yuki?" She came back to reality as soon as his voice was heard.
"Oh nothing!" She again chuckled, earning her a scowl from the boy.
"Soooo… what's with that?" She said as she took the poster to give more observation. The thing was, the poster was as if taunting her. As if telling her to give it a try, which sounded so challenging.
"He said we should audition. He saw us before and knew we could pass it with . Ridiculous," He said as he scowled. Oh how he could remember his praising words. And Yuuta can't believe he would be remembered as a singer and not a player. With that, he promised to play more on the street courts, maybe through that people would know of him more.
"Yuuta-kun."
"What?"
"Let's audition."
"Ok." He replied with a shrug then looked at her, then back to the ground then to her again, his eyes now as big as tennis balls.
"WHAT?!" Mai almost thought she broke her eardrums and she rubbed her ears just to make sure it survived.
"I said let's audition! It'll be fine!"
"Just what the hell are you thinking Yuki! Did people back there bump your head on the wall because of your big mouth?"
"No! They didn't do that… so far. And for your information I don't talk much back there! But, come on Yuuta! Don't be such a kill joy! Let's try something new! Something fun!" She jumped up and down with glee as she clapped her hands like a seal, the poster flapping on her hands.
"No! We can't do that Yuki! And I will never stoop down on being an entertainer. I still have dreams of being a famous athlete and I can't let my image be ruined just because of that!" Yuuta pointed at the poster on her hands with horror. As if it were the one that'll make all his established dreams fall down. It was a nightmare! For that he was sure!
"Yuuta-"
"No! No! And NO! I will not enter that whatever you say!" To the right his face went, leaving no space for further explanation. Her face then turned downcast. If Fuji Yuta turned his attention away, it only meant one thing. No one, even her, could change his mind.
"I just want to be recognized in things other than we the Yukimura siblings are known at. I just want to be different from him."
Looking up, he caught the downcast smile on her lips. And thinking back at her words, he as well, started to realize that he often felt that way as well. Being next to the person you dreamt of beating sometimes felt wonderful. Knowing that in just a few steps, you'll be right in front of him, but sometimes it was also tiring. Feeling that you were slowly discarding the real you just to be better. And then you'll get that feeling of wanting to be different, to be unique and wonderful in your own way. Such as this time.
And before he knew it. The dreadful words escaped his lips.
"M-maybe we could consider it though." Then, as if he was showered with cold bucket of water, he covered his mouth, his face in dread as he saw the instant light that shone on her face.
"Yuuta-kun! Thank you!" She cupped his face with her free hands, her eyes shining animatedly and lips spread in a wide green, showing white pearly teeth.
And before he could even retort, a deafening shout was heard making him flinch on Mai's hands.
They both tried to look for the sound and found a girl with curly hair running full force on the streets with men in black suits following after her, all were panting. From the looks of it, it seemed like the girl was an athlete due to the fact that she was wearing a purple and white jersey and was running in a way normal girls can do. And then a silver haired boy appeared.
"Atobe-san wait! Your cousin would surely reprimand you once he found out you escaped again!"
The boy stopped to shout for a while then his eyes wondered and stayed longer at the two of them, his eyes widening in recognition.
"Fuji-san?"
"Choutarou-san?" Yuuta as well was surprised at the sudden meeting. He was about to ask about the girl when Choutarou bowed his head before running off to the direction the girl had ran off.
"Atobe-san!"
"Should we help them as well?" Mai asked as she gave Yuuta a curious glance. She too, had recognized the boy, due to Hyotei's famous line ups, and was weighing the reasons of him chasing after a girl. One of which was because Atobe had given him orders to care of her which he obviously failed to do.
"Naaah. We had enough trouble for today." He responds and stretched his aching body. Oh man a good sleep sounds so right at this moment.
Mai, as soon as getting home and reasoning out (or lying) to his dad and brother, she had placed herself in front of the computer and searched for the audition registration of the poster, which was fortunately not hard to find.
And then, one after the other she typed in the names of the people who wanted to give their surnames a bit of a different twist.
Yukimura Mai
Fuji Yuuta
On the other part of Japan,
A brunette was spending his night polishing Mizuki's school shoes. His dreams of a good night sleep now buried.
Well, it was worth it anyways.
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DANDANDANDAN! And a chapter update! Yes at last I updated aaaaand Yuuta and Mai are now together in chapter. I was about to update far from now but my exams just got moved and I had nothing to do since I love cramming!
Anyway I'm sorry that I can't release Mai's character update right now I'm so excited on updating I couldn't get my hands to typing more. XD
Sorry for a few errors. My head just won't process right now. And it annoys me as well.
Thanks to all that followed and favorited this story! A small review will also help me develop more. XD