Rozen Maiden: Märchen

EPISODE 3

My Valentine

Shinku sipped her tea and wrinkled her nose at the taste. She sighed and lowered the cup, wondering not for the first time if she'd made the right decision. Despite her frequent chastising of Jun's tea making skills, the truth was he could make a very good cup of tea. He'd certainly had enough practice at it since she had shown up in his life. Now, two days after leaving the Sakurada house, Shinku missed Jun's tea.

"Don't you like it?" asked Mitsu, worry creeping into her voice. Shinku closed her eyes.

"It is fine, thank you Miss Micchan."

That was a lie, but Shinku didn't feel like berating her for her poor quality tea. She was a guest in Micchan's house after all. No covenant existed between them because she had foolishly forgotten to end her contract with Jun before leaving. He was still technically her Medium, which meant that she could not enter another covenant as long as he lived. An oversight, and an unfortunate one at that. Still, she would not go back there simply to correct that mistake. She did not have the strength to leave a second time.

She had come here to stay with Kanaria and her Medium because she still needed someone to wind her, and Micchan was certainly friendly towards dolls. Her house was packed full of them. The last time Shinku was here she had been with her sisters. She had come to pose for Mitsu, much as Jun had recently done for her. Shinku could even see pictures of that time framed around the apartment. Hinaichigo and Souseiseki were in some of them, reminding her of what she still had to do.

"I'm going to be late for work!" Mitsu jumped up and grabbed her coat, "I'll see you ladies later, okay?"

Kanaria bid her master a good day while Shinku placed her unfinished tea on the table. After several long moments of silence she realised that Kanaria was watching her. She glanced up.

"Yes?"

"Umm, well, today is Valentine's day, y'know?"

"Is it? I hadn't realised."

"Well ... Kana was going to make chocolates for Micchan, and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to join me and make some yourself? For someone special to you, y'know?"

She fell silent under Shinku's intense stare. "Whatever for?" she said eventually. Kanaria wrung her hands together nervously.

"Don't you have anyone you want to give chocolates to today?"

Shinku considered the question. If she'd still been at the Sakurada house then yes, she certainly would have. She could even imagine herself struggling in the kitchen under Suiseiseki's auspices, trying to pour her feelings into a deliciously creamy selection of homemade chocolate. And making a terrible mess of it in the process. She could hear her sister's voice as she looked on in dismay.

"I swear Shinku, you're so completely hopeless when it comes to the culinary art. These chocolates are meant to show your love, not poison the poor sap!"

Shinku slid off the couch and headed for the mirror, not bothering to answer Kanaria's question. The mirror glowed as she neared it, opening a portal into the N-Field. Kanaria let out a worried moan.

"You ... you're going out looking again, aren't you?" she asked.

"Indeed I am."

Kanaria clenched her teeth and her hands, trying to steel herself for what she was about to do and regretting it already. She took a step towards Shinku, a somewhat hesitant look of determination on her cherubic features. "Then ... Kana's coming with you, y'hear!"

Shinku glanced across at her, mildly surprised. "I thought you were going to make chocolates for Miss Micchan."

"I can make them for her tomorrow, she won't mind them being late. Besides, I know why you're doing this; Hinaichigo and Souseiseki are my sisters too, y'know? I can help, Shinku. I am the brainiest of the Rozen Maidens after all!"

Shinku looked back at the brightly glowing mirror and sighed. "As you wish."

Jun poked at his food with his fork whilst leaning his head against his hand in a vaguely bored fashion. It wasn't that the food was bad, far from it. Nori had done her very best and made their favourite - flower topped hamburgers. She'd done this in the hopes that he might actually eat something today. It was a vain hope. She watched him stirring his food and wailed.

"Oh Jun-kun, won't you at least try a little?"

"I'm not hungry."

"But you have to eat something! You've barely touched your food since-" Nori stopped abruptly, not wanting to mention the incident that had brought about his sour mood. Suiseiseki eyed Jun's flower topped hamburger with optimism.

"If you're not going to eat that then would you mind if I had it?" she asked hopefully. Jun set his fork down and pushed the plate towards her.

"Knock yourself out," he said glumly. As Suiseiseki greedily tucked in to his untouched meal, Jun got up from the table and walked away. Nori watched him go, her eyes filled with concern for her little brother.

"Jun-kun..."

"He is upset because Shinku left, is he not?" said Barasuishou. Nori glanced around at her and rubbed the side of her head.

"Pretty much, yeah. Oh, this is all my fault! Shinku told me days ago that she was thinking of leaving. I made her promise to talk to Jun first if she did decide to go, but I should have said something to him."

Suiseiseki snorted. "Don't beat yourself up about it Nori, it's as much Jun's fault as it is anyone's."

Nori gave her a shocked look. "What? Don't say that! It isn't Jun's fault."

"Oh it so is!" Suiseiseki growled and stabbed her recently acquired hamburger with a knife, "I told that puny human to talk to Shinku and sort things out. Maybe if he wasn't so busy making eyes at that Tomoe girl then Shinku would still be here!"

Nori sagged, her own eyes downcast. "Jun can't help the way he feels. All boys his age start to show an interest in girls, and Tomoe's been really nice to him. If only Shinku had talked to him, told him how she felt..."

Barasuishou shook her head. "I do not believe that would have changed anything. Did you not read the letter she left? Shinku wants Jun to be happy."

Suiseiseki crossed her arms in a sulking fashion, thoroughly annoyed. "I so don't get that at all! I thought we were making the little runt happy. Say what you like, but he's a big improvement over what he used to be when we first showed up. Besides, those two have always had mushy feelings for each other, it's so obvious. Just what is Shinku thinking?"

"I guess ... maybe she's thinking of the future," Nori suggested, thinking it over herself even as she said the words, "Jun's growing up, and someday he might want to settle down and get married, maybe even start a family. He couldn't really do that stuff with Shinku, but he could with someone like Tomoe."

Suiseiseki seemed scandalised. She stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Nori. "That's so totally selfish! What about the things Shinku wants? Don't they matter at all? Anyway, Jun might not want to do any of that stuff - not all you humans do. I mean just look at Kanaria's Medium. She's a grown woman and all she cares about are dolls. She spoils that big forehead rotten and you don't see her swooning over men and wanting to get hitched. For all we know Jun could be the same."

"I guess..."

Barasuishou pushed her chair away from the dinner table and lightly dropped to the ground. She'd taken no more than a single step when Suiseiseki's shrill voice stopped her.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

"Nowhere in particular," Barasuishou answered evenly, "Why?"

Suiseiseki stood up on her chair and pointed at the kitchen sink. "Because you're so going to help Suiseiseki do the dishes, that's why. Father may have asked Jun to take care of you, but you're going to pull your weight while you're here! Is that clear?"

Barasuishou frowned. "Pull my ... weight?"

"Really?" Nori perked up a little, "Thanks guys! That's a big help. That means I can go to the store before it closes and pick some things up for tomorrow."

The two dolls watched her leave. Suiseiseki abruptly banged her palm down on the table, causing the cutlery to rattle. "Right you good for nothing slacker, time to get to work! You can start by collecting the dishes."

"Collecting the dishes..." Barasuishou stared blankly at them, not moving. Suiseiseki ground her teeth together.

"Stop that!"

"Stop?"

"That! Stop repeating everything I say! I swear, you're so totally annoying. Did anyone ever tell you that you have all the personality of a brick?"

Barasuishou actually considered the question seriously for a moment before answering. "Yes. Shirosaki said something to that effect. My father agreed with him."

"Oh," Suiseiseki stalled for a moment, momentarily at a loss. "Well then, here's your chance to prove them wrong. I'm going to make it my mission to teach you to express yourself better. Honestly, sometimes you remind me of Souseiseki. She could be so infuriatingly passive all the time..."

Jun was in the darkened storeroom, alone. He sat cross-legged in front of the big mirror, staring at it as if doing so might make Shinku reappear. It didn't, but he continued to sit there anyway, feeling completely and utterly lost. Shinku had left him. And it was his fault. His stupid inability to make a decision had driven her away. Recent events had only served to hammer home his complete indecisiveness.

Of course he loved Shinku. He had for a long time now. It was just impossible to show her any kind of affection without being openly mocked or humiliated by her for doing so. That was just her way, but lately he'd gotten fed up with it. It was difficult to tell how the doll herself felt about him either. She displayed more warmth and fondness towards Kunkun than she did for him. It wasn't until Suiseiseki had outright told him that Shinku was in love with him that he'd actually known for sure, and by then ... it was too late.

Tomoe only made matters worse. He loved Shinku because they'd spent so much time together and been through so much. But with Tomoe ... it had taken him a while to realise that he was attracted to her. She was a pretty, normal human girl from his class who showed continued interest and kindness towards him. He'd have to be inhuman not to feel something for her. It was even more obvious to everyone else, with Nori and his fellow classmates pointing out his crush for her long before he'd accepted it himself.

How could he make any kind of choice? He loved Shinku with all his heart, but confessing as much to her was a risk he was too afraid to take. Even if she returned his feelings the two of them faced a very uncertain future, something that had fuelled Shinku's decision to leave in the end. She wasn't blind to the fact that she was a doll. Really, it would be so much easier to just ask Tomoe out on a date. Give up on Shinku and try to have a normal relationship. The problem was...

... he'd never forgive himself if he did that. Even if years down the line he ended up marrying Tomoe, or some other girl, he'd regret it for the rest of his life. He just knew it.

"Ohhhh!" Jun clutched his head and screwed his eyes shut again. He'd gone over all of this a thousand times already, and no matter how he looked at it it was all messed up. He was no closer to straightening anything out in his head, and right now he missed Shinku so much it hurt. He wanted to see her again. He wanted her to tell him to make the tea, and stop being so vexing and stubborn. He even wanted her to calmly walk up to him and slap him across the face. He missed her that much.

He reached around and pulled the letter from his back pocket, the letter Shinku had left behind. It was folded up. He didn't need to open it, he knew the words it contained by heart. He'd read it often enough. He clutched it tightly and fought the urge to tear the thing up into tiny pieces.

"Shinku..." he whispered.

The doorbell rang. Jun scowled. Nori had gone out five minutes ago. He was either going to have to leave it or answer the door himself. He briefly considered the former, but opted for the latter instead when the doorbell rang again. Taking a deep steadying breath, he stood and shoved the letter back into his pocket.

Jun opened the front door, and standing there was possibly the last person he needed to see right now.

"Hi Jun," said Tomoe.

He stood there like a complete idiot, not saying a word. Tomoe waited patiently, holding a small potted plant in her hands, and had a bag slung over one shoulder. Finally Jun recovered his wits and stood aside to let her in, rubbing the back of his neck as he did so.

"Uh, hi, come on in. I thought you were still in hospital."

Tomoe shook her head as he shut the door behind her. "I got out yesterday. My parents wanted the doctors to run all kinds of tests on me, but I convinced them I was fine." She noticed his questioning gaze directed at the plant and started. "Oh! I brought this for Suiseiseki. To say thanks for all she did. They're white lilies. My favourites. I hope she likes them."

"They're nice, I'm sure she will," said Jun, his voice bordering on deadpan, "She's in the kitchen. Do you want me to get her?"

"Actually," Tomoe set the plant down carefully and reached into her bag, "I came to see you. Here," she withdrew an ornately decorative box and presented it to Jun. He blinked in surprise and took it from her. "Happy Valentine's," she added.

Jun froze. He felt certain his spine had actually turned to ice and that was why chills were shooting through his extremities right now. Chocolates. She'd given him chocolates. On Valentines Day. It was Valentines Day today. February 14th. He'd completely forgotten. "T-thanks," he stuttered, "Really, you shouldn't have."

Tomoe frowned and leaned her head towards him in a mock-serious fashion. "Jun, you saved my soul from certain destruction. I think it's the least I could do."

Jun blushed fiercely. Why? Surely he should be used to such utter embarrassment by now. One would think. He stared down at the box and mumbled incoherently as Tomoe leaned back.

"Suigintou told me what happened," she said. The ice was all gone now, replaced instead with molten lava. Oh god, thought Jun, she knows. That damn Suigintou. Of course she would take the opportunity to rub salt in the wound. Tomoe had been confined to bed in hospital for days while they kept her under observation. She would have had plenty of time to talk to that rotten evil doll.

"Yeah, about that, I'm really sorry. There wasn't any other way," Jun insisted, staring at the wall directly behind Tomoe without actually looking at her, "I swear I wouldn't have done it unless I had to."

"Oh," Tomoe seemed disappointed for a moment, "Really? I didn't realize I was such a bad kisser. In my defence it was my first time and I was unconscious, so..."

Please. Someone kill me. Now. Oh please. "N-no! I didn't mean it like that!" Jun was radiating so much heat now he was amazed the wallpaper didn't catch fire. He pressed a hand to his face and groaned. Tomoe giggled, which only made him feel worse.

"I just wanted to thank you, Jun, that's all. I owe you my life."

"Not really," Jun said as he lowered his hand and grimaced. He decided to just let the lava that had replaced his blood gently simmer and melt his brain into slush. It was no use fighting the inevitable. "It was Suigintou's idea, and Suiseiseki did most of the work. Barasuishou helped out a lot as well. I didn't really contribute much. Look, I'll go tell the others you're here, you can thank them instead."

Tomoe watched him enter the living room. As she waited she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. It was a piece of folded up paper on the floor. It must have fallen out of Jun's pocket. She knelt down and picked it up. Curiosity getting the better of her, she unfolded and read it.

Jun ... there is so much I want to say to you, yet I know I should not. Sometimes things are better left unsaid. I have decided to leave. I cannot stay with you any longer.

Before I asked you who you would choose, and now I realise that the answer does not matter. It does not matter if you would choose me over Tomoe, because I have come to the conclusion that you are better off without me. You deserve a normal, happy life, and that is something I cannot give you, for I am not human.

When first we met I made you swear to protect and serve me. I hereby release you from that pledge. I wish you well in all your endeavours. Please take good care of Suiseiseki, and know that you will always hold a special place in my heart.

I love you.

-Shinku

Jun emerged from the living room with Suiseiseki and Barasuishou in tow, only to find that there was no sign of Tomoe. The front door was ajar. Suiseiseki spotted the lilies and picked the plant up, gazing at it in admiration while Jun scratched his head. "That's weird, she was right here a minute ago," he said. Barasuishou bent down and picked up Shinku's letter. It was unfolded. She held it out towards Jun, who took it and stared at it in mute shock. He patted his back pocket and then groaned loudly.

"Oh no..."