Fanfiction: The Seventh Lesson (Chapter 3/5)
Characters: Tackey, Ueda, Pi and Tsubasa (Kame and Junno in the next one)
Genre: AU, angst, fluff, friendship
Rating: PG13
Summary: Life’s lessons are confusing Takki. Will the friends he meet along the way bring some answers or more questions?
Disclaimer: No confusion here, I don’t own the boys.
Chapter 1/5
Chapter 2/5 (Special Guests: Jin and Ryo)
The Seventh Lesson (Chapter 3/5)
A gentle breeze beckoned and the leaves of the willow trees answered. They danced a weightless flighty dance, inviting all to sway and drift with them. Where he came from, there were willow trees too. But here they seemed greener and lighter and airier. As breathtaking as they were, Takki realised that something was missing - laughter. Tsubasa’s laughter.
There were many interesting people that he met on this journey. But none quite like Tsubasa. Two of his latest friends even taught him valuable lessons. Jin, the painter, taught him that to get what he wanted, he had to first know what it was. Ryo, the politician wannabe, taught him about being a better man.
Takki mulled over what more lessons were there to learn in life. He was getting confused. It seemed that the more he learned, the more certain he was of his ignorance. The only thing he knew now for sure was that he knew nothing. His tortured and restless mind was turning into tofu when he heard it - faint laughter. Instantly, his thoughts ceased, his heart raced and his feet followed. Tsubasa?
Uncontrollably, Takki found himself frantically drawing apart the long willow curtains in the direction of the laughter, to where a young man with palms outstretched was laughing to himself.
‘I don’t think so.’
‘I’m sorry. Did you say something?’
Takki bowed a little to apologise for disrupting the young man. He might not have learnt much about the world from his teachers. But they were at least strict disciplinarians. To them, good manners were next to godliness.
‘Well, not as pretty as me for sure.’
Takki grew increasing puzzled. The stranger was obviously not speaking to him. But there was no one else.
‘Who are you speaking to?’
‘Do you really what to know?’
For a moment, the young man looked frightful, eyes glaring and fierce, as if possessed by spirits.
‘Yes?’
Takki knew that his resolve was hardly convincing but it certainly didn’t warrant a bent-over laughter. He thought the young man rather rude and lacking in proper social skills.
Ueda, the tickled one, of course disagreed. He explained that being a Buddhist priest he would much rather work on his spiritual skills.
‘The tree spirit says you’re beautiful.’
‘Tree spirit? I‘ve heard of them. But I don’t believe in such things.’
‘Why not?’
‘I can’t see them.’
‘You can’t see the longing in your heart either. Does it mean it’s not real?’
Takki was stunned. Ueda might be able to see spirits. But can he see into the hearts of people too?
‘There’s more to life than you can comprehend. Naturally, because of that it can at times be daunting and out of your control.’
Takki nodded vigourously. Many times he felt like an infant struggling in the middle of the Yangtze River. He could hardly keep afloat and he didn’t know where to swim to.
‘In this short life that only lasts an hour, how much or how little is within our power?’
Priest Ueda smiled indulgently at a musing Takki.
‘Sometimes you just have to learn to let go, accept and go with the flow.’
With an air of enlightenment, the unlikely priest prepared his grand exit.
‘Wait.’
‘Yes?’
‘What does a tree spirit look like?’
‘Well, if you can’t see it, then you’re not pure enough to know.’
With a wink and a wave, the young priest disappeared into the deep of the forest.
…………..
It wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. It wasn’t easy to accept that it was all right not to know anything. Despite that, Takki swallowed. He felt a little better too. Someone understood how he felt. Maybe everyone would feel a little lost sometimes. Maybe he wasn’t the only one swimming in the Yangtze River.
‘Eeeeek!’
A pig?! Takki marveled at the coincidence. He was definitely not the only one swimming. At that very precise moment, a pig was floating by the river right before his eyes. Like him, it was hardly water-friendly. There was no doubt whether it was drowning or waving.
Despite not being the best of swimmers, Takki dog-paddled awkwardly towards the squealing animal and rescued it.
‘Thank you so much!’
A young pig farmer hurriedly hauled him up the bank.
‘This little pig is always trying to run away. Only just yesterday it tried to run away. Thankfully, a young politician passing by found it and returned it to me. Now who says politicians are all lying, cheating scumbags.’
Takki couldn’t help but wonder if his friend Ryo was that honest statesman. The world might be a smaller place than he had imagined.
‘Aren’t you lucky? But of course you are! You’re my pig. You are Lucky Pi’s pig!’
Chatty Pig Farmer Pi went on to share his little pig’s many great but unsuccessful escapes. Takki liked his new friend instantly. Pi had a bright and generous smile and held his hand warmly as they rode side by side, on a rickety horse cart, into the sunset.
‘Why don’t you chain it up?’
The little creature, sleeping snuggly on Takki's lap, jerked a little.
‘But that’s sad. You know what? Sometimes I think I don’t bother because I believe that I’ll have it back anyway. It’s mine so it’ll come back for sure.’
Takki looked affectionately at the smiley happy-go-lucky pig farmer. He wanted some of that faith too. He could do with some faith. He just wasn’t unsure if he needed more faith for where he was going or who he was leaving behind.
End of Chapter 3/5
Note: Next up, tomorrow, Chapter 4/5 (Guest Stars: Pi and Kame). I'm sorry. Didn't mean to drag out this story but I can't seem to find the time to write more at one shot. Enjoy!
The little poem Ueda shared is In This Short Life by Emily Dickinson.