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A Simple Misunderstanding
A Hana Yori Dango Fanfiction
By Maho-chan
A bargain with Tsukasa’s father, a fashionable party, a motorcycle and a red dress cause a serious misunderstanding between Tsukasa and Tsukushi. How will they resolve it?
Disclaimer: I don’t own Hana Yori Dango. Rated M to be safe. Please enjoy and review!
AN (10/02/06): Chapter 3 revised and re-edited.
A Simple Misunderstanding
A Hana Yori Dango Fanfiction
By Maho-chan
Chapter 3
For the tenth time that night, Tsukasa cursed his father in his mind. Looking back into the mirror to make sure that everything was in order, he contemplated his outfit.
Silky tailored red button down shirt, thin black necktie, black pants and shoes. Reaching out to his valet to take the long black jacket that completed the outfit and allowing the valet to help him put it on, Tsukasa noted that the whole ensemble made him look taller. Running nervous fingers through his hair, he took the keys that the valet held out, looking at them mutinously.
He didn’t want to go. These parties were always so boring. There would a lot of fake conversations tonight, posturing, veiled comparisons and insults being the normal fare.
Remembering the confused look on Tsukushi’s face as Shizuka led her away to get ready, Tsukasa felt even more irritated. He hated putting Tsukushi in these kinds of situations. It was one thing for him to meet the vultures of their world head on; it was another to bring the person he treasured the most in range of their claws.
Striding out the door and down the stairs to the foyer, he paced the smooth floors while he waited, running through scenarios and how he might handle them. If there was one thing a "Domyoji" knew how to do, it was anticipating and outsmarting an enemy. Lost in his thoughts, Tsukasa didn’t notice Rui’s presence until he crashed headlong into his body.
“Rui!” Tsukasa exclaimed, feeling both startled and annoyed. “What are you doing?”
Rui stared at Tsukasa calmly, then smiled mysteriously and proceeded to inspect his own outfit, tugging on his shirt cuffs slowly and meticulously.
Observing Rui’s light gray snakeskin patterned suit and the somewhat ostentatious white shirt cuffs he was now straightening, Tsukasa had to ask.
“What the hell are you wearing?”
No answer. Rui examined his fingernails, and then stared down at his shoes.
Incensed at Rui's lack of response, Tsukasa growled
“Rui!”
“I’m waiting for Shizuka and Makino.” Rui said simply, offering no other information and instead beginning to whistle and inspect the large bouquet of flowers in the center of the foyer. Sniffing one, Rui sneezed a little then laughed with amusement.
Doing his best to resist the urge to take out his frustrations on his best friend, Tsukasa continued pacing and running through scenarios in his mind.
Minutes later, there was the sound of a door opening and closing, and instinctually Tsukasa looked around in anticipation.
Click, Click, Click.
The clatter of high heels against the marble of the stairs was the only sound as Shizuka descended, clothed in a purely white backless dress lined at the high collar and hem with downy feathers. Smiling softly, she patted Tsukasa on the shoulder then made her way over to Rui who was now examining the lock on the front door with interest. Giving Rui a kiss on the cheek and smiling at the slow grin that spread over his face in response, Shizuka turned back to Tsukasa and gracefully pointed at the stairs.
Click, Click, Click.
Another set of heels resounded against marble as a vision of red slowly blazed down the steps.
Tsukasa’s mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.
The dress was purely crimson with a very simple but daringly low neckline. It clung to her body, exposing her form to him and to his chagrin, everyone else in the room. As she carefully came down the steps, he saw her legs emerge from the dress through high slits on the side. A flash of black was visible on one leg. Tsukasa noted that it was a garter made of ribbons.
Was this really his Tsukushi, this woman in stiletto heels, coming towards him in a dress that heightened every curve? She was wearing ribbons high on her legs, for goodness sake, and in other places too, black ribbons adorning her hair and in place of a necklace, tied in a bow at her neck.
Tsukasa burned, the vision of that same garter momentarily blinding him again as she came towards him. Over stimulated, all his carefully thought up plans left him as he overloaded with desire for her. He blankly stared as she stopped before him, and held her hand out to him.
"I'm ready to go." Tsukushi said quietly. Tsukasa wanted to pull her into his arms and haul her up the staircase and into his room.
She was so beautiful, he wanted to brag and show people. She was so desirable; he wanted to hide her away lest some other man see her. She was different and that kind of unnerved him.
The stresses of the whole night culminated in a strange feeling of overwhelm and it was the last of these conflicting emotions that Tsukasa’s mind attached onto.
Tsukasa had always thought Tsukushi was beautiful and adored how natural her beauty was. He loved how she wasn’t one to play games, or use her beauty to try to manipulate and confuse him.
But in the course of the last two hours, she had done something to herself and Tsukasa realized at that moment he didn’t know how to speak to her or even what he might say to her.
She now looked too much like Shizuka. She looked older and poised like Nee-chan. But it didn’t seem right. Tsukushi was neither Shizuka nor Nee-chan, Tsukasa thought, feeling upset. He didn’t want her to be Shizuka or Nee-chan. He wanted her to be herself.
One thing was very certain to Tsukasa, as Tsukushi looked up at him expectantly through eyes rimmed in kohl, her red lips parting to say his name, and her expression seeming cold instead of warm and inviting as usual.
Tonight, Tsukushi wasn’t being herself.
Tsukasa suddenly felt betrayed.
She was being different.
She was being artificial.
Fear and anger as well as wariness crept in.
He hated artifice.
AN: Rui’s outfit is based upon a suit that is worn by one of the characters in the movie “Oceans 11”. Rui is so calm; I thought it would be fun to dress him up in something really flashy for contrast with his personality. I had fun writing him this time, in the past I had trouble writing his character until I read an article where Oguri Shun, the actor who plays Rui in the Japanese dramatization of Hana Yori Dango, talks about how he asked Kamio-sensei how he should act as Rui. Kamio-sensei said to him that Rui was a character who followed his emotions. After reading this, I finally understood! I hope to write a story with Rui as a main character someday, I think it would be fun!
Also, in the past Kamio-sensei drew a color illustration that shows Tsukasa wearing an outfit that is similar to the outfit I've described him wearing in this story. You can find the illustration on the second page of the Flower Boys x Fighting Girls Character Book. I was surprised and happy when I noticed the coincidence. :)
A Hana Yori Dango Fanfiction
By Maho-chan
A bargain with Tsukasa’s father, a fashionable party, a motorcycle and a red dress cause a serious misunderstanding between Tsukasa and Tsukushi. How will they resolve it?
Disclaimer: I don’t own Hana Yori Dango. Rated M to be safe. Please enjoy and review!
AN (10/02/06): Chapter 3 revised and re-edited.
A Simple Misunderstanding
A Hana Yori Dango Fanfiction
By Maho-chan
Chapter 3
For the tenth time that night, Tsukasa cursed his father in his mind. Looking back into the mirror to make sure that everything was in order, he contemplated his outfit.
Silky tailored red button down shirt, thin black necktie, black pants and shoes. Reaching out to his valet to take the long black jacket that completed the outfit and allowing the valet to help him put it on, Tsukasa noted that the whole ensemble made him look taller. Running nervous fingers through his hair, he took the keys that the valet held out, looking at them mutinously.
He didn’t want to go. These parties were always so boring. There would a lot of fake conversations tonight, posturing, veiled comparisons and insults being the normal fare.
Remembering the confused look on Tsukushi’s face as Shizuka led her away to get ready, Tsukasa felt even more irritated. He hated putting Tsukushi in these kinds of situations. It was one thing for him to meet the vultures of their world head on; it was another to bring the person he treasured the most in range of their claws.
Striding out the door and down the stairs to the foyer, he paced the smooth floors while he waited, running through scenarios and how he might handle them. If there was one thing a "Domyoji" knew how to do, it was anticipating and outsmarting an enemy. Lost in his thoughts, Tsukasa didn’t notice Rui’s presence until he crashed headlong into his body.
“Rui!” Tsukasa exclaimed, feeling both startled and annoyed. “What are you doing?”
Rui stared at Tsukasa calmly, then smiled mysteriously and proceeded to inspect his own outfit, tugging on his shirt cuffs slowly and meticulously.
Observing Rui’s light gray snakeskin patterned suit and the somewhat ostentatious white shirt cuffs he was now straightening, Tsukasa had to ask.
“What the hell are you wearing?”
No answer. Rui examined his fingernails, and then stared down at his shoes.
Incensed at Rui's lack of response, Tsukasa growled
“Rui!”
“I’m waiting for Shizuka and Makino.” Rui said simply, offering no other information and instead beginning to whistle and inspect the large bouquet of flowers in the center of the foyer. Sniffing one, Rui sneezed a little then laughed with amusement.
Doing his best to resist the urge to take out his frustrations on his best friend, Tsukasa continued pacing and running through scenarios in his mind.
Minutes later, there was the sound of a door opening and closing, and instinctually Tsukasa looked around in anticipation.
Click, Click, Click.
The clatter of high heels against the marble of the stairs was the only sound as Shizuka descended, clothed in a purely white backless dress lined at the high collar and hem with downy feathers. Smiling softly, she patted Tsukasa on the shoulder then made her way over to Rui who was now examining the lock on the front door with interest. Giving Rui a kiss on the cheek and smiling at the slow grin that spread over his face in response, Shizuka turned back to Tsukasa and gracefully pointed at the stairs.
Click, Click, Click.
Another set of heels resounded against marble as a vision of red slowly blazed down the steps.
Tsukasa’s mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.
The dress was purely crimson with a very simple but daringly low neckline. It clung to her body, exposing her form to him and to his chagrin, everyone else in the room. As she carefully came down the steps, he saw her legs emerge from the dress through high slits on the side. A flash of black was visible on one leg. Tsukasa noted that it was a garter made of ribbons.
Was this really his Tsukushi, this woman in stiletto heels, coming towards him in a dress that heightened every curve? She was wearing ribbons high on her legs, for goodness sake, and in other places too, black ribbons adorning her hair and in place of a necklace, tied in a bow at her neck.
Tsukasa burned, the vision of that same garter momentarily blinding him again as she came towards him. Over stimulated, all his carefully thought up plans left him as he overloaded with desire for her. He blankly stared as she stopped before him, and held her hand out to him.
"I'm ready to go." Tsukushi said quietly. Tsukasa wanted to pull her into his arms and haul her up the staircase and into his room.
She was so beautiful, he wanted to brag and show people. She was so desirable; he wanted to hide her away lest some other man see her. She was different and that kind of unnerved him.
The stresses of the whole night culminated in a strange feeling of overwhelm and it was the last of these conflicting emotions that Tsukasa’s mind attached onto.
Tsukasa had always thought Tsukushi was beautiful and adored how natural her beauty was. He loved how she wasn’t one to play games, or use her beauty to try to manipulate and confuse him.
But in the course of the last two hours, she had done something to herself and Tsukasa realized at that moment he didn’t know how to speak to her or even what he might say to her.
She now looked too much like Shizuka. She looked older and poised like Nee-chan. But it didn’t seem right. Tsukushi was neither Shizuka nor Nee-chan, Tsukasa thought, feeling upset. He didn’t want her to be Shizuka or Nee-chan. He wanted her to be herself.
One thing was very certain to Tsukasa, as Tsukushi looked up at him expectantly through eyes rimmed in kohl, her red lips parting to say his name, and her expression seeming cold instead of warm and inviting as usual.
Tonight, Tsukushi wasn’t being herself.
Tsukasa suddenly felt betrayed.
She was being different.
She was being artificial.
Fear and anger as well as wariness crept in.
He hated artifice.
AN: Rui’s outfit is based upon a suit that is worn by one of the characters in the movie “Oceans 11”. Rui is so calm; I thought it would be fun to dress him up in something really flashy for contrast with his personality. I had fun writing him this time, in the past I had trouble writing his character until I read an article where Oguri Shun, the actor who plays Rui in the Japanese dramatization of Hana Yori Dango, talks about how he asked Kamio-sensei how he should act as Rui. Kamio-sensei said to him that Rui was a character who followed his emotions. After reading this, I finally understood! I hope to write a story with Rui as a main character someday, I think it would be fun!
Also, in the past Kamio-sensei drew a color illustration that shows Tsukasa wearing an outfit that is similar to the outfit I've described him wearing in this story. You can find the illustration on the second page of the Flower Boys x Fighting Girls Character Book. I was surprised and happy when I noticed the coincidence. :)