Remembrance Day Two
Title: Remembrance
Pairing: TezukaFuji
Rating: G for now
Genre: Romance/Drama
Warnings: Spoilers, and this is shounen ai
Disclaimer: I don't own Tezuka and Fuji. They own each other, though.
Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
A/N: here I am again. I hope this is less confusing. ^_^
Hint No. 2: Enclose everything that is not italicized within two giant quotation marks. And I do mean everything - from start to finish, within giant quotation marks. Yes, that should help you.
oOo
One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
oOo
Remembrance - Day Two
oOo
You were never late; in fact, even now, I’m amused by that punctuality of yours. Hence, there was no surprise when you arrived ten minutes before five at the school gates. The surprise came, however, when you felt a pat on your shoulders.
“Fuji,” you said flatly. You made a quick glance at your watch and said, “You’re early.”
You saw his smiling lips curl up at one corner and your brows twitched a little. “You’re one to talk.” He grinned and waved a hand, urging you to walk. “Let’s go. She’s waiting.”
Nodding, you walked forward. Then, as if his words suddenly struck you, you stopped in mid-step and stared at him.
“Tezuka?” he asked, turning inquiringly to you.
You didn’t say anything, but there were more creases in your forehead and your glare was even more intense than usual.
He, however, clucked his tongue. “Tezuka, you can’t be afraid of a girl, can you?”
‘Afraid,’ of course, wasn’t the right word. I doubt if you ever were afraid of anything.
Ignoring his cajoling smile, you continued glowering. Silently, however, you admitted to yourself that you were irked by girls. A lot of girls seemed to know your full schedule; they flocked around you and trailed you every time of the day. They filled your lockers with pink, rose-scented envelopes and handed you chocolates and gifts in special occasions. Worst of all, they screamed your name and varieties of it - ‘Tezuka-sama!’, ‘Kuni-chan’, ‘Buchou, my love.’ Yet, as always, you treated them with respect and courteousness and you never voiced your musings to anyone.
“Well?” he asked, arching a brow.
You remained emotionless, unshaken by his smile.
“Mn, Tezuka,” he started cheerfully. “I think you’ll be glad to see her.” He must have seen your doubt so he said, “I promise.”
For an instant, your eyes went round as you saw his broadening smile. But you blinked as if to shrug off something, something about him which you couldn’t pinpoint exactly. “Fine,” you said in a curt way, trying to convince yourself that you were agreeing, not submitting.
A door chime clanged as he led you inside a café. Following his strides, you frowned, wondering, as he ushered you toward one corner of the shop.
“Kunimitsu!”
You craned your neck abruptly and scowled at him. “Fuji,” you marked in reproof.
“That wasn’t me,” he said, smiling innocently at you.
“Kunimitsu,” came the call again, causing your frown to darken. Turning to your side, you saw a bright, heart-shaped face that was surveying you. Big black eyes were eyeing you expectantly.
“Remember me, Kunimitsu?”
You blinked, your mind drawing a blank at the sight of this girl. You were about to say ‘no’ when you saw a cut on her right brow; recollection came to you. “Yukino,” you said in a toneless voice.
Grinning, she tipped her head to wink at him. “You’re right, Syusuke. He does remember.”
You brought your gaze to him as well and, then, back to her. Perplexity was evident in your face.
“Tezuka,” he said jovially, “Meet my cousin, Ashida Yukino.”
“Cousin?” you couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes,” she said promptly, dropping to the cushioned seat and waving her hand, gesturing you to sit down as well. “Our mothers are sisters.”
You obliged, sitting down on the seat across her and you waited in silence as he slipped right next to you.
“Our family is visiting from Australia for a… it’s supposedly a family reunion, right Syusuke?”
“Yes,” he said, looking up from the menu.
“I didn’t actually want to come,” she said cheerfully. “But okaasan insisted and since I haven’t seen Syusuke, Yuuta and Yumiko-neesan in a long time. Then, you know what?” she asked you eagerly. “I found out that Syusuke is studying in Seigaku. So I asked him whether he knew a certain Tezuka Kunimitsu and he said yes! So now I’m quite glad that I came to Japan.”
“How long will your stay be?” you asked, not out of curiosity but of politeness.
“Five days,” she said thoughtfully. “Ne,” she said, peering closely at you, “did you miss me?”
You could only shoot her a steely gaze and you found yourself utterly relieved when a waitress came to take your orders.
“Ne, Kunimitsu, did you miss me?” she asked again.
Aware that her black eyes were on you, you didn’t respond. You pressed your lips, becoming even more conscious of a pair of intrigued blue eyes that fell on you. All of a sudden, much to your thanks, you heard a hearty laugh.
“I was just joking,” she said lightheartedly. “Syusuke, is your fukubuchou always like that?”
“Ah,” he assented. At the corner of your eyes, you caught his sly smile. “So I’m quite surprised when you said that he had been so friendly years ago.” He brought a hand to his chin and inclined his head in contemplation. He threw a knowing look at your direction and said, “Yukino told me interesting things about your kindergarten days, Tezuka… I especially liked that one story when you did the Cinderella school play.”
“Oh, that!” she piped in, trying to catch your eyes. Her attention was momentarily interrupted when the waitress came back, setting your tea. “Do you still remember that play, Kunimitsu?”
All you did was grunt.
“That’s where I got this scar right here,” she said, tapping her right eyebrow as she sipped her tea. “I was so clumsy I got hit by the wooden props…”
“Fortunately, Tezuka was there to help you?” he cut in, his lips forming an all-too pleased smile. “So you knew first aid since kindergarten, Tezuka?”
“Ahh.”
“Do you still hike, though?” she asked. “That’s where you learned first aid, didn’t you? In hiking, I mean.”
You gave a noncommittal nod. There was, you noticed, a ghost of a smile in her lips as she nodded as well.
Offhandedly, as she absentmindedly stirred her tea, she asked, “Are you still that chivalrous?”
Confused, you blinked at her. “I don’t know what you mean.” You heard a collective chortle and you furrowed your brows, concluding that they were cousins indeed. Both were painfully mischievous and they both seemed to have a penchant for teasing you. Yet the similarities, you began to consider as you watched them, ended there. Where her actions were animated and flippant, his were withdrawn and… elegant?
“Well,” he started grinning at you, “Tezuka had always been chivalrous. Am I wrong, Tezuka?”
Some of your discomfort showed despite your effort to keep an emotionless façade. You blanched uncontrollably. Trying to cover for this reaction, you reached for your cup of tea and gulped, not caring whether or not it burnt your tongue. “I can’t answer that.”
“Chivalrous and… humble, too,” she declared with amusement.
“Ii data.”
Taken aback, you coughed on your tea.
Covering his lips with a hand to stop himself from laughing, he said, “That was me, Tezuka.” He reached out for his teacup as well and finished its contents. He checked his watch and slung his bag on his shoulder.
“Syusuke?” she asked, thoughtful. “Where are you going?”
“There’s something I need to do right now,” he said, getting to his feet. “Please excuse me.”
She glimpsed at the glass pane and said, “But it might rain soon.”
“I’m sure I’ll be home before the rain falls,” he said, smiling reassuringly.
He was taking a few steps when you suddenly said, “Fuji, don’t get careless.”
You noticed that the lines on his forehead deepened as he mulled over your words. “Sure,” he said, waving a hand. “Thanks.”
Staying behind, you spent the rest of the time listening to her stories and some memories of your shared childhood. You gave comments when needed, but you merely said “Ahh” and “Hn” most of the time. And, oddly, you found yourself unable to tear your eyes away from the window. “It’s raining,” you said as a torrid rain began to shower the earth.
A concerned look crossed her face. “Do you think Syusuke’s home by now?”
You drank your tea to the dregs and said, trying to sound flat and uncaring, “I hope so.”
oOo
As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: “What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower - the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…” And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
oOo
a/n: I hope the hint helps/ed. I plead guilty for trying to confuse you (mostly because that is the initial intention). I would also very much appreciate your reviews! (I honestly feel sad if there are very few reviews, especially for this fic.) More to come about Yukino in the next few chappies.
Pairing: TezukaFuji
Rating: G for now
Genre: Romance/Drama
Warnings: Spoilers, and this is shounen ai
Disclaimer: I don't own Tezuka and Fuji. They own each other, though.
Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
A/N: here I am again. I hope this is less confusing. ^_^
Hint No. 2: Enclose everything that is not italicized within two giant quotation marks. And I do mean everything - from start to finish, within giant quotation marks. Yes, that should help you.
oOo
One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
oOo
Remembrance - Day Two
oOo
You were never late; in fact, even now, I’m amused by that punctuality of yours. Hence, there was no surprise when you arrived ten minutes before five at the school gates. The surprise came, however, when you felt a pat on your shoulders.
“Fuji,” you said flatly. You made a quick glance at your watch and said, “You’re early.”
You saw his smiling lips curl up at one corner and your brows twitched a little. “You’re one to talk.” He grinned and waved a hand, urging you to walk. “Let’s go. She’s waiting.”
Nodding, you walked forward. Then, as if his words suddenly struck you, you stopped in mid-step and stared at him.
“Tezuka?” he asked, turning inquiringly to you.
You didn’t say anything, but there were more creases in your forehead and your glare was even more intense than usual.
He, however, clucked his tongue. “Tezuka, you can’t be afraid of a girl, can you?”
‘Afraid,’ of course, wasn’t the right word. I doubt if you ever were afraid of anything.
Ignoring his cajoling smile, you continued glowering. Silently, however, you admitted to yourself that you were irked by girls. A lot of girls seemed to know your full schedule; they flocked around you and trailed you every time of the day. They filled your lockers with pink, rose-scented envelopes and handed you chocolates and gifts in special occasions. Worst of all, they screamed your name and varieties of it - ‘Tezuka-sama!’, ‘Kuni-chan’, ‘Buchou, my love.’ Yet, as always, you treated them with respect and courteousness and you never voiced your musings to anyone.
“Well?” he asked, arching a brow.
You remained emotionless, unshaken by his smile.
“Mn, Tezuka,” he started cheerfully. “I think you’ll be glad to see her.” He must have seen your doubt so he said, “I promise.”
For an instant, your eyes went round as you saw his broadening smile. But you blinked as if to shrug off something, something about him which you couldn’t pinpoint exactly. “Fine,” you said in a curt way, trying to convince yourself that you were agreeing, not submitting.
A door chime clanged as he led you inside a café. Following his strides, you frowned, wondering, as he ushered you toward one corner of the shop.
“Kunimitsu!”
You craned your neck abruptly and scowled at him. “Fuji,” you marked in reproof.
“That wasn’t me,” he said, smiling innocently at you.
“Kunimitsu,” came the call again, causing your frown to darken. Turning to your side, you saw a bright, heart-shaped face that was surveying you. Big black eyes were eyeing you expectantly.
“Remember me, Kunimitsu?”
You blinked, your mind drawing a blank at the sight of this girl. You were about to say ‘no’ when you saw a cut on her right brow; recollection came to you. “Yukino,” you said in a toneless voice.
Grinning, she tipped her head to wink at him. “You’re right, Syusuke. He does remember.”
You brought your gaze to him as well and, then, back to her. Perplexity was evident in your face.
“Tezuka,” he said jovially, “Meet my cousin, Ashida Yukino.”
“Cousin?” you couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes,” she said promptly, dropping to the cushioned seat and waving her hand, gesturing you to sit down as well. “Our mothers are sisters.”
You obliged, sitting down on the seat across her and you waited in silence as he slipped right next to you.
“Our family is visiting from Australia for a… it’s supposedly a family reunion, right Syusuke?”
“Yes,” he said, looking up from the menu.
“I didn’t actually want to come,” she said cheerfully. “But okaasan insisted and since I haven’t seen Syusuke, Yuuta and Yumiko-neesan in a long time. Then, you know what?” she asked you eagerly. “I found out that Syusuke is studying in Seigaku. So I asked him whether he knew a certain Tezuka Kunimitsu and he said yes! So now I’m quite glad that I came to Japan.”
“How long will your stay be?” you asked, not out of curiosity but of politeness.
“Five days,” she said thoughtfully. “Ne,” she said, peering closely at you, “did you miss me?”
You could only shoot her a steely gaze and you found yourself utterly relieved when a waitress came to take your orders.
“Ne, Kunimitsu, did you miss me?” she asked again.
Aware that her black eyes were on you, you didn’t respond. You pressed your lips, becoming even more conscious of a pair of intrigued blue eyes that fell on you. All of a sudden, much to your thanks, you heard a hearty laugh.
“I was just joking,” she said lightheartedly. “Syusuke, is your fukubuchou always like that?”
“Ah,” he assented. At the corner of your eyes, you caught his sly smile. “So I’m quite surprised when you said that he had been so friendly years ago.” He brought a hand to his chin and inclined his head in contemplation. He threw a knowing look at your direction and said, “Yukino told me interesting things about your kindergarten days, Tezuka… I especially liked that one story when you did the Cinderella school play.”
“Oh, that!” she piped in, trying to catch your eyes. Her attention was momentarily interrupted when the waitress came back, setting your tea. “Do you still remember that play, Kunimitsu?”
All you did was grunt.
“That’s where I got this scar right here,” she said, tapping her right eyebrow as she sipped her tea. “I was so clumsy I got hit by the wooden props…”
“Fortunately, Tezuka was there to help you?” he cut in, his lips forming an all-too pleased smile. “So you knew first aid since kindergarten, Tezuka?”
“Ahh.”
“Do you still hike, though?” she asked. “That’s where you learned first aid, didn’t you? In hiking, I mean.”
You gave a noncommittal nod. There was, you noticed, a ghost of a smile in her lips as she nodded as well.
Offhandedly, as she absentmindedly stirred her tea, she asked, “Are you still that chivalrous?”
Confused, you blinked at her. “I don’t know what you mean.” You heard a collective chortle and you furrowed your brows, concluding that they were cousins indeed. Both were painfully mischievous and they both seemed to have a penchant for teasing you. Yet the similarities, you began to consider as you watched them, ended there. Where her actions were animated and flippant, his were withdrawn and… elegant?
“Well,” he started grinning at you, “Tezuka had always been chivalrous. Am I wrong, Tezuka?”
Some of your discomfort showed despite your effort to keep an emotionless façade. You blanched uncontrollably. Trying to cover for this reaction, you reached for your cup of tea and gulped, not caring whether or not it burnt your tongue. “I can’t answer that.”
“Chivalrous and… humble, too,” she declared with amusement.
“Ii data.”
Taken aback, you coughed on your tea.
Covering his lips with a hand to stop himself from laughing, he said, “That was me, Tezuka.” He reached out for his teacup as well and finished its contents. He checked his watch and slung his bag on his shoulder.
“Syusuke?” she asked, thoughtful. “Where are you going?”
“There’s something I need to do right now,” he said, getting to his feet. “Please excuse me.”
She glimpsed at the glass pane and said, “But it might rain soon.”
“I’m sure I’ll be home before the rain falls,” he said, smiling reassuringly.
He was taking a few steps when you suddenly said, “Fuji, don’t get careless.”
You noticed that the lines on his forehead deepened as he mulled over your words. “Sure,” he said, waving a hand. “Thanks.”
Staying behind, you spent the rest of the time listening to her stories and some memories of your shared childhood. You gave comments when needed, but you merely said “Ahh” and “Hn” most of the time. And, oddly, you found yourself unable to tear your eyes away from the window. “It’s raining,” you said as a torrid rain began to shower the earth.
A concerned look crossed her face. “Do you think Syusuke’s home by now?”
You drank your tea to the dregs and said, trying to sound flat and uncaring, “I hope so.”
oOo
As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: “What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower - the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…” And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
oOo
a/n: I hope the hint helps/ed. I plead guilty for trying to confuse you (mostly because that is the initial intention). I would also very much appreciate your reviews! (I honestly feel sad if there are very few reviews, especially for this fic.) More to come about Yukino in the next few chappies.