Author: merrow - PG-13 - English - Drama - Reviews: 100
Yuki slowly walked through the isles of the store, gently fingering an item here or there to make it look like he was actually shopping. He couldn't put his finger on it yet, but there was something wrong. He glanced over his shoulder for the millionth time. There was no one watching him. The few other shoppers in the store where completely ignoring him. Finally he decided to just make one small purchase, a small spiral notebook and a pen, and left the store.
He glanced over his shoulder again, and headed for a small playground he'd seen as he walked into town. He found a convenient park bench, thankful that the still chilly weather was keeping kids and their mothers out of the park. He took a couple of deep breaths and released them into the air, leaned back and let the sun seep into him. Why did he feel so scared? He gave his head a determined shake, unpacked his lunch and took out the notebook and pen. He didn't know why he was jumpy, but he'd just try to focus on what he was here for.
He decided that he wouldn't buy much today. He'd make the bulkier purchases tomorrow just before he headed back up the mountain. There was no reason to carry things around more than he had to. He'd make a list of all the things they needed to get and find out how much they would cost. He'd make a plan. That's what he was good at. Maybe he couldn't build a house, or catch a fish, but this he could do.
First he wrote out the things they needed as he ate the meager lunch Tooru had packed. Map, clothes, groceries, medicine for Tooru...Yuki paused, his pen over the paper. Tooru's illness was puzzling, he'd have to go to the pharmacy look over the over the counter medicines to see if any of them listed her symptoms. His pen darted over the paper before he realized he was doing it, fatigue...reoccurring low-grade fever...weakness...He noticed her bracing herself sometimes against the walls of the shack or trees as she went about her chores. Perhaps it wasn't just weakness? Dizziness? He looked at his lists; one side of the paper was filled with prosaic things they needed to move forward. The other was a catalogue of ills. He had to get Tooru to somewhere she could get well. He glanced around a final time and pulled out wallet and quickly counted the cash that he had on hand. He did some quick math to figure out how much was left up at the shack.
It was a sizable sum; even he'd been surprised at how much was in his and Kyou's bank accounts. But it wouldn't take long for three people to go through it trying to support themselves in Japan. Yuki sighed; he wasn't sure how quickly they'd go through it to be honest. He'd never really have to worry about money before. How much did it cost to support three people? How much if they where careful, if they where frugal? Did they have enough to survive?
He wondered if they had enough to take Tooru to a doctor. How much did doctors cost? Hatori had always taken care of anything the family needed. That option, of course, was closed to them now.
Sighing again, he flipped the notebook closed and tucked it into the convenient pocket of Kyou's sweatshirt. He finished up his lunch and planned his attack on the shopping trip. First he'd go shopping for some clothes for himself. One outfit for now would be enough, something presentable to be seen in. He'd shop for something for Tooru as well. She hadn't had much before they went up on the mountain. After living rough for so long much of her things were as worn and ragged as his. He really wanted to find something pretty for her.
Then he'd go to the convenience store, look at the medicines and pick up a map. Perhaps he'd find some sort of rental listings...He ran it through his mind as he tossed the remains of his lunch in the trash and headed back into town. He braced himself and walked into a likely looking clothes store. The clerk behind the counter spared him a casual glance, greeted him softly and went back to organizing clothes to be put on the sales floor. He glanced around and headed to the clothing racks. He looked around the store appraising the selection. He walked towards the more formal clothes; he'd need something that looked professional and neat once he started looking for a job. Kyou would need something similar he supposed, but the baka neko could shop for himself once they got settled.
He glanced around again, looking at the other shoppers in the store. There were only a few other people in at this time of day. They were all focused on their own shopping and weren't paying attention to him. He shook his head to dismiss his own fears and went back to looking at the clothes in front of him. He wasn't used to having to shop for clothes. Most of his clothes had been expensive tailored garments; you didn't find those kinds of things on the rack at a usual store. But he couldn't afford that now. He'd just have to find something nice but cheap.
He picked out a few items and looked around again at the people in the store. Not even the clerk was paying him any mind. And that, he realized, was what was making him so nervous.
No one was watching him. He'd gotten used to the constant scrutiny he was under at school and at home. Teachers constantly watched him to make sure that he was setting the proper example for his schoolmates. His fan club recorded his every movement. Kyou sought out his weaknesses by studying him relentlessly. At home he was watched to see if he was keeping up his reputation as the mouse. Akito, his mother, even Shigure were always watching to see if he slipped. And wherever he went, there were the casual admirers. There were always watching girls (and boys) who blushed at his elegant passage, people who sighed at his unattainable mystery. People who wanted have him, or be him, or at least somehow be near him.
Yuki took his items to the dressing room, feeling the weight of everyone's disregard follow him. He stepped into the dressing room and regarded himself in the mirror. The cap shielded his expressive eyes and hid his hair. The baggy clothes hid his shape. He looked like any boy off the street. He could be anybody. He was nobody. He was completely unrecognizable. He fingered the brim of the cap.
"Yuki-kun looks like an entirely different person!"
Perhaps thats why she'd been paying so much attention to the baka neko lately. He took off the cap and shed his costume quickly. He put on an elegant jewel toned shirt he'd picked out and the simple black pants. He looked at the mirror again. He adjusted the collar of the Chinese styled shirt. It was like a cheap imitation of the clothes he usually wore. He untied his hair and shook it out. He frowned at his image. It was too long, he looked even more 'girlish' then usual. He stepped out the door of the dressing room.
He walked over to one of the three way mirrors to check the fit of the clothes. If he was going to go looking for jobs or apartments in this, he had to be certain it fitted properly. He glanced over his shoulder again. A couple of women who'd been shopping a few racks over had looked up and were whispering to each other. A tell tale blush lit their features. Yuki looked back at the mirror in satisfaction. This would do nicely.
He started back towards the dressing room, glancing around the shop as he went. For a moment his heart leapt into his throat. Ayame! He froze and tried to figure out if his brother had spotted him. Then he felt his blood run cold from embarrassment. That wasn't Ayame, that was him! He was staring at himself on a mirror on one of the columns! At a quick glance, with his longer hair, the resemblance between the two was even more striking. So much so that even he'd been fooled for a minute. He hurried back to the dressing room.
He studied himself in the mirror. His brother's face looked back at him. Yuki was still shorter, and a little less broad in the shoulders...but he looked just like that high school picture of him. He pulled back his hair and tied it back with the ribbon. He wasn't anything like his brother. He took off the clothes and put back on Kyou's. He put the cap back on and carried his purchase towards the register. He glanced around again in the store. The women from before were watching the door to the dressing room waiting for his exit. They hadn't realized he'd already left.
He felt a lift in his spirits, followed almost instantly by plummet. He'd always told himself that he hated the constant attention that he received. That all he wanted to be was like everyone else, on the same level as everyone else. Then why did he care what some women in a store thought of him? Why did he care if people were watching or not? When had he become such an attention seeker? Perhaps he was more like his brother than he realized. He might not be parading around in purple leopard print coats, but he was making sure he drew eyes in his own way. Perhaps Kyou was right when he'd said that it was his hobby to act sexy. He felt like he didn't know who he was anymore. He felt rootless.
He paid for his purchase and left the store quickly. He looked up and down the street. What had he planned to do next? The convenience store...that was it. He hurried down the street, not paying much mind where he was going. The market, pharmacy and convenience store were all on the other side of town.
He started past the park, lost in a haze of plans and recriminating self-study. He paid little mind to the crowd of teenagers playing soccer in the park till a rough shout brought him up short.
"YOU!"
Yuki looked around and saw a small field below the road he was on. A group of boys roughly around his age were gathered in a clump below. He glanced around; they were looking in his direction.
"Yeah! You!" One of the boys shouted. "Little help!" He pointed a little ways ahead of where Yuki was on the path. A familiar black and white ball sat precariously on the edge of the path. Yuki quickly walked over to the ball and picked it up, then looked down at the field. The boy who called for help held his hands up ready to catch it. Feeling a sudden surge of ego, he decided to show these boys what he could do. So what if it might be considered showing off! He bounced the ball off a knee, and then brought back his leg into a mighty kick.
The ball soared over the heads of the waiting teenagers and made a beeline for the goal at the end of the field. It whizzed past the unsuspecting goalie to bounce off the netting. A collective "ooooo" rose up from the boys who had followed the ball's path in awe. Yuki nodded in satisfaction and readjusted the package in his arms. He started back down the path. There were some things he could do.
"Hey! Wait!"
Yuki turned to see that a group of the boys had charged up the hill after him. He turned to face them, carefully adjusting his package to fit under one arm. Remembering Kyou and Tooru's story of the guys from town, he was going to make sure he was prepared to defend himself. He stared at the boys waiting for them to make the first move.
"Hey..." the leader of the pack paused to gasp for breath, the hill had not been a gentle incline, "Hey...that was awesome!" He stood straight and looked eagerly at Yuki, "You gotta play with us!"
Yuki silently released a breath, was that all they wanted? "I'm sorry, I have things I have to do."
"Aw...c'mon! We're a man short, and you'd really be helping us out!" The boy pleaded, he glanced over his shoulder at his teammates. They all nodded and added in their own pleadings. "Please! C'mon we've never been able to beat these guys because we don't have enough players. With you we could finally show those guys what we could do!"
"I'm sorry, but I really don't have time." Yuki said, but couldn't help looking longingly at the ball field. It seemed he was had always been too busy to be really able to join in.
"Whatta bunch of loooooosers!" Caroled one of the boys still on the field. "Gotta pull people off the street to play!"
Yuki glanced at the field. The boys on the field lounged comfortably around, careless in their assumption that the game was theirs no matter what. A couple of them were laughing and sniggering, making comments behind their hands. He looked back at the boys in front of them. The leader looked down his ears burning red. The others just looked defeated. It must have taken a lot to ask a total stranger to play Yuki realized.
"What's your name?" he asked suddenly deciding that he wasn't in such a rush after all. The stores would be open for several more hours, and he had all of tomorrow as well.
"Kazuya." The boy blinked.
Yuki raised his voice so it would carry to the boys below. "Sorry I'm late Kazuya. I had an errand to run." He pitched his voice low, "I'm Yuki."
Kazuya's face lit up. "Awesome!" He punched his fist into the air and wrapped the other around Yuki's shoulder. "Damn!" He shouted, sounding over the top and fake to Yuki's ears. "I thought you were NEVER going to show up!" He tried, and utterly failed, to look sneakily at Yuki, "What position do you play?" He whispered.
"Anything on the offensive." Yuki nearly staggered from Kazuya's slap on the back.
"Great, you play forward!"
The game progressed with Yuki's new teammates proving to be surprisingly competent. They gelled together as a team quickly as boys playing a pickup game can only do. It wasn't long till Kazuya's team had pulled ahead in points due to Yuki's aggressive playing. No one was quite prepared for the slight boy's speed, or his ability to kick so powerfully into the goal from so far back. Only from long practice was Yuki able to keep the satisfied smirk off of his face. The long years of constant sparring with Kyou and constant pressure from the family to be the best had paid off some dividends at least. The other team was no slouch however and they worked fast to close the gap between them in points. Soon they were neck and neck.
"Yay!" Kazuya pumped a fist into the air. "We win!"
The boys from Kazuya's team broke into cheers and Yuki suddenly found himself in the middle of an enthusiastic congratulatory clump. There were backslaps, handshakes and well meaning nudges all coming at once from all directions. Flushed and smiling from victory he found it easy to respond and let himself be carried along by the group's zeal.
This, he thought, is how Kyou must feel when they guys from school gather around him.
As the team broke up to return to waiting homes and dinners, Yuki adjusted his cap and took a moment to rest. He pushed his hair back out of his face. It had fallen out of his hair tie again he noted in annoyance. He slouched forward, resting his hands on his knees and enjoyed the feeling of cold air rushing in and out of his lungs. It was a feeling, he reflected, that only people who had had that ability to breathe taken suddenly away could really savor and appreciate. Hatori would probably be having fits if he knew Yuki was playing outside in this weather. He watched his breath puff into the air. The temperature had dropped again as night started to fall, though it was probably colder here in the valley than it was up on the mountain.
Yuki straightened guiltily at the thought of Kyou and Tooru up in the shack and looked at the sky. It had gotten late while he'd been playing. The stores would be closing soon, and he still hadn't gone to the pharmacy to see if he could find medicine to help Tooru. In his rush to get out of the clothing store earlier, he'd completely forgotten to shop for something for her as well. He hadn't even gotten the one thing this whole trip had been for, the map. He glanced at the animated Kazuya still arguing over finer points of the game with the other captain.
If he left now, he'd still be able to make it to the convenience store before it closed, maybe even the pharmacy. Yuki turned to find his package and continue on his shopping mission. He started to climb the steep grade up to the path.
"Hey, wait up!" Kazuya called, grabbing up his ball. Yuki slowed, but didn't stop eager to be on his way. Other boys passed congratulating Yuki and Kazuya on the win. Yuki nodded graciously accepting without outwardly without qualm, though his stomach was in knots from guilt. What had he been thinking, playing games while Tooru waited for him? They walked in silence for a few minutes, Kazuya idly spinning the ball between his fingers.
"Man," the other said sighing, "That was great, I knew we could win if we only had enough players. Those guys were always ragging on us because they always win. Now they can't say nothin'." He turned to Yuki, "I really appreciate you helping out."
Yuki nodded, "It was no trouble." At least he had the satisfaction of wiping off the sniggering smiles off the other boys team. He'd always hated bullies.
Kazuya looked at the boy beside him out of the corner of his eye speculatively. "Did you just move here?"
Yuki looked up at Kazuya in alarm. He should have realized there would be questions. He was so stupid. Had he been so eager to play just so he could get the admiration of the other boys? Had he put all three of them in danger just because of his vanity? "Ah...no..." He tried to figure how much he could safely say. How much he could say that wouldn't sound suspicious, or lead to Tooru and Kyou safe up on the mountain. "I'm...just visiting in the area."
"Damn." Kazuya sighed explosively. "I was hoping you were transferring into my school. I'm on the soccer team there too."
"Ah..." Yuki knew that Kazuya meant no harm. But if someone was to come looking for he and the others...surely someone would remember the mysterious soccer player? He had to get out of this situation as soon as possible.
"Hey," Kazuya didn't seem to notice that Yuki was on the verge of panic. "Why don't you come to my place for dinner? My family runs a restaurant. I can promise it will be good."
Embarrassingly Yuki's stomach rumbled at the mere mention of food, but he couldn't risk it. Besides, it wouldn't be fair. He couldn't have a good dinner while Kyou and Tooru were still scraping along up on the mountain with the few left over leavings and scraps. "I'm sorry, I really don't have time."
Kazuya looked disappointed, "C'mon man, everyone has to eat."
"I'm sorry," Yuki apologized again. "I have to make it to a few stores before they close."
Unconsciously he'd straightened, and even with his Kyou costume of clothes, had begun to unconsciously exude his prince-like shell of mystery, his 'don't touch me' shield at full force. "But thanks for the offer." He smiled, unaware that it had become icy and cold.
Looking suddenly uncomfortable, Kazuya nodded. "Ok. Uh...Sorry for bothering you." They paused at a branch in the path, "Uh...okay then..." Kazuya started off down the path, he looked back over his shoulder, "Bye."
Yuki nodded, and the other started off. Then as an after though he called to his back, "I had fun playing soccer."
Kazuya turned back and smiled, "We play just about everyday, come on down anytime!" Kazuya waved and looking happier and less uncertain, turned back to the path and began jogging towards home. Yuki had been a strange guy, but a guy who liked soccer couldn't be all bad.
