Author: merrow - G - English - Drama/Romance - Reviews: 38
It was disgustingly romantic, Kyou decided as they walked towards the cherry tree behind the school. There were romantic fluffy white clouds in the romantic blue sky just beginning to get dim and streaky with violet and red in the romantic late winter afternoon. Thank god it was too early for the cherry tree to be blooming. He didn't think he would've been able to handle it if there were romantic cherry petals falling in the breeze. As it was he couldn't look at the girl walking by his side at all. He kept his glare focused on the romantic clouds, the romantic streaks of color in the sky, the romantic flowers just beginning to bud along the side of the road. He really wished he could have had a nice satisfying fight with Yuki before they'd set out. He didn't even care if he would have won or lost it, it might have taken the edge off this horrible feeling churning around in his stomach. He felt as if he'd eaten a bucketful of leeks. Or worse, he'd eaten a bucketful of leeks that had worms and other crawling things mixed in with it. He felt the girl come to a stop and looked up to see the cherry tree looming into view. A figure stood below, leaning against it.
Fujitsima straightened seemed to be unable to stop the happy grin that started to spread across his face. Kyou felt his stomach clench. He realized he had balanced his weight on the balls of his feet and that he was tensing his muscles. He was ready to fight. He was aching for it! And even worse, Fujitsima didn't even seem to notice he was in danger. He didn't even *look* at him! The boy was focused completely on Tooru.
"H-Honda-san!" He said happily. "I wasn't sure if you'd come."
"Oy!" Kyou was sure he was twitching, trying to keep his anger in check. One wrong move and he was going to explode. He knew it was unreasonable, he knew he didn't have any right to be this way. "I-I'll be over here, if you need....anything."
Fujitsima started and suddenly seemed to notice Kyou. "Oh, uh...hi Kyou-kun..." His smile faltered and his eyes flicked between Kyou and Tooru uncertainly.
Kyou grunted, turned and walked over to lean against a tree just barely within earshot. He turned his head as if he was watching the street, but couldn't help but watch the couple (his mind shied away from word) as they talked out of the corner in his eye. He was there to make sure the little weasel didn't do anything, wasn't he? He was supposed to be watching he justified to himself.
Tooru couldn't seem to lift her head. She stared at her shoes. Now that she was here she didn't know what to do.
"Honda-san?" She looked up to see Fujitsima looked at her apprehensively. "Thank you for coming..." He trailed off and ducked his head. Suddenly fidgety he jammed his hands in his pockets and poked a loose pebble with his toe. "I...uh....well." He scratched his nose and glanced over at Kyou who quickly turned his head to make it seem as if he wasn't watching them. Fujitsima seemed to deflate before her eyes. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything..." His shoulders bowed and he kept his eyes on his shoes. He looked so dejected that Tooru's heart went out to him. "I'm sorry I bothered you..."
"Oh, no! Fujitsima-san hasn't bothered me at all. I was glad to come!" Tooru realized as she said it that it was true. Knowing that someone thought she was special, it made her feel good. "I was surprised to get your letters."
"You are?" Fujitsima looked up at her in surprise. He glanced at Kyou again and seemed to come to a decision. He straightened his shoulders and leaned forward earnestly. "Look...just tell me straight out. Is Kyou-kun your boyfriend?" He bit his lip and looked like he was waiting to be struck.
Tooru blinked in surprise and her flash flushed a sudden bright red. "K-kyou-kun?" She shook her head emphatically side to side, clutching her bag to her chest, "N-no! Kyou-kun is just a friend! Hana-chan and Uo-chan were worried about me. Since Uo-chan had her part-time job and Yuki-kun had a student meeting and Hana-chan had to look after Megumi, it was decided the Kyou would come along to make sure everything was ok." Aware of how that sounded Tooru began to panic, "A~ah! Not that Fujitsima-san is untrustworthy! We didn't think that at all, its just that we don't know Fujitsima-san. It isn't that we were doubting you! Mother said it's rude to doubt people-"
Fujitsima interrupted her with a laugh. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh." He smiled widely at Tooru. "Honda-san just looks so cute when she's worried."
Tooru was surprised at the sincerity and openness in Fujitsima's smile. She couldn't help but respond to a smile like that. Fujitsima, she thought, isn't a person who holds things back. Then his words sunk in. "A~ah, no, no, I'm not cute at all!"
"Are you doubting me again?" He teased lightly. He held up a hand to forestall her inevitable protest, "Sorry, Sorry. I don't mean to tease. I'm just very relived. I thought, after this morning...and then seeing him here...that maybe I misunderstood your relationship with Kyou-kun." He smiled and ducked his head, suddenly nervous again. "I, uh, I know you don't even really know me or anything...but I wanted to tell you..." He looked up at her and took a deep breath, "That I like you, I really, really like you." He straightened his shoulders, took another breath and finished in a rush, "AndIwasthinkingmaybewecouldgooutonadatesometime?"
"Eh?" Tooru couldn't have heard what she thought she heard.
Fujitsima sighed, and smiled again and repeated slowly, "I was thinking maybe we could go out on a date sometime?" He looked down again, his own face glowing. "I, uh....well, next Saturday is Valentine's Day....and I thought maybe...well that we could...um....maybe if you wanted too..." He looked up suddenly worried, "Not that you have to! Don't feel obligated! I mean, I want you to go because you want to, not because you feel sorry for me or anything. Not that you would, but if you did, I wouldn't want you to feel that you had to..." He looked down at the ground and his shoulders slumped. He scratched the back of his head, "Oh, darn it, I'm no good at this kind of thing."
"Fujitsima-san," Tooru said gently. "I-I have to ask permission, but...if I can....I would like to go on a date with Fujitsima-san."
Kyou stared at the ground all the nervous energy from before suddenly draining out of him. He felt as if he was going to melt into a puddle right there. He should have learned from before...that listening in never lead to learning anything good. He didn't understand Shigure's interest in peeping. If this is what it got you, why bother?
"Oy."
Tooru and Fujitsima continued to stare at each other with silly smiles and brightly glowing cheeks.
Kyou cleared his throat loudly, "Oy!" he said mustering what energy he could. "You...You're going to be late for your part time."
"A~ah!" Tooru looked down at her watch. "Is it that late already? Sorry, Fujitsima-san! I have to go!" Tooru ran in panic down the street not even giving him a chance to answer.
Kyou and Fujitsima watched her go. The orange haired boy sighed and turned to go, turning towards Shigure's house rather than the dojo. Suddenly he didn't feel like working out today.
"Um...Kyou-kun..." Kyou looked up in surprise at Fujitsima. He'd forgotten that the other boy was there. "Sorry, sorry. I don't want to bother you..." Fujitsima swallowed nervously. He still remembered Kyou's angry face this morning, and how strong his hand was on his shoulder. "You're really good friends with Honda-san right?"
"Un." The other agreed in surprised.
"I, uh, just wanted you to know, that I really like Honda-san. And I wouldn't hurt her in any way." He ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Jeeze, I know this sounds strange. But, uh, I can tell that you and the others watch over her and I just wanted you to know." Seeming to come to a decision Fujitsima held out a hand, "I want to become friends with Honda-san. I hope we can become friends too!" He smiled at Kyou.
Bemused, Kyou shook his hand noting that though his grip was firm it had no real strength behind it. He felt bowled over by the boy's smile. It was so...so...*honest*. "Ah, un."
"Ja! Okay then, see you at school tomorrow Kyou-kun!" Fujitsima waved a careless hand as he ran down the street.
Kyou watched him till he was out of sight. Turning with a sudden vengeance he punched out at the tree. He punched it again and again, reveling in hearing the bark crunch and the branches creak. Splinters of wood dug into his knuckles and he felt blood trickling between his fingers. Finally exhausted he leaned against the tree his forehead resting against the rough bark. Gasping for breath he closed his eyes and ground his forehead against the bark. Why? Why? Why couldn't Fujitsima be someone awful, someone despicable? Why did he have to be so *nice*? Damn him.
