Thursday afternoon dawned upon the Cultural Festival and whirled the whole school into another episode of busy preparation. The Founding Ceremony which included the class plays would finally be taking place tomorrow, marking the climax of the festivities. The classes participating in the presentations took turns in preparing their props and backdrops on the back of the stage of the auditorium. They were also given ample time to have a short stage rehearsal. After waiting anxiously for a couple of hours, Ayase Mami finally received the text message from the head of the Executive committee informing her that their class may start to use the auditorium.
In under five minutes, the class was divided into two groups, one faction to work on the stage preparations and another to stay in the classroom and man the cafe. All the reserve manpower was left with the class booth with the exception of the members of the cast, the stage directors and the backstage troupe. Most of the people who worked on the costumes stayed behind, grumbling a little in protest. They also wanted to take part in the preparation for the play.
"It can't be helped..." Miyako told them. "After all, we can't leave the class cafe unattended.
After the complainants were well-pacified, the troupe of Class 1-2, under Ayase Mami's leadership, went on a headstart with the set up of their backdrops and proper placement of the props. The cast lent their help to further quicken the pace of the preparations.
"Over there, over there!"
"A bit more on the left!"
"Too long, pin the excess cloth behind... Okay, that looks better..."
The stage directors were busy shouting instructions here and there while Mami made sure that the overall feel of each background looks satisfying. Ryoma and Ryouko lent them a hand every now and then but as the backstage people already have a certain grasp on the tasks at hand, they often got in the way instead. Thus, they decided to just stand aside and observe.
"Preparing for a stage presentation sure is exhausting..." Ryouko commented as she watch her classmates flit onstage and backstage like worker bees.
"All this work just for a forty-five minute play..." Ryoma added. "I don't envy people working in this kind of industry at all. I'll just stick with tennis."
Ryouko nodded in agreement. "Indeed..." she mused aloud. "Tomorrow might be more hectic. Imagine changing backdrops within thirty seconds. If anyone panics, there's bound to be mistakes made somewhere."
"No need to worry about that..." Mami suddenly said as she approached them with a confident smile on her face. "Everyone's got the scenarios of the play memorized and we only have five backdrop changes throughout the whole play. For a few consecutive scenes, we don't even have to change the background. Everything's nice and organized," she told them.
"Impressive work," Ryouko said with a simper.
Mami beamed and lifted her chin. "Well... For someone like me aspiring to be a director and screenwriter someday, this should be a piece of cake."
"Oh... So you want to be a director someday. That explains why you're so ecstatic about things like these," Ryoma remarked.
Mami winked cheekily. "Small school presentations can be the baby steps to my dream. I've read in countless magazines that directors and producers who became successful in their career always said that you ought to start young with passion."
"In my opinion, no matter what kind of industry it may be, one has the advantage if they started out young and passionate. Just take care that the passion won't burn out too soon," Ryouko commented, thinking of herself and tennis. She had been playing tennis all her life and she's definitely passionate over it. Upon looking at Mami, she began to ponder whether her friend's desire to be a director and her own desire to be a pro tennis player in the future are the same.
Meanwhile, the same kind of thoughts were running in Ryoma's mind. His Dad is a pro tennis player and he can see himself becoming one. However, he thinks that he's too young to assume. Ifever a different career interests him in the future, he wondered what would happen. But as for what the future holds, no one really knows. Humans can only do their best and wait patiently as their life unfolds in front of them.
"Excuse me, Ryouko-san," one of their classmates said politely as she went by Ryouko with a box at hand.
"Oh, sorry..." Ryouko said as she realized that she's blocking the way. She took a sidestep and bumped arm to arm with Ryoma in the process. She automatically swerved her neck towards his direction and met eye to eye with him.
They blinked as they stared at each other for a few seconds then they beamed a light smile on their faces. In the span of the several hours that ran between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, Fujioka Ryouko and Echizen Ryoma finally ended their week-long fight and series of misunderstandings. Strangely enough, Fujioka Hotaru was the reason why they were able to make up.
"He must be in the plane by now, don't you think?" Ryoma suddenly said.
Ryouko lifted the lace collar of her sleeve and read the time on her wristwatch. She nodded. "He must be en route on the flight back to England. It'll be a long flight; I hope he won't be too exhausted. I told him to give me a call once he's settled back in the hospital."
Ryoma nodded solemnly. "He's been a trouble but I guess you'll see his good points after you get to know him a bit. I've spent time with him during grade school with you and Ichidou, but only after last night did I really start to see him for who he is."
"Hotaru's a nice boy. He just have his difficulties," Ryouko told him.
As they turned their attention back to the preparations onstage, Ryoma reminisced on the events that happened last night. After Hotaru crashed the final round of the Seishun pageant, Ryouko had dragged the both of them down the stage.
The three of them found a deserted area at the back of the main school building and Ryouko held the interrogation there. Ryoma was cursing under his breath and still thought that he shouldn't have been brought by Ryouko just to be a deadweight and watch in the sealing of Fujioka Hotaru's fate. He could feel sweat running down his back due to the hot lights of the stage where they danced earlier. With heat and sweat mixed with the cold air of the early autumn night, he began feeling icky. He wanted to change out of the clothes as soon as possible. He watched as the cousins conversed and tapped his foot impatiently, willing for Ryouko's scolding to be nice and short.
As much as Hotaru tried to cover up the facts by telling white lies and sugarcoating his words, Ryouko is shrewd enough to read between the lines and decipher exactly what it is that her cousin did.
"And the clothes?" Ryouko queried, pointing at the outfit that her cousin is wearing.
"Borrowed it," Hotaru answered, lying through the skin of his teeth and pouting his pink lips.
"I doubt that. I recognize that outfit. Someone from our class is wearing that today," Ryoma commented matter-of-factly, his arms crossed over his chest as he overlooked the conversation from the side.
Hotaru turned to him with narrowed eyes. "No one asked for your opinion, thank you very much," he snarled.
Ryoma smirked in response. He uncrossed his arms and pointed at Hotaru with a forefinger before enclosing his hand in a fist with the thumb poking out. He then slid the thumb across his neck as if saying 'You are dead meat'.
"Why, I oughta..." Hotaru said in a threatening tone. He looked ready to march towards Ryoma and shove a fist up his nose but Ryouko stepped in between them and stopped the ruckus.
"Break it up," Ryouko said in irritation and turned to Hotaru again. "How about the clothes you were originally wearing?" she asked him.
Hotaru merely shrugged. "Somebody stole them?" he said, ending the phrase in a rising intonation. He then flashed Ryouko a big cheery smile.
Ryouko sighed. "I don't exactly know who it is you assaulted and stole clothes from but you're gonna apologize to the victim tomorrow; make no mistake about that," she said firmly, holding up a threatening finger towards her cousin.
"But I didn't do nothing..." Hotaru whined, still keeping up his futile defense.
Ryouko is unconvinced and she reprimanded Hotaru for another five minutes with Ryoma watching and smirking in satisfaction. Hotaru threw him a dirty look every now and then but nevertheless acted the role of the repentant little boy to pacify his cousin.
Ryouko gave a final huff as she exhausted her breath and narrowed her eyes at the sullen-eyed Hotaru. "I'm stepping out to give Licht a call and have him pick us up. My phone is in my bag so I have to go back to get it. And so, for goodness' sake, just keep still and behave accordingly until I return," she told her cousin.
She passed by Ryoma and purposefully placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please look after him while I'm gone. I promise I won't be long," she told him. Ryoma opened his mouth to blurt out an objection but Ryouko had turned back to her cousin and said, "He's in charge. Keep one toe out of line and..." she purposely cut off her words, made a fist with her right hand with the thumb poking out and slid the nail of her thumb on the skin of her neck like what Ryoma did earlier.
Ryoma therefore just scratched his forehead and let her go. A few minutes alone with Fujioka Hotaru won't kill him anyway. He might as well lend Ryouko some help in handling this little troublemaker and also cool off a bit before changing out of the prince outfit.
Hotaru was still pouting until Ryouko reached the edge of the building. As soon as she was out of sight, he ironed his face and turned his gray eyes to Ryoma.
Cold air blew as the two boys looked at each other squarely and Ryoma felt a heavy pressure curtain around them.
"Yo," Hotaru said with an icy tone and placed a hand inside the pocket of the trousers he is wearing. "Long time no see..."
Ryoma raised an eyebrow. "Long time indeed... I don't expect you to be glad to meet me again, and you can say the same for me," he responded.
A smile played on the side of Hotaru's lips. "Now don't say that... Let's say I'm a bit, just very very slightly pleased to see you again."
"Flimsy liar..." Ryoma retorted.
Hotaru frowned and looked serious. It wasn't the first time that Ryoma called him a flimsy liar. It brought back some ugly memories that left a bitter after-taste at the back of Hotaru's throat. "I may be a flimsy liar but at least I'm not being a persistent little pest. Haven't you done enough damage to Ryouko before? Why are you hanging around her again? To cause another disaster?"
Ryoma clenched his right hand into a fist. He's hot and tired and he really wanted to avoid a verbal fall-out with Fujioka Hotaru but it can't be helped if the latter's asking for it.
"I'm not hanging around Ryouko; we're hanging around each other. We're the best of friends then, we are still now and there's nothing you can do about that. If hanging around each other brings upon a disaster, then so be it. I'm not the same weak child as I was four years ago. I can protect her now," he said firmly.
Hotaru laughed through his nose. "Protect Ryouko? You? When you're the one who caused the accident and harmed her?" He saw Ryoma's shoulders stiffen as he mentioned the incident four years ago. Of course he wouldn't be over it. He shouldn't dare get over it when Ryouko's not even done dealing with the aftermath. "Now that I'm here, I won't ever let you forget it," Hotaru declared in his mind.
Ryoma just stayed silent and thus Hotaru continued. He crossed his arms over his chest and bored an ice-cold glare at Ryoma. "Do you have any idea what Ryouko had to go through? And it was all the fault of your childish stubbornness! You call yourself her friend when you couldn't even forgive a small blunder. How? Tell me ei? Just how do you still have the nerve to stick around Ryouko after all the things that happened?"
Ryoma returned Hotaru's gaze squarely. If it was him for before, the words would have provoked him. "But I'm different now from who I was a week ago..." Ryoma told himself. Hotaru was a bit taken aback at the calmness on the surface of his golden-bronze pupils.
A second later, Ryoma opened his mouth. "The past is gone. Nothing can be done to change anything that ever happened. I had my share in that tragedy, perhaps the biggest one, and no amount of apology can reverse that. But if I let myself and Ryouko be hurt more because of a past we can't reverse, then I'll really be at fault. Ryouko doesn't want me to think of the past; she doesn't want anyone to hurt from it thus, the only thing I can do is move on. Move on and learn from mistakes so it wouldn't happen again. Ichidou is moving on. Ryouko is moving on. Now it's my turn." He looked at Hotaru with such conviction in his eyes that the latter became intimidated.
Hotaru may have been a child back then but he was aware of what he was doing when he verbally shifted all the blame to Ryoma. As much as Hotaru was devastated to hear about the accident that happened to his cousin, there was a small part of himself that wanted to use that to his advantage.
Ichidou and Ryoma were the two closest people to Ryouko, and in Hotaru's eyes, they were dearer to her than any of the other cousins and him combined. But those two were the main people at fault that such a disaster fell upon her. Wouldn't she dislike them then? And if she dislikes them, wouldn't that be a chance for him to take their place? Not Ryoma, not Ichidou but he, Hotaru, by Ryouko's side always...
Driven by anger and childish jealousy, he harmed ichidou and Ryoma's minds further with words that cut like a knife. He made them think that they caused the accident and feel the blame and responsibility over what happened to Ryouko afterwards.
And then Ryoma was gone. Too guilty to face her, Ichidou avoided Ryouko on purpose after she went berserk in his birthday party. When she was sent to England, it took some time for Ichidou to get a hold of himself and run back to her side. He could only keep Ryouko company for one season of the next two years to come. He was only given permission to live under the same roof as Ryouko three years after her exile to London.
When Ryouko was sent to England, Hotaru had mixed feelings. He felt bad for her but deep inside his young mind was a thought too vicious to be said aloud. He thought that it would be best that Ryouko was kept locked up. He knew how lonely it is to be isolated from others and letting Ryouko experience the same kind of life is extremely mean, however, once she's locked up, she would be the same as him. Under constant surveillance, couldn't get out, feeling like an invalid... She had always been the one who understood him most, but if she experiences the same things that he did, she would understand him even better.
And who was it that kept Ryouko company the most during the lonely days in that huge and empty mansion? It was him, Fujioka Hotaru. Having nothing to do after her lessons and tennis training were over, Hotaru often invited Ryouko to visit him in the hospital as an excuse to go out of the big and gloomy house. On days that he was not well enough to receive any visitors, they talked in the phone. There was not a day that passed by that he and Ryouko missed conversing with each other via video call.
The other cousins couldn't do the same for they were too busy with studies and dealing with the annoying expectations of the clan elders. The family had never expected anything from Hotaru. They didn't even expect for his health to get better. He had all the time in the world to focus on only one person and himself.
Ryouko told him that she was glad that he was there for her. Hotaru had always wanted to monopolize her attention and in those four years, he finally got it. He was happy everyday because she can keep him company even though he knew that she's suffering in isolation inside the mansion and kept like a canary bird, devoid of freedom. Hotaru pushed down the guilt he constantly felt, burying it under the enjoyment of Ryouko's company and he deluded himself that Ryouko does not mind the kind of life she currently leads.
Until finally, he saw crystal clear what is inside her heart... The canary bird let herself out of the cage. Ryouko went and downright disobeyed the clan leaders to live in Japan and continue her studies in the school of her choice.
Hotaru was shocked and at the same time heartbroken. Unlike him, she is physically capable of breaking out of isolation. She saw the opportunity to escape, thus she spread her wings and flew out; something that Hotaru, with his broken wings, cannot possibly do. She didn't even tell him that she was leaving. But what hurt more was not the fact that she left, but the realization that his company can never be enough for her and that he would once again be left alone without anyone by his side.
For the past months, Hotaru worked hard to be healthy enough to get permission to fly to Japan and chase after Ryouko. Perhaps he can convince her to return to England. He knew that no matter where Ryouko runs or hides, her blood ties with the Fujioka clan can never be severed. No matter how much she tries to struggle, if the clan leaders wish to tie her up again, they are more than capable of doing so. She can choose either the easy way or the hard way. He went to Japan with the purpose to persuade her to choose the easy way so she won't get hurt. But now he had to see that Echizen Ryoma is beside her in Japan and perhaps he's the reason why Ryouko does not have the intention of going back.
The conviction in Ryoma's eyes made Hotaru recall every single one of the thoughts he had been dreading to face. He became enraged all of a sudden. "Ryouko doesn't need you. She was living fine for four years even though you weren't there!" he exclaimed, his pale hands clenched into fists.
Ryoma frowned and forgot to deal with the situation calmly after hearing Hotaru's remark. He felt sorry for Ryouko but it is inevitable to avoid a fight. Even as little tots, he and Hotaru just could not see eye to eye.
"Ryouko was not living fine for those four years. She was lonely; like you were. As someone who personally knows the pain of being left alone, how can you say that she was living fine?" he said with an obstinate tone.
Hotaru flinched. His bit his lower lip and strengthened the glare in his eyes.
"Yes, she was lonely. No matter how much we," he paused, "I..." he corrected himself. "No matter how much I tried to make the loneliness disappear, it wasn't enough. Ryouko is a very wild-spirited person. I knew that she's never cut out for a quiet life like the one I lead, just doing what the family tells me to. But that does not have anything to do with you, does it? During those years she was suffering from solitude, I'm pretty sure you lived through every day without a care in the world. Did Ryouko cross your mind everyday? I doubt it. But to her, you did. Everyday she thought of you and it made me sick. Why does she have to care for someone who can never do anything for her, I couldn't understand."
Ryoma blinked a few times for the words to register in his brain. "She thought of me everyday?" he repeated, looking at Hotaru for confirmation.
Hotaru bit down on his lower lip and scolded himself. He said a word too many. But indeed, it was the truth that Echizen Ryoma was not even a moment erased from Ryouko's mind. A quarter of the time they talked, Ryouko would bring him up. What's he doing at the moment, how his day might be, whether he's still playing tennis, how strong he might have become, whether he is training to participate in the Grand Slam someday...
Ryouko often talked of her anticipation of the time she would meet her old friend again, maybe years in the future, maybe even as opponents in the tennis court. Thus, Hotaru couldn't get over his resentment towards Ryoma over the years. He may be the person beside Ryouko but her mind is with someone else. He succeeded in replacing Ichidou and Ryoma physically as the person closest to Ryouko but he failed at the same time. But that doesn't mean that he cannot try again.
"You didn't answer my question. Did you or did you not think of her the same way she thought of you? Be honest. I may not know you well but I already know the answer. You avoided her, didn't you? Both you and Ichi... Even in your thoughts, you avoided her," Hotaru told him.
Ryoma looked down for a second and tightened his clenched fist. "I won't deny anything. I didn't think of her. Sometimes I did, but I usually pulled her down. I kept her in mind as a childhood friend, one whom perhaps I would never see again. There's no point in thinking of a person you would never see again, is there?"
By the corner of the school building, a dark silhouette lurked. She's a little intimidated to interrupt the heated conversation and thus, she stayed where they couldn't see her and heard a word too many.
'No point in thinking of a person you would never see again.' Harsh but true. However, she believed that he didn't see her as only a person passing by in his life as an acquaintance. No, their friendship was more than that. But even she had thoughts that they might not see each other again; it won't be strange for him to think the same.
Thinking about it, he might have not wanted to see her again. Who would want to face the cause of a trauma? He became better after she left. He resumed a normal life and doesn't have to worry when a thuderstorm comes. He can sleep peacefully in his bed and even watch as the storm rage on until it fades.
But to Ryouko, he was one of the things she clung onto to find hope and strength to bring back her freedom. Tennis and Echizen Ryoma... Once she gets out of her family's burdensome protection, she would be able to pursue both. She had come that far with only those two in mind.
Hotaru is not even close to Ryoma but he guessed his line of thinking. As the person who knew Ryoma the most, there's no reason why Ryouko wouldn't be able to do that as well. Interacting with Ryoma for the past months in Seishun Academy, she knew he didn't think of her during their separation. She found it bit unfair for herself, but Ryoma was not under an obligation to think of her or anything. He has a life of his own and it does not revolve on her only. It's her own fault for having expectations. Nowadays, she even had a thought that perhaps he might have even forgotten about her if their meeting have been delayed for several more years. But knowing a thing and hearing it from the person himself are different. It hurts more when put into words.
She placed a hand over the left side of her chest and her eyes faltered. "So this is what it feels for expectations to be shattered... It stings a lot..." she whispered under her breath.
Blinking back the moisture from her eyes, she decided that she should just go ahead to the school gate and meet Licht there, then she can send her butler to get Hotaru. She's not feeling too confident looking at anyone at the moment. She took a step forward and was about to leave when Ryoma continued.
"But I'm here now, aren't I?" Ryoma said, making Ryouko halt in midstep. "I'm here, and she's here, and we met again. I was surprised to see her so soon but I was pleased. Even if it meant that I had to deal with her annoying cousins again, it's alright. She's not living in solitude anymore either and I won't let her go back to that kind of life. I'm not a person who lives for the past; I live for the present and I'm sure Ryouko is like that too. And I'll help her live like that, to atone for those years that I didn't think of her," he added.
Ryouko leaned back onto the wall and peeked sidewards at the two boys. She wanted to see what kind of expression Ryoma has on his face at that instant. As she saw the brownze-gold eyes looking gentle but determined and the ligering light smile on his lips, Ryouko smiled. How foolish for her to doubt him for moment. Sure it feels quite bitter to know and hear that he put her out of his mind for four years but who cares? Like Ryoma said, she's a person who lives for the present, not the past.
Her gaze shifted to her cousin and the smile in her lips disappeared. "Hotaru... It's time for you to stop living for the past as well..." she murmured, worry etched in her brow. Thinking that Ryoma's words might be beneficial to her cousin, she decided to let the conversation continue and listened in attentively.
Hotaru gave a huff. "So what are you saying? That you want to take responsibility or something? Don't make me laugh," he told Ryoma.
Ryoma countered Hotaru's mocking tone calmly. "I don't know about taking responsibility or any of that complicated sort. I care for Ryouko thus I want to be of help to her in any way that I can. I'm a part of her life as much as she's a part of mine. No one can change that, not even you nor your clan elders." He paused and scratched his chin sheepishly with one forefinger. "I did pick a fight with her last week even though it was her who was suffering. I was selfish. I only listened to myself and didn't bother asking Ryouko about her opinion. It took a while for me to realize that but it's worth it. From now on, I think I would be able to understand her better."
"Big words..." Hotaru commented, rolling his eyes. "But what can words do?"
"Quite a lot..." Ryoma answered. "You're the one who taught me that," he added.
Hotaru flinched. "What do you mean?" he asked, his tone edgy.
"You know exactly what I mean," Ryoma replied. "Even to this day, I can still hear your words clearly. 'It's all your fault. You don't deserve to be Ryouko's friend. Get lost.' I could understand why you can say such things to me back then but to your cousin Ichidou... That was uncalled for. You really scarred him."
"He deserved it," Hotaru snapped and pointed an accusing finger at Ryoma. "You deserved it as well," he added, his tone obstinate. "I didn't say anything wrong back then."
Ryoma nodded his head solemnly and seemed to be deep in thought. "Thinking about it, there was an unsettled
business between the two of us even before the accident even happened. Those pranks, the needles and thumb tacks... I didn't do anything of the sort for you to be that hostile towards me. Why'd you do it?"
"I already answered that question years ago. It's because you don't deserve to be Ryouko's friend," Hotaru said.
Unexpectedly, someone else replied to his statement. "And who are you to decide who does and does not deserve to be my friend, Fujioka Hotaru?" a voice suddenly said from the side which instantly sent the hairs on the back of Hotaru's neck standing straight.
"It can't be..." he thought and slowly turned his head to the direction of the voice. Indeed, Ryouko stood there, one hand rested on the corner of the wall from where she stepped out from.
Hearing that Hotaru played those dangerous pranks on Ryoma during grade school, she couldn't not show herself. She felt the eerie vibe between Ryoma and Hotaru when they were kids but she didn't think it was that bad. Turning her rust-colored eyes towards her cousin, she took a step towards him. "Is that true? Were you really the one who placed those needles in the stuffed toy? The thumb tacks in Ryoma's shoe, you put them there?"
Hotaru blinked a few times as his gray eyes faltered. His gaze travelled everywhere but nowhere near Ryouko's face. He swallowed in nervousness. "That... I'm not... I mean..." he stammered.
"Why would you do that? We were seven. How can a seven-year-old..." Ryouko said and cut the words off in her disbelief.
Ryouko suddenly went silent and Ryoma looked at one cousin to another, suddenly feeling guilty that he accidentally made Hotaru be found out. It was such a long time ago and even though Hotaru didn't apologize, he had already let go of the matter. After all, they were kids back then. He was so into the heated conversation between him and Hotaru that he unconsciously dug up the matter.
Anxious by Ryouko's sudden silence, Hotaru finally lifted his eyes to her face. The sight that greeted him made his gray eyes widen and falter. The accusing glint in her rust-colored pupils, the disbelief in her facial expression... The person he held dearest to his heart, finally learning his true colors... Biting his lower lip, Hotaru stepped back and ran away.
Flustered by her cousin's sudden escape, Ryouko called out. "Hotaru, wait!" She began to chase after him.
Ryoma was surprised at how things turned out and couldn't help feeling responsible. He lifted a hand to his head and ruffled his hair with a strangled groan of distress and exasperation. He followed Ryouko after being idle for a couple of seconds.
A few minutes later, he caught up to her and found himself in the men's toilet. Ryouko is banging on the door of the utility closet. It seemed like Hotaru has locked himself inside and used a mop to keep the doors shut.
"Come out, Hotaru. I just want to talk. I must have frightened you and I'm sorry. Just come out so we can talk. Please," she said as she rapped her knuckles on the door of the closet.
"What use is talking?" Hotaru replied with wavering voice. "You just want to verify whether I was the one who bullied your Ryoma before, right? Yes, it was me. So what about it? You hate me now? It's repulsing for a child that age to harbor evil thoughts but I did. That's who I am. Now that you found out, go ahead and hate me."
Ryouko stopped her knocking and Ryoma saw her frown. "Fujioka Hotaru! Don't be such a baby! Do you really think that I didn't know about your real self? I've always known that you're not the nice, shy, easy-going guy that you pretend to be. You're hard-headed and spoiled and loved to complain. Your maids and caretakers change once every half year because they can't stand your irritable personality. You always found fault with everything and you blame everyone for not giving you enough attention. I'm not so dumb to not know how you behave towards others. But you've always behaved differently towards me, acting adorable and sweet-tempered. I thought it was cute and didn't bother with it much but that's enough whining from you. Do you really think that I would hate you because you're not the angel you pretend to be? I'm mad at you, yes, but not enough to hate you. You were the only person who gave me your sole attention and time when I was alone in London. I liked you for who you are; not just the sweet angel you make me see but even the two-faced self you hate so much."
There was silence after her long narration which sounded like a thorough scolding despite the kind words mixed in. Ryoma looked at the half-reprimanding, half-irritated look on her face and couldn't help smiling.
After a few seconds, Fujioka Hotaru finally spoke. "Is that true? You don't mind that I'm not sweet-tempered? You don't mind even if I'm an overbearing spoiled brat? You don't think I'm repulsing?"
"Why would I find you repulsing? All Fujioka children were raised in luxury and in one way or another, we're all spoiled. Scheming and playing pranks were wrong and you really did terrible things to my best friend but it already happened and we can't reverse that. Thankfully, Ryoma wasn't hurt badly. It's not as if you can't outgrow your wrong behavior and a sincere apology can patch things up. Ryoma's not so heartless to not forgive such a long gone incident," she said and casted a meaningful glance at Ryoma who was standing not far from her.
Ryoma made a face and Ryouko couldn't help giving an amused smile. She turned back to the utility closet, her eyes softening. "You're my cousin, my cute and fluffy little brother. It's such a shame you grew too tall. I really liked it when I was taller than you were. It really felt like I'm older even though we're the same age," Ryouko said. She rapped twice on the closet door again and continued persuading her cousin to come out.
"Now quit that pathetic whining and get out of there. Just so you know, that's where they keep the plunger," she told him.
"What plunger?" Hotaru replied with a distracted tone.
"Toilet plunger. The thing used to unclog-" Before she was even finished, the closet door banged open and she was just narrowly missed being slammed in the face.
Fujioka Hotaru flew out of the utility closet, hopping and screaming. "Ew! No! Nasty! Disgusting!" he yelped as he took off the jacket of Jun's medieval outfit and started dusting his whole body like crazy.
He then saw Ryouko looking at him with an amused air. There were traces of moisture on the corners of his eyes which blatantly revealed that he had been crying. Seeing his cousin, the tears leaked out from his eyes and he ran and hugged her.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... I did wrong; I thought wrong. I thought that it was a good thing that you were locked up like me. All I thought about was myself. I'm so sorry I'm selfish," he cried, his face buried on her shoulder.
Ryouko lifted her hand and gave his back a gentle pat. "It's okay, Hotaru. Everyone has the tendency to be selfish. It's not just you so don't be too hard on yourself," she said in a gentle tone.
"Really?" Hotaru asked eagerly.
Ryouko nodded her head. "Really..."
Hotaru closed his eyes and hugged Ryouko tighter. Ryouko really is... the sunlight of his life. Her words showered him with such understanding, such gentleness, that his hatred for himself is slowly melting away. How can he be so stupid. All those years, he had shifted the blame to other people not relizing that the real person he hates is himself.
He thought he hated Ichidou and Ryoma for being closer to Ryouko but the truth is he had hated himself for not being strong enough to play with them. He thought he hated his parents for giving him such a weak body but what he really hated is his incapability of being an excellent son to them. He thought that he hated his siblings because they can enjoy the kind of life that he might never experience but the truth is he wanted to be strong enough to go to school with them, talk with them, enjoy life as their brother. What he hated is himself and his weak body and mind who envies all people capable of living the simple life that he coveted.
He began to see himself as a selfish being full of envy and resentment, such an ugly monster that no one would be able to like. No one, except for Ryouko. Because she had never turned away from him and always tried cheering him up no matter how gloomy he was being, he thought that she's different. He didn't care whether it was only because she pitied him or because she's just generally good-natured. What's important is that there is a person from whom he can hide the real monstrous him. He can act perfect in front of her and she'd like him always. Because he sought solace in Ryouko and her company and because he saw the opportunity for her to live in the darkness, he deluded himself that she can be his own light. In Ryouko's words, he was able to realize what had kept him in pain and loneliness all his life.
Ryouko glanced at her cousin sidewards and attempted to lift her hand to his head to ruffle the cream-white locks affectionately but she couldn't raise her arm. Hotaru continued to cry quietly and tightened his embrace once again. Ryouko gave a small strangled yelp as the air was squeezed out of her chest. She clawed at Hotaru's clothes. "Hota-ru... Choking... Not breathing..." she stuttered with a strained voice.
Hotaru was deaf to her words but thankfully, Ryoma went to her rescue. With a firm grip each on Ryouko's shoulder and Hotaru's head, he separated the two. "Any tighter, she'll be a goner," he said and beamed a fake smile at Hotaru's tearstained face.
Hotaru blinked in confusion for a second and realized how tight he had been holding his cousin. "Oh," he said and let go of her. "Sorry. I got bit..." he lifted a sleeve to his eyes and gave them a rub, "...carried away..." he continued. He gave a sniff.
Ryouko reached out and rubbed his shoulder with good-natured affection. "It's okay. Come. I have to change out of this costume first and fetch my things then we can proceed to the gates. Licht might already be there waiting for us. You can calm yourself while waiting for me."
The three of them went to the room where the drama club's costumes were prepared for the pageant and found that the school was almost deserted. The few students left were also beginning to pack up and go home.
Ryoma had finished changing first and went to the corridor where Hotaru waited. When he and Hotaru locked eyes, the latter sheepishly looked down and shifted to make space for Ryoma to stand next to him. Ryoma obligingly stood on the space Hotaru provided and leaned his back on the closed glass pane behind him.
Silence enveloped the two of them until Hotaru spoke. "I'm sorry," he said.
"What was that?" Ryoma said, pretending to not hear.
A look of irritation passed by Hotaru's gray pupils but he caught himself. To wipe his slate clean and start over, he has to deliver a sincere apology. "I said 'I'm sorry'," he said with a much louder and clearer voice but he was unable to hide the slightly irked tone in his 'sincere' apology. "I shouldn't have secretly bullied you. And I shouldn't have gone overboard with the bullying and tried to hurt you with needles and stuff. I knew I was being mean and I was nervous the whole time; I only want to scare you a bit so you won't play with Ryouko and Ichi anymore since the accidents only happen when you're with Fujioka children. The day I dropped thumb tacks on your sneakers, I changed my mind and went back to take them out. But you've already gone and I thought..." he faltered and his words faded. "The next morning, you were limping. I kept looking at your feet not because I realized that you were limping on the wrong foot but because I was trying to assess how hurt you were. I didn't even remember on which sneaker I was able to drop the thumb tacks because I did it in hurry. But then you figured it all out and I thought you were going to tell Ryouko about what I did. I panicked and I decided to scare you with words instead. I was stupid."
Ryoma listened in silence and nodded solemnly after Hotaru had finished. "I see..." he said. He straightened up and turned to Hotaru. "In that case, I'm also sorry. I really thought you just enjoyed tormenting me because you envied and disliked me like Ryouko's other cousins." He held up a hand towards Hotaru. "That makes it quits for both of us."
Hotaru looked at Ryoma and hesitated at first to take the handshake. Ryoma saw through his hesitation and decided to help him out by grabbing his hand. He shook Hotaru's pale hand in his mildly tanned one. "Peace then," Ryoma said.
"Peace," Hotaru repeated and surrendered himself to the handshake. When Ryoma had let go of his hand, silence settled between them again as they casually leaned their backs on the cold wall. "Say..." Hotaru said. "If I wasn't so mean back then, do you think we could've been friends?" he added with a hint of uncertainty in his tone.
Ryoma casted him a side glance. He realize now why Ryouko seem to care more about Fujioka Hotaru compared to her other cousins. What a pure person, confused by his own circumstances, starved from normal interpersonal relationships and turned gloomy and dark due to his own loneliness. People like him does not open up their heart easily to others and those around him would have to take the initiative to get closer to him. But people in the Fujioka clan were never showy of their feelings. Hotaru's family must care for him but they didn't know how to approach him. He saw that as ignorance and therefore, he must've concluded that they don't care about him. Besides Ryouko, he made no effort to approach others since he's afraid of rejection. Fujioka Hotaru is just a simple child clumsy in dealing with other people. "In that case..." Ryoma thought. "We might actually have something in common..."
"We were playmates, weren't we? As a kid, I already thought of you as a friend. Before you scared me off, that is..." Ryoma answered.
Hotaru stole a glance at Ryoma and couldn't help smiling a little. Now he realize why Ryouko has taken such liking to Echizen Ryoma. He looks cold on the outside but warm as sunshine on the inside. He and Ryouko really are similar; bright people capable of shining and drawing others towards their light.
Hotaru's eyes suddenly turned serious. Seeing that he might be able to trust Echizen Ryoma better than he thought, he opened his mouth and disclosed an information that have only reached a few ears in the Fujioka household. "I'm telling you this because you're Ryouko's precious best friend..." he started. "I hope when the time comes, you'll be able to help and protect her."
Ryoma turned to Hotaru in curiosity. "What about Ryouko?" he asked. The sudden tension in Hotaru's voice made him a bit uneasy.
"Ryouko-chan's wedding engagement is being rushed," Hotaru finally said. "They were supposed to wait until she turns fifteen before they announce an official engagement and properly select a partner during the next two years but because she suddenly disobeyed orders from the main house and went to live here in Japan without permission, they saw her rebellious actions as a threat. They want to tie her down with an engagement while it's early."
Ryoma gave a huff. "She's barely thirteen," he added, his voice full of objections.
"For people like us, being engaged even as a toddler won't be so surprising," Hotaru told him.
Ryoma was at a loss for words and could only content himself displaying a hostile look in his golden-bronze eyes. "How much time before something would be finalized?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. But it won't be too long. Maybe a couple of months," Hotaru said. "It had been decided who the candidates would be. One thing is certain. They're gonna make her marry into the family. There're five candidates as of now and who would be chosen depends on the estimated consequence after the marriage. The Elders are weighing the options. Not many in the family knows about this, only the ones involved."
Ryoma turned a curious eye at Hotaru. "Why would you know then?" Fujioka Hotaru who had been exiled by the Elders inside a hospital wing all his life; Ryoma found it odd that Hotaru would be informed firsthand.
"Because I'm involved. I'm one of the five candidates," Hotaru answered simply.
"You are? But why-" Ryoma was about to question why Hotaru would be chosen as a candidate but caught himself in time. Saying that he couldn't have been chosen because he's not capable enough; Ryoma wouldn't want to hurt Hotaru's ego.
Hotaru gave an amused simper. He can totally see through what Ryoma is thinking. "Why would I be chosen when I'm physically weak and incapable compared to the other cousins? I also asked myself that. But I told you, the Elders are considering the consequence after the marriage. Choosing me as an option, the consequence is that they don't wish to change anything. I'm fairly intelligent even though I'm physically weak. I can manage a small part of the company as long as it won't be too harmful to my health. Ryouko can help me and act as a representative. Setting her up with an inhibited husband, it's the best way to box her in," he answered.
Ryoma looked too tongue-tied to comment. Matters of the rich... They're too complicated and unreachable by common sense.
"The other candidates are Setsuna-niisan, Kaname-niisan, Hibiki-niisan, and Ichidou. The main reason why Ichidou was summoned back to England must've been because of this matter. We were all informed together," Hotaru said. "Each of us were selected to play a different kind of consequence. Setsu-nii and Kaname-nii are both selected for the same reason though. They are both qualified enough to serve as head of the clan someday though in terms of exposure to the public, Setsu-nii reigns supreme among everyone. He's the first son of the first family after all. Kaname-nii's only problem is that he loses focus every now and then. Hibiki-nii had really improved for the past year and among all of us, he's probably the most eager one to be Ryouko's future partner. Ichidou is chosen because he's intellectually capable and he's also close to Ryouko. They said that she might not reject the marriage if those close to her and the same age as her like me and Ichi would be chosen for the engagement. All five of us has special ties with Ryouko growing up."
Ryoma gave another huff. "They're trying to force her into something she doesn't want again..." he murmured. "When are they gonna stop and lay off? Can't they understand that Ryouko wants to live as her own person and not as the only female Fujioka heiress?"
Hotaru was about to open his mouth to reply but the door of the room where Ryouko was changing clothes suddenly slid open. She headed out to the corridor, dressed in her PE uniform, looking around for Ryoma and Hotaru. When she saw them, she waved. "Sorry it took so long. The dress was easy to put on but hard to take off," she said apologetically.
The two boys had uncomfortable looks on their eyes as she approached them and she looked curiously from one face to another. "What is it? You guys look as if I've caught you red-handed on something," she told them. "What were you talking about?"
"Nothing," Ryoma answered and avoided her gaze.
"We just... patched things up between us," Hotaru told her.
"The way you phrased that..." Ryouko said and turned an accusing look at the boys. They gulped nervously. "...sound as if two lovers making up," she ended with an amused tone. She made a rectangle by connecting the tips of her thumbs and forefingers together and looked at Ryoma and Hotaru through it like a camera lens. "Come to think of it, you guys look cute," she added teasingly.
"Ryouko-chan!" Hotaru yelled in a reprimanding tone.
"Oi!" Ryoma exclaimed at the same time.
Ryouko merely laughed and gave them a tap each on the shoulder. "Only kidding of course. Let's go. Licht might have been waiting for a long time," she told them and went straight to the stairs leading down to the entrance of the building.
Hotaru and Ryoma looked at each other in exasperation before following her. They talked in whispers as they went down the stairs.
"Have you told Ryouko about this?" Ryoma said.
"Not yet. I'm thinking whether I should tell her or not. Maybe we can still do something to cancel the selection. Everyone's not so pleased with this, even Hibiki-nii who's the most eager to get chosen. He thinks that Ryouko should be granted more freedom before she gets engaged. She's far too young, he said," Hotaru replied.
"Then don't tell her. Not until something is finalized. Knowing Ryouko, she'll try to come up with a counter attack immediately and she might leave Japan to go and camp out in the Himalayas just to avoid everyone in your family," Ryoma remarked.
"I can totally see her doing that..." Hotaru said thoughtfully.
They were nearing the gates with Ryouko a few paces in front when Ryoma spoke again. "How about you?" he asked.
"About me, what?" Hotaru asked back.
"Aren't you eager to be chosen as Ryouko's marriage partner? You adore her after all," Ryoma said.
Hotaru looked conflicted and Ryoma somehow felt anxious.
"A few hours from now, I would've said that I'm glad that she's marrying into the family instead of being married off to some unknown rich dude from another clan. I can't deny the fact that I was excited to be one of the candidates. But now that I have realized a lot of things, even though it meant losing the chance to be Ryouko's engagement partner, I'd oppose the selection. Her will and her feelings are the most important of all. I don't want to lend a hand in forcing her into anything and I certainly would not like my weaknesses to be used as a tool to keep her boxed in," Hotaru answered.
Ryoma somehow felt relieved after hearing Hotaru's answer. They were interrupted when Ryouko called their names. She's already standing by the side of the car with the backseat door wide open. Licht stood smiling beside her, donning his usual tailcoat. Ryoma wondered if he ever wore anything else. He always seemed to always wear tailcoats.
"Hurry up!" Ryouko yelled. The two boys quickened their pace in response.
The car dropped Ryoma off to the gate of their house and Ryouko considered getting out for a second to say hi to Rinko and Nanjiro but Licht said that it might be inconvenient to suddenly visit unannounced in that time of the night. Ryouko saw the logic in his words and merely waved goodbye to Ryoma through the open window. Hotaru and Ryoma also exchanged meaningful stares before the car sped away.
In the ride back to the mansion, Ryouko couldn't help casting a side glance to her cousin. "It seems like in a short amount of time, you and Ryoma seem to have gotten considerably well with each other," she commented.
"I apologized to him. He also apologized to me for thinking wrongly that I enjoyed tormenting him. He's a lot like you. I feel like we could have been good friends if I wasn't so stubborn," Hotaru answered.
"You can become good friends from now on," Ryouko told him with a smile.
~~~
Before he went to sleep that night, Ryoma gave Ryouko a phone call. Ryouko just finished drying her hair when the phone rang. She picked it up after one ring.
"Yo," Ryoma said.
"Yo," Ryouko greeted back. "Why're you calling? We just saw each other an hour ago," she said.
"Nothing," Ryoma answered and tossed to his stomach on the bed. "Did your cousin calm down after tonight's ruckus?"
"So you're checking on Hotaru..." Ryouko remarked, brushing her hair with her free hand. "He's calmed down. He ate dinner heartily and seemed to be in higher spirits. I really have to thank you for hammering some sense on him. If it was just me, I wouldn't have accomplished anything."
"Nonsense," Ryoma said. "Even without me, he would've listened to you. All your cousins listen to you; they love you that much," he added before making a face.
"No they don't. You have no idea how much they ignore what I say. They're only forced to listen when I get angry," she countered. She put down the brush and walked towards her bed. As she sat down, she suddenly felt obligated to apologize to Ryoma.
"I'm always sorry towards you," she said.
Ryoma raised an eyebrow. "Sorry towards me over what?"
"You know... For the times my cousins make a scene and everytime I make a scene... It must be exhausting having me for a friend. My family matters are complicated, my life itself is big hurricane. And you always get mixed up because you're my friend. I'm nothing special though... Why would my friendship be so precious to the eyes of my cousins, I have no idea," she said and traced the patterns of her flowered bedsheet thoughtfully.
Ryoma mused for a second. She must've been talking about what was revealed earlier; that Hotaru played pranks on him when they were young because he doesn't think that he's deserving of Ryouko's friendship. It must've been a bigger blow than he originally thought.
"It's alright. Besides, they don't trouble me just because I'm your friend. They make trouble for me because I'm your friend and a boy. If I were a girl, they wouldn't have minded at all," he told her.
Ryouko made a face. "Is gender really that significant between friends? I don't get it..."
Ryoma shrugged. "I don't know either but it seems significant to your cousins. I guess they really see me as a threat," he said without thinking.
"As a threat? Why would you be a threat? And towards what?" Ryouko asked.
Ryoma opened his mouth to answer but he couldn't piece a sentence together. Indeed... Why would the Fujioka cousins see him as a threat? But they certainly behaved that way...
Suddenly, Hotaru coming inside Ryouko's room distracted her. "Ryouko-chan... Since I'll be going back to England tomorrow, can I sleep here with you? Who knows when I'll be able to see you again... Please?" Hotaru said.
Ryom heard his muffled voice on the phone and raised an eyebrow. He's going back to England tomorrow? So soon? Setsu-nii and the others took several days before returning though... His pondering was interrupted after Hotaru's words registered to his brain.
Sleep? In Ryouko's room? "Oi," Ryoma said but Ryouko didn't seem to be listening. As a matter of fact, she have brought down the phone from her ear.
"I told you 'no'. Even though we're cousins, there has to be some proper distance between us," Ryoma heard her say. "Good. Scold him more," he murmured.
"I thought you said I'm like your little brother. And I've slept here in your bed with you last night, what difference would it make if I sleep here again?" Hotaru said. Ryoma's eyes widened. Who slept in whose bed again?
"You were the one who smuggled yourself here last night without permission," Ryouko said.
"That's why this time I'm asking for permission. So you won't get mad like this morning," Hotaru said, his tone indicating that he's acting cute.
Ryoma pinned the phone closer to his ear and listened in with an ominous feeling.
"Please?" Hotaru said. "Just this once? I promise to behave. And I'll apologize to your classmates for the trouble I've done to them tomorrow morning before I go to the airport," he aded.
There was some silence as Ryouko paused to think. Ryoma huffed in exasperation. "Stupid girl, why take so much time thinking? Why won't you reject again?" Ryoma said.
"Okay, fine. You can sleep here for the night. You better keep your promise tomorrow," she said.
"Yatta! (Yes!)" Hotaru remarked victoriously. "You know, I thought it's uncool to apologize and I always hated apologizing but I've apologized so many times today that I don't mind even if I apologize a hundred times again," he said.
"Good for you," Ryouko commented.
"So which side are you? Right or left?" Hotaru asked.
"Right," Ryouko answered which made Ryoma bite down on his lower lip with a small burst of anger. She seemed to have remembered that she was talking to Ryoma on the phone and she placed it back to her ear. "Ryoma, are you still there?" she asked.
Ryoma was alerted back to his senses and impulsively answered. "Yeah, I'm still here."
Before he had the time to formulate something to say, Ryouko blurted out a quick goodbye. "I'm hanging up now. It's gotten so late. Have a good night," she said and before he knew it, he was listening to the sound of the dial tone.
He took the phone off his ear and realized how hot the side of his face became with him pinning the gadget onto it for the last few minutes. With a huff, he threw the phone on the foot of his bed and turned to his cat.
"Can you believe her? Even if they're cousins, how can she sleep with him on one bed? And she doesn't have any idea that he's one of the candidates for her wedding engagement. If she knows about that, she would have enough sense not to agree. I shouldn't have trusted Hotaru that easily, that sly fox. Was he lying to me before when he said he's going to oppose the selection? If he's sincere, why would he ask Ryouko for permission to sleep on her bed with her? Little brother, my butt. They're not real siblings. He's using all sorts of excuse just to crawl to her bed," he told Karupin with a face full of complaints.
Karupin looked back at him with an expression that clearly said, "And so? Do you think I can do something about that?" "Mreow," he said aloud and waved a paw dismissively at his owner before turning around and sleeping on his cat cushion with his back on Ryoma.
"Oi, Karupin," Ryoma said with wide eyes. He pointed at his cat accusingly. "You. You've gotten really cheeky recently. You better watch it. I won't buy you any new toys again and I won't play with you either," he said threateningly.
Hearing the threat, the Himalayan cat's ears perked up and he immediately picked himself up from the cat cushion and climbed to Ryoma's bed. He mewed affectionately and nudged his fluffy head on his owner's arm.
Ryoma placed a hand on the feline's ears and petted it. "Spoiled thing," he murmured begrudgingly and cuddled Karupin to his chest.
"Now how am I gonna sleep knowing that Hotaru's sleeping on Ryouko's bed?" he thought with his eyes narrowed on the ceiling. "That sly fox," he said again before standing up and turning the lights off.
~~~
As he stared at the dark ceiling of Ryouko's room, Hotaru couldn't help smiling. Indeed, he adored Ryouko too much. It would be such a waste to throw away the chance of possibly becoming her significant other but Hotaru knew that she doesn't see him that way. If she has even a bit of those kinds of feelings for him, she wouldn't be so comfortable sleeping with him on one bed.
"Nee, Hotaru... You asleep?" Ryouko suddenly said, breaking the silence of the night.
"Not yet. Why?" Hotaru answered.
Ryouko paused for a few seconds before speaking again. "Actually, there's something bothering me and I can't really ask Licht regarding his opinion. I'm too embarrassed to say this to a grown up. Maybe I can tell it to you just so I can blow off steam?" she said.
"Sure. You can tell me anything," Hotaru told her. "What's it about?" he added, all of a sudden curious about it personally. Something that can bother Ryouko? What can it be?
"The day before, Ryoma was locked up accidentally in one of the storage rooms at school. He was locked up with a girl and... well..." she seemed to hesitate in continuing. "...there was an accident."
"What kind of accident?" Hotaru asked even though he had a gist of what it is.
"I can't really tell you exactly what kind," Ryouko answered. "But he also got into the same accident with me this afternoon and a thought keeps passing my mind..."
"What kind of thought?" Hotaru asked.
"A strange thought..." Ryouko replied. "Somehow, I don't want Ryoma to get into that kind of accident with anyone but it's fine if it's with me. Isn't that strange?" she added.
Hotaru was conflicted. Indeed, Echizen Ryoma is a bigger threat than any of the other cousins thought. Who knows? What the cousins fear might actually already be happening. Ryouko might already be... "It's just your possessiveness talking. Like Ryouko-chan said, all the Fujioka children are spoiled and selfish in their own ways. Ryoma's your best friend. Somehow or another, you might've registered him as yours thus no one should touch him. You've always been sensitive with people rummaging over your stuff since we were young."
"But Ryoma's a person, not some stuff," Ryouko told him. She felt her cousin shrug.
"The human brain is confusing. We can't always understand our own thoughts. Maybe it's the puberty talking. You're twelve after all, almost thirteen. It's the most complicated phase of all," he answered and faked a yawn. "I'm really sleepy now, Ryouko-chan..."
"Funny. I've always used puberty against Ryoma," Ryouko said and made a face. "I wouldn't let him use it against me as well. I better get my act together," she added and gave Hotaru's head a pat. "Sorry for keeping you up. You can sleep now, Hotaru. Sweet dreams," she told him.
"Sweet dreams," Hotaru said and pretended to be asleep until he could hear Ryouko snoring gently. When he was sure that she's fast asleep, he tossed gently to his right and stared at her face.
"Sorry for lying, but if you can't understand it by yourself, you might as well be better off not understanding at all. Thinking about it, I'd really hate to lose you. Not even to Ryoma," he said.
He was lost staring at her pink lips for a second and he leaned his face forward, attempting to plant a kiss on them but he stopped himself. "I can't, can I? It won't be fair," he said and contented himself with snuggling close to her.
Draping the sheets over her shoulder, he smiled. "Ryoma's a lucky bastard and it irks me that he got you this bad. That sly fox," he murmured before finally closing his eyes.
~~~
Thursday morning turned out to be chilly. The autumn season seemed to have finally remembered that it is time for him to step out and greeted people with cold air and fine winds.
As promised, Hotaru went with Ryouko to school and apologized to Class 1-2 regarding the trouble he caused them yesterday. He especially gave attention to two people in particular, Mami and Jun.
"Oh, it's alright. There was nothing wrong with what you said even though it did come out pretty mean. Thanks to you, I contemplated a lot on my actions. I do have the tendency to force people to do my bidding but I can't help it. It's the way I am. As long as there are people who accept that about me, I don't see it as a liability," Mami told him before smiling at Miyako and Shuu.
Hotaru also smiled. "It must be nice, having friends that accept everything about you," he commented.
Mami nodded. "I'm always grateful for them though I can't guarantee that I can stop pissing them off," she added.
"Oi," Shuu said in irritation. "You should at least exert some effort on that," he added, making everyone laugh.
Hotaru then turned towards Jun and he was surprised to see that they are both carrying a paper bag. "I'm so sorry about yesterday. I really just meant to borrow the clothes but I got too violent," he said and handed him the white paper bag. "I got Licht to wash them," he added.
Jun also handed him a blue paper bag in return. "It's okay. Let bygones be bygones. I had your clothes washed as well since I went home wearing them. I couldn't find you anywhere yesterday after the pageant so..." he said quietly.
Hotaru took the bag and beamed an angelic smile. "Thanks. You're a nice guy. Others would have been really furious, considering that I did practically rip the clothes off you," he said.
Jun fiercely blushed. "I..." he said with a wavering voice, his eyes darting everywere and his cheeks slapped scarlet. "I'm gonna go get changed," he quickly said and made his escape towards the boys' dressing area.
Shuu suddenly noticed Mami scribbling furiously on a notebook she whipped out from nowhere. "What the heck are you doing?"
"Making notes. It's the start of an idea for a new story. A two-faced pretty boy with a complicated past who's mean to everyone... And the person who would eventually help heal his wounds and make him smile, a timid gentle-hearted boy," Mami said and continued her lightning-speed writing.
"Is that a screenplay or a BL light novel?" Shuu commented, making a face.
"Shut up, stupid Shuu. 3D boys can never appreciate the beauty of BL," Mami snapped.
"Kyaa! I didn't know that you're a fujoshi, Ayase-san!" one of their female classmates said. One by one, the girls hovered around Mami.
"BL? Fujoshi?" Hotaru said and blinked in confusion. "What are those, Ryouko-chan?" he asked, turning to his cousin.
"I don't know. Were those words Japanese?" Ryouko answered and turned to Ryoma.
Ryoma shrugged. "No idea," he said.
Shuu approached them and placed a hand each on Hotaru and Ryoma's shoulders. "You guys seem to be intellectually smart but an airhead when it comes to things like these," he remarked and led the the two and Ryouko towards a far corner of the room. "Since you don't understand, come over here. Abonai kara (Coz it's dangerous)," he said.
They watched as Shuu turned his eyes back to Mami and the troupe of girls with disdain in his eyes. "Seeing that first year junior high girls are becoming fujoshis in such an age, it's certain that the world is ending," he commented.
Hotaru, Ryouko and Ryoma looked at each other, blinking in confusion before just shrugging the matter off. After that, Licht picked up Hotaru and brought him to the airport.
Ryouko told Ryoma that the reason why Hotaru needed to go back to England immediately is because he's really not that healthy yet to stray away from the special medical facilities needed to maintain his heart and lungs for more than three days. He was half-lying to Ryouko when he informed her about his health status. He actually has medical personnel accompanying him but he insisted on going to Ryouko alone and had them stay in a nearby hotel. The smart watch that Hotaru always wore measured his vital signs at all times and in the event that something bad would happen, the medical personnel would be alerted and they would be able to rush to him using the tracking device planted on the same wrist watch.
Hearing this, Ryoma felt apologetic that he called Hotaru a sly fox last night. He made a mental note to ask Ryouko for his contact details and apologize to him via phone call later.
"To all cast, we'll start the stage rehearsal in five minutes. Please stand by," Mami suddenly announced, making both Ryoma and Ryouko snap back to the current time.
Ryouko stretched her arms and let out a yawn. "Well then... Shall we get this play done, my lady?" she told Ryoma.
"Certainly, my good lord," Ryoma answered with a smile.
Sly Fox...
Tomoe: You called?
Author-chan: No, not you Tomoe-sama, though you fit the description like a glove. 😅😂
Sorry for the long wait! Such a struggle writing without a laptop. 😓😓 It greatly troubles me. 😭