What's Left Unseen
Second Testimonial
by
Ina-chan
First Posted Online: April 10, 2003
History: Ina-chan's first experimental attempt on using POV
testimonials to tell a story using FURUBA characters
Never in my life, not even for the slightest moment in
the darkest crevices of my fantastic imagination, did I even
dream that as scandalous something like this would happen! Least
of all, involving my beloved brother. When I first heard of “that
particular incident”, I had to admit that I was
shocked beyond words. All these years, my sweet brother and our
lovely flower had shown nothing but their unshakeable devotion
to each other… like a true prince and princess.
Mind you, I’m not blaming Gura-chan at all! NON! NON!
NON! Gura-chan had gone through a lot since Kyonkichi made it
clear that there can be no romantic relationship between the two
of them. After which, Gura-chan courageously picked up the
pieces of her broken heart and moved forward!
Ah… how long has it been? A short three or four years
ago… I believe. Within that time, it was uplifting to see
Gura-chan bloom into a shining flower herself! She was a
delicate budding rose, with claws of thorns protecting her
ethereal beauty. Kyonkichi
would never admit it, but I would wager that the poor cat is
hitting his head against a brick wall whenever he sees her.
I’m ashamed to admit that had I been several years younger and
free from my own passions, I would probably have pursued
Gura-chan for myself. HA! HA! HA! HA! But enough of that! We
both know exactly what you want to hear, right? You’re digging
to find the reason behind “that
particular incident.”
Before Tooru-kun came along, Yuki only allowed very few
people to get close to him. You see… he’s already had a lot
of… difficult… experiences even as a child. Openly trusting
people was never second nature to him.
Gura-chan was one of those few people he allowed to get
near him without completely raising the protective barriers
around him. It didn’t seem like it at the time, but looking
back now, you can say that as children, they were quite close.
Ara? You want to hear their childhood stories? Of course,
I’ll tell you! My storytelling skills are superior after all!
I’ll even do something better! I’ll SHOW you as well! HA!
HA! HA! HA! Behold! My golden collection of family home videos!
It
took me a while to track down everyone in the family who had
these. But it was a good thing Keiko-san was a video otaku.
She’s almost as bad in commemorating everything she thinks is
special as how Haru is with photos. It was a good thing that she
filmed almost every family event she was in.
It even took me an even longer time searching through all
her footage to find these clips. I was going to string them
together to be Yuki and Tooru-kun’s wedding present part 4.
Yes, yes… it was a lot of work, but nothing is too much work
for my beloved little brother! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
Well,
then! Let us begin! Sample clips from Aya-chan’s first film
production of “Ototo-sama, Ee”. Since this is a special
preview, I’ll even do a running commentary for you! So shall
we begin?
Presenting
“Ototo-sama, Ee… the Gura-chan Encounters”…
[start
clip #1: Jerky home video of a camera panning through a
crowd of Souma family members at a gathering. Some of them
shooting glares of annoyance as they moved away from the lens’
path… others ducking shyly or giving a bashful wave… most of
them simply ignoring the camera as they focused on them…]
AH!
This was during Aunt Yoriko’s engagement party! She’s
Father’s oldest sister, around two years senior of
Gure-san’s mother. Do you have children of your own? You
don’t? Well… when you do, always remember this rule:
Never
bring children to engagement parties!
These
adult affairs suck the life out of children… We didn’t have
to come if it wasn’t the fact that it was Aunt Yoriko.
Grandfather was so happy because they thought they would never
marry her off. So Grandfather insisted that every member of our
family needed to come.
It
was soooooo boring. Gure-san and I snuck out half-way through
anyway. So I wasn’t there to see this happen.
[Start clip.
Camera pans to a beautiful woman talking animatedly to another
guest, a little boy… possibly no older than two years old,
clung at her short-sleeved formal kimono.
His eyes widened in horror at the camera lens approaching
him before timidly hiding between the folds of his mother’s
tomesode.]
This
was the first time Hahakimi was able to bring Yuki to a family
party. My poor beloved little brother had always been sick when
he was little. He was pretty much kept in isolation most of the
early part of his life. Nonetheless, even with members of the
Inner House, it was a rare honour to have a glimpse of the Mouse
Zodiac. This was the first of the few instances that Hahakimi
was able to show Yuki off in public.
[Mother]:<trying
to peel off her son’s death grip from her clothes in
annoyance>
Yuki, stop that! Mother is busy talking right now! <The
child simply whimpers and clings even tighter> YUKI!
LET GO OF MOTHER’S CLOTHES! <manages to yank off a
small hand and holds the little boy away from her at arms
length before turning angrily to the camera> Keiko!
Take that infernal contraption away! You’re scaring my son!
[Mother’s
Companion]:
<hesitantly> Now, now, calm down…
you’re overreacting…
[Mother]:
<ignoring her as she brushed the invisible
wrinkles on her son’s clothes as she muttered in a low
voice> How
many times have I told you to stay still? Now be quiet and
don’t you dare start crying. You’re embarrassing mother!
[Woman]:
<approaching the commotion> Natsumi-san? Is there
something wrong?
That’s
Gura-chan’s mother! She looked so different with longer hair,
didn’t she? She is one of the kindest women that you will ever
meet. A tad protective of Gura-chan, but I personally think
Gura-chan is one of the luckiest of all us in the parent lottery
department. Ah…I think this was also the first time Yuki and
Gura-chan formally met. The Jyuunishi banquet is not held when
the circle is not complete. We actually didn’t have a banquet
until Sa-chan was born.
[Mother]:
<strained smile> Nothing’s
wrong. Yuki is just being difficult.
[Kagura’s
mother]: <smiles gently as she turns to
the four-year-old girl trailing behind her> Kagura-chan,
why don’t you go play with Yuki-chan in the next room?
[Kagura]:
HAAAAAI!
<smiles brightly as she automatically rushes forward to
inspect her new playmate> Huaaaa!!!
Hewo! I’m Kaguwa-nee-chan! Nee, nee, Yun-chan! Let’s pway!
<she holds out her hand for a few
moments before the smaller child timidly reached out to take
her hand. She squeals in delight and immediately engulfed the
little boy in a tight and enthusiastic bear hug before any of
the adults can react> UWAAAAAA!!!
Yun-chan is so cute! Like a dolly! Kaguwa wants to hug
Yun-chan to death and eat him all up!!!
<Pure
terror etched on little Yuki’s face as he let out a loud
horrified scream just as clip#1 ends>
Ha!
Ha! Ha! Gura-chan has always been so enthusiastic! Even when she
was little! Whenever I see this, I couldn’t help regretting
that Gure-san and I snuck out. I would give anything to see the
expression on Hahakimi’s face when that happened… Though,
you can say, that Hahakimi made sure not to bring Yuki to any
other formal gatherings if she didn’t have to.
Come
to think of it… I don’t think Yuki ever went to another big
family celebration until the New Year when he was six, when Sa-chan
was born. It was a very big deal when the Jyuunishi banquet
started once again so everyone started making even a bigger fuss
whenever the New Year came around. Let’s see… I think
Keiko-san has some pre-banquet footage through the years…
[
pre-banquet clip #1: Yuki, age 6, sitting quietly in a corner,
trying hard to blend with the walls. Kagura pops out of
nowhere and clings on Yuki from behind. Yuki lets out a yelp of
surprise as they both tumble to the ground from her sudden
weight]
[Kagura]:<sing-songs
as she continues to cling on
him>Uwaaaaa!!!
New Year’s party hug! I got Yun-chan! I got Yun-chan!
[Yuki]:<annoyed
as he struggles to get out of her grip> Get
off! You’re too heavy!
[Kagura]:<playfully>
Yaaaadaaaa~~~!! Hugging Yun-chan is fun during New
Year’s! Because Yun-chan is so cute in his New Year’s
outfit, it’s like hugging the little sister I always wanted!
[Yuki]:<outraged>
I’M A BOY!!!
[end
of pre-banquet clip#1]
HA!
HA! HA! I almost cried laughing the first time I saw this. For
the longest time, I always thought that the reason why Yuki
didn’t like Gura-chan hugging him was because of his
personality. He’s always tried to push her away on those rare
occasions that she becomes openly affectionate of him.
Anyway…
the next clip was the New Year’s party two years later…That
time, there was a 24-hour bug going around. It was dreadful!!!
Just about everyone in the Main House caught it…
[
pre-banquet clip #2:Yuki, age 9, being smothered like a limp rag
doll against
11-year-old Kagura’s chest ]
[Kagura]:
<squeeze> YUN
<squeeze> CHAN <squeeze> IS <squeeze>
SO <squeeze> CUTE!!! <spin and sway
playfully> IT’S LIKE HUGGING THE LITTLE SISTER I
ALWAYS WANTED!
[Yuki]:<looking
very pale and manages to pull away from her in time to…>
URK~~!
[Kagura]:
<frozen in disgust> EEEEEW~~~!!!!
[End
of clip#2]
…and
unfortunately, Yuki caught the stomach flu and started having
the symptoms just before the party! My poor little brother… We
found out later that he was so scared about missing the party
that he begged Gura-chan not to tell anybody. Why Keiko-san
didn’t say anything despite witnessing this… I don’t
really know. She’s quite hopeless when it doesn’t involve
her precious video hobby.
Anyway,
we didn’t realize what was going on with him until he threw up
on Akito! It was so hilarious! I mean, it was terrible that it
happened… but… you know what I mean. Hahakimi was so upset,
she went on hysterics as soon as she found out, and couldn’t
get out of bed for two days. Then she went on to apologize to
Akito for weeks and weeks to follow.
Ah,
this next one is one of my favourites… this was the year when
Gura-chan danced with Gure-san. By this time, the both of them
had already been taking lessons from Kazuma-san with Kyonkichi
and Ha-kun for some time. Yuki has gotten pretty good, and
actually managed to physically escape Gura-chan’s attempts
with their tradition the two new years past. I suppose his
earlier victories made him careless with this year…
[
pre-banquet clip #3: Kagura = 14, Yuki = 12. Kagura standing
before Yuki with a very pleased expression, Yuki glaring at her
suspiciously, tensely standing in a “ready” stance, arms
ready to push her away]
[Kagura]:<slowly
moving forward> Nee, Yun-chan… Why don’t you let it
go this time? After all, it’s special because it’s my year
to dance, ne? Why don’t you just give in for once, and let
me give you your New Year’s hug willingly?
[Yuki]:<blandly
backing away>
No way.
[Kagura]:<tearfully>
Yun-chan
is so heartless. I need all the luck I could get. It’s my
first dance, and I want to be graceful and look all grown up
with my dance with Shi-chan. <puffs up her chest
proudly> I’m even wearing a bra for the first time
just for the occasion!
[Yuki]
: <eyes widen in horror as her words sink into
his consciousness, and quickly lowering his outstretched hands
as he realized that they perfectly aligned to his cousin’s
chest>
[Kagura]:<eyes
flash at the opening>
CHANCE!
<attack with a flying hug ala-Matrix style>
[end of clip#4]
Gura-chan
can be cunning, if she really wanted to, ne? Then there was the
year after that, when it was Yuki and Gura-chan’s turn to
dance…
[
pre-banquet clip #5: Both
Yuki and Kagura in their Jyuunishi dance outfits. Yuki eyeing
Kagura wearily as she hovers near him for a chance to give her
NewYear’s tradition]
[Yuki]:
<very annoyed> Will
you give me a break already? Why don’t you go find Kyou and
do what you will with him, like you always do?
[Kagura]:
<shakes her head and wags her finger> Tsk,
tsk, tsk… we’re dancing together this year and it won’t
do if you’re tense and cranky when it’s your year coming
up.
[Yuki]:
<grumbles below his breath> And
who’s fault is it anyway?
[Kagura]:
Don’t
worry, Yun-chan. Your Kagura-neechan will do her best to make
sure you’ll be fine. Remember how you freaked out last year
about the bra thing? Well, tonight, just for you… <closing
in on him, looking very serious and threatening>…I’m
not wearing any!
[Yuki]:
<staring at her, pale-faced, completely frozen
in fear>…
i hate you…
[end of
clip# 5]
Ah,
my poor sweet little brother… Every time I watch this, I feel
the great guilt of not being around to guide him through the
motions of male romance when he was growing up! No wonder it
took so long for him to get this far with Tooru-ku---…
………
To
tell you the truth, I honestly don’t understand how this could
have happened. Even though I’ve seen it happen before… I
still don’t understand it. Why do something like this still
happen to two people deeply in love?
How can the same power that binds people together be the
same force that can destroy them and pull them apart?
That
time, with Tori-san and Kana-kun… it was easy to blame Akito
for what happened. But the truth was, the real reason to why
Tori-san lost her was because he loved her so much. Giving her
up was the only way to ensure her happiness.
It would be
selfish to blame this on Gura-chan… when in hindsight… on
all the things that happened that led to that
particular incident… it was obvious that what
happened was inevitable. You had to be blind not to notice it. I
would say that everyone around them noticed it except for the
three of them. I suppose all of us were guilty of letting this
happen too… for not saying anything about it. I don’t have
all the details. The right people to ask would probably be Isuzu
or Hatsuharu. But from what I heard, it all started after that
certain episode when Yuki was in freshman year in
University.
As you may have already heard, Tooru-kun moved back to
her Grandfather’s house after high school graduation. Yuki
moved out of the Main House so he can be closer to her. In fact,
he even chose a University close to where Tooru-kun is working.
It was a private school. Aside from the University, it also had
a middle school, and high school sector. It wasn’t a top
university like Todai, but it was still a decent University. But
Hahakimi was still upset that he chose to go to a school
that’s not at the top of her preference list. Coincidentally,
Gura-chan teaches in that school, specifically in high school
sector.
It seemed rather unlikely, ne? That is, with Gura-chan
becoming a teacher. I heard that she’s actually a very good
one, and quite popular among the students. Not just her own
class, but I heard that she’s even attracted the attentions of
several students from the University sector. That’s why that
certain episode happened.
Though nobody got hurt… seriously… I think Yuki still
hasn’t forgiven himself for not being able to stop that from
happening. They weren’t friends, but he said that he knew
those boys… that he should have suspected what they were
planning. Unless he attained psychic powers or see the future, I
don’t think there was any way Yuki could have known that
certain episode was going to happen. For the
longest time, he blamed himself for it and had become taken the
role of Gura-chan’s personal bodyguard in school.
With Tooru-kun busy juggling her responsibilities at home
with her grandfather, and her work… then with Yuki busy with
his own schooling… then add the new Gura-chan into the
formula… the
warning bells should have started ringing right away.
But
it didn’t. Because what Yuki and Tooru had… it was such a
strong and unselfish love. It was the type of love that people
romanticize and idealize about… Yuki…Tooru-kun… they were
both so selfless and understanding of each other’s difficult
situations…
But
if you think about it, maybe sometimes, with love and a man’s
romance …
[pre-banquet
clip#6, 12-year-old Kagura looking
very pleased with herself as she holds a very indignant
10-year-old Kyou
tightly in her arms]
[Kyou]:
<yelling and struggling in vain> DAMMIT!
Let go!
[Kagura]: <grinning>
No waaaay~~~ I wasn’t able to give Yun-chan his New
Year’s hug this year, so Kyou-kun’s hug will be even more
extra-extra-extra special than ever!
[Kyou]:<glaring
up at a tree> THIS
IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU DAMN COWARDLY RAT!!!
[Yuki’s voice]:
<amused laughter> It’s not my fault you’re too
slow, you stupid cat. And
you should know by now that it’s less painful if you stop
struggling.
[Kyou]: DAMN
YOU! <glares at Kagura> DAMN
YOU BOTH TO HELL!!! DAMMIT! LET GO!!! WHY ARE YOU
TORTURING ME LIKE THIS!?!?!?
[Kagura]: Because
I love Kyou-chan the most in the whole whole world~~~!!!
…sometimes
you need to be very persistent…
[Kagura]:
<hugs Kyou even tighter> And
I’m never never never EVER letting you go!
[Kyou]:
GAAAAAACK!
I… CAN’T… BREATHE…
[end of clip#6]
…and be a little selfish to keep it going.
End
of Second Testimonial
Return to 1st
Testimonial
Continued on 3rd
Testimonial
AUTHOR’S
SQUAWK:
GAAAAH!
It took so long to string this together! Anywayz… This chapter
isn’t as snappy as the first one. I actually had a difficult
time with this… specially trying to mesh together the first
part with the last part when Aya-chan’s tone needed to
transition from his usual silly self to his rare serious and
introspective self.
As
for that certain episode… I know people are
going to kill me for introducing that. Buuut… there’s a
reason for this. If you want to find out what that certain
episode is, well… you’ll find out soon enough. Next
testimonial is Rin… a perspective on Kagura’s side of the
story. ^_^.
Ja!
Ina-chan
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