All For the Love of You
chapter 3
by Manille
I was still feeling worn-out after the fireball episode yesterday, but I had to go to school. There was a big test in chemistry. And besides, Saikaku wanted to see me. I can’t turn him down, you know.
"Hey, it’s the one and only Urameshi Misako!"
I stopped walking. It was those guys who bullied me ever since elementary grade.
But they always succumbed to my powerful fist.
But heck, where was Saikaku when I needed him?
"Hey, baby, care to join us for a ride?"
I turned around. Surely, the guys were advancing towards me menacingly.
Of all the guys I hate in the world, they’re rude, disgusting guys with one-track minds.
"No, thank you," I shouted, placing my hands on my waist. "I’ve had enough rides to last me a lifetime."
"Ooooooh," they hooted.
I turned back and started walking away. All they needed was a naughty comeback. "Hn," I told nobody in particular. "Who can find a decent guy nowadays?"
Well, for one, there was Ryutaro….
…I was wearing a long, flowing, light-blue gown, blending softly with the softness of the setting sun. I watched the sea foam disappear as they reach the shore, the water soaking in the light brown sand, leaving a shadow that was once the water that had so merrily splashed from one end of the world to another. Again, it would rise up to the sky, come down as rain, and continue its never-ending journey.
Then, from the far end of the beach, a redheaded man walks slowly towards my way. His hair shone like copper as the breeze caught each strand deftly, carrying his hair to the wind’s direction.
He seemed to have caught my gaze. His face lighted up, and his featured became more distinct, more radiant, so incredibly handsome.
He ran to me. Slowly, but surely. A moment later, he was near me. He outstretched his arms. I outstretched mine. I longed for that moment, when I would finally rest in those strong, protective arms of his….
"Oh!"
"Ouch…" I groaned.
That was way too much.
Instead of coming into Ryutaro’s arms, I bumped into someone, a stupid daydream solvent.
Slowly, I raised my eyes.
Oh, my God.
"Hey, you okay…Misako?"
I gulped. I was in front of The Guy, The Man. "Um…sorry…."
"That’s all right. You were way too absorbed in your reverie."
If he only knew that my reverie was about him.
There was his auburn hair, his eyes, his oh-so-beautiful smile, just like in my daydream.
"I wonder…could it be my old pal Isozaki?"
My fantasy vanished. He thought I was thinking about Saikaku? That baka? "Saikaku?! NO WAY!" I screamed.
Hey, poise, manners, someone in my head whispered. You’re in front of the Man of Everyone’s Dreams, and even Saikaku couldn’t beat him to that reputation.
Okay, I answered mentally, biting my lip. I probably inherited Kaasan’s exaggeration, after all.
"Really," Ryutaro said, chuckling. "I always thought you and Saikaku are…already a couple."
I made a mental note to tell Saikaku everything that had happened and to give him a tongue-lashing for ruining what I had thought as a romantic moment between Ryutaro and me.
Don’t get me wrong. I talk to Ryutaro fairly often; after all, Saikaku’s his friend, but even seeing him over and over again creates a new, different sensation in my chest.
But Saikaku was always the destroyer. That baka. Even if he didn’t know it, he was ruining my life.
"Ryutaro, you know that isn’t true," I said in the sweetest voice that I could make. "Saikaku and I are just best friends, nothing more."
"Really?" he said again. I saw his face grow more thoughtful. It made me suspicious. "Well," he continued, "there’s more that the eye can’t see."
Yes, that’s true, I told him mentally. Even you couldn’t see how I’m utterly in love with you, you dummy.
What had Saikaku told him, anyway? That I’m crazy about him (Saikaku)? Instantly, I felt my blood boil.
"Oi, Hosokawa!" I heard someone shout. Then, "…Misako?!"
I glared at Saikaku, who was running towards us. He looked at me strangely. "Hey, what’s up? You feeling fine now?"
"Yeah, never felt better," I muttered sarcastically.
Saikaku kept quiet for a while. He glanced at Ryutaro.
"Oops, got to go," Ryutaro said hurriedly. "Ja ne, you two."
"Goodbye," I called.
Again, Saikaku had ruined a perfectly romantic moment.
I wanted to pull all of his hair out of his head.
"Hmm…looks like our dreams came true, ne?"
I glared at Saikaku. "Baka! Why do you have to ruin everything for me?"
Saikaku stepped back. "What…what did I do?"
"Arrgh!!!" I screamed. My fist shot out of nowhere, smacking onto Saikaku’s chin. It sent him flying backwards, landing on his butt with a loud thump.
"Baka!" I shouted again.
"Don’t you speak to me ever again!"
I regretted that statement.
I stared onto the screen of my laptop, feeling quite empty. Saikaku hadn’t appeared since I chinned him that morning. I must say myself, it was a very hard knock. Thank goodness I wasn’t thrown into the headmaster’s office. Not that I’ve been thrown there ever.
Actually, I missed Saikaku, even if I hadn’t seen him for only three hours.
I was unreasonable that morning. Saikaku hadn’t done anything, had he? It was just I. I admitted it to myself now. I was just…infatuated…that I didn’t open my mind to others. I was so selfish….
I looked around the library. Most of the students were in the multimedia center, while others browsed through books and magazines. Still, others chatted quietly, keeping an eye on the librarian, who was almost dozing herself.
A hand on my shoulder made me straighten up all of a sudden. I looked up.
Was I relieved!
"Oh, Saikaku," I gushed.
Saikaku put a finger on his lips. "Shhh."
"Oops, sorry," I whispered. I motioned for him to sit down.
"Doumo," he said.
However happy I felt, I knew I had to apologize. It wasn’t on his face, but I knew that he was hurt. Hurt because I shouted at him, chinned him, hated him for doing nothing.
"Um…Saikaku…."
"Mm?"
"Uh…sorry…for getting mad at you like that this morning." I shrugged. "It was a wonderful day and I had ruined it for you."
"Speaking of ruin," he started, "what did I ruin?"
I felt blood rise up to my cheeks. What did he ruin? Did he ruin anything?
I just wanted a moment with Ryutaro. Hn, Ryutaro was making me act like some lovesick puppy dog.
"Saikaku, are you sure you’ll understand?"
Saikaku leaned his elbow on the table and his head on his chin. "Tell me."
I cleared my throat. "Well…you know I like Ryutaro this-and-that, but when I bumped into him this morning—as in, literally, bumped—we had a chat, and he mentioned something about you and me."
"You and me," he stated.
My face must have colored like a ripe tomato at that moment.
"Um, yeah, you and me. See, I spaced out and bumped into him. He told me that I must have been thinking about you. Oh," I suddenly added, "I was thinking of him, by the way."
Saikaku sighed. I thought he looked at me plaintively.
"Anyway," I continued before Saikaku got any ideas, "I just thought…oh, you know what I mean."
"You wanted Ryutaro to know that you like him…but instead he told you that we’re a couple, and that’s what upset you."
"Yeah." I was totally eased when Saikaku got into my trail of thought.
He sighed once more, a slow, heavy sigh. He shook his head and smiled. "I understand you."
"Thank you," I whispered.
"But Misako…are you sure that just the mere thought of him doesn’t dominate you too much?"
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I don’t know…lately your crush in him seems too…much." He shrugged. "And too much of anything is bad."
"Heh," I snickered boyishly. "Ryutaro doesn’t do that to me."
But I knew he did.
At almost every moment, my mind is filled of thoughts of him.
"Can you tell me that you’re not thinking of Ryutaro right now?"
"Idiot. Of course I’m thinking about him. We’re talking about him."
"No, I mean, in another way…you know…." His voice trailed off.
"Like…kissing?" I asked for confirmation.
He nodded.
I almost laughed out loud. "Oh, boy." I smiled slyly at him. "What, you’re jealous?"
Saikaku leaned back, looking at me, his eyes wide. "Misako no baka! Of course I’m not jealous! What, you think I’m in love with you?"
"SHHH!!!" I heard the other people around us hiss. "We’re studying!"
I rolled my eyes and trained them back on Saikaku’s face that now had a pink hue. "Don’t call me baka!" I said in a lower volume.
"Hn. Yeah, right."
I widened my eyes menacingly. "If only we’re not inside this place, I’d have already bashed you up!"
"You just said sorry!"
"Arrgh!!!"
And so, another exchange of witty remarks and reprimands started.
And again, the fireball was forgotten.