Observer
by benishouga
Hello. Hajimemashite. I am benishouga. Triggered by works here, I decided to give mine a try too (actually, a translation of my old Japanese one. Hopefully, somebody finds this enjoyable.
Usual disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters nor the story of Yuu Yuu Hakusho. They belong to Yoshihiro Togashi, and some Japanese anime studio & station (as for anime version). This is just a speculation on one of the charactersÕ thought.
A word of warning: I have a tendency to write on minor characters and this is about poor Yuu Kaitou...
Observer
Never before in my life, I had trailed to somebody in school work. True, things like work out are not for me, but everybody has their good and bad. Knowing that, and also as a hobby, I spent time after time polishing my intelligence. So, the grades were just the natural results/side products of those activities, and nothing more. I had never imagined that they could lead to something more.
The change began when I saw the result of the first midterm here at Meioh High School. For the first time in my life, I saw somebody elseÕs name above me. ÒShuuichi MinaminoÓ, it said on the board. That was definitely unexpected.
Of course it was not like that I did not know the name. Actually, it was impossible to not to know it. Bright, athletic, and gorgeous... All the girls in the school had been practically going nuts since the very beginning about this all-round guy. And who could not notice those unconventional green eyes, and the fine face framed in striking long red hair? One must be both blind and deaf! I just did not think he had that much brain. That was it.
ÒH...him?Ó
So, that was my reaction.
After that, he became a creeping presence in the back of my mind, and then with each passing major exams, my unexplainable feeling grew. No matter how much I studied, he was always there on the top. A few points...that is not much by itself, but when it is about those scores above 95 percentile, that is huge. Not only that, though with apparent preference to math and science, his scores were always near perfect in literatures and social sciences as well. In fact, sometimes, he did beat me. I was feeling a fire, and a reverence...? For the first time, I found a rival. And in no time, tests were no longer considered a mere expression of me, but the opportunities of challenge against him.
Nobody really knew about this except me, but so what? I never wanted others understanding.
Sure, I do have my relations and interests in other people. I have never denied that. In fact, as one involved in literally field, mine is deeper, probably so much more than others. Yes, my attitude is more like an investigation. Even the distance I leave around is for the purpose of objectivity. My specialization is observation. But then sometime ago, it hit me. Somehow, Minamino became the center of my attention, to the point where others started to blur. This was even more so after we ended up in the same class this year.
Truly a person without a flaw... More I knew, more different Minamino was from me. Decently social, once he started talking, his topics were numerous and deep. The fair attitude and smile for everybody were something to envy. But what was most interesting was how he avoided responsibilities! Otherwise, his presence would have been even harder to ignore, and probably resulted in some enemies. But with all that popularity and uniqueness how did he manage that? Upon closer look, his methods turned out to be nothing...or rather, more like too subtle individually to notice. I was amazed to say the least. It was as if everything were orchestrated.
At that realization, I was shocked. A chill ran down my spine. A person acting so perfect without anybody realizing it... That should be impossible for some ordinary teenager! But more scrutiny I gave, more my belief of him being an act hardened. Of course, I wondered. Is this my feeling intervening? A jealousy over a perfect individual? The idea was that unnerving.
Yes, he was too good to be true. Even if it were not all pretence, still he deserved admiration. But ÒactingÓ was not the real problem here. Everybody does it to certain extent as social animal. It was just that his was too flawless. Nothing like others. First, to have such a mask while interacting with other people, one must detach feelings from the surface. Then behind it, he/she is required to constantly analyze the entire environment coolly in addition to the self. I admit that I was not able to do it. Well, actually, I did not even dare to try. And that was why I was looking everybody from outside and was writing.
In every try, the study lead to the conclusion that Shuuichi Minamino was not the picture perfect, kind student that we all thought of. Rather, he was a cold, calculating magician of manipulation. But were it possible?
That question tormented me for a long time. It was so horrifying that my first reaction was to try forgetting the matter all together. But I could not. ÒIs my rival a monster?Ó I kept asking myself. That was about the end of the first quarter. I still remember my losing sleep that night so well. But as it has been proven time after time, human being can get used to everything, and getting used to something means less terror. Nowadays, the notion became such an innate part of my understanding of Minamino that I began not minding it at all. Actually, to say the truth, I was even starting to enjoy the show.
**********************************************************
Sometimes, the world is a strange place. Interesting that this long term wondering actually ended up saving me. Two weeks after finding my territory ability, the rei-master I found, in case my experiment of using the power on myself failed, revealed the unthinkable in exchange for my participation in her scheme. She told me that Minamino was really a youkai, a youko by the name of Kurama. If it were not for my observation and pondering, I would have either laughed, or died from the shock. Truly, the others knowing him in school would have considered her insane instead. But I believed her. There was no doubt. Just by one glance of the tape from Ankoku-Bujyutsu-Kai, I understood it. A world apart from the school life, fighting to the last minute even while covered in your own blood...that was another real face of you, Minamino, at least a part of it...
**********************************************************
Again, you are being a perfect student in school today, smiling all over. No matter how hard I stare, there is not even a glimpse of youki. Oh well, stealth being your area, it must be a kidÕs play to conceal it from a beginner like me. But what does this school mean to you? A side dish like me or a great stage for your act or deceit? Of course, I am just another mere human incapable of understanding somebody like you.
But wait. A week from now...it will be different. I am going to be there for a real challenge. We will have it in my territory and by my rule. Yes, it wonÕt be anything like those ready-made boring exams. I will strip you of the mask. I will make you serious. And this time, I will be...the winner.
END
Thank you for reading...
If you want to read more YuuYuu fanfics, I have done some translation of (better) Japanese fics at Akai-Himawari sanÕs RoseHouse at:
http://hammer.prohosting.com/~rosewhip/
*If you have time, please give Akai-Himawari san some feedback at her bbs/message board. She definitely deserves some, and your comments may cause me to do more translations too (^_^). Oh, and also please do not forget the extensive collection of fanart etc. there either.
dewadewa...(going back to her school work/thesis-oops!)
benishouga@excite.co.jp