Friday, 27 March 2009
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Currently
A Twist In My Story
By Secondhand Serenade
Fall for You
see relatedChapter 16 – No more secrets between friends
Inside the art classroom I sat in front of Aoi unable to speak as Sakura sat by her side trying to explain everything while Mao silently paced the classroom back and forth.
“That’s how it happened. We all have our secrets Aoi… and this is one of them. Shinku just happened to have a bigger one than the rest of us and for sure you have something you just can’t bear to tell us either, aside from being one of the multibillionaire in Japan.” Sakura told her convincingly as I tried to weigh my options.
“Do you traffic drugs and weapons?” Aoi asked carefully direction the question towards me.
I gave her a baffled expression.
“Of course you would. Here I thought I was observant enough.” Aoi said dejectedly taking in my expression as a yes.
“What are you talking about Aoi?” Mao interjected as she pinched her shoulders in annoyance.
“Ouch! What was that for? I was not the one hiding being a Yakuza from a friend!” Aoi hissed at her trying to keep her voice down as much as possible.
“You’re stereotyping!” Mao was now glaring at her.
“But isn’t that what Yakuza’s do? I knew there was something about you Shinku, I just didn’t know what exactly it was that made you different from the rest of us.” Aoi speculated out loud.
“Do you know what Mamoru means?” I asked Aoi quietly interrupting.
“It means to protect.” Aoi answered timidly then Mao looked at her gently this time.
“That’s exactly what Shinku’s clan name is. Mamoru, to protect. Shinku’s clan doesn’t exist as a Yakuza who fights for money or power, but instead it is there to protect people. Her clan isn’t exactly the typical gangster type, they are from the samurai clan as well during the early centuries… but since things got hazy when the new regime started… let’s just say they have been separated from the government and got branded as part of the Yakuza too.” Mao explained more calmly to Aoi.
“All the transactions that the clan does are legal, if that’s what you want to know.” Sakura chided in.
Aoi still looked doubtful but it looked like she’s not afraid anymore. There was a sudden stretch of silence between the four of us. We were all thinking of different things.
This is the problem with having too many friends, the attachment that comes with caring. I am starting to get worried that Aoi won’t be able to accept my case and second I was scared at the same time she would tell someone else about it. Then it would mean that this would be the end of my high school career. Just when I have finally started not to take school for granted, there were still so many things for me to learn and experience.
“Have you… ano… have tried to hurt anyone?” Aoi asked courageously.
“I’ve done more than that…” I answered rigidly then let my voice trail off with my train of thoughts.
“What are you thinking?” Aoi asked looking more concerned than afraid.
“I’m thinking that you’ll tell someone about this incident and I’ll be kicked out of school because of it.” I told her without breaking any eye contact.
Aoi’s expression changed into someone who looked like she just got stabbed.
“What?” I asked bewildered for her sudden facial expression.
“Is this what you take me for?” Aoi asked looking wounded.
I looked at her blankly not understanding what exactly she meant.
“Shinku, I thought we were my friend. I never get friends. The three of you are the first real friends I ever had. Whenever girls my age get close to me, they have a different agenda behind it. Now that I have you guys… I’ve given my trust to you. So how could you not trust me enough?”
“How could I when you almost fainted the moment you saw my tattoo on my back?” I answered in a matter of fact tone.
“I was scared! Don’t I have a right to be scared?” Aoi argued.
“She’s right Shinku, anyone would be scared if they saw that.” Sakura nodded at herself.
I threw her a sharp glance, this made her shut up and cower her head.
“You could trust me you know…” Aoi said softly as she continued to look directly at me.
“Shinku… we’re all in it now. There’s nothing more to hide.” Mao said with finality.
“Do I have a choice?” I told her with a sardonic tone.
“Nope.” Mao smiled broadly then took Aoi’s hand to walk out of the room.
“She needs space…” I heard her whisper to Aoi’s ears.
“But…” Aoi started to say but Mao interrupted her, “Oh she already accepted you from the very start. Don’t worry. Just don’t ever be shocked again when you see that thing at her back. That would really piss her off.”
Aoi threw one last glance at me before she got dragged away by Mao.
“See you at the court Shinku.” Sakura called out to me before they left the room.
When the girls have finally left and silence has settled in the classroom I called out to Takumi as I sat alone by the windowsill.
“You can come out now.” I called out.
“You’re really being careless lately.” Takumi shook his head in dismay then added,
“This shouldn’t have happened if you were being careful enough.”
“That’s why you and Shinji are here. To fix things.” I told him imprudently.
“You think I could fix this problem for you?” Takumi asked, challenging me as he stood by my side.
I gave him a hard look but eventually gave up. I was already at the wrong side and I knew I was at fault.
“I’ve been acting like a spoiled brat lately aren’t I?”
“You indeed are.” Takumi scoffed.
“Being a high school student is over whelming… having friends… falling in love… it feels too much and yet I want more.” I shook my head in confusion.
“Shinku, you’re just a teenager the clan understands that...”
“…but,” I interjected, “there is always a BUT.”
“Unfortunately there is a BUT.” Takumi agreed.
“I have to be a responsible teenage Yakuza boss.” I told myself out loud.
Takumi nodded silently.
“How?” I asked him sincerely.
“You’ll eventually learn how to do it.”
“How did you become a responsible person Takumi?”
“I learned from my mistakes.”
“So I should learn from my mistakes then.”
“You can’t afford to make TOO many mistakes Shinku, especially if it concerns the clan.”
“We both know I am not perfect...” I started say.
“Then learn from the mistakes of others.” Takumi insisted.
This made me think of how things were run by people my father trusted long ago… there were so many cases on different occasions, so many mistakes that had to be dealt with by my father alone.
“I thought this would all be easy…” I started to shudder from a sudden cold realization.
I wasn’t afraid of fighting, hurting someone with the use of my hands or even the physical pain that comes with it. However, right this moment, I’m terrified. I’ve never been like this scared before. Wanting things beyond my grasp, the weight of responsibility on top of my head, being someone I am supposed to be, losing people, gaining trusts and even falling in love…
I was shaking uncontrollably from such thoughts… until a pair of arms enveloped me.
Comforting.
“I know you’re scared.” Takumi said softly as he embraced me from behind.
I kept my silence, letting the calming effect he gave settle into me.
“I’ll watch your back Shinku, even if you don’t ask me to.” He said gently.
“Thank you…” I said hoarsely not trying to let my emotions flow out uncontrollably.
Right now, I was starting to feel alright… for this was Takumi after all.
------------------To be continued------------------
Notes from the Author:
So far, I think this is the shortest chapter I have posted.
Sorry for the drama… more revelations on the next chapters… maybe? ^____^v
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