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Home is where the heart is (5/?)
A Koko wa Greenwood fanfic by Jop & Yen
Characters belong to Yukie Nasu and in no way belong to me. So please don't sue. No money, no money. :)
Note: Here is where Yen just simply rolls her eyes and groans at her friend. Leave Joppo alone at the computer for a week and the story just… exploded.
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Shinobu opened his eyes. For a moment, he had fancied sturdy wooden supports above him, and the gentle reverberation coming from his roommate above, but no, the ceiling was much further up and the murmur but the wind rustling past and breathing on the shoji screens. The bed - or futon to be more exact - in which he slept was not entirely unfamiliar to the boy nor was the distinguishable scent of the room.
Kouhryu temple. In the strangest turn of events, he had coincidentally bumped into Ikeda Masato who had then invited the roommate of his brother for the night. There were no prying questions in his gaze that night, but just simple acceptance of the given predicament and strange understanding. An understanding that carried on in his mother when she had opened the door for one and instead found two people hiding under its meager roof for protection. Without letting either a word in, she had shooed them off to the baths such that by the time the two were done, a futon roll was spread out with a set of Mitsuru’s clothes folded neatly besides it in case Shinobu needed a change of clothing.
Instead, he had placed the clothing aside, in a discreet corner. For a moment, he had felt uncomfortable handling the garments of his roommate, a circumstance he should have been more than familiar with given Mitsuru’s tardy habits with laundry. Yet, this set had seemed to be imbued with a lot more weight than those he handled in the Greenwood dorm. For a brief moment before he had set it down, the weight had started becoming comfortable, familiar.
Resolutely shaking his head, he had set it down and turned away. The Ikedas did not need another son.
The room still smelled as fresh as if its owner were still around. Of spring cherry blossoms and scented evening dew. Even though Mitsuru was not home, the room was still aired in anticipation and in secret knowledge that its owner would come back to reclaim his rightful place. It was just a question of when.
His senses extended. Someone was outside raking. Quickly getting up, he changed out of his pajamas with cool efficiency and repacked his bags. His eyes wandered the confines of Mitsuru’s room, to reassure himself that all he had brought had been packed with nothing left behind.
He stepped out and took a deep breath. The air was clean and crisp. A strange phenomenon given that it was Tokyo but one he enjoyed nonetheless. Its fresh cool bitter scent reminding him of a place further north from here. Reminded him of more pleasaant times, reminded him almost of...
The shuffling of the broom stopped. "Ohayo, Shinobu," smiled Mrs. Ikeda. "As always it’s a pleasure to have you around the house. Breakfast will be ready in a minute."
Shinobu shook his head."Iie, Ikeda-san, I don’t want to be a bother."
But Mitsuru's mother had already retreated into the kitchen, and Shinobu could hear the cooker being turned on, and the clinking of glasses against each other as they were removed from their customary rack.. Sighing softly to himself, the boy shook his head as he regarded the rake that he now held in his hands and put it to action. He had seen Mitsuru do it often enough to at least have a rough inkling how and where the leaves should go.
Pile them up in a corner and put them under the...
Tree. He paused and stopped. Under this very tree, under the shelter of its gnarled and twisted branches, a long time ago, his best friend had been left here, left in hopes that he would find a better place and sanctuary than from whence he had come from. A place where he could grow, be nurtured and be loved, a place where he could call home...
He stopped. The leaves were neatly piled in one corner and there was nothing left for him to do.
"Shinobu?" He half-turned at the tentative inquiry and saw Mrs Ikeda smile hesitantly. "Breakfast is ready."
He blinked and shook his head. "Gomen, but I don’t want to be any more trouble than I already have been."
"Don’t worry Shinobu-kun." Shinobu did a double take at the honorific as Mitsuru’s mother climbed down the stairs and started towards him, a gentle smile on her lips. "You are never any trouble." Pausing momentarily, she stood before him, her eyes suddenly filled with a melancholic wisdom. "You are troubled."
His mouth automatically opened for a quick denial, only to find his voice abandon him in the face of such quiet understanding. Looking away, he let out a quiet sigh. The only hint of emotional turmoil he would have let closer friends see.
"May I help?"
"Suman, ojousan," Shinobu whispered as he turned to go. "But only I can solve my own problems."
"Fine," agreed Mrs Ikeda, secret wisdom shining in her eyes."But stay for breakfast at least before school? Sho hasn't had any company for breakfast for a long time and it would upset him to see you gone without even saying goodbye."
Shinobu nodded mutely.
Breakfast soon ended and nodding farewell, he opened the door to Mitsuru's room and reached out to take his bags. And blinked. By his bags, there lay folded in a cloth bag, fresh buns as well as a steaming bento box for him to take. He looked at Mrs. Ikeda with a question in his eyes.
"For the road ahead."
Shinobu nodded, even as something thawed in his heart as he picked up his belongings and turned to go.
* * *
"Tezuka is back!" the excited murmurs raced through the school like wildfire causing a little band of students to mill around Ryokuto’s star pupil just after school. Some were genuinely concerned, while others were looking for a good story.
"It was Greenwood, wasn’t it?" the accusations rang out. "You couldn’t live with those weirdos so you decided to bail on them right?"
"Baka! As if those losers could ever make an impression on Tezuka!"
Shinobu stared back stone-faced, even as he was aware of a blond head slowly making his way through the crowd. People who stay in Ryokurin Ryou are not losers, Ishida. Might I remind you that I stay in Greenwood as well?" He reiterated firmly. Being the top student of Ryokuto had its advantages, and his statement helped quell the dissident murmurs. "Now excuse me, I have a meeting with sensei to attend."
He spun on his heel and walked away, ignoring the shouts of his classmates as they hurried to catch him, but he kept walking determinedly, each step at a time. Eventually, they fell away except for one.
Shinobu spun around.
"Can I help you with anything, Mitsuru?"
Mitsuru flinched at his friend’s distant and formal tone. In all the three years that he had known the boy, he had never been on the receiving end of his friend’s brusque treatment. Yes, there were moments when Shinobu had been downright angry with his roommate and had given the cold shoulder, but the boy was never distant. Never really regarded him as a total stranger.
He faltered for a moment. "Are you okay, Shinobu? Was it something I said?"
Instantly, Shinobu’s eyes flashed once before they were once again veiled by cool control. It must be, Mitsuru realized.
Doggedly, he continued on.
"Hey Shinobu, I’ll see you later all right? At lunch by the usual tables?"
The silvery haired figure started walking, eyes looking neither left nor right, just straight ahead at something Mitsuru couldn’t see. Mitsuru growled low in his throat. Best friend or no best friend, wrong words he said or not, the cold ice routine was getting tiresome.
"Are you coming back Tezuka?" Shinobu stopped at the harsh question, half-turned to study his roommate thoughtfully. Clenched fists at his side, legs apart, jaw tensed, Mitsuru looked more ready to attack than to listen and Shinobu shook his head.
"No. I don’t think so."
Mitsuru strode forward, jaw stuck pugnaciously out, and he glared at the shorter boy. Even though he wanted to, he refrained from jabbing Shinobu in the chest, aware, even through his rapidly rising fury that physical contact was not going to help the situation, especially with Shinobu.
"Are you telling me," he started, "that after disappearing for days, not telling anyone where you were and letting all of us worry sick about you, you’re not going to give us any explanation?! Do you even consider us as your friends?"
Shinobu deigned not to answer. Instead he turned around and started walking down the corridor again. Or he tried to.
Staring down at the white-knuckled hand that gripped his arm, cool gray eyes slowly followed it up to its wrist, past the blue clothed arm and up to the face of an obviously irate owner. Shinobu had never quite seen Mitsuru in such a state before, eyes narrowed, nostrils flared and mouth pinched in suppressed anger, and was briefly surprised by the emotion his normally happy-go-lucky friend was exhibiting.
"You owe us an answer Tezuka Shinobu." Shinobu stiffened under the restraint, and pulled away, not so gently.
Only one person called him by his full name.
His mouth twisted bitterly into a mockery of a smile as he answered the sudden image that appeared before him.
"I owe you nothing. Just leave me alone."
He quickly walked away from Mitsuru, who remained rooted to the spot, mouth open and eyes wide. Soon however, they narrowed into amethyst slits before the teenager walked off in the opposite direction.
If Shinobu wanted to be left alone, then Mitsuru would see to it personally.
* * *
comments? Please send them over, kudasai! ^_^
HTMLing done by Jop, 2000.