Things had become a great deal more sedate.
Most of the girls had been touched by Kaname’s earlier reaction, even though they had no idea what might have brought it on.
Sure, Sousuke could behave like a maniac sometimes. So could a lot of boys, just not on the same scale. And, at the party, he had made a number of absentminded and innocent comments that set her off. To the young ladies musing over such matters those fumbles hadn’t seemed so bad.
Was it because the two of them seemed to spend a lot of time together? Was it because Sousuke always seemed to be hovering somewhere nearby, wherever Kaname went? Just what was going on between those two? It certainly didn’t seem like a romantic relationship, not even one where the boy and girl tried their best to keep things hidden.
Everyone had been moved by Sousuke’s performance, too. Not just in his Chippendale’s routine, or the other embarrassing things he had done. When he wasn’t busy putting his foot in his mouth… spouting something about Japanese History or military doctrine… or accidentally fondling someone… he was pleasant enough company. They all had little trouble imagining what other boys might have done, had they been there instead.
As a result, Sousuke and Kaname were unofficially declared an endangered species. They had both been pushed further than any animal should be, and would be given a chance to take a step back from the edge of extinction. While the Truths and Darse could be brutal for the others, those two would have it easy for a while.
-
Together we searched for a place to hide
As we ran in the rain
-
Even if I loose something
There's one thing I must protect
-
That's the meaning of my birth in this world
I'll go search with you even if it maybe painful
-
While clinging onto the fresh scenery around us
-
Sousuke sat listening to the lyrics of the song playing on the radio. Usually, he paid little attention to music, with the exception of bagpipes, military marches, and national anthems. Now, he single-mindedly sought something to occupy his attention. Listening to the girls ask their questions, and watching them act out their challenges, could only go so far in that regard. He didn’t want to sit and dwell on the incident with Kaname. It left him feeling uncomfortable. It never did a soldier any good to think too much.
He really didn’t know the meaning of life, or why he had been born into this world. The time he had spent in Tokyo had certainly brought new experiences, and had left him even more perplexed than he might normally be. The idea of searching with someone else seemed to strike a chord; but, it was a chord that was best left unstuck. In his line of work, he rarely had much time to spend with someone outside of Mithril.
For now, it was not about what he lost, or what he might find. It was about protecting someone. He would continue to do that, as best he could. It was foolish to look any further than that.
-
The prism reflected the orange of
The sunset when the breeze slips through my fingertips
-
I wish I could devote myself to you so
I want to become more gentle for you
-
Kaname kept looking over at Sousuke. She did it in a manner intended to make it seem as if she wasn’t looking. Sousuke hadn’t caught on, but her friends might have. Every time she’d peek at him out of the corner of her eye, she’d realize that Maya, Ryo, Mizuki, Kyouko, or Ren had been watching her. If not one of them, then one of the others. They must be worried about her.
Still, it was an itch she had to scratch. It was all too easy, saying it wouldn't matter if he mentioned some other girl’s name. Easy, but untrue. It would matter to her. She thought back to the time that Sousuke had missed a study session with her, after she had gone to a lot of trouble cooking up a meal for the two of them. The next say in class, she had been rude, because he had given her jewelry in order to keep her safe, not to try and win her heart. She had lowered the boom pretty hard on the way home, even though that jewelry allowed him to rescue her later. When she went to make amends, the big jerk had been acting mighty peculiar. That’s when she had seen Teletha Testarossa for the first time.
A lot of denial had gone into covering the reason for her anger and disappointment, seeing a towel-wrapped girl at his apartment. She had also worked hard to convince herself she didn’t care when Tessa ordered Sousuke to turn off the listening devices on Arbalest, saying that she may have fallen in love with a certain sergeant.
Little Miss Captain seemed to think that they were in some kind of competition or something. They weren’t. Even if they were, she was not about to loose to someone like her. She still remembered Tessa's ploy, whenthe other Whispered implied that she had some kind of relationship with Sousuke.
If they ever was a contest for a certain soldier’s affection, Tessa would be at a major disadvantage, since she was Mr.-Stickler-For-The-Rule’s commanding officer. But, if that were somehow erased, the smaller girl would be in the catbird seat, since she always seemed to treat Sousuke with a great deal of kindness and compassion. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to become ‘more gentle’ herself. It just wouldn’t be for that reason!
Oops. She had missed a bit of the game. That would never do.
“If you had a tattoo, what would it be and where would you want it?” Ryo asked the question of one of the other girls. After she answered, her friends all spoke up to say how cool it would be to get a tattoo some day.
“The term irebokuro, meaning tattoo, was used in the Edo period, or so it is written in our textbook.” Sousuke had found another way to distract himself. “As you know, ‘ire’ or ‘ireru’ means to insert, and ‘bokuro’ or ‘hokuro’ is a beauty spot. However, in the early Edo period, the tattoo was like a dot, not pictorial. They originated among the yujos, or legal prostitutes, and were rare among ordinary girls like yourself.”
“NO E-…”
The girls all shook their heads and closed their mouths. They sighed. No one could shout at Sousuke for a while.
“S-…” Kaname closed her eyes and let out a deep long breath. She counted backwards from twenty five. She could do this.
After a few girls were brave enough to try Dares, Kyouko asked the next Truth. “If you were an animal, what kind would you be?” After the girl answered, everyone else joined in. At one point, they began using the animals of the Chinese Zodiac as a guide.
“Sousuke’s probably a dog!” Mizuki smiled. She could imagine him with a collar on, being dragged at the end of a leash by Kaname. When he was bad, she would swat him on the nose with her paper fan. And, everywhere he went, he seemed to leave a mess.
“Dogs are supposed to be honest, quiet, intelligent, generous, stubborn, loyal and faithful to those they love,” one girl said.
“Well, I guess he is loyal and faithful,” another girl remarked. “Stubborn, too.”
“Three out of seven isn’t too bad,” Ryo said, getting everyone to laugh. “Though, I have to say he’s honest too. He’s just not the type that would ever be able to keep something hidden. You see how he blurts out everything.”
Kaname and Sousuke looked at one another automatically, and then quickly looked away.
“That’s right!” One girl said. “What’s more, Dogs are supposed to be introverted listeners, prone to letting their external anxieties get the better of them.”
“Yup. Sounds like Sousuke.“ Maya nodded her head. “But Dogs are also supposed to have a sharp tongue, and a tendency to be a fault-finder.” She and the other girls all turned to stare at Kaname.
“Hmmmpppfff!” Kaname turned up her nose and scowled.
“Dogs will make excellent businessmen, activists, teachers, or secret agents,” a girl noted. “He better never be a teacher. He would blow up any business he worked for. Maybe he could be an activist, since he gets so obsessed with things. Secret agent? Sheeeesh. Who thinks up these crazy things?“
Sousuke looked down at his feet.
“Tigers and Horses are the best matches for a Dog,” Ren said sweetly. “Dragons need to be handled with care.” That had some of the girls who had named themselves Tigers and Horses either patting each other on the back, or putting their fingers in their mouths and pretending to gag.
“What do you want to bet that Kaname has the features of a Dragon?” Mizuki’s eyes sparkled. “Other than breathing fire, I mean…”
"Ha ha ha." Kaname tried to ignore Mizuki's lopsided grin.
“Dragons are bossy, loud, stubborn, and garish,” one girl said, smiling. “Now, does that sound like Kaname?”
“Y-E-S-!” All of the girls answered at the same time.
“Fine bunch of friends I have,” Kaname said. She smiled just the same. For some reason, she wanted to put Sousuke on the spot. “Am I loud… bossy… stubborn… or garrish…”
“You are not garrish,” Sousuke said. He did not want to lie. But, he had done better that time. Usually, he would simply had answered ‘yes’. No, he would have answered ‘yes’, and then gone into painstaking detail.
Kaname made another face, but then smiled again.
“Dragons are also intelligent and gifted, not to mention full of vitality and enthusiasm,” Ryo said. “That sounds like Kaname, too.” Eager to make Kaname feel better, the other girls all nodded or added their agreement.
“Intolerant, too,” a girl mentioned.
“Bingo,” Ryo said. “Right, Sousuke?”
“They’re also unfaithful.” Mizuki smirked. “Everything they see that they want, they go after.”
Sousuke looked up. Mizuki’s statement bothered him for some reason. “Is this true? Dragons will be unfaithful?” He looked over at Kaname.
“Of course not,” Kaname answered quickly. “I would never…” Now where had that come from? Why had Sousuke asked? And, why had she been so quick to answer? She blushed, as her friends began chuckling. “This is all nonsense, Sousuke. Just like horoscopes.” She wondered why Sousuke looked somewhat relieved. “Besides, the animals in the Chinese Zodiac are based on the time and date of birth, not a person’s personality.” He couldn't be consciously thinking about her in a certain way, could he? No. That would be too big of a change. What about sub-consciously?
“Understood,” Sousuke said. “Sun Tzu also spoke out against horoscopes.” He ignored the look that a number of girls gave him. They were big fans of astrology and love compatibility. The were not fond of anything otaku. “In his words, the superstitious were bound in to saucy doubts and fears; would degenerate into cowards; and were destined to die many times before their deaths. Spells and incantations were strictly forbidden, and no officer was allowed to inquire by divination into the fortunes of an army, for fear the soldiers' minds should be seriously perturbed.”
“I bet that Sun Tzu never had a date, either.” One of the horoscope aficionados quipped.
“Totally!” Her friend said.
“Somebody certainly sounds perturbed,” Kaname said, with a toss of her hair. She didn’t like the comment the one girl had made. Sure, other than the date manufactured by Mizuki, Sousuke had never been on a real date since she had known him. But, that didn’t mean he was a total loser or something. After all, a number of girls had left him love notes, leading to the destruction of multiple lockers. Furthermore, in the right circumstances, she’d like very much to go out with him. No. That wasn’t what she meant. Not really. Right?
“Girls,” one young lady said. “How about we get back to the game?” She was serving as the Umpire for this round.
-
Even if there are days when the tears roll down my cheeks
I want to have you back all for myself
-
But use kindness is also cruel sometimes
I lose sight of the answer the more I search for it
-
If you can see the rainbow in the town after the rain
Let's start walking now, something is about to begin
-
The words to that song had Kaname zoning out for a few moments. There was a spirit of hope in the lyrics, and that drew in like a moth to a flame. Soon enough, she sighed and shook her head. She was Whispered. The Whispered were a commodity. They weren’t about to go out of style any time soon. That would be the case no matter where she was, what she did, and who she spent time near. Would there be some kind of rainbow waiting for her, after the rain was done?
“Earth to Kaname,” Kyouko said. “Are you daydreaming again?” She wrinkled her nose. “Thinking about someone we know?”
“What?” Kaname tensed up. Of course not, Ky. What makes you think that?”
“It was your turn to answer ‘Truth’ or ‘Dare’,” the Umpire said. “We asked you twice already.”
“Oh… I… it must be because I’m almost falling asleep,” Kaname said, yawning for effect. “What was the ‘Truth’?”
“Who is the most important person in your world?” Mizuki repeated the question.
“It’s…” Kaname lowered her eyes a moment, after glancing briefly at Sousuke. This was not such an easy question. Family meant everything to her, even though she was half a world away from the people she loved the most. But, there was someone else who was very important, even more important than her friends. That was Sousuke. He was protecting her in a way that no one else could. Maybe there was another reason he was important too. “It’s my father,” she said. It was the right answer. Still, in a way, she felt a bit like a traitor.
-
Because I have you, because I have tomorrow
Because I can't live on all alone
I feel you so close by me, I guess that's love
-
Because you know how much pain tears can bring
I want to find a smile in your transparent eyes
As I search for a definite meaning in them
-
Although it'd be good if these feelings found their way into your heart
Without me needing to speak a word
-
Sousuke pondered those words, realizing that songs were more than entertainment. It seems that theyare also a way to share common feelings, and to touch upon every day issues that mattered to those who listened. Why hadn’t he seen that before? Perhaps because it didn’t really have much meaning for someone like him. He was not a normal person. He did not have a normal life. He may never have one.
Who did he have? No one. What was waiting for him tomorrow? Perhaps a bullet or an Anti-armor blade. Would he be destined to live alone? Maybe. In the past, he had accepted that. He had taken it for granted. Why then, did the song have him feeling sad?
He looked over at Kaname. When she had been asked her question, he wondered what she might answer. Why? The answer wouldn’t make him a better soldier. It wouldn’t make his job any easier.
“Sou-u-u-u-u-u-s-kay…” The Umpire banged a number of glasses together for a few moments. To Sousuke, the sound was eerily familiar. “Sousuke, come out and play.” Yes, the sounds and those words reminded him of a classic scene at the end of the movie ‘The Warriors’. Surviving a game of Truth and Dare with these girls was no less an accomplisment than the gang's making it back to Coney Island alive.
“I apologize. It appears that I too am tired.” Sousuke stood up. “Perhaps a quick set of exercises will help improve my attention.” He began doing calisthenics, leaving most of the girls shaking their heads. Instead of grimacing or making a snide remark, Kaname hid a smile behind her hand. “You do not need to wait until I am finished…”
“I asked the 'Truth',” Ren said. “I wanted to know how you would score the contestants, if you were given the task of judging a beauty contest.”
“I see,” Sousuke said, building up sweat for a different reason this time. “I presume you are speaking humans, and not military equipment.” He was actually quite pleased with himself, coming up with an insight like that. “Female humans, to be precise.”
“Girls,” Kaname said, her irritation breaking through her new resolve.
“I know the proper terminology for female human beings, Kaname.” Sousuke said.
“Oooo-ooo-oo-o…” Kaname bit her lip. Feeling everyone’s gaze on her, she reigned in her temper.
“I was forced to watch a beauty contest once,” Sousuke said, rubbing his chin, trying to remember the details. Kurz had told him it would be educational. Then again, that was the same explanation he used for girlie magazines, strip clubs, and female mud wrestling. “If I recall correctly, areas that factored into the decision making process of the Specialists… no, not the Specialists… the judges… included the way that they spoke; the manner in which they carried themselves; some form of talent; and their appearance in forms of clothing similar to that which the other girls wore.”
“And…” Ren prompted Sousuke.
“I would place high importance on loyalty, physical stamina, and good leadership abilities,” Sousuke said, selecting his own criteria.
Kaname nodded, thinking that she was loyal, athletic, and a student leader.
“That’s boring,” one girl said. “And that’s not the way a guy would think.” She shook her finger at Sousuke. “Come on, tell us what you reeeeeeeally like.” That had a number of her friends whispering to one another. As if by unanimous decree, it was okay to put Sousuke on the spot again.
“Like?” Sousuke ran his hand through his hair.
“You know,” Maya said, making an hourglass shape in the air with her two hands.
“Sign language?” Sousuke asked, puzzled. “Some form of nonverbal communication.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Something on the order of semiphores?”
“I don’t think I want to know what that is,” Ryo said, frowning.
“It does sound kind of dirty, though.” One girl licked her lips, before being elbowed by her friends. "Maybe even kinky..."
“Semiphores refers to a visual system for sending information by means of two flags that are held one in each hand.” Sousuke said helpfully.
“I knew I didn’t want to know.” Ryo remarked.
“Why do I even bother…” Kaname muttered under her breath, hanging her head.
“This is an hourglass shape,” Maya said, repeating her gesture.. “You know, as in ‘hourglass figure’.” She closed her eyes for a moment, seeing a total lack of recognition in Sousuke’s eyes. This was the same guy that had almost reduced a number of girls to babbling idiots not long ago? It boggled the imagination!
“A girl’s figure,” Mizuki said, an exasperated tone in her voice.
“T & A,” another girl said.
“Uhhh…” Sousuke narrowed his eyes. “Hmmm…” T and A. He could think of a number of meanings.
‘Ta’. An abbreviation for the element tantalum. A tantalum carbide graphite composite was one of the strongest substances known, and played a major structural role in Arbalest‘s fusion reactor. ‘T & A’. Tracking and Analysis. That was a term used onboard the TDD-1. It could also stand for Tardiness & Absenteeism, something that occasionally left him standing in the hallway outside of homeroom, a water-filled bucket in each hand. ‘TA’. Teaching assistant. Tactical Airlift. Target Acquisition. Tamper Alarm. Terminal Adaptor, as in the interface card in the ARX-7’s communications equipment. But, like the other possibilities, that did not make much sense, in the context of a girl’s figure.
“TITS AND ASS!”
“Oh…” Sousuke swallowed hard. He would add that to his list.
“You do look at girls, don’t you?” Kyouko tried to look innocent, but there was a mischievous glint in her eye. “There are some pretty girls at our school.” She looked over at Kaname. “Tessa was very pretty, too.” She couldn’t hide her grin when Kaname flinched.
“I… that is…” Sousuke clasped his hands together. At times, he found himself distracted by certain parts of the female anatomy, especially when circumstance placed the women in particular postures. “There have been times when…” Then again, he never seemed to obsess on such things, or make it an unofficial extra subject of study at school, like most of the other boys did. “How do I put this…”
Kaname tugged at her hair, not realizing how hard she was doing it until her eyes watered. What was that big idiot getting all tongue-tied again for? He was a man, wasn’t he? That kind of thing frustrated her at times. But, to be honest, she was glad that he didn’t behave like many of the other guys at school. Part of her might feel relieved, if Sousuke wasn’t in the habit of ogling girls, herself included. But, another part might want him to do just that, all other girls excluded. She remembered how good she had felt, wearing that kimono, when he admitted that she was beautiful.
“Who are you trying to fool?” One girl folded her arms over her chest. She was still feeling the effects of Sousuke’s dance act. “This innocent routine is just to get girls to feel safe around you, until it’s too late.”
“That’s right,” another girl said. “I bet you’ve been to a lot of those clubs where woman dance naked.”
“Affirmative,” Sousuke answered. “Quite a few." He wondered why everyone went silent, and then began speaking all at once. "I was brought to them by my comrades, in Beirut, Bangkok, Tel Aviv…” He continued to rattle off a string of cities, only then realizing how many times he had been pulled along by the older males in Mithril and other groups he had fought for.
With each site mentioned, Kaname’s eyes grew wider. With each additional club mentioned, her lips grew tighter and thinner.
“… Singapore, Sydney, Phnom Penh…” When Sousuke stopped, he shrugged, blinking when sweat from his exercising ran down into his eyes. “It was a major inconvenience. I did not watch the girls. I had to continually refuse the offers of dancers and sex merchants. I ended up serving as a bodyguard form my drunken companions.” He sighed, remembering how many times he and his shipmates had come close to ending up in local jails or prisons.
“You continually refused them…” Maya said, raising one eyebrow. She couldn’t see Sousuke doing otherwise, but one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
“Naked dancers and sex merchants…” Ryo rubbed her fingers together.
“Oh, Sousuke…” Kyouko dropped her camera, quickly hiding it inside her pajama pants leg.
Kaname stared at Sousuke, not certain what she was feeling. Was it disappointment? Jealousy? Disillusionment? She shouldn’t jump to any conclusions. She knew Sousuke pretty well, didn’t she? Maybe the true answer to that was ‘no’. How well did she know him, really? Was he like a stray dog that someone brings home, uncertain of how it behaved in the past, and at risk from how it might react in the future?
No. She was a pretty good judge of character. No one could act as clueless as Sousuke. That had to be an inborn talent.
“Yes,” Sousuke said. “Kaname can attest to my intentions.” Sousuke looked over at Kaname, watching her mouth fall open. “She and I were at the C & J Club for a fair amount of time.” He wondered why the girls all gasped and looked at one another, and then Kaname. “I behaved very professionally. So did she.” The word ‘professionally’ left room for speculation.
“I wasn’t there working…” Kaname waved her hands in front of her, frantically. “No way! I would never do anything like that…” She tuned to glare at Sousuke. “We went there at Atsunobu Hayashimizu’s request, trying to find out what was going on with some girls from our school.” Her features darkened. “We were not supposed to tell anyone about what we found.”
“Yes, that is correct.” Sousuke stiffened. He had done it again. By all accounts, he was a very quick draw with his pistol. Unfortunately, he was even quicker with his tongue. “I must apologize for breaking confidence.” He had a lot of work to do. But, knowing is half the battle.
“I think he’s telling the truth,” Mizuki said. “Remember the beach? Remember Kaname’s new white bikini?”
“And the watermelon!” Ryo grinned.
“Thanks for reminding me,” Kaname drawled. She remembered how upset she had been at that time. About the swimsuit. Not the watermelon. Baka!
“I heard that story, but I never believed it.” The one girl who had been certain that Sousuke was some sort of player played with the hem of her shirt. “Maybe it’s true after all.”
Instead of making the girls lose interest in Sousuke, the revelation stirred them up even more. Still feeling the effects of alcohol, some were in a very rambunctious and racy mood.
“So, are you saying that you’re not a leg man?” One girl stood up, walked over to the folding chair, and put one foot up on it. Bending over, she slowly rolled up her pajama pants on that leg.
“Uhhh.” Sousuke swallowed hard. Try as he may, he couldn’t look away. What was this magnetic effect? “I… uhhh…”
“Be careful,” Ryo said. “If you see her panties, you’ll have to marry her.”
“Truly?” Sousuke twitched. That broke the spell.
“Idiot!” Kaname wasn’t certain if she was angry at the girl, upset at Sousuke’s response, or annoyed by his utter naivety.
“How about an ass man,” another girl said, feeling somewhat tipsy. She turned around and bent over.
“Ahhh…” Sousuke blinked rapidly. This was even worse. The pull was even stronger. “I…”
Kaname looked at Sousuke… looked at the girl… and looked at Sousuke gain. She clenched her fists. It took every iota of willpower to keep from shouting.
“I bet he’s one of those guys who never sees a woman’s eyes when he looks above her waist.” A third girl began unbuttoning her blouse.
“Uhhh…. Uhhh… Uhhh…” Sousuke quivered every so slightly. He sounded like an LP with the stylus stuck in a groove. Once again, being at this party had helped him start to see beyond his usual horizons.
“S-T-O-P T-H-A-T!”
Kaname was standing now, hand over her mouth. She hadn’t meant to be that loud. “Let’s not take things too far,” she said, trying to seem nonchalant. “Not everyone here feels comfortable with that kind of thing.” She turned to give a rather pointed look at the Umpire, who pretended not to notice.
“Especially not Sousuke!” Mizuki smiled. Yes, Sousuke had been very gallant before. But, it was fun seeing him put on the spot like this.
“We’ll behave,” one girl said, winking to her friends, mouthing the name 'Tessa'. They had picked up on Kyouko’s mention of her earlier.
“That’s right!” Another girl said. “It’s just a game. Nothing to get all worked up over, right?”
“Let’s try it this way, Sousuke.” A third girl stood up and put her hand on her chin. “I remember you being very protective of Tessa when she came to visit.” She smiled, looking over at Kaname. “Even more protective than you usually are around Kaname.”
“That’s just because…” Kaname stopped. She almost blurted out ‘she’s his commanding officer.’
“Hmmmmm-mmmm-mmm-mm-m…”
“So, Sousuke…” Maya stood up. She put her hand on her chin too, trying to look contemplative. “Which would you prefer… a small, pretty petite girl like Tessa…” She winked over at Ryo. “Or a larger chunkier girl like Kaname?”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke furrowed his brow, looking over at Kaname. “Kaname is chunky?” That had Kaname looking for something heavy. “I had not noticed.” He nodded his head. “I suppose I prefer chunky, then.”
“Ohhhhhh-hhhhh-hhhh-hhh-hh-h…”
“It… I’m not… sheeeesh…” Kaname didn’t look irritated any more. If anything, there was the beginning of a smile on her lips.
“Do you like a girl with a nice small round tush like… hmmm… Tessa’s…” Ryo tried to keep a straight face. The look on Sousuke’s face was priceless. “Or something larger and more misshapen like… let’s see… Kaname’s…” The look on Kaname’s was even better.
“Uhhh…” Sousuke froze. Some how, his mind was able to conjure up images of Kaname and Tessa and place them side by side. How? He had never purposefully tries to memorize such physical details. Doing so with the Captain might have been reason enough for court martial. “I… it… Kaname’s seems to be nice and round too… I mean…” He was sweating heavily again. This time it had nothing to do with physical exertion.
“And?” Mizuki rubbed her ands together. Kaname sat down hard. She put a pillow over her lap.
“They are both very…” Sousuke had to cough to clear his throat. When he could speak again, his voice came out in a croak. “Were I forced to choose…” He looked over at the balcony. Perhaps it would be a good time to return home. “I suppose I would select…”
Kaname grasped the pillow firmly, feeling somewhat anxious. It was almost like standing in front of the hallway display board, waiting for the test scores to be posted. This was ridiculous.
“Kaname’s,” Sousuke said. He checked his pulse. It was racing. “I should qualify my answer. She was merely the example.” He coughed again. “It appears that I would prefer larger and well rounded.” He couldn’t shake the previous image from his head. Was there some way for him to reboot like a computer?
“Ahhhhhh-hhhhh-hhhh-hhh-hh-h…”
A number of girls gave each other high fives, and then began turning dark pink when they realized what they had done. Kaname felt her face growing warm, too. It felt as if her spirit was lighter than before.
Mizuke returned from a quick sprint to the kitchen. There was a devilish look in her eyes. That had the nearest girls grinning, wondering what she was about to do. “Sousuke…” Mizuke placed an armload of items on the floor in front of her. She blushed and stammered a moment when she realized that by bending over like that she gave Sousuke a good look down her shirt. “Do you prefer nice perky apples… like Tessa…” She held a pair of apples up to her chest.
“Or Mizuki!” One girl shouted. That caused Mizuki to drop the fruit. One fell inside her pajama top, causing everyone to chuckle.
“Or… do you…” Mizuki turned away, wiggled her body, and caught the apple when it rolled out. “Do you prefer muskmelons…” She held up a pair of melons. “…Like…”
“Kaname,” A number of girls all called out at once. That had Kaname looking down at her chest, grimacing when she caught herself doing it. It also had Sousuke looking in her direction, causing her to pull the pillow up over her pajama top.
“I prefer apples,” Sousuke said automatically, thinking first about fruit, even though the analogy had not escaped him entirely. “Melons are bulkier, require more handling, and provide a less satisfactory snack.” He was oblivious to the girls’ reaction. He looked at the other fruit sitting near Mizuki. “However, I would judge grapefruit or large oranges to be a better fit. And oranges have... always... been" He ran down, the full impact of his words finally registering on him.
"Your favorite,” Maya said, finishing for Sousuke.
“I’m certain that Kaname will be glad that you like her oranges.” Ryo couldn’t help herself. The opportunity was too great to pass up.
“Do you like fresh squeezed fruit?” One girl asked.
“Uhhh…” Sousuke looked like he had turned to stone.
“THAT’S IT… THAT’S ENOUGH… THAT’S THE LAST OF IT…”
“Let’s tone things down a bit,” Kaname said, after lowering her voice. She looked over at Mizuki. “I’ll ask you to leave my fruit out of it.” She looked at Sousuke, about to tell him not to even think about squeezing fruit. That caused her to blush again. Some things were better left unsaid.
“You notice how she waited until after Sousuke answered?” One girl asked.
“It’s just a coincidence,” her friend remarked.
Having had their fill of teasing Sousuke for a while, the girls put the game back on track. It was everyone else’s turn to be put on the spot, and no one had any reason to cry foul after the things that he had been put through.
“How much weight would you need to lose to feel thin,” one girl asked. That was followed by “How much money would it take for you to break up with your boyfriend” and “Would you like to see a law passed, so that it was legal to beat stupid people.”
“There has to be a law?” Kaname asked, smiling at Sousuke. She ducked when everyone threw pillows and blankets at her. Her question was followed by “Which of the Ten Commandments would you like to change;” and “If you had a nuclear weapon at home, what would you do with it.”
“I would…” Sousuke answered out of turn. He was cut-off by Kaname.
“I don’t even want to know!” Kaname shook her fist at Sousuke. “Not… another… word...”
“What five things would you like to bury in a time capsule,” Maya asked one of her friends. All of the girls seemed to chime in on that one. Kaname got more than one mention, as did Sousuke. But, Mizuki had them both beat. When she made a face, everyone laughed good-naturedly.
-
A small flower is blooming inside my heart,
The unwithering flower you gave to me,
I was able to believe strongly enough in myself,
So I'm not afraid anymore...
-
I was happy meeting you,
Even though I could only share my loneliness,
Even though we're separated now,
I still feel that we're somehow connected under this sky...
-
As she listened to the song, Kaname looked over at Sousuke. A number of the girls were teasing him, trying to get him to eat pieces from an orange they had peeled. It almost did feel like some kind of flower was opening within her. As much as the big goof had disrupted her life, he had also forced her to see and do things that she never would have done otherwise. Some of it had been very hard to deal with; but, she felt more confident in herself now, and was not as afraid as she had once been.
She really was happy, having been able to meet him and get to know him, despite what she might think every other minute, every other day, and every other explosion. But, it was hard to accept the fact that he could be gone before she knew it. Who knows what might happen to him on his next mission? Who could say when Mithril might simply pull him away from Tokyo forever?
What should she do? Did it make any sense, wanting to get closer to him, if he might just disappear some night? Would it be wrong, if she wanted to keep some distance between them? Was it really something open to conscious choice?
-
I didn't say thank you...
I couldn't even promise...
-
However, like on that day, if the wind blows
Then I know we will surely meet again...
-
Sousuke caught the tail end of the song. It had him looking over at Kaname, who was now laughing and joking about something with Ryo, Maya, and Kyouko. He did indeed have things to thank Kaname for. He had been neglectful in that manner. But, he was not good at thanking people. Thinking about the wind that constantly blew through his life, he wondered where he might be carried next. Somehow, he didn’t wish to be tossed around like a leaf anymore.
Things were not easy for him at school. But, he had to admit to himself that he was learning things about himself there, even if he had trouble fitting in. He had friends his own age, something that had not been issued along with his mess kit, weapons, and bunk assignment aboard Da Danaan.
He looked over at Kaname. How would he feel, if he was removed from this mission, and placed somewhere that seemed more appropriate for a soldier with his set of skills? Would it matter to her, if he was forced to leave?
“It’s my turn,” one girl said. “And I am going to ask Sousuke.” She thought a moment. “What is the biggest secret you are hiding?”
“I must take the Dare,” Sousuke answered immediately. There was no way that he could ever mention Mithril. If he was fortunate, there would never be any reason for his classmates to find out about his reason for being at school.
“OK, suit yourself.” The girl’s eyes lit up. “Is there any Pocky left?” There was. Plenty. “Good. Here’s what you have to do. You have to put it in your mouth. A girl will do the same to the other end. When I say ‘go’, you’ll both have to start eating it until the candy is gone.”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke’s eyes went wide. “That would require…”
“Exactly.” The girl pointed to the sleeping bags, blankets, and other sundry items spread across the floor. “Clear a spot. Then, everyone gather around.” She walked over to a table, grabbed an empty bottle, and then walked over to the cleared area. “We’ll spin the bottle to find the lucky girl.”
Kaname bit her lip.
Truth or Dare (chapter 7) [FIC]
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