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for the 'net public.
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Fanfic
Official home of my
Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 mega series: BGC Post
2040.
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Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 5: World On A String
The Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 Continuation Fanfic
Series
by P. Kristen Enos
SPOILERS WARNING!!!
Most of these stories
take place AFTER the TV Series! So DON'T blame me if
I ruin the ending for you because you read these
stories first!
Lesbian/Yuri/Shoujo
Ai Warning! (Non-explicit -- at least in the
"PG13"/"R" sort of way.) Just not written for
children because they probably wouldn't get half of
it.
All rights belong to JVC/AIC, ADV Films and the
other creative powers that be. I just want credit
for writing the story.
Special
BGC 2040 History Notes
The
idea of doing this story, most of which takes place
when Sylia and Reika were 15 years old, presented
some challenges in that key events in Sylia’s past
had some continuity problems within the anime
itself.
Facts from the anime:
-
Henderson doesn’t
know who Mackey is, much less the idea that
Sylia had a “brother.” However, the picture of
Sylia and Mackey is dated 2030, meaning
Henderson had to have exited her life before
then.
-
According to the bio
Nene pulls up on him, Dr. Stingray is listed to
have died in 2033, which Sylia would have been
approximately seventeen.
-
HOWEVER, Henderson
is the one who delivers the news to Sylia about
her father’s apparent demise. This not only
presents a timeline problem not only because of
the “facts” listed above, but also that in the
scene itself, Sylia is shown (admittedly from
about the chin down) as still being a little
girl.
Timeline for Post 2040
Universe:
-
So with the issues
above, I’ve established the following key
milestones to help flesh about Sylia’s past into
some sort of logical and character development
order.
-
Sylia’s mother died
when Sylia was about six years old, in the year
2023.
-
Henderson was
replaced as Sylia’s primary servant by a new
couple, Mr. and Mrs. Sohma, shortly afterwards.
-
Mackey created from
Galatea in 2028.
-
Dr. Stingray died
and Tokyo earthquakes happened in 2029.
-
Mackey moves in with
Sylia in 2030.
-
And boomers haven't
gone rogue yet.
-
And the rest will be
shown through the story...
* * * * *
Prologue
Tuesday
Afternoon, June 21st, 2026
Ten year old Reika Chang
sat at the piano and let out a sigh as she waited
for her music teacher, who was late as usual, even
for a lesson with her star pupil.
She stared out the
window at the view of the athletic grounds where the
other girls were participating in their after school
sports activities. She personally didn’t so much
care to be part of the festivities as much as she
envied being able to lounge outdoors in the sun and
do whatever truly pleased her. If she were to choose
between music or sports, music would win every time,
but more and more she realized that there were other
simple pleasures that she was missing out on that
the other girls seemed to take for granted.
She then ran her hands
through her short black hair and returned her
attention to the piano before her.
Her parents had tried
having a private tutor give her lessons when she was
eight but she found no enjoyment in the supervised
repetition of basic exercises. The lessons were
quickly stopped to the relief of all involved.
Reika’s interest,
however, changed shortly afterwards due to watching
her mother perform for some guests. Reika thought it
was an elegant piece, and her mother was absolutely
beautiful while playing it. She also noticed the
sheer enjoyment and pride that was evident on the
faces of everyone in the room, especially her
father’s.
So the little girl
watched the performance like a hawk, wanting to
imitate her mother in both the beauty she projected
and the joy she gave to her listeners. When her
parents and their guests moved to the other room,
Reika sat down at the piano and played the same
song, note for note. Five minutes later, her parents
and guests came rushing back in in amazement when
they realized what she had done.
Labels like “child
prodigy” and “musical genius” were thrown around
that night, words that she later looked up and was
pleased by what she found. Her mother then asked
Reika if she wanted to learn to play the piano in
order to play more songs. Reika said yes because she
enjoyed the pleased reaction she got from everyone,
especially from her parents.
But playing was
different than practicing. However, she was now more
willing to put up with the latter on a limited
basis.
Reika let out another
sigh, and then realized there was another presence
nearby.
She looked up to see
Sylia Stingray standing in the doorway, watching her
without any expression. Reika almost jumped in
surprise at the other girl’s presence as well as at
her attention.
Transfer students
arriving at mid-year always cause a stir, and even
more so at such an exclusive school as Shimizu
Academy. So when Sylia had arrived two months ago,
the entire student body was buzzing over the
beautiful “American” girl, even though it was also
known that she had been born and raised in Japan.
The rumors flew fast over her famous scientist
father and the tragic death by illness of her
mother. And Sylia herself proved to be quite the
tantalizing mystery, even for Reika, who was her
assigned roommate.
On a casual level, Sylia
was polite and proper, never speaking out of turn or
indulging in side conversations with classmates. Her
test scores and athletic abilities were exceptional,
always rivaling those of the class leaders. Yet, at
the same time, Reika noticed that Sylia remained
aloof and private. She never spoke unless spoken to,
and she never asked questions about others but would
politely answer whatever was asked of her.
The other girls didn’t
know whether to label Sylia as a snob or shy,
knowing that neither one felt quite right. The
faculty and staff were just pleased to have someone
who showed such promise for cultivating prestige for
the school, if she wasn’t destined to be married off
upon graduation, as was half the student body.
Since Reika had no real
friends in the study body with whom to secure her
roommate assignment, she was always at the mercy of
the school computers to determine who would share
her living space for the year. Since her original
roommate for the year had left the month before due
to illness, she wasn’t particular surprised that the
new transfer student would be paired with her.
In sharing their room,
Reika noticed that even though Sylia never went out
of her way to be sociable, there were little things
that she did to show that she was indeed the
conscientious roommate. She always cleaned up after
herself, was quiet and kept reasonable hours.
Whenever there was free time, Sylia was always
alone, her nose buried in a book or a computer
terminal, giving off the aura of someone who merely
wanted to be left alone. Yet Sylia was always ready
to give her a pleasant smile and nod of acknowledge
without requiring any further interaction.
Personally, Reika loved
the new arrangement, having been subjected to two
previous years of nosy and overly chatty roommates,
though they were pleasant girls otherwise. It was
nice to have someone who also appreciated personal
space and silence, since she didn’t like frivolous
company either.
Reika had eventually
developed the opinion that Sylia just didn’t care
about people or things as long as she was left
alone. So to now see this girl watching her was
quite surprising indeed.
The girls stared at each
other for a moment before Reika prompted, “Yes,
Sylia?”
She took a few steps
into the room and said simply, “You don’t seem to be
enjoying yourself.”
Reika’s eyebrows shot up
at the rather direct and accurate assessment, but it
also triggered her curiosity that such a comment
came from this almost anti-social girl.
She responded, “Well, I
don’t like piano practice.”
“Then why play the piano
if you don’t like it?” Sylia asked in a tone showing
a genuine attempt to understand.
“Practicing is different
than playing. And I like to play.” Reika paused as
an idea hit her and then she asked, “Do you like
piano music?”
Sylia shook her head. “I
don’t care for any kind of music.”
“Oh,” Reika responded,
feeling a little deflated, though she tried to hide
her disappointment.
Sylia tilted her head
curiously at her, her gray eyes never losing their
intensity. Then she lowered her gaze and offered,
“But it’s probably because no one has ever played
for me before.”
Reika perked up at the
statement and smiled. “If there’s something you want
to hear, I’ll play it for you. I know quite a few
songs. I can even do songs they play on the radio
even if I don’t have the sheet music for it.”
Sylia smiled and sat
down in the nearest chair. “I trust you to play
something I’ll like.”
* * * * *
World On
A String
Saturday
Morning, July 21st, 2031
“Well, how about this
one? Or even this one?” Reika asked as she held up
the two dresses from the closet. The
fifteen-year-old girl was trying to help her best
friend prepare for the extended summer visit to
California.
Sylia paused in her
packing to look. After a moment of serious
consideration, she answered, “Better to take them
both. I have no idea how many social events Grandma
has planned so I’d rather pack too much.”
“I don’t recall you
packing this much the last time you visited her,”
Reika mused as she handed the clothes over.
“I’ve only had to suffer
a week at the most. This the first time I’m going to
be gone a full month.”
Realizing that she would
now be in the way, Reika sat down on the floor next
to King, Sylia’s dog. The old Great Dane gladly took
advantage of the sudden company by using the
available lap as his new pillow, and was promptly
rewarded with a gentle scratch behind the ears.
Sylia paused at the
sight and smiled. Then she dropped down on her knees
and hugged the other girl fiercely. “I wish you
didn’t have that competition so you could come with
me!”
“I assure you I wish I
didn’t have the competition either. But it’s only
two weeks away. Once it’s done, I’m free to come
visit.” Reika returned the hug, concerned by how
much stress her best friend was showing over the
pending visit. “So you’ll only have to suffer half
of your trip alone. Besides, Mackey’ll be with you.”
Sylia frowned as she sat
down and remarked, “He’ll be absolutely no help!
He’s more well-behaved than King when he’s around
her.”
The dog in question
lifted his head and whined.
She smiled and rubbed
his muzzle. “That was a comment on Mackey, not you,
King! I’m going to miss you too. You’re the best dog
ever!”
Those words seemed to
please the canine as he put his head back into
Reika’s lap.
“So did you get any more
information about why she wants you to come for such
a long visit?” Reika finally asked.
Sylia shook her head. “I
wouldn’t be surprised if she’s thinking she’s going
to pander me off to any eligible bachelor that she
feels would be appropriate to perpetuate the
Stingray lineage.”
“Well, you are the
beautiful and rich heiress after all,” Reika said
with a half smirk. “And you’re at that age where all
the boys should be swooning over you.”
Sylia narrowed her eyes
at her and remarked, “I’m concerned Grandma may try
to fix me up with someone like Densuke.”
Reika’s smile
immediately disappeared. “Okay, you didn’t need to
go there… But what if she does find a guy you might
actually like? You shouldn’t close yourself off to
possibilities like that.”
“Well, the first issue
is that even if she is planning to fix me up,
whoever he is will most likely be American, and
therefore I’d have to leave Japan.”
“Oh,” Reika responded,
suddenly not liking the idea if it meant losing her
best friend.
“And second, the old
woman is forgetting I only have to put up with her
until I’m eighteen. Then I’m free to do whatever I
like. If marriage means I have to submit myself to
someone else’s authority like I’ve been doing to her
all these years, then I’m certain I’ll be much
happier without it. It’s amazing how much influence
she has when she’s on another continent.”
“But what if you
eventually fall in love with a man?”
Sylia stared at her for
a moment before answering firmly, “Then he’ll have
to realize that I’m not going to marry him. You
don’t have to marry to be in love.”
“True,” Reika admitted
after a thought. “Guess that’s one good thing about
being in an arranged marriage: I’m spared all of
that angst and heartache you hear about people who
fall in love.”
“But what if you do fall
in love with someone? You’ll be stuck married to
Densuke instead.”
Reika shrugged and
answered, “Who would I fall in love with? You’re the
only one I really care about besides my family. And
it’s not as if we’re going to fall in love, right?”
“You’ve got a point
there,” Sylia said as she watched Reika pet the
blissfully happy dog.
There was a brisk tap at
the doorway as Mackey stood and peered into the
room. He was dressed in simple pants and shirt, with
his normally bushy hair neatly combed in place.
He frowned and said,
“Hey, Sylia, Mr. Sohma’s finished putting all of my
suitcases in the car. We’re just waiting for you.”
“Yes, yes!” Sylia said
as she got back to her feet to return to her task.
“And, Reika, I want my
headband back!” Mackey said, holding out his hand
expectantly.
It was a regular game of
theirs that Reika would snatch it from him when he
least expected it, usually resulting in a wild chase
around the house and yard, with Sylia occasionally
jumping into the race. Once his big sister joined
in, Mackey knew that was the sign to give up since
he could never win against the girls’ teamwork.
The girl grinned and
pulled the prize from her skirt pocket. Then she
pointed to the fact that King was still blissfully
settled on her lap. “I’d hand it back to you,
Mackey, but as you can see, someone would be very
disappointed if I got up right now. Besides, you
look so handsome with your hair combed for a
change!”
Sylia paused in her
packing but then continued with her chore.
Mackey scowled at Reika
and said, “Nice try! But I still want my headband!”
He walked over to snatch his prized possession as
well as to give the dog a pat. “Maybe we should have
King stay with you while we’re gone.”
“I’ve already suggested
that to Mrs. Sohma,” Sylia commented. “She said it
wouldn’t do to move him out of his environment at
his age. Besides, he won’t be alone with the Sohmas
staying here.”
“I guess,” the boy mused
as he pocketed his headband. He apparently only
half-agreed with the rationale even though he didn’t
say anything further. “So, Reika, you’re definitely
coming out to visit in August?”
“Yep! Are you going to
be my personal tour guide for Los Angeles?” Reika
asked with a coquettish tilt to her head.
Sylia frowned but then
brushed it off.
“Hey, you and Sylia like
to do all that boring stuff like museums and art
galleries,” Mackey said with a frown. “I can give
you the directions to the beach and that’s about
it.”
Reika then smirked and
said, “Knowing you, we’ll probably end up in
Mexico.”
“I’d rather go there
than visit Grandma,” Sylia commented dryly, which
drew a conspiratorial giggle from the other two.
* * *
Friday
Night, August 3rd
Reika sat quietly in the
dressing room, taking in deep breaths to keep
herself from becoming nervous, or at least, more
nervous.
The only things she
hated more than practices were competitions. There
was too much pressure and intensity to make it
enjoyable for anybody. And having to dress up in the
evening gown, make-up and jewelry made it even worse
for her. She was grateful that her short hair made
it easy to arrange it in a nice style.
She also tried not to be
distracted even more by how much she missed Sylia.
The other girl was usually her emotional support
both before and after such events. And her absence
was even more noticeable in that this was the first
public performance of Reika’s she would miss.
There was a brisk knock
at the door, which bewildered Reika. It shouldn’t be
the coordinator informing her to get ready since the
sound speakers were still projecting the performance
of the boy who was three places ahead of her.
She opened the door to
be greeted with the sight of a full bouquet of red
roses.
“Yes?” she responded
cautiously.
The roses then moved,
revealing that the carrier was a tall and handsome
teenage boy in a tuxedo. He grinned from ear to ear
and said, “Hi!”
Before Reika could say
or do anything, he leaned forward and planted a firm
kiss on her mouth.
The girl immediately
pushed him back and scowled. “Okay, even if you are
my fiancé, I should belt you for that!”
He frowned at the
reaction. “Is that an appropriate way to greet me?”
“Yes given that I’m
about to go on stage!” she stated firmly as she
turned on her heel to go check her lipstick in the
vanity mirror.
“Humph!” he blurted as
he walked in after her. “We haven’t seen each other
in over a year and this is the welcome I get. I’d
hate to see what you’re like when we’re finally
married.”
“I’ve got eight years to
come up with something.” She reached into her purse
to touch up her make-up. “By the way, nice growth
spurt, Densuke. I’m glad I don’t have to look down
at you anymore.”
The thirteen-year-old
boy reddened but then shoved the bouquet out to her.
“Here!”
She paused in her
touch-up and glanced at the flowers. She looked at
him skeptically as she carefully took the proffered
bouquet. “Were these honestly your idea or did you
have to have pointers from Largo or Ryo again?”
He turned even redder
and shoved his hands into his pocket as he glanced
around the room. “So where’s your girlfriend? Did
you two finally break up?”
Reika scowled at him and
said, “She’s visiting her grandmother in California.
Otherwise, she would be here.”
“Actually, she would
still show up despite that,” Sylia said from the
doorway as she carried her own bouquet of roses.
Reika immediately lit up
with a pleased smile and she greeted the other girl
with a hug. “Oh my god! Sylia! When did you arrive?
You should have told me you were coming!”
“The point of a surprise
is that you’re not supposed to know!” Sylia teased.
“I see you already have flowers but here are some
more. And by the way, your lipstick is smeared a
bit.”
“Hello, Sylia,” Densuke
greeted coolly. “Aren’t you ever the gallant one?”
She scanned him from
head to toe and responded in kind, “Hello, Densuke.
Height looks good on you.”
The boy narrowed his
eyes to make a retort but was more distracted by the
fact that the two girls firmly held each other’s
hand even while Reika reapplied her lipstick.
“So, do you actually
have a ticket to watch the performance?” Reika asked
her best friend.
Sylia shook her head.
“Didn’t want one since I’m only here to support you
and I didn’t want to have to sit through the other
performers. Your dad arranged it so I’d be allowed
to watch from the wings.”
“Dad knew?!” Reika
blurted at the even more pleasant surprise.
Densuke scowled. He then
gave a stiff bow and said, “Well, it’s obvious I’m
not needed here so I’m going to return to my seat.
Good luck, Reika!”
“Okay. Bye.”
Once they were left
alone again in the dressing room, Reika looked at
Sylia with genuine concern. “How’s the visit been so
far?”
“You’ll be able to
experience it on your own soon enough,” she answered
cryptically. “Let’s worry about one thing at a time,
okay? We’ve got to get you through the rest of the
evening.”
Reika made a face and
muttered, “It’s going to be interesting with Densuke
being here. He actually kissed me.”
She suddenly felt
Sylia’s fingers clench in a way that indicated a
reflexive response rather than an act of
communication. But as soon as it happened, the hand
relaxed, followed by an exaggerated sigh from the
other girl.
“Well, you knew it would
happen sooner or later,” Sylia remarked with a roll
of her eyes. “He is your fiancé, after all!”
“I was hoping that it
would be much later. Blech!” she added with an
expression as if she had a bad taste in her mouth.
Sylia arched her eyebrow
and smirked. “Are you saying that the earth and
stars didn’t move for you? I thought that happened
for all girls when they get their first kiss.”
Reika giggled. “Consider
that one more myth shot to the ground!”
“Now I really can’t wait
for mine!” Sylia added with a laugh.
* * *
Sunday
Evening, August 5th
Reika sat down at the
dining table as Sylia and Mackey silently took their
seats. She glanced over at her best friend to find
the other girl sitting quietly in her seat, her
attention seemingly focused on the tensely folded
hands on her lap. Reika reached over and placed her
hand gently on Sylia’s, causing the latter girl to
jump in surprise. Keeping their hands together, they
exchanged a supportive smile before being
interrupted by the inquiries of the butler on how
large a portion they would want of the entrée.
After giving her
preference for a light meal, Reika looked around the
large living room with the view of the Pacific
Ocean. The entire mansion was spacious and elegantly
decorated, adding more to the elusive picture of its
matriarch, whom the girl hadn’t yet met even though
she had arrived earlier that morning.
“Ah! So you must be
Reika!” declared a rich voice from the elegant woman
who appeared at the doorway.
Reika’s eyes widened at
the tall and poised woman whose appearance gave no
doubts about which side of the family Sylia
inherited her beauty from. Dressed in an elegant
gown with sparkling jewelry, Samantha Stingray was a
commanding presence. Even though her pinned up hair
was white and sparse wrinkles creased her
complexion, she seemed much younger than her 69
years of age.
In the next moment, the
other teenagers immediately rose from their chairs
and bowed in greeting. Reika quickly did the same,
noting that Sylia had also let go of her hand in the
process.
“Thank you for letting
me stay at your home for the next two weeks, Mrs.
Stingray,” Reika greeted graciously.
“My pleasure, Child,”
the woman answered as she approached, her sharp eyes
clearly sizing up her guest. “I welcome the
opportunity to finally meet my granddaughter’s best
friend.”
Without another word,
she reached out and placed the hook of her finger
under the girl’s chin, coaxing her head up so her
profile could be clearly visible.
Despite feeling
extremely self-conscious and awkward, Reika tried to
keep a passive expression under the scrutiny.
Finally, Mrs. Stingray
let out a chuckle and turned her attention to
seating herself in her own chair at the head of the
table. “My granddaughter hadn’t told me you were so
beautiful. Now I understand why she doesn’t talk
about anyone else, boy or girl.”
Reika glanced over to
see that Sylia’s face had reddened but she kept her
attention down as they all resumed their seats.
“-Of course, Mackey,
your company is a given,” Mrs. Stingray said as she
took the fresh glass of wine poured to her by one of
her servants.
The boy gave a weak
smile in response as he waited in his chair, trying
to occupy himself with watching the staff go through
the motions of serving food for the dinner.
“-So tell me about
yourself, Reika. My granddaughter has only mentioned
that you’ve been roommates at school for five years
now. And that you play the piano. In fact, didn’t
you have some sort of public performance Friday
night that she flew back for?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Reika
answered earnestly. “It was a national competition.
My school asked me to represent them.”
“I see. And did you
win?”
“I placed third,” Reika
said, feeling strangely pressured by the woman’s
intense focus.
“She would have placed
higher if she wanted to,” Sylia added simply. “She
doesn’t like to compete, that’s all.”
Reika broke out into an
embarrassed but pleased blush.
Mrs. Stingray looked at
both girls for a moment and then asked, “Reika, do
you plan to play professionally?”
Reika shook her head. “I
have no interest in that. I play because I like it
when other people enjoy it.”
“Then what do you have
an interest in?”
The girl blinked and
thought for a moment. “I don’t have any other
hobbies if that’s what you’re asking. I just do
whatever is interesting at the moment.”
Mrs. Stingray’s eyes
narrowed slightly at her. “Hmm, I can see why you
and my granddaughter get along so well. I trust you
must have some sort of plans for after you graduate
high school, which isn’t too far away.”
“Well,” Reika began
hesitantly, suddenly wondering what was okay to say
and what wasn’t. “Sylia and I have talked about
traveling the world for a couple of years.”
The woman’s eyebrows
arched a bit to show surprise but the expression was
quickly concealed with plain interest. “And then?”
“Well, then I’m supposed
to come back and marry my fiancé after I turn
twenty-three and he turns twenty-one.”
“Fiancé?” the elder
woman repeated, obviously pleasantly surprised by
the news. “My granddaughter never mentioned you were
betrothed!”
Reika blushed at the
woman’s reaction and added quickly, “It’s not really
that special. He and I have been in an arranged
engagement since we were children. He’s really more
of a - a brother than a fiancé most of the time.”
Sylia coughed on
breathing in her sip of water but then recovered
herself.
“Yet, you seem rather
accepting of your pending marriage,” Mrs. Stingray
pointed out.
“I’ve, uh, always had
this expectation before me, so I’ve never thought
that things could be different,” Reika answered,
suddenly not liking the words that were coming out
of her mouth no matter how true they were.
“Some people have been
spoiled by having too many choices,” the woman
commented. “Seeing how well-adjusted you are in the
matter, I now think it’s wise to pursue a similar
arrangement for my granddaughter after all.”
Sylia slammed her fist
on the table, her face red with anger even though
she never lifted her gaze from her plate. “I refuse!
I’ll be eighteen by then, so you won’t be able to
make me!”
Mrs. Stingray stared at
her, the steel clear in her dark gaze. “Girl, I’m
going to ignore that rude tone of yours for the
moment and point out that you know damn well your
father trusted my judgment on your upbringing after
your mother’s death! This matter would be no
different!”
“You only care about
money and your reputation!” Sylia yelled back at
her, jumping to her feet in rage. “I’m not some
mindless doll for you parade for your friends! They
don’t realize I’m the sole heir to Papa’s estate,
and you’re only my guardian until I’m eighteen! I’d
put King on my will before I’d ever list you!”
Surprised and unnerved
by the outburst, Reika looked over and noticed that
Mackey kept his head low and his attention focused
on his meal. She had never seen Sylia lose her
temper before but she wondered if it was a regular
occurrence in this environment.
Mrs. Stingray never took
her eyes from her granddaughter. Then she stated in
a low, firm tone, “You obviously inherited your
mother’s mouthiness, Girl. Eighteen is still a
couple of years away! That’s plenty of time for you
to learn some humility and gratitude once and for
all! There are plenty of fine quality private
schools here in America that I can transfer you to
as soon as this month’s over. I allowed you to be
raised in Japan so you would be taught better
manners than that. Don’t prove to me that was a
mistake!”
Sylia matched the cold
stare, but she was breathing heavily and trembling
with barely controlled rage. She then swallowed and
lowered her gaze back to her plate. “Excuse my
outburst, Grandmother. I’m no longer hungry. May I
be excused from the table?”
With a triumphant gleam
in her eye, the woman answered coolly, “No, you may
not, Girl. You have a guest and I will not let you
abandon her.”
Sylia was silent for a
moment as she calmed herself down. Then she sat down
in her chair and quietly took a sip of water, before
saying, “Reika, I’m sorry for my rude outburst.
Please continue with your conversation.”
Before she could
respond, Reika was suddenly distracted by another
question from the elder woman.
“So, Reika, how many
children do you plan to have?” Mrs. Stingray asked
in the most pleasant tone possible. “I would assume
at least one?”
Realizing the best
option for the moment was to answer the question as
if the tension in the room wasn’t there, Reika
smiled at her and said, “I would like a boy and a
girl...”
* * *
Midnight
that night...
Sylia stood out on the
beach and felt the waves rush up and cover her bare
feet before rolling back into the ocean. With her
sandals in one hand and a flashlight in the other,
she was dressed in shorts and a tank top as the warm
breeze enveloped her.
Having given up on
trying to sleep, she decided to go for the impromptu
walk. She would rather have woken up Reika but she
knew the other girl would be suffering from jetlag.
Mackey was already adjusted to the local time zone,
and would therefore be sound asleep as well.
A pair of slender arms
embraced her from behind, causing her to start a bit
in surprise but then she calmed down when she
realized who it was.
“I had a hunch you were
out here,” Reika said as she rested her chin on the
other girl’s shoulder, relishing the warmth of the
slender body before her.
“You’re supposed to be
asleep,” Sylia gently chastised even as she covered
the embracing arms with her own.
“I can’t help it. I’m
still on Japan time... So that was Grandma, hm? Now
I see why you wanted to go to Mexico.”
The girls shared a
giggle before Sylia remarked, “I didn’t realize you
had given so much thought to your upcoming
marriage.”
“I hadn’t,” Reika
answered with a grin in her voice. “She’s not the
first one to grill me like that. I make up whatever
sounds nice at the time. The trick is to sound
sincere.”
“I’ll have to keep that
one in mind...”
Then Reika asked
seriously, “So what do you plan to do after
graduation?”
Sylia shrugged. “I don’t
know. Traveling with you still sounds interesting. I
could continue to travel the world even after you
come back to settle down. But I can’t imagine I’d
find it interesting if you weren’t with me. I
suppose this means I need to find a publicly
acceptable hobby to explore.”
“Like what?” her friend
teased. “You do sports, books and computer-stuff.”
“I do more than that!”
Sylia replied with joking indignation. “I also shop
for clothes.”
“Now, wouldn’t that just
annoy your grandmother if you shopped all day long?”
“Oh, the shopping part
is acceptable since that’s what she does. She’d be
scandalized if I did something ‘common’ like open a
clothing store.”
“Not if you’re planning
to turn it into an international clothing chain,”
Reika pointed out.
“Okay, fine. Then it’ll
be just one store and I’ll be the only shop girl!
That would definitely send the old bat to her
grave!”
The girls laughed but it
quickly died, showing they were trying to avoid
heavy emotions that were still there.
Sylia let out an
exasperated sigh. “It’s never going to end, Reika.
She’s right in that she could make life hell for me
before I turn eighteen. And I’m sure she’s got a
trick or two up her sleeve to ensure my continued
misery after that.”
“Well, perhaps it’s time
to just play her game - Now, hear me out,” Reika
said firmly when she felt Sylia stiffen in her
embrace. “People like that are fine as long as you
let them think they have control. Smile and kiss-up
to her. And when she’s turned in the other
direction, do whatever you damn well want. After
all, what Grandma doesn’t know...”
The other girl giggled
and said, “Is this part of the Chang Family Values?”
“Blame it on the Hou
Bang Clan.”
Sylia was quiet for a
moment before saying, “Then again, her decisions
weren’t all bad. After all, it was her
recommendation that I go to Shimizu Academy. We
wouldn’t have met otherwise.”
“Oh, I don’t know about
that. I’m sure we would have run into each other
somehow, somewhere. I would’ve immediately pick you
out from the crowd, and would have to find out more
about the beautiful girl with the bewitching gaze.”
Sylia silently watched
the moonlit waves. “That almost sounds romantic.”
“I suppose it does,”
Reika said, after giving it a thought. “Well, I
guess I’m just saying that I believe we would have
ran into each other eventually and become friends.
So your grandmother can’t take all of the credit for
bringing the two of us together.”
Sylia gently eased out
of the embrace and turned to face Reika. With just
inches between them, the girls said nothing as they
stared at each other in the glow of the moon and the
flashlight.
After a minute of this
silence, Sylia grinned and reached for the other
girl’s hand. “Let’s go back inside. We should try to
get some sleep tonight...”
* * *
Friday
Evening, August 10th
“-- I can’t stand it
anymore!” Reika declared as she reached over and
undid Mackey’s bowtie, not caring that they were in
the middle of a large party in the mansion’s living
room. “Are you purposefully trying to show how
crooked you can do this?”
“It’s not like I wear
tuxedos every day!” the boy blurted as he passively
let the girl redo his tie.
“I thought you had one
of those faultless memory things that once you’ve
done something, you can do it again.”
“That’s assuming he’s
tied a bowtie correctly once before,” Sylia
commented with a sip of her drink. The dry comment
helped to diffuse some of the uncomfortable
emotional tightness she was feeling as she watched
the interaction.
“Granddaughter!” Mrs.
Stingray called out as she approached the teenagers.
A couple of steps behind her was a handsome,
blond-haired, blue-eyed American boy in a perfectly
polished tuxedo of his own. “I’d like to introduce
you to Jonathan Atheron II, son of the President and
CEO of Platinum Oil.”
Sylia barely contained
the rolling of her eyes at what was clearly a
matchmaking introduction while both Reika and Mackey
watched wide-eyed as they were frozen in their task.
“A pleasure to meet you,
Jonathan,” Sylia said with a slight curtsey.
He bowed and kissed her
hand. “Your grandmother suggested that this would be
the perfect opportunity to talk. I’ve been wanting
to meet you for some time and I’m glad it’s finally
happened.”
“Perhaps you two would
prefer to talk out in the music room, where it’s
private,” Mrs. Stingray suggested, steering them
into that direction.
A minute later, the two
teenagers were indeed alone in the elegantly
furnished as Sylia took a seat at the couch and the
boy sat down beside her. All the way to the room, he
had delivered a speech giving the basic details of
his family lineage and status.
After a pause in
realizing that the girl hadn’t uttered one word,
Jonathan then cleared his throat and said, “So, what
would you like to tell me about yourself?”
Sylia gave him a
pleasant smile and answered, “Nothing.”
“... I see...”
* * *
Saturday
Evening, August 11th
“-And I’ve been the
captain of the football team ever since I was a
sophomore,” James Carlyle declared, as he sat on the
couch in the music room. “I have offers to go to all
of the top schools on a full athletic scholarship,
even though my family can afford ANY school I want
to go to.”
“So are you planning to
turn professional?” Sylia asked, glad that the
window with the view of the ocean was just beyond
him so she had something interesting to look at.
“Oh yeah! Some pro teams
are already sending scouts my way,” he said with a
grin. “It’s like I’m the king of the world!”
Sylia broke out into a
bright smile and declared, “You may be the man I’m
looking for at last!”
James blinked and then
grinned. “Really? I had heard you had pretty high
standards.”
“Oh, I definitely do!”
she said as she got to her feet. She then rolled up
the sleeves and brushed out the hem of her dress. “I
can only respect a boy who can best me two out of
three throws. It’s judo, but with your size and
football experience, you should be able to adjust
quickly. Shall we begin?”
“... I beg your pardon?”
* * *
Reika could barely
contain her laughter as she dabbed at the cut on
Sylia’s shoulder with the cotton ball. “You know,
you didn’t have to break his arm to make your
point.”
“If I hadn’t, he
would’ve won!” she retorted, with joking
seriousness. “I was surprised he actually took me up
on it.”
“Well, you’re a prize
that’s worth it. Even if it meant the risk of
damaging you a little.”
“I misjudged how close
that coffee table was.”
The sound of a throat
clearing from the doorway got the girls’ attention.
A clearly displeased Mrs. Stingray looked at her
granddaughter and said, “I just heard from the
hospital that he’s going to be fine. The break was a
clean one and he should be able to recover quickly,
even if he misses the beginning of the school
football season.”
“I’m glad to hear that,”
Sylia answered with a look of sincerity.
The older woman narrowed
her eyes and said, “I’ll just bet you are.”
* * *
Sunday
Afternoon, August 12th
“Wow,” Charles Moore
murmured as he sat on the bench, which was the
center of the pavilion. The son of the Governor of
California tried not to fidget as he sat in his suit
and tie in the summer heat. “When they told me you
were beautiful, I honestly had no idea you really
were beautiful! People tend to exaggerate when it
comes to things like this.”
There was something
about the seventeen-year-old boy’s tone that pulled
Sylia’s attention from the view of the ocean before
them.
“It sounds like you’ve
had some experience with this kind of meeting
before,” Sylia commented.
The redheaded boy with
the freckles shrugged sheepishly and answered,
“Well, my parents have never really approved of the
girls I’ve liked before. And, um, I’ve never really
clicked with the ones they’ve introduced me to... at
least I haven’t before.”
“And you think I would
be different?”
“You don’t seem to care
that my family has a prominent political history or
that we’re incredibly rich. I feel like you’re the
type of girl who’s going to judge me for who I
really am,” he said softly. “And now I feel all
thumbs because I don’t know what I have to offer you
other than that.”
Sylia narrowed her eyes
at him for a moment before she let out a sigh and
returned her attention to the ocean. “You’re right
in that I would judge you based on who you really
seem to be. The problem is that the standards were
set by someone who’s out of your league... and who’s
probably out of mine... I’ll accept the
responsibility for making myself unhappy, but I
won’t accept taking someone like you down with me.
Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”
“... Yes. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
* * *
Later
that night...
Sylia paused before the
oak door of the study and took a fortifying breath.
Resolving herself to her plan, she knocked with as
much briskness and firmness as possible.
“Enter,” called out her
grandmother.
The girl opened the door
to find the woman sitting on the chair before the
fireplace with a thick book in her lap.
The two of them stared
at each other as Sylia took a step in and closed the
door behind her.
“Are you here to make
some proclamation that you think you’ve won?” Mrs.
Stingray remarked dryly, showing no humor in her
expression. “We haven’t even begun to fight, Girl.”
“And I don’t want to.
That’s why I’m here,” Sylia answered firmly. “I
don’t want to make an enemy of you. I’ve got more
than enough problems that fighting with you just
takes away from, preventing both of us being more
productive with our lives. Papa’s been dead for a
year and it seems to have made matters worse between
us. So I’m here to propose a deal.”
“... I’m listening...”
“I’m willing to
establish all of the necessary paperwork to ensure
that you get a good percentage of Papa’s inheritance
to do with as you please, even after I’ve turned
eighteen. In exchange, we leave each other alone,
and I want to have complete access to my share of
the inheritance, starting now. No more visits, no
pretenses that we actually mean or care about what’s
going on in each other’s lives.”
Mrs. Stingray arched an
eyebrow as an amused smirk curled her lips. “Trying
to buy me off, Sylia?”
The girl blinked at the
sound of her name actually leaving the woman’s lips
for the first time she could ever remember. Then she
stated firmly, “I’m doing whatever it takes to give
us both peace. I’m here for another week. That’s
plenty of time to start work with your lawyers so
that they draw up the appropriate documents.”
Her grandmother stared
at her for another a minute and then opened her
book, “If you accept the responsibility for Mackey
staying at your mother’s place permanently, then you
have a deal.”
Sylia watched the woman
start to read as if she wasn’t there. Then she
smiled and stated, “I think that’s acceptable. Good
night, Grandmother.”
“Goodnight.”
* * *
Wednesday Afternoon, August 15th
Dressed in a bikini and
a pair of sunglasses, Reika remained stretched out
in the lawn chair by the pool. Her eyes were closed
as she enjoyed the bright sunlight above and the
relaxing ocean breeze.
She heard the sound of
someone getting out of the pool and walking over.
There was a moment of silence, as the other person
seemed to be staring down at her.
“Finally done with your
laps?” she asked without opening her eyes.
“Half but I could be
persuaded to postpone the others if you want to go
do something.” Sylia chuckled and commented, “But it
doesn’t look like you’re planning to move any time
soon. You seem to be the typical Southern California
girl in that position.”
“I’m merely enjoying the
sun without the Japanese humidity. Can’t blame a
girl for indulging in that.”
“True,” Sylia agreed as
she took her own towel from the nearby chair to wipe
off the excess water. “However, that side of you is
looking a little well-done. You need to turn over
before you become red.”
Reika grinned and did
what was recommended. However, she also reached for
the suntan lotion on the table and held it up for
the other girl. “That’s why I like having you
around. You’re such a good alarm clock.”
Sylia seemed to pause
for a moment before taking the bottle. Then she sat
on the edge of Reika’s lawn chair and undid the
other girl’s top bikini strings to get them out of
the way of the tan.
“Hey, Sylia? Reika? Are
you guys out here?” Mackey’s voice called out from
the direction of the mansion behind them.
He came out to the pool
area and stopped in his tracks at the sight of the
two girls in their swimsuits. His face immediately
reddened and he looked up at the blue sky, trying to
avoid any remote chance at looking at them from the
neck down. “Um, are you guys interested in going to
the Santa Monica pier later on? It might be
something interesting to do if you want to get out
of this place for a while. And I know you haven’t
been there, Reika.”
Reika declared to the
boy, “Why, Mackey, are you proposing a date? It
might be awkward with your sister along!”
Sylia merely arched her
eyebrow but said nothing as she applied lotion to
Reika’s back.
Mackey’s eyes
immediately widened as he blurted nervously, trying
to look anywhere but at them. “No! Not at all!
Ju-Just if you want to go sight-seeing or
something.”
“He’s bored because he
doesn’t have his roomful of gadgets to tinker with,”
Sylia commented accurately. “I’d be interested if
you are, Reika.”
“Sure! But give us
another hour for me to finish my tan and for Sylia
to put in her daily jock time.” She jumped slightly
at the finger that suddenly poked her in the side.
She quickly realized it was only a warning because
normally she would receive a stronger poke, which
would have been a lot more dangerous since her
bikini top was undone.
They agreed on a time to
go and Mackey hastily made his way back to the
house, to get away from the sight of too much female
flesh.
A silence settled
between the girls as Reika closed her eyes and
enjoyed the sun as well as the gentle hand applying
lotion to her legs.
“So, if Mackey were a
real boy, and you didn’t have Densuke, would you be
interested in him?” Sylia asked quietly.
Reika’s eyes popped open
in surprise. “The thought never crossed my mind. I’m
always aware of the fact he’s a boomer.“
“Ah.”
“Why do you ask? Are you
trying to fix him up?” she asked with a grin.
“Hardly.” Reika didn’t
have to look to hear the scowl in Sylia’s voice.
“People say that you tease someone too much, it
might mean you’re harboring deeper feelings.”
“Not in this case,” the
other girl answered. “I only tease him because he’s
your brother, and he’s such an easy target.
Otherwise, I’ve long since accepted the fact that
romantic love just isn’t for me. -- I believe we’ve
had this conversation already.”
“Yes, I suppose we
have.”
* * *
Sunday
Afternoon, August 19th
“So California was that
much fun?” eleven year old Irene Chang asked of her
sister as they sat in the back of the limo.
Reika nodded
enthusiastically as she stared out the window at the
airport traffic. “It’s so different over there. It’s
like you can blend into the crowd without worrying
about having security guards around you.”
“I hope you’re not going
to tell your parents that you walked around without
any bodyguard protection,” Kou their driver and
escort said through the opening in the partition
between the cabs.
“I won’t tell if neither
of you two do,” Reika retorted back with a grin.
“But it was so nice just to walk down the street
just like a regular girl and do regular girl
things.”
“Like check out boys?”
Irene asked eagerly.
Reika rolled her eyes at
her younger sister’s immaturity. “Luckily we had
Mackey with us when we were in public so it kept the
wolves at bay. And it didn’t hurt that Sylia and I
could pretend we didn’t speak a word of English if
someone tried to pick us up.... But I wouldn’t mind
going back and spending more time there because
everything was just so - “ The sound of her
cell-phone ringing interrupted the girl, causing her
to wonder if her parents couldn’t wait for her to be
delivered from the airport since they couldn’t get
away to pick her up themselves.
She pulled it out and
answered, “Hello?”
“Reika? It’s me,” came
Sylia’s response. Her tone sounded thick, as if she
had been crying.
“Sylia? What’s wrong?”
Reika immediately demanded, realizing the girl must
be calling from home by now.
Sylia was quiet for a
moment as she tried to compose herself. Then she
said, “I just found out King was put to sleep while
we were in America...” She drifted off into a choked
silence.
“Kou,” Reika said
immediately, “I need to back to the airport! I have
to go see Sylia!”
He steered the car into
the lane for a U-turn. “Yes, Miss Reika.”
* * *
Later
that night...
Reika sat quietly on the
bed with Sylia curled up in her arms. Even though
everyone else in the house was still up, Sylia’s
bedroom was dark, with the only light coming from
the moon through the window.
The girls were still
fully dressed and wide-awake, but neither one spoke,
not feeling the need when only the nearness of the
other mattered.
Reika held her breath
and hoped Sylia wouldn’t sink into the same
depression that had consumed her when her father had
died in the accident at his lab two years before. It
was the first time she had seen from beginning to
end how much Sylia tried to bottle up her feelings,
even though her hurt would show in other ways that
the average person wouldn’t notice. Reika could see
clearly what other people overlooked or ignored when
it came to the other girl, and that’s probably what
drew her early on in their friendship. The challenge
of trying to help heal someone, who had suffered
such incredible internal pain, was too powerful a
draw for someone who had never suffered loss or
heartache in her own life.
It made Reika wonder how
much, if at all, Sylia had truly resolved her
feelings over her mother’s early death, which had
happened three years before they had met. She knew
that King represented the last of Sylia’s original
family life from when her mother was alive, and the
dog’s passing meant the death of that as well.
She could tell the
Sohmas and Mackey were worried but they kept a
polite distance, knowing it would just be a matter
of time before Sylia sorted through this. Mackey had
mentioned briefly to Reika that the Sohmas thought
he and Sylia knew since their grandmother had called
and ordered them to put the dog to sleep “before he
suffered too much from old age,” as she had put it
to them. It happened the Monday following that first
night when Reika witnessed the argument between
Sylia and her grandmother.
The teenagers didn’t
need to comment any further on the matter since
there was no way to change what had happened.
“Thank you for coming,”
Sylia softly said.
Reika blinked at the
words. Then she squeezed the other girl tighter and
commented, “Of course I came. I’m always going to be
here for you.”
“No, you won’t,” she
responded simply. “You’ll eventually have a husband
and children who’ll come before me. And they should.
I won’t stand in the way of that.”
“Sylia, you will always
have me to rely on,” Reika said fiercely. “True, I’m
going to get married and have children. But that
doesn’t mean I don’t want you in my life. As far as
I’m concerned, my children will know you as ‘Aunt
Sylia’. You’ll be a second mother to them.”
She was quiet for a
moment and then remarked, “Just don’t say I’m going
to be a second wife to Densuke.”
Reika laughed at the dry
comment. “I would break his fingers if he ever tried
to lay a hand on you.”
“I wish I could say the
same,” Sylia commented softly. “I know this is
stupid, but promise me you won’t ever leave me. I
just need to hear something like that from you right
now.”
“I promise,” she said
firmly, “I will always be by your side, Sylia
Stingray. And I won’t ever leave, even if you tell
me to go.”
“Not even if I tell you
you’re freed of the promise?” Sylia asked.
“You’d have to kick me
out with combat boots on.”
Reika smiled when she
could feel the chuckle rise out of the other girl.
“Thank you for that,
Reika Chang.”
* * *
Saturday
Night, August 24th
Sylia stood quietly
against the wall as she passively watched the crowd
of elegantly dressed people milling around the
ballroom of the hotel. Dressed in a ball gown
herself, she would have been the perfect picture of
a beautiful debutante if not for the dark look on
her face, showing that she clearly did not want to
be there. And for the thousandth time she wondered
why she was even there, which was immediately
countered with guilt in the fact that she was there
to keep Reika company.
“Here you go,” Reika
said as she walked up and held out a glass of soda
for the other girl. “I think I’m going to stick with
you for now on. Just walking to the bar got me five
requests to dance.”
Sylia had received the
same amount of requests in Reika’s brief absence,
and also turned them down. She would have anyway,
even if she wasn’t in such a bad mood, since she
didn’t dance outside of the ballroom dance classes
that were required at school.
“How are you feeling?”
Reika asked, trying to fish out more information
than the obvious.
“I’m finding I have less
tolerance for pretending these days,” she commented
stiffly.
“I know what you mean,”
Reika commented as she casually watched the couples
waltzing before them. “Well, then why don’t we leave
for a couple of hours? The city is still lively at
this time.”
Sylia blinked in
surprise. “Reika! This party is to celebrate the
Clan’s prosperity! You can’t leave!”
Reika rolled her eyes.
“The Clan will have more than enough of me in the
future. They had me for the last three hours. The
rest of the night is my own time.”
“Yes, but this place is
crawling with bodyguards!”
“To keep people out. Not
to keep them in! I’ve already scoped out the perfect
exit for us to go upstairs and change clothes. And
since we have rooms here, it just makes it more
convenient that no one will notice us being gone for
the rest of the night.”
Sylia gave her a
devilishly-pleased smiled and said, “Well, if you
insi-“
“Reika? May I have this
dance?” interrupted Densuke with a bow and a
proffered hand.
Reika paused and stared
at him. She clearly wasn’t enthused about the
prospect but he was her fiancé, after all. And she
could see both sets of parents watching them with
proud faces from across the room.
She gave Sylia an
apologetic look and stepped forward. “Okay, Densuke,
but just one!”
Densuke gave the other
girl a triumphant smile before her led Reika to the
dance floor.
Sylia stared after them
with a look much darker than before.
“I see you’ve been
taking dance lessons, too,” Reika commented as they
settled themselves into position for a waltz in time
with the rest of the crowd. “Did you learn at the
all-boys academy? Was he taller than you?”
“They had female
instructors,” he countered. “You know, you could
treat me with a little bit of respect instead of
ragging on me all the time. It’s not like I deserve
being greeted by you every time with potshots!”
Reika weighed his words
with the hurt look on his face.
“All right, you have a
point,” she conceded softly. Then she added sternly,
“But no more lesbian cracks about me and Sylia!”
He lit up with a genuine
smile and answered, “Okay, okay. You’ve got a deal.
You know, this is the second time we’ve seen each
other and I’ve been back for a few weeks now. I’d
like to see more of you but you’re always with
Sylia. Wait! -“ Reika immediately started to walk
away but he pulled her back into his embrace. “That
wasn’t a lesbian crack! I was just stating a fact.”
She looked at him
suspiciously at first, as if to judge how sincere he
was being. She was also partly disturbed by how
close he held her, proving that underneath his
tuxedo, his body had filled out with muscles as well
as height.
“Well, if we were to
hang out together, what would we do?” she asked
carefully as she tried to ease some space between
them while still maintaining the rhythm of the
waltz.
“We can go on a date for
once,” he offered, not letting her move away. “Do
things real couples do. We’re going to be married
after all. And everyone would approve.”
Reika’s eyes widen when
she suddenly felt a bulge below that wasn’t there
before. She shoved him back a step and stated
fiercely through gritted teeth, “But we’re not
married yet! And until then, you can point that
thing somewhere else!”
Densuke scowled and
retorted in an equally low hiss, “Don’t tell me
you’re a prude!”
Reika was about to make
an scathing comment when she suddenly noticed out of
the corner of her eye that Sylia had disappeared
from her spot by the wall and was nowhere to be
seen.
Seeing where Reika’s
attention had suddenly been drawn to, Densuke
commented, “She’ll be fine. She’s a big girl… Unless
she’s the reason why you can wait until we’re
married to fool around.”
Reika stopped in her
tracks, causing Densuke to almost collide into her.
She shook his hands from her and walked off the
floor, not caring what impressions she made upon her
exit.
* * *
Not bothering to take
off her dress or even her shoes, Sylia curled up on
the hotel bed in the dark. She stared blankly at the
space before her, which held the bed Reika was to
occupy later that night, similar to their
arrangement in the school dorms.
She found it to be
rather cruel irony.
She was actually
surprised to hear the sounds of the door unlocking
from the living room of the suite. She had guessed
that Reika would have a couple more dances to suffer
through.
Reika paused at the
bedroom doorway and stared in, not having to turn on
the lights to know Sylia was there. She let out a
sigh and walked over to the other girl’s bed and sat
down on the edge.
They wordlessly reached
for each other’s hands and gripped tightly.
“That was cruel of you
to abandon me like that,” Reika said, trying to add
some humor to the moment.
“It was crueler to
watch,” was the soft reply. “I don’t like seeing the
two of you together.”
“Well, neither do I -“
“I’m serious, Reika. I
can’t deny the fact that I feel jealous every time
he’s around you and commands your attention. And
it’s reached the point of being unbearable.”
Reika was quiet for a
moment. “Densuke kind of admitted he’s jealous about
how much time the two of us spend together… Then
again, I guess that’s what he’s been trying to say
all these years when he refers to you as my
girlfriend. In a weird sort of way, he’s more honest
than most people when it comes to expressing how he
feels.”
“You never told me he
calls me that.”
Reika blushed and
answered, “It’s not exactly something appropriate to
be passed on. Even if you are my best friend.”
Sylia was quiet for a
moment and then let out a sigh. “We claim to be
extremely honest with each other yet we’re both
guilty of hiding things that are directly related to
each other.”
“What could you possibly
be hiding from me that affects me?” Reika asked. She
felt the nasty twinge of discomfort at the idea of
Sylia hiding such a substantial part of herself,
especially if it was something someone else knew.
She didn’t like the idea of someone knowing more
about Sylia than her.
Sylia reached over and
turned on the lamp on the nightstand. She had a very
tired and drained expression on her face as she sat
up with her back against the headboard.
She kept her gaze
focused on their embracing hands. “I’ve been
seriously contemplating transferring over to an
American school. I’ve got a week to make a decision
if I want to enroll in one by the time their school
year begins.”
Reika felt her heart
drop down to the pit of her stomach at the news. She
felt everything start to crash around her so she
immediately blurted, “Th - then I’ll go with you! I
really liked America and I wouldn’t mind the change.
And -“
“No, Reika, I need to go
alone,” Sylia stated clearly as she locked gazes
with her. The sadness in her eyes was painfully
evident. “I think I was fooling myself with thinking
we’ll be as close in the future as we are now. We’re
destined to lead separate lives, Reika. And it’s
reached the point where... where I’m feeling things
about you that mean more than just friendship. I
don’t like myself when I’m jealous, and I’ve been
feeling that a lot lately around you.... Besides,
I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever loved. And I’m feeling
like I can’t be just friends with you anymore so I
need to say good-bye to you now, when it’s a hurt I
can handle. To say good-bye to you later would
devastate me…”
Reika didn’t say
anything but tears clearly started to brim at her
eyes. “I feel horribly selfish and weak,” she said
softly in a shaky voice. “I’m the one who has the
picture perfect family and upbringing… yet… I’m
begging you not to leave me. I need you, Sylia.
You’re the only one who makes everything feel real
to me.”
Sylia had a stricken
expression as she watched the tears start to trickle
down the other girl’s cheek. Whatever resolve she
had to leave quickly melted as she reached over and
gently wiped the tears away.
She looked Reika
earnestly in the eye and whispered, “I’m yours.
You’d have to kick me out with combat boots to make
me go.”
Reika broke out into a
painful smile but then felt herself drawn in by that
bewitching gaze. Letting herself be completely
guided by her heart for the first time in her life,
she leaned forward and pressed her lips gently
against Sylia’s. She was pleased to feel Sylia kiss
her back.
* * *
Reika’s eyes fluttered
open as she woke up from her peaceful sleep. She
smiled when she saw Sylia had been looking at her
from her side of the bed, apparently having watched
her for a while. They were wrapped only in sheets,
having discarded all of their clothing on the floor
the night before.
Reika glanced around to
take in the unfamiliar surroundings of the hotel
room that was lit by the glow of the early dawn.
She cleared her throat
and rubbed her eyes. “How long do you think we have
before someone will come check on us?”
“Given that many people
will probably have hangovers, I think we’re got
until noon,” Sylia answered with a wry grin. “Why do
you ask?”
Reika smiled and rolled
over into the other girl’s arms, placing her head on
her shoulder. “I could say something extremely crude
like we should get a head start on your daily jock
hours.”
“But - ?“ she prompted
with a giggle.
“I still need to recover
from last night,” Reika answered with a sleepy yawn.
“We need to work on your
endurance.”
“We’ve got time for
that,” was the fading reply.
“Eight years worth?”
“More than that…”
Sylia arched her eyebrow
at the comment. But then her expression broke out
with a look of immense pleasure. She closed her eyes
to drift back to sleep, satisfying herself with the
thought that this was the first time in her life she
honestly felt happy.
* * * * *
Epilogue
Monday
Morning, August 26th
“ - Because he’s a
disgusting worm, Daddy!” Reika stated fiercely as
they sat at the dining table. “Do I need another
reason?”
Richard Chang let out a
sigh and finally dropped his morning paper while his
wife Mitsune hid her smirk behind a sip of coffee.
Already done with her breakfast, Irene sat and
watched with anticipation to see how this
conversation was going to end.
“Now, Reika,” her father
said, trying to sound as patient as possible, “Do
you honestly expect me to tell that to Mr.
Watanabe?”
“Why not? It’s true!”
Irene insisted, more than willing to put in her two
cents.
At her fifth-year
birthday party, the younger Chang sister had
suffered through Densuke teasing her by flipping up
her dress. She had retaliated by jumping on the
seven-year-old boy and knocking out his already
loose front teeth. He had steered clear of her since
then because she didn’t have any issues with
tackling the now taller boy to deliver another
pounding if it came down to it.
“Young lady,”
interrupted her mother, “don’t you have flute
practice to prepare for?”
The young girl dropped
her head in disappointment as she answered, “Yes,
Mama!”
Obviously disgruntled,
Irene left the table and muttered, “This isn’t like
you were talking about sex!”
Richard rubbed his
temples as he shot his wife a glare for her to jump
into the original conversation.
“Reika,” Mitsune said to
her daughter once the younger one left, “we realize
you and Densuke have been having issues getting
along ever since you started going through puberty.
I know it doesn’t help that girls generally mature
faster than boys on top of the fact you’re already
two years older than him. Give him an opportunity to
mature both emotionally and mentally as well.”
“Fine! I can deal with
him then!” Reika stated as she crossed her arms.
“But I don’t have to suffer through it!”
“So, does this mean
you’re fine with keeping the engagement?”
The girl narrowed her
eyes shrewdly and asked, “What’s his incentive to
mature if he thinks I’m a guaranteed thing?”
Her mother opened her
mouth to respond, but stopped and blinked. Then she
sat back in her chair and gave her husband a look,
which was her way of communicating ‘This one’s
yours.’
Richard swallowed a sigh
and said with a firm voice, “Reika, it’s a matter of
having faith and trust in him. Just as he’s expected
to have in you. That’s the foundation of a good
marriage.”
The girl looked at him,
then at her mother and then back to him. She tilted
her head curiously and asked, “Dad? Mom? Do you two
you love each other?”
They both hesitantly
nodded, each getting the creeping suspicion that she
was playing the one trump card they had hoped she
would never use.
“And was your marriage
an arranged one?”
They both shook their
heads, realizing she was going there.
“Then all I’m asking for
is that same opportunity,” Reika stated with the
firmness back in her voice. “It’s not like I’m
shirking my duties to the Clan. Even if I’m not
married when the time comes for me to take over,
I’ll still take on that responsibility. And when
that happens, if I’m still single, then I’ll marry
Densuke and have children with him, just like you
want me to. I’m just asking you to let me live my
life my own way until I have to be responsible to
the family and the Clan.”
Mitsune arched her
eyebrow curiously and asked, “But what if he’s not
single by then? Then what’ll you do?”
Reika grinned and
countered, “If that’s the case, then I’ll find
someone. But I’ll make sure he’s someone suitable to
be the husband and father of my children.”
Richard chuckled and
shook his head. “All right, all right! Let’s
compromise, Reika. I’ll find some way to dissolve
the engagement. In exchange, you go to university. I
don’t care how you get in, even if it’s on a music
scholarship. When you turn thirty-five, we’re going
to prepare you for taking over the Clan as well as
all other responsibilities with it. Absolutely no
arguments when that time comes. Agreed?” He held out
his hand to formalize the deal.
Reika smiled from ear to
ear as she reached over and shook. “Deal!”
“Excuse me,” the maid
interrupted as she held a phone on the tray, “Miss
Reika? It’s Miss Sylia for you.”
“Am I excused?” the girl
asked anxiously, clearly wanting to take the call.
Her father nodded and
she was gone two seconds later with phone in hand.
Richard then sighed and
looked at his wife. “We walked right into that one,
didn’t we?”
Mitsune smiled and stood
so she could wrap her arms around his shoulders from
behind. “I think we just saw the true spirit of the
Clan Head in her.”
“I think she takes too
much after her mother sometimes,” he grumbled. “But
I think this pretty much confirms our suspicions
about her and Sylia. They certainly acted
differently yesterday.”
His wife shrugged.
“They’re allowed to be young and in love. The cruel
realities of adulthood will be hitting them soon
enough. They should enjoy what they can while they
can.”
“Still,” he murmured,
“how am I going to tell the most powerful Yakuza in
Japan that my daughter doesn’t want to marry his
son, unless she absolutely has to twenty years from
now?”
“That’s why you’re the
big, bad Clan Head and I’m just the trophy wife,”
she answered with a ruffle of his hair. She then
snatched away his newspaper to go read it out on the
patio.
Now empty-handed and
sitting by himself at the table, Richard watched her
walk away and decided there were certain secrets
that belonged in the underworld.
-- The End
--
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