Rocker Girl
By Misaki

This takes place after Track Four page five.

Toshio stared at Yumi. He had seen her shocked expression when she looked back at their little group, but couldn’t quite figure it out. ‘Did she hear?’

'Toshio-kun likes me? How could he like me? Why didn’t he say anything?' Yumi kept repeating these questions in her head, then following them with, 'NO! Don’t think about him! Focus on the lesson! Focus on the lesson. Think about the lesson, not him.’ Yumi tried her best to drive the thoughts of Toshio out of her head, but kept failing only to have them replaced by thoughts of Miyabi.

The hour passed by much too slowly. When the bell finally rang signaling the end of the period, Yumi walked out of the classroom, then ran through the halls, only slowing down enough to avoid crashing into anyone. She ran out into the courtyard and sat down on the bench. She held her head in her hands and ran what Akito and Shuya had said over and over in her head. She heard someone approaching her and turned away from whomever it was hoping they would pass and not pay attention to her.

"Yumi-san?"

Yumi took a deep breath and turned around to face whoever had come. "Toshio-kun?"

"Yumi-san, what’s wrong? You didn’t seem yourself in German class. Are you all right?"

"I’m fine, Toshio-kun. I’m just..." She trailed off, not able to bring herself to say anything more, not even knowing how to put her feelings into words.

Toshio sat down beside her. He slowly put his hand on her far shoulder and stroked it gently. Before he knew what had happened, Yumi was crying on his shoulder, hugging him tightly.

"I just don’t know what’s going on!" she bawled. "I have no clue! Miyabi-kun is horrible to me, I can’t think straight, my necklace...!" She buried her face into his shoulder and shook a bit as her tears flowed out.

Toshio stroked the back of her head and embraced her tightly. "It’ll be all right, Yumi-san. It’ll be all right. I’m here..."

* ~ * ~ *

Miyabi threw himself back onto his bed with his pillow over his face. "...Stupid Yumi... That idiot..."

He rolled over onto his side and stared at his door. ‘That stupid idiot! Why can’t she leave me alone? She has me thinking about her constantly!’ He stared out his window. 'I’m going to go talk to her. Tell her straight. ...Tell her I’m never talking to her again... so I can be free of her.'

He got off his bed, threw his pillow messily onto his blankets and got dressed in some intimidating outfit. He made sure to put on lots of spikes and black leather, and then went off to the St. Othello.

Miyabi walked casually around the halls. He glanced at the clock on the wall to see what period it was. 'Just after German. Thank goodness I came late enough to miss it.' He didn’t think he could have stood sitting so close to her for a whole period. 'Now to find her. Where would she be?' He headed toward the courtyard to check there. He had found her there before; maybe she would be there again.

* ~ * ~ *

"I’m sorry, Toshio-kun. I don’t know why I was so... emotional," Yumi apologized after she had cried herself out.

"It’s all right, Yumi-san. I’m fine with it." He gently wiped a tear off of her cheek with his finger, and then caressed her face. "Yumi-san, I..." he sighed. This was harder to say than he had anticipated. "Did... you hear what Shuya-san and Akito-san said at the beginning of German class?"

Yumi remembered awkwardly. 'You do like her, don’t you?' She slowly nodded her head. "Yes, Toshio-kun, I did."

“What did you think... when you heard it?”

“I was... surprised.” Yumi looked up into his beautiful eyes. “Toshio-kun... was it true?”

Toshio slowly nodded his head, more embarrassed than he had ever been in his life.

“I... see,” Yumi said. “I didn’t know you felt like that.”

“I...” Toshio mumbled as she stood up. “I’m sorry.”

“Toshio-kun!” Yumi grabbed his hand as Toshio started to walk away. “Don’t leave.” She wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

Toshio turned to Yumi and embraced her warmly. He lifted her face so she was looking up at him and looked into her eyes.

“Toshio-kun...” Yumi whispered as she gazed back into his deep brown eyes.

Toshio moved closer to her and Yumi lifted her jaw so they were about to kiss.

“What the heck?”

Yumi jumped and Toshio froze.

“Mi-Miyabi-kun? What are you doing here?” Yumi said, shocked to see him.

“What are you doing here, idiot? And what the heck are you doing with him?” Miyabi yelled, indicating Toshio.

Toshio broke Yumi’s embrace and turned to face Miyabi bravely. “Nothing happened, Miyabi-san.”

“Nothing happened?” Miyabi walked angrily toward Toshio. “How the heck do you call kissing someone nothing?”

“Miyabi-san. Calm down. I did not kiss her.”

“You sure as heck tried!” Miyabi glared at Toshio. “I am so sick of you, Toshio!” He stared at Toshio, drew his arm back, and punched Toshio in the face.

Yumi screamed. “Oh my! Toshio-kun!” She started to run to him but stopped when she heard Miyabi’s harsh voice.

“You!” Miyabi yelled at her. He walked up to her. “I hate you!” He slapped her across the face and glared at her. He stormed off, leaving Yumi looking dumbstruck.

Yumi held her face where Miyabi had hit her, looking off after him and watched him leave. She turned back to Toshio. “Oh, Toshio-kun, I am so sorry. Are you all right?” She lifted his face to her.

“I’ll be all right, Yumi-san.” Toshio whispered. “I should be the one apologizing. I was so...”

“You didn’t do anything, Toshio-kun. You didn’t do anything.” She went to hug him, but he pulled away. He walked away and left her sitting in the middle of the courtyard.

* ~ * ~ *

Miyabi punched the wall of his room. “What the heck was all that about? How could Toshio do that? How could Yumi do that?” He pounded his fist on the wall and stared at his hand. “How could I do that?” He slid down to his knees and cried into his hands.

* ~ * ~ *

Yumi stood in front of the Chemistry class door, staring at it. “Toshio-kun,” she whispered, staring blankly.

“Hey, Yumi! What’s up?”

“Eizo-kun! You scared me!”

“Really? I scared you?” He sounded sorry until he said, “You mean like Miyabi-sama scares you? Ah! I’m like Miyabi-sama!”

Yumi rolled her eyes and stared again at the door as Eizo kept babbling about Miyabi.

“Eizo-kun. Shut up.” Miyoko put her hand on Yumi’s shoulder and Yumi brushed it off without thinking. “Whoa! What’s the deal, Yumi-chan?”

“Oh. Sorry, Yoko-chan. I didn’t know it was you.”

“Well, who’d you think it was? Miyabi...?” She stopped as she saw Yumi’s sad _expression and saw that she was about to cry. “Whoa, whoa, what’s going on, Yumi-chan? Did... Miyabi-san... do something to you?”

Yumi slowly nodded her head and wiped her eyes.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Eizo said, putting his hands on the girls’ shoulders. “What exactly did Miyabi-sama ‘do’ to you?”

Yumi touched her cheek gingerly. “He slapped me and...” she swallowed and continued, “He punched Toshio-kun.”

Eizo’s jaw dropped almost to the floor and Miyoko gasped.

“Why would Miyabi-san slap you?” Miyoko asked sympathetically.

“Why would Miyabi-sama punch Toshio-sama?” Eizo shouted.

“I was out in the courtyard... Toshio-kun came out to comfort me... when I was better, he...” She stopped and held her head and tried to not cry.

Miyoko put her hand on Yumi’s shoulder again. “What happened? You can tell us.”

“He went to kiss me,” Yumi said as Eizo’s eyes grew wide, “but then Miyabi-kun came from out of nowhere and he started yelling at me... then when Toshio-kun tried to defend me, Miyabi punched him... and then he slapped me.”

“...Wow. Yumi-chan, I...”

“Toshio-sama was going to kiss you?!” Eizo exploded. “Do you know how lucky you are?!”

“It was because he tried to kiss me that Miyabi-kun did that!”

They were all silent for a moment. “Oh,” Miyoko said knowingly, nodding her head.

“What?” Eizo asked.

“I think I have this all figured out,” Miyoko said slyly.

“Well, what do you think is going on?” Yumi asked, eager to hear anything that might help her understand Miyabi better.

“Simple. Miyabi-san is in love with you.”

“What?!” Yumi wasn’t prepared to hear this.

“Miyabi-san is in love with you, Yumi-chan. That’s why he’s always so mean, and he obviously got jealous when he saw you with Toshio-san.”

Yumi couldn’t believe it, but it did explain a lot. She looked in the window on the Chemistry room door. “Toshio-kun isn’t in there.”

“I saw him heading toward the infirmary a few minutes ago,” Eizo offered. “I would have followed him, but...”

“Thank you, Eizo-kun!” Yumi shouted to stop him from delving into details any further. “Yoko-chan, do you think you could tell Sensei that I’ve gone to the infirmary?”

“Sure, Yumi-chan. You go get him.”

“Can I go, too?” Eizo asked as Yumi speed-walked toward the infirmary.

“No, Eizo-kun, I’d like to be alone, okay?” Yumi answered.

Eizo pouted.

* ~ * ~ *

Yumi opened the door to the infirmary slowly. “Toshio-kun? Are you here?”

“I’m here, Yumi-san,” he said, opening the curtain he was behind. He had an ice pack on his cheek.

Yumi sat next to him on the cot he was on. “Toshio-kun, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. I had no right...”

Yumi put her hand on his. “All of this is my fault, not yours. If I hadn’t been so stupid, none of this would have happened.”

“Everyone has bad days. And you’re not stupid.”

“No, I mean all of this. If I hadn’t been running around without watching where I was going my first day here, I wouldn’t have run into Miyabi-kun, and he wouldn’t be so mad at me all the time and maybe...”

Toshio held her hand. “It isn’t your fault. Besides, if we hadn’t met you the way we did, you would probably end up being just another fan girl. And I wouldn’t have...” he stopped and turned away from her, trying to hide the blush that was reddening his cheeks.

“Maybe that would be better.” Yumi looked at him. “I’m so sorry to have put you through this, Toshio-kun. It’s all because of me.”

“No it isn’t. The day you came to this school...” he turned to her and looked her in the eyes, “three years before, Miyabi-san’s mother died.”

Yumi gasped. “His mother... ”

“He didn’t want to have to remember it. He wanted to forget it and let it be in the past, but because you happened to come here on that day, it was now a day that he would always remember. Because he was feeling bad about losing his mother three years before, he took out his anger on you, and hasn’t stopped trying to hurt you.”

“I didn’t know...”

“How could you? He never talks to anyone about it.”

“I wish I’d known that it hurt him so much. I wouldn’t have been so... so rude.”

“You weren’t the one being rude. Miyabi-san was the rude one.”

Yumi shook her head and was quiet for a minute. “I need to get back to class. Thank you for telling me, Toshio-kun.” Yumi squeezed his hand briefly and left the infirmary. “I wish you were going to be there with me,” she whispered after she had closed the door behind her.

Toshio watched her leave. ‘What does he want with her? And why does she always seem to be thinking about him?’ Toshio asked himself sadly.

* ~ * ~ *

The bell rang and students filed out of their classes, all eager to be going home.

“Yu~mi~-chan!” Eizo glomped Yumi and Miyoko pried him off of her.

“How was the talk with Toshio-san?” Miyoko asked.

“I know why Miyabi-kun hates me now.”

“Why?” Miyoko asked.

“Apparently, his mother died three years ago on the day I first came here.”

“Oh, yeah!” Eizo exclaimed. “I completely forgot!”

“Forgot what?” Miyoko sighed exasperatedly.

“I forgot to tell you to be careful around Miyabi-sama because his mom had died three years ago!”

“How the heck did you know—oh, yeah, right. You’re the biggest Orochi fan ever. I almost forgot.” Miyoko shook her head tiredly.

“Anyway, I have to get home. Yoko-chan, Eizo-kun, I’ll see you later.” Yumi said.

“Hey, you want to come over to my place to do homework?” Miyoko asked, trying to cheer her up.

Yumi contemplated the offer. “Yeah, I do. I’ll come over when I can, okay?”

“Sure. Don’t make me wait.”

Yumi nodded and went off to her house.

* ~ * ~ *

‘Why did I have to go to school that day?’ Yumi thought as she changed out of her school uniform. She had been thinking all about what Toshio had told her the whole time since she left school. She put on a black and white checkered skirt and white short-sleeved turtleneck sweater. She looked at herself in the mirror. “I’ll go to his house and talk to him. I’ll tell him I’m sorry for everything I did, and he’ll hopefully forgive me,” she said to her reflection. She finished getting ready by tying her hair up in two sweeping pigtails and putting long black socks on. Then she went to her front door and put her shoes on, and then called to her parents, “I’m going to study at my friend’s house! I’ll be back later!”

Instead of going to Miyoko’s house, though, she went to Eizo’s house. She knocked on the door and was answered by the Orochi fan, himself.

“Hey, Yumi-chan! To what do I owe the pleasure?” he said as he invited her in.

“Actually, I have a question about Orochi.” She saw his eyes light up at the mere mention of the band. “Do you know where Miyabi-kun lives?”

“Do I? I walk by there every day on my way to school!” He told her the address and even showed her a map where he had starred, and put hearts by, the place where he said Miyabi and, apparently, Toshio lived.

“Um, Eizo-kun, that’s not on the way from here to school.”

“I know,” he said, and then proudly added, “That’s why I always leave twenty minutes before I’m supposed to so I can go there!”

“I see,” Yumi said while thinking that it was kind of strange that he did that. “Thanks.”

“Why do you need to know?”

“I was going to go and apologize to Miyabi.”

“Can I come, too, Yumi-chan?”

Even though he seemed eager to go, Yumi had to tell him, “No, I need to be by myself. Besides, Miyabi-kun would probably punch your lights out right when he saw you.”

“Any amount of pain is bearable if it means being able to be near my dear Miyabi-sama. But, if you need to be alone, I shall not go... even though I would just die to!”

“How about you look through your magazines of them?” she asked, trying to get him happy and occupied with something else.

“I’ve already read all of them. But, I guess another reading of them wouldn’t hurt.” He leapt onto his bed and pulled out his stack of magazines and proceeded to drool over them.

Yumi let herself out, seeing as how Eizo’s one-track mind had already gotten focused on Orochi. She walked down the street to where Eizo had said Miyabi’s house was. When she found the right address, she stood on the front step, hand poised to knock, hesitating, pondering whether or not she should just forget all this and leave. As she was about to abandon her idea of talking to Miyabi and go to Miyoko’s house, the door opened and there stood Toshio. “Oh! Toshio-kun! Um... How did you know I was here?”

“I saw you coming from the window.” He tilted his head a bit as he looked at her. “Why did you come here?”

“I, well... I came to talk to Miyabi-kun.”

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea right now, Yumi-san. Miyabi-san is...”

“Please. I need to talk to him. Can you tell me where he is?”

Toshio sighed. “He’s in his bedroom. It’s right upstairs. I’ll show you.” He led her upstairs and to a room with a closed door that seemed to say ‘go away’ just by the silence inside. “Here’s his room. I’ll let you talk to him. Yumi-san... don’t let yourself get hurt.” He turned and went back downstairs, leaving Yumi facing the door. She took a deep breath and opened the door slowly, peering inside.

She saw Miyabi lying on his bad facing away from her. She opened the door wider and whispered to him. “Miyabi-kun.”

Miyabi rolled over to face the door and started when he saw who was there. ‘The girl from the concert?’ he thought quickly before realizing that it was Yumi. “What do you want?” he growled as he sat up.

“Miyabi-kun, I... I wanted to apologize.”

“Oh, but whatever for?” Miyabi said with a sarcastic tone as he turned back to facing the wall of his room.

“If I had known about your mom... I would have never...”

“Don’t you dare talk about my mom!” Miyabi shouted, whirling around to her. “You didn’t know her! And what’s more, the one day that is the most painful to me, the one day in my entire freakin’ life that I wish I could forget, you have to show up and make it a day that everyone will remember!” He got up off of his bed and walked over to her so that he was towering over her. “You have to make the day I want to forget,” he said, his voice growing softer, “the day I’ll remember forever.”

“Miyabi-kun, I am so sorry. If I had known, I wouldn’t have been so careless, I wouldn’t have been running around like an idiot, I wouldn’t even have come to school that day if I would have known that it would make you hurt.” Yumi felt her eyes brim with tears. “You don’t even know how sorry I am. If I could change what happened, I would. Please know that.”

Miyabi turned around and walked to his wall. He sighed. “You don’t know... how much it hurts to see you.” His voice was hardly a whisper, but Yumi could clearly hear the pain in it. “You look... so much like her,” he turned his head to look at her, “you’re kind, thoughtful... even to someone like me. As much as I hate to admit it... you’re just like her.”

“Do you wish that,” Yumi swallowed, clearing her throat, “You never met me?” She sat down on Miyabi’s bed and stared in front of her, trying to think of what to say. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Miyabi next to her.

“I wish that I had met you a few days later than I did,” he said, contemplating. His voice was no longer harsh; it sounded soft and kind. “I wish that my mom hadn’t died. But really, if I could wish for anything,” he looked into her eyes, “it would be to not have been such a jerk to you.” He put her hand in his. “I don’t suppose you’d forgive me if I apologized?”

Yumi was shocked. The Miyabi that was talking to her was not at all the one she had met. He seemed... nice. Not the jerk that had been so rude to her, hurt her, stolen her grandmother’s necklace. It seemed more likely to her that she was dreaming all of this. “I’m...” Yumi closed her eyes and pulled her hand out of his. “I’m sorry.” She leapt off of his bed started to run out of Miyabi’s room.

“Yumi-san. Stop!”

Yumi stopped near the door of his room, staring in front of her. Her gaze was broken by something being lowered in front of her eyes. It was her grandmother’s necklace!

“I’m sorry for taking this from you.” He latched it in back and walked around to where he could see her face. “You know,” he said, the barest hint of a laugh in his voice, “You remind me of someone else, too.”

“Who?”

“Someone I saw at one of Orochi’s concerts. She fainted or something after the second song. It was a shame because she was so cute.” Yumi swallowed as Miyabi stepped closer to her. “She had,” he tossed one of Yumi’s pigtails with his finger, “the cutest pigtails ever.” He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Just like you.” His lips touched her cheek in a breath of a kiss and Yumi’s eyes widened. He walked back to his bed and sat down. Yumi looked back at him, shocked. “See you later, Rocker Girl.” He winked at her and lay back down on his bed, a smile crossing his face.

The End

back