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Storm
by Raydance

Roll of Thunder

 

"If we actually use "refulgent", I doubt anybody would understand it."

"Aw, aren't we trying to use high-class English here? We have to use these sort of words if we want to impress anybody."

I blew out an exasperated sigh. "Come on, Joker... I bet you don't even know what it means."

"I... err... oh look, there's a dictionary."

I buried my head in my hands. Joker wasn't going to be a writer of the next Great American Novel anytime soon. How much time have we spent on... ACK! She was going to kill me. I got up hurriedly and dashed to my room.

"Hoi, Raiha... according to the Collins Cobuild... Where are you going?" Joker poked his head into my room to watch me throwing my clothes on in a great rush.

"I'm late for a date! I am going to get it SO good later if I don't get my butt there right now." A thought occured to me and I stopped in the middle of buttoning my shirt. "Hey, if Kurei-sama asks where I've been, you just tell him that I've gone out, okay? No details needed."

"Sure. And in the meantime... I'll get back to my novel. Have fun with Fuuko." He winked at me.



My Jaguar screeched to a halt outside her school gate. I jumped out and saw her leaning on the wall some distance away. "Fuuko!" I called. I ran towards her. Hope she isn't too mad with me... I wouldn't want... oops! Being the total klutz that I was, I had tripped over a tree root and fallen. I hate it when I do that. I got up sheepishly and jogged to her side, smiling a little apologetically.

"Are you okay?" she asked, a worried look on her face. I nodded and stretched out my hand. "Let's go for an early dinner and then I can show you what I wanted to." She took it, and I led her to my car.

Somehow, we never seemed to find much to actually discuss and talk about. I drove on, the car in silence except for the radio on. What could I talk to her about? Kurei-sama? Not a good idea. My work? Not a good idea either. How come she never tells me about her school? Probably the same reason why I don't discuss my work. It didn't matter to me that we didn't talk about these sort of things. In fact, whenever we were together, it was always quiet. I liked it that way. I could just enjoy her company.


We reached the restaurant and I opened the car door for Fuuko. To my surprise, she was staring into thin air, frowning a little, as if in deep thought. "Fuu-chan?" I asked softly and touched her lightly on the shoulder. She jumped and smiled. "Sorry," she said in her alto. We went into the restaurant together.

The slight furrow on her brow was still there when we started eating, and it remained till the main course. I had to ask her. "Fuu-chan... are you alright?"

She smiled the same fake smile she gave me in the car and attributed it to the stress in school. Skeptically I went back to my food. Perhaps she will tell me when she is ready.


We were soon back in my car, and I put down the roof of my car. After all, we were in the countryside. The air would do me good. But it seemed as though Fuuko benefited more from it. She stood up and stretched out her hands, her green eyes closed in contentment. The wind ruffled her hair, tousled it, played with it. She looked like a goddess. MY goddess.

"You sure like the wind, Fuu-chan." I said, with an amused tone to my voice.

"No less than how much you like thunder." She teased back, a smile playing on her lips.

I laughed out loud, something I hadn't done in days. Fuuko was the only one who could do that to me, the only one who could enable me to be completely at ease with myself. These days, Kurei-sama was being too oppressive, and at times, Joker was just annoying. My spirits lifted considerably, I upped the speed of my car.



We reached the beginning of the little road that led to my private spot. "Come on, Fuu-chan. We'll have to walk, but it isn't very far from here." I started my climb up the path, carefully avoiding the potholes that littered the area. "You'll have to keep this a secret, Fuu-chan. This is my private thinking spot, and you're the first I'm bringing here. Of course, you can share it with me." I turned to ensure she got past an especially tricky part, but I had lost her some metres back. I stuck my head around the corner, to see her standing there with the same little furrow on her forehead. "Fuu-chan?" She blinked and grinned apologetically. We continued on our way.

We reached the little clearing that had played host to so many of my little pilgrimages to clear my mind of doubt and worry. I checked my watch. Just right to show her the view. "Come," I said, and walked through the trees towards the edge of the hill.

The sun had just turned orange and was beginning to set. The look on her face was something that I would never forget. The sheer joy of viewing the glorious sight of Mother Nature working one of her many miracles. I watched the sunlight play across her face, the shadows dance across her features. I felt my lips lifting in a smile. Looks like she enjoys this place. My mind flashed back to how I found this clearing.

"Look, I just asked you if your work was very stressful!"

"No, it isn't. And you don't have to keep asking about Kurei-sama! He's just there, okay? This is about us, Kurei-sama and my work doesn't come into this anymore than Domon does!"

"I NEVER talk about Domon!"

"It was just an example, don't get so worked up!"

"Worked up? YOU'RE the one who's worked up!"

My face darkened and I stormed out of her house back down to my car. I decided to go to the countryside to clear my mind. I put the roof down and zoomed along down the roads. I drove aimlessly along, playing again and again in my mind the first real spat that we had since I knew her. Before I knew it, I had reached the foot of a little hill overlooking the city. I climbed up and found a magical little clearing. And there I sat for many hours, watching the hustle and bustle of the city, watching the sunset. In the middle of the night, rain began to fall. The lightning flashed, illuminating the dark roiling clouds in the sky. The thunder boomed, like the percussion section of the Orchestra of the Heavens. The water cleansed me, soothed my flaming rage and brought me back to my senses. I had to look for her and apologise. I looked down at my sopping clothes. But first, I go home to clean up. Also I had to get back, in case Kurei-sama sent men to look for me. I wasn't about to share this little spot anytime soon.

My car roared up the driveway, but braked to a sudden stop before a forlorn figure with purple hair. Fuuko... It was her. She stood next to the door, the rain causing her hair to stick to her scalp. It couldn't hide the reddened eyes that screamed out that she had been crying. "Raiha..." she choked out. "Sorry... I don't know what came over me. I've been trying to call you for so long, but no one answered the phone, and I thought..." She burst into sobs again, and I held her.

"It was my fault as much as yours. And let's just forget this. Come in, get dry." And that night, I asked her to be my girlfriend. For better or for worse.

Ironic how our first fight led to the discovery of this magical clearing. I turned to glance at Fuuko.

There she stood, her face upturned towards the rays of light, the sun bathing her in a halo of gold that made her look wondrous. My heart was suffused with warmth; not from the sun, but from love. I could have watched her forever.

She broke out of her reverie, her eyes still glowing from the spectacular experience. Unable to stop myself, I reached out to hold her, but to my immense surprise, she broke out of my embrace.

"Wait, stop. What's all this?" She said, eyeing me warily.

Puzzled, I frowned at her and said I just wanted to hold her. And then, it dawned upon me. "Surely you don't think I was going to..."

She visibly deflated and shook her head, the guilty look in her eyes quickly masked by a false cheer. Who's she kidding? I know her too well for that.

"Hey, Rai-chan," Fuuko said. I cocked my head at her. "What attracted you to me in the first place? My beauty? My charm? My wit?" She struck a pose. She looked beautiful in the moonlight, even with that faux supermodel pose. What was it? I never thought about this before...

"Your independence," I began hesitantly. And then I went on, getting more and more confident. "Your zest for life... your uniqueness." I stopped before I went on to embarrass the two of us.

"Then... why me?"

Something in me clicked. So, THIS was what she had been worrying about all day, this was why she was so cold. A wave of hurt washed over me, but I suppressed it. I had to explain, before she decided to leave my side. And somehow, I knew I couldn't live without her, as cheesy as it may sound. But... what can I tell her?

Out of my heart poured the reasons I loved her. Not because of Raijin and Fuujin, because of Raiha and Fuuko. Not for receiving, for giving. I told her those, but I couldn't look up. I couldn't bear to see any disbelief or derision.

"I love you, Fuu-chan, for everything that you are, for just being you." Believe me... please... I pleaded her with my heart, repeating the sentence like a litany. Unable to stand it, I lifted my head to look into her eyes, hoping to find an answer within them.

Her eyes spoke a million words. The sudden understanding, the guilt and contrition, the love so deep I nearly gasped. With tears streaming down her face, she dashed into my arms. "Forgive me," she whispered.

The sheer relief was palpable. She isn't going! She's still staying! My heart exulted. I held her close and murmured something into her ear.

"Forgiven. Because I love you."

 

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