Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ The Girl Who Didn't Believe ❯ The Plan ( Chapter 9 )

The Girl Who Didn't Believe

Minna!! You are all at chapter 9 of my fic, I guess. Congratulations for surviving the past chapters of bad grammar, spelling and tenses mistakes. Do not doubt, for you are all going to endure more of these throughout the entire story. Thanks to all my reviewers for the support, and special thanks to Chiri26 for being my first reviewer for my short and incredibly asinine work, Similarities Between Chichiri And Kouji. Arrigato gozaimasu to all!!

One more thing, I have just read a fic today. It is called This Time Around, by authoress Alcestis. For those who have read it too, it was awesome, ne?!! For those who have not, I recommend you all to go and read it. It is an action/adventure fic, and a complete one at that (how rare is that?!!). Nakago-haters, you might like to read this; trust me, it will give you a whole new perspective of the ice-man of FY. Well, for those neutral people like me or even Nakkie-poo supporters (I'm not trying to be sarcastic here, I swear), you'd regret not reading it. This Time Around WILL make you laugh and cry. Okay, that's it. I'm stopping here before I start sounding like a story summary. Chikuso!! *horrified look* I'm already doing it!! That's it!! No more!! paws_bells no baka!! I'm supposed to advertise my own fic, but instead I'm recommending the fics of others!! Baka!! Bakayrou!! *hits own head with laptop* Itai!! Okay, onward with the story!!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the FY characters. I do own Kitten and Sable, though.

//…//=telepathic message

`…'=thoughts

########## = at another place

^^^^^^^^^^= recall

That's all minna!!

Chapter 9-The Plan

The next few days passed by with relatively no danger for everybody. In fact, it was downright boring, especially for Kitten who had nothing to do except to stay in bed and pout.

"Sable!! I swear that the next time somebody attacks you, I'm just gonna step aside, wait until it happened, and then I'd come back and pray for your mortal soul."

Sable merely smiled as she continued dressing Kitten's wound. They were alone in the room.

"I'm going to forgive you for that remark, Kitten, because I know that you are still sulking for not being able to be allowed outside."

At that reminder, Kitten combusted.

"I do not understand you people!! It was just a minor shoulder wound!!"

"Yeah, right. A minor wound that would most likely scar later."

"Well, I'm not going to walk with my shoulders, so why can't I go out? The three of you are so paranoid. I can't do anything at all!!"

"That's the purpose, Kit; we do not want you running about the place in case you accidentally tear open your wound. Even Suzaku had to agree on that."

"But Sable," Kitten whined, "Right outside my room is Mother Nature!! I want to go outside to fully experience it!! Itai!! Itai!! What are you doing? Trying to kill me? Be more gentle, will you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Big tough Kit who had just said that her wound was minor one is now yelling out because of a little pressure applied to said wound." Sable taunted playfully as Kitten muttered under her breath.

"Little pressure, my foot. More like trying to flatten my shoulder…"

Sable looked at her friend as she sucked in a deep breath and was about to launch into another tirade. `Better change the topic now or I'm not going to here the end of her `imprisonment'.'

"So, Kit, enough of that. Let's talk about you and Tasuki instead. What's going on between you two?"

That shut Kitten up effectively.

Sable waited for a full two minutes before realizing that Kitten was not planning on answering that question.

"Both of you have been walking on egg shells around each other since you woke up after the attack. And Kit, you are so…cold towards the poor man, always being so polite and distant…what's happening, ne?"

Kitten turned pink. So Sable had noticed.

"Anou…it was nothing, I was just being polite, that's all. Don't want that incident to happen again."

Sable knew what `the incident' meant.

"Kit, you do know that he didn't mean to call you by that horrid name. It was just a slip of tongue. Are you going to blame him for that forever?"

"Iie…demo…demo I just don't want to get hurt again."

Sable frowned as she tightened the bandage on Kit' shoulder. That done, she sat on the bed facing her friend.

"What do you mean that you don't want to get hurt again? This is not like you. You are always strong, even back home, when people insulted you, you'd treat it as if nothing had happened. What's really going on?!!"

There was silence, as Kitten did not answer. But then, the silence was already an answer in itself.

"Kami-sama…" Sable said faintly. She had suspected but now it was confirmed. "You have feelings for him, don't you?"

Kitten again did not answer but merely directed an abjectly miserable look at Sable.

"Sou ka…that's why you are hurt by his remarks…you are in love with him…" Sable smiled then.

"This is not funny, Sab!! I don't want to like him, let alone love him!! I can't believe that I'd fall in love with an insensitive jerk like him!!" Kitten wailed.

Sable's smile widened into a full fledged grin. It was good to know that her strong, independent, I-don't-give-a-fucking-damn friend can be felled by love too.

"So, what are you going to do about it? The two of you can't be always acting stiff and polite like this. It's not natural."

Kitten stared at Sable suspiciously.

"Don't you even THINK of matchmaking me and HIM. I don't want to be involved in this kind of shit. I swear I will do anything to get over him."

Sable frowned.

"What are you planning to do to `get over him'? And why are you so against him? What's wrong with him, anyway? "

Kitten looked at Sable with tear-filled eyes that shocked her friend. Sable had never seen Kitten cry before, not even when they were kids. Kitten just isn't that kind of people.

"Don't you see, Sable? I don't want to be hurt. Do you know that other than you, whenever I try to make friends, I always screw up and they always leave me in the end? Why?? Is there something wrong with me? Why can't someone, other that you that is, love me enough to accept everything, my goodness, my flaws and all of me? I'm strong, everybody says, but I'm not that strong. There are times when I want to hide from the world too. Everybody has left me at one point or another, even my parents; they abandoned me in the orphanage. Don't you see, Sab? Don't you see that I will not survive if Tasuki decides to leave me too? Which is why I must not give him a chance to do so." Kitten affirmed. The tears were gone, just as quickly as they have come. "I will not risk this."

Sable was shocked. She had not known that Kitten had felt this way. To her, Kitten was always…strong, independent, a dynamic girl who never cared about the remarks people throw at her. Then, it immediately occurred to Sable.

"Damn. Kit…being strong…was just a façade…a façade to hide your true self, right?"

"No prizes for this correct answer." Kitten smiled bitterly.

There was a long silence as Sable did not know what to say next. It was extremely awkward.

"You should have told me about your insecurities a long time ago. I never knew. As your best friend, I should have shared that burden with you."

Kitten started. She had thought that Sable had already left.

"I guess…I guess that I was afraid that you'd leave me too, if you knew how weak I really was." Kitten confided, which immediately earned her a bop on the head.

"Ow!! What was that for?" Kitten glared.

"Kitten no baka!! I'm your best friend!! Did you really think that something as inferior as that would destroy fifteen years of friendship?!!"

Kitten stared at an irate Sable. `Sab was right. She'd never leave me.'

"I know, Sab, I know that you'd never do that. Demo…demo sometimes, I'm afraid."

"Silly Kit, I'd always be there for you no matter what."

The girls smiled at each other, suddenly feeling better, that their relationship had somehow became stronger.

"Well…I'd better leave you to rest."

Kitten groaned at that.

"But I have rested!! For two days straight, in fact!!"

"Rest some more then," Sable ordered.

Both of them are acting as if the emotional scene that had just unfolded moments ago had not happened. There is no need to, as both know each other well.

Kitten grumbled but obediently lowered herself back on the bed as Sable prepared to leave.

"And Kit?" Sable called.

"Yeah?"

"Give Tasuki a chance. It is the least he deserves."

##########

The men, namely Kouji, Chichiri, Tasuki and Suzaku were in the cafeteria. It was mid-afternoon, and the cafeteria was crowded as almost everyone was taking a break from their chores.

"Say, Gen, what's goin on between you and the little blue-haired onna?"

Tasuki flushed at Kouji's question.

"Nothing. What makes you think that there is something going on?"

The answer would have worked in assuaging Kouji's curiosity if not for the fact that the redhead was stammering and turning redder as he answered.

"Oh, really?"

Chichiri and Suzaku were also extremely interested now.

"Yes!! What the fuck is wrong with you, Kouji? Ya know I don't like girls!!" Tasuki burst out as he got up from his seat and stormed out of the room.

Kouji chuckled out loud.

`Poor Gen, he is currently in a stage of denial.'

"Do you know something that I don't, no da?" Chichiri asked curiously.

Kouji groaned at that question.

"Not you, too, Chiri."

"No da?"

"Man, you can be just as dense as Gen sometimes………" Kouji muttered.

"Why do I feel as if I have just been insulted, no da? And can someone please tell me what's going on here?"

Kouji shook his head, exasperated.

"I think even Suzaku can answer that."

Suzaku nodded.

//CHICHIRI, CAN'T YOU SEE? TASUKI HERE IS IN LOVE BUT HE DOESN'T KNOWS IT YET.//

"Daaaaaaaa? With who?" Chichiri asked blurly.

Kouji laughed at that.

"Who else other than the injured onna whom he is so worried about?"

"Oh, okay…I had not noticed, no da." Chichiri replied, feeling very stupid now.

//OBVIOUSLY.//

Sable strolled in then.

"I have just looked in on Kit and changed her bandages. Her wound is looking better," she announced to the trio. "she's resting now. Oh, and what's wrong with Tasuki? Why is he stomping around looking so mad?"

"Oh that," Kouji answered. "As I'm telling Chiri here, Gen is in denial, so don't worry about him."

Sable smiled at that.

"Is that right? Kitten is in denial, too, come to think of it."

Chichiri was beginning to feel a little left out. Seems that everyone knows what was happening except him.

"That so?" Kouji asked, interested. "Both of them are hemming and hawing away whenever they are together. I'd say that their relationship looks damn painful to me. What say you, we put them out of their misery?"

Sable brightened.

"Kouji!! You have a plan?"

"Hai."

"Let's hear it then."

//YES. I'M INTERESTED TOO.// Suzaku said.

"Suzaku, you want to help MATCHMAKE too, no da?" Chichiri asked astonished.

Sable and Kouji grinned. Kitten and Tasuki are sure one lucky couple, with a god helping to pair them up together.

//COME, CHICHIRI, LET'S LISTEN.//

"Okay," Kouji started, "the plan goes like this…"

##########

Tasuki stomped towards a tiny stream that ran through the bandit fortress, cursing all the way.

`Kouji no baka. Asking me stupid questions like that when he knows that I don't like girls at all.'

He sat down by the water's edge and contemplated.

`Demo…if I do not like girls, then why is it that I keep on thinking of Kitten? Of how brave she was to push Sable aside and take the blow for her best friend, and how stupid she was for doing that and endangering herself. Why is it that when she fainted, did I feel as if I myself am going to do the same thing too? That when she hurt, I hurt even more? Why is it that when it turns out that she is all right did I have the urge to pull her into my arms to personally check that she really is okay and also to yell at her for scaring ten years out of my life? Why?'

He twirled his fingers idly in the water, deep in thoughts.

`And why is it that when she ignores me or treat me politely as if I was a stranger like she often does nowadays did I feel like someone had ripped out my heart and was stomping on it? I just don't understand."

Tasuki sighed. So many questions, but no answers. What was happening to him? Somehow, against his will, he was attracted to Kitten.

`I had never thought that I would like a girl after the Suzaku no miko. Once, I had believed that no girl can compare to Miaka, my brave, courageous, forgiving and sometimes silly miko.' Tasuki smiled, shaking his head.

He knew that romantically, he had no chance with Miaka, not that he wanted it. Miaka belonged with Tamahome, always have and always will.

His love for Miaka was the love between miko and seishi, brother and sister.

However, in his mind, he had pictured that the woman whom he will love would in some ways be like Miaka and since he had not found any girl who remotely resembled his beloved miko in characteristics, it had hit him hard when he realized that he was attracted to Kitten, that his feelings for her had surprisingly surpassed even his love for Miaka.

He, Kou Shun'u , had fallen in love.

"Kuso………now what?" Tasuki groaned burying his face in his hands.

##########

"Are you sure about this?" Kitten asked suspiciously the very next morning.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You can go outside as long as I'm accompanying you. Besides, no one will know, trust me." Kouji replied easily.

Kitten was still not very convinced.

`But then,' she thought, `who am I to argue? If I can go, I'd go gladly no matter what. I'm so sick and tired of staring at these four walls anyway.'

At that reasoning, she agreed readily and crawled out of bed to prepare.

Kouji had came in bright and early and had cheerfully told her that he is going to help her sneak out for a short trek in the forest.

"I'm gonna wait outside, Kit." Kouji said affectionately as he strolled out of the room.

Once outside, the blue-haired man chuckled mentally.

`The plan is in action.'

##########

Meanwhile, Chichiri was in Tasuki's room waking (read: attempting to wake) the man up.

"What the FUCK!! Chiri!! It is only nine in the morning!! I have fucking huge hangover and I want to sleep it off!! Get outta my room!" Tasuki flung a pillow at his friend, who after lots of practice, dodged it easily.

"Come on, no da!! As you have said, it is nine already!! Time to wake up. You don't want me to ask Suzaku to help, do you?"

That made Tasuki fall out of bed in a jiffy.

Chichiri immediately left discreetly, allowing privacy for his naked friend to dress.

"This better be important," Tasuki grumbled as he hurriedly pulled his pants on. He had spent a great portion of last night immersed in sake and was now nursing a huge hangover. Cursing under his breath, he left the room.

And was immediately greeted with a strong ray of sunlight in his eyes.

"Kutabachimae!!" he yelled out, squeezing his eyes shut and clapping his hands on his head. "My head fucking hurts."

//SERVES YOU RIGHT FOR GETTING YOURSELF STUPIDLY DRUNK IN THE FIRST PLACE.// Suzaku observed wisely.

Tasuki cracked open an eye to glare at the god, who was currently safely ensconced in Sable's arms.

"Somehow, I do not think that you three made me wake up so early just for Suzie here to insult me."

The said Suzie puffed up in indignation and immediately let loose a sharp shriek which caused Tasuki's headache to intensify.

"SHIT!!"

//NEXT TIME, MY SEISHI,// Suzaku said smugly, //THINK BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING FOOLISH.//

Tasuki snarled an unintelligible reply. Oh, he was thinking all right. He was thinking about how nice his god would look decorated in garnish and served on a silver platter.

Chichiri and Sable sweatdropped through it all.

"Anou…you are right, no da. We need your help. Or rather, no da, Kouji needs your help."

"Why? What does he need me for?"

Chichiri took a deep breath and a few steps away from his redheaded friend before answering.

`Tasuki is going to explode when he hears this.'

"Kouji needs your help in wooing Kitten."

##########

"Are you sure you know where we are heading, Kouji?"

"Of course. Mt. Reikaku is my turf. It wouldn't do if I do not know it like the back of my own hand, ne?"

"Okay, then."

Both of them trudged along in silence. They have been trekking for the past one-hour now.

Kouji had told Kitten about a pack of wolves who had made their den somewhere in Mt. Reikaku and naturally, Kitten just had to insist on going to take a look, saying that she had never seen a wolf in the wild.

Another half an hour passed before Kouji turned around to face Kitten.

"Kit, gomen-nasai, but today is just not your lucky day; the wolf pack is not here, they must have gone hunting or something."

Kitten looked disappointed at that.

"Oh…what about tomorrow, then?"

"I can bring you back here tomorrow, if you want."

"Okay!! Then I'd come back tomorrow." Kitten enthused.

"Sou ka, let's return to the hold now, ne?"

"Hai."

##########

"NANI!!" Tasuki roared, his hangover apparently forgotten.

Chichiri, Sable and even Suzaku was surprised at his sudden change of temper.

"Kouji wants to pursue Kitten!! I can't believe it!! And no, I will NOT help him. I will rot in hell first!!"

Chichiri raised an eyebrow.

"Anou…Tasuki, if you remember, Kouji is your best buddy, not a perverted hentai, no da. Furthermore, you should be happy that he is interested in Kitten, no da. Unless…"

"Unless what?!!" Tasuki snarled.

"Unless you like Kitten yourself." Sable finished for Chichiri.

That cooled Tasuki's temper effectively.

"What? Are you joking? What are you implying?" He laughed weakly. "I don't like girls. You people know that."

Chichiri and Sable merely shared a meaningful look. Chichiri shrugged.

"Well then, no da. It is settled. We will all help Kouji, then, no da. Not that he needs that much help," Chichiri added deliberately. "Both of them are having a romantic hike together even as we now speak."

"Nani!! I didn't say anything about helping Kouji…" Tasuki trailed off as the impact of Chichiri's last sentence hit him.

"WHAT THE FUCK!! ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT THEY ARE TOGETHER ALL ALONE NOW?!!"

##########

Kouji and Kitten had already reached the gates of the bandit fortress.

"Arrigato gozaimasu, Kouji. Even though I did not see the wolves, I'm still grateful that you took time off to bring me hiking."

Kouji reddened slightly.

"It's all right, Kit. There is nothing much to do in the morning anyway."

Just then, Kouji saw an irate looking redhead stomping towards them. Kitten did not see Tasuki because her back was facing the fortress.

"Uh…Kitten," Kouji hurried, "You have something stuck on your face. Stay still and I'd help you pick it out."

At that Kitten obediently stilled and tilted her face towards Kouji and he obligingly leant down to pretend to pick something.

That was not how it appeared to Tasuki.

From Tasuki's point of vision, Kitten seemed to be slanting towards Kouji and Kouji was bending down until his head was hidden behind Kitten's.

All in all, they looked as if they were sharing a deep kiss.

Kouji deliberately stayed at eye level with Kitten for as long as he could.

"There, it is done."

"Arrigato, Kouji."

Kouji straightened back up just in time to see Tasuki standing nearby and glaring at the both of them. It was obvious that he had `seen' what they were doing and also `heard' their innocently suggestive remarks to each other.

He smirked inwardly. Tasuki was literally boiling.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Gen. Nice morning, ne?"

"Yes." Tasuki fumed. "Must be a lucky morning for you too, Kouji."

Kouji shrugged cheerfully.

"If you think so, Gen."

Kitten turned to see Tasuki standing just a few feet away from her.

"Tasuki!! I'm surprised to see you up so early!"

"Why so surprised, Kitten? Is it because you are doing something you are not supposed to?" Tasuki sneered.

`Oh no, he must have found out that I had sneaked out.' Kitten thought, panicked.

"Hai…Tasuki, gomen, I know that you are worried demo…Kouji and I…"

Tasuki didn't want to hear anymore. He did not think that he could stomach anymore of this.

"Save your explanations, Kitten-san. What you do is none of my business. See you later." Tasuki said formally in a frigidly clipped tone as he turned and walked stiffly back into the hold.

Kitten and Kouji stared at his retreating figure.

"What's wrong with him?" Kitten asked Kouji, clearly unaware of the implications of what had just happened.

"Beats me," Kouji shrugged, when he very well knew what had happened. "He must have gotten up the wrong side of bed this morning."

Chapter 9 end!! Heheheh…I'm soooooo WICKED!! However, I find that I don't feel the least bit guilty at all. It was fun writing this chapter, to say the least. You guys figured out the PLAN already, ne? I can't keep the stupid grin from my face as I try to imagine the scene where Kouji and Kitten were supposedly `kissing' with Tasuki looking on. Yep…I'm bad all right, but the case of mistaken assumptions was just too tempting to ignore. Kit and Tasuki were obviously talking about two different things!!

Okay enough about that. I believe that I had written in my previous chapters that school has reopened and that I will most probably not be able to write and upload my chapters as quickly as I did in the past. But tell you what, I promise to upload at least a chapter per week, okay? So for the regulars (you know who you are), can you guys please check at the end of each week? Arrigato gozaimasu.

And regarding the story that I had recommended on top, if you guys want to read it, I realized that there are two sequels to it. One is Walking A Thin Line, also completed and another is Crossroads, not completed yet, but still as good. Well, if you people have finished, do review to tell me how is it!!

Lastly, arrigato gozaimau to all my reviewers. Thank you!! I will try not to disappoint. ^__~