Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Scars ❯ Not a Hellhole ( Chapter 3 )

Just FYI, in the teaser, Genrou is 15. For the main part of the story, he's 19. I might give him a birthday at some point, though. Hmmm...

I will tell you that until Tasuki and Chichiri get their memories back, this might seem like your standard reincarnation-romance fic. Don't be fooled...just when things seem happiest, the angst will strike again...::evil grin:: I'm going to try hard to make it different from your standard reincarnation-romance, though.

-----Scars-----

--Hikou-

I was listening to Kouji and monitoring the conversation beside us at the same time, so I noticed when Genrou and Houjun just couldn't seem to find anything more to say. I signaled Kouji with my eyes. We ought to talk to them, too.

He noticed our companions' predicament and took pity on them. He engaged Genrou in a lively discussion about certain sports teams that they didn't seem to agree on.

Houjun looked slightly lost at the topic. He'd never really been interested in team sports, or any sports at all, really, preferring to take walks as his exercise. Even though he lived in the middle of a large city, Houjun seemed to find peace in being outdoors.

Most of the time. Once, he'd come back from a walk missing an eye...but he still continued to wander around the city whenever the mood struck him.

Houjun and I listened to Genrou and Kouji discuss the merits of their respective teams.

I couldn't help but notice the way Houjun looked at Genrou. He looked at the man opposite him with an expression almost similar to the one on his face when he was regarding a passage in a confusing book. However, there was an extra dimension to the look Houjun had fixed on Genrou, one I'd never seen on my friend's face before. I couldn't read it.

Tiring of his discussion with Genrou, Kouji turned to Houjun.

"Did I hear ya say earlier that y' were int'rested in China?"

Houjun nodded, a look of nervousness darkening his eye for a moment.

"I seen Genrou readin' about it, too. I never really got it, y'know, what was so interestin' about the geography a' th' place. Myths 'n' stuff 're cool, but Genrou reads these books `bout landforms an' stuff that were around in ancient China. Sometimes he flips past pages so fast, ya'd swear they'd tear, an' other times he'll stare at one page for an hour." Kouji turned to Genrou. "Ya'd almost think he was lookin' fer somethin'."

Genrou looked a little embarrassed. "Well, ya see, I always liked ta climb mountains. I guess I just liked ta imagine mountains that were around there back then."

Houjun nodded. "I like mountain climbing, myself. But I like reading about Chinese myths rather than geography."

There was a look of surprise on Genrou's face. "Ya mean, like th' Four gods 'n' stuff? The twen'y-eight constellations?"

Houjun nodded, also looking surprised. "Aside from Anime otaku, you don't find many people around here who know about the Four gods..."

Genrou shrugged, vaguely sheepish. "I always liked myths. These ones just sorta seemed...familiar, like ya said earlier."

Houjun nodded, a faraway look in his eyes. I knew that if he wasn't distracted soon, he'd be in his own world in a matter of seconds.

"Hey, Houjun, if you're done with your tea, we should get going,"

Houjun looked a little startled, then nodded. "I'm finished." He took one last gulp of tea and stood up.

"Let's go."

-Genrou-

As soon as I saw Houjun's place, I knew Kouji was right.

My apartment was a hellhole.

Not that I'd ever admit it to him, you understand.

I couldn't believe that Houjun would let someone share this apartment for so little. It was large and full of light, about as far from my place as you could get. I guess I looked a little awed, because the next thing I knew there was a voice behind me, saying:

"Now d'ya admit yer place is a hellhole?"

I shook my head stubbornly. "But...this place's lots nicer..."

Kouji just laughed.

Hikou walked up behind Kouji and slung an arm around his waist. Looking at me, he asked, "What do you think?"

"This place's...it's...it's great," I said, unable to come up with a better word. "D'ya think Houjun'd let me stay here?"

"Why wouldn't he?" Hikou asked, seeming genuinely curious. I couldn't help thinking, somehow, that there was something in his eyes...

"I dunno, I just didn' think he liked me all that much," I confessed, rather sadly.

Kouji laughed. "I've never known anyone, male 'r female, who was able to resist ya if ya liked `em."

Slightly embarrassed, I laughed along with him and Hikou. Sure, I'd had lots of boyfriends and girlfriends, but I wasn't that bad, was I? Besides, it was never anything serious. Usually.

Hikou turned to the man behind him. "Don't you like Genrou, Houjun?"

My face flamed. He'd been right there...

Houjun smiled at me. "Of course I like you. If you'd like to stay here, you're welcome to." He held out his hand. I took it, looking him in the eye. The nervousness I'd seen when we first met was almost gone. He looked sincere.

I smiled back at him. "I'd love ta stay here. This's a great place."

"All right, then." Houjun turned away. "I'll show you where your room will be."

He led me to a room with a large window in one wall. It was completely empty, except for the bed in one corner.

"This is Hikou's old room. You can do whatever you like with it."

Looking around, I decided that this place might be really nice. I just hoped Houjun would be able to shake off the last of that nervousness.

"You can move in next week." Houjun smiled briefly. "Feel free to look around the rest of the apartment. It's yours, now, too."

He left, and I went to sit in the center of the room. Closing my eyes, I let myself feel the apartment around me. It's a weird thing I've always done with rooms, houses, anywhere I'll be staying for a while. It helps me to be comfortable in a place, or sometimes lets me know that I shouldn't be comfortable somewhere.

Opening my eyes I smiled. This place would definitely be good.

-------To be continued.

I hope you liked it. I'm sorry if you think I made Houjun too freaked out, it just seems like he's the type of person who'd have a little trouble meeting new people. That, plus the fact that he's deadly afraid of thieves led me to write him that way. I mean, wouldn't you be scared if you had gotten your eye gouged out by one?

Anyway. I'm sorry I couldn't have this up sooner. I'd complain about my muse, but I don't have one...::sniff:: I have to write this stuff all on my own...

~Ambika