Colors of the Heart (Emi)

[Emi Hitokata]

Emi felt all warm and fuzzy inside, as if she drunk a large cup of hot chocolate. Now that Ryuu and her were official, she no longer had to worry about liking a guy that wouldn't return her feelings. She felt silly being jealous of how he spent a lot of time with Emily and texted her, but now she knew that he belonged to her. However, that did not mean that she was on good terms with the silver-haired beauty.

She slid into the limousine and glanced around with a dumbfounded look on her face. This was actually her first time in one of these things, and she never thought that it would be so spacious. Her hand ran along the closed door and leather seats as she fumbled for her seat belt. Although she managed to find it, she had no idea how the straps and buckles worked.

Being in a limousine was amazing, but she felt out of place since she wasn't that rich. This was alien territory, and she didn't belong. She bit her lip and looked at Ryuu, hinting to him that she needed a little help with the seat belt. When he took the hint, she sat back and watched as he showed her the mini-fridge and TV. Although she wasn't a clumsy person, she refrained from touching anything, as if she was afraid that something would break. She didn't want to imagine how expensive some of the some of the equipment was, and what would happen if it had to be replaced because of her. Well, Ryuu was rich, so he could just pay for the damages, but breaking something still felt scary to her.

She sat up and quickly told Ryuu her address before leaning back into her formal position. There were so many unexpected events today that her eyes began to droop. She shook her head and rolled her shoulders before she answered Ryuu's question.

"Well, I really wasn't expecting that." Her voice wavered and she looked down. There were so many other questions tugging at her, but she was too shy to ask. Money was such a sensitive topic in Japan, and she didn't want to offend him or make herself seem too nosy.

She bit her lip as she thought of a safe topic to bring up. Finally, she looked up and asked,"What made you attend #42?"

[Ryuu]

Ryuu couldn't help but smile slightly at the dumbfounded look on Emi's face as soon as she slid into the limousine and glanced around it. He guessed this was her first time being inside a limousine, as he saw her run her hand along the closed door and leather seats as she fumbled for the seat belt. Although she did manage to find it, it seemed she didn't know who it worked, as he saw her bite her lip and look at him, hinting to him that she needed some help with it. Ryuu smiled kindly at her, and gladly helped her with the seat belt, taking it from her hand, his hand brushing against hers briefly, as he clicked the seat belt into the buckle. Once he was done, he saw her sit back and watch as he pointed out to her everything inside the limo, and while she was free to roam about as she pleased, he had a feeling she was afraid that if she touched anything, it might break or something, though Ryuu didn't mind if that happened honestly. Besides, it's not like she would do it on purpose.

She then sat up and told Ryuu her address, as he got up and told the driver, before sitting back down in his seat once he did. He saw her eyes begin to droop, but she shook her head and rolled her shoulders, he knew she was exhausted, after all, he had called her to the hospital unexpectedly, and then confessed his love for her to her later on. Just thinking about that though, made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside, because the two of them were now official, he no longer had to worry that his feelings were one-sided, Emi liked him back. He could die happily right now, but he wouldn't. Because then Emi wouldn't be happy if that happened. "Well, I really wasn't expecting that." He heard her voice waver, as he saw her look down, before biting her lip and looked back up at him, as he looked at her curiously. "What made you attend #42?" "To be honest? I didn't choose to attend 42, my father enrolled me in it. He woke up from his coma about a year ago," Ryuu added, in case Emi was confused as to how that was possible, "But now that I think about it, I'd rather be here, than anywhere else, because I got to meet you here."

Ryuu smiled tenderly at Emi, as he leaned forward a bit, still keeping a respectable distance from her, but still close that he could look into her eyes, though he did not do that. They may be in the United States, but that did not mean Ryuu could step over what he had been taught back in Japan. Besides, he didn't want to make Emi any more uncomfortable than she already was. "You know, you can ask me anything you want, I won't bite, and I won't get offended or anything."

[Emi Hitokata]

Emi could infer that Ryuu's father had been sick recently. She could imagine that he went through a tough time with his sister during their father's coma. When she was born, her mother died, so she grew up with only one parent. Although the death of a parent is different from a coma, it still causes emotional distress for any family members. Emi felt that she could relate to Ryuu because of that, but she decided not to bring the subject up because dark subjects made her uncomfortable.

"Are you sure?" she asked cautiously. Briefly, her brown eyes met Ryuu's but she quickly looked down and started to finger a loose thread on her shirt.

"What part of Japan are you from?"

That was a pretty safe topic to bring up. If he came from Tokyo, they could talk about some of the best places to hang out at and what his favorite restaurants in the metropolitan area are. If he came from another prefecture in Japan, then she could just ask a few questions about the area he lived in. Excluding Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kanagawa's Yokohama City, she never really traveled that much in her home country. Actually, she had never set foot in Saitama even though she lived thirty minutes from there.

There's no point in leaving Tokyo since you can get anything there. Well, as long as you have money.

[Ryuu]

Just as Emi lost her mother, Ryuu had lost his mother as well, she had been killed by a sniper. It took him and his older sister two years before their life got back on track, but during that time, Ryuu had been looked after by Kyoko, while he had done the same for her. Ryuu however, did not know Emi had lost her mother, he only knew she was here, because of her father's job. "Are you sure?" He saw her look cautiously at him, as he nodded back, "I'm sure, don't worry about it. I don't mind, anything you want to ask me, feel free to ask." Her brown eyes met his black eyes briefly, but he saw her quickly look down and begin to play with a loose thread on her shirt, as Ryuu quickly looked away as well, looking out the window at the scenery whipping past him, he rested his elbow on the bottom part of the window, and rested the side of his face against his slightly bent hand.

"What part of Japan are you from?"

Ryuu looked away from the window, and looked back at Emi, as he paused for a minute, before answering. "I was born and raised in Tokyo. My mother had been killed and died when I was 6, and when my father had woken up from his coma when I was 16, he didn't want to stay in Tokyo anymore, there were too many painful memories there, so we ended up moving here, to San Francisco." Poor Emi, it seemed no matter what topic she brought up, it usually ended up becoming an uncomfortable topic. Contrary to his financial background, Ryuu's life had been anything but glamorous, it was almost tragic, you could say. Ryuu realized this, and scratched the back of his head and looked away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make it uncomfortable... what about you? What part of Japan are you from?" Hopefully they could drift away from the uncomfortable topic. Ryuu smiled tenderly at Emi once more, as he reached out with his left hand, his right hand resting on the seat, near Emi's hand, and gently brushed away a few loose strands of her front hair away from her face, as he let his hand drop back down once more.

[Emi Hitokata]

Her question brought back a tragic answer. Emi gulped, an embarrassed look forming on her face. She thought her life was tragic. What could be worse than having a mother that died when she was born and being raised by relatives while her older brothers got to live in the States? Well, Ryuu's reply gave her an answer.

Despite hearing how he lost his mother and moved to the States, Emi felt as if she learned something big about Ryuu. What kind of person would he be if his mother had never died, allowing him to live a normal childhood? Maybe he would turn out like any other spoiled rich kid that shops in Ginza and drinks champagne with hostesses. Maybe it is a good thing that Ryuu is a humble guy since Emi couldn't stand the spoiled brats back in middle school.

Suddenly, his hand was near her face, catching her of guard. Her heart beat increased for a second, and she felt as if her chest was going to explode. It wasn't a bad feeling, but she felt that physical contact with Ryuu was something that she would have to get used to.

Actually... She didn't like it when he pulled his hand away. It made her feel happier when he was close to her. Her right hand quickly lifted and gripped Ryuu's left hand. Slowly, she brought it to her face and allowed his hand to briefly touch her cheek.

"I'm also from Tokyo. I lived near Shibuya, but in a very peaceful area."

Then she let go of his hand and faced the car window, watching colorful blurs on the road speed by.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu couldn't help but smiled slightly amused at the look of embarrassment forming on Emi's face as she gulped once she heard his answer, telling her more about his past. He did wonder though, what would he have been like if his mother hadn't been killed by a sniper, would he be the same person he was today? In this case, probably, seeing as Ryuu was taught to be humble, and he could never act snotty, no matter how much he tried. It just wasn't in his nature to act snotty and spoiled. He would probably have to act like one, at formal parties of course, but that was just an act, it was not who he really was. But if his mother hadn't been killed, he wouldn't have ended up here, and never meet Emi, instead, he would still be back in Tokyo. On the one hand, he had to leave his friends behind in Tokyo, but on the other hand, he moved here, and made new friends, even ending up with a girlfriend who loved him back on top of that. Something good had happened to him, because of something tragic that he experienced, and while it wasn't a happy moment, Ryuu was sure his mother was happy for him.

As soon as Ryuu pulled his hand away from Emi's face after brushing some loose strands away from her face, he let his hand drop, but he then saw Emi quickly lift her right hand and grip his left hand, catching him off guard slightly, as his eyes flashed in surprise briefly, slowly bringing his hand to her face and allowed his hand to briefly touch her cheek, her cheek felt warm and soft against his hand, as he looked at Emi, his eyes soft. "I'm also from Tokyo. I lived near Shibuya, but in a very peaceful area." "So you came from Tokyo too. I wonder... Maybe when we were younger, we passed by each other unknowingly on the street..." Ryuu mused, as he felt Emi let go of his hand, as he let his hand drop back down, and she faced the car window. Ryuu turned back to the car window on his left, watching the scenery speed past them, and soon enough, they were in the neighborhood Emi and Ryuu lived in. Ryuu however, had fallen into a light sleep, his head leaning against the window, as he snored away quietly. Too soon, they had pulled into her driveway, and the driver got out of the limo and opened the door for Emi.

At that moment, Ryuu woke up from his light nap, and looked out the window, seeing they were at Emi's house. But before Emi stepped out of the limo, Ryuu gently grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Your family... They don't know about us..." Ryuu said quietly, as he looked at her. "I think... I should meet your father... It is proper etiquette... Only if you wish for me to do so..."

[Emi Hitokata]

Emi spent the rest of the car ride watching the scenery outside the window. The first few minutes from the hospital showed her streets that she had yet to familiarize herself, but they soon entered a middle-class neighborhood that she recognized. Her house was at least a minute away, meaning that her time with Ryuu was about to end.

She looked back at the Japanese boy and saw him stirring from his light nap. It was a shame that, except for uncomfortable and controversial topics, they never got to talk much during the ride. Maybe it was even better that way since she wasn't over her shyness with him yet. She was hoping that she would be able to develop herself mentally for their first date. Well, if they ever got to go on their first date. Although he confessed to her, she was still paranoid about losing him, and reminders of his close friendship with Emily tugged at the back of her mind.

The limousine stopped outside her house and the driver walked over to Emi's side of the car to open the door for her. However, a gentle tug on her arm prevented her from exiting the vehicle just yet.

"Oh, um..."

Emi hadn't given much thought to how her family would react to Ryuu. Her brothers tended to be very overprotective, but she was sure that they would accept Ryuu. He was Japanese, handsome, smart, and the exact opposite of the "white trash" that her family feared. There was nothing to worry about, but she had to prepare her father and brothers, just in case.

"My father is a little busy today. Maybe another time..."

[Ryuu]

Besides talking about uncomfortable and controversial topics, the two of them didn't get to talk much during the entire car ride, but maybe that was for the best, seeing as Ryuu had a feeling Emi wasn't used to him just yet. Although she reciprocated his feelings, the thought he had of losing her, and to another guy, had not left his mind, not for a minute. Scenery of the middle-class neighborhood that Emi, and Ryuu as well, lived in, flashed past the window, as slowly, Ryuu feel into a light doze, the medication he had taken finally catching up to him. As soon as they pulled up to Emi's house, Ryuu woke from his nap. Once the limo stopped, and his driver had open the door for Emi, before she could leave, Ryuu grabbed onto her arm gently, struggling to keep awake from the medication, so his sentence had a lot of pauses in it, as he asked if he should meet her father or not. "Oh, um..." Maybe it was better that they didn't see Ryuu right now, seeing as the poor guy had bandages wrapped around his head like a headband, and he was nearly passing out from his medication.

"My father is a little busy today. Maybe another time..."

Ryuu's head jerked slightly forward, as he struggled to keep awake. "... Ah, I see. Maybe it's better, seeing as I just came out of the hospital, I wouldn't want him to get the wrong impression of me," Ryuu replied, pointing to his bandages, "And think that I'm some fight-loving nut job who ends up in the hospital every other week." He then released Emi's arm, letting her climb out of the limo, once she got out, Ryuu shuffled over to sit in the side seat near the window. The door closed once she got out, and he rolled down the window, to talk to her. "Call me? I'll bring the limo again." He said, smiling at her. "I'll make sure our first date doesn't involve a hospital visit." He rolled the window back up, and the limo pulled out of the driveway, and drove down the street, taking him home... which was close to Emi's house, try next door. But because Ryuu had conked out as soon as the limo started moving, he did not see that, only when the limo pulled into the driveway of his house, did he wake up, once the driver opened the door for him Ryuu dragged himself to the door, and walked upstairs, reaching his room, he passed out on his bed, snoring gently away.

[Emi Hitokata]

Emi laughed. She wasn't sure if her family would think of him as some fight-loving nut job, but they will want to know about those injuries. Although she felt bad about Ryuu getting hurt, she still found the thought of him getting his ass kicked by a girl highly amusing. Her older brothers would likely think the same thing.

"Or maybe you don't want them to find out that you got beat up by a girl," she teased. Her hand reached out and ruffled his head, but found it difficult with all the bandages in the way. Finally she sighed and took on a more serious tone. "Maybe it's best since you look so tired. We should get rest before we have to face the family."

Before she left, she leaned forward- as if she was going to kiss him on the cheek- but quickly pulled away.

"Bye Ryuu."

She stepped out and walked towards her house. The only time she looked back was when she turned around to bow to the exiting car.

-end of thread-