Chiaroscuro ^[1]: Part 1

"You're looking at him again," a voice and a nudge interrupted 's reverie. She hazarded a glance at nearby Dan Taichi, owner of said voice and nudge, and quickly roved back her eyes, mind, heart (the whole shebang, and gladly) to someone farther away.

"Yes, I am." She rolled her eyes, distractedly wiping a glass Dan had handed her. They were helping his mother at the shop – well, trying to, with shamelessly gaping at a vision, and Dan shamelessly diverting her attention from it. "What's your point?"

"You're supposed to be cleaning," her friend accused, piling wet plates on her unsteady hands. She heard him sigh as she continued her visual osmosis, only half-aware of the plates she held. The object of her intent concentration was melting, he was slowly becoming putty in her hands; surely, the handsome visage, the manly exterior would be penetrated by her meaningful stares – they were meant to be, weren't they? It was only a matter of time.

"Sure, he's melting. Of course he's dying to be with you."

smiled at her friend's thoughts. Of course. Everything was going according to the plan.

"And that's why he's leaving now, and hurriedly, too. Not at all disturbed by some weird girl staring at him eating all this freaking time."

**********

Dan let out a sigh of relief as Kanmuri Shun stormed out of the shop. had almost dropped the plates when he left, and if not for Dan firmly steadying her hands, they would be picking shards on the floor.

was cursing her luck now while Dan thanked his. No broken kitchenware and no cut hands. Hands that were so soft and delicate when he lightly glided his fingers against them in pretense of release.

"I almost had him, Dan." was saying as she furiously ran the cloth on the plates, one by one. "Almost. What happened? He's been eating here for days and I've always made it a point to gaze at him so he would notice. I thought we had a connection."

Dan grinned wryly. "And what kind of connection is it supposed to be? The relationship of a frightened victim cornered by his relentless stalker?"

"Argh. You know that's not what I'm talking about. I mean, okay, I was trying to create a situation where you know, our eyes meet and there's magic – sparks – and he would come up here and ask me out. You know that."

"By magic, what do you mean? A faster heart rate?" Dan pressed on, enjoying the way she was getting riled up by his teasing. Her cheeks were a rosy glow and her eyes sparkled, not so unlike magic, he thought, if the twinge in his own chest gave any indication. Faster heart rate, indeed.

He continued. "Oh, Kanmuri felt it, all right. It's called fear, . You scared him away!"

"Do you really think so?" She frowned. "I read that technique in a magazine. I thought it worked for all the boys."

If all boys were attracted of stalkers and psychos, sure, he willed not to say. Or if all boys were like him. He sighed. He was hopeless.

He didn't know what overcame him, although he thought some minutes later that it must be desperation when he registered the words he said next.

"Maybe you should practice."

**********

Practice? was confused.

"Maybe you should rehearse the technique. The look." Dan was looking at her oddly. "You could practice on another guy or something. Just to get it right."

"And who would that be? I can't just go around stopping random people on the street to openly stare at them." She didn't add, however, that it was practically what she did to Kanmuri. He didn't know her, either. But he was a unique case. He was her soulmate.

She could see Dan twitching his lips. Probably thinking what she was thinking. The price of a close friendship, she grumbled in thought. A lot of times, it was fun, being able to seamlessly finish up sentences and ideas in one jumbled medley with a person she cared about. But at this one time, it was annoying. She gave the plate one more furious stroke before placing it on the rack.

"Well?"

"You could practice on me."

stilled at that. He had said it almost shyly. Was he – was Dan actually – blushing?

"What? I'm not good enough?" She noted the offended – surely not hurt – tone in his voice. Then it softened, attempting light banter, "You're the desperate one here."

"Moron. I am not."

"Sure, whatever lets you sleep at night. I'm just trying to help and there you are again, being stubborn."

"I am not." Was she the only one who thought it might be awkward? She cursed how timid her reply sounded. This was not good. Dan and her, whatever was happening to them, it was becoming indefinable, almost troubling. Her heart beating, she stammered:

"F-fine. Let's see, then."

**********

I am not a coward, Dan thought, as the full force of 's warm brown eyes focused on his. The dishes were forgotten and the remaining shop customers faded into negligible noise. It was a black background, a dull one, and Dan and contrasted starkly against it. As far as he was concerned, they were the only ones who mattered. Only this moment mattered. And he was not going to blink first, no matter what.

"Is this supposed to be a staring contest?"

He could see her rolling those warm brown eyes as she asked, so oblivious, so irritatingly unaffected. Was she really the one practicing? He didn't like the answer to his own question.

He didn't reply. Two guys were leaving, one putting a crumpled bill on the table while another fussed over his denim jacket, the last of the customers. I am not a coward, Dan repeated in his mind.

"Dan? What the…"

They were trembling, his hands. Slowly, he reached out to her, letting his fingers glide again. This time, they were slowly tracing a fascinated trail on her face, on her lips, closing her eyelids in hypnotic motions, trying to hide the startle coloring her eyes, erasing Kanmuri out of its depths, slowly, so slowly, biding his time. Ah, the price of a close friendship, Dan smiled sadly. One which was probably about to end.

"Look at me, "he whispered. "Look at me."

And her eyes were opened.

##########

August 8, 2006
Written and edited by: linchpin

^[1] An Italian word literally meaning "light dark", used to describe the skillful balance of light and dark in a painting, with strong contrasts to create dramatic effect. [link]