Prelude to the Fall

It was a bright and warm day in Tokyo and people were enjoying the summer. This year, the city attracted more visitors and local people because of the opening of Japan's largest amusement park, X-Zed.

It was the second day of the park's opening, and lots of people of different ages came in to see what the amusement park had to offer. Children were running around, groups of friends screaming while on a wild and exciting ride. The park also became an instant lovers' lane, for a lot of sweethearts were strolling the area, holding hands.

There was a particular young couple who were on their way towards the admitting line for the park's Haunted House.

"Are you sure it's going to be alright?" The girl asked, her arms entangled around the guy's.

The boy smiled at the girl beside him, touching her hair. "It's going to be okay."

Unknown to this couple, they were being watched by another pair hiding near the glass house area. But unlike the lovers who looked so right together, exchanging reassuring smiles, the other couple made a very odd pair.

**********

"Tooyama, do you think we're actually doing the right thing?" Shiraishi Kuranosuke asked the girl who was intently spying on the particular couple for their turn to go inside the haunted house. Tooyama looked at Shiraishi; her stares silently told him that she knew it was the right thing and that he should just shut up.

Shiraishi sighed. "Like I said, Tooyama, it's all over now. We've been dumped. They're happy now. We should just leave."

"Shiraishi, for a tennis prodigy, you sure are really stupid." finally spoke, temporarily taking her eyes off the couple that made her blood boil. "Aren't you angry? My boyfriend–"

"Your ex-boyfriend," Shiraishi corrected.

"Whatever. He stole your girlfriend. And your ex-girlfriend stole mine. And they cheated on us! They made us putty on their hands. And we're friends, for heaven's sake! My pride can't take it." said. She went back to looking at the couple. Unfortunately, the two had already went in. "Curses. I lost them."

"Which means we should just stop following them and enjoy the place!" Shiraishi said, while fixing the bandage on his left arm. "I wish you were as simple-minded as your brother."

"Shut up. Besides, you can't use that whole bandage shebang that you used to scare my brother." commented as she turned around and faced her companion.

Tooyama became Shiraishi's acquaintance because of the former's younger brother and Shiraishi's kouhai, Tooyama Kintarou. They weren't exactly close, but they found themselves hanging out with each other because the tennis team frequented the Tooyama household on weekends. In some twist of fate, and Shiraishi found themselves losing their significant others, only to find out that the reason behind this was that 's former boyfriend and Shiraishi's former girlfriend had started dating behind their backs.

Shiraishi and were hurt, but Shiraishi was willing to let it pass and just concentrate on his tennis-playing. was a different case, however. She could not accept the fact that she had an idiot ex-boyfriend and that Shiraishi had a cheating, two-faced ex-girlfriend. hated the fact that the two had played with their hearts. Her heart and mind screamed revenge. And that she needed to convince Shiraishi.

"Your resistance is futile," said to Shiraishi when she told him of her plan.

"It's a waste of time, Tooyama," Shiraishi said while he put his things inside his tennis bag. "Besides, if I am going to X-Zed, I'll make sure that I'll be enjoying myself and not bothering other people."

smirked. "As if I'm going to listen to you."

And because was such a strong-willed woman, Shiraishi was forced to accompany the girl and here they were, following their former flames like a couple of sick puppies.

"Why are we exactly following them, anyway? I mean, you just forced me to follow you here but I still don't know what you want to do." Shiraishi said, sitting on the ground while taking out water bottle from his knapsack.

"Maa... I haven't really figured that out yet." said.

"Nandeyanen?! Then what's the use of going here if you're not even sure of what you're supposed to do?"

"What do you mean 'what I am supposed to do'? You're in this thing as well!" demanded.

Shiraishi's facial expression turned from someone helpless to someone who wanted to be in control. "Tooyama, let's face it. We're wasting our time here, following those two idiots around. I mean, you already wasted my time. I'm supposed to stay at home and practice tennis with the team. If you want to follow them, fine. But I'm going to roam this place, go on the rides or something." He was about to leave the girl when he felt 's hand gripped his arm.

"Don't leave."

"Then let's stop this nonsense."

"But..."

"No buts. C'mon." Shiraishi took 's hand and explored the place. The first place they went into was the glass house since they had been standing around it for quite some time. After that, they went to the indoor skating rink, resulting into sporting bruises on her legs. She didn't know how to use the rollerblades. After a couple more hours of running, laughing and screaming their hearts out, and Shiraishi went to the food court and ordered lunch.

They sat across each other and ate their meals. Shiraishi noticed that 's expressions were softer than they were earlier. He smiled.

"It seems to me that you did enjoy the rides." Shiraishi commented as he took a large bite of his mega burger.

turned her attention to the boy in front of her. "Well, yeah. This place really is great."

"It's much better than stalking some stupid guys out there." Shiraishi added.

"Well... Yeah. I guess so."

"Besides, if we just follow them around, we'd be wasting our money. Especially since this place is expensive. And we even have to go back to Osaka." The silver-haired boy added, sipping his drink.

"Perhaps you're right." added quietly.

"Of course I'm right! You just don't listen to me because you're such a pig-head."

"I am not."

Shiraishi took another huge bite before speaking. "You know, I really can't blame you if you're angry towards that guy. I admit, I am still angry at her. But you know what?"

"What?" asked.

"I don't want to waste time feeling all sad and melancholic about what she did to me. It was painful, true, but I still have other things to do that will divert my attention from that unfortunate event in my teenage life."

"For a tennis prodigy, you sure do speak a lot." commented, eating her apple pie.

"This," Shiraishi put his right hand on top of the left side of his chest, "has nothing to do with tennis. Although for me, love and tennis sometimes overlap." He smirked. smiled upon hearing Shiraishi's comment. She sometimes couldn't understand the guy, but this time, his words made her heart feel more at ease.

**********

It was already four in the afternoon, and Shiraishi and were tired from going from one ride to another. The two were about to leave the place when decided to buy a huge bag of popcorn. While was paying the vendor, the couple that they were following earlier caught her attention. 's former boyfriend was holding Shiraishi's ex-girlfriend's hands tightly as they walked happily towards the cotton candy booth.

When went to the bench where Shiraishi was sitting, the latter noticed the mixture of sadness and annoyance on her face.

He didn't wait for 's comment. "I saw them, too."

didn't answer.

Shiraishi put his hand on her shoulder. "C'mon now, Tooyama. Don't put that sad face on. Look." He pulled a small cat stuff toy from the bag that he was holding. "Apparently, they're also selling plushies of their cat mascot. I bought this for you. Kin-chan told me that you like cats."

took the soft toy from Shiraishi. "Thanks." She still didn't look relieved.

"Try not keeping grudges and you'll be fine." Shiraishi commented.

"You seem to be unaffected by their sweetness." said flatly.

"She still has that special place in my heart, you know. It will take a while for me to recover, but at least I'm trying."

"You should be angry at them."

"Wait. I thought we already cleared this up. During lunch?" Shiraishi asked her. remained quiet.

"You're a tough girl, Tooyama. I know that. I just don't get why you would even try to stoop to their level to get revenge or something. Is it really that worth it?"

"Of course! They hurt me! They cheated on us. They deserve to be miserable." said, her hatred flaring up.

Shiraishi sighed. "And what good will it do to you? To us? Do you actually think you'll feel complete when you did something wrong to them? You don't have to repay a stupid action with another stupid action. At the end of the day, they probably will still love each other and we would still be single. You should use your strength in facing another day without him in your life, instead of thinking of vengeance."

There was silence. looked down and stared at her shoes. Maybe Shiraishi was right. Heck, she knew he really was right all along, and she was defying him only in denial. She felt like an idiot.

"There's always another chance, you know. Who knows, you'll probably fall in love with someone else sooner or later."

turned to her side, only to notice that the bench they were sitting on was half-empty now. She looked up to see Shiraishi standing in front of her, extending his bandage-covered hand.

"Let's go home now."

With a smile on her lips, took his hand and they walked away from the amusement park.

##########

August 11, 2006
Written by: Megane-ko
Edited by: linchpin

This story is also a part of the Teniyume and Endless Dreamers affiliate project, The Carousel Project. The next story will feature Marui Bunta and will be written by Endless Dreamers' resident writer, Marishka, so please watch out for it.