"Ne, Tezuka-kun... Can we practice act 3, scene number 5? I still have problem with my lines..." smiled , weakly as she approached the stoic boy in his classroom.
"Alright..." sighed Tezuka as he picked up his script from his bag.
Romeo
, a 3rd year student of Seishun Gakuen was chosen to participate in the school's play as the lead female of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The teachers had a hard time deciding who to choose for the male lead but with a help from a student, Fuji Syuusuke, they finally decided that Tezuka Kunimitsu was to play Romeo.
"Fuji... You could have just kept quite."
"You're perfect for this part, Tezuka. Besides, she's the playing Juliet."
"Who's she?"
"Oh, you'll know..."
Tezuka twitched a little as he remembered how he got the part as Romeo. He still hasn't got back at Fuji for it yet.
"So in this scene, we will be in an open gallery to your chamber that is overlooking the garden" said Tezuka as he ran through the script.
"Eh? My chamber?" asked , confused.
"You are playing Juliet, aren't you?" replied Tezuka with an expressionless face.
"Ah, hai!" blushed as she sat down opposite Tezuka with her face behind the script.
Clearing his throat, Tezuka spoke up, "I will recite my lines and then you'll recite yours like in the actual play."
"Okay, Tezuka-kun."
Tezuka took on deep breath and recited his lines with actions and followed with her lines alternately.
***
"More light and light,--more dark and dark our woes!"
"Erm..."
"What is it?" asked Tezuka.
"I don't think it's my turn yet..." replied the girl sheepishly.
Tezuka pondered for a moment as he scanned the script before replying, "You're right. The nurse will enter and tell you that your mother is coming... That would be Aoi-san's part..."
"Wow, you actually remembered that Tezuka-kun..."
"It's in says there in the script."
"I see... Mine has been cancelled out to make reading easier as I tend to memorise other cast's lines" blushed the girl.
Tezuka gave a brief nod. "I'll read the nurse's last line for you..."
"Your lady mother is coming to your chamber. The day is broke; be wary, look about."
nodded and proceeded to read her line with a sad expression…
"Then, window, let day in, and let life out."
Tezuka paced forward closer to as he recited his line, "Farewell, farewell! One kiss, and I'll descend..."
Leaning in to the girl, their lips barely touching before he pulled away quickly. Tezuka cleared his throat and re-adjusted his glasses.
"I... Erm, suppose we should leave that for the actual day..." he said, a slight blush crept over his cheeks.
"H-hai..." blushed furiously.
And then she noticed something, Tezuka blushed. Tezuka Kunimitsu actually blushed.
Bowing down politely, he bid her farewell and left the empty classroom. Since that she was the only one left in class, picked up her bag and left the class as well.
***
" -san, how was practice?" a voice called from behind.
"Fuji-kun! It was okay... I guess" answered with slightly dreamy expression.
"Just okay...? He didn't kiss you then..." replied Fuji, his face still had the same smile from before.
"Tezuka was supposed to kiss -chan... Ii data" Inui popped out from nowhere and scribbled into his green notebook, scaring the poor girl.
"Mou, Inui!!! Stop doing that! You seem to be appearing everywhere as if you're stalking me!" complained , her hand on her chest as she tried to calm herself down.
“Correction -san. I am not stalking you, I am collecting your data. I have all your activity schedule. After there’s 75% that you’re going to the bookstore” said Inui with a grin
stared at the data man and pouted. How could he just know everything she was going to do? Then a thought came in her mind, she could just change her plan.
“You know what? I think I’ll go to the—“
“The park. There’s 53% that you might say that -san” he cut her off.
stood there stunned and then she sighed. There was no way she could beat Inui’s data anyway. They were always accurate… Well not exactly all if you included his bowling data skills.
“I should get going…” said as she waved goodbye to the other two.
“Take care, -san” smiled Fuji as he and Inui went the other direction.
“You should stop scaring her Inui. Come, I need you to help me.”
***
“What do you want me to do Fuji?” asked Inui, pushing up his glasses.
“You know always sits near a fire hydrant in the park…” Said Fuji
“Uhuh… So?”
“I need you to loosen the hydrant so that the water will spurt out at her” continued the tensai.
Inui jotted down whatever Fuji said.
“And then, I’ll get Tezuka to look for her” smirked Fuji as he took out ’s script.
“Fuji! When did you take it?”
Fuji let out a small chuckle. “I’ll let you know later. Just make sure the water spurts at her when Tezuka arrives” he said and shooed Inui off.
***
Tezuka was busy rehearsing his lines when his mother suddenly knocked on the door.
“Kunimitsu… There’s someone here to see you.”
The stoic lad put down his script and walked towards the living room.
“Fuji!”
“Tezuka, I need your help” smiled the tensai.
Tezuka nodded and walked over to the other boy. He wondered what Fuji was up to. Usually when he wanted his help, it meant ‘I-am-setting-you-up’.
Clearing his throat he asked, “What is it that you wanted me to do?”
“Here” he handed ’s script over to Tezuka.
“ dropped her script… Since you’re her Romeo, you should know where she is” his gaze sharpened on the Seigaku tennis team captain
Twitch twitch
***
“The sun gives the sky such a warm glow…” smiled as she sat down on the bench.
She always come to the park and sits on that particular bench when she wants peace. The view of there was wonderful as well and the atmosphere is always serene.
“Mmmm…” she stretched her arms and opened her bag, looking for the script.
“Aye? Where could it be? I know I put it in here!!” she shrieked and turned her bag inside out for it.
As she was frantically searching, little did she know that Inui Sadaharu was behind her, loosening the bolt on the hydrant.
“?” a familiar voice called out.
looked up. “Tezuka?!”
SWOOSH--!
Out came the water from the hydrant onto . Inui dived behind the bushes and crawled away.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” screamed the girl.
On the spot, Tezuka ran and pulled her away, hugging her close to him.
“! Are you okay?” his voice full of concern.
“My Romeo…” said dreamily, staring at Tezuka.
Hearing what the girl had said, faint pink lines appeared on the boy’s face.
“Ahem, Fuji said you dropped this…” Tezuka handed the script to the girl, regaining his composure.
“Ah… Thank you” blushed the shivering girl.
Feeling pity for the girl, Tezuka took of his jacket and put it around the girl.
“I’ll walk you home” smiled the boy.
blushed, ‘He smiled at me!’ she thought.
“H..hai. thank you” she whispered.
***
“I’ll see you at the play .” he waved walking off.
“Hai! Arigatou Tezuka-kun!” she waved cheerfully as she opened the door to her home. ‘I’ll see you that night…my romeo’.
***
“Oh my gawd! I’m so nervous! I almost screwed up!!” said as he hugged Aoi Minako.
“You did well dearie!” Aoi assured her and left to freshen up.
“-san… Can we talk?” said the boy as he approached her.
“H-hai…”
“Can we practice from where we stop the other day before we do it on stage?” asked Tezuka with a faint blush
“Where we stopped the other day?” blinked with confusion. She wasn’t registering a word he had just said.
“This…” he said softly, wrapping his arms around her waist. His lips inched closer to hers as he stared into her beautiful eyes.
was stunned but she just let her emotions guide her through. She rested her hands on Tezuka’s chest.
Lifting a hand, he place it under the girl’s chin and pressed his lips onto hers.
After breaking the kiss she looked into his eyes.
“Would you be my Juliet?”
***
-Owari-
Marishka [03 February 2005]
Edited by Kashii