Tales of Heartache

Fudomine - Tachibana Kippei

DeVeliCious

“I don’t get it.”

turned to her friend and smiled, “what don’t you get, my dear?” she asked softly, breathing the fresh morning air. It was a new day, a new morning, and a fresh new start.

“He loves you.”

smiled sadly as they walked out of the courthouse. “And so do I.”

Sawada Aya stopped and looked at her incredulously, “Damnit!!! You just told me that you love each other, but you just walked out of the courthouse as a divorced woman today. What bullshit is that?!”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Aya looked at her as if she had grown horns, “of course it matters; this is Kippei we’re talking about. Your one and only, Kippei.”

felt her heart ache as she looked towards the courthouse. She saw Tachibana Kippei walk out and he acknowledged seeing her with a slight nod. She nodded back and turned around.

‘What went wrong?” Aya asked.

“Everything,” admitted, leaning against a lamppost, “we’re better off divorced than married,” she told her good friend. His jealous nature will only kill him one day and all it did cause me was heartache. I loved every moment with him, but its best that we’re at a distance. No strings attached… 

“Do you regret your choice?”

“No,” she answered, walking away from the courthouse, from him, from everything that had always caused her a heart to hurt.

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Rikkai Dai – Niou Masaharu

Babybel

The steady sound of a ball hitting the wall echoed across an empty school hallway. It was the end of another school day at Rikkai Dai Fuzoku, for everybody had left for the night except for students who had after school clubs. It was actually near dinner time when the boy’s tennis team had just finished yet another brutal training session and they were finally released from their duties.

Niou Masaharu had decided to return to his locker to pick up a few of his books that he needed for the weekend. Just as he was about to arrive at his locker, he saw a very familiar face sitting beside it. One look at her face pretty much said it all. Niou gave a small sigh.

“Damn.”

The girl caught her tennis ball and glared at Niou. She then whipped it at Niou’s face, who quickly caught it with his hand.

“Shut up.”

Again, Niou let out his breath. He dropped his school bag and took a seat beside the girl. The two sat in silence. Niou started to throw the ball against the wall as the two did not say a word for the next few minutes. He knew that she needed some time to go through her thoughts before she explained her situation.

had been Niou’s best friend since their parents had conceived them on the same day and at the same hospital. Both of their mothers have also known each other before that when they were in high school. Since then, the two were inseparable.

“I should have listened to you.”

The ball stopped in Niou’s hand. He gave the girl a side glance and then frowned and continued to throw the ball.

The whole school had already known that was seeing someone outside the school as the person was a well known player both on the court and off. Since the couple both met on the tennis courts, that was how they started going out. Naturally, the school went wild as the couple started showing up in scenes together, especially since the boy was none other than Atobe Keigo.

After a few months of dating and seeing each other on a regular basis, thought that all the warnings that her best friend had given her were just a waste of his breath. On one particular day, betrayal was witnessed which led to and Niou sitting on the floor today and throwing a tennis ball across the wall.

“He’s going to pay for this.”

Again, Niou stopped the ball and turned his head towards ’s face. The girl ignored the hard stare that she was receiving from her good friend. He smirked and passed the ball back to his friend.

“Give him what he deserves.”

took the ball and stared at it. She squeezed it as hard as she could until her whole hand turned white. She picked up her school bag and stood up beside Niou, who also grabbed his bag and hung it behind his shoulder. The two walked out of the school with the sun setting in front of them.

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Hyoutei – Oshitari Yuushi

took a deep breath and shook her head. She looked down at her cell phone and squeezed it tight.

“I can’t believe you broke up with me over a text message! A TEXT MESSAGE!” she yelled, tears running down her face.

“And I can’t believe you came here.” Oshitari sighed rubbing his temples. “And please, try and keep it down.”

She looked up at him, a look of disbelief on her face. How could this be happening? The guy she had been seeing for 6 months breaking up with her over the phone? She had given him everything; her time, her love, and her damn virginity! And now this?!

 
“Don't tell me to keep it down,” she hissed standing up, “how could you be this cruel?! And where the hell is this coming from? Everything was fine two days ago when I last saw you. What could I have done in the last 48 hours that would bring this on? What?! Tell me please!” She moved closer to him, but he stepped back.

 
“Look, I'm sorry. But we cant see each other anymore. There's someone else. I've chosen her, look I'm sorry.” He blurted out the last few words and shook his head, “I have to go. Really, I'm sorry.”

Oshitari walked back into his house and closed the door leaving her on the front steps. took a deep, shuddering breath and sat back down onto the bench outside his door. She looked down at her cell phone again and looked at the message.

 
“Sorry, I cant see you anymore. It was fun while it lasted. Bye.”

It was so cold. So short. 'It almost wasn't even like him', she thought as she closed the phone back up. She felt lied too. She felt used. But most of all, she felt her heart breaking into millions of tiny pieces. Every memory from their relationship was piling into her head all at once. Their first date. Their first kiss. Their first time....

 She stood up and looked at his door again. She stopped herself as her hand began to raise towards the bell. No. He wasn't worth it. No guy was. put her phone away and walked down the steps towards the street. Never again would she walk this path. Never again would she pick the flowers which grew around the gate. Never again would she ring the bell outside the wall to be let in. Never again would she see his face. Never.

She made a fist with one hand and pushed the gate with the other, letting it slam shut behind her, hoping he would hear it. As she neared the end of the street she stopped to let a car pass before crossing. As she moved further and farther from his home the reality began to set in and the tears threatened to re-appear.

She sniffled and let out a sigh, “This is going to be hard.”

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Hyoutei – Shishido Ryou

Marishka

He slammed the glass hard onto the coffee table, shattering it. The whole café became silent and their attention was turned towards the couple sitting at the far corner of the café. She held her tears as the tension in the air grew. Her eyes darted nervously around the café making eye contact with everyone before shying away. She let out a sudden squeal as the waiter who came to clear up the mess protruded into her calm façade.

“Gomenasai…” she muttered softly to the waiter, her head hung low.

He threw an annoyed look at the waiter and slammed his fist onto the table. The sudden action made her jolt as the waiter excused himself and left.

“Why didn’t you pick up my calls?!” he shouted, his brown orbs glared at her.

She grimaced and held her breath for a moment, slowly breathing out.

“Ryou, please…”

“Please what?! You could’ve sent me a text saying you didn’t want to pick my call!! Then I wouldn’t have wasted my bloody time!!”

She gripped her skirt tightly and slowly turned to face the pair of eyes glaring into the windows of her soul. Burning them. Her eyes felt watery again.

“I’m sorry—”

“Stop saying that you’re sorry! If you’re always sorry then you should have known better than to hurt me!”

“Ryou.” Her tone, firm and crisp.

“For once in your life, think about how I feel. I’ve already said that I left my phone at home by accident when I went out. Which part of that did you not understand?”

“Oh so I’m misunderstanding now?! So your boyfriend is too stupid that he can’t even understand his own girlfriend?!” he yelled at her.

“I’m not saying you’re stupid!” She protested. She took a deep breath again and pulled herself together.

“But yes, you’re misunderstanding the situation Ryou”

“So why are you trying to explain to me then?! I’m a misunderstanding person anyway!”

“Ryou! Am I such a useless girlfriend whom you don’t even care to listen to?” she demanded calmly but with an angrier tone.

“Whatever!”

She glared at him. Her patience had finally worn out. She had been patient with him all this while but he still didn’t see it and kept on hurting her feelings. She stood up straight and looked straight into his eyes. Her tears finally pouring out for him to see as her walls started crumbling down.

“Fine. You win…” her voice trembled with emotion.

turned and walked away towards the exit as she mouthed a silent ‘goodbye’.

Shishido Ryou stared blankly at the figure walking away from him. He suddenly felt empty inside and pain was the only emotion engulfing him on the insides. Perhaps now he understood what she had felt all this while.

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Shitenhouji – Chitose Senri

Elenniel

Was this what heartache felt like? A stinging pain deep inside and a distinctly uncomfortable unhappiness, coupled with misery and some guilt. He hadn’t seen for several weeks already, ever since she’d told him that she had found someone.

“He’s really wonderful,” had said. “He works in the finance department of my company and has the most beautiful eyes…”

She hadn’t cared for beautiful eyes before as far as Chitose knew. He could only ever remember her complimenting him on his elegant hands. A nagging sensation told him that if he had not been so stupid, she could very well be telling her friends about her cool tennis pro boyfriend with beautiful hands instead of her dignified manager boyfriend with beautiful eyes. If only the Pinnacle of Great Wisdom applied to life as well as to tennis.

Chitose pushed open the main door to the national tennis training complex, trying not to feel so miserable. He was certain it would show on his face if he didn’t try to cheer up soon. His attempt at cheering himself up failed almost instantly as the first thing he saw was Sanada talking quietly to Mishima Fuyumi in the reception area. Jealousy flooded his mind, and it was only with incredible self-control that he managed to smile and say “good morning” as usual before hurrying off so his aching heart wouldn’t be noticed.

For the first time, Chitose was truly jealous of Sanada Genichirou. Through some miracle or other, Sanada had actually finally made a move – and got his girl. Chitose? He hadn’t bothered. He’d just assumed would wait for him. He was wrong.

He knew she could have been his. Merry, enchanting could have been his. But he had made her wait too long, wanting to achieve the highest level of his career first. They came at a price, his achievements thus far. And the price was her love.

Maybe it was unseemly or pathetic of him, but at that moment, Chitose felt like crying.

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Rokkaku – Amane Hikaru

A.C.

sat quietly on the bench overlooking the small teahouse that was built on the other side of the small lake in the park close to her home. She had been there sitting waiting for her boyfriend to come; she had called him earlier that day to ask him to meet her at their usual place.

“Have you been waiting long?”

jumped when she heard the low voice of the man she loved talk to her from behind. She got up and turned around to look at him. “Hikaru… No… Not really!” she said faking a smile.

Amane Hikaru chuckled and walked up to his girlfriend. “Liar,” he said and placed a kiss on her cheek. “I can tell that you have been waiting for a long time. Your lips are almost purple.” He touched her lower lip with the tip of his finger.

“Eh?” took a step back covering her mouth. “Hikaru… stop teasing me!” she said furrowing her eyebrows making Amane laugh more. “I want to breakup!” whispered looking down as she hugged herself to keep warm.

“Break…” Amane stopped his sentence as he found it hard to continue once the last sentence said was registered in his mind. “Why?” was the only word that left his lips while looking at his girlfriend with his eyes wide in shock.

lifted her head and looked at him with tears welling in her eyes. “I am sorry but I have reasons I cant explain to you right now… Please don’t hate me…” the tears began to fall down her cheeks as she run away from the man she had loved with all her heart.

Amane didn’t move from his spot as he gazed still shocked at the figure of the woman he adored as it faded under the falling snow. “Why?” he whispered breaking the silence that surrounded him as he stood alone in the park that was once his favorite place to play. 

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Hyoutei – Atobe Keigo

Ayu

“I’m getting married.”

Atobe could never forget those words. He should have been happy to hear them. He should have been ecstatic that she had finally found her better half. He should have been throwing a grand party for , yet he could never bring himself to like this situation.

was the love of his life. He had never admitted to anyone, not even himself, that one woman could do so much to him. Atobe wanted to spend every minute—no, every second with her. It should have been him by her side forever, not her current fiancé. Only he could provide the unconditional love that she needed.

He chuckled bitterly at that thought. No, that was foolish of him to say. All he had done was insult and push her away. Even when they had become a couple, he couldn’t overcome that accursed pride of his to even give her a proper compliment. He clearly remembered the reason she had ended the so-called relationship: she felt she was more of a plaything rather than a human being when around him.

But it wasn’t true. Atobe saw her as such a beautiful woman, both inside and out. Yet he was so afraid of the love he felt that he could only push her away. Back then he believed it was the only way to keep him sane.

It wasn’t.

It only made his heart yearn for her more. But when he finally came to realize that was more than just a woman, she had already been gone. Another suitor had claimed her while he had been too slow to confess his own feelings. Perhaps if he had said something sooner, he would have been the one walking down the steps of the church with her rather than the other man. The people around him would be congratulating Atobe, not the other man.

All Atobe could do right now was fake a smile, throw the flower petals up in the air, and fake happiness for .

And as she passed him, her wide grin toned down.

“Congratulations,” Atobe mouthed, putting on the best calm face he had.

The woman’s smile returned, and Atobe smiled in a forlorn manner. His ruse had worked.

And perhaps he could continue this ruse longer.

But for now, all he could ask himself was: why?

Why had he ever fallen in love with a woman?

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Seigaku – Kawamaru Takashi

mara-chan

He stood in front of the door, his nerves on end and his stomach in knots. With a trembling finger he pressed the doorbell and waited, holding his breath. Soon the door unlocked and swung open.

She smiled in pleasant surprise, making him relax a bit. “Hi Kawamura-kun. What’s up?”

“Um… uh…” This was it. He swallowed and brought out the bouquet of gorgeous roses he was hiding. “Here! Happy birthday.”

Her normally bright smile dropped visibly, and with it his hopes as well. “I… I’m sorry. This is really nice of you. But I can’t accept them.” She looked him straight in the eyes. “Thank you, though. I really appreciate the thought.”

He kept the small smile, though his head and the bouquet dropped. “It’s okay. I… I was just…” The plastic wrap of the bouquet crinkled in his hands loudly. In the flower shop the two dozen roses seemed too small, but now they felt too big and clumsy. He smiled brightly at her. “I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday.”

Her smile was more sad and genuine. “Thank you, Kawamura-kun.” And he knew that she meant it.

He turned around and walked back to the road with unseeing eyes. His mind and heart had been numb since she uttered those words, but at the sound of the door shutting he finally cracked.

It’s over.

“Takashi,” his mother called when he entered the house quietly. “Where were you? Your teammates called half an hour ago.”

His face switched on a cheerful smile as he called back, “Kaa-san! Come here.” When she appeared, he swung the glorious bouquet from behind him, making her gasp. “I love you, Kaa-san!”

I… love you.

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Seigaku – Kikumaru Eiji

Arai Kosuke

Eiji:

I haven’t talked to you in days. I’ve run out of outlets to contact you. Where are you? You don’t answer your cell phone. You don’t respond to your e-mails. I’ve asked your friends where you are, but they’re all very vague about it. I haven’t seen you at school; is it because you’re avoiding me?

It’s okay if you don’t want to see me anymore. I don’t want to make a fool out of myself by describing how happy our relationship has made me, because I’m not sure if you care at all anymore. So...

A single tear fell down ’s face before she wiped it away. She lifted her fingers from the keyboard and noticed, without surprise, that they were trembling. She held her own hand tight in order to make them stop.

A swirl of thoughts crashed into each other in her head. They weren’t making any sense; they were all fragments of unanswered questions, half-baked confessions, or incoherent wishes—how could she bring them to order? The truth was, her thoughts hadn’t been in order for the past day. Ever since her suspicion that her boyfriend of three months had been avoiding her had surged to the front of her mind, she just couldn’t keep the emotions from raging.

She slowly unclenched her hands and shook her head once, willing her red eyes to hold in the tears for a couple more seconds. And she finished her e-mail:

I didn’t really want to do this through e-mail. Actually, I didn’t want to do this at all—

She let out one choked sob as the last few sentences of her message appeared on the bleach-white screen.

But I don’t know what else to do. I don’t want to be a burden for you, Eiji. So I guess this is goodbye.

Goodbye, Eiji, and thank you for everything. I wish you nothing but happiness in your future. :

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Yamabuki – Sengoku Kiyousmi

Songbird

She had never been that much of an outgoing person, but she was willing to change for him.  She had never really had the abundance of confidence that others wanted her to have, but if he was the one who wanted it, she would change.  She never had the walk, the talk, the looks that he usually went for, but she could change those all too. 

As long as it was for him. 

stared at the pile of papers on her desk with dull eyes.  No movement, no thought, no sound.  Nothing.

She still remembered the day that he asked her out, vividly.  That soft expression that Sengoku Kiyosumi wore, and how sincerely his hushed words came.  It was hard for her to register it, at first.  After all, why would playboy Sengoku want to be serious with someone like her?  She wasn't the supermodel that he always seemed to go for.  But when he promised that it was her, only her...she couldn't say no.

She sighed, pushing the blank papers off of her desk.

No, she wasn't anything that he wanted.  But...after getting a taste of loving him, she felt she could change into all those things. 

Anything, she could do it, for him.

"Kiyosumi, I made you a lunch for practice, but you weren't at the tennis courts!"  spoke to a quiet, darkened classroom, opening the door as she did so.  "They told me that you would be he--"

"!  You shouldn't be here!"

She was taken back by his sudden harshness, but her frail hand still reached for the light switch.  "W-what are you talking about Kiyosu--?"

The light switched on.

The bento she was holding dropped to the floor.

And now she was staring directly into the face of one of her female classmates, half dressed and hair ruffled.

He hesitated before speaking.  "..."

"Kiyosumi." She spoke, reaching out to flick off the light of her table lamp.

A silent tear fell from her eye.

She could change, but in the end, he couldn't. 

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Heartache Themes

July 22nd to July 24th, 2008