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A Tekken Story: Through the Years - Volume I	By : DarkRomancer Category: +S through Z > Tekken Views: 4725 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Tekken but I do own my OCs and plot. If you steal, be prepared to suffer. I am also making no profit from this story what so ever.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter Summary: Akira
and Ryo have been together for a year now, so Akira reflects on how her life
has changed since she met him.
Disclaimer: I
do not own Tekken but I do own my OCs and plot. If you steal, be prepared to suffer.
Chapter Warnings: Mushy
romantic fluffy stuff. Loads of Japanese terms too.
Notes: Wow,
it�s been so long since I last upload. And I�ve decided that I don�t care if
people aren�t reading this or R&Ring, I�m going to keep uploading anyway!
:P Also can�t believe how long this chapter is (nearly 30 pages long!)
Extra Notes: Been
correcting a lot of mistakes and other things. Also introduced a lot of
Japanese terminology. If you don�t understand anything, please let me know!
Hoping the next chapter will give Jin a bit more background.
Chapter 5 � Beautiful Music
will up soon!
A Tekken Story:
Through the Years

The most wonderful of all things in life, I
believe, is the discovery of another human being with whom one�s relationship
has a growing depth, beauty, and joy as the years increase. This inner
progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvellous thing; it
cannot be found by looking for it or passionately wishing for it. It is a sort
of divine accident, and the most wonderful of all things in life
Hugh Walpole, Sr.

Chapter
4 � A Year Ago Today

It was Tuesday 23^rd
August, and I was so excited and deliriously happy.
Why? Because, one
year ago today, I started dating Ryo.
As soon as I woke
up that morning, I grabbed my cell on the nightstand and switched it on. The
screen flashed that I already had a message which read:
Happy 1^st Anniversary. See you
later. xxx
Looks like I
already had plans.
Mom looked at me
suspiciously when I slipped into my seat at the breakfast table.
�Why are you
grinning like that?� she asked me, smiling herself.
I shook my head
though my grin stayed plastered to my face,� Grinning like what?�
�Like the cat�s
got the cream,� Dad answered, folding his newspaper up and laying it beside
him.
I shrugged,� I
don�t know what you mean,�
Mom continued to
peer at me sceptically as I reached for my rice-filled bowl and the butter, as
if she was trying to work out what was going on in my head. She slowly sat down
as I mixed some butter in my rice and begun to dig into breakfast.
�A girl only has a
bright smile on her face in the morning if she�s in love or�,�
Dad frowned at
her,� What? Is it the Season of Love?� he was obviously worried that he had
missed something.
I looked at Dad to
reassure him and then raised my eyebrows at Mom, indicating she was on the
right track.
�Ah! So that�s
it!�
Dad�s frown
creased his face in confusion,� What is?�
Mom smiled and
grabbed her own bowl,� Dear, if you remember correctly, a year ago today, we
were all perfectly settled in�,� she stressed her raised eyebrows further to
push him to remember.
Then something
clicked in his mind about me and Ryo.
�Ah, I see,�
Hana scowled,
angry that she hadn�t been let in on what was going on,� I don�t,�
I laughed,� Don�t
worry, you will when you�re older,�
Hana�s scowl
darkened as we smirked and sustained the silence while eating breakfast.
Eighteen months
ago�

I was tired
from sitting in the car for six hours. Hanna had, somehow, managed to fall
asleep, her mouth fallen slightly open, her �suitcase� slithered from her fixed
grip. Mom had her eyes fastened to the road while clutching the map in one hand
and Dad�s knuckles had altered colour, from tanned to white, due to grasping
the steering wheel while dodging and weaving between the crazy traffic
travelling along the motorways. But, finally, we were here: our new home. As
soon as Dad killed the engine, I hauled my seatbelt off, shoved my body through
the door and stepped out onto the street.
It was
comparatively different from Chūō-ku; Chūō-ku is filled with light blue skies,
flourishing tall trees and beautiful blossoming flowers, however Shinjuku is
more industrialised, with dark skies, tall buildings and it was so�open. Our
new neighborhood wasn�t much different; most of the houses were closely knit
together with small front gardens and spacious driveways, the only forest was
behind the car ports following the cluster of houses that included ours.
Things are
going to be different here, I thought, very, very different.
�Well�,� Dad
said as he closed the car door while cradling a still-sleeping Hana against
him,� It�s different from Ōsaka, but I�m sure we�ll fit in fine,�
He turned and
smiled at me, as if he had read my mind.
�Looks like the
removal van�s here too,� Mom stated as the van rounded the corner.
�Let�s take a
look around before we get unloading, shall we?�
Mom smiled and
took Dad�s outstretched hand as we walked together along the path to our new
house.
Upon first
glance, the house was tall and wide, with an extra tower on the left, invading
some of the garden space, attached to the roof with a separate stairwell. It
wasn�t an old, traditional Japanese house, like our old home in Chūō-ku, it was more modern; no irimoya-styled
roof or wood materials used - it was completely white, with two floors and a
slanted roof. It was completely straight-edged, with a little heightened row of
steps that led to the front door.
�Is it a
Manshan building?� I asked, turning to my parents who were also looking
straight up.
�I guess so,�
Dad answered, placing a now-awake and excited Hana beside me.
�Woah, it�s so
bbiiggg!� she cried, extending her arms up, her vision following up the
building.
I smiled down
at her and slid my hand into hers,� Shall we do the first honours, imouto?�
Hana nodded
enthusiastically and ran alongside me as we scaled up the steps and waited for
our parents to catch up and open the door.��
�Mom! Dad!
Hurry up!� Hana shouted, jogging on the spot eagerly as we waited.
Dad grinned
brilliantly down at both of us,� Alright, alright,� he leaned over us and
slotted the key in door, twisted it and pushed the door open.
�Don�t forget
to leave your shoes in their proper place!� Mom called after us when we rushed
in.
�Yes!� we
called back and hastily pulled our shoes off and left them in a messy pile in
the genkan.
Because I was
older and faster, I was the first to remove my shoes and enter the house, while
Hana fumbled and stumbled behind me. The genkan led directly to the stairs,
with the living room next to it and the kitchen to the right. I immediately
dashed towards the living room, which was roomy, considering it was bare
because there was no furniture, with milk-chocolate and cream painted walls and
a milky-white carpet.
Hana darted in
as I looked up and scanned the ceiling and copied my actions,� Wow, it�s big�,�
I smiled and
sprinted forward again, coming up to the shōji door.
I pulled the shōji towards
me and heaved it open, letting Hana enter the washitsu first. She raced
straight across the washitsu, her feet thudding against the thin material of
the tatami flooring, to the other shōji door.
She tried to drag it open herself, but when it didn�t budge, she yelled for
me,� Onee-chan! I need your help!�
I smirked and
rushed after her, grabbed the other shōji door
and towed it across, revealing the garden.
�Wow!�
I slowly
strolled out of the washitsu and out onto the wooden porch.
It was much,
much larger than the one back in Chūō-ku; it was a karesansui garden, with
dark-green black pine trees, fire-red maple bushes and butter-yellow jasmine
flowers dotted around the gray-gravel paths, large moss-covered rocks and numerous
stone tōrōs and multi-storied pagodas.
�It�s so beautiful�,�
I jumped when I felt a hand land on my shoulder
and I looked up, seeing it belonged to Dad, who was looking back down at me,
smiling,� It would be a good place to train, right, Akira-chan?�
I nodded and swirled my eyes around, catching a
glimpse of Hana trying to climb a bamboo frame,� Shame we don�t have a dōjō
though,�
Dad chuckled a little and cover my eyes with his
large hands,� I have a surprise for you. I�ll steer you in the right direction,
OK?�
I nodded and stepped forward, my toes brushing
against the edge of the wooden porch.
�Don�t worry, we�ll take it one step at a time.
Just hold your arms out for balance, though,�
I extended my arms out straight and stepped down,
reaching out with my foot to find the next step. I descended warily down the
steps, my eyes still covered, Dad�s hands not moving an inch, until small
pebbles crunched under my bare feet.
�Alright. We�re gonna turn right and follow that
path, alright?�
�Sure,��
We slowly made our way forward, occasionally
curving right or left, Hana laughing delightfully in the background and the
small stones rattling against eachother.
�OK,�
Dad announced, stopping me in mid-stride.
I
felt we were deep in the garden; it was so silent, only the trees swishing in
the breeze and the chirping of birds surrounding us.
�Ready?�
I
nodded. He removed his hands but I kept my eyes closed.
�Open
your eyes,�
I
slowly flickered my eyes open and let them adjust to the blinding summer sun�s
rays.
In
front of me stood an outdoor dōjō,
with wooden pillars, a irimoya-styled
roof and a stone floor. It was like any ordinary dōjō,
but without any walls so the outside scenery was the background that surrounded
you as you trained.
�Oh Dad, it�s wonderful!� I stated, my mouth
breaking into a wide, toothy grin.
�I�m glad you like it,�
�Naoya! Akira-chan, Hana-chan! I�ll need your help
unpacking!� Mom�s voice just managed to reach us in the depths of our garden.
Me and Dad turned to eachother grinned, before
sprinting off in the direction we came from.
When we reached
the �finishing line� (the moving van parked near the path) together (I was
slightly ahead, but we called it a draw), Mom assigned us all tasks. She and
Hana were to shift and unpack the lighter boxes, Dad and the moving men had to
unload and arrange the furniture into the house, while I had to shift and
unpack the heavier boxes, mainly bedroom bits and pieces.

It had been a
while since we had all started our tasks when I first glanced upon Ryo.
I had been
unloading the lighter of the heavier boxes (mainly clothes and such) off the
van and into the house, placing them in their correct places. I had finished
hanging clothes in wardrobes and placing ornaments on shelves, the next heavier
boxes were mainly collections of books and minor electronic gadgets. I managed
to scrape one of (Mom�s) box containing her (mountain load) of books along the
floor of the removal van with a slight struggle. I paused, stretching my
strained forearms, pushing out a few heavy breaths and bent down, letting my
hands slip under the box and hoisting my full arms up. I wobbled but
sidestepped to regain my footing when the box suddenly felt lighter.
�You OK?� a
voice asked.
I frowned and
felt a strange warmth sweep across my fingers, and only when my eyes caught it,
I saw a pair of large hands clutching the other side of the box, steadying it.�
Must be one of
the removal men, I thought as I pushed myself on my toes to look over the top
of the box, but I only saw a pair of dark eyes and flattened, jet-black hair.
�Um, yeah.
Thanks,� I pushed the box up to stop it from resting uncomfortably on my
forearms.
�Here, let me
help you,� the voice suggested, the tip of their trainers momentarily bumped
against mine and their fingers flutter against mine again. They halted and
spoke again, only quieter this time,� You guys go on ahead. I�ll see you
later,�
�Um?� I peered
past the side of the box to meet the face of the kind stranger helping me when
my cheeks flushed and my heart increased its pace.
It was a boy,
no younger or older than me. He was tall with California-tanned skin and
red-brown eyes, his thin coal-black hair following the curves of his face, just
spiking out past his ears.
He smiled at
me, creasing his adorable round cheeks, flashing his perfect straight and white
teeth,� Sorry, I wasn�t talking to you. I was talking to my friends,�
Just the sound
of his voice made my skin prickle and the blood rush out from my legs,� Oh,
that�s OK,� I chuckled to show I was light-hearted, but my nervousness made it
ripple, making it sound as if I was struggling to breathe.
�We were just
playing a game of soccer up on the hill not far from here,�
�Oh right,�
�I saw that you
were�having slight trouble with the boxes so I thought I�d coming over and
help,�
Self-less AND
good looking? I�ve hit the jackpot!
Heat rose up to
cheeks again,� O-Oh, that�s very kind. You didn�t have to,�
The boy exposed
his gorgeous grin again and chuckled jovially, making me break out a grin of
own,� I�m Ryo, by the way. Kikukawa Ryo,�
�I�m Oshimaki
Akira,�
Ryo tried to
budge the box to lean it�s weight against him so he had a free arm to shake my
head, but we both had difficulty. Ours eyes met and we both grinned and
chuckled under our breaths.
�Can handshakes
wait until we get in the house?�
�Of course,�
My giggle mixed
with Ryo�s quiet laughter as I turned and started walking backwards towards the
open front door, Ryo following in step while sturdily holding the box between
us. We coped enough to get half-way through the genkan when my back bumped into
Dad�s chest. He apologised and stepped to one side, clearing the way. I nodded
and continued back through the genkan. That�s when Dad saw Ryo, and he frowned.
�Oh, sorry. I�m
Ryo, sir. Kikukawa Ryo. I�m just helping your daughter with these boxes,� Ryo
hurriedly covered himself before I even got a chance to open my mouth and speak
for him.��
Dad smiled and
nodded,� It�s very nice to meet you, Ryo. I�m Oshimaki Naoya. It�s very kind of
you to help Akira-chan,�
I peered over
the box to stick my tongue out at him while Ryo, innocently and unaware, smiled
and said,� It�s no problem, Mr. Oshimaki,�
I narrowed my
eyes at my father as he spoke,� Well, have fun kids!� and passed us through the
genkan with a removal man in tow.
I snorted,�
Sorry, my Dad�s a bit weird,�
�No, he�s not,�
Wait �til you
meet the rest.
And, by chance,
Mom and Hana were waiting at the top of the stairs as we climbed up.
�Ah,
Akira-chan, how are you doing?� Mom asked, her eyes flickering between me and
Ryo. Hana said nothing but just stared straight at Ryo.
�Uh, Ryo�s
helping me with the last few boxes,� I hastily replied.
�Oh, right,�
She turned to Ryo and smiled brightly,� My name�s Oshimaki Chihiro, and this is
Akira�s younger sister, Hana,�
Hana beamed up
and Ryo and bowed, her nose almost touching the floor,� It�s nice to meet you,
Ryo-san,� she said like the millions of time she�d been told how to.
Ryo beamed back
to Hana and nodded his head lowly,� It�s very nice to meet you too, Hana-chan,�
Mom raised her
eyebrows so high that they nearly disappeared into her hairline hopefully and
gave me a cat-tooth smile before descending down the stairs with Hana bounding
after her.
It wasn�t long
before we reached my parents� room and dumped the box in the room. I looked up
and let my eyes roam along Ryo before returning his smile and sliding my hand
into his, feeling my palm tingle as it met his.
�It�s nice to
meet you, Akira-san,�
�You too,
Ryo-kun,�

While me and
Ryo shifted the last few boxes, we got to know eachother better. Ryo was born
and raised here, he had an older brother, Takeji, who was on his last year at Chuo
University, his father, Kinnosuke, was a football coach at Yamabuki High School
while his mother, Ai, was a housewife. Both sets of his grandparents lived with
five blocks of his house. He had a Japanese Terrier called Bokkai and his
family go on yearly vacations to America, mainly California and Florida.
Ryo also had to
recite all this when we all took a break from unloading the van and ate the teacakes
Mom had made last night.� When Ryo finished, he set his chopsticks down on his
empty plate and turned to me,� Will you need help unpacking everything?�
I shook my head
and opened my mouth but Mom answered for me,� Thank-you Ryo-kun, but me and
Hana-chan have finished unloading the lighter boxes, so we�ll help Akira-chan,�
�Oh, OK then,�
Ryo stood up and looked down at me, and he couldn�t help but look a
little�disappointed?
�I hope I�ll
see you again, Akira-san,�
I stood up
beside him and pumped his outstretched hand,� Me too,�
�Here,
Ryo-kun,� Mom placed a box filled with leftover teacakes,� Take this as a small
thank-you for helping Akira-chan,�
I nodded and
smiled,� Yes, thanks for help, you didn�t have to,�
Ryo shook his
head,� It was nothing. Thanks Mrs. Oshimaki,�
We all walked
along the path together and waved goodbye to Ryo, watching him walked up the
hill and disappear around the corner.
�He�s
definitely one for keeps, Akira-chan!� Mom whispered in my ear. She nudged me
in the ribs with her elbow and winked.
�It�s not like
that!� I yell after them, clutching my clenched fists at my sides.
But once my
family return to the house, I smile to myself, and keep that smile on my face
all day long.

�Onee-chan? Are
you talking about Ryo-onii-chan?� Hana asked as I let my chopsticks fall into
my empty bowl.
I smiled and
nodded.
�Does
Ryo-onii-chan make you happy?�
I nodded again,�
Yes, very much so,�
�Like Mom and
Dad?�
My cheeks turned
as red as tomatoes,� Um, I�m not sure, imouto. But, near enough,�
Hana giggled and
smiled dazzlingly,� I�m glad you met eachother,�
I chuckled in
response,� Me too,�
�Hey, onee-chan?
Do you remember when Ryo-onii-chan brought me that donut when you two went
out?�
I laughed hard,
impressed by Hana�s memory abilities,� Yeah, I do. Remember that we had to keep
it a secret?�
Hana nodded.

I remember that
day too. It was the next day�well, next morning really�

I was stirred
from my sleep when I heard a sharp tap against the glass of my bedroom window.
I groaned and flipped myself over so my back was towards the window, hoping it
was just a one-off; a bird or something. I felt myself relaxing again, sinking
back into sleep, when the sound shuddered against my window again. I sat up
straight and glanced at my alarm clock.
5: 15 a.m.
Argh.
I peered
through the sliver between my closed curtains to see the pale watercolour
washes of pink and orange seep over the horizon against the tall silhouetted
trees. It was breathtaking, reminding me of the last sunrise I saw in Chūō-ku
before we moved. It was weird to thing that the same sky was stretched over Chūō-ku
that I was looking at it in
Shinjuku. I sighed, home seemed worlds away right then.
Another sharp
�dink� and a small flash scratched across my window, making me jump back. I
waited; making sure it was safe before I stepped to the window again, unlocked
it and pushed it open.
As I looked
down, there was Kikukawa Ryo standing under a lamppost, bathed by a pool of
golden light, grinning lopsidedly, his hands gripping the handlebars of a
black-and-silver mountain bike. He chimed the bell as our eyes met.
�What the hell
are you doing?!� I hiss-whispered at him, pulling my pyjama top closed so the
cold air couldn�t prickle my skin.
His cute smirk
grew,� Come down!� he whispered back, his breath ghosting from his mouth as he
spoke.
�You do know
what time it is, don�t you? Or are you that delusional?�
He breathily
sniggered but ignored me,� Just come down. Please?�
I sighed and
pulled the window shut as I turned around. I heaved my pyjamas off my body and
replaced them with a pair of drainpipe jeans and a long-sleeved dark
gray-and-black striped wool jumper. I delicately paced across my room to my
door, slowly opened it so it wouldn�t creak, stepped out and pushed it close. I
crept diagonally on the landing, making sure I carefully stood on my toes and
not on the heels of my feet, and down the stairs and into the genkan. I
rummaged through the low shoe cabinet, grabbed my wedge-heeled black Dr. Marten
boots, slid them on and slipped out the front door. I lightly trotted up the
path and met Ryo on the pavement that spilt the street.
�What the hell
are you doing?!� I hiss-whispered again, tugging the sleeves of my jumper over
my hands.
�You�re new in
town, right? I�m here to give you a guided tour!� Ryo explained, his smirk
spreading into a full-blown beam that makes my heart flutter.
His smile makes
it impossible for me not to smile back and my bad mood dissolve. It�s a sweet
thought, and I�m delighted he woke me up.
I sighed deeply
and crossed my arms over chest,� That�s a good idea, but maybe you should have
asked first?�
Ryo�s face fell
and he scratched the back of his head nervously,� Um, well, I suppose so�,� he
shrugged and looked back up at me,� I just thought that we would go this early
because there�s hardly anyone around at this hour�so, we�d practically have the
city to ourselves,�
He has a good
point.
I bit my lip,
my eyes swung between my house and Ryo.
�Please?� he
begged, his eyes glimmering pleadingly.
I glued my eyes
to Ryo and after a few seconds my smile returned. I gave in and shook my head,�
I must be crazy,�
Ryo�s intense
beam reappeared as I strolled over to him,� That�s what I like to hear. Just
hop onto the handle bars,�
Ryo shoved
himself backward to give me some room to mount the bike. I grasped the
handlebars and hoisted myself up, swinging one leg over the handlebars and then
the other and sat down uncomfortably in the space between the handlebars,
letting my legs dangle just above the front wheel.
�You might want
to hold onto the handlebars,� Ryo suggested.
I nodded and
clutched onto the handlebars, leaning forward. Ryo followed my actions, leaning
forward so his chest pressed against my back and sliding his hands along my
arms and gripping my hands, lacing his fingers through mine.
�You ready?� he
asked softly into my ear, his lips inches from brushing against my lobe.
A nodded and
gulped, feeling shivers trickle against my spine.
�OK. Here we
go,�
He placed one
foot on the pedal and pushed while launching the bike up the pavement with his
other foot. The bike wobbled slightly as Ryo cycled us up the hill, but as we
got onto the flat road that led out of the street, the bike managed to
straighten itself out.
We rode on up
the hill, surrounded by the openings of numerous street (Ryo pointed out his
street for me), modernised houses and car ports, but next to nothing forest
areas with dewed grass and roughly-barked trees. I felt my heart drop a little;
this is nothing like Chūō-ku, with its
emerald-green scenery and mirror-clear water. We turned onto a road that, by
guessing from the absence of forestry, led into the main of Shinjuku. Ryo
explained to me as we pedalled along the road, a few cars whizzing past us,
that Shinjuku is extremely big, so big it covers 18.23 km� and populates around 3 million people, but he
promised to show me as much as he can before getting me home before my parents
discover that I was missing (or worse, kidnapped).�
��
Ryo steered the
bike to follow the long road, evading the very few cars and other cyclists
passing through. Tall, dark buildings entered the horizon as we entered an area
that Ryo told me was called Ichigaya.
�There�s the
Ministry of Defense HQ,� Ryo says as we pass a cluster of multi-height,
slit-panelled spotless buildings,� After the Second World War, it became the
headquarters for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Eastern Army. It�s also
the place where novelist Mishima Yuiko committed suicide in the 70s,�
We carried on
down the road, going by Takeji�s university and Ichigaya Station, until Ryo
halted the bike beside the mouth of a bulky neighborhood with unlit neon signs
and hanging display stands.
�It�s so
quiet,� I said, peering up the district.
�It�s one of
the busiest and noisiest places in Shinjuku at night,� Ryo stated,� This is Shinjuku Ni-chōme, housing the world�s highest
concentration of specialized bars and restaurants, as well as clubs and book
and video stores,�
�Specialized?�
Ryo sighed before answering,� Ni-chōme
is, basically, the gay subculture of Shinjuku,�
I whipped around to face him, my
eyebrows drawn closely together in part anger, part defense,� Why did you say
it like that?�
Ryo held up his hands, palm side
up protectively,� Sorry, I didn�t mean it like that,� his cheeks flushed
slightly pink (I later learnt) in embarrassment,� I don�t have anything against
gays or anything like that,�
I nodded firmly,� Good to know,�
�You know someone, then?� he
asked, covering my hands with his as he seized the handlebars again.
�Yeah, my best friend,
Taisuke-kun,�
Ryo nodded and smiled apologetically then started
pedalling the bike again. We trailed along the main road again. I gazed at the
green, red and white Shinto shrine on my right, which Ryo told me was called
the Hanazono Shrine, and the Isetan Art Museum on my left (I later tell Ryo I�m
interested in Art so he promises to visit with me sometime in the future). We
came to another opening of an alleyway, but much narrower than Ni-chōme. Ryo jumped off first and helps me off the bike
will explaining the area,� This is Golden Gai. It�s most famous for still
remaining in the past of Tōkyō and its nightlife. It holds just over 200 bars and clubs
that can only fit in about 5 or 6 at a time,�
I glanced down the slender
passageway with is crowded with shanty-styled buildings, run-down signs and
scruffy footpaths. I scrunched up my nose is slight disgust and Ryo chuckled in
amusement,� Trust me, it will be worth it. But you might want to hold onto the
bike, just in case,�
�OK,� I took hold of the bike as
I followed Ryo, who was just a few steps infront of me.
�Despite its appearance, Golden
Gai has a good amount of attraction from people, especially tourists. Many of
the bars welcome regular customers as well as unregular; some even make the
effort to attract overseas tourists by translating their signs and price-lists
in English,� Ryo educated me as we twisted and turned in the network of lanes,�
It�s also a good meeting place for musicians, writers, and the like. A load of
people perform in the bars, which are often themed, from jazz to R&B. Of
course, it�s much more busier in the late evening, when the bars open,�
I stared up at the tiny,
ramshackled buildings that could only be a few feet wide and overlapped in
concert and film posters and placed too close to eachother.
�How many floors can you see?�
Ryo asked over his shoulder.
I stopped and narrowed my eyes to
peer better,� Two,�
Ryo grinned and pointed to the
top of the building we were standing infront of,� See that?�
I stepped closer and noticed a
slight extension of the second floor,� What is that?�
�It�s another floor,�
I sceptically examined him,� What
do you mean? It�s tiny!�
Ryo nodded,� Yeah, but Golden Gai
was also well known as a prostitutional area until the late 50s. When
a��business arrangement� was made, people would often go up there via a set of
steps that led up to the attic,�
My cheeks heated up considerably
but I simply squinted my eyes at Ryo,� How do you know these things?�
�My Grandparents. They own a bar
here as a side-business,�
We kept on along the pathway and
came back to the main road. I handed the bike back over to Ryo when he turned
around and ogled the building perched on the corner.
�This is Shinjuku Golden Street
Theatre. We come here not long after New Years every year to this comedian
Fujita Danno. Bit of family tradition, I suppose,�
We climbed back onto the bike and
set off again, coming into an area called Kabukichō. According to Ryo, the
area was known as Tsunohazu when it was a swamp, but after the Meiji Period, it
became a duck sanctuary. It was later bombed in the Second World War and was
redeveloped as a red-light district, however prostitution became illegal in
Japan in the late fifties, so Chinese influence was introduced.
�Kabukichō? That�s sounds
familiar�,� I said as we rode past a wide alleyway with a gigantic neon sign
homed over the entrance.
�Think of arts, mainly the
media�,� Ryo hinted.
I felt the breeze weave through
my hair and lift it behind me as I searched through my thoughts.
Kabukichō� Kabukichō� Kabukichō�
�Oh!� I snapped my fingers when
realisation hit,� It featured in the movie Shinjuku Incident that stars Jackie
Chan,�
�Well done,�
We travelled along the main road
again until we came to a right corner, which Ryo steered
the bike into, and rode up and down many hills and under a bridge that laid
with a railway, where Ryo pointed out the Takadanobaba and Waseda parts, which were home to the Takadanobaba
Station and Waseda University.
We turned left and persisted down on the other
side of the railway, entering Kagurazaka. We
sped down a hill and came to a standstill infront of a bunch of caf�s and restaurants.
Ryo glanced at his watch,� It�s
about 7 now, so something�s bound to be open. What to get something to eat?�
�Sure. But, um, I don�t have any
money,�
Ryo shook his head as he
dismantled the bike and held his hand out to me,� It�s OK, I have,�
He pulled me to my feet, tied the
bike to a concrete pillar and led me to Mister Donut. I shivered as we entered,
the icy skin on my arms bristling against the warmth circulating in the caf�.
Despite the traffic and passersby that were outside, me and Ryo were the only
people inside, apart from the workers. The place was gleaming, faintly lit with
white tabled booths and brick-coloured squashy seats. A pathway from the door
to the counter was marked by queue barriers, which led straight to the cashiers
and the sparkling glass-counter where different decorated donuts sat on long
rows.
Ryo turned to me,� What do you
want?�
Not wanting to be rude I simply
answered,� A Latte, please,�
Ryo rose an eyebrow,� Just a
coffee? Surely you something to eat too?�
I�m sure my cheeks tinted
slightly, feeling the walls of stomach shudder in protest.
�Surely you want something a bit
stronger? And something to eat?� He pressed me, pulling out his wallet.
I sighed harshly,� Fine. I�ll
have a Caramel Machiatto and a Chocolate Ice Cr�me Filled donut please, if you
insist,� I added a smile to make sure he didn�t think I was being horrible.
He grinned, as if to say �There,
not so hard, was it?� but I grinned back.
�A Caramel Machiatto, huh? I
thought you were a Coffee Milk kinda girl,�
�Second,� I retaliated.
�Excuse me?�
�Coffee Milk is my second
favourite drink,�
�Third?�
�Chocolate Dalmatian,�
Ryo laughed a little and nodded
at the booths,� Go grab us a seat and I�ll order,�
I swivelled, strode over to the
gathering of booths and slid into the middle one, seating myself next to the
window. I fixed my bent elbow on the table, leaning my chin on my open palm to
watch the world outside rush.
I was only half-way through the
tour, but I couldn�t help compare Shinjuku to Chūō-ku.
Sure there was a lot more to do in Shinjuku and it was modernised, but growing
up around natural, untainted forest areas and historical backgrounds, I was
more of a �country� girl. Growing up around nature had made me appreciate it.
Shinjuku seemed like a place that didn�t appreciate nature. But then again,
things can change.
Maybe with Ryo, they will.�� ��
�Another world?� Ryo asked me,
studying me warily, placing the tray on the table, splintering my daydream.
�Oh, sorry,� I shook my head to push
back my thoughts and grabbed my coffee.
�Thinking about home?� Ryo asked
curiously, as if he truly cared or was interested.
I returned his look, biting my
lip guiltily and nodded.
�Where is home, if you don�t mind
me asking?�
�Chūō-ku,
Ōsaka,� I responded, pulling my donut off the tray.
�Ah, explains the dialect then,� Ryo nodded
knowingly and took a sip of coffee.
I shrugged,� Makes it easy for others to know
where I�m from, I guess,� I swallowed a mouthful of my Machiatto, letting its
heat twirl in my body.
�So, which school will you be starting?� Ryo
asked, unwrapping his donut from the paper bag.
�Shinjuku Middle School,�
�Aw great, I go there too! Will you be starting
next week?�
I shook my head, �Nope. Principle Tobita thinks it
will be a better idea if I start in April, when the school year starts again,
seeing as there�s only a few weeks left now,�
�I see,� He took another bite from his donut and
swallowed before asking,� What do your parents do?�
�Mom�s a jewellery designer. She just brought one
of empty shops in Shinjuku with the money she inherited from my grandparents
when they died a few years ago. She�s planning on running it with her best
friend, Taya, while Taya�s boyfriend, Ienobu, is going to handle making a website
for Mom�s business. Hopefully, if that�s successful, Mom wants to make the
website nationwide, then worldwide,� I paused, picking off a piece of my donut
and chewing it,� My Dad�s a martial artist and dōjō owner. He�s not
that successful, but he has a few dōjōs in Tōkyō, as well as Kyōto and Ōsaka, but because Mom wanted to start her new
business here, he decided to teach at the dōjō in Shinjuku,�
Ryo soften his eyes in sorrow,� I�m sorry to here
about your grandparents,�
�Thanks,� I prayed Ryo wasn�t going to ask more
questions about my grandparents, because whenever I talked about them, a lump
in my throat the size of a watermelon always emerges.
�Do you have any older siblings?�
I shook my head again,� Nope, I�m the oldest. Mom
and Dad where a bit older when they had me. They had difficulties getting
pregnant or something, but I miraculously appeared, and Hana about five years
later,�
�I�d give anything to have a younger sibling,�
I creased my eyebrows,� Why? I�d prefer to have an
older sibling!�
�Yeah, but with younger brothers or sisters, you
get to teach them things, like how to play soccer and ride a bike,�
�I suppose you�re right, but it
sometimes gets annoying when they follow you everywhere,�
Ryo chuckled,� I suppose your
father teaches you how to fight then?�
�Uh-huh. I remember, back when we
were living in Chūō-ku, I was
watching Dad practice his next class in our garden, so I watched him for weeks
and weeks, until I asked him to teach me how to fight,�
�How old were you?�
�Three,�
Ryo started choking on his coffee so I shot up in
my seat to go over and help him but he managed to clear his,� That-That young?�
I nodded,� Yeah. Why are you surprised?�
Ryo stared blankly at me.
�Hana started learning when she was four,�
�Seriously?�
I nodded,� Yeah. But it�s not intense stuff, like
Shaolin martial arts, where you have to pull nails and uproot trees�,� Ryo had
risen his eyebrows sky-high at this point and his mouth was slightly agape,� No
way would my dad teach us that stuff. They first couple of years was working on
strength, speed and stamina with a few exercises a day, then followed by
self-defense in armed and non-armed combat, as well as meditation and such,�
�I naively took another bite of my donut as Ryo
continued to gape at me, as if he was waiting for me to pounce on him,� So,
it�s all self-defense then?�
�Yep. Oshimaki Style Traditional Martial Arts is pure self-defense,
never to be used unless your or others lives are in danger,� I cocked my head
to the side,� Dad always told me �I will teach you how to fight, so you have
the skills to help the ones in need and to save the ones you love.��
�Have you ever
had to use your skills?�
�No, I�ve been
lucky,�
Ryo nodded,
looking slightly impressed but also worryingly.
I smirked,�
What? Can�t you handle �butch� females?� I asked.
Ryo returned
the smirk and leaned in closer to me,� Only if they don�t let me,�
I laughed
heartily and we maintained our conversation, telling eachother about some of
our past experiences and telling jokes, until we finished our donuts and coffee
and decided to carry on with the tour. We started heading out when Ryo turned
around again and headed for the counter.
�I�ll have a
Chocolate Iced Glazed donut with Sprinkles, please,� he asked the cashier.
�Another one in
case you get hungry again?� I teased.
Ryo looked at
me as if I was stupid,� No. It�s for Hana,�
I returned his
stare with disbelief,� But you�ve paid for breakfast! You don�t need to get
Hana anything!�
�It�s fine,�
Ryo reassured, handing over his money and taking the bag.
�No, it�s not.
It�s unfair,� Ryo held the bag out for me,� No way. I�m not accepting it,�
Ryo just sighed
and rolled his eyes, ruffling my hair as he walked past me and out the door,�
You�re a funny one. Come on; time to get back on track,�
�I followed him
outside, watching him stuff the donut in one of many pockets attached to his
khaki cargo pants, and down the street, past the concrete pillar that the bike
was locked to.
�Um, we missed
the bike,�
�I know,�
�Where we
going?�
He peered over
his shoulder, a devilish grin plastered on his lips,� You�ll see,�
I trailed after
him as he led us down the street to a small huddle of shops. Outside one of
them, a photo booth stood.
�Come on,� He
took hold of my hand to make sure I didn�t escape and pulled me inside.
�Ryo, I don�t
know about th-,�
�Surely you
want memories of your first tour of Shinjuku,� he said, leaning over to draw
the curtain across.
He leaned so
far forward he was almost sitting on my lap, his lips inches from mine. He
paused, his hand still clasping the red curtain. His eyes spun down to my lips,
then back up into my eyes, his auburn eyes boring into my hazel eyes. I tilted
myself closer to him, trying to break the distance between us, but he pulled
back and slid a coin into the machine.
We quickly
resolved which poses we would like to do during the photos. For the first
photo, we pulled funny face where I stuck my tongue out and Ryo sucked in his
cheeks and crossed his eyes. For the second photo, Ryo placed a fistful of
tendrils of my hair over his eyes and couldn�t help but laugh. For the third
photo, we screamed loudly as the photo was taken. But for the fourth photo, Ryo
wound one arm around my waist and pulled me in, resting my head against his
shoulder as his head rested on mine, both of us beaming at the camera.
I shot out of
the booth once we were finished and waited for the machine to spit out the
printed photos. By the time Ryo joined me outside, the machine had clicked a
few times but no pictures had been developed.
I tapped my
foot lightly against the metal,� C�mon, give us our photos,�
Ryo breathed a
snigger,� Careful, you don�t want your foot to go right through it, do you?�
I glared evilly
at him and waited, but after a few moments Ryo sighed,� I think the machine�s
broken,� I peered into the shop behind the booth, but the door was still bolted
shut,� Looks like the owner hasn�t open yet. Guess we�ll stop by later,�
�OK,� I sighed
and pursued after Ryo to the bike.
We climbed onto
the bike once Ryo had unlocked it and set off again, flying up and down various
hills, ducking under a few bridges, avoiding the boosted swarms of vehicles.
Ryo skidded the
bike to a stop near the top of a hill.
�On the other
side of this hill is home to Tokyo�s largest concentration of skyscrapers, a
region called Nishi-Shinjuku,� Ryo told me as he took my hand again and begun
climbing up the hill.
We ascended the
hill, the wind blowing harshly and flapping our clothes madly, whipping my hair
up, grappling eachothers hands tightly. It wasn�t ideal, but the view when we
reached the top was worth it.
�Wow!�
Stretched across
the horizon, the ground below was covered with diversely heighted skyscrapers,
ranging from two-storey buildings to skyscrapers that rivalled the height of
the mountains behind them. Many of the skyscrapers were dull and gray, but
there were red, brown, orange and white buildings scattered around the
district. The early morning sun glinted across the glass windows, forming
shadows and crystal-clear reflections.
�See that
building?� Ryo asked, pointing at the left corner of the area where a
silver-gray skyscraper stood,� That�s the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building, which was
the tallest building in Tokyo back in 1974 until the Shinjuku Mitsui Building
was built,� he moved his hand to the right, indicating the black-glass panelled
skyscraper,� Mii is about 210 metres high, and holds the Capcom Tokyo offices
as well as a few Chinese restaurants and shops,�
�Is Mii still
the tallest building in Tokyo?�
Ryo shook his
head,� Nope. Sunshine 60 built in Toshima was from �78 until 1991, when the
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building was built,� he leaned forward, waving
his hand in the northeast direction,� Tochō was
the tallest building in Tokyo until Tokyo Midtown Tower was built in 2007,�
�What�s that building?� I asked,
nodding at the curved-shell shaped building decorated with white and dark-blue
criss-crossed like a web pattern exterior.
�That�s Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower,� Ryo answered,� It�s a educational facility that holds Tokyo Mode Gakuen, HAL Tokyo and Shuto Ikō,�
�What about that building next to
it?� I signified the charcoal-gray skyscraper with black windows that was a few
floors higher than the Cocoon Tower.
�That holds the Mishima Zaibatsu Tokyo offices,� Ryo spoke in a deadpan tone, wearing an impassive but fuming expression on
his face.
The Mishima Zaibatsu, huh? Isn�t
the CEO the legendary fighter Mishima Heihachi?�� ��
I turned to
question Ryo about it, but he wasn�t there. I twisted around to see him already
sauntering back to the bike.
�Ryo? Is
something wrong?� I called out.
He hindered,
pausing mid-stride before placing his foot down again and revolved half of his
upper torso towards me, his mouth stretched in a forced smile,� If you think
the view looks impressive now, you should come back at night when the neon
lights are turned on,� He turned back and carried walking down the hill, making
me chase after him.
We kept on the
main roads of Shinjuku, overtaking Ōkubo, Shinjuku�s best-know Korean
district and Yotsuya, a residential and commercial district full of
restaurants, bars and izakayas until we arrive to an area close to where the
tour started infront of a gate.
�What�s this
place?� I queried.
�It�s Shinjuku
Gyoen,� Ryo handed a few bills to the administer behind the glass booth.
�Sorry?�
�The Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden,� he elaborated, nodding thanks as he slid the tickets from
the wooden panel.
My heart leapt
a little. Gardens? From what I saw earlier, Shinjuku had next to nothing in the
nature section.
�Maybe it will
help you to stop feeling homesick,� he commented and commenced the bike once
again.
Ryo guided
through the snaking trails, rushing through the French Formal Garden, with a
parterre filled with olive-green hedges, gray gravelled patte d�oires and
crimson broderies; blending into the English Landscape Garden, full of aged
stone statues, sweeping plant beds and arched shrubberies; dashing through the
Japanese Traditional Garden, bursting with carpets of ferns, several
shiny-water ponds covered in water lilies and raspberry-pink tulip trees; past
the elegant teahouse sitting on jade-coloured cypresses-flocked bank and out of
the Shinjuku Gate.
Ryo returned me
home quicker on the way into Shinjuku, but maybe it was because my head was
pounding and my heart was drumming in rhythm as I thought excited over what I
had witnessed in Gyoen.
�Here,� Ryo
slowed down just outside the steps of my house so I slid off first. As soon as
my feet touched the pathway, I ran to his side and wrapped my arms around his
neck, squeezing him into a hug. He pressed his hands on my back, pressing me
closely until I pulled back and smiled vibrantly at him.
�Thank-you so
much for today, Ryo, it was totally awesome!�
Ryo gave back
an equal smile,� I�m glad you had fun. Sorry we didn�t get to see everything
today, but as you know, Shinjuku�s a massive place,�
I shook my head
and raised my hands in protest,� No, no, no! What I saw was great!�
Ryo laughed
calmly,� Well, holidays are soon, so I�ll show you some more then. I promised
to take you to Isetan Art Museum, anyway,� He rubbed his hands against the
rubber grips on his handlebars as his eyes met the floor,� Unless, you still
want to see me again,�
�Of course I
do!�
His eyes rolled
back to me,� Great!� He grinned and took one of my hands with both of his,
flipping it palm side up, looking intently into my eyes, making my heart throb
against my ribcage,� Give Shinjuku a chance. You�re bound to feel a little
homesick and like you don�t belong, but it�s a great place. You�ll love it,
just as I do,�
I nodded
vacantly. If Ryo loves, then yeah, I want to love it too. He tugged on hand,
pulling me towards him and slanted, his lips gently brushing against my cheek.
My cheeks
engulfed in a red flush and I smiled timidly,� T-Thanks again, Ryo,�
He laid Hana�s
donut and a slip of paper in my hands,� My phone number. Call me later so I
know you didn�t get in trouble,�
�Sure,�
�I�ll see you
later then, Oshimaki-san,�
Defiantly. �Of
course,�
He turned and
sped off, leaving behind a cloud of dust as I waved shyly after him. I touched
my cheek as soon as he was out of sight, turned and clambered up the steps. I
retrieved the spare key from the firebush plant pot, slotted into the keyhole,
twisted it and quietly pushed the front door open. I glided inside and
carefully pushed the door close behind me, slid my shoes of and placed them
back into the shoe cabinet. I made my through the genkan and towards the
stairs, glancing at the clock as I passed the kitchen (which read half-past
ten) and started ascending the stairs just as Dad was coming down them.
He frowned when
he saw me,� What are you doing up?� He said through a yawn.
�Good morning
to you too,� I retorted, stretching one arm above my head while holding the
paper bag behind my back,� I woke up pretty early so I decided to do some
meditation in the outside dōjō,�
He smiled and placed a kiss on my forehead,� I
take it you�re going back to bed, then?�
I nodded.
�Alright then,� He nodded back and started down
the stairs again.
I twisted my body as he passed me, making it look
like I was making room for me, but it was really to keep him from seeing the
paper bag behind my back. I smiled to myself as he stepped off the stairs,
pleased I had gotten away with it and continued up the stairs. Once I got to
the top, I pushed Hana�s bedroom open to see her just gotten out of bed, her
hair all askew.
�Good morning, onee-chan,�
�Good morning, imouto,� I smiled as she rubbed her eyes
with her fists,� I have something for you,�
She opened her
eyes wide open in curiosity, suddenly alert. I bent down in front of her to
match her height and pulled my hands out from behind my back, showing her the
paper bag placed in my open palms. She took it, eyeing me suspiciously and
unwrapped it.
�It�s from Ryo-kun, the boy who helped me
yesterday,�
She smiled.
�But, it�s our little secret, right?� I asked.
Hana nodded. I placed my finger on my lips and
winked at her, sealing the deal.

It was lunchtime now, and I hadn�t heard anything from Ryo since I
got his text this morning, even though I texted him a reply.
God, the waiting was excoriating.
He hasn�t even told me what time he�d be around!
Angry and impatient, I decided to phone Sakura.

�Before you ask: No, I�m not going to tell you
about what Ryo has planned for you,� she
said as soon as she picked up the phone.
�Aw, c�mon Sakura!�
�No way, it�s a secret,�

�But he hasn�t even told me when he�s coming around or what we�re
doing! I need to know what will be suitable for me to wear!�
�Sorry, I took an oath,�

I sighed, thinking durably.
Hm, maybe Jin knows something?

As if she read my mind, Sakura spoke again,� Don�t even think
about calling Jin. He�s not allowed to tell you anything either,�

�Trust me; I�ll get Jin to sing like a canary,�
�Akira, don�t-,�I
hit the �end� button, cutting her off.
I dialled Jin�s home number, but unfortunately, Xiaoyu picked up,
speaking non-stop, firing questions and making loud declarations before I could
even ask to speak to Jin. It wasn�t until she remembered that it
was mine and Ryo�s anniversary when she passed me onto him.
�Sakura just texted me, I know what you�re up to,�
he said in a teasing-threatening tone.
�Please Jin!�
�No way,�

�Can�t you give me a little hint?�
�No,�

�Just a little hint?�
��,�

�A teensy, tiny hint?�
��,�

I exhaled seriously, letting him hear that I was crushed and had
given up.
�Since when do you have Sakura�s number?� I asked suddenly asked
after a few beats of silence.
�She gave it to me before the holidays started,�

�Oh,� I waited before speaking up again,� Do you have Tae�s
number?�
�Yes,� He
lingered in background, then spoke again, �Why?�

�Oh, no reason,� I responded simply.
�What are you-,�

I interrupted him, pretending to look out the window into the
garden, making up my best false surprised-and-alarmed tone,� Oh no! Hana�s
escaped into the garden by herself! I need to rescue her! Bye!� I hit the �end�
button again and slammed the phone down beside me on the sofa.
Damn, that was close! But I�m still no closer to
finding out what Ryo has planned for me!
My mobile phone shrilled in my pocket, so I grabbed it, seeing I
had a new message.
From Takeji-onii-chan.

Ryo
says to wear something similar to what you wore on your first date. I�ll pick
you up @ 6. x

I frowned. I always considered Ryo�s tour as our first date, but
Ryo always considered our first date when we went to see April Bride at
the cinema, followed by dinner with his parents. On that date I wore a simple
steel-grey halter-neck dress styled with a tutu-skirt.
Maybe that�s what he meant?
I placed the phone back on the receiver and darted upstairs, ready
to rummage through my wardrobe.
�Sixteen months ago�

I finished tying the red ribbon attached to my
red-and-white sailor-styled shirt and looked in the mirror. Today was the day I
first started Shinjuku Middle School. I�d be the new girl, which I hated. I
just prayed that Ryo was in my form. Luckily, Mom had made friends with our
next door neighbors, the Yonebayashis, so Mom and Ukiko arranged for Ukiko�s
son, Doruton, to walk me to school and make sure I was settled. The day before,
we had come into the school to speak to Mrs. Tobita and fill in a few forms, as
well as get my timetable and meet my tutor, Mr. Kohama.
I liked Doruton already. He was sweet, a little
dense, but a typical boy; always out and about, then coming home with several
scrapes and bruises. He was shorter than me, with (dyed) blonde hair that
barbed skywards. I think that if Naruto Uzumaki was turned into a real person,
Doruton would resemble him the most, both in looks and personality.�
I looked down at my feet and maintained my sight
up my body, analysing the school uniform. My white loose-sock covered feet were
contained with black laced loafers, exposing my knees as my red pleated skirt
covered the top of my knees up to my waist.
It wasn�t the best, but I�ve seen worst.��
�Akira-chan!� Mom yelled up the stairs,�
Doruton-kun is here for you!�
I seized mu duffel bag, containing my old uwabaki,
and rushed out my room and down the stairs.
As soon as Doruton saw me, he smiled incredibly
and sprinted towards me, his arms enclosed around my waist,� Good morning,
Akira-chan!�
�Um, good morning, Doruton-kun,� I stammered,
blushing and feeling slight awkward.
�You ready to go to school?� he said once he had
released me.
I nodded. I kissed my parents and Hana goodbye,
waved and headed out the door with Doruton.
I followed Doruton as he pushed along his
skateboard, chatting about general stuff, like TV programmes and comic books.
I gawked up at my new school as we passed through
the gates. The school consisted of three blocks from the front; the first block
on the left was about three-storeys high, with an extra open floor on top with
metal banisters and a few windows; the middle block was the tallest with a
retro black-and-white clock placed in the building at the top with at least six
floors, complete with large clear windows; and the block on the left was the longest
and at least three levels with a open space so students could walk under it and
enter the school. It definitely contrasted to my old school, which was smaller
and fewer blocks with a glass-covered tower in the middle and a circular tower
on the left side. I stared at the black, bone-branched tree planted on a cube
of grass with a several-bulbed lamppost as we walked briskly over the
red-bricked landscape.
We dipped under the archway and made our way into
the school, swapped our loafers for our striped uwabaki and, disappointed that
Doruton wasn�t in my form; he walked me there, leaving with the promise of
meeting me for break and lunch.
It wasn�t until after I had introduced myself and
hunted for an empty seat when my eyes clapped on Ryo. In all fairness, he
looked different in his uniform, plus he had taken my advice and used gel in
hair, using the spiky technique. I smiled and sauntered over to the empty seat
beside him, obvious to the glares that Sakura was emitting.

Ryo made my first day at Shinjuku Middle School. He walked me to my lessons, hung out with me at break and lunch with Doruton and
Sakura and strolled with me and Doruton home, agreeing that we should meet at
his house to walk to school together from then onwards.

I smiled nostalgically as I soothed my black mesh cross back dress
over my frame. Ryo had been so kind to me from the start; keeping me company
when I was the new kid, showing me around a place I didn�t know, a place I
thought I would never love, but best of all, he treated me with respect and
like royalty.
I�ve been truly blessed.

Fifteen months ago�

It was the last week of the Hanami festival, so
Kinnosuke-san and Ai-san suggested that the Oshimaki and Kikukawa family spend
the evening together at Shinjuku Gyoen, along with Takeji-onii-chan and his
girlfriend, Kishimoto Toshiko-onee-chan. Hana, however, pressingly and
persistently asked to go to the carnival, and so decided to meet there, stay
there for a few hours, then head to Gyoen. We allowed Hana to lead us around,
travelling through the funhouse, getting lost in the house of mirrors,
rivalling eachother on the bumper cars. We even managed to have a go on a
couple of games that offered small prizes, meaning Ryo and Takeji had knock
over tin cans, pop balloons with darts and use rifles to win Hana the prizes
she wanted. But, one of the things I remember most about that night, was when
Hana brought us to the kids� rollercoaster.
�Please one-chan, ride it with me!� she begged as
she watched the rollercoaster twist and turn along the track.
I flinched. I like rollercoasters, but not little
children ones. I always have to duck under the signs, wave to the people
watching us, as if I�m having a good time, which I don�t.
�I don�t know, Hana-chan�,�
�I�ll go with you if you like, Hana-chan,� Ryo
smiled down at her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
I smiled widely as I watched them line up for the
next turn, Ryo helping Hana up the steps, hopping into carriage and making her
seatbelt was on properly before the rollercoaster jolted forward and journeyed
along the tracks.

As the night sky crept along and altered our
surrounding, we had made our way to Shinjuku Gyoen. We had eaten hanami dango
and makunouchi bentō, drunk a little sake (which wasn�t as bad as I
thought) and chatted and joked though the night. Now it was yozakura and most
of the food had been eaten. I was sat opposite Ryo, looking down at my hands as
I stroked some fallen sakura flowers that Takeji had given me, trying to ignore
Ryo�s unrelenting gazes towards me, trying not to let the blood rush to my
neck. Ryo swiftly stood on his feet, dusted his jeans and held his hand out to
me. Unquestioningly, I took his hand and let him heave me upright.
�Where are we going?� I asked,
his grip on my hand not releasing.
�I want to show you something,�
�But my parents�,� I fixed my
eyes to behind me, where Mom was talking to Toshiko
as she stroked the now sleeping-Hana�s hair and Dad was chatting to Kinnosuke.
�They won�t notice, I promise. We�ll be quick,�
I twisted back to Ryo, sighed and nodded. He
tugged at my hand and began to dash across the grass, joining the
maze of roads, pulling me beside him. We sprinted through the zigzag paths;
pass the Kami No Ike, towards the Shinjuku Gate until we came to the teahouse
positioned away from the Japanese Traditional Gardens, where our parents were.
The teahouse looked different in the daytime;
during yozakura, it had been decorated with electric lanterns and enormous
lights around it, making it brighter than ever before. I smiled at Ryo as we
made our way towards it, hand-in-hand, to enjoy the star-lit view.

An adoring smile widen my mouth as I looked intently at the prizes
Ryo had won my at the carnival that sat above my bed. Mom had been right all
this time: Ryo was definitely a keeper. A blaring horn ruined my daydreams, so
I grabbed my handbag, hurtled down the stairs, submitting my family members a
goodbye and a kiss, and out the house. As Takeji-onii-chan meet me halfway up
the path, he engulfed me into a crushing hug.
When glancing at Takeji, you would never guess that he and Ryo-kun
are brothers. They�re both similar height and weight, but Takeji�s face is
different, thinner than Ryo�s, more sharp, with big, murky eyes and thick,
perm-like hair.
Takeji drove me in his silver car to the empty-Kikukawa house and
escorted me to front door.� Ryo answered a few heavy seconds, dressed in a
silver-gray suit and tucked-in white button shirt. He greeted me with a kiss on
each cheek and complements as Takeji returned to his car and drove away. He
ushered me inside and through the genkan and into the house, pass the kitchen,
where delicious fragrances waft to me, through the living room and the
washitsu, to the open conservatory where a rectangular table covered with a red
silk sheet and a lit white candle was arranged. Ryo pulled my chair out for me,
told I could eat from the display stand as he prepared starters.
�You cooked for me?� I asked. I was touched; Ryo had never used an
oven before.
He smirked,� Of course. I thought it would be different for our
anniversary,�
I kissed the corner of his mouth,� You�re so good to me,� I cupped
his cheek and eyed the food stand,� What is it, exactly?�
�Vegetables with Sesame Dip. Enjoy, while I sort out the
starters,� He kissed my temple and whipped out the room.
I few carrot and cucumber sticks dipped in mushroom-coloured sauce
later, Ryo arrived back with two dishes in his hands, one coated with golden
strips of breaded meat, the other covered with chunks of bread wrapped
portions.
�Karaage Chicken for you,� he placed the black plate infront of
me,� and Prawns in Crispy Breadcrumbs for me,�
He pulled in his chair, poured us both a glass of Pineapple Calpis
and raised his glass,� To us,�
�Still alive and kicking a year later,� I clinked my glass against
his and threw back a mouthful.��
�Mmm, this is delicious, Ryo-kun!� I praised as I took a bite,�
How to you learn to cook like this?�
�Mom lent me some Kurihara Harumi recipe books,�
I nodded.
Harumi-san�s books are always the best for
beginner cooks.

Twelve months ago�

It had six months of museum visits, trips to the
cinema, dining out, exchanging phone calls, shopping sprees, helping with
homework, flirtation and little touches, but nothing had been concluded. I
couldn�t help feel a little frustrated. Maybe my feelings where just one sided?
Surely, if Ryo liked me, he would have made a move by now? I was musing over my
thoughts at the table in the kitchen while staring out of the open window, when
Ryo suddenly appeared from nowhere, making me nearly fall out of my chair.
�Why are you here, Kikukawa-kun?� I asked, pulling
my chair in further under the table and gripping the edges of the table incase
he tried anything again.
�Fancy playing a little one-on-one?�
�Basketball?�
He shook his head,� Nope. Soccer,� He paced the
ball between his hands.
I narrowed my eyes,� Everytime I play sports with
you, you always win,�
He shrugged and smiled charmingly at me,� The
advantage of being a jock, I guess. So, are you up for it?�
I, idiotically, agreed, grabbed a pair of shoes
and headed up the hill to the nearby field.
As always with playing sports with Ryo, things got
competitive: lots of hooking feet around ankles to trip the other up, lots of
shoulder-against-shoulder shoving and lots of tackling to ground, but it was
all in vain for me. Ryo won, as usual.
�So, what�s my prize?� he asked as he set himself
next to me, both our breaths jagged, shoulder heaving and chests caving in and
out.
I smirked and turned sharply to him,� What do you
desire?�
He lifted his head towards the sky, thinking
deeply, the soccer ball resting between his knees,� There�s a lot of things I
desire�,� he broke off and twirled back towards me, showing me that
heart-stopping and breath-holding smile,��but I can only think of one right
now, right here,�
Before I had time to register it, I tipped myself
closer to him, so close his breath was ghosting across my lips, our eyes
connected in a deadlock.
�And, what would that be?� The right corner of my
mouth crooked up.
Ryo�s mouth matched my smirk,� I�ll show you,�
Without warning, but already knowing, he brought
his lips down to meet mine. I imprinted my lips against his in kind almost
instantly, but leaving some thought-process for my actions to sink in. I closed
my eyes as the kiss deepened. I could feel Ryo�s heart pounding again and my
breath momentarily hitch in throat as Ryo brought one hand to the back on my
head, pushing me forward, and brought the other the cup my cheek, pursued down
my arm and interlocked our fingers together. I felt my head cloud over as Ryo
slowly ended the kiss and pull back.
�That was definitely worth the wait,� I said,
leaning my forehead against his as the soccer ball roll down the hill.

The rest of the food was equally as good: Ryo served me Hot Noodle
Soup with Sliced Duck while he had Katsudon for the main course, following
Castella for me and Coffee Jelly for dessert.� We exchanged presents next. Mom
had given me a few lessons in jewellery making, so I gave Ryo a red, blue and
white leather and hemp cord wristband (those colours after his favourite
American baseball team, the Stockton Ports). My gifts, however, was fairly
startling; the photos we had taken on our tour of Shinjuku.
�I went back the next day,� Ryo explained as I held the ribbon of
photos in both my hands,� But�I dunno, I felt like I should have held onto
them. I thought today was a good reason too,�
Whenever I look back on that day, never had I felt so lucky and
cherished by one person. So lucky, that towards the end of the evening, I got
to huddle against that one person while watching I Give My First Love to You.
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A Tekken Story: Through the Years - Volume I