Tied to Mi & Yu

PROLOGUE Not everyone gets to have a happy ending. It's not unfair. That's just how life is. It gives and takes. Gives you a chance to freely choose on how you want to live it. And takes in exchange. It may take away the bad when things don't go your way or the good when you've already had your share. You'd never know when. So care for it...while you still have time, while you still can. CHAPTER 1 SSHH.. Monday morning. Sun is up and leaves rustle in the wind. The school bell rang and students in Okahana High started rushing in their respective rooms. "Oohh, c'mon now girls make a run for it woohoo!" A group of senior boys started cat calling the girls as they ran along the corridor with their panties peeking out from their skirts flying with the wind. "Its just another day. Just get through with it." She whispered to herself and took a deep breath. "Eh? What is that? Is that a gown or what?" One boy from the group called. "Maybe she wrapped herself so tight in her blanket its stucked!" Then the boys laughed at her. It was Mina Fukushi as she walks past by these group of boys with dirty minds. Its nothing new to her. Its just a new school year. She wears her uniform skirt longer than the other girls in her school. Two inches below her knees with knee high socks to match. But she's not ashamed to wear this though. She keeps her chin up high and walked tall passed this boastful boys. One boy flicked her ponytail and Mina stopped. She glared at him then the boys immediately run away. "Bunch of a-holes!" She shouted. As she turned, she was surprised to see her homeroom teacher staring down at her. "Arms out, on the wall, and squat. NOW! Dont stand until I tell you so." Mina got punished for cursing but the boys got away. Sometimes she thinks that her teachers also think indifferently of her, maybe because her skirt is too long they cant get a chance to peek into her panties. "Whatever. One more year and I'll be out of this wretched town" She thought. Then a guy passed by her and bumped her arms causing for her to lose balance. "What the- Can't you look where your going?" Mina said. "Ssh." He just turned to gesture her to keep shut and continued to get inside their room. As soon as he went inside, girls cant keep off their eyes from him. Toji Yu, the class hearthrob this year since he won the national swimming cup last summer and everyone saw how great his body is even more so his looks. He sat on his designated seat, put his hands in his pockets and crossed his legs. The girls watched him just blankly staring out the window. He turned to Mina and sneaks a wink at her. Mina looks at him from outside the room completely irritated. "Tsk! He sure loves attention." Classes started and their homeroom teacher completely forgot about Mina. She was starting to wobble and her thighs and arms started to burn. Her sweat was dripping from her forehead down to her jaw. The class couldnt see her from the inside since the corridor was dark and clouds were starting to form in the sky making everything dim. "Ugh, just a little more Mina...hold it in." She was starting to weaken and suddenly she passed out. Mina was on the floor beathing lightly. No one noticed from the class since they were all busy pretending to listen to their teacher. Except for Toji. His head quickly turned to the door as he heard a loud thud. He excused himself from class saying he needs to go to the bathroom. Then his eyes grew as he saw Mina completely passed out on the floor. He carried her into his arms and took her to the clinic. "Good thing you took her quickly Toji, had she been taken here more longer she's gonna have to be taken to the hospital." The school nurse said. "Is she going to be okay?" Toji asked worringly. "I think she suffers from fatigue but she'll be fine, she just needs to rest and some fresh air." Then the nurse went out for awhile and asked Toji to look after Mina for a bit. He sat beside Mina and watched as she takes her rest. He rested his head onto her pillow and smiled. "Your beautiful when you're just...you." He muttered. The sun shines on Mina's face and this caused her to wake up. She slowly sat up and squints her eyes for a bit. She looked around and was shocked to see where she was. "Ehhh!!!" She let out. "Can't you keep it down? How many times do I have to tell you to shush it." Mina found herself laying on stacked cardboard boxes and a guy's uniform coat. On the school's rooftoop. "W-hy am I here? What are you doing here? " It was Toji. She felt the wind against her body and so she looked at her uniform. *gasped!* Her buttons were undone from her neck down to her chest exposing just a little skin but nothing much. She quickly covered it up with the coat beside her. "What did you do to me?!" She shouted once again. This time the guy quickly ran towards her and shushed her with his finger. They were just inches away from each other now. "Relax... I just-" But even before Toji finished Mina kicked him in the chest causing him to stumble down. "Ah!" Toji shouted. Mina's hair was untied and tears were starting to well up in her eyes. "How could you!" "Aish! It's not what you think!" "Oh Mina!" The two of them turned to the voice. It was the school nurse. "I'm sorry to wake you up Mrs. Kanako." Toji said still lying on the floor. "Its fine Toji, I sure do need a little nap. Mina are you feeling okay now?" "What happened?" "Toji took you to the clinic the moment he saw you pass out. But you were breathing heavily for the clinic was too stuffy for you so I thought you might need some fresh air. Toji was so nice to carry you all the way up here in the rooftop. Sorry if we weren't able to give you a proper cushion to sleep on." "Aahh.. Thanks Mrs. Kanako, I'm feeling very well now." "Then I guess I'll leave you here now. Bye." Toji slowly sat up and looked at Mina with his brows furrowed. "Thank you...and..I'm sorry." Mina looked down. "Tsk! You better! I see you have the strength to get yourself down the stairs now right. Seeing how hard you kicked me in the chest!" Toji stood up and walked towards Mina who was still sitted with a coat grasped towards her. Toji bent down and looked at her straight in the eyes. "I'll take this!" Toji snatched away HIS coat from Mina's chest. Before he went out the door he stopped. "Don't worry I didn't look.." He said. "There was nothing to see anyway.." He teased and went out. "What?? p*****t!" CHAPTER 2 HANG IN THERE Mina was casually walking down the street heading home and realized she still has her hair down. She reached into her bag for an elastic band. But panicked to see there was none. "I can't go home like this." She said and ran towards the nearest convenience store. As she scans the aisles for a tie, she saw a familiar face once again. "Toji.." She muttered. He was wincing from pain as he wraps a bandage around his right hand. "What trouble has he gotten himself into." She thought. By the time Mina reached the counter and tried her best to ignore Toji..it was too late. "Oy! Mina!" Toji called. Mina pretended not to hear. "Mina Fukushi, wearing Okahana high uniform I'm calling out to youuu~" Toji playfully called with a tone. "I think that guy's calling you miss." The clerk said. Irritated for making a scene, Mina turned with a stern look on her face. "Oh! It is youu~ Come here..sit beside me." Toji patted the seat beside him but Mina didn't sit. "What happened to you?" "Hmm...I think a very stubborn wall hit me hard." Toji was back to his playful self again. "Whatever, why did I even bother asking..I'm going." "W-wait, wait!" Toji grabbed her by the wrist. "Could you at least help me with this?" Mina felt a slight feeling of pity to this guy. His hand was red and swollen but it doesn't seem to bother him now that Mina's in front of him. But she remembered Toji's face wincing from pain a while ago. "What help do you think that will do to your hand. It's too swollen. It won't ease the pain." "Oh." Toji's face went blank completely dumb-founded. "Sheesh, were you even listening at health class? First aid to a sprain injury?" But Toji's face was still the same. He had nooo idea at all at what he's doing. Mina rolled her eyes. "Put an ice pack on it instead to ease the swelling then you can apply both cold and hot compress alternately to massage the blood vessels, keep it from swelling up. Bye." Mina sprinted out the store leaving Toji with his jaw dropped. "Minaaaaa!!! Mina Fukushiii!!!" Toji shouted from afar running towards her. "Mina!" Toji took her by surprise and grabbed her from the back. She quickly pushes him away. "Ah!" Toji cried out from pain. But quickly ignored it as he saw Mina's worried face. "I told you what you have to do, why are you even hurting yourself." "It's not my fault you have the strength of a man." Toji blurted out. Mina was silent for a while and grips her bag strap tightly. "I mean...I just want to walk home with you...that's all." Toji said. "You're just trying to see where I live. So you can make fun of me even more!" "Ohh...a while ago you told me I'm a p*****t, now your calling me...a stalker?! Woaah...I really admire your self confidence really." "Get lost!" Mina pushed him. Mina tied her hair back to a high ponytail and walked home. She didn't notice that Toji was just a few meters behind her. He stopped and watched Mina enter her home. But she wouldn't call it a home when everytime she comes back from school a shout and a scolding from her dad would welcome her. His voice reaches out up to their front gate and Toji hears it all. "Your late! I told you to come early to make dinner! There's no food! Now what! You're gonna starve me to death? Huh? Is that what you want? That's what you want right! You and your mother are the same!" And a loud sound of glass bottles shattering against the ground echoed out. "That's why I never liked to have a daughter! Why don't you just kill yourself in exhange for a son!" and the nagging continues. "Hang in there Mina.."Toji said. CHAPTER 3 TIME FOR HEALING The next morning Mina comes out in a skirt with tights underneath. And her hair was tied up in a bun but some strands fall down on her face. "Look at her...she's wasted just like her father." "I don't think she even washes her hair. It's always been tied up ever since." Girls were whispering in their neighborhood. But Mina like always just brushes this off away and continued with life. "It's just another day...just-" "Oy Minaaaaaa!" Mina heard that familiar and irritating voice once again. She continued her way out and saw Toji coming out from one of the houses. "See? I told you I also live here...just a few blocks before yours." Then Mina noticed Toji's right hand. It was still swollen and red. "Your hand...you really don't have any plans about it don't you." "Hmm, let's just say..I believe that Time heals everything." Toji winked. "A piece of crap." Mina said unamused and walked ahead. Toji followed. "Ehh? You don't believe in it?" "Why do you have to suffer for a long time when you can still do something about. While you still can." "Ohhh..that's deep. Are you...in pain right now?" Toji asked carefully. "None of your business." Mina retorted. "Well..I also believe that if you have a hard time healing it maybe someone can help you through the pain or through the healing.." Mina stopped out of a sudden. Toji bumped her on the back. "Don't say things you can't stand up to. Because you'll never know if one day someone might just believe you...and hurt them even more with your bluff." Mina went ahead leaving Toji. Classes started in Okahana High and turns out Mina was seated beside Toji. He taps on Mina's shoulder to say hello but she didn't look. He taps one more time but Mina doesn't seem to bother looking. Toji kept on tapping again and again. He tugged at her sleeve and when Mina finally look she gave him a sharp glare so Toji finally stopped. "Okay before the class ends, copy the lecture in the board and leave it on my desk at the end of the day. You'll have your examinations tomorrow so I hope you listened well in the discussion." "Shit." Toji laughed in his place. He just sat comfortably on his chair and tapped his pen on the table. "Can't you just write quietly?" Mina scolded as she couldn't take Toji's irritating actions anymore. "Yes sir!" Toji saluted. "Sir?!" Mina turned and saw Toji's case. He picked up his pen on his right hand and winced from pain. His hand was still swelling yet still tries his best to write slowly. The bell rang and classes were finished. Toji still continued to write. "Hey Toji! C'mon let's hang out!" One of his friends asked. "Nah~ still gotta finish this." Mina was clearing up her things and can't resist Toji's situation. "Is he trying to make me feel guilty or something?" Mina thought. "Ahem!" Mina pretended to clear her throat. But Toji still continued. Mina already has her bag on her shoulders and tried to get Toji's attention again..but failed. "Ugh." She rolled her eyes and grabbed Toji's pen and smacked it on his desk. "Huh?" Surprised, Toji looked up and saw Mina's flushed face. "Why do you have to be so stubborn!" Mina grabbed him by the hand and ran out the classroom. They were running along the corridors and Toji couldn't help but smile looking at Mina's hand on his. He was taken aback and felt excitement at the same time. He then grasped Mina's hand tightly in return. * * * "Ah!" "Tsk." Mina glared at Toji who was controlling his expression trying his best to look fine despite of the pain. "I told you, heal it while you still have time...while you still can." Mina scolded as she applies cold compress on Toji's swollen hand. Mina and Toji were sitted across each other. Mina on a chair and Toji on the bed. "I trust you Mina with this clinic, I'll get going then." "Thank you Mrs. Kanoko, don't worry...I got this from here." Mrs. Kanoko left since she was the type of employee who gets off work on time. Just like every employee in Okahana High. As soon as classes are done, they won't care about you anymore. "Woah...you know the more you do this I think I'm really going to start to have a crush on you Mina." Toji teased. But Mina didn't budge. "You keep this up and I swear your also gonna get your other hand swollen. Why didn't you hit your head instead." Mina pressed hard wrapping Toji's hands with an ice pack. "Ah! Ah! Okay, okay..I'm sorry." Toji smiled after and just observed Mina's soft gentle face. She was completely immersed on aiding Toji's hand. He tucked a hair strand falling off on Mina's face behind her ear and their eyes slowly met. They didn't notice their faces were so close to each other now and got mesmerized by each other's gaze. Mina got startled by the cold drip coming from the melting ice pack and their gaze broke. "Uhm...I'll go get another ice pack." Just when Mina was about to stand Toji pulled her close making her fall on his lap. "Mina Fukushi...I wish you could just be like this everyday. Just being calm and gentle. Just being...yourself." "Don't act like you know me." Mina pushed him away and stood up. "Even if you were applying that ice pack on my hand I still was able to feel your warm touch underneath the cold." "I'm going. I think you hit yourself hard on that wall. Go get your head checked also." Mina said packing her things. Toji smirked. "You're right. I think I got hit so hard by that stubborn wall now I'm going crazy. I guess I did." "I pity the wall." Mina said and went out. Toji quickly followed and playfully pulled Mina's tie causing for her hair to fall down. Mina quickly turned. "Woah. I didn't notice it has gotten this long." Mina's long black hair swayed along the wind and brushed against her face. "Give me my tie back!" "This?" Toji held it up. "Give it back! After helping you this is how you repay me?" Mina said looking completely irritated. "Its your fault in the first place." Toji said. "Oh so now your blaming me." "Yep!" "How is it my fault?" "That wall..that freaking wall.." Toji gradually walked closer...and closer..and closer...until Mina bumped her back against the wall. Toji put his hands up against the wall cornering Mina and had nowhere else to go. "That stubborn wall.."He leaned closer towards Mina's ear. "Was you." He whispered. He looked straight at Mina's face which was starting to turn red. Her long lashes flickered from staring directly at Toji's strong charismatic gaze. "Remember..you were the one who kicked me hard with your heavy, size 7 leather shoes and made me fall on my hand." "Pft, I didn't know you would go flying all the way down. It was just a simple kick I didn't even exerted that much effort. How was I suppose to know you were..." "What, weak? Ha! You're talking to a national swimming champion." "So? You still fell." Mina insulted Toji but Toji just went even more closer and caught Mina off-guard. "I did, didn't I? Now take responsibility for this. You made me fall for you." Mina slid down and attempted for an escape but Toji quickly grabbed her by the arm and now he has his arms wrapped around Mina. Mina's heart was beating so fast she might not be able to keep up. "Like my arms wrapped around you now...it's time for you to heal too." There was a short pause between them then Toji let go. He stretched out his swollen hand towards Mina. "Wrap my hand with bandage too." He winked. "This is just to make up for my fault. I'm paying you back now. So you don't have any reason to linger around me anymore." Mina carefully wrapped Toji's hand with bandage. "There. No more tricks. This will be the last favor I'm gonna do for you." Mina said with a straight face. "You okay? Your face seems a bit...red." Toji said. "I'm fine. Bye." Then Mina went straight home. As Toji walks alone in their neighborhood. He felt something from his pockets. "Mina." He instantly thought of her as soon as he saw Mina's hair tie. Round and soft with a white piping around a black base. Toji smiled and grasped it tightly.