Chances Are
Nikholas _Chaos_ F. Toledo
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Disclaimer:
Characters in this fic are hereby recognized as property of whoever
rightfully owns them and the author is not liable for any misconceptions
that may arise.
Acknowledgments:
Arigatou to my imoto for oreos I am happily munching on as I am typing
this fic, to Scriviner for the idea, Switch (Zukeeper) for letting me
watch the last episodes of Evangelion and first episodes of Gundam Wing.
Dedication:
=-=-=-=-=-=-= This is for Dharma.
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It was a glorious day for walking and Asuka couldn't resist this
opportunity to go out to the beach. Sun, sand, surf and... Duo.
He'd been working as a lifeguard this summer. She clasped her
palms together as a scheming smile touched her lips. "This is my
chance," she thought. She called up her best friend, Hikari.
"Nee, Hikari-chan. Would you like to go to the beach today?"
"Sure, Asuka-chan. Would you like to stay there the entire day?"
"I don't know. It depends..."
"Oh, yeah. Duo's there and you --"
"Well, you know-" Asuka wrapped a lock of her long brown hair
around her index finger. "I think that maybe we could stay there until a
little after lunch then go to the mall, perhaps?"
Hikari seemed to favor the idea - Touji was working at the mall as
a part-time waiter at some flashy cafe. It was Kensuke's idea, really.
He said that, maybe, they could meet cute girls there. Shinji was also
working at the mall, but in his family's shop -- Nerv Electronics. Duo's
friends Wu Fei and Heero were there, too.
The guys seemed to have talked about their schedules because they
got off their jobs at 4:00 in the afternoon. It was the time that Quatre
and Rei could arrive at the cafe after their music lessons. "That sounds
wonderful! I'll call Quatre and Rei so that they could join us for
shopping if they finish their lessons early today."
"Okay," Asuka replied. "And, Hikari-chan, if you don't mind, could
you bring a little lunch for us?" And for Duo, too. "You know that my
guardians are a little out of decent food supply."
"No problem. I'll get on it now."
"Thank you," Asuka said in relief. "I could always count on you
for that!"
"What are friends for?" Hikari was bubbling all over the phone.
"See you there!" *click!*
"Duo Maxwell, here I come. And you shall spend this day with me,
no matter what it takes!" was Asuka's mantra.
Duo was perched on the lifeguard's post when he scanned the crowd
for anybody who looked even vaguely familiar. He looked at his watch.
Ten a.m. it said. He shrugged.
Maybe he shouldn't keep his hopes up. He'd been there for four
hours already and there was nothing happening so far - at least from his
point of view.
It'd been a routine day: a three year-old that nearly drowned, a
bunch of lost children (but, thanks to his bright eyes, he found them),
another kid who almost drowned and a ten year-old who was tossed off a
boat "accidentally" during a rumble in a boat in the middle of the sea.
Nothing much, really.
And he thought that this would be the exciting summer job. It
seemed to him that Aida and Touji were better off at the mall. He
couldn't say the same for Shinji and Wu Fei because he couldn't, for the
life of him, understand what on earth could've been so attractive at the
prospect of seeing so many devices and their parts! As for Heero, he had
no idea as to how not waste his time so he joined Wu Fei and Shinji.
"Hi, Duo!" was the cheerful greeting of two girls below him. He
looked down and found out that it was Asuka and Hikari.
"Hi there, Asuka-chan, Hikari! Nice weather, isn't it?" he
casually asked them. He was more interested if they were supposed to
meet anyone on the beach.
Asuka smiled at him a little coquettishly. "That's precisely what
I thought, so I came here, Duo."
"Working on your lovely tan, aren't you, Asuka-chan?" She didn't
have to - really. She was probably the most gorgeous fourteen year-old
female on the beach. I suppose that she knows that already, Duo thought.
Hikari, not wanting to be left out, said what Duo already thought.
"Ne, it's just that there's no harm in making us cuter, right, Duo?"
Duo liked Hikari's occasional spunk. I suppose that Asuka's
attitude is rubbing off on her, he said to himself. Touji's going to
have occasional banters with this sweet girl. She's kinda cute, too, but
not my type.
"You're absolutely right, Hikari. And what has brought you to the
measly lifeguard's post? Someone has drowned at some other part of the
shore that nobody has seen yet?"
"No, silly," Asuka chided. "We're just telling you that we're
going to go to the mall this afternoon to see how everybody else is
doing."
"And maybe you'd be free early this afternoon?" It was Hikari who
asked, so that Duo wouldn't see that it was Asuka who really wanted to
find out.
Duo smiled impishly at the two girls. "Isn't that a great idea!
Too bad I can't be with the two loveliest girls on this side of Japan."
"Why not?" Asuka tried so hard to hide the note of irritation that
crept into that pout. "This is a limited opportunity, you know."
Hikari nodded her head. "And I think that everyone will be there,
including Trowa."
Duo put his hand to his chin; it seemed like he was seriously
considering it. "I'm not sure but the others won't like it very much if
I don't stick around this afternoon. We're a little shorthanded today,
you see, and --"
Asuka waved his words off. "As you say, Duo-chan, but it's up to
you to let this opportunity pass." She winked then smiled at him
demurely before walking away with Hikari.
I guess that she's upset with me, Duo thought as his eyes followed
the path of the two girls. But why? What does she care if I don't show
up, anyway? But she did give that cute little smile of hers before going
away. He sighed in resignation.
This afternoon, he might actually get what he had wished for since
transferring to Tokyo. If only the other lifeguards weren't on leave -
which was part of the reason there were plenty of young lifeguards on
duty.
He shook his head. He had other people - there were plenty of them
- to whom he had to attend.
The two girls were lying on their towels, with their backs to the
sun. Asuka was wearing a fashionable one-piece swimsuit. It was in this
nice shade of salmon and she knew that she looked good in it. How could
he not notice the way it accentuated her curves?
She wasn't a bad-looking girl. In fact, many of the boys in school
had tried to ask her out but she knew that she would only enjoy a certain
guy's company. Was there anything wrong with my face when I approached
him? Was I too arrogant? She asked herself those questions.
Well, it seemed that that arrogance was her primary mode of self-
defense. And it was her mask - she never could tell anybody her
innermost wishes and thoughts... even to Hikari, who was her best friend.
"Maybe he'll surprise us this afternoon," was Hikari's hopeful
thought for Asuka.
"Maybe, maybe not," Asuka passively remarked.
Yet Hikari felt that Asuka was wishing to Kamisama then and there
that Duo should come over to where they were and ask Asuka if she'd like
to share a milkshake or sundae. She felt like that every time Touji was
within sight but still far away from her.
Hikari grinned. Maybe Asuka-chan's in love and she just doesn't
want to admit it! Of course, she had to keep herself from giggling or
she'll have to tell a fib when Asuka asked her what was funny. What am I
thinking? Hikari asked herself. Then again, no one really knows for
sure...
Hikari decided to busy herself so she doesn't have to think of such
things. She turned on Asuka's portable radio-cassette-CD player. "What
CD would you like to listen to, nee, Asuka-chan?"
Asuka didn't turn her head. "Anything would be okay, Hikari-chan."
So Hikari chose a CD full of lovesongs. Maybe she'll get all sentimental
and tell me the truth.
Hikari's playing lovesongs... What would it feel like if HE sang
me a lovesong? Asuka shrugged mentally. What the hell am I thinking?!
To Hikari she asked, "Could you pour me a cup of that lemon tea I
prepared this morning?"
"Hai, Asuka-chan," was Hikari's reply as she took out a thermos
from which she poured out tea. She handed it over to Asuka who faced her
so that she could reach the tea and sip it properly. It didn't taste
bad. Maybe she could offer Duo some...
Hikari also took some of that tea. "This is good!" she exclaimed.
"Maybe you should prepare our tea every time we go out."
"I'm glad you like it," was Asuka's quiet rejoinder. I hope that
Duo likes it, too, when I offer him some of this. "Nanji gurai?"
"11:30," Hikari replied. "Would you like to take lunch now?"
Drats! We've been here for nearly two hours and HE hasn't made a
damn move yet! Baka Duo... "Yes, let's eat now. No use in waiting for
Christmas before we eat our lunch, nee, Hikari-chan?"
Duo was hungry... not just for food but for something else. He
longed for her smile, her company. I wonder if she's eating already. I
wish to eat lunch beside her! Oh, Kamisama! Please!!! Could you put
some other lifeguard in this area so I could eat beside her?
Duo raised his binoculars to his eyes to scan the crowd to find out
whether or not Asuka and Hikari were lunching already. Look at that
riceball! So sumptuous! Kamisama, onegaishimasu! Asuka was popping
food in her mouth and Duo couldn't help but focus his sight on her soft
pink lips. She didn't even have to gloss it the way other girls do.
Man, that really looks good! I wish to the heavens that she and
Hikari would give me some food! Even their leftovers... I don't really
mind.
Asuka and Hikari were talking about their malling that afternoon.
Both girls were excited because they were going to meet all their
friends. He saw them giggling. What are they talking about? Maybe some
guy's stolen Asuka's heart away...
Yet Duo didn't want to believe that. Asuka's been really nice to
him. Well, that might have been an overstatement but she has been as
good as she could get when she was talking with him. There were even
many times when they were bantering rather coquettishly.
Was she just leading him on? She was known in school to have her
way yet it seemed that Hikari, Shinji and Rei have really stuck by her
side even with her attitude. He knew for sure that she was a very
loveable girl - if one just knew how to get around her.
Hikari set aside their food after she and Asuka had their drink.
Duo noticed that there was still some food - well, not just some, but
enough to satisfy his appetite - left. His mouth was watering at the
thought of all that food but his attention was, once again, caught by
that brunette in the salmon swimsuit. She looks so good that maybe I
could have her for lunch! Duo salivated further.
Asuka stood up and stretched and Duo saw all of her curves. Duo
held his breath. Plenty of nasty thoughts ran through his mind but held
them in check. How could he be thinking of her in that way? I am but a
normal fourteen year-old male, was his defensive response to his own
question.
He saw Hikari stand up with the lunch box. Aw, shucks, I can't go
there and ask for their leftovers anymore! How could I find an excuse to
talk to Asuka-chan? He contented himself by looking at Asuka for a full
minute before he watched the people on the beach and out on the sea.
After all, he had to perform his job well so that he could have money to
treat Asuka to a movie and dinner perhaps.
His stomach was grumbling when he heard his name being called.
"Duo-san!" It was Hikari. "I brought you some lunch."
"Kamisama, arigatou!" was his ecstatic reply as he went down his
post to get the box from Hikari. "Do you know that you have answered my
pleas?" He looked at her as if she was a goddess.
Hikari blushed. Duo could be such a flirty boy sometimes and she
just wasn't used to some of his ways. "We hope that you'd enjoy this
lunch Asuka-chan and I prepared."
"Hai! I sure will!" Asuka-chan's cooking! Duo was in seventh
heaven just at the thought of Asuka preparing him lunch.
Hikari handed the thermos that Asuka brought. "This is Asuka's
special lemon tea. Would you like some of it now?"
"Asuka-chan's --? I would love to taste the tea that the goddess
Asuka has made, Hikari," he replied with much enthusiasm. He poured
himself a cup. "This is the best that I have ever tasted in my entire
life! I hope that you give my word to Asuka, nee?" Duo asked with raised
eyebrows.
Hikari grinned at him. "Sure, Duo, no problem." She looked back
to where Asuka was lying. "I better go now so Asuka won't be bored,
okay? Just drop her things off at her house later or if you could still
find us on the beach."
"Domo, Hikari-san, I will do that," Duo waved at Hikari as she made
her way back. I will. Thanks for giving me this excuse to see her at
her home tonight.
"Hikari-chan, do you think he forgot to return our stuff?" Asuka
was already in her malling attire: a short black skirt and yellow
camisole-like blouse. She had hoped to see Duo and spend the day with
him but no, he couldn't be cajoled into going with them to see their
friends. Duo told them with his most winning smile that a quiet
afternoon with friends would be at the top of his wish-list but the 'High
Authorities' have forbidden it. He told them this as they accidentally
met in the clubhouse.
Hikari merely smiled at her friend. "Maybe he's just too busy
saving drowning kids and stuff like that. After all, his job is not to
be taken lightly."
"As you say," was Asuka's curt reply. She was pissed off at Hikari
for smiling at her like that when she was in a state of frenzy. But
Hikari wouldn't be able to understand that because Asuka was not letting
her see that. "Let's go then. Misato and Kaji are already waiting
outside and, if we keep them waiting, we might end up waiting for them to
get it over with!" Asuka stormed off with a baffled Hikari behind her.
Outside the clubhouse was a sleek red sports car. It was Kaji's.
He and his wife Misato were owners of a bar that they put up with their
high school friend Ritsuko (who also worked as a professor at Tokyo
University). Asuka and Hikari got to the car in time before Kaji and
Misato had any chance to kiss.
"They just don't know how to control their hormones!" Asuka
muttered under her breath. Hikari noticed her friend fuming and she
resisted the urge to giggle at what almost happened in the car.
"How was the water, Asuka-chan?" Misato asked as Asuka and Hikari
made their way at the backseat.
"It was fine," she crossed her arms.
"Have you seen any cute boys, Hikari-chan?" Misato addressed her so
that she wouldn't feel left out.
"Well, there were a lot, Misato-san! But I would only like to see
one," she replied with a blush.
Kaji started the car. As he pulled the car out of the parking
space, he teased Hikari. "So you've set your eyes on a lad already,
young lady! Do we know who the lucky chap is?"
Hikari blushed further. Asuka was so embarrassed. How could these
people be related to her? How could my parents leave me to these two
weirdos? "Would you cut it out? Hikari's getting embarrassed," she
snapped at them.
Kaji shrugged. Asuka was always so snappish. Doesn't she know
that it was all in jesting? "Maybe we elders could give you two some
sound advice," he shrugged.
Hikari held Asuka's hand. "It's okay, Asuka-chan. I don't mind
telling them. Maybe they could give me some useful tips."
"See?" Misato glanced at Asuka.
Asuka merely sank into the seat while Hikari mentioned Touji's
name. Kaji and Misato knew all of her friends. She supposed that they
would tease Hikari further.
"Ah, I see," Kaji remarked. "He's quite tough, isn't he?"
"Uh, yes, Kaji-san."
"But he's good-looking, ne?" Misato queried. "So if you really
like him, show him as best as you could, girl!"
Kaji laughed. "Look at Misato! Never could keep her feelings to
herself!" Misato joined his mirth. "She had this wonderfully clumsy way
about her that I wasn't able to resist. And I still can't!"
Misato, Kaji and Hikari chatted animatedly the rest of the way to
the mall. Asuka still kept her thoughts to herself. After all, how
could she be happy when she wasn't able to achieve her goal?
Hikari and Asuka breezed through all the clothes shops and got all
the skirts, blouses, dresses, pants and shorts and what-not that they
could afford for that day. They didn't bring all their money so that
they could have another day set for shopping. They were each carrying a
big shoping bag.
She was distracted as she picked out clothes from racks.
Nevertheless, she still had her sense of fashion with her. She and
Hikari had ten minutes before they were due meeting their friends so they
went to the toilet to freshen up. Then they met at the cafe where Aida
and Touji worked.
"Asuka, Hikari," Rei greeted them silently from her seat. She and
Quatre chose the bigger table at the corner of the cafe so that they
could all be accommodated.
"Hikari!" Touji pulled a seat for her to sit on. Hikari turned red
as she sat down. It was the seat beside his. Asuka didn't want to
disturb the two so she sat beside Rei.
"Didn't you meet Duo on the beach?" Touji asked Hikari.
"We met him but he can't join us this afternoon. He's busy at the
beach, you see," she replied tritely.
Quatre reacted. "I see." He thought that maybe they could have
some grand reunion of a sort. "I called Trowa and found out that he
could make it. Too bad; we're almost complete today."
And Asuka couldn't help but silently agree with their blond friend.
Three more people joined them in a while. Those were the 'Nerv boys' as
they called them. They greeted them in chorus and Aida related to them
what Hikari and Quatre just said.
"It would have been more fun if Duo was around," Shinji remarked,
sitting on the other side of his sister, hiding himself from the redhead.
"He's the life of the party, as the cliche goes."
Again, Asuka silently agreed. And it was with Shinji she agreed,
for the first time. And she was missing him even more.
He had this way of charming her with his remarks, even if she
thought that he was merely flirting with her sometimes, she couldn't deny
that she was fond of him. He had the smile that tugged at a girl's
heart, a personality so radiant that it outshined the sun, and Asuka
couldn't resist the thought of having him by his braid.
They already ordered carrot cake and cappuccino when Trowa made his
entrance. "Sorry I'm late," he curtly apologized to his friends. He was
saved a seat beside Quatre who quietly summarized what everyone was
talking about. Then Trowa told them what was up at the circus.
He distributed free tickets as he spoke of elephants dancing, bears
performing magic tricks and other things that he's been busy with.
Everybody was excited at what they heard and promised Trowa that they
will watch him perform in the weekend.
The fourteen year-olds stayed there until nearly suppertime. Rei
and Shinji went home together with Wu Fei and Kensuke who both lived
somewhere near their place; Touji took Hikari to her house; Heero and
Trowa were together since they took the same route; Asuka was offered a
ride a by Quatre who was fetched.
"You okay, Asuka?" Quatre asked. He noticed that she had been a
little quiet the entire time.
She smiled weakly at him. "Why shouldn't I be? I mean, it's been
a great afternoon." Quatre looked at her doubtfully so she stressed her
point. "Really."
He didn't want to upset her volatile temper so he decided to start
a conversation about going to the circus. "Don't you think it's so nice
of Trowa to give us free tickets? We're quite plenty and he still gave
us tickets that we could use to watch the circus for an entire week!"
"It's really cool, what he did. I suppose that we'll have a grand
time at the circus." And I'll make sure this time that Duo will be there
even if I have to do some really bad manipulations!
"So, I heard from Hikari-san that you went to the beach. How was
it?"
"It was okay." Quatre seemed to be an eager listener so she
described their morning at the beach. It wasn't that bad, except for the
part where she couldn't steal Duo away from his summer job.
She was in the middle of her narration when Quatre's car stopped in
front the gate of her guardian's house. "Gomen ne, Quatre, I guess that
I got carried away telling you what we did this morning," Asuka told her
friend as she stepped out of the car.
"No, it's okay, really."
"Arigatou, Quatre! Ja!" Asuka smiled then waved at him. Quatre
smiled as he waved back at her.
When she turned, she slumped on the sidewalk. It'd been such a
boring day for her. She didn't want to go inside the house yet. She was
too upset. She longed to see him. Could it be that he was still on
duty? Maybe she could go to the beach to see him. But that would make
her look like she was desperately chasing him and she wouldn't want that.
"So if you really like him, show him as best as you could, girl!"
That was what Misato had said and done. But she can't, couldn't. I
don't want to be like Misato, but what if I have no more choice left but
to do as she had once done. I can't afford to tell him openly that I
like him so much. After all those little squabbles, how could I do that?
It would sound so illogical, so stupid! I don't want that at all!
She didn't feel it but a tear rolled down her cheek. This is so
juvenile, yet this is how things must be. Drat! This is just so futile.
And there he is every single day at the beach saving drowning damsels in
distress! Hah. But there are times when I almost wish to be one of
them. Maybe he'd notice me the way that I notice him when I do that.
Asuka had no idea how much she was already crying. That was until she
felt an arm around her shoulders.
"Asuka-chan, don't cry," Duo said as he handed her his
handkerchief.
Asuka was taken aback. Duo was seeing her in that state! He might
be thinking that I'm crying because of him... but I am! Oh no. I am
caught. She hid her face by looking down at her shoes.
"Who made my princess cry? He shall have to suffer for this!" was
his gallant declaration and Asuka couldn't stifle her giggles although
tears were still running down her cheeks. "What's so funny about that?"
She had to fib. "It just sounds funny, that's all."
He touched her chin. "Well, it's not supposed to be funny at all
but it's okay, because I heard your laughter. Can you hear it echoing in
my mind?"
Asuka shook her head and smiled wanly at him as she dried her tears
with his handkerchief. "No, you cow. It's not echoing loud enough."
"Oooh! She smiled at me!" He clutched his chest. "I am the
happiest boy tonight!" A poke in the ribs was what he received from that
declaration. "Well, it's true. Your smile has got to be the second most
wonderful thing that I have ever seen."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Duo Maxwell."
"I know that, but it won't hurt to try my luck this way, nee?"
They laughed for a while. Then she asked him. "What in the world
are you doing here?"
"I was supposed to return your things, Asuka-chan." Duo produced
the lunch box and thermos. "And I was supposed to thank you for the
lunch. Hikari told me that you two prepared that great lunch and that
lemon tea."
"Did you enjoy the tea?" She wished to the heavens that he'd say
that he did.
"Yes, I have. Didn't Hikari tell you that?"
"Yes, but I thought that she was just telling me that."
"Well, believe her." And she's the reason why I am taking this
opportunity tonight, holding you like this. With that thought, they both
felt self-conscious all of a sudden. Duo withdrew his arm reluctantly
from Asuka's shoulders. He didn't want to ruin his friendship with her.
But he couldn't help but be true to himself and to her as well. I don't
know what to say next!
Asuka stood up. I might be becoming a little too obvious. He
could probably be reading my thoughts... "Is that all, Duo?"
Duo stood up. "No, Asuka, that is not all."
She stood in front of him with arms crossed on her chest. "You
have to be quick about this. I have to get in the house, you know."
Duo, I wish you'd tell me that-
"I like you, Asuka-chan, and I hate seeing you cry like that
because you are the only person who brightens up my day and to see you so
down like that, I feel so sad, too." There. I've said it. Wow.
Asuka was mute for several moments. She couldn't believe what she
just heard! She was savoring all the words that Duo used in those
sentences. It's like a dream... Maybe I should pinch myself. She did.
"Yeesh. That hurt," she said to herself. "This is real, Duo, isn't it?"
"Yes, Asuka. And I mean every word that I spoke." Duo was
standing close to her. He was so close to her that he could smell her
fragrance. He was standing so close that he could see the light in her
eyes. Did that mean that she was okay with that?
He took her hand. She didn't pull it away. He squeezed her hand.
She squeezed his hand in return.
She looked up at him squarely and told him, "You better be telling
me the truth or I am going to regret what I am going to say to you!"
Duo took her hand to his lips and kissed it reverently. "How on
earth could I be lying to you about that? Even a guy like me has serious
moments, you know." They smiled at each other.
"I like you, too, Duo," she shyly told him. For the first time,
Asuka actually felt timid. And I swear that I don't want us to be like
Kaji and Misato! Even if I followed their advice, I have no plans of
becoming like that.
Duo held her tight against him. They spoke no words after that.
That was until Penpen made his appearance. They giggled. Apparently, he
wants to be fed his dinner so they went inside the house to save the
penguin from his hunger.
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