Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put them in. Everything else belongs to somebody else which you should have figured out by now. No company in their right mind wants to be sued for the damage I have caused my readers after all. Thanks for reading and please continue to do so.
Youji's Big Mistake
Walking beside her brother Sakura didn't know whether to laugh of shake her head at her brother's behavior. Walking on her little brother's other side was Kazuki, the love of her brother's life though try telling him that. Sometimes she thought her brother was denser then Ginji when it came to romantic things. Then again, Kazuki wasn't that much better. Of course Kazuki could be aware of how things stood and just be fooling her. He was more then capable of pulling the wool over her eyes when he wanted to. She'd known since they were children that there was a special bond between her brother and his intended lord Kazuki. She'd watched that bond bloom and grow over the years, nothing managing to kill it though she thought in their own ways the two had tried to weaken the strength of that bond. The sort of bond neither had ever acknowledged as anything but that of brothers or best friends. And it was more then that and she couldn't believe otherwise. Now here they were, on their way back to the Limitless Fortress and they were barely speaking to each other. Not that she didn't know why of course. Oh her brother had given himself away in his few muttered comments about Kazuki's new friend. It didn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that her brother was madly jealous. Of course Kazuki had obviously not picked up on this because he'd seemed quite confused when they'd met up earlier by Jubbei's behavior. Not that her brother wasn't usually quiet but this was extreme, even for him.
"So, Sakura, how are the plans for your new garden coming?" Kazuki finally asked since Jubbei didn't seem to want to talk to him today. He wished he knew what he'd done to upset his friend but Jubbei had simply answered with his silence and shrugs.
"Well I have the plans drawn up but I'm still trying to figure out where to go to get the supplies." Sakura replied with a smile, pleased that he'd remembered her latest pet project. She and the others were constructing a playground in the limitless fortress for the children and she'd decided that they should put in a small garden as well. The problem was money and how to get the supplies in there to do it.
"Well we're going past a flower shop and I know the guys who work there. We could ask them if they have any suggestions as to who to go to and what sort of prices to expect." Kazuki suggested, thinking that such a stop would increase the time he got to spend with Jubbei. Maybe if he had enough time he could get Jubbei to explain what was wrong.
Glancing over in Kazuki's direction Jubbei wondered why he'd thought that things couldn't get any worse. Now Kazuki was so eager to see his "friend" that he wanted to go visit him now, rather then spend time with him, his so called best friend. There had been a time when he'd been all the company Kazuki had needed, Jubbei thought depressingly, giving off definite unhappy vibes that anyone who really knew him would have noticed. Those days had obviously passed.
Elbowing her brother sharply Sakura didn't know what she was going to do with him. But, it would be helpful if she got a look at her brother's competition, if he was competition at all. Her brother could have misunderstood after all. It wouldn't be the first time. "That sounds like a great idea."
"Jubbei?" Kazuki said hesitantly, having noticed right away that something was now really wrong with his friend. "Are you okay? Did the doctors give you something? Does your stomach hurt?" Babbling almost as he tried to come up with questions to ask that might relate to the really unhappy vibes Jubbei was giving off.
"I'm fine, go ahead." Jubbei said with a shrug. "Just drop me off on some bench and I'll wait for you two." He wasn't going with them though, hell no. He had no intention of watching Kazuki forget all about him because that younger, whole version of himself was there.
"We will not." Kazuki exclaimed in surprise, wrapping his arm around Jubbei's in a firm grip. "I'm not going to leave you if you aren't feeling well. We don't need to see him now, it was just a suggestion, Jubbei. You're far more important."
Brightening slightly at Jubbei's words he began to feel a touch of guilt. Kazuki did sound really concerned and what sort of a friend would he be if he played sick just because he was afraid of losing his number one place in Kazuki's heart. He wouldn't be worthy to call himself Kazuki's best friend, that was for sure. Straightening Jubbei forced his face into one of calm serenity. "I feel okay now, it was just some temporary glitch I suppose. Lets go see this shop if you two want. I'm fine."
With Kazuki watching him like a hawk the whole way there they finally arrived in front of the little flower shop. "Oh good, the girls haven't gotten out of school yet." Kazuki said with a relieved sigh.
"What are you talking about, Kazuki?" Sakura wanted to know, raising an eyebrow.
"Well you see, all four of the men who run the store are really good looking so more often then not the store is packed with girls who are they solely to stare at the guys and make passes at them. It drives poor Ran crazy." Kazuki said with a grin. "Omi and Ken handle it well enough though. Youji...well he just eats it up with a spoon but then again he's quite the Casanova apparently."
"You mean these girls just crowd into the store, blocking people who are actually there to try and buy something? Don't these girls have any common sense or morals? In my day we didn't act like brainless twits, chasing boys like they were stray sheep." Sakura said with a shake of her head, her opinion of the whole thing clear. In Sakura's world a girl was always a lady and never chased the men. It was the man's job to chase them after all. It was just the way these things were supposed to go.
Biting his lip to keep from snickering Kazuki thought it best not to tell Sakura that she was somewhat out of date. That was mostly their faults though because they'd always scared away any of Sakura's would be suitors when the Volts had been in charge. Now she was always Mokabex and he doubted many men had seen her since. It was a real shame since she was quite beautiful, smart and quite simply a wonderful person. "Well...lets go in then." Each taking one of Jubbei's arms they headed across the street to where Aya was sweeping the front stoop. "Hello, Aya." Kazuki called out in greeting.
"Kazuki." Aya said with a wide smile, brushing a lock of light blue hair behind her ear. It was a beautiful day and now it was that much better with a new friend coming to visit. "Ken didn't say you were coming by with friends. How are you?"
"I'm fine. I didn't tell him we were dropping by, I didn't know I was dropping by for that matter." Kazuki said with a rueful smile on his face for Ran's little sister. "Oh and this is my best friend Jubbei and his older sister Sakura. This is Aya, she's Ran's younger sister."
Everyone saying hello Aya set the broom aside and led them into the store. "Guys, look who came to visit!" She called out since the store was empty except for a small group of elderly ladies looking at some potted plants. "And he brought his friends Sakura and Jubbei!"
"Hey, Kazuki!" Omi called out as he waved from the cash register. "How's it going?"
"Good so far. Hey, Ran. Busy today?" Kazuki said as he watched the very tall head of this operation look up from the paperwork he'd been filling out.
"We will be shortly when the plagues of locust descend upon us." Was his dry answer before nodding politely in Sakura's direction. He already knew Jubbei to be blind so there really wasn't a point now was there. "Ken and Youji are in the back, arguing over some shipment or another. They should be back shortly."
"Actually, you'd probably be the best person for Sakura to talk to." Kazuki thought out loud, giving Ran a considering look. "She was hoping to get some prices on gardening stuff so that she'll know what to look for and what she'll need. Unless you're busy."
"What sort of garden are you planning?" Ran asked, pushing the paperwork aside in lieu of an answer.
Letting her brother's arm go Sakura walked over to where he was and began to explain exactly what she was planning to do. He was very handsome, just like Kazuki had said. Omi was pretty cute as well. Lucky for her she'd been surrounded by some of the best looking guys in the country while she was growing up so physical beauty didn't faze her much. It was what was within that shell that was what could attract her attention. Going over the plans she got to thinking that Ran's personality was a lot like Shido's and instantly felt at ease.
While she did that Kazuki wandered with Jubbei, describing all the plants and what was around them. As always, Jubbei was comforted by the sound of Kazuki's voice and relaxed, paying attention only to his friends words as he tuned everything else out. That was until he heard a familiar voice call out Kazuki's name.
"Hey! No one told me you were here. Have you been waiting long?" Ken called out, pausing to send glares in Ran and Omi's directions before weaving his way to Kazuki's side. "And you brought Jubbei. Nice to see you again."
"We've only been here a couple minutes." Kazuki said with a smile while Jubbei gave Ken a stiff nod in lieu of a hello. "We brought Jubbei's sister Sakura with us so that she could talk to Ran about this garden she's planning."
"Oh?" Ken said in surprise before turning to take a better look at the girl he'd noticed talking to Ran when he'd come in. "She's very beautiful."
"She is." Jubbei agreed though he hadn't seen his sister's face for a while now. He could still picture her perfectly and had certainly fought off enough would be suitors to know that most men thought she was quite stunning in a quiet, elegant lady sort of way. She had, after all, been born into a fine and upstanding household before they'd had to flee to the Limitless Fortress with Kazuki.
"Uh oh, looks like Youji's back." Ken muttered under his breath, knowing his friend well enough to know exactly what Youji was going to do once he caught sight of the lovely Sakura. "How good is she at handling playboys?"
"Don't worry, Ken. Sakura will eat him alive." Kazuki assured him, watching Youji zero in one Sakura like she was a mouse and he the cat. "We taught her well. Prepare to be entertained."
"And who is this lovely flower that casts all out inferior ones to the rank of weeds in comparison? Shame on you, Ran, for keeping her all to yourself." Youji said smoothly as he slid over, taking the gorgeous brunette's hand in his before bringing it to his lips. "I'm Youji, it's my great pleasure to meet you, Miss?"
"Sakura." Was her reply, raising her eyebrow slightly. So this was the great Casanova Kazuki had mentioned, huh? Shido, her brother, Ban and their Emperor were all much more handsome though she supposed she could see why this one was popular with the female population. Provided that those girls weren't looking beyond the surface to see the playboy behind it all. She had no doubt he'd used those lines often enough to not even have to think about what he was saying. He practically had a sign above him saying 'I'm a Player Who Thinks I'm God's Gift to Women.' In other words she wouldn't touch him with a twenty foot pole. "Pleased to meet you." Nodding coolly Sakura turned her back on him and gave Ran her biggest, most gorgeous smile as she flicked off Youji's attention like a piece of lint. "You were saying, Ran?"
"I was saying that I could put a list together and give it to Kazuki later or e-mail it to you if you'd like. I don't have all the information you need on hand at the moment." Ran continued, just barely managing not to grin at the play of emotions crossing Youji's face. He doubted the blonde player had ever been dismissed by a member of the female sex quite so elegantly thorough.
"That would be wonderful. Are you sure it wouldn't be putting you out though? I wouldn't want to be a bother." Sakura asked, giving him a questioning look. "I could likely find it online if I knew where to look."
"If he needs any help I would be more then happy to assist him. After all, no gentleman would ever think about not helping a lady in need." Youji interjected smoothly, not about to give up just yet. Especially with his friends all watching with amusement, even Ran damn it. "I'd be more then happy to go over anything with you, say over dinner?"
"I wonder, Mr. Youji. Just how many girls, do you think, you've bothered with your tired old lines and easily seen through ploys?" Sakura asked politely, giving him her full attention for the first time. She was a former Volts member and had brought up countless other Volts being the closest thing to a mother many of them had ever had. And she had raised those boys to be fine gentlemen when it came to women whether they liked it or not. "Might I suggest that you go try them on some school girl without a lick of sense? I'm sure they'll give you the ego boost you're looking for, preying on their hearts and childish immaturity."
Put into a complete state of shock Youji was completely struck dumb at such a thorough put down/refusal.
"Nicely done." Ran murmured to Sakura, actually giving her a small smile of appreciation.
"You...you put her up to that?" Youji demanded as he pointed a finger in Ran's direction. That had to be it.
Slapping Youji's hand slightly Sakura gave him a disapproving look. "It's very rude to point. One would think someone as OLD as you would have learned that by now."
"Old?" Youji repeated, losing quite a bit color at the idea of being called something as terrible as old. Why hadn't she just called him an impotent sleaze bag while she was at it. "I'm only in my twenties!"
"So am I but you don't see me acting like a hormonal crazed idiot who doesn't have that manners to apologize when he interrupts a conversation, much less knows how to properly address a member of the opposite gender." Sakura returned, her eyes meeting his in a battle of wills she was obviously winning. "You didn't even bother to know a thing about me before you so casually asked me out to dinner. For all you know I could be married or involved with someone. All you know is that I have a pretty face and from that alone you just assumed I was your type. One would think you'd have learned by now to not be so obviously shallow."
"Oh she is good." Omi said with a chuckle as he watched Youji once again be reduced to dumb silence. "I don't think he's ever been shot down so brutally. Not to mention efficiently. It's like she knows just where to shove the knife and twist."
"That's our Sakura for you." Kazuki said with pride, lightly elbowing Jubbei in the side. "You should see the look on his face. He looks like she just threatened to castrate him."
"Which he might end up being if he doesn't leave her alone shortly." Was Jubbei's cool response. Blind or not he'd still find a way to pull it off even if it killed him. The only thing that had him staying where he was was the fact that he knew his sister would give him hell if he interfered. There were few things more terrible then having the person who took care of you pissed off at you. Burned food and unclean clothes would be in his future before he'd had time to argue in his own defense.
"Relax, she's fine." Kazuki assured Jubbei, even as Youji attempted to defend himself rather badly. Hard to be taken seriously when you're stuttering and reeling from shock, Kazuki thought in amusement tinged with a bit of sympathy. Sakura could be quite the handful without even raising a hand or even her voice. She was a force to be reckoned with.
"As twisted as he is he's probably going to keep hitting on her on the principle of the point that she's turning him down so completely." Omi said quietly, under his breath for Ken's ears only. Youji was Youji after all and he was bound to consider it a matter of honor to win Jubbei's sister over.
"No doubt." Ken had to agree. "Is she involved with someone?" He asked Kazuki, wondering if even that would stop Youji.
"Not exactly." Kazuki said with a rather mischievous look in his eye. "But unfortunately for your friend there Sakura has been mother, sister and friend to so many men through the years that if they catch wind of this you can bet they'll come in droves to finish him off. In the most extremely painful ways they can devise. You see in the Volts, our former gang, she was often the light and goodness in all that constant darkness. I don't think many of them even realized just how strong she really was, keeping many of us sane and human when the world was going to hell around us. If Youji thinks he can take her on he's in for one hell of a surprise."