Upon Edinburgh Cometh the Lights (2)
光降爱丁堡（二）
It was not so quiet in the evening as the house stood by one of the main streets, where there is an endless stream until late at night, and Lelouch apologised to Suzaku for this. The brunet kindly pointed out that Lelouch was not at fault for he was also a tenant but the landlord. Fortunately, Suzaku was not among proponents of the luxurious approach to resting: he had long forgone sleeping in a totally quiet environment ever since he joined the military. And it was apparent that Lelouch was more used to small noises at nights than Suzaku was for unknown reason.
Strictly speaking, neither of them was a reserved person, but Suzaku fought much harder against awkward silence for he was just a freshman here. Therefore, Lelouch was the one expected to come up with topics.
“What about your college life back in Japan?”
They started to discuss their most recent four years of life: late starts, sessions in the union with friends, learning about the subject they were either passion or disinclined about and all those late-night cramming sessions (especially of Suzaku)… And after all the fun of higher education came a slightly more terrifying prospect – looking for a job vacancy. They came to an agreement that the competition is fierce everywhere in the world, even for students from top universities with first class degrees and plenty of experience to boot like Lelouch.
“So you'll go back to Japan after graduation?”
“I think so. My girlfriend is waiting for me there.”
“That's a pity, I was expecting you to stay here and support us – just kiddin’.”
Suzaku knew well what Lelouch was mentioning about, and he couldn't help but wondered why Lelouch cast such trust in him now that he hadn’t claimed any belief into the God to Whom Lelouch held the absolute faith. He decided not to ask, though.
The following Welcome Week witnessed Suzaku's fanatic (though not totally out of his free will) catch of a substantial series of events planned for new students through a long distance added up by each separate commute. It drove him to the decision on a bike of his own. When Suzaku mentioned his intention to Lelouch, the raven-haired boy clearly got lost in his thought.
“What's on your mind?”
“Nothing. It just reminds me of my first own bike bought in my first year of college.”
“What does it like?”
“I knew you'd ask this question… See, it was a lovely one. A low racer, painted a bright red, with cold gleaming chromium-plated handle-bars…”
“Sounds like a lady's bike.”
The “lady's bike” owner doesn't seem willing to pick up the Asian's words. “It cost me thirty pounds fifty. Not too much, but still it took me almost three months to save that amount. I can't wait for any longer, and that's why… anyway…”
Suzaku couldn't help but cast out his doubt, “Why save the money on your own? Your family cannot afford to support you or…”
“They're simply too busy avoiding and denying their relationship with me.” Said Lelouch coldly, “I have never been encouraged by any senior of my family either by word or by practice.” What he didn't bother to mention was his relatives' vicious jeering at him for struggling in saving.
“Including your parents?”
“Especially them.” Putting the current topic to an end, Lelouch switched to his interest in Suzaku,
“What do you want a bike for, anyway?”
“I don't know,” Suzaku said, “Maybe I just missed the one I used to ride in my hometown. Besides, I really need one. I'd save that if I cycled… seven three pounds twenty on transport fares during commuting days.” – If Lelouch feels comfortable about his roommate sharing the same scrimping lifestyle as his. Suzaku wouldn't get surprised if Lelouch had a little penny-bank-book then and always sternly set his mind against the temptations that the peers whispered to him. And at last, he got his bike.
The other afternoon as Suzaku returned from the school campus he overtook Lelouch at the gate of their flat building. He jumped off his 20-inch white alloy frame bike he just got from his seniors as a good bargain, and walked with Lelouch towards the hallway.
“Ay, it's a nice,” said Lelouch, eyeing it up and down, “What did you say you paid for it?”
“Fifty pounds.” Suzaku lied. In fact, it was worth twice as he reported, but he just couldn't speak out the truth of the fact that Lelouch got a thirty-pound bike through three months' scrimping, while he got a far more expensive one without feeling crushed. One doesn't need to be a genius to figure out the unfairness from this.
“That's a good deal really.” Lelouch happily passed his hand over its shining mudguards, “I guess I need to steal some more rides on your bike.”
“You're absolutely welcome.” Suzaku couldn't be sincerer on his offer to Lelouch, still holding the bike with his hands.
“Seen that picture at Breeze?”
“Where is that?”
“Jenners, Princes St. Would be easier to transfer there on your bike.”
“Okay,” Suzaku said. “What time is on your mind?”
“Why not tonight? A feature film called Pathé Gazette is on the show. Wanna go there?” Lelouch smiled.
Their appointment turned out to be a scene where Suzaku was slumped down in his seat, his hands in his pockets, looking sideways to admire Lelouch's profile in the semi-darkness, failing to enjoy the film for wondering why not – exactly, soldiers marching and in naval reviews. Why NOT.
About the end of the film, Lelouch stood up first, “Sorry for inviting you to this plot. Seems that you don't enjoy all along.” Then stood Suzaku who was too nervous to explain what actually he had been “appreciating” thoroughly. At last, they said nothing as Suzaku rode Lelouch back to their house, sensing no speech sound but the even breathing of the one on the backseat of the white bike, indicating a fatigue of the one responsible for offering tonight's out.
It's not that boring, indeed. Suzaku suggested.
When they finally arrived the entrance, Suzaku realised himself already in a dilemma whether to call Lelouch back from his sleep. Fortunately, Lelouch was a light sleeper, easily awaken by the abrupt stop of a smoothing riding. He got off the bike, looked around and advised Suzaku to keep his bike elsewhere than the wash-house on the ground floor of the building. “If I were you, I'd put it in the garage. It would be safer there.” Lelouch made a long, confusing pause and then continued, “Only now safer.”
“Why?”
“Remember my first red bike? It cost me great, so to speak, to get it from a charity shop, but it had been in service for no more than one month by the time it became scrapped.” Almost murmuring, Lelouch's face turned bleak under the dim light of the nearest street lamp.
“Four guys, as I can remember, ran into the yard and approached the garage door behind which I kept my bike. When I came to the garage suffused with harsh arguments, all I could do was numbly staring at the twisted wheels and the broken red frame. Then one of my half-blood brothers showed up. He gave me one of the most derisive grins I had ever seen over the broken frame as if the idea I considered something belonging to me was just a boner.”
The first sentence occurred to Suzaku but dismissed by him upon Lelouch's gloomy look was - Why not try to get another one.
Clearly, nothing would ever be the same again.
TBC