Authors Note: Don't forget- italics are used when someone mouths something and doesn't actually say it aloud. Or, the usual, when someone stresses the word.

"Suzuki?" he asked.

I groaned inwardly. He just made it all the harder by being nice. All the harder to hate him, that is.

Now, you probably wonder why I hate this guy so much, if he's being such a Mr. Nice Guy. Well, let's look at it this way:

My parents ditched me after I became mute; leaving me some 19 year old dude that I barely knew to take care of me like a permanent babysitter.

Get it? No? You'll see.

I reluctantly cracked my door open a tiny bit, and poked my head through.

"What?" I mouthed irritably.

"Ahh...err..." he stammered. Maybe he was taken aback by my poisonous expression, I don't know. To tell you the truth, I wasn't in a very good mood right now. And that was an understatement. That was like saying the sun was warm.

I raised my eyebrows, starting to think this was a waste of time.

"Dinner." He managed to blurt out. I think he blushed too.

Dang. It was a really cute face too. It took all of me to not open the door fully and say I was really sorry. But, some part of me wanted to keep going like this. I had done this charade for a week. Being in my room all the time, being grumpy when I was with him, making life pretty darn hard. Why, you ask? Hmmm...Well...

Kanata-kun upset and frustrated= quit job= parents have to come back= happy me.

Well, I didn't think it out all that much. My mind just quickly calculated it, and I followed without having a chance to think. But, there were times, times like this, when my heart argued. I felt guilty, and sorry for him.

Yet, I just couldn't stop. It was like when you first opened that bag of candy- you couldn't stop until you finished it. Okay, maybe that's a bad example considering the fact that I didn't want to do this. Maybe, it's like when you bowl. The ball won't stop until it reaches the end, and hits the pins. I wouldn't allow myself to stop something that I had started until I reached my goal. That was supposed to be a good thing, people said. Guess they never thought of a case like this.

"Oh." I paused after a moment of thought. "You want me to make it?"

This I mouthed without any peevishness. I actually loved to cook. That made it quite impossible for me to be annoyed at him whenever I had to make dinner. I was one of those housewife types of people- the one that cooked and cleaned and took care of the children. Not that I wanted to be that. It's just coincidence that I like the same things. My dad thought otherwise. He thought that I was pretty much useless, always having someone by my side no matter what the situation. Ah, but that's another story we'll get to later.

That made it quite impossible for me to be annoyed at him whenever I had to make dinner.

"No, I made it tonight. You always seem upset...I thought it might cheer you up with a break from all that work." He said with a hopeful smile.

So, here was that two-mixed-emotions-going-at-war-with-each-other thing again. One made me want to do that annoyed face again- for real this time. Yes, I mean it. I really do love to cook. The other one wanted me to be grateful and happy, and give in to that unfairly cute smile.

I think I settle for in-between those two.

"Oh. Thanks...I guess." I opened the door fully, and brushed past him. I felt him following me wordlessly. When I got to the dining table, my jaw dropped.

My type of dinner was something usual like rice and chicken. My food was typical, made in some sort of bento box. My decors were...well I didn't even bother to do decorations.

Apparently he thought differently.

His type of dinner was like a fancy restaurant- filet, steak, the kind of nice, yummy rice that was only used in formal occasion etc. His food was extraordinary, no doubt that it was imported from some exotic, rich country. His decors were...well...amazing! My god, is that a freaking candle? I swear if he wasn't an actor, he would've made a fortune in restaurant business. And, I knew fancy restaurants. My family almost ate every night out at one- probably why my cooking was so plain- due to my father's ridiculous income.

And so, I just stood there like an idiot, not able to say a word...literally.

"Umm...too much? I barely cook so whenever I do, I like to take my time with things." He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. I turned around to him and mouthed,

"No, no. It's wonderful! Much better than anything I'd ever do-"

Then, I reminded myself of my goal. Okay, time to get myself back on track.

I stopped to collect myself, making sure I had control of every part of my body.

But, I didn't talk back quickly enough. Before I could get my mind fully changed, he broke into a real smile and said quite happily,

"Really? Thanks." He seemed relieved.

I whipped back around to the beautiful dinner before my mouth could betray me anymore. I sat down in my seat and looked hungrily over the food.

"I thought we could have an American dinner today. Your dad told me you lived in America for some of your life?" he asked.

The question was normal enough, yet strained.

I just nodded. I preferred not to talk...well mouth things these days. It only reminded me of that week.

"Oh. How long?"

"5 years. I can speak English as well as I can speak Japanese now."

"Cool..."

The dinner continued in this awkward manner. The food was excellent, but the conversation was....ehhh....well it was normal, but tension rose high in the air.

Well, then he asked about that and the tension just kind of exploded everywhere a million pieces.

I didn't answer this time. I just stared at my plate and huffed in anger.

"Oh. Gomen...it's still a touchy subject." He said quickly.

I didn't look up.

He sighed.

"Why do you hate me like this, Aiko-kun?"

I just glared straight at him, scribbled a note, and stormed out of the room.

KANATA'S POV

I groaned in frustration. What was I doing wrong? Okay, maybe I shouldn't have asked that question, but she didn't have to leave like that!

I got up, picked up the note, and left the plates stacked on the table. Luckily, Aiko-kun still did a lot of the housework around here. It didn't seem to bother her.

But, really? Was I so bad compared to doing chores around the house all day? Apparently.

I opened the up the note that I had unwillingly crumbled in my hand.

I want my parents BACK.

Don't worry, it'll get more interesting. I just need to do all that introduction stuff first. :)