Chapter 2
A stack of reference books titled dangerously on the cluttered desk in the room she was opted to stay for three weeks. Maki eyed them wearily before shuffling them around; it had been a long day and she really didn't want to work on her summer report so soon. There was still time, and just the thought of looking at those tiny front made her eyes hurt.
Maki rubbed at them for a good measure before pulling a stack of papers toward her. Maybe she should just finish her economics report tonight…She had already finished analyzing half of the book's content and would be able to go through the other half in one hour's time. Numbers and words almost blurred together as she squinted her eyes on the pages, with fingers tracing line by line.
The gentle sounds of the clock ticking filled the silent room, alongside the crashing of the ocean outside. The guest room Maki was staying in had the best view in the whole house, as Hanayo said and undeniably, she'd to agree as well.
The walls of the room were a little golden, and the cream colored curtains draped on the Spanish style wood windows were almost blending with the walls; the furnishings were instead made from mangrove wood, with a pair of sliding glass doors connecting a teak board deck outside. Maki felt herself nodding in approval when Hanayo showed her the room. The double bed was obviously was very soft and when she tried turning on the lights, the flame maple wood floor looked like it was glowing.
It didn't look like a home…it was more like a resort. The other rooms also had the same theme.
When asked about it, however, Hanayo only smiled and said that this house was in possession of her relatives. Apparently the family had gone overseas for some private business and won't be back for quite a while. Hanayo also agreed to help take care of their daughter and in addition, she will be able to stay in this house and even invite her friends to come over during the summer holidays. The only conclusion Maki could make after hearing this was that her relatives were quite loaded, to say the least.
"…I shouldn't be thinking of these right now." Maki muttered. Putting down her pen, she slapped herself on the cheeks twice before focusing her attention on the paper solely in front of her.
A few minutes then passed. When her sight grew even more blurred, to the point of seeing the fronts jumbled together, Maki threw the papers down onto the table and reached for her red duffel bag that was just beside her leg. She grabbed her black-framed glasses that was encased in a leather case and pushed them to the bridge of her nose. The fronts grew clearer. Her sleepiness subsided.
"Alright."
Maki was about hook another reference book with her finger when she heard the sound of a baby crying.
Crying, actually, was too tepid a word. Hanayo's niece, a ten months old baby girl, was practically screaming, her small lungs clearly getting a serious workout. And if Maki remembered correctly, the baby room was right next to her room, separated by just a thin wall.
The redhead couldn't help but cringe a bit in her seat, her heart nearly jumping out of her chest at the shrill wailing. She didn't even notice the wood grain door opening through the high-pitched howling.
"Maki-chan."
Rin stood in the doorway looking positively apologetic. She was still in her yellow hoodie and knee-length khaki pants from this morning.
"Sorry, Mei-chan's been really finicky without her parents around." Rin let out a nervous laugh, ruffling her carroty hair as she started to walk into the room. "But Kayo-chin's taking care of her right now, so it should be alright. Are you hungry, Maki-chan?"
Mei-chan, namely Meiko Koizumi and Hanayo's niece, was the baby currently brawling over their ears. Maki had only found out about her existence this morning when she entered the living room of this house with her luggage.
No words could describe her surprise – and shock – as she locked eyes with a chubby baby only in her diapers who sat in the middle of the room surrounded by numerous toys. For an instant Maki gravely wondered if she had gone in the wrong house. Despite spotting a glowing Hanayo with a pampered smile on her face behind the small brat.
"I'm fine." Maki replied. She spun around to look at Rin and adjusted her glasses. "Though, I do want to take a shower first before we eat, or go to the event you two were mentioning about."
"Ah, right, right." Grinning, Rin walked to the table she was working her reports on and glanced at the papers cluttered on top of it. A look of admiration and slight disbelief spread across her face at the mind-blogging sight. "But, I sure am impressed, Maki-chan. It's only the first week of summer vacation and you have already started to work on the reports nya!"
Maki sighed before standing up. "I don't like doing things at the last minute." She unzipped her suitcase that was resting on the guest bed and fumbled through its contents. She took out a small plastic pack containing her toothbrush and toothpaste, a folded towel, and then debated on what she should wear for the rest of the day.
The weather in this town was scorching hot when it is daytime, although it would be the complete opposite when nighttime falls. Moreover, Maki actually overhead about some event called the Bonfire being held tonight at the beach while walking on the narrow boardwalk. It sounded like a seasonal event highly anticipated by the local folks here. Maybe she should go for the casual look.
"By the way, I rarely see you wear glasses even when we are in college, Maki-chan!" Rin spoke up cheerily after a few moments of silence between them; she was now leaning nonchalantly against the edge of the table with her hands stuffed into pockets.
"Well, I do see better in these, undeniably." Maki mumbled, somehow absentmindedly as she continued to arrange her belongings in a neat pile. It was true; she had a preference to wear contact lenses over glasses, but the ones she usually wore were dried up and could not be used further.
She could always buy a new pair, but Maki remained busy throughout the few first days before coming here with the frequent attendance of social gatherings alongside her parents. So there wasn't much time to.
"I see…But they look good on you, Maki-chan! Rin is impressed!" And then there was that bright, feline grin again.
"Of course they do." Maki replied, without even a moment's of hesitation.
If there was one thing she had confidence in rather than her intellectual mind and grades, it'd be her appearance. She gathered all of her personal belongings in one arm before glancing at her wristwatch. It was 3.25pm.
It'd been ten minutes since Rin came in, and the baby was still going full blast. "Well, run along, Rin. I think Hanayo might need some help by now." She gestured towards the hallway with her chin, where the noise was deafening.
Rin looked sorry for a moment, but immediately straightened and did a salute. "Aye-aye, madam!"
The orange-haired girl flashed another grin at Maki, who mouthed 'go' before starting down the hallway, humming to herself. A moment after Rin went into the pink and white baby room; she heard the door click shut.
When the crying quieted down a few minutes later, it was only then Maki could go into the bathroom to take her relaxing baths.
Nico Yazawa grunted as she juggled the plastic bags in her hands before jamming the key in the lock of her apartment. She had stopped by the grocery store just a few miles away from the café after completing her orders for the day and closing up. Since she knew food was lacking in her kitchen, these mornings' breakfast was pathetically sad and she wanted something richer than oatmeal again for dinner.
The Bonfire event tonight also didn't help much since orders for confection only kept piling up since about a week ago in preparations. Although her business did flourished…
"Maybe I should stop taking orders after the Bonfire is over and rest for a bit." Nico mumbled to herself.
The wood grain swung open and she walked inside, kicking it shut once she was through the entrance. Nico staggered towards the kitchen in the dimness and set the bags on the counter edge. Recipes and cook books were spread out on the counter messily and had remained that way for the past few weeks.
About dinner…She could always order something in from the boardwalk nearby, but that would've been a waste of money. Moreover, she wanted to cook something else after the whole morning of baking cakes and scones. Nico stumbled slightly through the darkness, still not having to memorize the room's layout, and switched on the lights.
Nevertheless, this town wasn't as convenient as what Tokyo could be. All the walking to the grocery store from the café and then back home had her work up quite a sweat. Nico was about to go to the bathroom until she felt something hairy brush against her leg.
Looking down, she saw her siblings' furry pet cat rubbing its orange fur against her leg. A small smile broke across Nico's lips when she crouched down and scratched the cat's chin. With its eyes closed in contentment, she could even feel the slight vibration from the cat's throat as it continued to purr.
"Alright, I have to go take a bath now. Will play with you later, Gozer." She gave the cat one last pat on its head before standing up and heading to the bathroom stall.
Gozer opened its eyes the moment her hands disappeared, meowing in protest as Nico continued to walk away in a hum. The black-haired staff didn't pay much attention to the feline cat though. This cat had been spoiled rotten by her three siblings, who constantly showered the orange Tabby with endless attention and love before they left for a trip with their mother.
In all honesty, she was supposed to go with them too, but…
"There was Gozer, mom's café and the annual Bonfire which everyone wanted to make orders for."
Tugging off her ribbons, Nico ran her fingers through her hair in attempt of soothing them. Her heart then ached slightly at the thought of her family now having fun at the southern islands without her.
Were her siblings behaving well? Were Cocoa and Cotaro listening to their mother? Nico hoped her mother would remember to take her medicine even without her being there to remind her.
Maybe she should give them a call later?
"…No, I would probably just ruin their fun by calling anyway." The black-haired girl was mumbling to herself as she peeled her clothes from her sweaty body. She then stepped into the bathroom stall and turned on the knob. Heat steam began to rise while hot water rinsed through her petite body, prompting Nico to heave a satisfied sigh.
The relaxing water eased off her muscle aches and pains from working the whole morning, as she scrubbed off all the dirt from the body with soap.
Their father left them a long time ago and all the burdens had fallen onto their mother's shoulders. While the single mother devoted herself into working for her family's sake and had mostly left the care taking of the three siblings to her, Nico never once whined or complained.
She knew of the sacrifices and trouble their mother had to make and go through for them. That's why Nico loved and respected her mother, even now. Her three siblings also needed emotional support and parental love for being so young. She was used to being alone. She was the eldest daughter. That's why she was used to this.
She had to.
The water blurred her sight with droplets when Nico finished rinsed her hair thoroughly. She reached for the shampoo and squeezed its content into her palm, rubbing the smooth substance against her two hands.
It was fine, after all.
Nico let out a low 'hmph' as she ran a hand through her jet black hair and lathered some shampoo on it. A strawberry fragrance then filled the bathroom stall, followed by her soft whisper.
"I have already spent most of my life being alone."
And she will continue to.
The feather soft bed and fluffy white duvet of the guest bed made it almost impossible to get up once you throw yourself on it. Maki had been enjoying her nap after a refreshing bath, and so it was to be expected that she was more than annoyed at having her pleasant slumber disturbed at the sound of the bedroom door slamming open unceremoniously. This was made worse when it was followed immediately by an energetic voice crying excitedly, "Maki-chan~ We are going out to eat nyaa~!"
Grumbling, Maki turned over, having to temporarily forget that she was outside of home, and pulled the covers over her head. Though this somewhat helped in muffling the noisy cries of Rin, it did nothing to stop her approach.
"You are still asleep? Wakey-wakey, Maki-chan! It's time for dinner!"
To Maki's further irritation, the duvets above her were flung open, and she could feel a vein emerge from somewhere of her forehead in annoyance. A soft sigh came from the redhead as she opened her eyes and realized she was in a completely unfamiliar room. That's right. She was staying over at Hanayo's for the summer holidays. Slowly, Maki rose into a sitting position and rubbed her eyes.
"What time is it…?" She groaned, her mind still clouded from sleep. Maki stifled a yawn that was threatening to come and glanced around in search of a clock.
"It's nearly five in the evening. But wow, Maki-chan, you sure slept like a log! I tried calling you, like, five times and you still won't wake up!" The enthusiasm behind Rin's voice was kind of annoying right after Maki had just woken up. She was already in a fresh change of clothes and just looked raring to go, a complete opposite to Maki's now sluggish and dull appearance.
"Shut it." The redhead snapped sleepily. She then tried to untangle herself from the warm cocoon of white sheets that were twisted around her limbs, probably because she had been thrashing in her sleep. It was quiet for a few moments, except for the occasional rustling of sheets.
"…And, Maki-chan?" Rin's voice was slow, admiring, and dusted with the tiniest hint of embarrassment.
"What?"
"That's quite a sexy view, even for Rin." When Maki looked up, she saw a smirk forming on her friend's lopsided lips. Rin was staring at her with a grin akin to a perverted old man's.
Maki blinked. What on earth was this girl talking about? Slowly, she glanced down at herself and gaped in shock. Out of habit, and due to the unbearably hot weather in summer, she had gone to bed in nothing more than a black camisole and very, very short pants. Not counting the fact that one thin strap had taken the liberty of slipping off her shoulder. Maki's face immediately burst into a huge hue of red.
"Wow, Rin has thought of it before, but the curves of your chest is really pretty, Maki-chan." The awe in her voice was apparent while Rin settled her gaze just a few inches below Maki's face.
The redhead's shock and terror doubled; she clutched onto the white duvets on the bed and started to tremble.
"Ah, that's right." Rin then continued onwards as if she remembered something else, completely unaware of Maki's fingers crawling to the pillow she'd been sleeping on, "The Bonfire won't start until 7pm, so we better go grab a snack or two before heading towards the event – "
The rest of her sentence remained unspoken when a pillow was flung onto Rin's face. The orange-haired girl's surprised grunt was muffled by the pillow as she took a step back at the force poured into it.
"…out…"
Downstairs, Hanayo was waiting for her two friends, her own phone pressed against her ear. Her adorable niece, Meiko, was instead strapped into her stroller, curiously eyeing her caretaker with two berry-colored orbs as the brunette continued to pace across the living room mat.
"Yes, and thank you for the cakes. They are as delicious as always." She smiled, pausing slightly when the other person on the line huffed and replied. "Oh, and we are going to the event tonight, but there's also another friend we invited…You met her already?"
The surprise in Hanayo's voice seemed to provoke the small baby's curiosity even further, as she started to squirm uncomfortably in her navy blue stroller. The brunette, having to notice this even though her own eyes were full of shock and slight confusion, turned quickly to attend to the baby. With the phone still clamped to her ear, Hanayo reached her unoccupied hand to the young toddler and grasped her chubby, milky-smooth fingers. Satisfied by the gesture, Meiko stopped squirming and giggled.
The adult herself could not help but smile along. Although Meiko was sometimes incredibly needy and finicky, Hanayo still loved her little niece to bits. She continued to play with the baby's fingers, speaking, "No, Maki-chan hasn't mention anything even after she arrived…That's alright? Well, if you say so-"
"GET OUT!"
Hanayo almost dropped the phone in her hand at the thunderous shriek, which had all but blown the roof of the house. In shock, she glanced towards the stairs and bewilderedly wondered what was going on. Was that…Maki-chan's voice?
While she continued to remain both speechless and baffled, the person on the other line spoke up again, sounding alarmed. "Ah, no, no, it's nothing." Although saying that was more of a way to reassure herself rather than the person on the end of the line; Hanayo couldn't help but to be a bit concerned too. Maybe she should go check up on them after ending this phone call.
"Anyway, we are now preparing to go out and eat first, so let's meet up again later." The voice at the end of the line was not still convinced -obviously bothered by the scream- but Hanayo brushed it off meekly. "Everything's fine; you worry too much. Yes, good-bye and see you later, Nico-chan."
Meiko was staring at her when Hanayo closed her phone, innocent berry eyes radiating an air of confusion and puzzlement. She smiled at her, assumingly, and patted the baby on her head before turning to look at the stairs again. To her surprise, a giggling carrot-haired girl came bounding down the stairs afterwards, though her head sprouting a large stinging red bump.
"Is everything alright, Rin-chan?" Hanayo asked curiously. She looked at the red bump on Rin's head with a face of concern.
"Yup!" The girl sang, unfazed the slightest by her injury. Rin grinned again when Meiko moved in her stroller, squirming and reaching out for the orange-haired girl with chubby fingers. "It's just Maki is not so good with waking up after afternoon naps, after all!" She unstrapped the baby from the stroller and held her, muzzling Meiko's smooth baby cheeks affectionately, "Right, Mei-chan?"
Said baby laughed merrily as Rin continued to hold and nuzzle her, although not in the response of her question. Hanayo sighed but let out a broad smile at the scene in front of her. Caring for Meiko became especially easier when Rin came around; whether because it was of her lively personality or those goofy faces she would make at the baby whenever she was throwing a crying fit. In any costs, the brunette was grateful for having such a great best friend. She always had.
"Oh, and Maki-chan is still preparing, so we still have to wait for a bit longer nya."
Hanayo quietly nodded, debating whether to ask what was the strange leer on Rin's lips was about. Although her sixth sense warned her otherwise; the brunette kept her mouth shut and instead wondered what they should go out for a quick snack later.
A loud persistent knocking came from the door and Nico glared sorrowfully at it. She had been sitting comfortably on the couch, with phone in one hand, having to just finish a phone call with her junior and was about to try relax a bit when the annoying knocking sounded.
Nico wasn't expecting anyone today and she still had a few hours before she needed to leave and go back to the café. Narrowing her eyes pensively, she contemplated on whether to answer the door or not. Things had been hectic lately with all the baking orders and she had no interest in entertaining any sudden visitors for whatever reasons they came with when she finally was given the chance to rest. Deciding to ignore the visitors outside, she closed her eyes and leaned back onto the soft leather. They would get the clue that no one was in and leave soon, anyways.
However, when the knocking continued, it became evident that whoever outside wasn't going away in anytime soon. With an annoyed grumble, she pushed herself up from the couch and shooed Gozer from blocking her way to the door.
Nico flung the door open, ready to strangle the person if it was a salesman or someone trying to take a survey. Those pointless things irritated her to no end.
"Hello, Nico-chi~ Ready for the Bonfire tonight?"
Her eyes narrowed at the two women standing before her. Nico resisted her urge to slam the door in their face like how she did this morning and only let out a low sigh. How could she do that? Looking up again, she saw two familiar faces smiling at her and recomposed herself. Well, it wasn't like she was expecting them to come by…but still, to think that they actually came...
"Come in," She said dryly and stepped aside from the entrance.
To be continued...
