Ein turned the shower on and adjusted the temperature before stepping in. He stepped inside and let the water pour down, the drops slowly made their way from his hair to his body and his perfect abs. The sensation of the steamy hot water made his mind wandered off as if he was standing under a waterfall. He looked to the floor looking at the water sliding down from his feet and down into the drain. He was thinking about their kiss. The kiss that was never mentioned again after that day.
If you only knew, how I feel about you Hitomi... Ein sighed at his thought. Once he finished, he shut off the shower, grabbed a thick towel to dry himself off and then wrapped it around his waist.
There was a knock at the door. When he opened the door to his bedroom, Hitomi immediately blushed at the sight of half-naked Ein. His wet hair was still dripping on his perfect toned muscular body that would make any woman weak at the sight. Even the smell of soap made her fall into a fantasy. She wanted to touch his body, had him to drag her inside his room and be thrown on the bed by him. She wanted Ein on top of her, she wanted to taste him again, and this time not just his lips but with everything he could offer.
"Hitomi, what is it?"
Ein's voice snapped her out of her little imagination. She cleared her throat first."Carla called, she and a few others invited us out for dinner. I thought I'd ask you first before I give her any answer."
"Yeah, sure. Let me just put some clothes on, then I'm ready to go." He smiled.
...
It was a Friday night and the town were crowded with people. The weather was chilly since it was in the middle of the fall season. Hitomi and Ein walked side by side on the way to meet their friends and since they were out for a little fancy dinner, Hitomi decided to dress up a little. It was not often that she got to do that because usually she was more into her sporty laid-back clothing on daily basis. However, she was still a girl and it was one of those nights where Hitomi enjoyed dressing up and had more fun with clothes and make up.
During their walk, Ein was looking sideways now and then somewhat cautious. He had been feeling uneasy ever since they arrived in town, he felt as if someone was watching him. He had his guard up automatically without knowing why and he couldn't focus on what Hitomi was talking about since his eyes and mind kept focusing on everything around him. He abruptly stopped in his track without any warning making Hitomi walked ahead talking to herself.
Hitomi eventually noticed that Ein was no longer next to her.
"Uh, Ein?" Hitomi frowned. She turned around and saw Ein standing still like a statue staring at the top of a building as if he had seen a ghost.
"Hello? Anyone home?" Hitomi waved her hand trying to catch his attention.
Ein was sure that someone was standing up there looking at him, even though there was no one there the minute he looked up.
Was he paranoid?
He finally turned his attention to Hitomi who tried to look in the same direction.
"What were you looking at?" She asked in a strange tone.
"Nothing… I was imagining things, sorry about that." He wasn't sure how to put it either.
Soon after, the pair joined their friends at a restaurant.
Around the table, there was Carla, Hitomi's best friend, her boyfriend Kurt and two other girls from Hitomi's school, Heidi and Anne-Marie.
"Hi guys," Hitomi greeted with a wide smile as she and Ein took their seats.
Hitomi noticed the girls checking Ein out a little. Most of Hitomi's friends thought that Ein was hot and how they envied her who got to be around him every day. Multiple girls had asked him on dates, but Ein had never really responded much to the attention. He had a soft spot for Hitomi and she was the only girl he had his eyes on.
"Glad you could make it Ein, at least this time I won't be the only guy stuck listening to these girls all night long, no offence girls." Kurt said sarcastically.
Ein only let out a small chuckle at that.
The girls had their eyes rolled at his silly complain.
On the opposite side of the restaurant…
"There's no mistaken that it's him." A deep male voice said.
"Too many similarities to be mistaken indeed, but who is he with? and what should we do now?" A female voice then responded.
"Let's not draw any attention to our presence since he's with a group of people, we will find another way to approach him when he is alone."
…
During dinner, a casual conversation started.
"So, what's going on with you and that guy from school?" Heidi bluntly asked Hitomi.
"You mean, Jacky?"
"Yeah, there's a rumor going that you two are dating?" Anne-Marie joined in.
"What? then why am I the last one to know if that is true?" Hitomi got slightly annoyed. "I hang out with him now and then but I wouldn't call it dating seriously, is that what he has been telling people?"
Ein pretended as if the conversation didn't bother him, but it did. He wouldn't blame Hitomi if she was dating because that's what girls her age does, but his feelings towards her however had developed during his time there and he had been trying his best to hide them due to his complicated situation. But deep down, he didn't really want anyone else to be with Hitomi either.
"I guess that confirms the rumor is false then." Carla replied.
"Why would Hitomi even date that jerk? He's nothing but a troublemaker." Kurt joined the conversation, and then turned his attention to Ein. "So, what's up with you two then?"
"What do you mean?" Ein wasn't sure what the question implied.
Here we go... Hitomi rolled her eyes. Her friends were at the subject again trying to embarrass her. She knew how they could be blunt, and they meant well but sometimes they annoy her like that.
"Do you expect us to believe that you two are just friends? Nobody lives together for that long and just stay friends." Kurt continued.
Carla jumped in, disagreeing with her boyfriend. "So, you think that a girl and a boy can't be friends? It's possible you know."
"Sorry to disappoint you but in this case, we are just friends." Ein simply replied.
"Why all the sudden curiosity about my personal life guys? Can we talk about something else?" Hitomi quickly trying to change the uncomfortable subject. Ein was sitting on the opposite side of the table facing Hitomi. While everybody else kept on talking, the two locked eyes awkwardly.
Hitomi had been having these feelings for him, feelings that she couldn't quite explain, the feeling of wanting to be with Ein more than just friends. But as much as she wanted it to be more, it was hopeless.
After dinner, the group decided to continue their night elsewhere. They decided to go to a club for more fun. Ein was not much of a drinker but decided to drink a few beers. He had high tolerance of alcohol, two beers were like drinking water for someone like him. He went to the bar to order more. Heidi followed right after and she was standing closely to him.
Hitomi stared in their direction, and it bothered her that Heidi had been trying to flirt with Ein most of the night. She was saying something to him, and he responded with a small cute laugh. Jealousy crawled inside Hitomi's heart. She knew that Ein was available but still, she got jealous every time girls approached him that way.
Kurt was already on the dance floor with Anne-Marie, but Carla didn't want to join them just yet. She noticed Hitomi staring in the direction of where Ein was.
"Are you sure that you're not into Ein?"
"Are we at that again? He made it clear that we are just friends, didn't he?"
"Come on, Hitomi. How long have you and I been friends? you can't fool me you know. I could tell the way he was looking at you during dinner and that guy likes you A LOT that's for sure."
"Honestly, I don't know. It's too complicated after that kiss he and I had..."
"YOU KISSED! When? Where?" Carla shouted almost spilling her drink.
"Carla! Keep your voice down… and yes we kissed once, long ago...it doesn't matter anymore." Hitomi sighed.
"Alright, I'll leave you alone about it for tonight, but I think you and Ein would make a cute couple though."
Hitomi looked at Ein, then back at Carla. She responded with a vague smile not bothering to make a big deal out of it. Not that she disagreed either.
Kurt appeared and wrapped his arms around Ein and Heidi and then dragged them to the dance floor. "Let's dance!" He shouted in their ears.
Hitomi giggled when Ein mouthed, "Help…" to her from distance.
As Carla was talking away, Hitomi couldn't pay attention since her eyes were locked on Ein at the dancefloor. The girls were dancing too close to him and Heidi was wrapping her arms around his neck. Ein didn't seem to mind either. Hitomi felt annoyed at the sight but she couldn't be mad at Heidi since Ein was not hers to claim, he was free to have fun with whoever he wanted. On the other hand, maybe she was just overreacting out of jealousy.
"I need more of this..." Hitomi sighed referring to the drink and rose towards the bar for more.
Once Hitomi reached the bar…
"Hi there, beautiful." A deep voice approached her. The stranger studied Hitomi's figure. She greeted back to be polite since the man seemed drunk.
"Can I buy you a drink?" He flirtatiously smiled.
"No thanks, I got it."
"Come on, a beautiful girl drinking alone, dance with me at least?" He didn't give up and this time he leaned closer.
"No thanks." Hitomi replied with a fake yet pleasant enough smile.
Ein was watching from the distance. He felt like walking over and punch the fool's light out, but he couldn't, as that would have just made him look like a jealous boyfriend. Plus, Hitomi could handle herself he thought. The guy eventually left Hitomi alone and she was sitting alone at the bar since Kurt had managed to pull Carla to the dance floor as well. Ein sneaked out from the group and made his way over to Hitomi.
"Having fun?" She asked with a smile as he approached her.
"I'm not much of a dancing type anyway. I'm glad Carla joined Kurt, so I could make an escape."
Hitomi chuckled at his response. "Well, I'm glad you're having fun."
"And you're not?" He asked.
Hitomi leaned one of her elbow on the bar table and then sliding her fingers through her light brown hair followed with a sigh. "I am, maybe not as much as they are..." referring to her friends that were dancing happily on the dancefloor.
He stared at her for a moment. He made it obvious this time and it made Hitomi wonder why he was staring.
"What?"
"Nothing..."
"Tell me, what is it?"
"I just think, you look beautiful tonight." He replied a little shy.
Hitomi couldn't help but smile in flattery when his words crawled warmly into her heart, and good thing that she wore make up or otherwise he would have noticed the giant pinky blush on her face.
"Are you ready to go home?" Ein then asked.
Hitomi nodded.
They said goodbye to their friends and went out into a chilly night. The two began making their way home. A few minutes into their walk, a stranger suddenly bumped into Ein. He stumbled a few steps back.
"Hey, watch where you're going." Hitomi blurted in slight annoyance.
"I'm sorry." The stranger apologized, slightly bowed his head and kept on walking.
As the man passed by Ein, their eyes met and locked intensely almost in a slow motion. Ein didn't move a muscle but to stare hard at the man. He couldn't shake the strange feeling of something familiar about him, the same uneasy feeling he had felt earlier that night. He turned around to look at the stranger once again out of curiosity, but he was nowhere in sight, as if he had disappeared into thin air.
What was that just now? He wondered strangely.
…
"He didn't seem to know who I was, and you may be right about his memory loss."
"Well, I guess we have a lot of work ahead of us." A female responded.
They mysterious pair stood on top of a building, watching Ein and Hitomi making their way out of the crowd.
…
They finally reached the house after a long night out. Hitomi's father was already asleep but he knew where the two were since they had left a message on the counter earlier that they were going out. Silently, they made their way to their rooms.
"Good night, Ein." She softly whispered.
"Good night, Hitomi." He whispered back. But Ein watched her until she disappeared inside her room.
Sighing tiredly, Ein kicked off his boots and stripped the rest of his clothes once he entered his bedroom until his boxers were the only pair left on him. He then threw himself on the bed, exhausted after a long night. He turned his gaze towards the top of his dresser where the photo of him and Hitomi was placed in a picture frame. Hitomi's father had taken the photo of the two of them on his first day working at the dojo. He stared at it for a good while, thinking…
He was making a life in Germany, and did he really want to find out who he truly was? What if it was not a good life that he was living? What if he was a criminal?
Crazy thoughts flooded Ein's mind…he was thinking deep and hard about everything. He had even considered to start finding his own apartment and live his life as Ein, and maybe not having his memory returned was the best thing that could happen to him. What if there were no one waiting for him… no one that he could care about the way he cared about Hitomi. He couldn't imagine not having Hitomi in his life. What if his real life had no place for Hitomi, and would he have to choose then? He had been playing a what if game in his mind for a while.
