Imagine Dragons
Note: Chapter takes place during Chapter 8 of "SplitxEnd".
Imagine 2: Tiptoe
"Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher."
-Oprah Winfrey
Except for Koyomi, and perhaps my own mother, I never had a chance to have dinner with another girl. It's not like I didn't want to, but it was rather because I'm painfully shy around those who would dine with me. Pretty embarrassing, isn't it?
"Do you like her, Haruto?" Koyomi giggles, tying a frilly pink apron decorated with a black butterfly over my black hooded jacket. Honestly, why does she have something like this? Oh yeah, I bought it for her last month when we went shopping for groceries. Koyomi skips toward the pantry, leaving me alone with a couple of onions and chicken for dinner. Brilliant.
I force myself to smile when I see Yayoi enter the kitchen. From the look on her face, even she can agree that the apron is a bit too much. She looks a bit relaxed, but I can just tell from looking into her eyes that all is not right in her world.
"Hey," I say to her as she makes her way to the counter. "Are you sick?"
"Sort of..." she mumbles back, turning to look at me. She quickly looks away. "I'm just so worried. My best friend is stuck fighting off monsters while I'm here and...and...I just don't know what to do."
"First, you need to calm down," I gently cup her chin and turn her face so we are eye to eye once more. She looks so timid, like a rabbit in a dark forest. I lower the hand onto her shoulder to help soothe her nerves. "Koyomi, Wajima-san and I will be there to comfort you. You just need to keep your chin up and smile. Like this."
I push the corners of her mouth up into a smile. As I do so, I recall how my mother used to do this whenever I had troubles of my own. It's just so...comforting. But, despite the big smile on her face, I could tell she just isn't happy. She dioesn't deserve to be so sad all the time. What could I do to help her?
"Haruto," said Koyomi, tugging on my arm. "Could you help me out with the tonkatsu?"
"Fine, fine," I reply, going to my side of the kitchen, where a large slice of pork and a bowl full of panko bread crumbs wait to get my hands dirty. It's a good thing I wasn't wearing any rings...the last tme I tried cooking with them, Wajima nearly broke a tooth when he bit into that cake I made for his birthday.
I hear some sniffling and take a glance to see Yayoi chopping onions. Whether or not she's crying because of them, I didn't want to know.
0-0-0-0-0
Half an hour later, the four of us are seated for dinner. Well, technically Wajima, Yayoi and I are eating, and Koyomi is sitting at the side, filling our bowls with steamed rice whenever we ask. For some odd reason, Koyomi doesn't like to eat a lot. She just sits in the corner poking at a slice of tonkatsu, but I usually never see her eat. I should be glad that she had a bit of an appetite when we bumped into Yayoi days ago. Either that, or she was just being very polite.
"So," I begin, noticing how Yayoi is tearing deep into her meal. "What type of foods do you like?"
"Croquettes," is her answer. She pokes at some shredded cabbage with her chopsticks before adding, "I also like grilled fish and shio ramen."
"Ah, so you're one of those romantic types dreaming about sailing the deep blue seas..." I smile as I see Yayoi turn bright red. It's just so much fun to see her so riled up. "Don't worry, I'm not the one who blabs about a girl's fantasies."
Koyomi giggles at the joke as Yayoi continues to eat, still red. Wajima grunts a bit, but I can see that he's also trying his best not to laugh. Ah, what fun.
"Anyway," I continue. "About that person that you talk to online. What she like?"
"She was once a girl who worked under her aunt's bookstore, then somehow stumbled onto the mystery of the Kamen Riders in another world," Yayoi explains. "She published a copy of her adventures and it's become very popular. It's amazing how Kamen Riders can be so...universal."
"I see..." I look at the ring on my finger, remembering how I can become the figure known as Wizard. When Wiseman gave it to me, he only told me that I would become a "Magic user", but left it at that. Instead, I see myself as a man with a witch hat and black cloak, pointing his wand and creating magic. "So, what else have you two discussed?"
"Mostly just moral support and stuff," Yayoi seems a bit hesitant as she speaks. She starts eating once more, but it's obvious that she's trying to avoid some very painful parts of her past. I can't blame her—everyone has secrets. "I've told her that I'm not cut out for fighting on the front line, especially since that time where..."
"Where..." I repeat, hoping to get a response. Yayoi shakes her head and mutters, "Never mind." I sigh in my chair. I don't want to keep hearing her deny her past, but simultaneously I have to respect her privacy. She will tell when she's ready. I shouldn't rush her.
After that, dinner is quiet. Koyomi takes the dishes away to wash, and Wajima excuses himself to work on some gems. When Yayoi began to question the importance of the jewels, I told her that the jewels were going to become my new rings. I only had a basic set of rings that I use against the Phantoms thanks to the White Wizard, but without Wajima crafting new rings I wouldn't be able to fight back against stronger Phantoms. Yayoi just nods her head in understanding.
0-0-0-0-0
Some time later, Yayoi and I leave the antique shop for my motorcycle, shaped to resemble a ruby ring. I especially love looking at my reflection with the red glass at the front.
"She's called the Machine Winger," I tell Yayoi, handing her a helmet. "You know where Genaro lives, right?"
"He lived with his grandfather in a place called 'Kisaragi Motors'." Yayoi answers, pulling a piece of paper from her pocket. "Gentaro's grandfather used to be in a few motorcycle races in his youth; that's how Gentaro was able to ride one."
"Really now? Did Gentaro have a name for his motorcycle?"
"It was called the Massiguler. It was even in the shape of of a rocket...or at least, that's what I heard."
"Cool." I already prepare my helmet and sit down on my motorcycle. Yayoi stands there, looking as if she's afraid that she would get hurt if she rode with me...or rather she's probably not used to riding motorcycles with boys before. I'm beginning to wonder whether or not she's even kissed a guy in her life.
"Are you coming or not?" I ask. That seems to do the trick. She's already adjusting the helmet and sitting behind me. "Just wrap your arms around me if you get scared, all right?" I decide not to mention that I'm ticklish around the stomach. "Also, you don't mind if I go a bit fast, do you?"
"As long as we get to Kisaragi Motors, I don't care if you go 88 miles per hour," Yayoi answers, sounding more determined than shy. "Let's go."
I nod my head and smile. Fueling mana into the Machine Winger, I hear its engine roar as we speed off to our destination.