Chapter 4: A walk to remember
The air of autumn is light, crisp and laced with cinnamon taste, it may be the scent of brown leaves weaved into with the wafts of cinnamon coffee selling at Sudohbucks. As they walk down the path to the supermarket, they bickered endlessly about dinner, constantly overwriting each other's input for the menu. 'We should have Tonkatsu fillet every day! Long live meat!' Ryuuji heaved a long sigh, 'I have said this a thousand times, if I were to work only on alternate weekends we need to balance the grocery bills. Besides, it's not healthy to be having meat - OUCH!' Taiga's flying kick sets Ryuuji flying off the walkway. 'What was that for, I'm already your boyfriend and yet you're still kicking me!' Taiga's face flushed red as steam emanated from her head, 'Stop saying you're my boyfriend in public! Have you no shame, you perverted dog!'
What was meant as a joke escalated into a heated conflict, Ryuuji could not help but feel annoyed at Taiga's insensitivity yet he felt a clash between his ego and curiosity. Part of him really wants to find out why Taiga refuses to acknowledge their relationship in public, but his anger is compelling him to walk away from potential shame. Ego triumphs curiosity and he decides to simply walk away.
'Wait, where are you going? Hey, wait for me, Ryuuji!' Taiga's pattering footsteps can be heard from behind but he refuses to stop and turn around. Although he knows how difficult it would be for Taiga to keep up, but he really hope that the argument ends and they can have a proper discussion at home where Taiga's tendencies to flare up in anger is greatly reduced. But first, he would need to cool his head.
'Takasu-kun?'
Surprised by the contrasting mellow voice, Ryuuji looked up at the person who called out to him. Standing a meter ahead of him is his university classmate Rumi. 'What a coincidence, are you in town for some shopping?' Ryuuji took a minute before recovering from his reverie, and bowed his greetings in return before replying, 'Yes, I don't stay too far away so the town's grocer is only a fifteen minutes' walk away. 'Ah!' Ryuuji looked around half expecting Taiga's entrance since she had been following him, only to be surprised that it was his classmate's sharp voice. 'Your face, it's red and swollen. Could it be that you fell just minutes ago?' Ryuuji shifted awkwardly before going on to explain his injury, when his observant classmate made another note of surprise. Her glance fell beyond Ryuuji's standing point to somewhere behind him. Turning around, they came face to face with a fidgety Taiga.
'Ah, Taiga, you've finally appeared. I was wondering where you went to.' Taiga looked away defiantly as she wore a conflicted look. 'Takasu-kun, could this be your girlfriend?' Ryuuji swallowed hard, bracing himself for what was to come next. 'Yes! This is my girlfriend! Her name is Aisaka Taiga, please take care of us from now on!'
Whaaaaaat? Take care of us from now on! Talk about being polite! Ryuuji thought in panic, his outburst had surprised him completely, looking up at the two girls glowing in a shade of bright pink he knew that the embarrassment is not his alone. 'Who – who – who's your girlfriend! You perverted dog!' Taiga's retort raised the temperatures of the atmosphere once more, and Rumi looked from Ryuuji to Taiga continuously as she tried fervantly to understand the situation.
As for Ryuuji, he had been bracing himself for the embarrassment of the outburst only to have the winds knocked out of him by Taiga's outright rejection. 'What do you mean, how can you say! Ahhh, that's enough! You spoilt brat who has not once in your life consider other people's feelings, what would you know!'
Tears welled up in Taiga's eyes and Ryuuji felt a sting of regret in his weakened heart, he reached out to Taiga to offer comfort only to be punched into a semi-coma by the small, impactful tiger.
'BAKA RYUUJI! I never want to see you again.'
At that Ryuuji's nose started to bleed, whether it was from the physical injury from Taiga or the wounded hole in his heart, he could no longer fathom.
