(Ayame means Iris in Japanese)
I've got to admit, this is heavier than I thought it would be... Ayame groans to herself, then finally giving in, sitting down on a nearby bench. Peeking at the two full to bursting grocery bags, she sighs.
Maybe I should've accepted Ema's help, after all, She thinks to herself regretfully, but then shakes the thought off, as her sister had her hands full with making the cake. Plus, she was physically stronger, as she was in the soccer club in middle school- although she hadn't played the sport ever since.
She decides to take a short break, restoring her stamina. With nothing to do, she observes the passersby's of the Akamichi Shopping District in a bored manner, but then squints her eyes upon noticing a familiar face walking around the district.
...Iori?
She blinks in surprise at seeing the young boy, and peeks at the grocery bags calculatingly.
...Maybe I'll enlist his assistance. She thinks to herself, a small grin mixed with guilt and relief creeping up.
She decides to call out to him- though with somewhat cheeky intentions.
"Iori-kun!" She yells out, waving her hand at the lone boy. His head immediately jerks up in surprise, looking around his surroundings. He continues to search for the owner of the voice desperately, but to no avail, and wonders if it was just his imagination. Ayame chuckles at the sight, as he was uncharacteristically looking quite confused. Seeing as he was starting to walk away, she decides to call out to him again.
"Iori-kun, it's not your imagination! Come over here!" She yells out again, gaining some attention from nearby strangers, making her shrink back a little, feeling a bit embarrassed.
This time, Iori manages to find her, and smiles tenderly at his older sister. He crosses over the road carefully, and shortly arrives in front of her.
"Hello, Ayame nee-san." He greets with his princely smile, then noticing the two bulging bags of groceries that were resting at her feet. "...Shopping?" He inquires.
Ayame smiles at him warmly, "Yep, it's for Subaru's birthday cake."
"I see. Are you going to make it?" He asks out of curiosity. She shakes her head, and then sighs heavily. "Ema is. Truth is I'm just terrible at baking. The only thing that I can cook with confidence is Japanese."
"But at least you're good cooking, unlike majority of our brothers, who can't cook at all." He says comfortingly. Ayame laughs appreciatively, making Iori smile.
"True." She says, and then getting off the bench, "So, why are you here? Shopping?"
Iori nods and proceeds to explain. "I'm here to buy flowers for my teacher who's leaving for maternity leave next week. She's been kind to me ever since I was a first year, so I thought I'd at least get her a present. Though...to be honest, I'm not really sure on what flower would make a woman happy."
Ayame perks up from hearing the news, and offers her help. "How about I help? I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to flowers, but I can offer my help if it requires knowing the way to a woman's heartstrings."
He looks at her with a thankful smile, "Then, I'll take up on your invitation."
Ayame hums proudly, and just as she bends down to grab her bags, is stopped by Iori's kind hand.
She looks at him curiously; staring into his hazel eyes, but only receives his loving smile. She gulps nervously, as her weakness was his genuine smile that popped up once in awhile.
He slides off her grasp on the plastic shopping bag, smoothly replacing her hand with his. He picks up both of the bags effortlessly, impressing Ayame, who had quite the struggle with carrying the load. He then starts to walk off with the bags in hand, but then stops, looking back at Ayame expectantly.
"Ayame nee-san?" He says with a tender smile. Ayame nods, and walks towards him.
Though she did get what she wanted, she felt a little bad for only calling out to him for him to carry her bags.
Although he didn't particularly seem to be struggling, she decides to carry at least one of the bags.
After all, she was his older sister, and it was the elder's duty to be responsible.
She walks beside him, and slowly reaches out her hand discreetly to thieve one of the grocery bags off of him. However, she unintentionally brushes her hand against his, eliciting Iori's attention to her.
He looks at her with a very surprised expression, as if she just committed a crime. With his attention completely focused on her, Ayame swallows the urge to cringe at her clumsy slip-up, and attempts to explain.
"I...Well, you see-" However, she stops speaking, upon feeling something soft gently clasp onto her hand. Her eyes wide open; she looks up to a silent Iori.
He was holding onto her hand through the gap of the plastic shopping bag.
Ah.
Realizing that she may of have unintentionally led him on, she turns blue.
Although knowing fully that she should explain as soon as possible before another misunderstanding occurs, she stays quiet, perhaps out of shock or perhaps out of guilt.
His hand felt strangely reassuring, almost as if he was a mother chiding her child. Feeling it oddly soothing, Ayame found it difficult to muster up the courage to speak up.
They continue to walk in a strange silence, and shortly arrive in front of the florist, 'Shimao'.
Iori finally lets go of her hand, to Ayame's relief -or perhaps disappointment. Smiling at her as if nothing had happened, he enters the store together with Ayame.
The register lady energetically greets them, to which they nod acknowledgingly.
"Welcome, what flower do you wish to have?" She says with a warm smile. Iori smiles back, just as warmly. "We haven't decided yet, but she's going to help me, so there's no worry."
The short haired lady analyses Ayame, a grin creeping up her clean-cut features.
"Is that so?" The lady hums with a playful smile, making Ayame feel slightly embarrassed.
It seems that another misunderstanding has been born... She sighs, wanting to smack herself on the face. Iori notices her discomfort, and frowns apologetically. He then swoops down to her ear, then whispers sensually close to her skin, "Sorry..."
Blushing slightly, Ayame quickly looks up in surprise, "Ah, no-..."
She attempts to dismiss his apology, but then notices the florist's smile grow even wider, then stopping out of embarrassment.
Awkwardly, she excuses herself to search for a flower.
Iori stares at her leaving self desolately, and walks towards different isle. However, he is stopped by an awkward Ayame, who grabs his hand and pulls him into her isle, to Iori's surprise.
"...I'm not mad at you, so don't you look so sad, okay?" She sighs. Iori stares at her in silence, and then starts to chuckle softly, making Ayame grumble.
"Let's just get this over and done with." She mumbles, proceeding to check out the variety of flowers. Iori nods, and does the same, thinking about which flower to pick and their respective meanings.
Ayame strolls around the isle, trying to pick out one flower out of all the beautiful blossoms. There was a lot of variety, flowers ranging from daisies to snapdragons, and colours ranging from passionate reds to calming blues.
...Perhaps there was too much variety.
Ayame then spots an Iris -the same as her name- her expression darkening slightly. She picks up the elegant flower, twirling it by the stem, staring at it bitter sweetly, remembering a distant memory.
"...Are you still not finished?" A cold, frosty voice said. Ayame looked up to the woman, who was staring at her with a detached look in her eyes. Ayame flinches slightly.
"Are you trying to humiliate me? Hurry up and complete it in five minutes, otherwise you get no dinner." Her mother threatened, not being encouraging at all. Ayame nodded blankly, then hurried to complete the worksheet that would be outrageous for a five-year old to be expected to complete.
"...If it were that man's son, he would have completed it twenty minutes earlier." The woman clicked her tongue, biting at her red, polished fingernail. Ayame's face turns dark upon her mention.
Why had she always compared her to him?
As she hurriedly rushed to complete the worksheet in an effort to not anger her mother, a strange thought crosses her mind. Why had she never called her by her name? It was always 'you', or when she was mad, 'failure', or other mean things. Why was her name even Ayame in the first place?
"...Mother, why did you name me Ayame?" A young Ayame accidently blurted out, to the surprise of herself and her mother. Ayame fearfully looked up to her mother, and received a frosty, desolate glare from her, making Ayame flinch. She replied callously. "Is that relevant to your studies? No, it isn't. Continue the worksheet."
Ayame looked down at her studying desk despondently, and obeyed with gloomy eyes. "Yes mother." She replied robotically, those two words being the most common vocabulary she ever spoke.
Her mother continues to strictly watch her daughter like a hawk, but eventually her strict and stern demeanour wearied down, although unnoticeably so.
"...Because Iris' were my wedding bouquet flower." She whispers, almost inaudibly, but Ayame manages to capture this, and stares at her mother in shock.
Her mother had never responded to a question before, let alone tell Ayame about herself.
"What are you gawking at? Continue." She said cold as before. Ayame quickly obeys, though secretly smiling under her mother's demanding watch.
"What are you smiling for? Stop. It's disgusting." She said coldly, but somehow, she looked somewhat bashful.
Ayame stops smiling almost immediately, though never stopping in her heart.
Noticing Ayame's cold daze, Iori speaks up.
"Ayame nee-san? Is this the flower?" Iori says, snapping Ayame out of her gaze.
"...Eh?" She mutters, slowly coming back to reality. Noticing Iori's worried gaze, she quickly comes to. "Ah, sorry. I wasn't listening. What did you say?"
He stares at her silently for a few seconds, and then repeating, "Is this the flower you think is good?"
She stares at the Iris, noticing that it had withered a little, and frowns faintly. "...No, I only picked it up because it's my name. Sorry." She smiles at him apologetically. He stares at her observantly, but quickly replaces his frown with a kind smile.
"There's no need to apologize. After all, Iris' are very pretty. I too, would space out upon gazing at it." He says, smiling very tenderly at her. Ayame blushes faintly, wondering if he were implying subtext.
"...Is that so?" She replies serenely, dismissing the chance of a deeper meaning. She then reaches out to another flower. "I prefer this one though."
Iori watches Ayame elegantly pick the blossom, gazing at it mesmerizingly.
"This is my favourite flower. I think it was called..." She looks up at the ceiling, trying to think of the name.
"Peony." He answers, smiling at the blossomed flower. She smiles at him appreciably. "Yeah, peony. I'm surprised you know."
He chuckles softly, then pointing at a pretty tag. "It says it right here."
Ayame blinks, looking at the tag that was attached to the flower.
Peony. ¥1000 per stem.
...Huh, he's right. She thinks to herself, feeling a little embarrassed. Iori chuckles softly at her timidness, earning a joking smack on the shoulder.
"Hey." She scolds, though light-heartedly. Iori stops laughing, though still smiling.
Feeling as if this has happened recently, she thinks deeply, then memories of the pudding picnic resurfacing. She had hit him jokingly, but received a rather serious and shocked reaction from the boy.
...So he can take a joke? She thinks, unknowingly staring at him deeply.
Iori stares back, just as deeply, then grinning slightly. Reaching out his hand slowly, he pats her head.
"Cute." He smiles, chuckling lightly.
"...Eh?" She gasps, her cheeks matching the pink peony.
He continues to smile warmly, then revealing, "...Revenge for the other day."
Ayame turns even redder, more resembling the nearby crimson camellia blossom.
So he hasn't forgotten?
She covers her face with her hands in shame. "...Sorry."
He smiles at her gently. "It's fine, I was just kidding around. I'm sorry for teasing you, Aya-nee."
She then sighs deeply, uncovering her face. "You didn't need to say sorry. It was karma for being a bad sister."
He continues to smile at her, then changing the subject to something more casual. "By the way, why do you like peonies?" He asks.
Ayame looks up to him with a mysterious allure, then back to the peony.
"Because it's the opposite of the iris." She says cryptically, earning the curiosity of Iori, who enjoyed discussing flower meanings.
"...What do you mean?" He says quietly.
Ayame replies, looking somewhat solemn, "The iris is too proud, even though there's nothing big to brag about. On the hand, the peony is humble -perhaps even shameful- even though it blossoms so beautifully. It has a lot of things going for it, but doesn't show off."
Iori stares at her with a mysteriously gleam in his hazel jewels. Realizing that she sounded like a pessimistic philosopher, she tries to brush it off bashfully, but is interrupted by Iori.
"Ah, just forget what I said. It's just something that rolled off the tip of my tongue-"
"-I like it. The iris." He reveals serenely, staring into her almond eyes. "I think it's beautiful, and the way it grows so proudly is very glorious. Though you seem to disagree."
He smiles at her warmly, prosing yet again at what could be understood as sub-text. Her face tries to blush once more, but she forcibly digs it deep down. She had blushed way too much to her liking, and was not going to let it happen again.
As such was the pride of the Iris.
"Well, we all our varying opinions. But I see your point." She calmly replies, desperate to regain her status as the mature older sister. He smiles softly, secretly noticing her desperate effort to appear composed.
"I see." He says, "By the way, do you want to know a fun fact?"
She looks up at him curiously, though only receiving a small smile.
"The peony means shame. The same as you interpreted it to be." He informs her. Ayame blinks in surprise.
"Oh, really?" She says, a little proud that she got it correct.
"Yes. It also means a happy marriage or happy life." He gives his usual gentlemanly smile.
"Hm..." She hums, then checking the tag again cautiously before continuing, "You're pretty knowledgeable."
"Not at all. I just like flowers, and their various meanings intrigue me." He replies politely.
Ayame twirls around the peony by the stem, gazing at the pink blossom. Continuing to observe its delicate beauty, she then realizes that the flower would be the perfect pick for his teacher, as it meant 'happy life'.
"Iori, let's get this one. I think your teacher would like it, don't you think?" She recommends, to which she receives a short nod.
"Good choice." He compliments. Ayame smiles gratefully.
The two then go up to the counter, to which the blue-eyed florist smiles welcomingly. Two peonies in hand, he gives them to the register lady.
"Thank you for your service. It comes down to ¥2000, please." She smiles warmly, finished with wrapping up the flowers in a pretty lilac shade, which complimented the pink.
Iori nods, grabbing out his money from his wallet. Just as he pays the money, Ayame notices the heavy, gray clouds assembling in the sky. She sighs to herself, begrudging the possibility of rain.
It might pour at this rate...
She steps of the florist, though only by a few steps, reaching out her head to sense the raindrops. She sighs upon feeling the sensation of cold water drops, ploppling against her open palm.
Meanwhile, in the shop had Iori payed and was ready to leave, but was stopped by the florist lady.
"Wait, I have a little present for you." She says, smiling happily. Iori obeys politely, though secretly wondering why she stopped him.
She takes a little while, but comes back shortly from the back room, which were possibly where all the flowers were kept. In her hand contains a pretty white flower, which Iori quickly recognized as the gardenia.
She gives him a wide smile along with the white flower.
"Special service for young, blossoming love." She smiles gently, looking quite pleasant.
Iori blinks in surprise, remembering the meaning of the flower.
Good Luck
He smiles sadly, yet graciously, refusing the offering, surprising the florist.
"I'm sorry, but you've misunderstood. That person over there is my sister." He smiles politely. The florist loses her smile but quickly gains it back again, surprising Iori.
"Then it suits the other meaning, 'secret love'. What a coincidence!" She smiles brightly, not looking fazed at all. She then forces the flower onto Iori, refusing to take it back.
Iori reluctantly takes the soft blossom, and is quickly shooed away by the shop owner.
"Come again!" She beams, waving at the handsome teen.
Iori walks out of the florist, feeling quite muddled. Ayame notices the extra flower and questionss him about it.
"Did you get another flower?" She asks, tilting her head curiously. Iori shakes his head.
"No, she gave it to me as special service for a student." He lies, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable again. Ayame accepts the reason, although a little doubtful.
"Do you know the meaning?" She grins, testing his knowledge.
He pauses, then smiling softly "No. Sorry."
"Shame," She casually replies, then sighing. "...I guess we have to walk home in the rain."
With rain pounding down hard, Iori smiles apologetically. "Sorry, I should've brought an umbrella."
She brushes him off, "No need to say sorry. If that's the case, then I should be apologizing too. Now, let's go home. Ema's going to kill me if we don't hurry along."
She picks up one of the bags, this time not resulting in an awkward mishap. Iori picks the other one up effortlessly, with the flowers being held in the other hand.
They hastily jog back home, rain pounding down rebelliously on their bodies.
"I'm completely drenched..." Ayame sighs to herself, water dripping down her body. She presses the button for the fourth and fifth floor, as Iori was going to go change and Ayame, deliver the ingredients.
Iori smiles guiltily, "Sorry that I took so long. If I had refused your offer, you wouldn't of gotten so wet."
"As I keep on repeating, there's no need to apologize. Plus, you're pretty drenched too, so we're even." She smiles at him reassuringly, looking at his very soaked clothing, water dripping down his pale skin. He smiles at her tenderly. They submerge into silence, relaxing against the elevator wall.
Though involuntarily, Ayame takes another cheeky peek at Iori's damp skin, and notices something that she had never seen before. Curiously, she reaches out, and strokes the beautiful metallic ornament.
"It's a very beautiful necklace. Are you Christian, or is it just a-" However, she abruptly brings herself to a halt, feeling the cold, silent glare of Iori.
"-n't touch..." He whispers harshly, yet fragilely as a glass figurine. Ayame stares blankly at the boy's desolate face, stunned at his sudden change of demeanour. Realizing that she was still touching the cross necklace, he repeats, though this time more harshly.
"I said, don't touch...!" He whispers, this time more clearly emotional. Ayame immediately stops, returning her hand to herself.
"...I'm sorry." She apologizes, still in a daze. The princely, gentle Iori had just raised his voice; with so much pain resonate in his usually soothing voice. That was more than enough to shock her. Iori returns to 'normal', regaining his usual tranquil composure.
"...No, I'm sorry. I just got a little surprised." He smiles reassuringly.
At first, it appears to be his usual princely smile but Ayame quickly identifies it as forged, seeing small similarities as the time she went up to his room. She stays silent, analysing him cautiously.
Why would he react so sensitively towards a necklace? She wonders. It wasn't as if he had a phobia of being touched. After all, he did hold her hand. Or could the necklace be a symbolic representation of something precious?
Just as she continues to think, the elevator stops at the fourth floor, pinging.
Iori smiles at her, no hint of unstableness no longer to be seen. "I'll be going back to my room now. You should too get dressed soon, Aya-nee. I wouldn't want you to catch a cold, after all."
Ayame, knowing better not to push, smiles and replies casually, "Don't worry, I'll get dressed right after I deliver these," She picks up the groceries, "Well, see you later."
He smiles, "See you too."
Iori walks out of the elevator, leaving Ayame alone to brood.
I wonder what that was all was about...
However, her brooding thoughts are quickly put to a rest as she arrives to her floor. Preparing herself for a heavy journey, she walks out of the elevator door, her destination being the kitchen.