Chapter 7: Taking Care
Disclaimer: Special A and the characters that are used were not mine! Although I wish Kei was mine… hehehe… just kidding! ^^
Hikari is standing outside his room, facing the door with clenched fist and determination. She feels nervous because she knows she might get clumsy in front of him but excited as well because she knows she will see him. Catching a glimpse of this boy make her heart beats fast. She is ready to face him, to see him, to talk to him. She holds the knob of the door as she continues to open it silently.
"Takishima?" she called to know if the boy was there.
He is there.
Kei was sleeping deeply. He looks tired and exhausted. Small hot steams came out from his breath every time he exhaled. He looks peaceful for her, not knowing what he feels and what he thinks before he fell asleep.
She moves closer to the bed making a full glance of the boy. She felt sad. The only thing she thinks is that this boy is willing to put her first above everything else. Sometimes, she thinks that it would be best if Kei doesn't feel that way to her, in that case, he didn't have to go to all sorts and trouble protecting and worrying about her.
She sits in the chair vacant beside his bed. She leans her face closer to his. She takes a very close look at him. Even he is sleeping and looking very tired, his good looks were still obvious. His light brown hair glistens as the sunlight outside touched it. His eyelashes were long and beautiful, if he is awake, every girl will fall for his golden eyes behind those long eyelashes. His skin was soft and smooth, and his lips, those soft thin lips that made Hikari taken aback with his kiss. Those lips that tell her everything about what that guy feels for her. Those lips that touched her own lips and neck and made her unable to control her overwhelming emotions for him, those very lips that made her crazy and made Kei not in to her rival but to a guy that he wants to be with.
She just stares at his lips remembering the things that happen yesterday night. She never had such an overwhelming experience with a guy before, as a matter of fact it is her first time to share emotions with a guy. She put her hands below her chin and rests it there. She looks at the sleeping guy beside her while remembering all the things they went through. It's been years since she has known Kei, yet it just takes only one night to change things between them. It takes years before she discovered her feelings for him, and still takes long before she get all the courage to fight for it. Now that she did, she is hoping that Kei will still think that she is worth it.
Kei opened his eyes slowly, he looked at the window outside, and the sun is ready to set. His head is still aching, guess the sleeping doesn't made his fever subside a little. He lifts up his left arm to cast the hair from his eyes, and then he feels something soft over it. He turned to see a girl sleeping in his bed while sitting in the chair beside it.
"Hikari…"
Hikari fell asleep in his bed. Her head was tilted on the side with her arms as her pillow. Her long hair lays on the bed enough to cover Kei's left arm.
He smiles. Overwhelming feelings began to drown him because Hikari is beside him, looking after him. It makes it possible for him not to feel the aching fever even just for a while.
He pushes himself up with the help of his injured arm. He leans close to her. A smile appeared on his lips.
Because of the moving of the bed, Hikari woke up, her eyes opened. As she opens her eyes, she remembers that she is there to look after him, not sleep with him.
She got herself up suddenly.
Because of the immediate response, she found herself looking face to face with Kei, very close.
Their noses touch together, both with wide eyes and stunned. They are looking eyes to eyes, giving gazes that melt each others heart. Both hearts beat fast and both faces turned red.
There was a pause. No one is moving, no one is talking, just hard breathing and fast beating hearts.
Hikari bite her lower lip. Her eyes looked embarrassed. She pulls herself away from his face slowly. She is so introverted that she hid her eyes under her hair.
Kei is slightly blushing, he doesn't move even Hikari move her face away. His hair covers his eyes. There was silence.
"Gomen… Hikari… did I startled you?" he broke the silence. He is afraid that he made Hikari uncomfortable.
Those words, those words he release unease her. She knows that Kei is thinking that he must have done something wrong. She is averting Kei to feel that. She doesn't want Kei to misunderstand her again because she knows that that will be her fault.
She looks at him and manages to smile.
"You did startle me, but it's not a thing to make an apology. You always apologize you know…" She said looking up at him.
Hikari stood and bent closer to him. She slips her hand under his hair to feel his forehead.
"You are still burning Takishima…" she said as her hand is still in his forehead. "You should have just taken the coat when we are down there… I've made you caught another fever…" she looked down and worried.
"I am fine, Hikari…" Kei smiled at her. He gave her the smile that you can't resist to like. That warm smile that made Hikari's heart to feel warm. She smiled too.
"I'll make you something to eat… for now, just lay still and rest…"
She puts her both hands in his shoulder and slowly lays him in his bed. Kei is just staring at her dark blue eyes.
As his head touches the pillow, Hikari move her hands to the sides of his head pressing it against the pillow. She stares at the golden eyes staring back at her. They stay still, locked up in each other gazes. Hikari then leans her face closer to his. Kei close his eyes as Hikari touch his forehead with her lips and kiss it gently. She broke the kiss and then Kei opens his eyes. Nobody talked, nobody moved. She straightens up her stand and turns her back to him.
"I'll come back…" she said as she marched towards the door blushing.
She closes the door and leans to it. She inclines her head and holds her hand in her chest. She can feel her heart is beating fast and her face is hot. She tilt her head straight and then smile. She giggles as she made her way down stairs in the kitchen to make food.
Kei just look at the door where Hikari just went out. He looks up in the ceiling and recall what Hikari just did. He closes his eyes and bends its left arm to cover it. His face was red. He is rather feeling embarrassed.
Hikari was on her way to the kitchen when she met up with Akira, Megumi and Sakura.
"Hikari! You are just on time! Come with us and will go shopping in the town near hear! Come on!" she drag Hikari in the arms.
"Wait! I have something to do! Wait… Akira… Wait!" Hikari was unable to continue her words as Akira drag her outside down to ride the cable cart. Megumi and Sakura just followed them.
They came down to the hill and ride Sakura's limousine to go to the nearest town.
Kei lay still in his bed while thinking that Hikari is taking too long. It's been two hours already, and Hikari haven't come back yet. He tries to sits up and get out off the bed. He wants to check his Hikari.
He goes straight to the kitchen only to find Yahiro, Tadashi, Jun and Ryuu doing something at the kitchen. Kei stands there staring at the guys. He is still in his white pajamas and has a small blanket that covers his shoulders and back. He stands there moving his eyes hoping he can see the long black haired girl there.
The guys notice him. They turn themselves to him to greet him.
"Ah! Kei-kun… are you feeling any better?" Yahiro asked him.
Kei ignored what he asked, he still move his eyes around the kitchen.
"Where's Hikari?" he asked them.
"Ah? Hikari?" Ryuu looked at Jun.
"Hikari went out with Akira, Sakura and Megumi…I saw Akira dragging her outside… I guess she caught up in Akira's hard-to-say-no-for-an-answer request…" Jun answered.
"Akira? Hmph!" Kei smirked. Sign of annoyance and sarcasm. Now he knows what happened. He sighs.
"You want something to eat Kei? We kind of preparing dinner because the girls not here to make it…" Ryuu offered.
Kei sits on the counter. He rests his chin to his left hand.
"No… I am good. I will just wait for them to come… " he said slightly breathing hard.
"Are you sure Kei?" Tadashi asked. "You still have fever right? Are you sure you will be okay here?"
Kei nods, "I will be fine…"
The guys shrugged, they proceed to what they are doing in the kitchen.
The kitchen doesn't look or smell good. It's all messed up. Cracked eggs, burnt food, spilled ingredients, dirty dishes, it's really a mess, not to mention the smell of the ingredients they mixed all together without proper instruction. Among the guys, only Ryuu knows how to cook well, and the others just follow what they want to do.
Kei awfully watch them. It seems Ryuu is starting to loose his nerves watching the other guys create chaos in the kitchen.
Kei sits quietly looking at Tadashi, Jun and Yahiro destroy the kitchen. He doesn't want to hangout there but what is his choice? He wants to wait for his Hikari.
A moment passed. They stop to what they are doing, including Kei. They turn their heads to the direction coming from outside the kitchen, they can hear footsteps and one running footsteps.
Akira came and as soon as she saw the kitchen all messed up, and the guys messed up too because of the ingredients that were spilled over them, she dropped her shopping at the floor and shriek.
"AHH! What happened to the kitchen I supposed to make delicious meals with?!" Akira said shrieking, her hands on her face. "TADASHI!" she grabbed her boyfriend by the collar and ready to hit him with her fist.
"W-wait! Let me explain!" Tadashi avoiding her punches anxiously. "We are kind of hungry so we make some foods with the help of Ryuu. Yahiro and Jun… but only Ryuu can cook so the others just messed the whole thing up… hehehe… I guess it's a mess when you are not here…" Tadashi replies hopelessly because he knows that he will get a lot of punches today from Akira.
To his surprise, she didn't. Akira just stands up and picks her shopping. She pushes it to Tadashi's chest. He almost choked.
"Get the ingredients out and the others to Sakura and Hikari… Mou… What will you do if I am not around…?" She turns to Tadashi. Her boyfriend grinned at her.
"I don't know!" Tadashi replied. It made her girlfriend's face flushed.
"Ohw! Sakura! Give your bags to me." He said to Sakura.
"Yosh! It's kind of heavy!" she then gives her groceries to Tadashi. It's so heavy it made Tadashi loose his stand. "Kyaa! Do you miss me Jun-kun?" She runs toward Jun and grab him in his arm. She search out for her hanky and wipe the mess around Jun's face.
Tadashi, lands the groceries to the counter and turn to Hikari.
"Hikari, give me your bags!" he said smiling. "Hikari???"
Hikari is out of herself looking down at her feet. Her face is frowning.
"Hikari!" Tadashi waves his hand on the front of her face and she snaps.
"Ah… Gomen…" Hikari replied. She gave the bags to Tadashi and frowns.
"What's the problem Hikari? You look sad…" Ryuu asked while Tadashi and the others look at her.
"Yes Hikari, You look sad when we are down there… you have a problem?" Sakura asks.
"Well… I… I promised Taki-"
"Good Evening Hikari…" Kei interrupt Hikari's words. He's looking at Hikari. His chin rest on his left arm and he is smiling.
"Ta-Takishima! What are you doing down here?" Hikari said. She is surprised to see Kei down there.
"Well… I've come to check you up because over 2 hours have past yet you haven't come back…" Kei replied.
"Well…"
"Don't mind explaining… I know what happened…" Kei smiles at her.
Akira looks at them and snobs Kei. She feels kind of jealous because Hikari is giving Kei so much attention and affection, but what can she do? She is very aware that her Hikari is growing up.
Akira picks up the ingredient and starts to cook with it. The guys including Sakura and Megumi walk away from the kitchen and straight to the fireplace. Tadashi remains with Akira while Hikari approaches Kei. She helped Kei out from his sit to go to the fireplace. He is still kind of shaking.
Kei places his left arm to Hikari's waist while Hikari holds her grip in his shoulder. They walk to the fireplace with everybody.
"Do you want to stay here or should I help you get to your bedroom?" Hikari asked him. Concern is visible in her eyes.
"I-ye… I am fine here…" Kei replied with a smile.
"But you are still sick… I'll just bring your food in your bedroom so you can rest…" Hikari is still concerned.
"I'm fine… I want to eat with everybody… especially with you…" he smiled. Hikari's face flushed.
"Uhm… Gomen… I leave without telling you… I'll just make some food when I have time…" Hikari is looking down still flustered.
"I'll be looking forward to it…" Kei smiled at her that makes the lady blush deeper.
Akira had finished making the dinner. Everybody eats in a long table. As everybody eats, Hikari can't stop worrying to the guy next to her. She knows he is not feeling well, she thinks that it is best if he is just resting in his room. Kei on the other hand is watching Hikari in the corner of his golden eyes. He sensed that the girl is worrying about him, it is bothering him because he doesn't want to cause any inconvenient to the girl but he is feeling somewhat happy inside.
They finished it eating and the guys help them clear the table. (A/N: Sakura ordered that the house shouldn't have any maids so they are on their own, not that they mind.) Sakura and Jun wash the dishes. It made Sakura feel like Jun and her are like husband and wife while washing the dishes together. The others watch the TV while Hikari helped Kei to get to his room.
At his room, Hikari is standing in front of the door.
"Well Takishima… I guess I will see you tomorrow…"
"Hai… Goodnight Hikari…" Kei replied smiling at Hikari.
Hikari is just looking at him, not moving. She is hesitating to leave Kei in his room.
"What is it Hikari?" Kei asked her gently.
Before she could reply, Jun and Ryuu came. They greeted Hikari, excuse to Kei for coming in the room and get out of the room with their blankets and pillows with them. Kei and Hikari looked at them both puzzled.
"What you going to do with the blankets? Jun…? Ryuu…?" Hikari asked perplexed.
Ryuu and Jun smiled at them.
"Well… Kei has a high fever and he need to be nursed. I and Jun will just create this room uncomfortable for Kei if we are here… that's why I and Jun will sleep in Yahiro's and Tadashi's room…" Ryuu explained smiling at the two.
"That's not necessary… You both won't be a bother… besides, we share this room together… will I sleep here alone?" Kei said.
"I-ye…" Jun answered, "Hikari will nurse you right? She will be together with you for the rest of the night or until you are recovered…" Jun said smiling looking at Hikari.
"But… Akira will be sleeping alone…" Hikari said. To Kie's surprise, Hikari don't even protest in sleeping together with him in the same room. Was Hikari this comfortable in getting close to Kei?
"You don't need to worry…"
The gang startled to who have just said something. They turn to see Akira holding a box.
"Kei… one of your father's assistant delivered this… He said it's your phone… You must have left it in your office yesterday…" Akira handed Kei the phone.
"I left it in purpose…" Kei mumbled releasing a sigh.
"Akira…" Hikari said looking at her friend.
"Hikari!" She hugs Hikari with her usual friendly hug when she is worried about her. They almost fell in the ground. She is crying jerkily that Ryuu and Jun chuckle behind her while Kei looks annoyed.
"I will let you take care of Kei because I know you like it that way… but promise me you will not let Kei do anything you don't want to do to you… promise me okay…" Akira hugs her friend more tightly. "And if he insists… just shout out loud so I can come banging the door for your rescue! Okay Hikari? Okay?"
Hikari just nods inside her grip. Akira doesn't have the intention to release her so Ryuu and Jun grabs her by the arm and pulls her. She is still crying helplessly (A/N: her usual cry whenever she feels worried for Hikari…) when they disappeared from the view. Kei and Hikari just stands there, big sweat drops from their faces.
"I can't believe Akira will let me stay for the night with you…" Hikari said turning her gaze to Kei.
Kei just smile at her. It made the lady blush. She hesitated for a bit but she grabs Kei's arm to get inside the room.
The room is empty, three big bedrooms but only one will be occupied. Hikari help Kei sit in the bed while she sits beside her. Kei puts the box in the small table beside his bed. They sit together and she gets something from her pocket, it is a medicine for flu. She pours water in the glass from the pitcher in the table beside Kei's bed.
"I have this flu medicine… it can make you feel better sooner… I just get it when I and the girls are down there at the town near here… I hope it is effective… " she handed the medicine to Kei and the glass of water. Kei drink it with no resistance.
Hikari stared at him while he is drinking the water. After he is finished, she gets the glass from him and stared at him for a little longer. Kei find it amusing so he turned at her and smile.
"What is it Hikari?" he asked the rather investigating Hikari.
"I am just observing if you feel any better already…" Hikari said observing him thoroughly.
Kei smirked preventing to laugh hard. "Do you think medicine take effect that fast?" he said.
"It doesn't?" Hikari asked innocently.
Kei chuckled, still preventing himself to laugh hard. "It doesn't Hikari… don't you know that? I think everybody knows that… except you…"
Hikari looked at him with annoyance and anger. "Well… I am sorry for not knowing…" she said in a snobbish tone to Kei.
Kei smiled.
"You make me feel better Hikari… thanks…" Kei said gently, he is smiling at her sweetly.
His smile melts Hikari's heart that the heat climbs to her face. She looked away and blushes much harder. She turns her head to him again only to see he is still smiling sweetly.
She get together all of her guts to face him without getting her embarrassment notice. She put her hand in his right shoulder and gently pushes him to the bed. Now that he is lying down, Hikari stand up to put the blanket up in his body. Kei just stares at her, savoring the moment of being taken care of Hikari. She watches her eyes full of love, her long black hair that sways in her every movement, and her face full of concern for him. He can't help but grin at himself.
The moment she is finished tucking Kei in, she leans closer to the guy.
"Sleep… I'll be here until you feel better…" she whispered, smiling at him.
Kei closes his eyes to fall asleep. Hikari switched off the light. The light is off but it wasn't dark because the moon showers the room with its pale light. Hikari go to the window and look at the moon. The moon is big and round, it is so pretty and bright. The sky is clear, no clouds to accompany the bright moon.
"It is a clear night…" she thought to herself… "Not like yesterday night… it's snowing hard yet it is a wonderful night…" she grinned to herself.
It's already past 3am in his clock when Kei opened his eyes. He hears sound of clicking keypads. She looked around to see Hikari sitting in the window while playing some games.
Kei got himself up. Hikari was startled and she was about to jump from her sit. Kei give the gesture to stop, he walked over to Hikari. He stands beside her.
"What are you doing Hikari…?" Kei asked in a tone that is so calm and gentle it's like his voice was caressing her.
Hikari took seconds before she replied.
"Well.., I can't sleep and I am kind of bored so I grab your phone to play some games… I hope you don't mind…"
"No I don't…" Kei said to her smiling.
Those smiles again.
"But I think you can't defeat the top score of that game… I am the top scorer, so you can't beat it… ni-san…" Kei said teasing.
Good feeling gone.
Hikari's veins throb in her head with annoyance in her eyes.
"Don't call me number two! Hmph! I guess somebody's gone back to normal…" she hisses at Kei.
"I think that's right… thanks you for taking care of me… Hikari…" Kei said giving her another smile.
Those smiles that make Hikari flushed over and over and over again.
"I don't do anything… I guess the medicine works well…." She said not looking at him and holding Kei's phone in her chest.
Kei just smile.
Hikari then brings her gaze to Kei's cell phone, she thinks that it is a nice brand of cell phone. Big memory, nice interface and high resolution camera, yet she doesn't see any pictures in it.
"Ne Takishima… how come you don't have any pictures in your cell phone…" Hikari asked while she turns her gaze to Kei.
"Uh… well because, I am too busy to capture anything… besides, that phone was only used for working…there's nothing nice or interesting to capture when you are working…" Kei explained while looking outside the window.
Hikari just listens to him. She notices that Kei looked magnificent when showered by the moonlight. He really is one handsome guy.
Hikari opened the cell phone and operates the camera.
CLICK…
Kei get startled. She then looked at Hikari who is looking at the cell phone while grinning.
"What did you just do?" he asked.
"Ho-ra!" she let Kei look at the image in the picture. "Now your cell phone have captured something nice and interesting…"
Kei took the phone from her hand and stares at it. He then smirked.
"Why are you smiling?" Hikari asked confused.
"If this image of me you describe as nice and interesting… does it means you look at me as good-looking?" Kei asked teasing her.
She blushed again.
"N-nothing like that!" she said while trembling in embarrassment.
Kei just laugh while looking at the mad yet blushing Hikari.
She noticed that Kei just enjoys her being mad so she stops to feel embarrassed. Kei smiled.
CLICK…
Hikari get startled.
"What-"
"Look… Now I really captured something nice, interesting, beautiful and magnificent…" Kei said as she let Hikari see herself captured in Kei's cell phone.
Her face become red and steams came from her ears. She fight for the cell phone to be in her hand, but Kei just grab her wrist, pull her close to him and wrap her arm around her shoulder.
CLICK…
Kei took a picture of them together. Hikari was surprised. Kei look at the image, so is she. They look both to the picture of them together. Both were kind of surprised (yet doesn't let the other one sensed it…) to how they look good together. They look like a couple in one of the magazines Akira is reading. They look really looked great together.
Both of them slightly blush. Hikari then gets the phone from his hand and stares at it. Kei is just looking at her.
She then remembers something.
"Uhm… Takishima… what do you want for Christmas?" Hikari asked him.
"Hm? Well… you got me a present from my birthday… It will be enough…" he said looking at the pale moon outside.
"Birthdays and Christmas are different… I really want to give you something…" she said insisting.
Kei smiled and look at her.
"Is Christmas this important to you?" he asked the girl.
"Well… because it the time where friends and family give gifts to each other. It's where they spend time together, eating together and having fun together! It's really fun you know." Hikari explained while the obvious excitement and happiness is visible to her.
Kei slightly smile.
"It must've trouble for you to come here with us and can't spend the Christmas with your family…" Kei said.
"I-ye… this is the first time, your right… but I don't mind because I can spend it with my close friend!" she is still happy. "Besides… everybody is like me… it will be the first time that they won't spend Christmas with their family…"
Kei smirked and look outside again.
"Wrong…"
"Eh?" Hikari said in puzzle.
"People like us that belong to a rich family don't have the fun you said a while ago when it's Christmas. Like in my case, Christmas for me is like an ordinary day. Dad will be excited about it but after a moment, he will receive a call from the group and have to go to work. Mom is like that too… and so am I… there are present but I don't give much attention to it… they give me presents but I know it is not really given to make me happy… I know it's sounds sad but I am sure that the same thing goes with Akira, Tadashi, Ryuu, Jun, Megumi, Yahiro and Ushikubo-san… that's why everybody came to this vacation… so for once, we can feel that we are not alone when that occasion comes." Kei said looking at the moon.
Hikari just look at him then she thinks of something.
"Then we will have a Christmas party!" she said in full of spirit. "I will make presents for everyone that will make them happy… that's why you should tell me what you like Takishima! Even just a hint! Please!"
Kei smile and look at her. He walks in front of her and place his hands in her sides. She is locked in Kei's gaze. She is looking down at him and he is looking up at her.
"I don't care what presents you will give me… what's important is I'll spend it with you… will you… please?" Kei said in a shaking and helpless voice.
Hikari blushed yet she smiled.
"Of course it will... Spending Christmas with Takishima will be fun…" Hikari said, looking at his eyes, blushing and grinning.
The two stayed locked in each others gazes before they decide to go to sleep. Kei is feeling better not only because his fever was gone but also because of the way Hikari made him feel. The two sleep in Kei's bed, not lying but inclining themselves in to some many big pillows behind their backs. Hikari is sleeping in Kei's shoulders while Kei just smile to himself relishing this moment. It's like the two of them are the only people in the world, no troubles and no problems. He kissed Hikari's head before closing his eyes and go to sleep. The coming days will be great for him and her, He knows.
To Be Continued…
So do you like it? Sorry if it takes time before I finished this chapter… I hope the few people that read this will still read it after I published. Please still read it! Hehehe… thanks for the people that review my story… please I still accept suggestions and comments… it really can make me happy! Please do! I love you guys! Hope you liked this chapter! ^^
