Author's Note: Here's the next chapter, enjoy reading. I will appreciate if I could get reviews from you XD
CHAPTER 8: Bittersweet Reality
The exam result is posted on the bulletin board of Rikkaidai Fuzoku; meaning another feather on the cap of Masaharu Eri. As usual, the girl landed the top spot on the list of the best students. Eri's life goes back to normal; the red haired boy together with his teammates seems to forget her.
"Hmm…chocolate or strawberry?", the girl said under her breath as she choose between the two syrups.
Strawberry? It's so unusual since chocolate is her favorite pancake syrup. But anyways, she decided to get the strawberry syrup and walked to the counter.
The queue is quite long and buying only a pack of skim milk, flour and syrup is so inconvenient. If only her friends didn't bother her to tell her make pancakes for them, she will not persevere to wait in the long queue. Before her is an old lady having difficulty in carrying a basket full of goods.
"Oba-san, may I help you?", Eri asked the old lady.
"Oh, thank you my dear.", the old lady smiled and handed her basket to Eri.
It took around 15 minutes before the old woman's turn to pay her groceries. As she leave the place, Eri is still eyeing her. The girl can not believe how cruel it is to leave an old woman shopping alone at the department store. After Eri paid the items, she get her bag from the baggage area and leave the store. At the bus station, Eri finds the old woman again.
"It's you again. The nice girl at the department store.", the old woman greeted Eri.
"Uhmm.. yes, it's me Oba-san.", Eri replied timidly.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, a pissed red hair boy is trying to negotiate with the candy man of a candy store.
"Please, I do not want this prize.", Marui pleaded.
"But that is the first prize.", the candy man replied.
"But I want the second prize.", the tensai said.
"Oh boy, this is the first time it happened. Why would you exchange the original cake hairclip being used at the teenage popular 'Honey, My Love, So Sweet' movie for a chocolates gift voucher? Many girls are dying to get that hair clip.", the candy man asked.
"That's exactly why I do not like this prize, I'm not a girl!", the red hair cried.
"But you can give that hair clip to your younger sister if you want.", the candy man suggested.
"I don't have a sister.", Marui replied.
"Then to your mother.", the candy man recommended.
"It's too childish! Please just let me exchange this stupid cake hair clip into something that I can eat.", the red hair begged.
"Sorry but I can't do it. Why don't you give that hair clip to your girlfriend? But in your case I think you don't have one.", the candy man sarcastically said.
"Of course I don't have a girlfriend.", Marui replied.
"Then try to find one so that you can get rid of that hair clip.", the candy man suggested and turned his back so that the red hair boy will leave the store.
Still pissed of the candy man, Marui crossed the street and walked towards the bus station.
"There you are.", the old lady greeted the pissed boy.
"I'm sorry Oba-san if I let you wait for a long time.", Marui apologized.
"No its alright, I have met this sweet girl named Masaharu-san while I'm waiting for you.", his grandmother replied while glancing at Eri.
Eri's face suddenly turned red and she is speechless as she sit beside the old lady.
"Ka…kaichou?", Marui said in disbelief.
"Hi.", that's what Eri could say at the moment.
"Oh, you knew each other.", Marui's grandmother exclaimed in happiness.
"Well, uhmm… yes. A sort of…", the tensai replied scratching his head lightly.
"Very good then, I will invite Masaharu-san to join us in dinner tonight.", his grandma said.
"But …", Eri tries to make an excuse.
"No excuses Masaharu-san, you told me a while ago that you have spare time tonight, didn't you? Will you turn down an invitation from an old woman?", Marui's grandma tries to self pity in order to convince Eri.
Eri gives up, grandma wins! The poor girl ended up standing in front of Marui's house. Actually, it is quite a celebration because its Marui's youngest brother's birthday. As the girl enter the house, she feels butterflies fly on her tummy and her heart beats so fast again. Well, she only feel that whenever she is joining school competitions, but why in the world would she feel it now?
"Oba-san is home.", Marui's grandmother said in a loud voice as her two small grandchildren approached her gleefully.
"Oba-san!", the two small boys yelled and hugged their grandmother, then looked at Eri who is still outside the door.
"Isn't that the onee-san at the zoo?", Marui's youngest brother asked the older one.
"Yes, I'm sure she is that onee-san. But what is she doing here?", Marui's second sibling said.
"It looks like that you know Masaharu-san. Why don't the two of you show her around our house?", grandma told the two boys.
"Yay!", the two boys said as they hold Eri's both hands and lead her towards the living room.
"Oh, isn't it so nice? Masaharu-san looks like their true big sister.", grandma said with glittering eyes while looking at his oldest grandson.
"Oba-san…", Marui replied blushing attempting to leave.
"Where are you going Bunta?", grandma asked.
"I'm going to place this on the kitchen Oba-san.", the red hair said while lifting the basket of goods, but actually his true intention is to search for all the video cam, digi-cam, web cam and mobile phones which can be a source of picture taking. He doesn't want to be black mailed by his younger siblings again.
While grandma prepares the apple pie, the self-proclaimed tensai is out of Eri's sight. He is still busy hiding all the cameras. But if he is thinking that camera will be his brother's ultimate black mail, well it's not. His younger siblings had already started telling Eri his dark deepest secrets.
"Hey Masaharu onee-san, why are you here?", Marui's second sibling asked.
"Because your Oba-san invited me.", Eri replied with a fake smile.
"Really. I thought Onii-chan invited you because he wanted to introduce you to our parents.", the youngest Marui said while holding Eri's hand.
"WHAT! And why would sugar freak do that?", Eri exclaimed in a very defensive tone.
"Because we think you are his girlfriend.", the second sibling replied innocently clinging to her arm.
"So you call our Onii-chan as sugar freak. Is that how you show your affection towards him?", the youngest boy asked.
Eri is stunned of the little boys' questions. Are they interrogating her? And what about grandma? Is she the master mind of all that is happening to her? This is torture!
"Oh, Masaharu onee-san is turning red. Maybe she got a fever. Look, sweat is starting to drop to her chin.", Marui's second sibling noticed.
"Masaharu onee-san, do you know that onii-chan had a bad habit while sleeping?", the youngest boy asked.
"No, I don't. So what is it?", Eri asked out of curiosity.
"Sorry but we can not tell you unless you give us 100 yen.", the second brother asked.
"Uhmm.. ok.", Eri replied while opening her bag.
"Two hundred yen! Do not tell her anything.", Marui suddenly shouted.
"Oh, onii-chan is here. So Masaharu onee-san, can you give us higher than that?", the little boys challenged.
"Of course yes. 201 yen.", Eri is loving the situation.
"Three hundred yen!", the red hair bid again.
"Let me remind you oni-chan that this is only the first secret, we still have two secrets to bid and it is more embarrassing.", the youngest one warned Marui.
Marui's eyes widened and cold sweat started to appear on his forehead. "Ok fine, I lost the first bid."
"You hear that Masaharu onee-san? Give us the 201 yen first before we tell you the secret.", the middle sibling requested.
Eri handed the 201 yen and the youngest boy whisper something to her ears. Eri blushed to what she hear and chuckle.
"What? Don't make me look like a fool!", the tensai shouted.
"We simply tell her that sometimes you drool while you sleep.", the boys said in sync.
Marui banged his head on the nearest cabinet. "Please kaichou stop asking them silly things!"
"So what's next?", Eri asked the two little boys paying no attention to Marui.
"For 100 yen.", the younger boy said.
"Hey sugar freak, aren't you going to bid?", Eri asked.
"No, I'll pass.", the tensai replied with a horrible look.
"Oni-chan had tendencies of not changing underwear during weekends.", the youngest boy confessed.
"It's not true!", Marui objected.
Eri was shocked of what she heard. It's a big TURN-OFF! Well, don't blame the little boys; it's her choice to hear that deepest darkest secret of sugar freak.
"Don't believe them kaichou, of course I change my undies everyday!", the red hair shouted out of humiliation.
"Liar! Didn't you do that when you are younger? Okaa-san told us.", the little boys said.
"So Masaharu onee-san, are you ready for onii-chan's dirtiest secret?", the second sibling asked.
"No, the two secrets are enough for me.", Eri replied since she saw that Marui's mother just arrived from work.
"Come on Masaharu onee-san.", the little boys pleaded since they are interested of Marui's bid. For sure their oldest brother will give everything he has in order to preserve his secret.
"Sorry boys, but I don't want to offend your onii-chan too much.", Eri replied as she stood up fixing her uniform.
Marui's mother immediately saw Eri and gaveher a smile. "Who is she?", she asked his eldest child.
"Okaa-san!", Marui exclaim in shock since he didn't sense that his mother is already behind him.
"Huh?", his mother seems to be wondering why his son is acting strangely.
"Ah, Okaa-san, she is Masaharu Eri, our school president.", the tensai replied.
"Nice to meet you Marui-san.", Eri bowed before Marui's mother.
"Nice to meet you too Masaharu-san.", the red hair's mother also greeted. "Did my son did anything worst at Rikkaidai?"
"No madam, actually…", Eri's words are cut off by grandma's words.
"I'm the one who invited that young lady. She is so generous to assist me in the department store as well as to accompany me while waiting for Bunta at the bus station.", the old woman explained.
The dinner is ready when Marui's father arrived. Eri is so surprised to find out that the tailor who helped her find her pink Lolita costume is no other than sugar freak's father. Actually, the dressmakers refused to make that costume for her since they accept so many jobs, but she is too persistent that is why she even went to the tailoring shop where Marui's father works. Since he took pity of the girl, he called his friend who owned a cosplay store to help Eri.
Eri doesn't enjoy the dinner since Marui's family is asking her bunch of questions. They are asking Eri from her family background up to personal things like having a boyfriend. If only she could sink in her seat, she had done it already but unfortunately she can't. After the dinner, Eri told them that she is so sorry but she needs to go back to her house.
"Masaharu-san I hope you could visit us again. My children are so attached to you.", Marui's mother said.
"Ye..yes…I..will..", Eri replied with uncertainty.
"The next time you visit us, I will bake a strawberry cake for you.", grandma added.
Marui accompanied her towards the bus stop. While walking, silence is being observed until Marui speaks up.
"Sorry for all the trouble my family causes you.", the red hair apologized.
"It's alright, don't mind it.", Eri replied avoiding to look at Marui's face.
"Wait kaichou.", the red hair boy pulled something from his pocket.
"Why?", the girl replied.
"Could you open your palm?", Marui asked Eri while he stretched his arm with his fist close since he hides something inside it.
"If you're thinking to do a prank like you're sea urchin friend does, forget it. I'm not afraid of cockroach, spiders and worms.", Eri said with a twitched eyebrow.
"No, this is not a prank.", he replied sincerely.
Eri noticed that Marui is not playing a prank on her so she held her palms together. The red hair boy dropped something on her palm.
"A hair clip?", Eri muttered as she look at the shining thing on her hand.
"Well, I got it as a prize from a candy store but I don't know whom I can give it. Since my family caused you too much trouble, just accept it as my payment.", the tensai explained uncomfortably.
"But this is expensive. I heard about this hair clip from other girls, they are dying to get this thing. By the way, did I tell you to give me something in return?", Eri asked.
"Isn't that my line? ", Marui pointed out. "If you don't like it, you can simply throw it away, I don't mind."
"Certainly not, how could I throw the first gift that I received from a boy.", she murmured and continue walking.
"Did you say something kaichou?", the red hair asked.
"No I don't.", Eri replied.
When they reached the bus stop, there is awkward silence again. The cold wind started to blow mildly. Eri crossed her hands on her chest when suddenly Marui dropped his denim jacket on the girl's shoulders.
"Thanks.", Eri said as she tries to hide her blushing face.
"Put it on or else you can catch cold.", the red hair said casually.
When Eri returned home, her mother welcomes her at the door with a furious face. Eri tries not to have eye contact with her since she knew it will only scold her.
"Where have you been?", her mother asked in a stern voice.
"At my friend's house okaa-san.", she replied.
"Friends? Are you making me laugh? Kanzaki-chan and Wanazaki-chan came here a while ago looking for you.", her mother pointed out.
Well yes, how can she forgot that the reason why she went to the department store is to buy the ingredients she will use in making pancakes for her two friends who is coming to her house that evening.
"You're dating someone aren't you?", her mother bluntly asked when she noticed the denim jacket her daughter is wearing.
"No okaa-san, I'm not-", Eri's words were cut off when she feel a burning sensation on her right cheek and she taste something salty.
"Reiko, stop that.", his father showed up with his ever stoic voice and face. "Eri go to your room; a week detention for coming home late."
Eri immediately run towards her room. Getting home late? Isn't it only 7:30 in the evening? She even returns home around 10:00 yet she hasn't received any scolding from her parents. She thought that maybe because her friends came to their house and she is not there that is why her parents became angry at her. She never let tears to escape from her eyes; she hate it whenever her mother physically hurt her in all the displeasing things she does. She could even hear how her parents argue about her.
"Are you tolerating your daughter?", her mother asked in a very pissed manner.
"I got no issues with her. She top the recent exam in their school so I do not think that she is involve in dating.", her father replied.
"You don't know who your daughter really is Ichirou. Teenagers now have tendencies to become rebellious if you will not discipline them."
"And you don't know how to position yourself in this house Reiko. I'm her father and I should decide on what punishment to give her."
"If only I had a son, I will not suffer this kind situation of keeping a useless problem daughter.", her mother started to cry bitterly.
"Eri is not a useless problem daughter, she doesn't cause any disgrace to this family. ", her father clarified.
This is not the first time it happened to her. Whenever her mother got irritated with her, it will treat her badly. She opened her drawer and get some of her scapegoats; CHOCOLATES. Yes, eating too much of this sweets are her only refuge whenever she feels upset.
"The time that I fear has come, my daughter is now growing up.", Eri's father said.
Author's Note: I know you are quite shocked at the ending part, right? It will take days before I update this story so please bear with me. Subscribe to story alert if necessary.
By the way, I disclaim 'Honey, My Love, So Sweet' the movie. It is one of my favorite local movie of all time.
