Chapter 8
The leaves were such beautiful colours, a mixture of brown, gold, orange and red. There were really beautiful. I then came to a lovely valley. I took a seat on the ground and started drawing.
Two hours later, I then came to an orange orchard. It was the end of the walk. I had seen so many beautiful things, I wish I could live here. I could draw to my heart's content. I walked through the orchard, the Inn was just up ahead.
The oranges all looked so delicious. I needed to pick some after I finished drawing. I sat down in front of a line of trees and started drawing the landscape. I had my headphones in and happily listened to music as I started to draw. Once I had finished drawing, I started to colour in the trees and the oranges.
"Hey Faye!" someone shouted.
I pulled my headphones out and saw Kenny running up towards me.
"Where have you been? We've been looking for you everywhere." He said.
"I went for a walk. Look."
I showed him my drawings.
"Very nice, but you shouldn't just run off."
"Well, you guys were taking forever to decide on what to do." I said and put my sketch book away.
"Instead of going back to the Inn, did you want to pick some oranges?" he asked.
"Sure." I agreed.
I left my bag on the floor and walked up to the nearest tree but he stopped me.
"You should cut the oranges off with clippers and leave one centimetre of the branch on." He said and handed me a pair of clippers.
"You sure know a lot about it." I said.
"Oh, it was in this brochure. I just read it." He said and pulled a leaflet out of his pocket.
"Oh." I said and nodded.
"The best tasting oranges are small, at the end of the branches and have dark colouring. Here's one. Look at this orange, Faye. It looks like it'll be good." He said and cut one off it's branch and handed it to me.
"Thanks." I said.
I peeled it and gave him a couple of slices before I ate some myself.
"Mm. It's really good." I said.
"Yeah it is good! I could eat these all day." he beamed.
I couldn't help but laugh, I was picking oranges with Kenny. This was weird but funny, he was such a nice guy to be with.
We continued to pick oranges when the others came running.
"There you are! So, Kenshi was hogging Faye all this time." Hiro said.
"Hey guys, took you long enough." I said and smiled at them.
"Where have you been?" Riki asked.
"I went for a walk and did some drawing. Want to see?" I said.
I showed them my sketch book and they all nodded in approval.
"They're good Faye but you can't just run off without telling us. We were worried." Boss said.
"Sorry, I won't do it again." I said.
"We were picking oranges. Here Faye, try some more." Kenny said.
I turned and he fed me one.
"Mm. This tastes way better than the ones I buy at the store." I said.
"I want to try to. Here, Faye try my orange." Hiro said and held one up to me.
I nodded and reached for it but he pulled it back.
"Nope. Open wide!" he said with a mischievous smile on his face.
I sighed but opened my mouth.
"How is it?" he asked.
"Really good." I said.
"I'm glad you like it." He said.
"What, is it feeding time for Faye?" Riki asked.
"Hey, don't talk about me like I'm an animal." I said.
"Here, try mine next." Riki said and forced a slice into my mouth.
"This one too." Takuto said.
"Hey!"
"Here you go Faye, say Ahhh!" Boss said.
They all started to force me pieces of orange. Kenny just burst out laughing.
"You look like a hamster with those cheeks, Faye!" he laughed.
"Keep eating Faye!" Hiro said.
"No! Enough!" I shouted and pushed them all away.
"What?" Hiro said.
"Coward." Takuto said.
"Booooring! I wanna keep playing." Hiro said, sounding like a child.
"What am I? A toy?" I said.
"Now I have to play with Takkun." Hiro said.
"Huh?" Takuto gasped.
"Take this!" Hiro shouted and squirted Takuto with his orange.
"Aaahh! What was that? Orange juice?"
"Take that and that and that!" Hiro kept shouting and kept squirting Takuto.
"Knock it off. You idiot!" Takuto shouted.
He picked up an orange and started to squirt back.
"Oooh. A counterattack." Hiro shouted.
They both then started to throw orange peels and squirt each other.
"Oh, looks like fun. I'm gonna join in." Kenny said.
"Can I do it too?" Boss asked and they both started to squirt each other.
"Whoever gets orange juice in their eye loses!" Hiro announced.
"I have smaller eyes than you, so I have the advantage." Kenny said.
I didn't really feel like getting covered in orange juice, so I stepped back and allowed them to continue. There was still so much area to cover, maybe I could sneak off and explore the hills and valleys more?
"I'm just gonna close my eyes." Takuto said.
"Times like this I'm glad I wear glasses." Boss said.
Riki didn't look too amused either.
"You guys are ridiculous." He muttered.
"Take this!" Hiro shouted and squirted Riki.
"Ahh! You idiot! Everyone get Hiro, that's an order for the leader!" Riki shouted.
"Roger!" Kenny replied and aimed his attack at Hiro.
"Waaah! Help me Faye." Hiro shouted.
I was tempted to stop them but it was just too funny to watch.
Afterwards, we all decided to go to the hot springs and wash off. I walked out onto the hot springs, I had a towel wrapped around my body. When I was close to the water, I dropped the towel and slipped into the hot water.
"Oh! This feels so good." I moaned and sunk to the bottom.
I stayed there for a few minutes before I came up for air. There was no one else here so I had it all to myself. I used my towel as a pillow and stretched out in the bath to relax. I could feel all the tension leaving my body.
God I needed this. Things had been so hectic lately, this was perfect.
"Hey. This bath is huge. Wow!" Boss beamed.
"Calm down old man." Riki said.
"Faye's all alone in her bath. I wonder if she's lonely?" Hiro asked.
I sat up, they were in the bath next door and I could everything they were saying. There was only a thin wall separating us.
"You'd better not say you're going to check on her." Riki said as a warning.
"I wasn't going to say that." Hiro said. "So Kenny, looking forward to sharing a room with Faye?"
"Shut up!" Kenny hissed.
"Hey, don't make my hair wet!" Hiro said.
I put my hand over my mouth to muffle my giggle.
"We should go to the spa tomorrow. I can't wait to see Faye in a bikini." Hiro said and laughed.
"Yeah, I bet she'd look nice." Riki said.
"Ew gross." Takuto said.
"Don't act all tough Takkun, I know you would love to see Faye in a bikini." Hiro said.
They all laughed.
Did they have to talk about me in that way? It was gross.
"I noticed how you and Faye are getting close Riki." Boss said.
"Don't be stupid." Riki said.
"Hmp. Then why do you always hog her on missions? Or make an extra strong batch of miso soup when you know Faye is tired? And why you secretly leave her umbrellas at work on rainy days? Or pretend to 'just be in the neighbourhood' to pick her up from work?" Hiro asked.
Riki did all that just for me? I had no idea but they were right, we were getting closer. I loved being with Riki, whenever we were together on missions it made me so happy. Every time he hugged me, it would make my heart skip a beat.
"What are you, my stalker or something? If anyone's getting close to Faye, it's Kenshi." Riki said.
"What are you talking about?" Kenny asked.
"Yeah, you guys always go to the gym together and you always go out drinking together." Takuto said.
"And Faye did choose you over Riki to share a room with." Boss said.
"Shut up!" Kenny shouted.
I wished they would stop talking about me like this. It was none of their business who I liked more! They were worse than girls.
I sank into the water till I was fully emerged. It felt amazing.
After the hot springs, we all met and had dinner together wearing our Yukata's.
"Whoa, there's so much sea food." I said as I sat down at the table.
"Shrimp pork noodles.." Takuto said thoughtfully as he filled his plate.
I never knew anyone who liked pork noodles as much as him.
"Takuto. You're gonna make me sick." Riki said.
"Yeah, there are regular noodles with shrimp." I pointed out.
"Oh, maybe I'll make up a new menu when I get back." Boss said.
"Shrimp pork noodles, huh? I can't really imagine it, but it sounds interesting." Kenny said.
This was turning out to be a great holiday, the guys were so much fun.
After dinner, we all started to relax.
"Hey Kenny, more sake?" I offered and held up the bottle to him.
"Go for it." He said and moved his cup under the bottle.
Between us, we had already drunk half the bottle.
"It seems like a waste to think we're already leaving tomorrow." Riki said.
"Yeah, I'd be nice to stay longer." I said.
"Guess you should try to win more prizes." Kenny said.
"We should save up money and come again for a week during summer." Riki said.
"I can't close the bar for a whole week." Boss said.
"Why not? It's not like you actually make any money off it anyway." Takuto said.
"Takkun, even if it's true, you don't have to say it out loud." Boss said looking sad.
"Ok, ok. Break time's over." Hiro said.
In his hands he was holding chopsticks.
"Time for the King Game, let's play." He beamed and held the chopsticks in the air.
"Might be a good way to kill time." Riki said.
"Yeah let's do it." I agreed.
If I became the king, I could make the guys do whatever I wanted. I couldn't help but smile and giggle to myself.
"Everyone here is an adult. I'm looking forward to playing with all you young'uns." Boss said and laughed.
"Haha. You sound like an old man." Kenny said.
"Totally." Takuto agreed.
We each picked up a chopstick and started to play the game.
"Oooh. I'm the king. I order #1 to massage #4's shoulders." Kenny said.
"A massage from Takkun… I'm so happy I could cry." Boss said sounding dramatic.
Takuto scowled.
"This is humiliating. Why the hell do I have to massage Beardy's shoulders?"
The game continued.
"I'm the king. #3 and #5, start naming off all the digits of pi." Takuto said.
"No way. The hell kind of order is that, anyway?" Riki asked.
"I'm the king. You have to follow my order." Takuto said.
"Um, can't you give us a more realistic order?" Hiro asked.
"Next." Riki ordered.
"Oh, I'm the king!" I beamed.
I thought hard, it had to be something horrible and embarrassing.
"#5 has to do a sexy dance for #4." I said.
"No way. I'm #5." Boss said.
Hiro and Kenny laughed.
"Switch with me, #4." Boss said.
"Yeah right. You could use the exercise anyway, C'mon." Riki said.
Boss started to dance in front of Riki, swaying his hips. Me, Hiro and Kenny burst out laughing. I was laughing so much I started to get a stitch in my side.
After we had all finished laughing, we picked new chopsticks.
"Heheh. I'm finally the king." Hiro said.
Everyone's expressions change when they saw that Hiro was the king.
Why did the mood suddenly change?
"You're so nice, everyone. But unfortunately I'm not. #2 has to kiss #4." Hiro said.
I was #2 but who was #4?
"That's me, I'm #4." Kenny said. "Don't tell me Boss is #2."
"Hey, why are you picking on me?" Boss said.
"Come on, who's #2?" Hiro asked.
I had to kiss Kenny?
"Me." I said.
"Ok. Faye has to kiss Kenny." Hiro declared gleefully.
I wasn't sure, I had never kissed Kenny before and he didn't look like he wanted to either.
"Come on guys you have to, it's the game." Hiro said.
Ugh, I couldn't. I just couldn't, it didn't feel right. Riki then stood up and downed his cup of sake.
"Why are you chugging that?" Boss asked.
"Riki, you know you can't hold your liquor." Hiro said.
"Riki, you're going to pass out." I said.
He drained the glass with one gulp before he fell to the floor.
"Riki, are you ok?" I asked.
"Let's take him to his room so he can lie down." Kenshi said.
With Kenny's help, we carried Riki to his room. I offered to stay for a while to make sure he was ok.
"If you need help, just let us know, ok?" Boss said.
"Will do, thanks." I said and the guys left.
Riki was such an idiot, why did he do that? I got a cold towel and placed it on his forehead when he eyes opened.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't. I was just waiting for them to leave." He said and sat up.
"I thought you had passed out drunk." I said.
"I'm not gonna pass out from a few drinks." He said.
"So… did you pass out on purpose?"
"And why would I do that?" he said.
To stop me from kissing Kenny?
"So, did you end up kissing Kenshi?" he asked.
"No, of course not."
"You didn't want to kiss him anyway, did you?" he said.
"Well… not really." I said.
"Then why didn't you just say so?"
He looked kind of mad. Why did he care who I kissed or didn't kiss? It wasn't any of his business. It's not like I was his girlfriend or anything.
"Anyway, I'm glad you're ok. I'll leave you to it." I said and stood up and left the room.
I heard him call my name but I ignored him and continued.
