Hiyori has a conversation (or 3)
On Monday, Kobayashi did not show up to Intro to Japanese Lit.
However, Kazu did, ducking in the door just in the knick of time and quickly sliding into his seat next to Hiyori.
She gave him questioning look, which he returned with a quick shake of his head. The hour-long lecture period felt interminable as they waited for the bell to ring.
Finally, class let out, and the two friends automatically set off walking towards the food court. They kept the conversation casual, chatting about the book their next paper was on, until they sat down with their lunches.
"Well?" Hiyori asked, poking at her bento with her chopsticks. "How'd it go?"
Kazu heaved a deep sigh. "It wasn't pretty. He spent most of cab ride alternating between crying and trying to hook up with me, but once we got to my place, I made him some tea and just let him sober up. Then we talked for a while."
"Why wasn't he in class today?" Hiyori asked curiously.
"He was visiting his dad is Sapporo, I think his flight got in this morning."
"You're joking!" she said in disbelief.
Kazu shook his head. "He's still pretty angry, but he went to try and talk, at least. "
"You know," Hiyori began, frowning. "I was thinking about you a lot over the weekend. And I realized... I feel bad for Kobayashi, but being involved with him... I don't know, Kazu. I don't want you in a bad situation."
Kazu reached out and yanked one of her braids. "Thanks babe," he said, smiling. "I've decided, I'm just going to be there as a friend for him right now. Too many issues, ugh. I don't do high maintenance."
"You still like him, don't you?" she said astutely.
"You're getting more perceptive, aren't you?" he countered. "Yeah, but I recognize he's got stuff to deal with. My self-restraint is good. How's yours?"
"Eh?"
"C'mon...how was your walk home with Naoki-san? Please please let me live out my hot tutor/student fantasy vicariously through you."
Hiyori blushed furiously. "Nothing to report, you horn dog. He just walked me home."
"Awww...he didn't even kiss you goodnight?"
Hiyori turned an even deeper shade of red.
"Whoa, I was just trying to get a rise out of you...wait, seriously, did something happen?" Kazu sounded ecstatic.
"I kissed him on the cheek as a thank you. That's it." She tried her best to say this nonchalantly, but her ears were burning.
"You lucky bitch, I can't believe you got to be so close to his amazing face. I hate you."
This comment earned Kazu a smack on the shoulder. "What am I going to do with you," Hiyori laughed.
xxx
Hiyori had some time to kill before her tutoring appointment, so she decided to sit on one of the benches outside in the sunshine and get a head start of the next book in the Lit curriculum. She was enjoying the late autumn sunshine when a shadow fell across the page.
Kobayashi Seiji stood before her, looking exhausted. "Do you have a minute?" he asked simply.
Hiyori bit her lip. "Yes, I have a minute."
He sat on the bench next to her. As Hiyo studied his face, she was glad to see the bruise had gone green and yellow around the edges, a sign of healing.
"I've made a fool out of myself twice in front of you, now," he commented, not looking at her.
"That's true."
"I guess I owe you an apology."
"I'm listening."
"...I'm sorry," Kobayashi said. "I was trying to joke around, and I took it too far. I always do that."
"It's not easy having two fathers," Hiyori told him, speaking honestly. "All during high school, I stayed in the closet about my family per their request. But when I went to college, I decided I'd had enough. I was done dodging awkward questions." She turned to face him directly. "It's not a joke," she told him. "These are people's lives, here. Your dad sounds like a piece of work, but that doesn't give you a free pass to be mean."
"I guess." Kobayashi looked at her uncomfortably. "I really am sorry I broke your hand, too."
"I broke my hand," Hiyori corrected, smiling. "I suppose I should apologize for punching you now?"
"You don't have to," the boy said, eying her uncertainly.
"Well, I'm sorry. I didn't know the whole story, and regardless I should have just walked away. I hope everything works out with your family."
Kobayashi shrugged. "I don't want your pity. I had it coming. Are we good?"
"Yeah, we're good."
Kobayashi stood, and Hiyori watched him walk away with mixed feelings.
xxx
Naoki had his bangs pinned back again, and wore a loose fitting black t-shirt. Nevertheless, when Hiyori walked up to the desk and set her calculus book down, she realized the damage was doneāall she could focus on were his cheekbones.
"Good afternoon, Kirishima-san," he rose from his chair until she sat down, but knocked his calculator over in the process. "Ah, let's start with derivatives, shall we?"
"Huh?"
"Derivatives?" he repeated. "You have an exam on them next week, right?"
"Right..." Hiyori sat down and opened her book warily. Wasn't he going to mention anything about seeing her before?
To her surprise, Naoki dove right into the lesson, copying the formulas she would need on the corner of the page and giving her a variety of practice problems to complete (she had gotten quite adept at writing left handed) while he watched and made suggestions.
However, Hiyori spent the hour multi-tasking, diligently filling out her work while also observing Naoki out of the corner of her eye. During the course of their tutoring session, he dropped his calculator twice more and accidentally knocked all his pencils off the desk. He blushed in embarrassment, but didn't apologize.
Finally, enough was enough. As Naoki rooted around on the floor for his eraser, Hiyori made up her mind. When he straightened, she looked him directly in the eye and held up a finger to shush him before he started talking math again.
"Want to get dinner this week? I'm asking you out, just to be clear, here."
"You're asking me out?" he asked, not daring to hope he had heard her correctly.
"Yup."
All the nervousness seemed to drain from Naoki's posture, and his smile couldn't possibly have been any wider. "Ok," he beamed.
xxx
Hiyori asking Naoki out is a tribute to her mother, Sakura.
Well, looks like this story wasn't particularly popular, but hey...it was in my head, so I figured I'd keep posting! I know I originally said nine, but I think I'll do one last, very brief chapter. The next chapter will definitely be the last of this story, and the last I post, period :/. Any feedback would be lovely, friends... and otherwise, thanks for reading!
