Chapter 9: Go Slap a Codfish

Hiro walked into the dining room quite calmly after her father's pep talk. She reminded herself upon seeing the Plowskis that it was just one night longer. Her heart also lifted when Mamoru-sama walked in through the back door, dressed in slacks, a blue button up shirt and black tie. He had pulled his hair back into a simple, black elastic and he caught Hiro's eyes and smiled tight-lipped at her and she realized she had been staring.

She wrenched her gaze away, his eyes having reminded her of her earlier revelation. She glanced again his way as he was introduced to the Plowskis (although he had already met Cai) and she felt her heart grow more determined. She would clarify her suspicions after the dinner party… for better or worse, she just had to know if he, Mamoru-sama, was Kohaku, returning to her side to fulfill his promise. 'We'll see each other again, I promise,' he had said, and those words rang through her as clearly as the moment he had said them.

Hiro's heart was warm and thus she could even greet Cai with a polite smile even though he was already acting his arrogant self and sidling up close to her. She glided to his parents and shook their hands, Mrs. Plowski in another of her eye-catching dresses. Hiro laughed mentally when she felt under dressed in her own house but didn't think much of it as Mrs. Ogino called her to help bring things to the table.

Mamoru-sama followed her into the kitchen and was almost followed by Cai when Mr. Ogino expertly caught his attention and started to ask how the last week had been noting, but not emphasizing, the fact that they hadn't seen him that morning.

Hiro picked up a rather heavy bowl of corn on the cob and it was deftly slipped from her hands by Mamoru-sama. "I could carry that," she said the embarrassment and shyness lighting her face but he simply smiled and waited for her to pick up something else. She chose the salad and with a grin balanced the bowl in one hand and picked up the two bottles of dressing with her other hand.

He rolled his eyes at her in mock long-suffering and followed her from the kitchen to the dining room with Mrs. Ogino following with the baking dish full of fish that she had been preparing all afternoon. Bread and butter had already been set out on the table along with plain white rice and Hiro mentally noted that it seemed to be a strange combination of foods but when Mayor Plowski practically gushed over the items she realized her mother had been trying to please everyone. She smiled reminding herself that her mother had her virtues aside from her stubbornness to see Hiro with the man she felt she had chosen for her.

They all sat down at the table and Hiro took a deep breath as she sat next to Cai, Mamoru-sama was kitty corner to her being the odd one out and sitting on one side of the square table by himself, not that he seemed to mind all that much. They were using the table with the chairs which the Ogino's never used unless they had company such as the Plowskis or Mr. Ogino's other business partners.

There was the easy bustle and murmuring of pleases and thank-you's around the table as all the food was passed about along with the wine for the grown ups and Cai (the Plowskis having allowed him to drink wine under their supervision since he was 15) and sparkling cider for Hiro. She poured it for herself and was surprised when she felt a hand on her elbow and she looked up from her glass to see a pair of sea green eyes looking at her. The mayor and her father were having a rather loud discussion about business in town and so as not to interrupt them, Mamoru-sama had reached over easily to grab Hiro's attention. She asked with her eyebrows what the matter was and he asked softly if he could have some of the cider as well.

She looked at him in surprise before dissolving into giggles at having thought his grasping her elbow meant more than just wanting something to drink. "But why not the wine?" she asked back before holding her hand out for his glass. He allowed a half smile at this.

"I have never really had a taste for the stuff," he admitted as he let go of her elbow to hand her the glass, letting his gaze flicker slightly to look at Cai beyond her who was seething just under his mask of forced politeness and indifference but it apparently bothered him greatly, the ease of interaction between Hiro and the teacher.

"So, Mr. Kawa," Mayor Plowski said, cutting Mr. Ogino's protest to whatever he hadn't agreed with during their conversation, "You're going to be the new ceramics teacher?"

Mamoru-sama looked up from Hiro pouring his cider and nodded politely. "Yes, that is right Mayor Plowski. Though I hear that your own son graduated last year…?" he returned not even looking at Cai though the intensity of his glare seemed to graze just past Hiro's ear on its way to the older man's face.

"Yes, yes that is correct. I am afraid, though, that even if Cai was going to school this year he isn't very inclined toward the arts," Mrs. Plowski simpered as if mildly upset that Cai was all sports and no finesse. Hiro snorted into her glass at the truth of the sentiment in all areas of Cai's life. In her opinion, the only reason he had girlfriends in high school was because he was popular for his sports playing and his body, which really was nothing that even Hiro could sneer at. She felt his glare turn on her and she couldn't help but find humor in it as she put her cup down and laughed daintily into her napkin.

"Oh? Well, that is a shame. I am sure I could have taught him how to make a vase or something delicate for yourself on Mother's Day, Mrs. Plowski," Mamoru-sama said with effortless charm and Hiro smiled down at the fish she picked up with her fork before putting it in her mouth.

"What are you smiling at, Chihiro?" Cai asked his voice butter smooth as he slipped his hand onto her knee and she jumped slightly the smile disappearing as she jerked her leg from his grasp.

"No reason," she said tightly placing her false smile on her lips before looking across to his parents wondering if they knew of his lecherous ways. "Does one need something to smile at all the time?" she asked, politely aiming the question at his supposedly oblivious parents.

"Well, even if we don't get to know the reason," Mayor Plowski ventured, "every woman has her reasons," he finished, picking his wife's hand up into his and kissing the back of it.

"Oh stop it, Richard," Mrs. Plowski said with fake embarrassment before taking a sip of her wine. Cai kept his hands to himself for the rest of the meal for the most part aside from attempting to catch her hand the few times it wasn't in her lap but was resting on the table instead. She slapped his hand rather hard surprising Mrs. Ogino but before the Plowskis could voice their own concern she did her best imitation of Mrs. Plowski's tittering at her husband to behave himself but toward Cai. It sickened her to do it but after doing it she saw the look of approval and brief nod from Mr. Ogino encouraging and seeming to say it was almost over.

Dessert came out then and that is where it all fell apart. It seemed harmless enough. Just ice cream and cake, with chocolate syrup. Hiro out right laughed when her father cracked a joke that subtly referenced Cai (but only she and her father seemed to pick up on it). However, Cai commented on her smiling and laughing face (very complimentary of course) but pointing at her face he also said, "You have some chocolate right there," and he took Hiro's chin in his fingers and kissed it off. To say she flipped would be an understatement.

After feeling a rather definitive full-body shiver, during which his mouth was still on the corner of hers, she pushed violently away from the table and stood up at the same time. He deftly followed as if to balance her but she swatted his hand away from her waist. "That is it, Cai!" she exclaimed.

"Now, don't make a scene, Chihiro, we all know that we are dating. What's a small kiss amid family?" he asked coolly. While he had been talking to her, Cai had been holding his hands placating in front of himself then reached to grasp her hips—perhaps to pull her in for a real kiss this time but his face didn't get within a foot of hers before the dining room rang with sound of her hand meeting his face.

"You are insane," she said evenly and in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "We are not dating. We have never dated. And we will never date!" she continued, the decibels of her voice increasing with every statement. From the looks on the Plowskis' faces, this was new news to them and Mrs. Ogino looked wounded. Mr. Ogino looked suspiciously proud and Mamoru-sama… looked on the verge of laughter. Cai looked livid. "Dad," Hiro said in a softer voice, "may I be excused to my room for the remainder of the evening?" Cai's expression changed to that of a codfish, mouth gaping at first Hiro and then Mr. Ogino as he nodded silently.

She inclined her head briefly to the gathered, wiping the side of her mouth as she walked briskly away from the dining room and into her bedroom.


Wow! So many reviews and stuff for me! I am excited and feel very much loved.

Shout Outs-

Reviews: XXPayXtra4ShippingsXX, Ialiceiamagodness, EasternWindDragon, litugreen, Bigbangfan19, Carly, Hunnybunny12, xMidnightHunter1553x, and Guest.

I would respond to all individually but it seems most are simply supportive but I feel I must address Guest:

Miss/Mr. Guest: I am actually not going to apologize for the seeming lack of romance in my story. Firstly, this is only the 9th chapter and I do plan on their being quite a few more. Secondly, I suppose my definition of romance might not be the same as yours, dear. There have been a few reviews remarking on the romance that I have put in here, and I feel it is appropriate for the current situations of my characters. So. If you are looking for grand kissing/almost sex scenes, I will let you know now that those aren't my style of writing. If you aren't happy with this insight into the mind of Casidhe, then I assure you there are other fanfictions that have to do with Chihiro and Kohaku that would be more fitting to your definition of romance. Good luck in your search!

Favorites: Cheerhappy998 (can't remember if this was a new one and too lazy to double check... ah ha...), gleekklainefan, .1

Followers: Cheerhappy998 (...), gleekklainefan, .1, PhoenixPheathers12 (and by the way, Phoenix, I think your name is very clever...)

Again! Thank you so much for your support! I hope it doesn't feel like I jumped the gun too much in Chihiro's lashing out at Cai. And I hope that I do not lose too many of you due to my admission of what kind of "romance" you can expect NOT to see in my writing... ahem. But without further ado. Happy March! And let me know what you think.

C.B.