Author's Note: Thanks so much for your wonderful Reviews! It's a long story and I couldn't keep going without all of you helping me to continually breathe life into it :) It's so fun to do this with you.
In case anyone is interested in having some visuals for this chapter, I set Kazu/Kaho's date in YOKOHAMA HAKKEIJIMA SEA PARADISE, which is a real place. They have a website with some photos etc. Just Google the above title.
You can also check out the very cool real-life satellite image of it if you...
-go to Google search
-click on 'maps' (upper left)
-enter 'Yokohama Japan'
-zoom in once, until you see the blue highway marker that says 357 (it's south of that red teardrop that marks Yokohama center) Keep zooming in until you see the word Hakkeijima below near the water.
-go to the upper right of your page and click on 'satellite'. Keep zooming in. It's basically an island. You can see all the details! The rollercoaster, the aquarium buildings, the trees that K & K kiss under...etc.
Enjoy!
The morning after her date with Etou Kiriya...
Miraculously she jumped out of bed after the first alarm went off, because she didn't want to face the jarring headache of hearing the other two. Dragging her be-slippered feet to the kitchen, she made herself a strong coffee and proceeded to sleepwalk/get dressed. By the time the doorbell rang she was ready, or at least she hoped so. She could have been wearing two different colors of socks and not noticed.
"Good Morning Kaho-chan!" Hihara was bright-eyed and energetic. She hoped it would rub off on her. He took her bag as she tried to lock the front door. When she fumbled and dropped the keys, he scooped them up and locked the door for her. Together they walked two blocks to the bus stop. Hihara was eager to make conversation or to somehow boost her spirits, but he could see how hopeless it was. They walked in silence with him peeking sidelong at her droopy face. She was aware that she wasn't exactly being sociable, but was too out-of-it to make small talk.
Once in their seats on the bus he murmured sympathetically "You look tired."
She raised her head groggily. "I'm sorry, Hihara-sempai. Yes, I am quite tired…Do you mind taking care of me? If it's okay I would like to sleep on your shoulder. Then when we get there, hopefully I will have some energy." She realized that it was bold of her to ask to slump against him, but it was a question of practicality and need. If she was to be any kind of decent companion for him today, she had to snatch whatever rest she could.
"I don't mind at all." That was a fact. He maneuvered in his seat so that he could hold her comfortably. He opened his arms, Kahoko curled up against him and promptly fell deeply asleep. It was an unexpected gift for him, since after their kiss at the creek he had been lecturing himself to keep his hands off her. Gazing down at her cute face, all his good intentions flew out the window. As she dozed in his embrace he gently stroked her red tresses, kissed the top of her head, rubbed her shoulder. When the bus neared the train station, he woke her up by softly calling her name and combing the hair out of her face. He propped her up in her seat, helped her up by taking her hand, and kept his arm around her until they were on the train.
His heart swelled with contentment as he held her once again on the train, cherishing the quiet kitten-like noises she made in her sleep. 'I can't help it' he thought as he placed her hand in his. 'I love her. I can't pretend that I don't. If she doesn't choose me, then I will be her friend. I'll be the best friend she could ever want.' He stroked her fingers with his thumb as he tried to convince himself that he could be content with friendship.
He was well aware of Azuma's interest in her. Any girl would choose him over Kazuki. He knew that Azuma had the potential to be really good to her, too. There was obviously some true affection there. He wasn't yet as committed to her as Kazuki was, but that would come with time. It would probably happen as a result of her influence. She had a way of bringing out the best in people. She would be good for him. She might be the only person who could actually reach him.
The train had come to the end of the line and Hihara was once again waking her. "Are we here?" she inquired sleepily, stretching her arms above her head.
"We're here" he smiled indulgently.
Shortly after, they were inside the entrance gates and staring at the site map. "Did you eat breakfast?" he asked with his hand on her shoulder.
She looked up at him, blinking away the bright sunlight that formed a halo around his unruly hair. "Yes. I'll be fine for at least a couple hours."
"Good. I was thinking that we could start at the amusement park, eat lunch, then go to the aquarium. It's probably not a good idea to have too much food in our stomachs when we're on the rides, so it makes sense to get them over with before we have lunch." He was proud of himself for having considered that ahead of time. Usually he was such a scatterbrain. "What do you think?"
"That sounds perfect."
They consulted the map to figure out how to get to the amusement park, then Hihara grabbed her hand. "Let's go!"
Even as she followed him, something was holding her back. As much as she enjoyed holding hands with him, she felt guilty. She didn't want to encourage him too much since she didn't yet know if she would choose him. He was so in love with her that she thought it better to err on the side of caution.
He felt her hand go slack in his and her step faltering as she was absorbed in thought. When her pensive eyes met his, he was pretty sure he knew why. He stopped and held her hands in both of his.
"Kaho-chan, I know that you can't make me any promises…I don't even expect you to choose me. I know that today is probably our only date before we return to being 'just friends.' If I promise to keep that in mind, will you let me just for today treat you as my girlfriend? It would make me happier to have special memories of being close to you, than if I have to feel bad about how we kept distance between us…What do you think? Will you be my girlfriend for one day?"
She smiled at him with tears in her eyes. "If that's what you want, Hihara-sempai. I really like being with you. I just don't want you to get hurt because of this strange situation that I'm in."
He kissed her hand. "Thank you, Kaho-chan…Do you think that today you can call me Kazuki?" He looked apologetically hopeful.
With a big grin she replied "I'll try."
They both really liked amusement parks, so the day was extra fun. Kahoko set the tone for the rest of the day when she purged her frustrations by screaming her lungs out on the vertical drop ride. Kazuki laughed, happy to see her getting into the spirit. They slipped easily into their roles as girlfriend/boyfriend. He made sure that he was always touching her, one way or another. He held her hand as they waited in line for the rollercoaster, kept his arm around her shoulder on the octopus ride, put his arm around her waist as they wandered around the shops, and kissed her temple from time to time when things were quiet.
She found it natural to be with him this way, and to make him happy she looked for opportunities to use his name in conversation. She allowed herself to admire his broad shoulders, to feel excited that he was holding her with his muscular arms and touching her with his strong hands. He was an attractive boy. When he was in one of his hyper moods, all that one could see was his big goofy smile and the bounce in his step. When he was at rest, though, he was stunningly handsome. His facial features were strong and balanced, and his soft eyes held soulful depth. There were moments when she caught him gazing at her, when her heart fluttered at the thought that she had been resting in the arms of such a hot guy!
After the thrill of going on all the rides, girl and boy were happy to spend some time in the arcade. He was familiar with many of the games and showed her how to do a couple of the ones that she was unfamiliar with. At one point he got impatient with her standing at his shoulder to watch him, and he gently pulled her down to sit between his legs. She leaned back against his chest as he played with his arms around her. He had lightning reflexes and the game went on for several minutes until he abandoned it at the urging of his growling stomach.
On their way out of the building he insisted that they stop to get some photos done in the photo booth. Moments later they were admiring the images of the two bright cheery faces of friends having a great day together.
After doing a bit of reconnaissance in the restaurant plaza, they decided on spaghetti for lunch. As she watched him inhale his food she dwelled on how comfortable it was to be with him. Everything was effortless and natural and sweet between them. They liked so many of the same things, and he was easy-going...Soon Kazu-the-sugar-enabler was dragging her to the crepe stand. She chose one with strawberries and whipped cream. His was peanut butter and chocolate. They sat on a bench, shared forkfuls with each other and watched people going by.
After lunch they ambled around the perimeter of the island. He took her hand and they walked in silence for a while. Then Kazuki asked her about her family. Kahoko launched into an enthusiastic account of what her mother and sister and brother were like. Soon they were both excitedly relating stories of their childhood and agreeing about the frustrations of being the youngest child. They lapsed into happy silence again and Kazuki swung her hand back and forth in his. "Shall we go see some fishies?" he asked, and she nodded.
The aquarium exhibits were awe-inspiring. There were shows where dolphins and whales performed, an underwater viewing tunnel, a lagoon, and more. Kahoko's favorite part was seeing the dolphins and polar bears.
They took the elevator to the top of a tower that had a 360 degree view of the island, the mainland, and the bay. As they admired the awe-inspiring scenery from a revolving room Kazuki pulled her back into his embrace and rested his chin on her head. Kahoko's troubles of the past several days seemed distant here, in the presence of the surrounding beauty, the marvels of nature, and the affection of her warm companion.
By mid-afternoon their feet were getting tired. Kazuki suggested they find a quiet place to sit so they could have some private time. Under some trees they found a secluded bench. She leaned her head on his shoulder and he rested his hand on her knee. In the stillness they thought about each other and the potential for a relationship.
He felt the words coming out of him; they were quietly true. "I love you, Kaho-chan."
She covered his hand and slipped her fingers between his. "I know, Kazuki. I feel loved...and I am very honored. Thank you." She rubbed her head against his shoulder.
She felt him lean closer, his hand coming around to cradle her jaw before he gently turned her face toward him. He looked into her eyes for a few moments with an unspoken question hanging in the air. Remembering the sweetness of their previous kisses, it was no hardship for her to give her consent. Her gaze rested on his generous mouth and she leaned forward. As their lips met she felt his love once again filling her. His kisses were so expressive of affection...and now passion. She noticed his new intensity as he broke the kiss to look at her. His amber eyes were those of a man who wanted her. His hand slipped up under the back of her shirt to make contact with bare skin. He watched for her reaction as his other hand traced her collarbone. Another question hung in the air: 'May I?'
He recognized her desire and lowered his head to the task. His hair tickled her as he nuzzled her jaw to one side so he could access her neck. She felt shivers of excitement running up and down her spine as her suitor tongued and kissed her neck, going lower...and...lower. His mouth paused against her skin as his hand slid down to lightly palm the side of her breast. His eyes rose to look into hers as he very subtly moved his hand around the curve of her. She was drowning in the suspenseful eroticism of the moment when suddenly he cupped her entirely and sank his mouth into hers. His hand was slow but deliberate in exploring her contours, and his tongue was thorough too. Kahoko had no complaints. She took pleasure in his hand on her, and his mouth that wanted her.
More than content that he had gotten that far with her, he slipped his hand around her waist and pressed his lips to her forehead. As his arms pulled her close she thought about all the things about him that were so special. If there were any doubts that Kazuki could be too sweet and submissive, they would have been dispelled in these last few minutes. Could he be the one? As her heart reached out to him, her hands caressed his face and stroked the back of his neck. "Kazuki?..."
"Yes?"
"You were my first kiss."
"I was?" That made him so happy. No matter what happened, he would know that this forever made him special to her. "Did you...did you like it, Kaho-chan?"
"It was wonderful. You made me feel cherished. It felt romantic…and loving…and comfortable. I will always treasure the memory and count myself lucky that you were my first."
With tears in his eyes he squeezed her. He spoke softly against her neck "It was my first time too. I'm so glad it was you…" He kissed her cheek and then her lips, and they kissed a while longer with new depth. Kahoko's heart swelled with emotion, a by-product of being the object of his affection.
He was keeping track of time. He didn't want to be responsible for making her late in getting home. He buried his face in her neck, saying "We should go."
The journey back was bittersweet for them both. They rode home in silence, letting their embraces and kisses speak for themselves. At the bus stop near her house she reached for his hand. A few steps later she asked "After today, may I still call you Kazuki?" After what they had shared, she couldn't imagine calling him anything else.
His serious face was transformed by a big grin. "Yes, that would make me very happy." Then he was serious again. "We will always be friends, won't we, Kaho-chan?"
She squeezed his hand. "Yes Kazuki. Friends always."
He raised her fingers to his lips. "I'm glad." Privately he thought 'I can endure anything as long as I can be your friend.'
From a distance she spied her sister's car in the driveway. She gently released his hand and kissed him on the cheek. "My family is home. I'd better go the rest of the way by myself. Thank you for such a special day, Kazuki."
"Thank you, Kaho-chan. See you at school."
As he walked home he was aware of the duality of his emotions, and chose to dwell in the happier ones.
Author's Note: Waaaah! Sniff, sniff. They're SO CUTE together!
Do any of you think that Kazu would make a good boyfriend?
Every once in a while I find it weird that Kaho cares intimately about so many boys at the same time. Isn't it supposed to be so clear that you would know who was 'the one' and the others would naturally fall away? Then I think about how many people I love platonically. The love I have for my brother or my friend. Powerful emotion. If you can love so many of your family members and friends, how much of a stretch is it to be 'in love' with more than one guy? Especially when each guy has wonderful unique qualities.
When it comes down to it, it's not practical to have truly intimate relationships with more than one guy, because you need to give as much of your self to one person in order to sustain a meaningful relationship. But Kahoko isn't there yet. She's just dating, and I can just imagine how intense the situation must feel to her...A girlfriend of mine was once dating two guys and was so torn between the two of them that it was killing her!
Next chapter: Kaho's date with Len-kun. How romantic can a chamber music concert be? Wait and see :) Some precious Len moments, as his hormones and his heart lead him in the right direction. This guy is in for an awakening that will change everything for him.