Chapter 10. Two cherished wishes
"Maybe it's her brother? Though they don't look like siblings." thought Kazuki, quickly inserting the photo in the notebook and catching up with Eri.
"Oh, thank you! How could I drop it?" she said and took the notebook from him. "You didn't look into it, did you?"
"Of course I didn't!" replied Kazuki. "Why is she asking this?"
"Ok." Eri seemed pacified by his words.
*(^_^)*
"We didn't forget anything, right?" asked Haruki as he and Kazuki were standing in line at the cash register of the supermarket.
"Let's see… cauliflower, shrimp, fish, mushrooms…" Kazuki started to look over the items. "Oh, Haruki, we forgot about seaweed!"
"Really? I thought you took them."
"I'll be back immediately!" cried the little brother and ran back to the sea products section.
Since today was New Year's Eve, there were a lot of customers in the store. Trying to reach packages of dried seaweed, Kazuki stretched his hand to take them, but just then someone in the crowd also extended a hand in the same direction. Their fingers touched each other.
"I'm sorry!" said Kazuki, withdrawing his hand and turning to face that person.
"Hihara-sempai!" It was Kahoko.
"Kaho-chan? ! What are you doing here?" The light green haired boy was really surprised to see her.
"As you can see – I'm doing some shopping! And you too?" replied Kahoko in a cheerful voice.
"Yeah, I'm here with my brother! And you must be with your family?"
"No, I went for shopping by myse-!
"Let me pass!" A huge old woman with a shopping trolley strongly pushed Kahoko to clear the way, making her fall.
In the next moment Kahoko found herself in Kazuki's protective arms. The feeling of his tender arms wrapped around her waist made her remember their embrace at the airport. Her face started turning red and she could feel her heart start beating much faster. She lifted her head up to look at her sempai. She could swear there was a slight blush on his cheeks. Their eyes widened as they looked at each other.
"S-sorry, Kaho-chan! I didn't mean to do it!" cried Kazuki, quickly taking his arms away.
"No, I'm the one to blame! It's was me who bumped into you!"
"Emm…" not knowing what to say, Kazuki fixed his eyes on the shelves with different products.
"Were you going to buy this?" Kahoko changed the subject.
"Yes…" replied Kazuki, still being red, as they took some packages.
"I thought you went for seaweed, but you returned with a cute girl instead!" Haruki greeted them after the two of them had paid for their groceries and came to him. "Hi, Hino-san!"
"Stop joking around, Haruki! Can't you see I did buy your seaweed!" rejoined Kazuki, blushing again.
"Hello," Kahoko bowed.
After a short talk, Haruki took all bags of groceries in his hands, saying to Kazuki, "I'll be off now. And you don't forget to help the young lady with her bags."
"He's reading my thoughts! I was just about to extend aid to her!" Kazuki said to himself.
"No-no, I'm alright! I can carry my bags myself!" protested Kahoko.
"They look heavy, Kaho-chan. Please let me help," said Kazuki with a smile, taking the bags away from her.
"Hihara-sempai…"
Haruki smiled to himself and said, "Bye, Hino-san! By the way, have a Happy New Year!"
"Thank you! I wish you a Happy New Year too! Goodbye!"
Kazuki and Kahoko talked a lot about their recent activity on the way to her house.
"Also, I'm going to visit a shrine to pray for happiness in the New Year with Nao and Mio tomorrow! Maybe Kaji-kun will come as well! Would you like to come with us?" asked Kahoko as they stood in front of her house.
"Wow, Kaho-chan! I'd love to!" replied Kazuki.
"Perfect!" called Kahoko and took back the bags, "Thank you for helping me, Hihara-sempai! Could you please wait for a minute – I'll be back soon!"
"Ah? Ok."
She entered her house and came back with a white-red gift box in her hands a few minutes later.
"I just wanted to give you a present. There're strawberry cakes… I thought about going to your place to give it to you, but since we met… I wish you a Happy New Year, Hihara-sempai!"
"Wha! Thank you, Kaho-chan!" Kazuki didn't expect to get a gift from her. "May I really take it?"
"Sure! I hope you like these cakes!"
"There's no way for me to dislike your present, Kaho-chan!" cried Kazuki.
Suddenly a chain around Kahoko's neck glittered in the sunlight.
"Kaho-chan? Could it be you wear the pendant I gave to you?"
"Huh? Ah, yes!" She pulled out her golden pendant. "You know, I really like it!"
"I'm more than happy to hear it…" Kazuki smiled sweetly.
The cold winter wind blew their hair around, as they were looking into each other's eyes.
"You'd better get in, Kaho-chan. It's getting colder." Kazuki leaned over to muffle up her in her scarf.
"Again! It happens again! Why is my heart beating so fast?" thought Kahoko, blushing.
"You too take care on your way home! Bye, Hihara-sempai!"
"Bye, Kaho-chan! Have a Happy New Year!"
Kahoko ran into her house, closed the door behind her and leant back against it.
"What's going on with me? Every time Hihara-sempai gets close to me, my heart starts beating like mad! My cheeks feel like they are burning! I don't understand myself!"
Kazuki had to hurry as he had to meet Yunoki and then go to visit Eri with him.
"Haruki, I'm home! Did someone call while I was out?" He ran up to the refrigerator to put Kahoko's present into it. "Hey, don't start eating these strawberry cakes without me!"
"You came back pretty fast. Nope, there're not any calls." Haruki peeped out of the sitting-room. "Strawberry cakes?"
"Yeah, it's Kaho-chan's present!"
*ding dong*
"Oh, it must be Yunoki!" cried Kazuki and went to open the door.
"Yunoki! It's good to see you!"
"Hi, Hihara. Wasn't I late?"
"No, you came just in time! Let's go!"
"Hey, why are you so cheerful?" asked Yunoki, being curious.
"Ha-ha! Is it so visible? Hm, actually, I met Kaho-chan just now!" Kazuki answered joyfully, studying the map to Eri's apartment that she gave him.
"Oh," Yunoki paused, "So?"
"What 'so'?"
"You met her and just then you go to another girl's place?"
"It has nothing to do with that! I told you I didn't want to go… By the way, thank you for coming with me!"
"It's nothing. But tell me, why you didn't want to go on your own?"
"Hem… I'm not sure, I just find it awkward to be with… oh, forget it! I really don't know!"
"I wonder what Hino-san would say, if she knew about your visit."
"What she'd say?" asked Kazuki. Then he remembered Amou's article, "Oh…. Then, maybe I'd better ask Eri-chan to keep it secret?"
"Try," replied Yunoki, "And I thought NOW you'd be more active. After all, Tsukimori-kun was your main rival and now he's not here anymore."
"It's not as easy as you think," somehow Kazuki started getting annoyed at the flow of this conversation; he cried in bitterness, "I can't force her to love me!"
Yunoki kept silence for a while, and then asked, "Did Hashimoto-san force you to come?"
"No, she didn't… I just couldn't say no to her…" replied Kazuki, ringing the bell.
"You're too kind, Hihara." said Yunoki. "And one day your kindness will let you down…"
"Please come in, Kazuki-sempai, Yunoki-sempai! Thank you so much for coming!" Eri greeted as she opened the door of her flat. She wore a cute orange, white star-spangled dress.
"Excuse us," the two boys said, entering her apartment. The flat was a western style one in warm colours – white, pink, orange.
"I'm so happy you came!" Eri cried, taking their coats and hanging them in the hall closet.
"Wow, Eri-chan, you live alone in such a roomy apartment!" Kazuki cried as they followed her into the large living room.
"The design of the flat is very nice. Did you choose it by yourself?" asked Yunoki.
"Yes, I like bright rooms with minimal furniture."
"Eri-chan, show me your kitchen, please!" asked Kazuki, "I'd like to start cooking right now."
"Ah, ok!"
Eri led them to her kitchen.
"I bought all the ingredients for cookingthat you told me to buy!" she pointed at a mass of food products on the table.
"Ok, then I'll borrow your kitchen for a certain time!" said Kazuki, putting on an apron and gathering his curly hair into a short ponytail.
"I guess I'll be useless here," said Yunoki, "Hashimoto-san, maybe you'll entertain your guest with something else?"
"Hey, Yunoki, if you're not gonna help me with cooking, then don't be in the way and go to the living room!" laughed Kazuki.
"This is exactly what I'm going to do," replied Yunoki, leaving.
Eri had to run around like a madwoman, trying to devote her attention to both of them. But since Kazuki was busy preparing food, she had to be with Yunoki most of the time.
"Here're my photos taken during my shoot in Kyoto," she handed Yunoki her next photo album as they sat at the coffee table.
"You look like a medieval princess in this kimono," the boy commented on one of the photos, "And black hair also suits you a lot."
"You flatter me, Yunoki-sempai! It was uncomfortable to wear a kimono all the day, let alone to wear geta sandals!"
"I'd like to see you in this movie."
"Really?"
"Yes."
They could hear Kazuki making a noise with a frying pan and plates in the kitchen.
"Hashimoto-san, tell me the truth," suddenly said Yunoki as he stood up and came to Eri. "You aren't glad to see me today, are you?"
"Excuse me?"
"You wanted to see only Hihara."
"What are you trying to say, Yunoki-sempai?"
"Do you have a crush on him?" he asked, looking down at the amazed girl.
"What?" Eri asked in surprise.
"I know you do. This question was supposed to be left without an answer."
Eri turned red in the face.
"Does he know?" she asked at last.
"Hihara? I doubt he does. He's a bit dense when it comes to things like this."
"Please don't tell him!"
"Why not?" Yunoki gave her an intriguing smile.
"I'm begging you!"
"Don't worry; I won't say a word. Actually, I don't really mind if you two become a couple but…" The purple haired boy leaned down, putting his hand on the back of the couch she saw sitting on. "…I want you to play fair."
"What do you mean by 'to play fair'?" Eri leaned against the back of the couch as his face was too close to her's.
"What I mean is…" Yunoki's face got even closer; his lips were just centimeters from Eri's, "You know, he's so naïve, silly and kind…"
The blonde girl strongly pushed him away. It was at the right time as Kazuki came in, asking, "Eri-chan, do you prefer omelette mixed with fish paste or mashed shrimp?"
"Mashed shrimp," responded Eri without thinking.
"Roger!" and Kazuki went out.
Eri stood up and said, "I think I got what you mean. There's nothing to worry about."
"That's good."
"I'll go help Kazuki-sempai for a short while. Please make yourself at home."
"Ok, thank you, Hashimoto-san." said Yunoki with his usual elegant smile.
"He looks so courteous and modest, but in fact he's a devil!"Eri thought, going to the kitchen.
"May I help you with cooking?" she asked Kazuki.
"Mmm… help is always welcome!" said Kazuki, "You could cut onion or peel sweet potatoes."
"Alright."
She took an onion and started to cut it. But it wasn't even two minutes before she began to cry.
"Eri-chan, what's wrong?"
"Sorry, I always cry when I cut onion," she replied, sniffing.
"Oh, then give it to me!" said her sempai with a chuckle, taking onion from her, "Better peel the potatoes!"
"Ok." Eri tried to be more useful with the next task.
She looked at Kazuki. Watching him cut the vegetables very fast and skillfully, she thought, "He's so admirable… He probably doesn't have any idea of how wonderful he is… Hino-san must be blind if she doesn't notice him! Every time I see him, I fall in love over and over again… I still can't believe that it's possible for two different people to look exactly the same!"
"The onion is done!" said Kazuki cheerfully and looked at his assistant. "Eri-chan, you still haven't finished peeling even one potato!" For an instant he caught her gaze, but, of course, he couldn't guess it's meaning.
"Oh, I'm sorry…" she cast down her eyes.
"You're really not good at cooking!" chuckled Kazuki.
"Yes, I know. I'm really sorry!"
When the osechi was ready and put into a special box, Kazuki exclaimed, "It looks like the cooking is over!"
"It's fantastic, Kazuki-sempai! It looks so delicious!"
"It's probably not as delicious as it looks! Ahaha!" Kazuki laughed. "But I hope you'll like it! I tried to do my best!"
"Thank you very much, my Miracle-sempai!"
"Huh? Don't call me that!" called Kazuki, being embarrassed.
"No-no, it's settled! You're my Miracle-sempai!"
"Eri-chan!"
Then the guests made up their mind to leave, even though Eri tried to persuade them to stay a little longer. But Kazuki told her that he had a lot of business at home like cleaning and cooking, so he bluntly refused. Yunoki also had to go back home soon. To express her gratitude for their coming, Eri gave them boxes with lots of sushi that she had ordered at the restaurant. She opened the door to see them out, but just then they bumped into Kei Miura, who opened his mouth in shock as he saw these two boys.
"What the hell are you doing here? !" The new arriver rudely asked Kazuki, and then shifted his gaze to the purple haired boy, "And who's this?"
Before Kazuki and Yunoki had time to answer, Eri interfered, "First, Miura-kun, don't talk in that tone of voice to my precious guests. Second, tell me what YOU are doing here! How did you find out where I lived?"
"That doesn't matter!"
"Kazuki-sempai, Yunoki sempai, please don't pay attention to him," Eri turned to them, "Bye!"
"Ah… ok, bye!" both of them were taken aback by this encounter.
As they had left, Eri looked at Miura again. "So what did you come for?"
"I…" Miura blushed, "I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year!"
He foisted a gift bag off on her and ran away, leaving Eri completely at a loss.
*(^_^)*
The next day Kazuki, Kahoko, and her friends went to the shrine for praying.
"God, please forgive my selfish wish… Please make her return my love!" Kazuki prayed, standing by Kahoko's side.
"I wish I can always be together with the people I love…I wish they would never leave me…" prayed Kahoko.
Then they all bought omikuji. 'Great blessing' was written in Kazuki's one and it made him so awfully hopeful. He took a few steps down the shrine stairs and, extending Kahoko his hand, joyously cried, "Come on, Kaho-chan! Let's all have lunch together!"
"If two unrequited loves become one, let's love each other with love that will melt even winter!"He gave her a tender look.
Kahoko nodded and took his hand, "Yes!"
Author's Note:
I decided Kahoko'd give Kazuki strawberry cakes cause in the LCDO Game 1 when they two went to the café, Kazuki chose a strawberry cake (well, it looked as a strawberry one!). So I thought he liked strawberries *^_^*
Osechi: Osechi-ryōri are traditional Japanese New Year foods. The tradition started in the Heian Period (794-1185). Osechi are easily recognizable by their special boxes called jūbako, which resemble bentō boxes. Each dish and ingredient in osechi has meaning, such as good health, good harvest, happiness, long life, and so on. The kinds of osechi dishes eaten at Japanese homes vary from region to region.
It's a Japanese tradition to eat osechi-ryōri throughout the New Year's holidays (until Jan. 3.) Traditionally, people finish cooking osechi dishes by New Year's Eve so that they have food for a couple days without cooking.
Omikuji: A common custom during the first shrine visit of the New Year in Japan is to buy a written oracle called omikuji. Omikuji are random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. These are usually received by making a small offering (generally a five-yen coin as it is considered good luck) and randomly choosing one from a box, hoping for the resulting fortune to be good. If your omikuji predicts bad luck you can tie it onto a tree on the shrine grounds, in the hope that its prediction will not come true. The omikuji goes into detail, and tells you how you will do in various areas in your life, such and business and love, for that year. Often a good-luck charm comes with the omikuji when you buy it, that will summon good luck and money your way.
Thank you for reading this story!
Special thanks to:
kazuki-sempai: Thank you for reviewing!=) And don't worry about KazukixEri! I won't ever let her touch him! WAHAHA! ^/_\^
nebhat04: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! (^_^) V
"Kazuki is adorable! Seriously you're making me fall in love with him! The perfect boyfriend :D" Yay! Become one of us – Kazuki's crazy fangirls! Ahaha! =^_^=
tentsubasa: thank you very much as usual! ! *^_^* I'm waiting for your soon return!
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Published: 06-24-11