Author's Note: Konnichiwa~ Rakurai desu~
Don't ask me how, I'm also astounded myself. It's two chapters in a row. To be honest, I found myself stuffing at least two to three lines whenever it's break time throughout the whole week. So, the outcome was two chapters :DAnd yes, my tests were craps. Don't ask.
Again, if there are any grammatical errors, I'm truly sorry. English is not my native language so there's nothing I can do about them. However, if there are any errors, feel free to tell them to me.
This one is set in modern times so not that much research is done.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything other than the storyline.
Please enjoy!
"You should go first. I wouldn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." Eli offered.
They were back on the road again. She didn't notice it at first, but soon, the path became surprisingly familiar to her. Nozomi now knew Eli was driving them back to her apartment.
"No, go ahead, Elichi. You seem to be really eager to get to know more about me." Nozomi chuckled.
"Are you sure?" Eli queried.
"Yes." Nozomi smiled warmly at her.
Eli's eyes darted back to the road. Staring ahead with unfocussed eyes, she hummed thoughtfully. Deliberating her first question for the purple-haired girl carefully, conscientiously. Then, as if asking for permission, Eli asked Nozomi in the gentlest voice she could make.
"What's the thing you love doing most, Nozomi?"
Nozomi giggled at Serious Mode Eli. Somehow, she finds her really adorable for being so serious.
"You don't have to be so cautious, Elichi. As long as you don't tread on dangerous ground, that is." Nozomi said, the last half in a playful voice.
Eli didn't say anything in regarding to the last sentence.
"What I'd love doing huh? I love doing tarot readings, fortune telling as people usually called it. Other than that, maybe taking naps?" Her playful tone was evident.
"Taking naps?" Eli questioned.
"Yes, taking naps." Nozomi admitted.
"I saw your grades, and they were really well. So how would you…?" If her eyes weren't on the road, she'd be looking at her with a quizzically look.
"I don't take naps in class, Elichi." Nozomi laughed merrily. "I maybe hard to grasp but I am discipline."
"I see." Eli said simply.
"Anything else?" Nozomi said. Her voice a little bit too eager this time.
"Your family's off limit, right?" Eli asked.
"That's right." Nozomi verified with a smile.
"Can I ask if you have any siblings?"
"Yes, I'm an only child. No siblings." Nozomi smiled.
"No siblings huh…" Eli wondered.
"Why? Is that not alright with you?" Nozomi teased her.
"No, it's not that. I just thought that I would be feeling guilty towards you." Eli said. "In fact, I think I already am."
"Guilty towards me? What for?" Nozomi enquired.
"I have one sibling. A little sister." Eli said.
"Oh? Is she like you?" Nozomi seemingly too excited to know about Eli's sister.
"No, no, it's my turn today. You can ask about her all you want tomorrow." Eli found herself liking this Nozomi. Excited. Happy. Almost like a little puppy.
"Aww, now I'm regretting for not going first." Nozomi pouted. "You made me feel bad, Elichi."
Eli was a little bit astounded to see Nozomi pouting. Apparently, it's too adorable for her to find her voice at all. And Nozomi's acting a little bit more casual than usual; Eli pondered if she noticed it herself.
"Sorry, but you were the one who insisted me going first." Eli said apologetically.
"Don't worry, I'll get you back tomorrow." Nozomi giggled.
"Ah, I hope you don't go too hard on the questions." Eli said with mock disapproval.
"Nah, I won't~" Nozomi cooed.
"I'll hold you to that." Eli chuckled.
"We'll see." Nozomi promised.
Their questioning and answering continued back and forth. Sometimes, Nozomi would teased Eli on odd things that Eli come up with to form such question. Although, saying it odd wasn't right, those things were just normal things entailed in Nozomi's life. Yet, when Eli asked about them, Nozomi would make it seem like she's asking an unnatural thing.
"What's your favourite colour?" Eli creased her forehead, her cheek tinted with pinkness due to Nozomi's onslaught teasing.
"It depends from time to time." Nozomi said, her breathing's unsteady due to too much giggling and laughing from teasing Eli. "If there's any colour that appeal to me, my preference might change. Depends on how much I like that colour."
"What's your previous favourite colour?" Eli asked, amused at Nozomi's fluctuating colour references.
"Hm… my image colour. Purple, I think." Nozomi hummed.
"Why purple?" Eli continued.
"Purple has such a mysterious and solemn feeling to it, don't you think? And it's elegant too, according to rich people." Nozomi laughed.
"Rich people?" Eli said out loud without realizing it. Her face became grim when she realized another secret was now unfold.
"Yes, didn't expect that, did you?" Nozomi said mischievously, though her tone sounded strained.
"…" Eli kept her silence. Her mind running a thousand miles per hour. What is the meaning of this?
"You're not going to say 'I don't believe you actually live in that rich apartment'?" Nozomi said, laying out Eli's question for her.
"No," Eli's expression grew darker. "I had promised, Nozomi. And I intent to keep it."
"So honourable of you, Elichi." Another giggle, but this time, even her laughter was fake. "Though, I suppose you're trying to do what others do too."
"No, Nozomi." Eli's voice was rough. "I've told you before. I'm doing this because I care; what I'm doing right now is just me trying not to hurt you. Or scare you away."
"…so considerate of you, Elichi." Nozomi said, the humorous laughter from before was no where to be found. Eli could have sworn she heard her voice shaken a little. Yet, it was so subtle that she wasn't sure if what she detected was true or not.
"…" Eli was unnerving, the potential danger of an awkward silence threatened to return and she needed to think fast. Think! She scolded herself. Anything to say, anything to ask, anything at all!
"What's your current favourite colour?" Eli said quickly, almost too quickly.
A smile small returned to Nozomi's face, her features brightened up mildly.
"I don't think you would find it pleasant." Nozomi said.
"Try me." Eli challenged with a grin.
"It's light blue." Nozomi answered.
"Oh," Eli said, "why the change?"
"Because it's the colour of…" Nozomi hesitated.
"Of what?" Eli prompted.
"Your eyes." Nozomi whispered, a little too small to even hear.
But Eli managed to catch it. She was relieved for not opening any music in the car.
"…I see." Said Eli after a while.
"…are you mad at me?" Nozomi asked with slight uncertainty.
"No, why would I be mad at you?" Eli said calmly, despite the fact what Nozomi had admitted sent her heart hammering in her chest. Eli was bemused. She just doesn't understand at all. Why is her heart beating so freaking fast right now?
"So… you're not mad?" Her voice sounded afraid, like a scared pup.
"No, Nozomi. I'm not mad. I'm just… surprised. That's all." Eli said, seemingly happy regarding the reason.
"Oh," Nozomi said, "I'm glad then."
Their little psychoanalysis went on casually. This time, however, no teasing were involved and Eli managed to question her in peace. As Eli asked about Nozomi's favourite movies, she discovered that her mind kept on pondering about Nozomi's admission regarding her eyes' colour. Was Eli's eyes' colour always that special? So mesmerizing that Nozomi has come to love it? She had qualm about it during the whole ride, causing her to lose focus sometimes. Luckily, the things she asked Nozomi afterwards were school-involved; to which she thinks doesn't lose too much information.
Alas, their little interrogation has come to an end when Eli finally reached her apartment.
"Are we going to continue at your place?" Nozomi asked.
"If that's okay with you." Eli said, a little bit too hopeful.
"Its fine, after all, it's just ordinary things you're asking. Nothing too hard to answer." Nozomi smiled graciously.
After they entered Eli's apartment, Eli started to ask about every single insignificant little details of Nozomi's existence. Where she'd been and the places she would want to venture. The most beautiful spot in Tokyo that she'd prefer to go. Movies that she disliked…
Most of them were easy questions, nothing she couldn't handle. Then, her questioning became much complex, requiring more thinking. It surely didn't help when Nozomi hit a difficult question while Eli looked at her with eager eyes, like she really wanted to know what her answer was. So, when Eli fired off a question, she just answered immediately. Somehow she's feeling like she's taking psychiatrist tests where she has to answer any question with the first word that comes to mind.
Fortunately, Eli didn't ask her what colour she liked again. She would have been so sure that she would blurt out 'Blonde' without thinking. Cause, again, it reminded her of Eli's hair colour. Honestly, her colour references changes way too fast.
"Do you like books?" Eli asked as she worked her ways through the kitchen.
"I do, I love them actually." Nozomi said, helping Eli with cooking.
"Really?" Eli said, surprised and amused simultaneously.
"Books is a way for me to escape reality, Elichi. The pages can offer us such a peaceful and tranquil realm which we could never find in reality." Nozomi rant, and Eli listened intently.
"Oh," Nozomi gasped, "I'm sorry, I must be boring you."
"Not at all, on the contrary, I completely understand your passion since I'm a writer myself." Eli smiled.
"You are?" Nozomi asked, her eyes lit up.
"Yes, I am. I'm currently working on one right now." Eli chuckled at the way she lit up.
"What kind of book is it? What's the story behind it?" Nozomi was much too excited.
"Easy now, I'll tell you, but that's for tomorrow." Eli stuck her tongue out and winked playfully at her.
"Oh, right. I'll hold you to that, Elichi." Nozomi said, whose tone was just as playful.
Dinner went by peacefully, as Eli asked about Nozomi and got the answer she wanted in return, though they both know what answer Eli needed and what explanation Nozomi needed to give. Notwithstanding that, Eli will heed Nico's advice, for the best. For Nozomi's part, she would have to base on their interaction today to decide whether to tell or not. For now, this barrage of questions would have to make do for their sakes.
They were having a good time until Nozomi's phone rang.
"Hello?" Nozomi picked up. Eli silently looked at her.
"Yes, I'm not back yet, Father." Nozomi said, as she glanced at Eli, her voice slightly quavering.
Her father… Eli wondered in her mind.
"No, Father. I'm not out with anybody. Suzuhara-sensei needed me for paperwork." Nozomi lied, although her face is strangely composed.
"Yes, Father. I'll be back immediately." Nozomi promised.
Then, she hanged up. Nozomi took a good ten seconds staring at her phone. Uncomfortable tension arose once again as Eli looked at her while Nozomi stared at her phone. Neither utter a single word. Seemed like whatever merriment from before has dissipated without a trace.
"Well, it's been fun, Elichi, but I need to get back." Nozomi spoke up first. Her voice was so even, so calm. It's almost as if it's monotonous.
"I'll drive you home." Eli offered, standing up from her seat.
"There's really no need this time, Elichi." Nozomi impassively declined. "I can go home on my own."
As she watched Nozomi stood up from her seat, gathered her things and headed for the door, Eli was battling inwardly on whether or not to drive her home. If she moved now, she would be able to find out where Nozomi truly lives. However, that will result in a very depressed phrase of their undefined relationship. And Eli didn't want that to happen. If doing something uncalled for of her would result in losing the purple-haired girl, she'd rather hold herself back.
On the contrary, if she doesn't go for it, she'll never know what truth lies behind her lies. Then again, their blossoming friendship is much more precious to her. She wasn't going to risk it anytime soon.
"At least let me walk you to the station." Eli said hastily, stopping her before she could leave through the door.
"Elichi…" Nozomi began, but Eli's expression was almost like begging.
"Just to the station, Nozomi. I won't follow you or whatsoever." Eli swore.
Nozomi furrowed her brows, weighing her words. After a moment, her face returned to its original calmness, or rather, the vacuous expression.
"Just to the station, Elichi." Nozomi repeated, almost like she's reprimanding Eli.
"Just to the station." Eli concurred.
Author's Note: What did you think of 'A Remedy Behind A Lethal Dose'?
If you find this story to your liking then by all means tell me all about it. Comments and reviews about the story is most welcomed. Thank you!
Until next time, Rakurai deshita~!