CHAPTER 10
With my heart pounding wildly I watched as the door opened,Suichi welcoming me with a smile.
„Punctual as a Swiss watch..." Suichi was gazing at me with a half-smile.
„Always." I smiled.
He stepped aside,telling me to come inside. I felt a pleasent floral scent as I came in,noticing the warm and friendly atmosphere of the house. I doubted he was the one who helped decoratingthe house since everything reminded me of his mother...yet,there was something that resemlbed his character in all this...
We headed to the living room where we sat on blue pillows,in front of the coffee table.
„So...may I offer you something to drink?" Suichi smiled.
„Um...no,thanks. I grabbed a coffee on the way here."
„Then I suppose we should start..."
We took our books,and the „lesson" begun.
Shuichi was a very good tutor. He'd explain everything with calm and precission,helping me only when he was sure I really didn't know what to do next when solving a problem. Surprisingly,I wasn't that bad as I expected myself to be. I even managed to concentrate on maths only,instead of staring at him all the time. The fact is,I had found a way of thinking of maths and of maths only: I would look at him the least possible,focusing on his voice and hands instead. It wasn't easy...and I had to be very careful in order not to seem strange or suspicious,but I succeeded.
However, after two hours...everything changed. My concentration had fallen drastically,and the only thing I was thinking of was Suichi. Suddenly,his voice wasn't something that prevented me not to think about him,but it was something I was using to create these little conversations in my head...conversations that had nothing to do with maths. I was constantly hoping for him to do something,to show me he cared about me,while constantly repeating Hiei's words in my head. Were this tuitions a sign that Hiei was right?
I was trying to solve a problem with prisms,with Suichi sitting next to me and following every step I was making in the task. I realised I could feel his breath on my hair...and I was starting to wonder wether his eyes were focused on the task.
„Pardon me,Tayuka-chan,but why did you do that?"
I made a misstake,and his eyes really were focused only on the task. I was disappointed in myself for hoping they weren't in the first place.
„Aaahh~ I don't know...I was sure I knew how to solve this one..." I sighed,putting my head on the table.
Suichi frowned at himself before looking at me and smiling.
„It's my fault. We've been working for too long..."
He got up and headed towards the kitchen. I let out a small sigh,glad the studying part was over...fearing what was to come next.
I got up and went to the kitchen,where Suichi was holding a ladle.
I knew there were people who'd pay to see this,but I was barely restraining myself from bursting into laugh...Suichi did't seem like somebody that knew how to cook,although I was sure he could. He was the kind of person who is good at everything and who devotes himself to something untill he masters it to pure perfection.
„Hungry?"
„Yeah...now that you mentioned it." I laughed.
After a short talk,Suichi and I decided to make spaghetti with cream sauce.
How did it get to this?- I thought to myself as I was pouring the cream in a small pot on the gas stove while Suichi was putting the spaghetti in the boiling untill yesterday I was thinking about this boy day and night,without even knowing him. And all of a sudden,I am at his house making spaghetti for the two of us...
I sensed a strange feeling in the lower part of my stomach while watching him moving,and I wasn't sure wether it was from hunger or nervousness.
Suichi set the table while I was making the final touches with the spaghetti,and we were soon sitting one across another at the table. I had no idea how to define this feeling I was caught in ,but my heart started pounding faster when I realised this scene resembled something you would call-a date.
„So,how is it?" I asked after he tried it.
A short silence followed as Suichi was chewing on his spaghetti.
„Great! You cook often?" he said after a while,his expression resembling a child's when recieving it's birthday present.
„Not really...but I help Atsuko in the kitchen a lot."
„I see..."
He took a sip of orange juice from the glass before him.
„You should cook more often because this cream is delicious!" he smiled.
„Thank you." I laughed.
I was really happy he liked it,because I was sure I had messed up because of being too n worried about him liking it or not.
After we finished our meal,Suichi and I washed the dishes and went back to the living room. The television was on,but we ignored it as we talked while sitting on the couch. Suddenly,all the nervouness I had been feeling disappeared. I relaxed and enjoyed the conversation.
The light was off,leaving us only with the weak light of the TV... and he was beauitful under it's blue light,the shadows gently playing on the left side of his face. I absorved every word,every movement and every sound...in hope I'd remember this moment just as it was-perfect.
Suichi told me about his mother 's fiancé and about his son who would soon become his half-brother. The wedding was scheduled for the Spring next year,but he seemed to be confused about this all. I assumed it must be hard for him,accustoming to this new life.
I told him about my parents who flew to Cuba and left me with my aunt Atsuko and Yusuke,not that I complained, and about my leg who prevented me from playing for the Japanese national handball team.
Suddenly,I heard a weak sound that resembled some kind of cheering coming from the TV.I slightly turned my head and saw it was a handball game... World Cup Qualifiers,to be precise. Just when I was about to jump on my feet Suichi turned the TV off,leaving the room lightened only by the light of the street lamp piercing through the curtains.
„W-why did you do that?" I asked,trying not to sound too excited but aware I couldn't do much about it.
Usually,when Yuuske or somebody else would do this I'd just get angry and smash them against the couch or something...but it was different this time. I wasn't angry at him and for once in my life I didn't care about the game.
„Because I don't want you to be depressed after watching the game." He grinned.
I don't know where I found the courage,but I came closer to him and with one quick move I took the TV remote. We were both laughing,Suichi suddenly leaning towards me and streching his hand to catch mine. In the next moment,I found myself lying beneath him with our hands gripping the TV remote between our palms. His long hair was falling down on me,his eyes focused on mines while his expression changed from riant to serious.
„If he wants you,he'll come to you."
I heard Hiei's voice somewhere at the back of my mind.
This isn't the time to be thinking about that!-I thought to myself as I was gazing at that gorgeous face uppon me. However,I couldn't help it but think this was Suichi coming to me.
He realised my blushed cheaks and fast heartbeat under the weak light of the street lamp in a way that remains a mistery to me,and he knew I was nervous. Slowly,he sat back on the couch as I followed his example.
„I should probably go now...it's gotten really late."
„You can't stay a bit more?"
The question surprised me.
„I told Yusuke I would be home by 9 and I am 30 minutes late." I smiled at him.
I took my bag and Suichi walked me to the door,asking if I needed a ride home...but I refused politely.
He was leaning on the wall and I was standing outside while we were smiling at each other in silence.
„I am sorry for what happened before,I don't want you to think I am some kind of pervert or something..."
I laughed.
„It's okay,really...I could never think of you as a pervert."
We both laughed and a short silence followed.
„So...I better be going. Thank you for everything,once again."
„It was my pleasure. Let me know how the test went,okay?"
„Sure."
I was looking back at the house evry few meters,looking for the smalest sign of his presence..untill it faded in the darkness.