Recap
"You wanted to talk to me mother?" I asked.
"I'm going to cut straight to the point. What happened between you and Rima-chan?" she asked getting straight to the point.
"Tell her the truth Nagihiko. It's rude to lie to your mother," Temari said.
"I agree Temari," mother said.
"SHE CAN SEE US!" Rhythm and Temari yelled in shock.
"Mother? Can you see charas?" I asked shocked myself.
"Of course I can. I've seen Kusukusu and all your friend's charas too," she said.
"Nagihiko, you are at that age where it's more difficult to be a girl because you like girls. I think since Rima knows who you really are and accepts that...you've seem to develop a crush on her," she said.
"A crush on Rima! That's ridiculous," Rhythm said.
"They did sleep in the same bed. Nagi was so nervous," Temari pointed out.
"Thank Temari," I said sarcastically.
"I'm not saying you should act on this crush but don't throw it away either. If you give Rima a chance then you may change your mind," mother said. She's right! I should at least try and if it doesn't work out then I'll bail.
"Alright mother," I said.
"Good boy, now good get ready for dinner," she said.
Chapter 11: A Talk With Mrs. Fujisaki
*Nagi's POV*
My mom's words still floated around in my head as I walked to school. Maybe I should give her a shot. I will definitely apologize for being rude about her date. Today was Friday which meant tomorrow was dance practice as Nagihiko. I still had no idea what I was going to do with that.
"Nadeshiko, where's Rima? She always walks with you," Amu asked as I met her at the school gates.
"I don't know. We always meet up half way but I didn't see her," I said in my Nadeshiko's voice.
"Do you think she was really sick?" Temari asked.
"Sick?" Ran asked.
"Rima didn't come to dance practice last night. Mrs. Mashiro said Rima wasn't feeling good so she skipped dance practice," Temari explained. Rhythm was hidden in my hair but I heard him whisper.
"She might not want to see Nagi." I pretended to scratch my head but I really flicked his nose.
"Not cool," he whispered.
"Rhythm, Nagihiko's mother asked us to go with her. We better go to her now?" Temari whispered to him.
"Go where?" I whispered.
"Your mom wanted us for some reason. We should be back soon," Temari said as she snuck off with Rhythm.
"Maybe her mom drove her since she wasn't feeling good," I said pretending not to notice my charas leaving.
"Let's go to class," Amu said. We met up with Tadase, Kukai, and Utau.
"Where's chibi?" Utau asked.
"She wasn't feeling good last night," I explained once again.
"That's a shame. I have a concert tonight and I was gonna invite all of you including her," she said.
"I don't think she'll make it. You should text her," Amu said.
"Alright I will," Utau said.
*Rima's POV*
The one time I want to go to school is the one time I'm sick for real. I have a fever of 101 and I'm so tired that I don't want to do anything. I wanted to say I was sorry to Nagi so we could be friends again.
"Nagi will think that you skipped school so you didn't have to see him," Kusukusu said.
"I hate this! I look like a big jerk and I feel like crap," I whined.
"You're extra whiney when your sick," Kusukusu giggled.
"Shut up," I whined and covered my face with my blanket.
"You want to confess to Nagi but you can't because you're sick. That's why you're so cranky," Kusukusu teased.
"I am not!" I complained. I popped my head out of the covers and threw one of my pillows at her.
"Rima! Are you ok?" I heard my mother call through the house. She stayed home from work to take care of me. Mom never stayed home from work when they were fighting.
"I'm fine mom," I called back. My door flew open to reveal my mom and Mrs. Fujisaki.
"Good because we have a guest," she said.
"Not to be rude Mrs. Fujisaki but are you sure you want to visit me? I have a fever and I could get you sick," I said as I sat up.
"I wanted to see if you would be ok to have private dance practice with Nagihiko tomorrow, but I can see you aren't your best," she said.
"No! I have to go tomorrow. I have to apologize to him. I was pretty mean to him," I said.
"I'll say," we heard a familiar voice say. Rhythm and Temari popped out from behind Mrs. Fujisaki.
"Rhythm! Temari!" Kusukusu greeted them with a hug.
"We were wondering how Rima was doing," Temari said.
"She's cranky when she's sick," Kusukusu said. It took all of me not to smack her with another pillow.
"Kusukusu, I hope she is not giving you trouble," my mother said. I felt my jaw drop. Maybe to the floor.
"SHE CAN SEE ME!?" Kusukusu yelled.
"What did you just say?" I asked.
"I was asking Kusukusu if you were being nice," she said. My mom could see charas! I looked at Mrs. Fujisaki to see if she thought my mom was acting weird but she didn't at all. Rhythm and Temari weren't freaking out either.
"I brought Rhythm and Temari so Kusukusu could have some playmates while I talked with you, Rima-chan," Mrs. Fujisaki explained.
"YOU TWO COULD SEE CHARAS THIS WHOLE TIME!?" I yelled.
"Of course. We were the first guardians," my mother said.
"Why did you never say anything?" I asked.
"Tsukasa asked us to keep it a secret but Natsumi told Nagihiko. I thought it was fair we told you too," mom said. Mrs. Fujisaki and mom sat on the edge of my bed.
"Rima, I heard that you and Nagihiko got into an argument," Mrs. Fujisaki said.
"Yeah...well not really. I yelled at him. Did he tell you?" I said.
"No," she said.
"I told her," Rhythm said.
"Exactly, Nagihiko feels just as bad," she said.
"I'll leave you two to talk. Rima would you like some soup?" mom asked.
"Yes please," I said politely. Mom walked out of my room and closed the door behind her. Mrs. Fujisaki waited till we heard my mother heading downstairs before she began talking.
"Do you know how important this dance is to him?" she asked.
"No," I said honestly.
"His grandmother wants him to be Nadeshiko every hour of the day but she agreed that if you and my son could do well with this dance then she will let him be himself unless he is dancing as a girl. This dance means nearly everything to him."
"Why doesn't he stand up to her?" I asked.
"His grandmother is trying to get him married the minute he turns eighteen. Once he is married then he doesn't have to dance like a girl anymore. I'm afraid Nagihiko is giving in and will do what his grandmother demands. I don't want my daughter-in-law to be some girl he doesn't even love," she said.
"I'll smack some sense into him tomorrow," I said.
"I was hoping you would. I think all Nagihiko needs is some time to be a boy. That's why I told my mother that he is doing this dance. She said she got to choose the dancer and I had to agree for her consent," she said.
"Aren't you the dance teacher now? Aren't you Nagi's mom? How much consent do you need from her?" I asked.
"It's traditional that the Fujisaki respect their elder no matter how terrible they are. My mother and I never had the best relationship when I was growing up and I fear she is taking all her anger out on my son," she said.
"What happen to make her so mad?" I asked.
"I got married," she said.
"What's so wrong with that? You'd think a mother would be happy that her daughter is getting married," I said confused.
"The Fujisaki family for generations have been run by women. My ancestor used to be banned from getting married unless they were male. It's a similar to a taboo to get married. It's legal but it's frowned upon," she said.
"But if your maiden name is Fujisaki then why didn't you change your last name?" I asked.
"I was the last heir of the Fujisaki family at the time so I couldn't. Why do you think Nagihiko has to be a girl? It's because he's the last heir to the Fujisaki family," she said.
"That's terrible," I said.
"I know but I can't go against tradition. I've already broke the rules a couple times for him. You should've seen my mother when I told her that he tried out for basketball," she said.
"I'm going to change that woman's mind. She can't control Nagi's life as much as she does. I'm also going to make Nagi know that giving in to his grandmother means she can walk over him anytime she wants. He has to stand up to her," I said.
"Nagi need to grow a pair," Kusukusu joked. I tried my best to hold in a laugh but I couldn't help it. This was his mom and she might get mad. I heard a few giggles. She was laughing too.
"Nagihiko was right about you Rima-chan," she said once she calmed down.
"Right about what?"
"He told me a long time ago that you were the most beautiful when you laughed," she said. I know I was blushing. I felt the heat radiate off my cheeks. I looked away from her.
"He wouldn't say that."
"But he did!" Rhythm said as he popped up in my face.
"Rhythm and I were there when he did," Temari said.
"Remember what he told you when you and Nagi found Tsubasa back in grade school?" Rhythm said.
"He said tears didn't suit me it's-"
"A smile," Kusukusu added. I couldn't help but smile at her.
"He told me about that too," Mrs. Fujisaki said. My face was still pink. Luckily, my phone rang and saved the day.
"It's a text from Utau," Kusukusu said as she carried my phone over to me.
"Do you mind?" I asked.
"Go right ahead. I've told you everything you needed to know," she said as she stood up and left with Temari and Rhythm following her.
"Read the text," Kusukusu said. I opened my phone and read out loud.
To: Chibi
If you didn't catch on then you should now this is Utau. I was wondering if you were feeling good enough to come to one of my concerts tonight. If not just let me know.
P.S. Nadeshiko made the girl's basketball team
From Utau Hoshina
Of course Nagi made the team. He's too good at basketball.
"You can't go Rima. Your too sick. You need to rest so you have all your strength for tomorrow at dance practice," Kusukusu said.
"I'll look like I'm still dodging Nagi," I said.
"You'll clear everything up later. Your fever isn't broken yet," she said.
"Alright," I said. I sent a message back saying I couldn't make it and to congratulate Nadeshiko.
"Kusukusu, sometimes I wish my pride didn't get in my way and I could say what I really feel sometimes," I said.
"It will be better tomorrow when your fever is gone," Kusukusu said as she placed a wet washcloth on my forehead.
"Thanks," I said.
"Rima," I heard with a knock on my door.
"Come in," I said. My mom came in and handed me some soup. I ate it pretty slow. After a shower and a few comedy shows with my mom, and later Azumi and my dad, (who returned from school and work) I went to bed early. Kusukusu went onto her egg but not before giving me a wish goodnight. I closed my eyes and fell asleep unaware that there was something else in my bed besides me.
Hi ppl. Sorry for the late update. I didn't work on my fanfiction because my mom said she was going to take my laptop to get fixed while I was at school but she never did. So I was late with updating and I still have a broken laptop. Not the best time in my life but not the worse.
Anyway how about that cliffhanger? What will happen with Nagi and Rima? What will happen at dance practice? What else was in Rima's bed? Find out next chapter