Recap: Sayaka met Aoi Kaji who happens to declare that he loved her at first sight. Len is somehow disturbed by this sprouting relationship... This chapter is entitled: "The First Souvenir"
(To those who don't know Aoi Kaji... he really is a la corda d'oro character okay? from season 2... but Haruhi is only a make believe)
"You actually agreed to go out with a stranger?!" Haruka stood up from her seat and Sayaka pulled her back down. "I… I was carried away… He's just too nice!" She reasoned out although she sounded a bit guilty of that decision too. "I think I know what's going on… You and Tsukimori-san had a fight huh?" Haruka placed her mouth on her pork bun as she solved the mystery with ease. "N-no! Fight? With him? Heh… I always argue with that apathetic guy… It's how we usually communicate with each other, really…" She was being defensive though. "Well… It's your decision Saya-senpai… So when is this date?" Haruka sighed. "Today after school… I'm going to meet him this afternoon…" Sayaka said. Kazuki heard this and immediately intervened. "Hey guys! Who's going out with whom?" He sat himself between the two. Haruka stared at Sayaka and wants her to be the one to answer that question. "M-me… hehe… with this guy I just met…" Sayaka shyly replied. "Are you sure?! Do you know him well? What if something happens to you?" Kazuki's voice was rising. "It's really just for a few days… But, thanks for worrying anyway, Kazuki-kun…" Sayaka stood up and smiled at him.
As soon as classes ended, Sayaka hurriedly ran to the gates for she saw Aoi patiently standing there. "Kaji-san!" She called out. "Hey there, uhhhh…. Wow… After meeting you and all, I still don't know your name… I only recalled that you were called 'Nakashima' by the blue-haired guy…" Aoi paused and was alarmed of something this important. "Since you didn't ask for my name before, it's your job to find out what it is by yourself…" She was a bit disappointed but a little excited that he has no idea of her identity. Haruka, who was standing by the open window yelled at her, "Sayaka-senpai!" She waved at her as if she was secretly saying 'goodluck'. Sayaka smacked her hand on her forehead because her identity was easily revealed. "Oh! So it's Sayaka! Wait… The name kinda rings a bell… Then that means you must be-" Aoi was ceased from talking as Sayaka covered his mouth, "Yes, yes… I'm from the multi-talented family of Nakashima's… no need to put up another big introduction again…" She said with no excitement and sighs. "I was really thinking of a singer, but then, you revealed it by yourself... so now I know!" Aoi gleefully said. Sayaka smacks her head after giving away another secret.
As the two left, Len was secretly looking at them, seems like he had something urgent he want to tell her, but just let it go. Well, not just Len, Aoi's ex girlfriend also saw this scene and was sworn to get back at them both. Aoi and Sayaka were just walking quietly, and she was a bit uncomfortable being with him. Since it was too silent, Aoi opened up, "I know it's awkward for you to go out with someone you just met the other day… But I really am hoping that you'd warm up to me. Just be yourself when you're around me, 'kay?" He spoke as though he was pleading. Sayaka agreed with a faint smile. Then she saw an ice cream man nearby. She ran and towards it and bought two vanilla ice cream in cones. "Here! This is for me, and this is for you!" She happily handed the other one to him. Aoi was just staring at it. "What? Haven't you seen ice cream before?" She looked at him. "No…" He giggled "It's just that-" He stopped talking as a bunch of girls came their way and they all declared their love to him. He was being flocked by swarms of girls from different schools. "Aoi-kun, I have always liked you…go out with me…" That's what they all say.
Sayaka was bumped by these girls and her ice cream fell onto the ground and it was soiled. Obviously, she was not happy about this. She made her way through the crowd to get to Aoi. Surprisingly, she took back the ice cream she gave him saying, "Seems like you won't be needing this anyway…" She ate it and walked away. "Wait! Sayaka! I didn't intend for this to happen!" Aoi kept explaining but Sayaka won't listen. Not that she's jealous or anything, she just thinks it's rude and she's feeling 'out of place'. To add up to the excitement, Aoi's ex joined the ruckus. "And who exactly are you? Nakashima?" Haruhi (Aoi's ex), boldly called Sayaka. She glanced back and saw Aoi's ex girlfriend standing right behind her. "So you're Miss Boyfriend-stealer. How cool of you to act like such an angel at school. When you really are a deceitful snake on the inside…" Haruhi let go of such hurtful and degrading words. "Haruhi! How dare you talk to her that way?! You don't even know her!" Aoi finally escape from the clutches of those females.
The girls were just quiet and were watching the scenario, while Sayaka had her head low, and her fists clenched. "It's true! She's nothing but a backstabbing, good-for-nothing, two-faced freak!" Haruhi protested. Aoi was about to talk back when Sayaka could no longer control herself. She marched up to Haruhi and smudged the ice cream straight to her face and made everybody around gasp. "Yeah! So what if I am? You have no right to talk about me that way, because you don't even know me…" That's all Sayaka could say, and she didn't even bother explaining about the whole misunderstanding. Haruhi wiped her face and was stunned by that brave action and came to realize that she really had not a single idea of the entire situation. Aoi catch up to Sayaka as she walked out. "Sayaka… please forgive me… I didn't expect that this would happen." Sayaka stopped walking and looked back to him with a smile, "That made me feel great!" She exclaimed, Aoi was taken back as he saw that Sayaka could still smile despite of that. "It's okay! That little trash talk couldn't easily bring down this girl! Sorry about your ice cream…" She encouraged herself the more. "No problem, I guess Haruhi deserves that…" He said. "No way! I'm not feeling sorry for her… I'm worried about you, not even having a single taste of that ice cream! Let's get you another one!" She laughed and was heading to the ice cream man again. Aoi snickered, "Let's go!" Aoi pulled her by the hand and they left running to some place. "But what about your ice cream?!" She said. "It's not necessary… Let's just go…" He reassured her that it's no trouble at all.
They went to the park where he first saw her, at the exact spot where she stood that time. "Here we are!" Aoi said, "Why did you bring me here anyway?" She was curious. "Nothing…. I just want to hear you play again, please?" He requested. Sayaka gave in and she played a tune from her beloved violin. The cherry trees danced, and as the last blossom fell, the tree was bald, but still beautiful. Sayaka's eyes were closed, so were Aoi's. They were both carried by the soft melody and their minds flew away from the real world. As they both opened their eyes, they saw that snow was starting to fall. Aoi stared at Sayaka with wonderment as if he just saw an enchanting snow maiden. "So beautiful…." He complimented. "Oh…haha… you think so? Although sometimes I have a hard time tuning this thing, and my playing becomes a little rusty…" Sayaka thought he was referring to the music. "Not only the music… you too… Actually when I opened my eyes I thought I was being deceived when I saw such a beautiful snow maiden in front of me…" He said. "You flatter me, but isn't that a little exaggerated. A snow maiden is extremely beautiful, unlike me." She was so modest, "And a snow maiden is extremely cold…" She confusedly said and Aoi had a sweat drop in his head, "And of course, they also freeze people…" Sayaka said again, and Aoi had another sweat drop. "Anyway… thank you!" She radiantly smiled and Aoi's face was beet red. "Wait a second… I just remembered something… Your name… Aoi Kaji… I know you're some rich guy and a son of a politician…" Sayaka was trying to recollect. "Yeah… Many people know me better that way… but I really am just like any ordinary guy…"
They found themselves idly strolling once again. This time, they came across an accessories shop, for girls. Aoi said something about going to the bathroom for a while. Sayaka waited, but she couldn't resist the wonders of the shop awaiting her, so she went there for a bit to browse. She looked at a pink scarf displayed at the glass windows. "Wow! It's so pretty…" She admired it. Without Sayaka seeing, Aoi got out of the comfort room and saw how enticed she was of the item. "Aoi! It's you! Uh… let's get going…" She said. "Wait here…" He told her to stay put and he entered inside the store. She thought that he was going to buy a little souvenir for a sister, a friend, his mother or something. Once he got out, he gave her the scarf she's been eyeing for the whole time. "What's this?" She asked. "It's for you… Go on, wear it! I bet it'll look very good on you…" He was a little shy. Sayaka did weird things to the scarf. She wore it on her head "Like this? I look like a milk maid…" She looked at her reflection in the glass window. Aoi chuckled. "How about this?" This time she wore it around her mouth. "I look like a cow boy!!! Or a thief!" She pouted. Aoi laughed continuously. "Silly… give it to me…" He reached for the scarf and went behind her. He collected her hair and tied it using the scarf. "Wow… her neck is cute…" He thought to himself. "Kaji-san… I could do it myself really… I was just fooling around…" Sayaka blushed as Aoi did the tying for her. "I told you before, call me Aoi… I want to hear you say it…" When she faced him he was about to bent down and kiss her, but she looked the other way and was nervous. "Uhhh… I really am not ready for that sort of thing yet… sorry… But thanks for the scarf, Kaj-…A-aoi-kun!" She separated herself from him and changed the topic. Aoi was silent and they went on. "I'm sorry if I startled you…" He apologized. "Nah! It's fine. But really… if I'm going to have my first kiss, it has to be from the special someone I love the most!" She gazed upon the sky. "Well… Then how do you feel about me?" He easily brought that up. Sayaka was spellbound, for she has no idea what to say. "Kaji-san… I mean Aoi-kun is a very nice person. Any girl would find herself easily falling for you because you're the ideal guy of every girl's dream, but I don't think I can call it love yet. … Gosh! Why did I say that! I'm so stupid!" She hit her head. He held her by the wrist to stop her from hurting herself. "Then tell me what I have to do to be that special someone…" He begged. Sayaka think it through and came up with a little challenge… "Then, make me fall for you in a week, I'll give you week and this is the first day. If you made me forget this 'guy' then you win. And it looks like you've made progress already…" Sayaka was a bit farther from him and she smiled. She looked at her watch and saw that it was late, "I need to go home… See you tomorrow… Aoi-kun!" She waved him good bye and ran. "Forget a guy huh?... Who could he be?" Aoi asked himself.
What was Len about to tell Sayaka that time? Will Aoi actually win the young girl's heart? Find out in the next chapter... woohoo! I'm still keeping up the suspense here people!
To be continued^_^