FINALLY! Jeez, I don't even have any excuse guys. Sorry. There was the typical 'what should I write' phase there, being not satisfied with the pace. Cutting and pushing until it fitted and then my game copy of 'Destiny' arrived and...yeah. I disappeared in the multiplayer with my friends, hahaha. It is so hard to come back from work and then decide! Writing or playing. I'm terrible.
To the guest reviews! Yumi014 - Hahaha, Rie and Reo? That would be hilarious. One of them loves Akashi, the other hates him...but both would probably come to terms with loving Kozue. I'm not sure about romance but a friendship alone would already be funny!; Witcha - Oh my, thank you! I'm really glad you like it because I'm always worried if it's too much or too less!; Guest - I'm happy to hear that you're enjoying it! And Guest² - Thank you! I hope you'll continue enjoying it!
I'm gonna double check it later because time and stuff and I gotta go but - thank you for all the follows and favorites and reviews guys!
You're all so lovely and nice, I wish I could hug you!
Twenty One
He wouldn't be surprised if his driver wasn't slowly starting to question his new orders.
Not driving home after school immediately if the redhead had seen something interesting glinting in a store they'd passed. Dropping him off suddenly close to the park with the command to return home without him until the teenager would send him a message. To come and pick him up later, always later because he tend to find more and more time in his usual routine to spend it at the Iijimas again.
Akashi had been used to a strict time table in the past. Going to school, club activities, training in the gym or studying afterwards...on the weekend he'd visit the shōgi club. On Sunday he'd occupy himself with calligraphy or riding his horse if time and weather allowed doing so. He had violin lessons on the same day as well. His piano teacher visited the mansion only every few weeks anymore since he had already mastered the instrument completely.
But somewhere it had become easier to set the notebooks aside.
So smoothly that it was hard to notice it right away. But it did happen. The redhead found himself deciding nearly immediately that things could wait. His books. His training. Just a bit. He'd do it later definitely, but the second when there was a chance to let everything drop and leave his usual world behind - he grasped it.
It was a funny thing how much emotions could direct your logical mind.
"Okay, Sei-chan?"
Akashi's mismatched gaze flickered towards the tall boy on the other side of the table. He was certain that his face masked perfectly well that his thoughts had been elsewhere until a few seconds ago. The redhead wasn't one to expose any hesitation or lack of attention to anyone around him. But Reo still seemed to smile at him in that knowing way. Something only the third-year was able to do, he mused.
"This Friday." The black haired teenager repeated. "Right before the match on Sunday, it will be a good luck date."
"Don't call it a date, Reo-nee." Kotarō complained from his seat beside the upperclassman.
Reo, however, huffed a little bit, reaching for his bowl of rice with his free hand. "It would be one if it would be Sei-chan and me only."
The bright haired boy perked up immediately, nearly standing up. "Eeh? But I want to eat Ramen as well! You can't go without me!"
Akashi observed their little meaningless discussion only half-hearted. Chewing on his own meal, the cafeteria of Rakuzan High provided for them each day, instead of taking part of the conversation. Sometimes he didn't even know why he even bothered to speak to these three anymore. They did absolve the training schedule he handed them in the gym after school. Obedient to that degree. Although at the same time they were still trying to nudge and prod any possible word out of him.
Why?
The redhead could only explain it by shoving it on poor judgment and hopeless wishful thinking. Humans could be so immature. Always grasping and reaching for something which seemed to be out of their reach. His upperclassmen weren't much different. Strangely so.
"Well, what do you say, Sei-chan?"
Reo had finally consoled his fellow teammate; the energetic boy looked pretty satisfied after he had been promised that he'd definitely come along, too. It was called a team activity after all. At least by the very one who wanted to meet up. Eikichi played once more the quiet observer, either too lazy or busy eating his own lunch to take part of their conversation as well.
It left the basketball captain with three pairs of eyes, watching him and awaiting his final decision.
Akashi was close to sighing. Boosting the moral of others could be quite a handful. There was so much more he could do instead of going to some Ramen store they had seen somewhere. But if those teenagers needed it, his mind murmured, then it wouldn't hurt to do so. He needed them to function in the preliminaries. He had yet to see how such a moral boost was influencing their motivation in a match.
"Fine." He breathed. "I did say I'd allow it."
Kotarō was already not listening anymore, cheering that they had received green light. And Reo was smiling. Pleased that they would go out as a team once again. They could so easily go without him, the redhead thought. But they were so stubborn and keen on having him come along.
He'd just have to see how they'd do on their first match on Sunday.
Afterwards Akashi could still dismiss these silly meet-ups. Prohibit them if they were messing with their training or concentration.
Satisfied with his conclusion, he lifted his chopsticks to continue his meal. Lunch break would soon be over. He still had half of the school day in front of him. Club activity awaited him and the others after school as well. And there was a test coming up. He could not lose his perfect rank.
Calmly the red haired teenager chewed on his fish, staring at the rice and vegetable in the bowl beside the grilled meat. It tasted just as expected. This high school always used the best ingredients. Many if not all students chose to eat in the cafeteria instead of taking prepared lunches to class from home.
But it wasn't the same, he thought to himself.
Kozue always used more herbs and lime, definitely in favor of Rie, to round off the natural taste the fish possessed. It fitted just right though. A little stuffing concerning the taste, not as simple as some cook would like salmons to be. But Akashi found himself preferring that to what he was eating in that very moment...
Quietly he gulped down his portion, ignoring the conversation around him.
"I'll just be gone for a second." Kozue said as her figure appeared in the open door. "I forgot to buy something."
It was Saturday. Like nearly every week since spring Akashi found himself playing shōgi with Hotaka in the living room. He enjoyed the comfortable warmth of the house while the older man in front of him mused over little things here and there. It finally felt like he had found the right amount of peace after yesterday's event. Going out with his teammates never really seemed to be nice and easy. Not if Eikichi started to challenge Kotarō to an eating contest. Which the energetic basketball player immediately accepted...but of course that ended with the shop owner asking the gigantic dark teenager to leave because he had eaten nearly everything the older man barely prepared. Leaving the other customers hungry and waiting...
But at the sound of her voice, he twisted his head around curiously. Glancing at her friendly smile as she already shouldered a simple linen bag.
"Oh? I thought we already bought everything for dinner yesterday?"
"We did, grandpa." The black haired girl nodded. "But Rie-chan said she's coming over later after all...I thought about getting a watermelon for dessert."
Hotaka chuckled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "She'd definitely love that...Seijūrō-kun. Would you mind helping her? Those watermelons are certainly heavy these days."
"Oh, I didn't want to disturb you two-"
Akashi though, already stood up. He brushed his pants to get rid of any wrinkles, more out of reflex than anything else. But the sudden motion made the girl at the entrance grow quiet, her concern dying upon her tongue.
"I do not mind."
His assurance made her falter. She had obviously only wanted to announce her departing, make sure they wouldn't wonder where she was suddenly going. But after her round eyes ghosted over his serene expression twice, making sure she was really not causing any trouble, she smiled again.
"Thank you."
Inwardly he could be actually a little thankful that Hotaka was such a caring grandfather. Always offering her to let Akashi help because his old bones were too worn down to do so himself. He wouldn't say 'no', not ever if he was able to speak with her a bit more. And with another polite nod to the older man who dismissed the teenagers with a light wave, Akashi left the house with Kozue at his side.
"I'm always making you come with me on my errands, aren't I?"
The slender girl started to walk after he had closed the sliding door behind them. He followed her movement immediately, falling into step beside her. Just like many times before already. And Akashi shook his head slightly, the edges of his lips lifting into a polite smile.
"It is the least I can do."
"I do feel a bit guilty though." She chuckled beneath her breath. "You always carry the heavy things."
The redhead allowed their mutual little conversation to die down. A comfortable silence was engulfing the air around them while they made their way down the narrow street towards the supermarket. He was certain she knew that he didn't mind it in the slightest. That he'd always carry it anyway. And while his thoughts settled, his mismatched gaze traveled around, taking in the houses, the trees and familiar scenery of Kyoto around him.
He could definitely get used to this.
"Are you prepared for the exams, Akashi-kun?"
Kozue's soft-spoken question made him blink towards her. Observing her profile before she twisted her face into his direction, returning his look whole-heartedly - it did take his mind a second to understand the few words she had spoken though.
"Of course." The red haired teenager replied in the end. "What about you?"
"Well...I hope so." She laughed, her hands holding onto the straps of her bag. "I still kept your notes to be honest. They helped me a lot and I'm certain, they'll help me with the final exams as well."
"If not I can always teach you again."
Akashi could already feel the goosebumps spread upon his arms. His chest lifted with the deep breath he took as her expression melted into a familiar warm smile. Grateful and honest. Always genuine and in this moment meant for him only and no one else - emotions brought a thrill with them, he wasn't used to yet.
"Thank you." Kozue said lightly. "But I don't want to bother you too much, Akashi-kun. You're always so busy yourself."
But he wouldn't mind.
He wouldn't, the teen thought. And that little thrill died down as the words were about to roll off his tongue, telling her that there was no need to worry about his position as the captain of the basketball team or his responsibility as the student council president. Because Akashi wanted her to depend on him, he wanted her attention.
"The offer still stands if you need help."
Smoothly he changed the way to word his inner thoughts though. Refraining from saying anything which sounded too immature, in his opinion the very least. Kozue nodded however, still smiling and obviously content how their quiet conversation developed until both teenagers finally saw the old supermarket appearing in the distance.
"I look forward to summer vacation after all those exams though."
Ah. Yes. Summer vacation was close now, wasn't it?
He'd spent a good amount of it in Tokyo. The InterHigh was hosted there after all which meant he'd live in the main mansion there for the time being. It would be too inconvenient to stay here. The train ride takes hours, travelling back and forth over and over again. The teenager's mind was already wondering how strange it'd be if he wasn't able to visit the Iijimas for two or three weeks again. He had become so used to it.
Silently Akashi followed the girl through the aisles. To the back of the building where the fruits and vegetables were placed - safe from the heat outside, cooled down by the air conditioning and shelves.
Kozue immediately reached for one of the watermelons, checking the surface carefully before she turned it around. It looked a little amusing, her slender arms and small hands trying to handle the heavy fruit which led the redhead to step forward and help her.
Her blue colored eyes lifted towards his, crinkling as she laughed a bit.
"Sorry." She murmured thankfully, allowing him to hold onto the round fruit. "I always forget just how heavy those can be."
"That is what I am here for, aren't I?" Akashi replied, observing her scrutinizing glance. "Are you checking if it is ripe?"
"I am." She said, smiling up to him. "Grandma always said to choose the ones which have turned lighter at the bottom and..." Kozue became quiet for a second, knocking softly onto the watermelon's surface. "...to try and hear if they sound hollow. If yes, then they are good. Rie-chan loves especially the sweet ones..."
"I see."
Such a trivial thing, his mind mumbled. Nothing he had ever had to think or worry about in the slightest before. But strangely it felt nice to stand here, watching the black haired girl brushing over the smooth fruit to see if there were any dells or bruises. She was so close to him for a change, allowing the teenager to just stay on this spot and look.
"What about you?" Akashi wondered suddenly.
Kozue looked up from the watermelon, asking wordlessly just what he was exactly referring to.
"Which fruit do you prefer?"
He wanted to know more.
He wouldn't have expected in the past just how much such little nothings could bother him. Make him curious. But emotions were a funny thing indeed. The redhead was suddenly willing to really ask. Immature things, his mind reminded him. Information he wouldn't have cared about before, but now he did.
Kozue, however, only smiled, lifting a finger to tap her chin thoughtfully.
"I'm not certain if it counts but...I really love dried persimmons."
Dried persimmons?
He hadn't heard of those in such a long time. Their preparation took too long. The personnel at the mansion didn't bother with them, his father preferred western cuisine anyway. But when he was young his mother had brought them home a few times. Akashi believed that it were her parents who still dried those fruits themselves. Waiting weeks until they were just right before they handed a handful of them to their daughter close to new years.
Those memories were blurred though.
His grandparents weren't alive anymore, and any picture in his mind resolving around his mother looked distant and unreal when he thought about it for too long.
"Oh."
Akashi blinked, his attention returning to the girl in front of him.
"Now that I think about them...maybe I should prepare some this year?"
The red haired teenager relaxed at the sound of her voice. Following her little gesture towards the checkout in the front since the watermelon in his hands had been deemed good enough by her.
"Do you like dried persimmons, Akashi-kun?"
Did he?
He couldn't remember the taste of them anymore to be honest.
And as if she had seen that single second of hesitation in his posture alone, the black haired girl clasped her hands together in front of her. The greyish blue in her eyes glinting around her iris in the light of the building.
"Would you care to try them then? Fall is still far but, they're definitely worth the wait."
Akashi's lips curved into a faint smile.
"I'd love to."
Because it meant, she was still planning to see him even after the long summer vacation had ended.
Fall was still far away after all, wasn't it?
"Eeh? She's gone to buy a watermelon?"
Rie pulled a face. Torn between feeling extremely happy that her friend had thought about her and feeling a bit upset that she hadn't waited...the short girl would've loved to help her carry the fruit. Kozue always bought a big one. She picked the sweetest one out of many and every summer on the way home, the two of them would take turns to carry the fruit.
Although this time, she had left to buy it without her.
Hotaka smiled warmly, sipping on the tea Rie had prepared for him.
"With Seijūrō-kun. However, those two must be already on their way back. They should be here in a few minutes."
The dirty blond haired girl stopped pouring the warm fruity drink into her own cup immediately. Gaping at the older man who was still contently reading his novel - had she heard that right? Rie placed the teapot onto the low living room table slowly, furrowing her brow as she chose to lean a bit forward.
"He is here again?"
Hotaka looked up just in time to see her grimace. He started to laugh, reaching forward to pat her head although the frown stayed stubbornly in place. Rie didn't look amused at all.
"Oh, don't frown like that, Rie-chan. Seijūrō-kun is very nice."
"But I don't like him."
Huffing dramatically the girl fell back onto her bottom, crossing her legs. She was supposed to be the one to help her friend. Not that guy. She would have loved to roll over the floor, complaining a bit more about that teenager who had suddenly invaded her comfortable home here a few weeks ago. That Akashi was one of those Rakuzan High students, appearing out of nowhere and coming back over and over again. Who was he?
Rie pursed her lips as she glared at her steaming cup. He looked evil. She had seen the look in his eyes, cold and judging. He shouldn't be allowed to be around her best friend. Not that any boy was good enough to do that in the first place...
"I'll go and meet them!"
Hotaka glanced mildly surprised at the young teen who quickly got up. Tea and snacks completely forgotten.
"Do that." He agreed slowly.
Rie, however, was already out of the living room. Moving quickly to the entrance where she more or less stuffed her shoes onto her small feet. Clumsily she stumbled out of the entrance, quickly finding a nice jogging pace. She turned towards her left to hurry down the street into the direction of the supermarket...
But as quickly as she had started to rush forward, she slowed down again.
The very people she had been looking for were already in sight. Walking and talking to another, the linen bag was in Akashi's hand while Kozue gestured with her pale ones. Retelling something which had his complete attention...
The dirty blond haired girl hesitated for only a second before she dashed forward again.
"Shou-chan!"
At last her friend finally looked up, her eyes widening as she saw the blond. "Rie-chan, you're already here?"
"Of course!" Rie grinned in return. "Hota-ji said that you bought a watermelon?"
"We did." Kozue replied. "But only after dinner, alright?"
She expected that answer. Every time when she pushed and urged to already get a piece of the tasty fruit, her friend would always remind her that it was their dessert. A treat which was worth to wait for definitely, but it didn't hurt to try and fetch a little piece anyway. The shorter girl sighed heavily, nodding obediently which made Kozue smile.
But after that her attention shifted, back to the red haired teenager at her side.
"I've actually read it as well. Didn't the author reference the old dynasty?"
What?
Rie blinked owlishly at the other two who continued their walk. They moved past the short girl, further towards the comfy house in the distance. But the blonds' feet were glued to the pavement beneath them.
"He did actually." Akashi replied pleased. "I've rarely spoken to someone who has noticed that."
"Oh, but it was obvious."
What were they talking about?
Rie could only observe how the redhead nodded, muttering an 'Indeed' beneath his breath while her friend was laughing softly about something she didn't understand.
"I had preferred his other work though."
"W-which work?" Rie asked loudly, stumbling after them to catch up.
Kozue turned around towards her, still smiling. "Remember the History lesson yesterday? Satsuma-sensei had handed us a copy out of a book."
"Uh..."
Rie never really remembered such things. History was always so boring. And the old Satsuma always sounded so bored himself. Teaching in such a monotone way that the blond rarely bothered to truly listen to him...her friend was helping her afterwards anyway...but to suddenly recall what this copy was about was impossible.
"His newest piece is very intriguing. Have you read it yet?"
Akashi's question made Kozue look back to him, blinking thoughtfully.
"I don't think I have...when did he publish it?"
"This year actually, I can lend it to you next time."
A delighted gasp escaped the slender girl. "You would?"
Rie's mouth opened and closed again. No word coming out. She felt suddenly a bit lost. Which book was it again? What old dynasty? She was terrible at remembering such stuff. Which author did the two talk about? Her golden orbs rolled from side to side. Taking in the profiles of the two teenagers in front of her, her mind was barely able to follow whatever they were talking about right now anyway.
But as the three of them reached the house, Akashi moved forward to slide the entrance open...that was the moment Rie could see it then.
The way his mismatched gaze turned to look at Kozue. A glow in them she didn't like. This was not the way someone looked at his friend. Not how he should look at the granddaughter of the older man he always visited in order to play board games.
Rie's feet slowed down more and more. The corners of her lips fell as she watched the two disappear inside the house. Realization hit her. Hard.
And she felt a bit out of place right there.
What had just happened?
In the end, her feet stopped moving altogether. Leaving the girl standing in front of house, just staring after her friend and the boy...