" Well your grades are all A's and B's so that's good. Plus you speak multiple languages, which is always a plus. The experiences abroad will be big as well. IN terms of applying to University you would be a shoe in just about wherever you'd like to go," Sensei said on the other side of the line.
" Thanks sensei, have a good weekend," I replied before hanging up.
Currently I was researching what kind of major I would like to do in college. It seems as though I could get in to just about anywhere the problem is I had no idea what I was interested in. I could be a teacher maybe. No I have almost no patience and I would explode on a kid if he couldn't figure something out. Maybe a doctor? Too much blood, pass. Police officer? To many crimes when I was younger to even try. I put my head on my desk in defeat.
" Oi Hotaru there's some weird lady standing outside the house," Renji called out.
" Not now Renji!" I yelled annoyed.
" She's about to knock on the door."
" How do you-" there was a knock. I groaned and headed downstairs. " Hell-"
" Darling!" she shouted and hugged me in a death hug.
" Auntie?" I asked shocked.
" How is my little niece doing hm?" she asked and squeezed my cheeks. " You're so thin? Are you eating?"
" Auntie what are you doing here?" I asked stepping back.
Other than her voice you could barely tell my Aunt Elizabeth was under all those clothes. A large, black sun hat and with matching sunglasses covered her face and black hair, similar to my mother's. Whatever she was wearing underneath her was covered by yet another black coat, fur and going almost all the way to the floor. Her fashion line Madame Black was known for, well, black. Whether edgy or fashionable my Aunt worked only in black and her looks could be found in stores around the word. " I've got a show in Tokyo darling and I thought I would swing by," she said taking off her hat and glasses while looking around the apartment.
" Warning would have been nice," I replied looking around as well and checking the cleanliness.
" It was sudden alright? Besides I wanted to see this boyfriend of yours." Her eyes caught Renji's and I saw him look to me scared. " Are you the boyfriend?"
" N-no Ma'am," Renji replied standing straight.
" That's my roommate Auntie," I said standing between her and Renji.
" Oh? Why on earth do you have a roommate? Can you not afford to live here?"
" No Auntie it's just uh… Renji's apartment burned down. Sad just really, really tragic. He's staying here for a bit until he can find a new place."
" Well… I suppose that's all right. You're father would do the same." Auntie leaned in my ear. " How do you find the most attractive young men?"
" Auntie how about we get something to eat?" I asked rushed. Auntie was just a tiny bit of a cougar so it would be best to get her away from Renji as fast as possible.
" But I made a list of all of my favorite foods I wanted you to make me," Aunty whined.
Sometimes I forgot who the child was in this relationship. I took the list and scanned it. " I can do the cream puffs tonight I suppose," I mumbled.
" Oh Hotaru you're the sweetest!" Auntie said and hugged me in another death grip. " Did I ever tell you that you were my favorite niece?"
" I'm your only niece," I muttered.
" Oh right I forgot! I brought you some extra clothes I had lying around."
The door opened and 5 large, full boxes were brought in. " I see where you get your love o f black from," Renji said holding up a black jacket and black dress with more black clothing underneath.
" Alright how about I take you and your boyfriend for dinner and you treat me to dessert hm?"
" He uh… is busy today Auntie. That's why you need to tell me when you're coming!" I replied.
" Alright but I'm leaving the day after tomorrow. So have him make plans with me tomorrow or else."
" Ok Auntie I'll tell him. Well if you want to eat we should probably go now," I said pushing Auntie out the door.
" Renji-kun wouldn't you like to come with us?" Auntie asked spinning out of reach and right in front of Renji.
" I uh I'm good thanks," he replied nervously.
" That's too bad I would let you get whatever you wanted," Auntie replied mischievously.
Ok I was slightly incorrect. My Aunt is a HUGE cougar and Renji was right up her alley. And knowing Renji's stomach the way I did I knew it would lead to his demise. " Well if you're paying," Renji replied finally.
So Renji went with my aunt and I to lunch. It was terribly awkward watching her stare at him like meat through the entirety of lunch. " Renji-kun, what can you tell me about this Ichigo fellow? Is he a good boy?" Auntie asked sitting way to close to Renji.
" He's about as goody two shoes as it gets," Renji replied nervously, trying to avoid eye contact.
" That's good. The last boy Haruka date was such a bad boy. Are you a bad boy Renji-kun?"
" Ok so dinner," I interrupted to save Renji. " What do you want the most Auntie?"
" Tonkatsu and cream puffs!"
" Cream puffs?"
" Oh those ones you made in France. Ah remember that night when I brought Philippe back to the apartment and we-"
" Yes right! THOSE cream puffs trust me I remember well," I said remembering walking in on my aunt screwing Philippe. He stayed for the cream puffs. It was awkward. " I'll have to go to the grocery store."
" Oh yes I'll pay for that too. Don't you worry Hotaru I'll always be there to take care of you."
I smiled a little and took my Auntie's hand. " It's actually kind of nice seeing you again."
" I'm going to Rome next for a Vogue shoot. I'd be fine if you tagged along."
" School Auntie. Remember?"
" Oh right you're still in high school aren't you?"
I sighed exasperated and Renji laughed. After lunch we stopped at the grocery store where Renji and Auntie loaded up on WAY too much food before going home. While I cooked dinner for tonight, Auntie fawned over Renji until Rukia came over. Then Auntie pouted the rest of the night while Rukia defended Renji from my Aunt. " Ok we've got Tonkatsu for dinner and a variety of cream puffs," I said putting out the plates.
" Oh Hotaru if there's one thing I miss the most about you it's the food!" My Aunt squealed.
" Not me just the food," I muttered slightly bothered.
" What kind of cream puffs?" Renji asked.
" Chocolate, strawberry, macha, and red bean."
" I don't think I've heard of red bean cream puffs," Auntie said.
" I was going for Japanese-French Fusion. Trying to tie your weird meal request together," I replied.
" Hotaru these are good," Renji said taking a macha one.
" Thanks."
" No seriously this is REALLY good."
" Ya cooking school was probably one of the best things to happen to me."
" Oh the teacher loved her! What was his name?" Auntie asked.
" Pierre," I replied knowing where this was going.
" Pierre of course! Oh what a handsome young man."
" Then you also remember he was gay."
" I have been known to change a few men in my day you know." I shook my head in embarrassment as the others laughed. " Hotaru has always made good food though. Even before she took classes she loved going into the kitchen and getting her hands on things. That's your calling you know, cooking. You should go into culinary school."
I stared at my Aunt in disbelief. It was almost as if she had known my dilemma and without even trying solved the problem. I always feel most at ease when I cook and Auntie is right I'm pretty good at it. " Hotaru was just talking about what she was going to major in."
" It has to come easy to you, something you want to do. I was always good at sewing, then I went into clothes, and that's how I ended up here. Beautiful, wealthy-"
" We get it, thanks Auntie."
" Whatever you want to do Hotaru I will be sure to support you through it. But if you go into culinary be sure to make something for me ok?"
I smiled at my eccentric aunt. " Sure thing Auntie."
After dinner Renji and Rukia worked on the dishes as I escorted my aunt to a taxi. " I'm staying downtown tonight what time should I be over tomorrow?"
" Afternoon should be fine."
" Tell Ichigo we WILL be having dinner together."
" Yes Auntie."
" Alright. Kisses." I kissed Auntie on each cheek and she did the same for me before getting in the cab. With a tired sigh I went back into the house and shut the door.
" Man Hotaru, your Aunt is…" Renji began still thinking of the word.
" She's a trip, I know and I'm sorry. Had I known she was coming I would have hidden you."
" It's cool just… wow." I laughed at that. " Need help bringing the boxes up?"
" No I got it," I said stacking 4 of the boxes up. I'll come down for the other one later. I got to my room and set the boxes down then opened the first up.
" Hey."
I shrieked and spun around. " I-Ichigo! What are you doing here?"
" Why didn't you respond to my texts?"
He was a bit pissed it seems. " Remember my aunt? She decided to spontaneously show up today. She kept Renji and I busy all day and-"
" You couldn't respond to me at all? Not even when I texted you last night?"
I finally gave in and sat on the bed. " You're dad and I talked before I left. He knows we're going out and he doesn't like me."
" What?" Ichigo shouted. I nodded sadly. " I'm going to kill him!"
" But I'm going to prove myself to him! Please Ichigo just give me a chance to make it up to him."
" Fine. You should know that no matter what he says I still want to be with you."
" I know but I want to earn it. I want to deserve to be with you. Putting in a little effort never hurt anyone."
Ichigo smiled then closed the distance between us. " If you really want to do this then go ahead. It actually makes me happy that you want to."
" Ichigo… this isn't just a short time thing is it?"
" Well I… I guess I hadn't thought about that."
" Oh."
" But I want it to be long term."
" Really?"
" Ya but I can't keep you here can I? Your home is America not here."
I hugged Ichigo to me then replied, " My home is wherever you are. That's how you make me feel."
Ichigo hugged me back until I felt a vibration. He pulled out his phone and sighed. " I've got to go. They found out I sneaked away."
" How are you feeling by the way?"
Ichigo smirked from the window and leaned in for a kiss. " Better."
I blushed only a little as Ichigo jumped away. Even now I'm still acting this way. Blushing over a single kiss? We haven't even gone past the kissing yet and I already feel this way about him. I went out with Hidan longer and I never even thought of my future with him. Ichigo is just different in every way I suppose. I smiled as I put my clothes away, thoughts of Ichigo dancing in my mind. After going online a bit and picking out a recipe for tomorrow I got ready for bed.
Can I really prove myself to Ichigo's dad with a single meal? Hell will food even have an effect on him? What if he doesn't like my decision or what if he just doesn't like me? I thought of Ichigo and I suddenly felt comforted again. Thinking of his words, his smile, his kisses, everything about him really calmed me down. No, everything will be ok tomorrow, I just know it.