Christmas day was wonderful and I loved seeing my dad and Miwa again, sitting between them both with Wataru on my lap as we opened presents together. It was a really great Christmas, the best yet and thankfully, I'd managed to find Natsume a gift in time. In the end I found a little snow globe with figures skating inside. It wasn't much but I thought it was a nice ornament he could add to his rather plainly decorated apartment, though he'd have to keep it out of the way of the cats, though I'd also taken the extra precaution of buying on that was shatter resistant, just to be on the safe side.
Dad and Miwa stayed for a couple of days, visiting a few parties and some of us even came along and Miwa insisted on showing me off every time I agreed to go, wearing one of the dresses she picked out for me and she was always so happy when I made that extra effort just for her. It really was the best Christmas ever and I was sad when it ended, though I felt even worse when dad and Miwa had to leave. They both hugged me so tight and I didn't want to let go, but I put on a brave face and waved them goodbye with a smile.
After that, things pretty much went back to normal. Subaru finally told me that he got an offer to play professionally and I was so excited for him that I'd thrown my arms around his neck to embrace him, catching him off guard though his hands went to my waist to steady me as I did so. I really was happy for him, even though it meant he'd be leaving come spring. It seems everything was going to be changing from now onwards.
Futo and Yusuke were both studying for their exams with me helping them along, the three of us sitting together at the dinner table with numerous books spread out as I taught them both what they needed to know for their relative subjects. "So wait, you're saying that there's actually an easier way to work all this out?" Yusuke asked and when I nodded, he groaned and gripped his head. "Agh! Why can't you just teach my class? It makes so much more sense when you're showing me how to do stuff."
"Because you're an idiot." Futo answered simply, flicking Yusuke with an eraser. "And our beloved big sister has to dumb it down for you."
"Easy now, both of you." I said, clapping my hands to calm down the tension. We'd been studying for almost two hours so I decided to call a break. "I made snacks for you guys, they're on the counter in the kitchen. When we come back we'll go your science papers and I'll help you guys with the content you need to learn." I instructed them and Yusuke was already bolting for the food, making me giggle. That boy sure could eat. Futo exhaled, leaning back in his seat and rubbing his face.
"This is pointless. Why do I need to know all this stuff anyway? I won't need science for what I need to do in the future." He complained so I thought of a reason to keep him motivated.
"Because Fu-Fu, even though you may have a great voice, when you're singing about certain things you need to be able to understand them to be able to put the emotion in, right?" I reasoned with him and he cracked open an eye to look at me. "So when you're singing, I think it's better to have a good understanding about the meaning behind the songs. It's like poetry, there are many meanings behind the words, but if you know what it is you're trying to convey to people then it's easier to make them understand if you know yourself what you're talking about. The same goes for acting. At some point you're probably going to be playing roles that aren't naturally similar to your own personality, but if you can relate to them somehow, either through their profession or by a trait that you share or can at least empathise with, then it'll be easier for you to play that character." I looked back at Futo, seeing his contemplative gaze before he lifted his chin.
"Don't call me Fu-Fu. It's annoying." I chuckled, knowing full well that it embarrassed him but I only called him that in private. I wouldn't do that to him when he's out with his fans or anything. "Anyway, you're pretty good at this teaching thing. If you can teach that moron over there how to do actually equations and long division then you have to have decent skills."
"Hey I heard that! I'm not that stupid you know!" Yusuke argued with a mouth full of food and I laughed.
"You boys, there's no stopping you guys is there?" I sighed, tittering my tongue. "Well, this sempai isn't going to tolerate fighting in her classroom, so you'd better watch yourselves." They continued anyway but I didn't mind, so long as they kept it under control. When Masaomi came down he found the two boys silent and hard at work, making their way through their textbooks as I leaned against the table with my arms folded, ready to whack them on the head with my paper fan if they started anything.
"I don't think I've ever seen those two sit together like that without being at one another's throats." He said with a warm chuckle as he approached, holding something in his hand.
"Believe me it wasn't our choice. Ow!" I whacked Yusuke on top of his head, making him get back to work. I gave a grin to Masaomi.
"I have my methods. What's that you got there?" I asked, thinking it was probably something from his work, however when he held it out to me I was a little confused.
"It's actually for you. It came by personal delivery, though the guy wouldn't say who it was from." Masaomi informed me as I frowned, taking it and looking over the plain black envelope with my name in flashy gold writing. Interesting.
"Who on earth would be delivering mail this time at night?" I wondered aloud as I opened it up, feeling that there was card inside as it didn't bend at all. Futo and Yusuke both watched curiously, lifting their heads from their work as I slid out a cream coloured sheet of card with a professional print finish, each word printed in gold leaf with an insignia at the top. It was pretty flashy so I read it carefully. As I absorbed the words, my fingers tightened their grip on the card.
"What is it? Looks formal." Yusuke asked so I exhaled, trying to remain calm.
"It's an invitation from a guy I met before Christmas. He wants me to go to his new year's celebration at his mansion. Tomorrow." Ichiro Yamamato. What was that slimy creep up to now? Inviting me like this out of the blue. I wonder if it's just another sex party that he wants to try and ensnare me into joining. Surely he realises that I'll just jump overboard and swim back to sure, right?
"What, you mean like a real high class invitation? Who is it from? I might know them." Futo reached out and I handed him the invitation, folding my arms as I pondered. Masaomi glanced at me and seemed to register that something was not quite right by the way I was looking rather murderously at the plant pot in the corner. "Wait, you mean the Ichiro Yamamato? Well big sis, I didn't realise you had connections of your own."
"I don't." I announced, tearing up the invite myself before going to the kitchen and tossing it into the bin. "I want nothing to do with a guy like that. Now, where were we?" I returned my focus to the study session, helping Yusuke understand chemistry so that he could keep up with the rest of the class for his lesson tomorrow whilst I helped Futo with his biology. Masaomi walked away, glancing over his shoulder back at me so I looked up and gave him a reassuring nod of my head and a smile, letting him know that I was okay before I returned back to tutoring.
I enjoyed the teaching aspect so much that I was almost firmly decided upon entering college and going for a course where I could become a fully qualified teacher come next spring. I was looking at places close to home and actually, Meiji university offered a few with really good reviews and had a high ranking in the charts. Now that Yusuke's grades were beginning to pick up, he was even contemplating going there as well as it was starting to look like it really could be an option for him. Wouldn't' that be funny, if we both became first years in the same year?
All the same that invitation crept into the back of my mind. I couldn't have gone anyway because I was going with everyone else to the festival in town. They had a huge market set up and there was going to be a massive fireworks display, so we were all looking forward to it. I'd even helped Ukyo arrange a picnic to take with us, we'd bought all the food, we just needed to put it together and pack it tomorrow. I was really excited, I loved new years and this one promised to be amazing.
Still, that invite. I wonder what Ichiro had been planning. However, I wasn't dumb enough to find out, so I forced myself to forget all about it and instead whacked both Yusuke and Futo on the heads for misbehaving.
"Yay! Come on big sis, I want to play all the games there is and win loads of prizes!" Wataru said as he pulled me by my hand forwards through the crowds, making our way through the market where everything smelled wonderful and there were choruses of laughter everywhere. Wataru had been waiting in anticipation all day, even getting dressed in his yukata the moment he woke up.
"Slow down little bunny, we still have plenty of time before the fireworks." I assured him, drawing him back towards me as I turned, making sure the others were still behind us. I too wore my special yukata, the fabric beautifully decorated with lilies on a purple background, my favourite colour. My hair was even pinned up in a traditional style with special hairpins that Miwa had given to me for Christmas. They effortlessly held up my hair in a pair, one of them holding a beautiful white and gold butterfly whilst the other held rounded stones of jade.
"I know, but there's still so much to do, I mean look at the size of everything!" He beamed up at me and I chuckled, ruffling his hair as the others joined us.
"Now Wataru, you can't go stealing Rikona away all by yourself, remember that she might have her own things she wants to do as well." Masaomi reminded him and Wataru blinked before nodding his head, but I reassured him that I was fine with looking after Wataru and that everyone else should relax and enjoy themselves. Yusuke said he was going to hang out with his friends for a while and Kaname disappeared to do his monk duties, or something along those lines. Futo was setting up for his concert and both Tsubaki and Azusa had already disappeared.
That left Masaomi, Ukyo, Hikaru, Subaru, Iori and Louis. Wataru was pretty impatient to get going so Hikaru stepped forwards and placed his hands on my shoulders, beaming rather mischievously at his brothers. "Well, I think I'll stick with our lovely sister here. I'm sure she'll be showing me a good time." He winked and the others gave mixed reactions, though Louis just followed forwards in agreement.
"Sounds good to me, I can help you keep an eye on your hair this way, Kona." Louis said to me and I relaxed as I was herded forwards with Wataru. Louis gave me an encouraging smile and I felt a little better with him there. He was just so calm, his presence was like the first fall of snowflakes on a crisp winter night.
"Thanks Louis, you really are wonderful with my hair. It feels so nice to be able to have it up and change it every now and again." I said to him and he nodded his head. Between him and Hikaru, I'd been gone through a rather massive transformation, even going so far as to give me geisha styled makeup, with red eye-shadow, defined black eyeliner which winged outwards, full lashes and red lips. When I'd first appeared, everyone else almost fell over in shock as I'd walked down the stairs blushing darker than my lips. It took some time to get used to and I still felt a little uncomfortable, but there were so many beautiful people out that hardly anyone looked my way and that was fine with me.
Wataru took us to several game stalls and I did my best to help him win toys, though it turned out Hikaru was a really good shot and quick with his hands, earning prize after prize though mostly he gave them away to other kids at the stalls if Wataru or none of the rest of us wanted them. "Wow Hikaru, you're really good at these kind of games." I said to him and he winked.
"What can I say? I'm good with my hands." He teased and I rolled my eyes slightly. He was dressed in men's clothing today with his long hair pulled back and I had to say, he really did look handsome. Though it did make me giggle to see that he hadn't removed his nail polish, so his nails remained bright red. "Aren't you going to have a go Louis?"
"Oh no, I'm really not very good at these games. I'll only waste my money." He said honestly and I smiled at him before offering him one of my darts.
"You can have a shot for me if you like? I'm not very good either, but it's all in good fun so it doesn't really matter." I said to him and he thought for a moment before accepting.
"Thanks Kona, that's really very nice of you." He said and Wataru started to cheer Louis on, giving him encouragement as Louis turned his gaze to the balloons, selecting one before throwing the dart forwards. It hit a random balloon, however when it popped open it revealed that we'd won a medium prize, making Wataru cheer loudly as Louis blinked. "Well would you look at that, beginner's luck." He smiled as I clapped my hands.
"You go ahead and choose a prize for yourself Louis, you earned that one!"
"But you paid for the turn, you should choose Kona." He said, looking at me imploringly so I met him in the middle, suggesting that we pick one together. We decided on a geisha panda bear, making the both of us laugh as Louis held it in his arms after I insisted that he keep it as a memento of his lucky shot. Hikaru watched all the while, tapping his chin with his fingers whilst smirking and I glanced his way, looking at him curiously but he only hummed in thought before waving his fingers to draw us all away from the stall so that everyone else could have a turn.
"Where do you want to go next Wataru?" I asked him and he thought for a moment before his eyes brightened.
"Can we get candy? There's a huge stall over there and they have so many of my favourites, can we please?" I thought for a moment, tapping my chin.
"I don't know Wataru, you've eaten a few things already, I don't want you to get sick. Okay, how about this." I decided, crouching down so that I was at his height level. "If we go get you some candy, you have to promise that you won't touch it and you'll keep it safe for another time, that way you won't get sick and you'll have something to look forward to even after the festival ends. Is that a deal?"
"It's a deal big sis!" He beamed throwing his arms around my shoulders. "You're the greatest, I love you!" I froze in place, going completely still as Wataru continued to hug me and Hikaru noticed my reaction, arching an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Oh my, the boy is a smooth talker. Looks like some of the others have some tough competition." He noted but I hardly heard him. Wataru loves me? Like, a real sister? He's never actually said it before, however as I started to feel tears rise to my eyes I snuggled into him and held him close, feeling happier than I had ever been before. I felt truly blessed and I couldn't think of a better way to finish this year, it was truly wonderful this feeling.
"Hey big sis, are you crying?"
"No little bunny, I'm just really very happy right now!" I answered, pulling back and smiling at him tearfully. "I love you too! Come on, let's go get you some candy." Taking his hand again we both beamed at one another then raced off to the candy stall. I let him pick out what he wanted though I limited him by weight, so he decided to go for small portions of lots of different things, ending up with a tidy treasure of candy which I paid for then tucked away in my bag to carry for him. As we walked away, a flash of ginger caught my eye and I looked, seeing Natsume walking in the opposite direction however before I could call out to him he had disappeared.
I stared after him, momentarily distracted however when Louis softly called my name I blinked, hurriedly turning my head back to see where I was going. "Is everything alright?" He asked me, tilting his head and I gave a big smile, nodding my head.
"Yeah, I just thought I saw Natsume over there, but it could have been anyone." I answered whilst pretending not to be too disappointed. Natsume had said that he might make it over to the festival but didn't give any final confirmation, so it still was a possibility that he wouldn't show up at all. Soon enough I was distracted and I had so much fun with the guys, walking around until we met up with Masaomi and he took over watching out for Wataru and told me to go enjoy myself.
"I think I'm going to find myself a beverage of some kind. Take care honey, there are plenty of unsavoury characters out there, particularly with the name Asahina." He said to me, pulling me into him for a squeeze before he kissed my cheek a little lingeringly, making me frown slightly. What did he mean by that? However before I could ask he was walking away, leaving me stumped.
"Well Kona, if you don't mind, I'd actually like to go and have a look at some things by myself. I'm pretty slow when it comes to browsing, so I'll see you around soon." Louis said to me, lifting his hand with a smile. "You know where we're all meeting, right?"
"Sure, just over the grassy bank near the dango stall." I recited to him and he nodded his head, adjusting my hair just a little one last time before he wandered off almost as if he were in a dreamlike state. Louis was such a lovely guy. Turning around I looked for any stall that took my interest then head off in no particular direction, walking around on my own until I heard voices calling out.
"Hey! Sexy sempai! Sexy sempai!" I blinked, already guessing who it was and I turned to see Yusuke's classmates running ahead of him to catch up to me. Did they really have to call me that in public? It's more than a little embarrassing, though I guess that's just boys for you. "Wow, you look super awesome dressed up like that!"
"Yeah, you're prettier than any girl in school!" They flung compliments at me and I looked between them, unsure of how to respond. How do I tell a group of boys that they were acting like horny teenagers? Well, aside from the fact that was what they were, I didn't want to put it too bluntly.
"Quit crowding her, jeez." Yusuke came to my rescue, thumping a few of them on the head before lifting his hand. "Hey. What's up?"
"Oh, hey Suke. Are you enjoying the festival?" I asked before smiling. "I won a good luck totem at one of the stalls, though really it was Hikaru. Turns out I'm just as bad at these games as I am in the arcade." I don't know what I did, however when I stopped talking, the schoolboys all clapped their hands together and chorused as one as if they had rehearsed previously.
"So cute! Marry us sexy sempai!" I touched a hand to my mouth, glancing across to Yusuke who smacked a hand to his face before turning on his friends.
"You guys are such morons! Didn't I already say that she's never going to marry any of you? Get back here! Don't run away from me!" He yelled then started to chase after the others who raced off, fearing his wrath and I tilted my head to the side slightly, a little bewildered before I chuckled. Boys are so adorable when they act like that. Turning I continued walking on my own, stopping occasionally to look at something, however when I saw a pretty hand painted fan with cherry blossoms I reached out for it, thinking it would make a nice souvenir for Miwa so I bought it for her.
Tucking the fan safely into my bag as it rested in its box, I continued on my way, wondering if I should get something for my dad too. Everything was so lively here, I always loved these kind of festivals and I bet everyone who makes the effort to make them so great felt good to see it come together so perfectly. "Futo's show is about to start, come on I want to go see!"
"You mean the Futo Asakura? No way!" A hoard of girls rushed passed me talking about Futo, reminding me that Futo was actually performing here. I guess it's almost time for his show to start. I'll go along too and watch to show my support, I know he's been practicing really hard for this event as he'd been putting in extra practice, sometimes coming home really late at night and I'd find him crashed out on the sofa upstairs. Sometimes I managed to get him to his room, though mostly I just brought him a blanket and made sure he was comfortable.
Following after the girls I went towards the huge stage they'd set up, rather impressed with how quickly they'd put it up and standing at the front of the walkway was Futo, lifting his hand towards his fans and the girls all screamed, making me flinch and want to cover my ears but I restrained myself from doing so. "Good evening everyone! I'm here to welcome to you tonight, it's so great to see you all here, so get ready because the show is about to start!" The fans went wild again and I tilted my head to the side. I was curious as to why girls were so desperately trying to get close to the stage and reach Futo. Didn't they realise that if they swarmed him they'd probably kill him?
I stood way at the back of possibly thousands of people who listened and watched as Futo greeted them before he twirled, the music already playing and he started to sing. I listened to the words until slowly, my hands jumped to my mouth. Those were my words! Or rather, that was one of my poems! He'd turned it into a song? It was almost exactly identical what I'd written with perhaps only a few changes here and there, but it was definitely mine. The melody was soft and beautiful, his voice mellow as he sang from the bottom of his heart and slowly, more people were drawn in. "Oh my, I've never heard this song before, it's beautiful." I heard someone say as Futo continued to sing.
"Yeah, it's so poetic, I love it! I've never been a huge fan, but I really like this song of his! I wonder if he's changing up his style?" Around me I heard several more compliments but I could only watch in awe as Futo took my poems and turned them into something more magical than I could have ever possibly imagined. A light tap on my shoulder made me jump and I looked to see a familiar face.
"Oh! You're that nice man from the VIP lounge who showed me the way." I remembered and he nodded his head, shades still covering his eyes but he gave a slight smile.
"If you'll come with me, Mr Asakura has arranged for backstage passage. We've been looking for you, Miss Hinata." He informed me and I blushed slightly, not meaning to be a nuisance. I followed after him and I was led through the crowds to backstage where I was immediately allowed through, going up to stand in the wings where I could see Futo much more clearly. He really was pouring his heart and soul into the words and when the song ended, the resulting cheer practically rattled the stage.
"Thank you! You're all too kind. Now, before we move on, I have a little surprise for you all." Futo really engaged with the crowd, going right down to the bottom of the walkway to brush his hands out to them, even tossing out flowers and shirts to a few screaming girls who practically wept for joy. I still didn't understand getting so worked up about something to the point you lose control, but then again I guess his fans don't know Futo the way I do. He was my little brother after all.
The next song was more upbeat, something you'd perhaps hear in a club though as I listened to each song Futo sang, there were either snippets from my poems or entire sections. No wonder he'd kept the book for so long then asked for more. That sneaky little devil, I didn't realise he was going to use them to actually make new songs, he could have at least warned me! All the same, I loved the fact that he seemed to be connecting to the words so well, it really showed a difference in his singing.
"You're all such a great audience! We're going to have a quick break, but then I'll be right back!" He promised, waving before exiting off stage towards me. He was sweating slightly and breathing heavily, downing a bottle of water practically in one gulp as he handed over his microphone then looked over to me. "So, what do you think?"
"I think you're pushing your luck somewhat." I answered him, ruffling his hair before I picked up his towel and carefully began to dab at his face. "But you're sticky now, come here and wipe all that muck off your face."
"Hey! It's makeup you idiot." He protested but I wiped away the eyeliner and the contouring, leaving him fresh faced like a daisy. I didn't like his stage look much, they made him look much older than he actually was and it didn't appeal in the slightest. Now he looked more natural, more like himself. It was only then that I realised he was wearing his Christmas waistcoat and his hat was in his hands.
"Aw Fu-Fu! You're wearing my Christmas presents how cute!" I cooed, pinching his cheek as he growled.
"Ugh, don't call me that! Anyway, it suited my look for today's show, but now I have to go back and get my makeup done all over again." He complained at me, shooting me a dark look but I just continued to grin.
"Oh you don't need any of that stuff. A girl likes a guy who's not afraid of how he looks. You're plenty handsome enough already Futo, and you're not quite an adult yet so let your fans see you the way you truly are, then when you grow older, they've got something to look forward to." I reasoned and he stopped, mouth opening and closing as he failed to think of a witty response. I inwardly ticked off another point to me against Futo and I glowed proudly.
"You're a real pain sometimes, you know that?" Unable to deny it, I nodded my head and Futo gave a smirk. "Okay fine, I'll give it a try. But if it all goes wrong, I'm blaming everything on you." I told him that it wasn't a problem as he finished his water then dropped his hat back on his head. He looked so cool, I'm really glad I found those for him. "I'm glad you're here, and you were right by the way, about connecting to the words. I feel like I've improved already." As Futo turned around I flung my arms around him, leaning into his cheek.
"See? Big sister knows what she's talking about. Now go out there and show your fans you're true feelings, you're already bringing in loads of new people who like your new style. They thinks it's very relatable and mature. You're already on your way to the top, Futo, and you didn't have to use anybody to do it. You got that kind of talent all on your own, so don't doubt yourself anymore, okay?" Futo stayed still, letting me hold him until I pulled away and readjusted his hat so it sat properly on his head but he instantly made it slant a little to the side, putting it back where he'd placed it.
"For a girl who doesn't know anything about this business, you'd make a pretty great manager. Looks like I'll be coming to you for advice from now on, so be ready for anything, big sis." He warned me, giving a sly wink. "But you still don't know when to close that pretty mouth of yours." I blinked, lifting my head up slightly but Futo suddenly had his hand curled around the back of my head to anchor it down, turning his lips to smoothly glide over mine as I held him against me. Something felt different about this kiss, it was soft and not forceful at all, if anything it felt full of emotion as Futo then pulled back. "That makes three, but don't worry. I'll be sure to give you air any time you need." He said before he gave another quick wink then returned to stage to leave me rooted to the spot, stunned. "Hey everyone, I'm back!" Shaking off my surprise I smiled softly, watching as Futo continued to perform his songs. It was getting close to eleven now and his show was going to finish at half past, so I listened in the wings to every word that he had to say. Some of his songs were new ones of his own and those I paid particular attention to as they came from the innermost part of his heart. He had many wonderful things to say and I couldn't be more proud.
When the show came to a close, Futo shared his thanks with his fans, sincerely appreciating their support and I think it made them love him all the more as he said his final goodnight then artistically dropped his head and flung out his hands, plunging the stage into darkness before all at once, huge fountains of sparks soared up into the air, illuminating his shadow before once more the stage went dark, the silence being shattered from the roaring screams of the fans as Futo made his way to the wings and I reached out for his hand, guiding him towards me as slowly the lights returned. "Now that is what you call a successful show. You should learn from me Rikki, that's what success looks like." He said to me smugly however I only ruffled his hair.
"Sure thing Fu-Fu. Come on, you need to at least clean your face and hair properly before you're fit to be back in public. You're all sweaty and gross." I teased him and he complained again about being called Fu-Fu as we walked together to his backstage trailer that had been set up. I waited outside patiently, watching the skies as the stars glittered in the distance. When Futo emerged, he too was wearing a yukata, however the moment he stepped forwards there was a collective scream.
"THERE HE IS!" I instantly jumped violently with alarm as a group of girls came rushing forwards, aiming directly for Futo however before they could swamp the trailer, Futo had quickly stepped out in front of me and was holding out his arm as if to shield me.
"Ladies please, calm down, I'll be glad to sign any autographs, it's a special night after all!" He smiled to them all, stepping forwards so that they stopped a little distance away from me and I blinked at Futo. Had he done that on purpose? As he began to sign various magazines and shirts, Futo looked back over his shoulder and winked at me. I knew it. He's a real softie really. Eventually the security came to lead them away, strictly telling them that backstage was for VIP access only. "It takes a little getting used to, that sort of thing. Of course, professionals like me deal with it all the time." Futo announced to me before holding out his hand. "So come along my princess, allow me to escort you to your ball."
"You come out with the weirdest things sometimes Futo." I said to him as I slipped my arm through his. "Let's walk like this instead, then I can pull you out of the way of any stampeding fans much faster." He gave me a quick smile which he tried to hide before walking forwards, leading me back to the festival and some of the girls caught sight of us before beginning to whisper. Then one or two burst into tears. I'm glad I skipped out that faze of my girlhood. "Are you hungry Futo? Do you want anything to eat? It can be my treat." I tempted him and I heard his stomach rumble.
"Well, I guess food isn't a bad idea and since you're buying, I can hardly say no." He decided and I gave a laugh before marching us off to find some form of food that suited his taste. With half an hour until midnight we had fifteen minutes before we were supposed to meet up with everyone else, however Futo wanted to have a look around first before we did so. We stayed side by side, Futo pretty insistent that we didn't get separated and sometimes it was a struggle to move forwards however eventually we found our way to the hill where blankets had been spread out and the others were all waiting. As far as I could see, we were the last to arrive.
"Big sis! We wondered where you had got to, where you with Futo this whole time? Didn't he sound good?" Wataru called out as he ran then jumped at me and I had to catch him under my arms before I lifted him up into the air.
"That's right little bunny, he was pretty good, wasn't he?" I agreed before putting him down, my arms already aching. Wataru told me that he'd saved a spot for me so I sat down and he immediately sat in my lap, my arms naturally curling around him as we all turned to gaze upwards. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Natsume and I smiled inwardly. So he had made it after all. I'm glad, that means all fourteen of us were here. "Do fireworks scare you at all Wataru?"
"No, I'll be fine but if you get scared big sis then you can hold my hand." He told me, making me nuzzle into his cheek to tickle him as Kaname leaned closer.
"Of course if you do get scared little sis, I'll be happy to hold you and keep you safe from the noises." He offered, poking my cheek playfully and this time I didn't feel embarrassed at all, in fact I even smiled.
"That's alright Kaname. Surprisingly fireworks don't scare me at all, I really love them." He smiled back at me, saying something else before leaving me be. The countdown started a few minutes after and we all joined in, Wataru gripping onto my hand tightly in anticipation until finally, the clock reached zero and huge fireworks immediately danced into the sky, blazing in brilliant colours and patterns as people cheered and celebrated together. Wataru whooped, watching the fireworks with wide eyes as I gazed up at them. A new year for us all, I was looking forward to spending it with my brothers, my family.
Sensing someone watching me I blinked then looked around quickly, catching Natsume's gaze before he looked away. Why was he looking at me like that? Did I have something on my face? I frowned slightly before shaking my head, putting it to the back of my mind before returning to watch the fireworks. Once the display was over Wataru slumped, barely awake now that all the excitement was over and I smiled, stroking back his hair as he leaned against me. "I better take him home, he'll be sleeping well tonight." Masaomi said, holding out his hands and let me shift Wataru into his arms to carry him back. "The stalls won't close for another few hours, so feel free to wander around a little longer Rikona, just don't get lost and make sure you have your phone on you at all times."
"Don't worry, I'll be alright." I assured him. There were a couple more things that I wanted to see, I hadn't been able to see the silhouette show or have a look at any of the stalls further to the back of the market. People began to announce their plans, most heading back though Subaru headed into town to drink with friends to celebrate with them, Tsubaki doing the same and dragged Iori and Azusa with him. I helped Ukyo pack up and asked if there was anything else he needed help with but he assured me that he could handle things and that I should enjoy some time to myself.
I did just that, wandering back down into the market, strangely awake and now that most of the people had disappeared, it was much easier to move around and properly enjoy everything. My hair now hung loose around my shoulders, the pins tucked safely in their cases and in my bag for safekeeping. There were so many things to look at that I soon become lost in the lights and the sounds, turning a slow circle to absorb it all before I moved towards the centre of the market. It was a little busier here as there were a few alcohol related stalls and ones that involved gambling so I circled around those, not wanting to bump into anything that would cause a scene before I headed in the general direction of the souvenir stalls.
Seeing a flash of orange I stopped, recognising Natsu as he walked out in front of me. "Hey Natsu!" I waved and he halted, looking towards me where I smiled, glad to see him though he didn't look like he was enjoying himself. "You should smile a little more often Natsu, it's healthy for the soul you know. Aren't you having a good time?" We were walking towards one another as I spoke and I was mildly disappointed to see that he hadn't changed out of his suit. I would have liked to have seen him in a formal robe, I know he'd look very handsome in it.
"I have some stuff on my mind." Tilting my head towards him curiously I arched an eyebrow, trying to discern what it was before I started forwards.
"Well, I always find that an aimless walk is always very refreshing. Care to join me?" I offered then continued to walk ahead until Natsume turned around and followed after me. For a while we said nothing, walking aimlessly as I said we would until suddenly, I remembered Ichiro's invite. "Did you by any chance get an invite to Ichiro Yamamato's new year's party?" I asked but Natsume just looked at me as if I'd grown a second head. "Fair enough, I just wondered because I received one yesterday."
"What? What did you do with it?" Natsume demanded to know but I lifted a hand as I tilted my chin upwards, flicking my wrist dismissively as if it was not important as I spoke.
"I tore it up and threw it away obviously. Who'd want to go to some stupid sex party when I could be here with all my brothers? I had the greatest time, I'm quite sad that it's over now, there won't be anything much to celebrate for a while now." Sighing wistfully I continued to babble, trying to distract Natsume from whatever it was that was bugging him. "Though it came as a surprise, I had to wonder what he was up to. I doubt it was to make peace, but I'm not willing to find out." Stopping at a stall I looked over the woman's wares, bowing to her in greeting before questioning her about her western themed souvenirs.
All the while Natsume watched me and I could feel the back of my neck growing hotter and hotter until finally I just looked at him. "Do I have something on my face? You're staring at me Natsu."
"What's with the Natsu? You've called me that several times already." He answered back, giving me a strange look as I of course blushed bright red.
"Well I don't know, it just sort of slipped out. Sorry, I'll go back to calling you Natsume if that's what you prefer." Thinking for a moment Natsume shook his head, reaching out to pat my head before walking forwards.
"Natsu is fine." I beamed at his back, quickly thanking the woman before hurrying after him. My foot caught on a jagged rock after a while, making my leg jolt forwards and my knee collapse involuntarily however Natsume's quick reflexes caught me under the arm, holding me upright as I flinched slightly, feeling my foot throb slightly. "You okay?"
"Yeah I think so. I always forget to pick my feet up in these shoes. I should have just worn sneakers or something." I mused almost to myself as I stood upright then pulled back my skirts to observe my foot, moving it slowly in rotation and the throbbing soon went away. "There, good as new. I should really look where I'm going and not get so distracted." Natsume nodded his head, starting to move off with that same cold look in his eyes, making me worry about him. "Natsu?"
"Just leave me alone. I'm not in the mood to babysit you." He said rather harshly and I froze in place, staring as his back began to disappear. That hurt, more than it probably should have. He walked further and further away from me and I began to feel a crumbling sensation in my chest before it was replaced with a flare of anger to disguise it. Well fine, if that's how he's going to act then so be it. Arrogant jerk, I was only trying to make him feel better but if that's how he's going to respond then he can have his little tantrum to himself.
Spinning around I stalked off in the opposite direction, my eyes burning dryly as I refused to allow myself to cry for a stupid reason like that. I'm done crying, it's time I really did grow up and face the world as it truly was.