STOP TRYING TO KILL AKAASHI! THE POOR BOY IS INNOCENT!
*cough* Other than that, I thank you all for follows and favorites! :D
Also, you don't need to take it for granted and you can call them anything you want, but the 'official' shipname (that's the one I prefer but whatev) for Ayaka and Koutarou is 'Ayakou'! :3
TheGuest : Ahah, yes the Ayakou ship is starting to truly sail, but it'll meet quite a furious sea on the way to FOREVER~ I wish I'd have more occasions to have Akane in this story but it won't be the case unfortunately...
Lomisstra : Bokuto est toujours adorable~ J'ai hâte d'avoir Karasuno également - Ayaka va adopter tous les bébés corbeaux en moins d'une journée. Je poste beaucoup de chapitres et rapidement pour compenser quand ej vais reprendre les cours, je serai obligée de ralentir le rythme à ce moment-là... ^^"
Lili : Don't worry, Ayaka will have some time to get over her broken heart eventually, and someone will help her with that.
curlystruggle : When I think baout the time before an actual first kiss comes... I feel kinda bad for you... sorry? ^^" And spoiler, spoiler, yes Akane is Kuroo's True Love. And I have started thinking about a fanfiction but I might wait for this one to be over, or almost over before starting it (otherwise, I might finish none and it's a big no-no).
Guest : Study hard? Eh. I'll probably spend more time writing chapters for you than actulaly studying... ^^" But I can promise lots and lots more chapters! :D
QuestionablyCapableGhoul : You're excited for what comes next? ;D Don't worry! The angst will come in sweet time~
Hana : DON'T KILL MY RUFFOUS-LEGGED OWL-SON! LET AKAASHI LIVE! Also, Ushijima is innocent aswell, he hasn't even started hitting on Ayaka and I'm not even sure he knows what "hitting on" means...
SoulXHunter : I definitely heard Bokuto's voice with your very long 'Akaaashii'. One day, he will have to be the one interrupted by Bokuto for all the times Akaaashi kiss-blocked him. True that with Ushijima, it would have been harder for Ayaka to slip away, but it doesn't mean she couldn't have - she could have just gone over to Abe Osamu and be like "Ushijima-kun, you know Abe-san, right?" and then they'd start talking volleyball and she'd be free to sneak away for as long as she wants. I swear that by the end of the story, you'll love and understand every Kanemoto of this story. I'm so happy that you thought that Bokuto's love for Ayaka was well expressed. The day i'll go to a Japanese festival, I'll act like a child. And yeah, Fukui wouldn't get the red string - Akane and Kuroo would though, just saying (also, I wonder what you thought of Akane if I may ask?). Now whenever they'll be close to kissing everyone won't think "Kyyaaaaa they're abotu to kiss!" but "Fuck it, is Akaashi around? AKAASHI STAY AWAY!" And yeah, a few things will get broken soon between Ayakou. Not for long, but it'll be hard to mend it. :3 Five hours of sleep? Damn, back when I had my university orientation I had had like 2h of sleep! XD I'll have to get back in rhythm now that I think of it... beeeh... My inner Kenma/Kunimi will start to come out again, like every September (when it comes to school I'm either Kenma/Kunimi or Hinata making that disgusted face about studying)... ANYWAY! Hope you'll love this chapter! ;)
Millaby : Quand tu as commencé ta review avec "que ce soit bien clair entre toi et moi" j'ai eu peur... ensuite j'ai compris que c'était juste pour rire... ^^" Je suis vraiment heureuse de savoir que tu as dévoré ma fanfic et que tu aimes le personnage d'Ayaka! :D Et 'flageolet" de setter...? Je n'avais jamais, jamais lu ça pour désigner Akaashi mais ça me va? Je vis à Montpellier pour mes études, mais j'ai grandi à Nice. ^^
sobasicallyme : I'm glad you liked the surprise waiting for you on your way back from holilday! ^^ After all the drama they've been through? Darling, it's only getting started. MUAHAHAHA! *evil laugh in the distance*
FANFICTION
HAIKYUU! : SOWLMATES
CHAPTER XXXVII : Glimpse of Forever
"Some things don't last forever, but some things do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down on the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there."
― Sarah Dessen, This Lullaby
"The truth about forever is that it is happening right now."
― Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever
The notes of piano were resonating in the entire flat, Ayaka's body moving along with the rhythm of the melody she was currently playing. Eyes half-closed, she checked from time to time the scores but she knew the song by heart.
Getting to her favorite part, the part she knew best, she closed her eyes, memories starting to flow.
"Kou-chan! Kou-chan! I've learned new dance steps yesterday!" A five year old Ayaka exclaimed to her best friend.
She vaguely saw for just a moment the brown hair falling over his eyes but she couldn't distinguish anything in particular about his face. But he smiled – he smiled oh, so brightly…
Ayaka smiled while playing the piano, recalling happily her childhood friend who was always smiling so brightly.
"Teach me again, Aya-chan! It'll be our dance – just for us."
"Just like princesses and princes at their balls in fairytales?" She asked innocently as their tiny hands held onto each other.
"Yes! Our dance, just like we'll have our own song! We should play of our instruments together one day!"
"I'll play the piano! I'll play the piano!" Ayaka exclaimed cheerfully.
"And I'll play–"
The doorbell resonated suddenly and Ayaka's fingers stopped. She glanced over her shoulder just as Momoko, as curious as her, walked towards the little speaker against the wall. She heard Momoko talking over the speaker but the young girl turned back towards her piano, deciding to keep playing and ignoring the commotion.
What was it that Kou-chan played? It couldn't be the piano, right? Not many people play musical instruments… I wonder if he still plays nowadays? She wondered to herself, her fingers dancing lightly on the keyboard.
Once again, the doorbell rang – this time, it came from the apartment's door, meaning that whoever it was, Momoko had left this person come up. It often happened that some of Kanemoto Akio's guests rang to the first 'Kanemoto' name they'd find but usually, they'd be directed to the upper floors.
"Miss Ayaka, you have guests," Momoko announced.
"I'm coming," she answered as she stopped playing and closed the keyboard.
It must be Ushijima-kun, he arrives today. But I thought it was later? Perhaps he arrived early? She thought, getting up and going towards the doorway.
Momoko smiled at her just as Ayaka froze completely in shock. Akaashi gave a short nod while Bokuto grinned and waved happily at her. She felt her lips twitching nervously in a very forced smile.
"A-Akaashi-kun… a-and B-Bokuto-san… w-what a great and very unexpected… surprise…" She said through her teeth, completely losing her cool.
"We're sorry to bother you during the holiday, Kanemoto-san," Akaashi said, bowing apologetically, "We tried to contact you but you would not answer your phone."
"I always turn off my private phone during holidays…" Ayaka murmured.
"Furuda-san told us so…" Akaashi said while Bokuto leaned towards him.
"See, I told you she was rich enough to have two different phones…" He said in what was probably supposed to be a low voice.
"Miss Ayaka," Momoko intervened when she realized that the girl was too baffled to react, "Should I let your friends enter?"
Ayaka opened and closed her mouth before sighing. Now that they had come all the way here…
"Let them in…" She said.
"Sorry for the bother," the two boys said as they entered and took off their shoes.
"You're Ayaka – I mean, Kanemoto-san's grandmother? I'm glad to meet you! I'm Bokuto Koutarou, Captain and Ace of the Fukurodani Academy's volleyball team!" The owl introduced himself eagerly, shaking Momoko's hand.
A little surprised by his overwhelming personality – Ayaka threw her caretaker a look that said 'I told you so', Momoko didn't know what to answer until it was too late to actually give an answer.
"I-I do not have the honor of being related to Miss Ayaka by blood but… please, feel welcome here, young gentlemen," Momoko said.
She didn't seem to be heard by Bokuto who followed Ayaka and Akaashi, the two young men looking around curiously and excitedly – even if one looked more enthusiastic than the other (guess which one?)
"Ah," Bokuto said, stopping in the living-room as he noticed the black piano, "I thought I had heard piano. Clair de Lune – Moonlight, from Debussy was playing a moment ago. Who was playing?" He asked, turning towards Ayaka and Momoko.
Ayaka and Keiji's mouths fell open in complete shock to hear such words coming out of the Ace's mouth. Not realizing how much he had shocked them, he stared with his big and innocent eyes, patiently waiting an answer.
"Miss Ayaka was playing a moment ago – you must have heard the melody from the hall while coming. You have very good ears, Master Bokuto," Momoko said.
Bokuto blinked – the 'Master Bokuto' resonated in his mind a moment but he actually stopped in astonishment. It was his turn to be shocked, glancing at the young woman who flushed and looked away when he turned his complete attention to her.
"You play the piano?" He asked curiously.
She nodded and he opened his lips, as if about to say something else before shaking his head, deciding that what he had just thought was impossible.
"I-I'm surprised you recognized Moonlight from Debussy, even if it's a famous piece of classical music…" She said hesitantly.
"Ah, I used to play violin when I was younger – but now I've switched to guitar." He answered, looking a little shy.
Ayaka remembered the guitar she had seen in his room when she had nursed him back to health. She had not expected him to have played violin and even less know classical music at all – or piano pieces if his instrument was violin. A strange thought occurred to her but she quickly washed it away – it was impossible.
"Miss Ayaka," Momoko said when she noticed the girl being lost in her thoughts, "Should I bring tea and snacks in your room?"
"A-ah, y-yes," Ayaka answered, flushing when she realized that Bokuto and Akaashi would enter her room.
She guided the two boys and if Akaashi remained quiet – he was still struggling to wrap his mind around the idea of Bokuto playing violin – Bokuto flushed as well, blessing the fact that no one was glancing at him right now. They entered the clean and tidy room of the girl, all three sitting at a low table in the middle of the room. Bokuto tried hard not to glance around, but it was too difficult and he was too curious.
The first thing he noticed was how simple the bedroom was – he had half-expected her bedroom to be one of a princess considering how rich she was but even his bedroom had more furniture and decoration than hers. Then he saw the blue owl plushy sitting on the edge of her bed and his heart quickened for a short moment, thinking of his own plushy from the summer festival he had at his own place.
Ayaka noticed him staring at the owl plushy and when he looked back at her, their eyes met. Immediately, they blushed and glanced away from each other.
The last time they had seen each other was during the summer festival when Koutarou had told her of his feelings. And also that he wanted to wait to figure out who he loved more between Ayaka and his 'Sowlmate' – Sachiko. Also, he had tried – for the third time now – to kiss her. After going home quite late after the summer festival, Ayaka had turned off her private phone as she always did during holidays and hadn't heard from anyone in over a week.
Momoko arrived and put down a trail of food and tea, recalling everyone that the two boys had come all the way to Ayaka's home without telling her why. As soon as the elderly lady exited the room, she frowned at her friends.
"Firstly, how did you find out where I live? Secondly, what the bloody hell are you doing here?"
"Furuda-san gave us your address, and why… the club?" Akaashi answered hesitantly.
It confused Ayaka but Bokuto spoke up, all the while eating some biscuits:
"I have a question as well – why don't you use your private phone during the holiday?" He asked, munching happily.
"Because it's holiday," she answered as if it was obvious.
The Captain and Vice-Captain glanced at each other before looking back at the girl.
"And so your 'professional phone' as Ami-chan has called it… is on?"
"Yes," she said, nodding.
"It doesn't make any sense, it should be the other way around during holiday," Bokuto continued, confused.
"Whatever! I do what I want with my phones! I'll know that from now on I have to keep my private phone turned on during holiday to make sure I don't have the entire team barging into my house! So, why are you here for the club?" She asked, trying not to sound too annoyed.
"Well…" Bokuto started, putting down his biscuit to talk, "We know you have put all the records and videos from the team in the back-room with all the material but we don't have the key to the gymnasium."
"Why don't you have the keys of the gymnasium?" She asked suspiciously.
"It was Komi and Shirofuku's turns to keep the keys during the holiday, but they both left with their families. Bokuto-san was supposed to get the videos back but…"
Akaashi threw an accusing look at the Captain who flushed in embarrassment and quickly glanced away.
"He forgot?" Ayaka proposed, not even blinking an eye from the lack of surprise.
"He forgot…"
"And Coach Yamiji?"
"He's overseas as well and we can't ask anyone in the Academy because everyone is on holiday. But I know that, as a Kanemoto, you can have a key of the gymnasium and the changing-rooms any time you want… So…" Akaashi explained.
"So you want me to give you two the key of the gymnasium?" She concluded, raising an eyebrow.
They glanced at each other before looking back at their friend.
"Please?" Bokuto added with an innocent grin.
Ayaka sighed before reaching for her second phone that had been resting on the table.
"I'll let you know that I get the key only when I ask the former coach of Fukurodani who kept in touch with the current director of the Academy. I only used this privilege twice, so you'd better be grateful I'm here to save your butts. Just one question: why do you want so badly these recordings?"
"To practice, of course," Bokuto answered.
"But it's the holiday, shouldn't you be resting?"
"We've rested for an entire week! Now we need to go back to work! Don't worry, it's not like we'll go to the gymnasium every day, it's just to gather with the ones who can work a little." The Captain continued.
"When you are not supervised, you guys have a tendency of overlooking your warm-up and stretching. If one of you gets hurt…" She said, giving them a sour look.
"I promise I won't let anyone get hurt, overlook warm-up or stretching! I promise we'll all be careful! Please, Kanemoto-san!" Bokuto exclaimed, clapping his hands together in request.
"And I'll make sure Bokuto-san looks to his promise of keeping an eye on the others," Akaashi added.
Ayaka sighed before getting up.
"Fine, I'll be back in a moment…"
She left the room and as soon as the door closed Bokuto stood up, starting to look around curiously, a huge smile on his face.
"Bokuto-san, don't look into Kanemoto-san's stuff, it's private." Akaashi said without moving from where he was.
"Aw, come on, Akeaagshi! Don't tell me you're not a little bit curious!"
"I'm not the one crushing on her here," he replied calmly.
"Like."
Akaashi blinked up at Bokuto who had stopped in front of shelves. Their books had nothing in common, he couldn't even understand the titles of half of them that were in English but he loved seeing the framed pictures of her family and friends.
"I like Ayaka, and I told her." He finished.
Akaashi blinked once again before gasping in shock. He thought for a moment that Bokuto was joking but right now, he looked so peaceful, smiling softly at the pictures he was looking at.
All the pictures involving the Kanemoto were galas and receptions' pictures, taken with the entire family smiling professionally and standing tall and proud. On the other hands, the pictures with Ami were all crazier – Koutarou's smile grew bigger when he saw a picture of the volleyball team. Not the official picture with everyone standing or sitting with forced and awkward smile for the team picture. But the picture with everyone making faces and screaming and trying to be as loud and crazy as possible.
"Bokuto-san…" Keiji murmured when he realized that the Ace wasn't lying or joking, "Does this mean you have told Fukui-san how you really feel? You will stop messing around then?" He asked hopefully.
"No, I didn't tell Sachiko yet because even if I have realized I like both of these girls, I can't find out which one I love more. I told that to Ayaka – and I also said that I didn't ask her to wait for me… I… I just wanted her to be aware of… of how I really feel…" He admitted with flushed cheeks.
Akaashi stared at his friend, understanding why, in his incredibly honest and brave heart, he'd tell the entire truth to Ayaka…
"I just pray for you that your indecision won't come hurt you and Kanemoto-san even more than it already did…" He sighed.
Koutarou didn't answer to that, going over to the girl's desk. He noticed a board similar to his above it. His heart quickened when he noticed the doodle of himself he had done on Ayaka's drawing during the InterHigh and next to it, what he had told her back then, when she had mentioned her arranged marriage for the first time: "You have to create your own chance if you want to live a life rather than survive."
Koutarou's gaze was attracted by a white box at his feet, it had little blue owls all over it. Curious, he leaned down to open it but when his fingers brushed it, the door opened. He looked up, trying to appear innocent to Ayaka but it wasn't Ayaka.
The door closed and a young man with light hair and green eyes came in casually and sat at the table, taking some biscuits and munching on it. He nodded to Akaashi who, too astonished by the sudden entrance, did the same out of pure reflex. Then, the young man turned towards a frozen Bokuto – way too baffled to do or say something – and narrowed his dark green eyes at the owl, staring at him intensely.
Silence fell in the room, none of the high-schooler knowing who or why this guy had suddenly come into Ayaka's bedroom. Finally, they seemed to remember that time during the InterHigh preliminaries when this young man had brought a bento to the young girl.
Is that her boyfriend? I thought she didn't have one, but maybe she hides it because of her father. What if he's her fiancé?! But isn't Ushijima her fiancé?! But there must be an entire list and several of them! Bokuto started thinking frenetically, freaking out and feeling sweat dripping down his back – he was still stuck in his position, half-way leaning towards the box and the young man was still staring at him sourly.
"Um… I'm sorry but… who are you?" Akaashi finally asked the young man.
Instead of answering, he munched on the cookies and turned his attention towards the dark-haired young man. Both Akaashi and Bokuto were starting to consider the option of a mad man when he swallowed and spoke up:
"You are Akaashi Keiji, first-year in Fukurodani Academy and the team's setter and Vice-Captain."
Akaashi blinked in astonishment that this man that he didn't know at all would know so much about him, but then, the light-haired man turned towards the sweating statue AKA Bokuto.
"And you are Bokuto Koutarou, the Ace and Captain of the team, a second-year. And the guy who broke my little sister's heart!" He hissed before munching angrily on more biscuits.
Bokuto blinked and his mouth fell open while Akaashi connected the dots:
"You are Kanemoto Masaru?" He asked.
"I'm not a Kanemoto anymore," Masaru answered bitterly.
"Y-y-you're! You're Ayaka's brother?! The Ace?!" Bokuto exclaimed, dropping on his knees next to the twenty years-old man, eyes filled with admiration to the man who was called the best Ace Fukurodani had ever known.
"I'm not an Ace anymore either. But I'm still Ayaka's brother and you're the one who rejected her. Do you have any idea of how many nights she spent crying because of you?" Masaru continued.
Guilt fell on Koutarou whose shoulders dropped, his gaze tinted with sadness at the idea of the girl crying because of him – she always looked so independent and strong, he sometimes forgot that she was hurt.
Noticing the way the young man suddenly looked, Masaru observed him closely, understanding at once that there was more to this story than what Ayaka had told him. He glanced at Akaashi who nodded, answering his silent question.
Yes, he likes her. And yes, it is a very complicated story. No, do NOT get involved. Akaashi's eyes managed to convey to the Fallen Ace.
"I'm kidding, sort of. You broke her heart but she's stronger than that – it'd need more than a funny-looking guy to break her. I'm just taking my revenge on you, Bokuto. I can call you Bokuto, uh?"
"Y-yes…"
"You are Fukurodani's current Ace – Ayaka told me lots of things about you. You're in the top ten spikers, right?" Masaru continued, calm.
"Yes… Ninth position." Bokuto answered, finally getting over the initial shock of meeting Ayaka's brother and the former Ace of Fukurodani – and he had thought he had been the secret lover of the young girl.
"Oh… I was second in second-year," Masaru continued casually.
To that, Koutarou gasped and cringed and it took all of Keiji's strength not to laugh at the face he made. Masaru munched on another biscuit while Koutarou tried to get over the shock of meeting someone he almost considered a hero – one of the best Aces of Fukurodani with a power that had led him to be the second top-spiker of the country only in his second year of high-school…
It was only then that it occurred to Bokuto how weak Masaru looked. He had heard so much about the great Ace of Fukurodani, he had expected a big and strongly built man. If Masaru seemed taller than him (but not by much Bokuto liked to think), his arms, shoulders and even legs seemed to have lost all muscles. His skin complexion was pale and he had dark bags under his eyes. He looked even more frail than Kenma. The Fallen Ace. The Kanemoto Ruin.
For the first time, Bokuto realized how accurate these nicknames were – Kanemoto Masaru looked like the ghost of the great Ace he had once been, he looked like a wrecked version of himself.
Not for the first time, Koutarou wondered what could have possibly happened to Masaru to fall so down.
Feeling someone staring at him, Masaru turned his face towards Koutarou:
"You are realizing it, aren't you?"
"Realizing what?"
"How messed up I am now. One advice, from Fallen Ace to current Ace… don't lose sight of your goal. Ever. If you want to go to nationals, leave everything else to dust. And mostly…"
Masaru looked away, a sad light invading his eyes.
"Don't fall in love. Especially not with a Kanemoto – it'll ruin you."
Koutarou's lips fell open. He was tempted to say that it was too late but instead, he stared at the broken man in front of him. If there was one thing Bokuto had, it was determination – more than strength, power or childishness… He was determined to reach is goal and he always gave everything he had in order to do that.
But not falling in love… it was incredibly sad and lonely. It wasn't something Bokuto was ready to give up – he couldn't even begin to understand how love was a bad thing. And what was this warning about the Kanemoto? Was this family that cursed in love? When he looked at Ayaka, Koutarou couldn't find anything wrong in the way she considered love. She fell in love and she wanted love – she despised the idea of an arranged marriage after all. She looked so innocent.
Bokuto started recalling what he knew about the Fallen Ace, and now that he had met him, he started to understand a few things.
"There was a big argument between my father and him. My father disinherited Masaru-nii."
"My parents had an arranged marriage. So did Kenta and Sakurako."
"Don't fall in love."
Suddenly starting to understand, Koutarou frowned lightly at the Fallen Ace:
"That's what happened…" He murmured, making Masaru look up, "Everyone says you started to take drugs and alcohol and that's what ruined you but… you fell in love. And your family – the Kanemoto – they didn't want that because… you're all destined to have an arranged marriage… 'Family business' Ayaka always says…" Bokuto concluded, casting his eyes down.
Akaashi's eyes widened that it all made sense. Too astonished that the imbecilic-looking owl had figured it out, Masaru's mouth fell open in shock. After a short moment of silence during which Bokuto looked at him with the intensity of the Captain he was… Masaru finally closed his mouth and looked away.
"You're brighter than you look…" He muttered.
"Ayaka doesn't know."
"It'd hurt her too much and she'd…"
Masaru's voice broke and Koutarou sighed, knowing well enough the girl to know how she'd react – she'd protect herself and her heart.
"She'd keep herself from falling in love… Who thought that it was a good idea to keep her in the dark?" The Ace asked.
"I did," Masaru said bitterly, surprising the two young men, "I… I don't want her to know the whole truth. She still… even after father disinherited me, she still can't bring herself to hate him. If she were to know the truth… she'd turn as bitter and hateful as me – I don't want that. I-I want her happy…" He said with a broken voice.
Before Akaashi and Bokuto could say a thing, Kanemoto looked back at them intensely:
"I'm glad you, and the volleyball team, have entered Ayaka's life. S-she's so much happier, brighter ever since she's been in Fukurodani – and it's thanks to you all… S-so, thank you…"
Bokuto felt his heart squeeze painfully while Akaashi smiled, though, a little sadly to the Fallen Ace. The door opened again and this time, it was Ayaka who came in. She blinked at her big brother who calmly stood up and left the room.
"Masaru-nii!" She exclaimed as he walked past her, "W-what did you do to them?"
"I didn't threaten them, we only talked," he answered with a very light smile – a ghost of his past bright smiles.
"Talked about what?" She asked suspiciously, glancing at the three boys.
"You."
"Volleyball."
They all answered before glancing at each other awkwardly.
"Y-you and volleyball…" Bokuto said, flushing lightly.
"Ah, I'll ask Momoko to bring some pictures of Ayaka younger," Masaru said, his tone teasing.
"MASARU-NII!" Ayaka shouted, bushing a bright red while Bokuto grinned happily at the idea of seeing her younger self.
Masaru smiled to himself before turning around and leaving the teenagers together.
But Bokuto's smile wavered when he noticed the frail shoulders down and the gaze cast down. Masaru had been an Ace, a Captain, a top three spiker… Now he was nothing. Even after what Bokuto had understood and Masaru had said – there must be something else in this story. Something that remained untold. Not even love could destroy someone so badly.
Not long after, Momoko came with a photo album, ignoring the embarrassed protests from Ayaka. Bokuto and Akaashi excitedly looked at the pictures. All were family pictures taken at galas with the entire family well dressed but there wasn't any before Ayaka looked to be around eight or ten years old – she explained that before that, she didn't have the right to attend galas because she was too young. Kanemoto Akio and Kenta looked as stiff as ever. Masaru and Ayaka were both smiling so brightly, so happily. And the blond-haired woman who was standing there with a closed expression…
"Hold on… who is that woman?" Bokuto asked, pointing at the blond-haired woman.
Ayaka looked at him as if he was dumb before answering:
"My mother, Kanemoto Agnes," she said quietly.
Bokuto's lips opened, then closed. He pointed at Ayaka, then at Masaru (who looked less Japanese than the other two children – which was why he had not initially realized that the three were siblings) and Agnes. Then he pointed back at Ayaka.
"WHAT!" He shouted, standing up on his knees suddenly, "B-b-but! You don't look half at all! You're half-Japanese?! How?!"
"How? Because my father is Japanese and my mother is English. That makes me half, like Kenta-nii and Masaru-nii."
"B-b-but! You look so, so! So Japanese! Completely Japanese!" He continued shouting, not quite believing that the European woman he kept seeing around the Kanemoto was Ayaka's mother.
"Kenta-nii and I took after our father," she explained calmly, showing her very straight, very black hair she shared with Kenta and Akio, "Masaru-nii took after our mother and does look half."
Koutarou stared at the young girl and now that he knew that she was half-European, it explained so many things. Why she was so fluent in English. And also, why, despite her hair and eyes being very Japanese, she had a more rounded face – and now that he was looking closely, her eyes as well were brighter and bigger than most Japanese girls. Her body features were more European but he had never noticed it before even if now, it was obvious.
He fell back on his behind, still staring in astonishment at the girl.
"Akeeasgi, did you know?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yes, I knew," the setter sighed.
"WHY AM I ALWAYS THE LAST ONE TO KNOW THIS SORT OF THINGS?!" He screeched, his freak out moment completely ignored by the two calm people with him.
"Bokuto-san, don't shout please."
Akaashi – who had continued looking at the pictures while Bokuto had the biggest revelation in his existence – suddenly stopped. The picture he was looking at missed a Kanemoto: Masaru. And Ayaka was so much darker than in all the other pictures. She hadn't changed much so it was a recent picture.
His attention back on the pictures, Bokuto realized what had been bothering him all along:
"All these pictures look like they've been taken for a magazine or something…"
"It was the case for most of them," the girl answered with an easy smile.
"Don't you have family pictures? Happy pictures? Of you playing, or on holiday, or together as a family?" He continued curiously.
Ayaka seemed confused before shaking her head.
"I don't think so. I'd need to ask Momoko, she would know. But…"
She turned towards the shelves covered in books and came back with a photo album, much thicker than the one they already had. She opened it and showed a picture taken clumsily of the SkyTree. There was a big, blurry thing in the middle of the picture and it took a moment for the two young men to understand it was a finger.
"This is a photo album of all the places I've been – most of them are foreign places I wished I had had time to visit or explore but… every time we went overseas or in great places, it was for business and galas. We would go there, attend to whatever thing we were there for, and go back. We never had time to visit the museums and monuments. So, with Kenta-nii and Masaru-nii, we used to sneak out at night – with Momoko, or some bodyguards. I always took pictures of the places I want to go back to one day."
She quickly showed the pictures, over the years becoming less and less clumsy. Most had been taken at night, some rare during the day.
"Ah, this is the Parthenon, in Greece! The temple of the Goddess Athena!" She exclaimed, pointing at a white and old building.
"Athena? Do you know that her sacred animal is the owl?" Bokuto continued, leaning curiously towards the pictures.
"Yes! And look, all these are the Metopes of the Parthenon, today in the British Museum! And this place – Venezia! And Verona! I loved Italy and Greece so much!"
"Ooh, and this one is Paris, right? I recognize the Eiffel Tower!" Bokuto exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes! And look…"
For every picture she showed Bokuto, Ayaka had a little story or something to tell. Excitement and happy memories made her eyes sparkle. He listened enthusiastically, trying to recognize what city or country it was from what he could see on the picture.
Akaashi stared at them a moment before smiling to himself and getting up.
The two young people were talking so happily and excitedly that they didn't notice their friend leaving – or the hours going by. It felt so natural for them being together… They both secretly wished this summer afternoon could go on and on and last forever…
And perhaps, without knowing it yet, it was exactly what was waiting for them: forever. They already had a little of bit of forever in their hearts, after all, and even without voicing it out loud, they could feel it in the air, every time they'd look into each other's eyes.
Forever.
Cute little chapter. Can you guess where they'll go for their honeymoon in a few years from there? :3
NEXT CHAPTER : HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAPTAIN! (wah, I do wonder what will happen in this chapter... also, little jump in time - the story is moving forward)
Yours Truly,
May