Dang! I am super, super late with this one! Sorry, but school has me super busy this quarter! It's a long chapter though! All I can say is sorry and enjoy!
Kawasaki Household
Saturday Morning
7 AM
Saki POV
*sniff* *hic* *sniff*
A girl was hunched over clutching something in her hands. She tried her best to hold back her sobs, but a few escaped her.
"Why are you crying?"
A boy with black hair and a girl with blonde hair walk up to a girl with silver-blue hair. The boy had small teardrops in the corner of his eyes, probably from the pain of the red swelling on his face. The girl had sweat forming on her forehead and was breathing a little heavily, but seemed fine.
"I'm not crying, it's just…" The girl said through gritted teeth while also wiping tears from her cheeks.
"Your sniffling and whimpering. It's pretty obvious you were crying. Come on, get up. We're gonna get left behind." The blonde gave the girl a compassionate smile and extended her hand out. The girl hesitatingly took it and the blonde pulled her up.
"Don't worry about them, they should leave you alone for a while… hmm?" The boy rubbed his swollen cheek as he gave the girl a reassuring smile. He also noticed something fall from the girl's hands. The girl tried to retrieve it, but the boy reached it first.
"What's this…?" He held the thing in his hand. It was a piece of pink, elastic cloth. He looked at the girl's hand, which seemed to be holding more of it.
"Hmm… is that a… scrunchy?" The blonde girl looked at the girl questioningly.
"… Yea… but they tore it apart…" The girl hesitatingly opened her hand to reveal the other pieces of the torn-up scrunchy. As she looked at them, her eyes grew hot as fresh tears formed.
"What a bunch of jerks." The blonde took out a handkerchief to wipe away the girl's tears.
"But can't you just have your mom buy you a new one?" Hearing that, the tears the girl was holding back burst out.
"Ah!" The blonde girl shot the boy a hard glare that made him shrink back in fear.
After a moment, the girl calmed down and started to talk again. *sniff* "I can't ask her. She's too busy with work. Besides, I can't buy it at the store because…" as if debating if she should say or not, she paused for a second. "… I made that one…"
There was silence for a second. The girl closed her eyes shut as if waiting for the expected reaction of ridicule. The boy and blonde girl stared at the torn scrunchy with wide eyes and open mouths.
"Wow! Are you serious?! That's awesome! How'd you do this?" the boy said with genuine enthusiasm as he examined and stretched the piece in his hand.
"Amazing! This is so cute! Did you do this by yourself? Ya think you could show me how?!" the girl explained with curiosity as she examined the piece the boy was stretching.
"Slowly the girl opened her eyes to see the boy and girl with wide grins on their faces and sparkles in their eyes.
"Eh… uh… yea… I learned from watching my mom…"
"EVERYONE! IT'S TIME TO GO!" A loud voice calls out, getting the children's attention.
"Awe man, already…"
"Let's talk about this later ok? Oh, what's your name?"
"Oh… I'm Kawasaki Saki… from class 5-3…"
The boy and girl smiled and answered at the same time.
" "We're both in class 5-2. My name is…" "
"… a-chan…"
"…AA-chan…"
"SAA-CHAN!"
I suddenly felt something heavy land on my stomach, ripping me out of my dream, and began to squirm around. I immediately shot up and gasped for air. I look down to see Keika in her pajamas and a mischievous grin on her face. I was going to scold her about not jumping on people unexpectedly, but seeing her cute face, that idea quickly faded away.
With a playful growl, I grabbed her and rolled around on my bed. I was now over her and she was under me. I start to tickle her from her armpits, her sides, and her stomach. She roars with laughter and gasps for air. She keeps trying to push my hands away but to no avail. Seeing that she could not, she tries to escape by throwing my blanket at me. Catching me off guard, I stopped my hail of tickle attacks for a second, but that was all she needed to escape my hold on her. As I move to sit on my bed, I see her quickly run out of my room, her bare feet hitting the hardwood floor with a patter.
"Kei-chan! Remember to brush your teeth!"
"OK!"
As I hear her pattering disappear, I let gravity do its job as I lay back in my bed, my arms spread open. Slowly, I raise one of my hands into the air as I try to remember the end of my dream, a whisper escapes my mouth.
"… My name is… what…?" Frustrated at my lack of memory, I let the hand in the air fall. With a crisp slap, it hits my forehead, though, it does nothing to jog my memory.
Whatever, it's nothing but a dream. Not much I can do about it…
I pull my legs up to my chest and then quickly throw them forward, using the momentum to pull the rest of my tired body up. The brisk motion wakes the rest of my body up. I look at the clock hanging above the door of my room and see that it's already 7 in the morning, a little late, for me at least. Keika is usually still asleep now, but she must have woken up early, excited that Hikigaya-kun was coming over.
With a sigh, I start to get ready for the day. I throw on regular clothes to start on breakfast. I usually take care of my other two siblings on the weekend too, but I told my mom that I would have a… friend… over to play with Keika. Hearing that, she took the other two to daycare. Taishi was spending the weekend with a friend, so he wasn't here. With another sigh, I made my way to the kitchen.
To be honest, I'm not the best cook. I have taken up a lot of responsibility by taking care of my siblings, but most of the time I am too busy studying to have picked up the skill properly. When I have to cook, the extent of my skills is limited to simple soups or stews.
I grab my apron from the pantry closet and take out the rice cooker. I put in some rice and water and turned it on. I then sat at the kitchen table while I waited for Keika to come down. She likes to come and watch me and help where she can. I usually make a sunnyside-up egg, a side of rice, and apple slices.
After a while, I hear Keika's pattering footsteps come down the stairs. I get up and grab her apron from the pantry closet.
"I'm ready!" Keika stands in front of me with her hands raised. I put the apron over her neck and then knot the waist tie for her. I can't help but smile at her cute appearance.
"Alright, can you grab the eggs from the fridge?" With a nod, she opens the fridge. I take out a pan and turn the stovetop on low and pour in a little oil. Keika hands me the eggs, but right before I crack the eggs, I stop.
"Do you want to put the egg in, Kei-chan?"
I haven't let Keika near the stove for as long as she has helped me in the kitchen, only because it's too dangerous, but today was a special day. With Hikigaya-kun coming over, it will give Keika something to tell him about later. She has been really excited about today.
Keika gave me an overjoyed smile and brought her step-stool over. I gave her an egg and held mine in front of her.
"When you crack an egg, the best way to do it is on a flat surface. You have to do it a little hard to break the shell, ok?" I bring my egg over to the pan. "Next, with both hands, pull the shell apart and let it fall into the pan. Make sure not to hold it too high or else it will splash. Now you try it."
I move next to her and place my hand over hers with the egg in it. "Hold it tight. I'll help you so you can feel how hard to hit it." I move her hand up and then quickly smash the egg on the counter. I then grab her other hand and place it on the cracked egg. Over the pan, I pull the shell apart and the egg softly lands in the pan.
"Next, for a sunny-side-up egg, we cover the top and wait for a few minutes."
"How long?" Keika was practically bouncing up and down, excited at her first act in the kitchen.
"For about 2-3 minutes. Let's set a timer." I take out my phone and set a timer for 2 ½ minutes. There were about 4 minutes left on the rice. I timed it just right so that everything would be done at about the same time. The only thing left was the apple slices. I quickly grab an apple and use a tool for slicing apples and removing the core at the same time. I don't usually use this but I don't want to use a knife in front of Keika. She might get curious and ask to help.
If I see her expecting expression paired with how cute she looks in her apron, I might actually let her. I just can't refuse her like that, so I opt for this cheat tool.
With 30 seconds left on the timer, I remove the pan with the cooking eggs from the hot stovetop. I want to wait for the rice to finish cooking first. I pull out some plates and place them on the counter. I then give Keika 2 cups to place on the table.
Soon enough the rice timer rings and I pop open the top. I take one scoop of rice and put it in the center of the plate. I call Keika over to help finish. I show her how I take one egg with a spatula and place it on top of the rice. I hand her the spatula and help her with her egg. She slowly places the egg on and breaks into a pleased smile. I ruffle her hair in encouragement as I hear her satisfied laugh. We take our plates to the table to eat our breakfast.
9:45 AM
It's getting close to the time I told Hikigaya-kun to show up. After breakfast, I turned on the T.V. so Keika can watch something while we wait. I had no idea what Keika would have him do though.
"Hey, Kei-chan. Why don't you write a list of things you want to play with Hikigaya-kun.
"I already did! Look!" She held up a small notebook with a list on it titled 'To Do List'. Her handwriting was still a little sloppy but cute nonetheless.
As I read it, it looked like she planned to leave the house. Specifically, she wanted to go to the zoo and the park. As well as eat ice cream after both. "Kei-chan, I don't know if we can do all these things. It's probably too much to fit in one day. Why don't we go to the zoo another time?"
Hearing that, Keika's expression instantly fell. It looked like she expected to do all this today. "B-but you can probably choose something else that doesn't take up too much time, ok?" I couldn't stand seeing Keika like that so I offered her to choose something else. Her face showed signs of thinking over the idea.
"Can we still go to the zoo? Look." She grabbed her little purse and pulled out a piece of paper. On it was a flier for the zoo. On it was a coupon for the entrance fee. Families with children under 10 could get in half off. Only available on the weekend. "Mama and papa are too busy with work, so…" I could see her red cheeks and the slight hesitation in her face. "… I want you to be mama and Ha-chan papa for today."
I couldn't get a single word out of my mouth. She had a pleading look on her face that didn't let me say no to her.
"W-well…" There's no way I could do something that embarrassing! "I-I d-don't…" Stop looking at me with those eyes! "B-but what i-if…" I… I can't "O-o-ok…"
"Yay!" She threw her hands into the air and started jumping around in victory. Her look of joy is too precious! Still, I had to make sure Keika didn't call him that while he's here. I wouldn't be able to face him.
"W-wait Kei-chan. Just promise me that you won't call him that in person, ok?"
"Hmm? Why?" Her look of confusion was cute too!
"B-because it…"
Before I could finish my reasoning, the doorbell rang throughout the house. Almost immediately, Keika ran to the door.
"Mama! Papa's here!" Didn't I just tell her not to do that?!
"W-wait, Kei-chan! I told you not to...!" I could only call out to her in vain. We were in the living room of the house which led straight to the front door. All I could do was hide behind the wall of the living room as a stare at Keika struggled with the locks on the door. I knew it was him because of the messy hair and cowlick showing in the window of the door.
Soon enough, she flung the door open and said the classic line. "Welcome home, papa!" As she said it, she ran through the door and jumped towards Hikigaya-kun. He opened his arms with a confused look and caught her in the air.
"Huh?" I could feel my face grow hot in embarrassment. In the end, Keika was still too young to understand things like this. There isn't anything I could do about it now.
Hikigaya-kun, still confused, put Keika down and was then pulled inside by her. Taking off his shoes, he walked inside. After seeing me hiding behind the wall, he motioned to greet me, his face visibly red too, probably from embarrassment too.
It's gonna be a long day.
Hachiman POV
Keika jumped into my arms with a carefree laugh and a smile too big to hide. I was confused as to why Keika just called me Papa, but there was no time for questions. Keika pulled me inside before I could even start to ask.
As I walked into the hallway, I could see Kawasaki hiding behind a wall. She had a long-sleeved, blue shirt underneath a pink apron. She had her hair down, some of it hanging over her shoulder. When I combined her look and Keika calling me papa, I couldn't help but think of that very situation. My daughter excitedly greets me at the door and my stunning wife welcomes me home. I couldn't help but let my face grow hot at that thought. Though, if I was being honest, Kawasaki, with her obvious motherly tendencies, fits the role perfectly.
"Y-yo…"
"H-hello…"
"Ehh? That's not how you're supposed to do it!" In an indignant tone, Keika pulls Kawasaki down to her height and whispers something in her ear, followed by Kawasaki's stuttering refusal, met with a stern look by Keika and her reluctant acceptance.
Keika then pulled me down and whispered into my ear. "You have to say 'I'm back, honey' ok?"
I couldn't help but pull back and look at her. I then looked at Kawasaki with a look that clearly said "Where the heck did she learn this?"
Kawasaki then looked to the side where the T.V. was, indicating that she probably learned it from the T.V.
I looked down to Keika, who had a wide grin on her face. She then pulled me over to where Kawasaki was. She was pulling on the hem of my jacket and then got close enough to pull on Kawasaki's apron. Seeing her face, it was clear that she wanted us to say the lines she gave us.
"W-welcome home, d-d-darling…" The look of resignation was clear in her eyes. This only happened because she spoils Keika too much. Most Likely this was some kind of request from Keika and Kawasaki couldn't refuse her.
Not much I can do now that she said her line, I guess… I resolved myself to my fate and said the line she told me. "I'm back, h-honey…"
"Yay!" Hearing the line, she ran off to the living room of the house and started writing something in a notebook.
"You mind explaining what is going on?"
"Haaa… Well, she made a list of things to do today, but it was too much, so I told her to change some things. So, she chose this role play family thing. Since my kaa-san and tou-san are away for work a lot of the time, she wanted to do this. Also, she wants to go to the zoo. She has a coupon for a discount family entry. Is that ok?"
"Yea, the zoo part is fine, but does she expect to go the whole day like that? I'm fine with the coupon entry, but there's no way we could keep up with the act the whole day, right? Also, what the heck is she watching on T.V."
"I study a lot of the time, so I don't usually keep an eye on the things she watches. Anyways, I think if we do it a few times, we can faze it out. I don't think she will remember later in the day. Besides…" She looked over at Keika, who was happily writing something in her notebook while humming a song, which sounds kind of familiar… "She seems really happy right now. So… think you can put up with it for a little bit?" With a wry smile, she asks me to put up with the charade for a bit, which I can't help but agree with. Keika is someone I can't help but spoil too.
"Not much of a choice. Sure, it's only for one day."
Kawasaki turned to Keika who was starting to put her small notebook in her little purse. "Keika, let's get you ready to go out, ok?"
"Hai!"
"Make yourself at home… d-darling…"
"Right…"
It's gonna be a long day.
Chiba Zoological Park
12 PM
We made it to the zoo around 12. We took the train to get there faster, though we had to put up with comments like 'What a cute family!' or 'Oh my, don't they look a little too young?' the whole train ride. As we walked up to the zoo's entrance, Kawasaki whispered to me.
"Do you think we can fool the employee?"
"Hmm, well considering you could get hired at that high-class bar, you should be fine. I don't know about me. Though I've been told that my eyes make me look older than I am."
Kawasaki had on tight-fitting high-jeans, a plain white buttoned top, and a thin, beige-colored overcoat. She also let her hair down instead of her usual ponytail. I wouldn't say it out loud, but it looked good. Keika had a light purple top and a blue skirt with her usual hairstyle. Kawasaki was carrying a jacket for her in case it got cold. I was wearing black jeans, and a black shirt under a white, unbuttoned shirt. I also borrowed a black jacket from Kawasaki's dad to make me look older, though I'm sure my eyes had that covered.
"How many people."
"Just three. 2 adults, and 1 child." I made my voice a little deeper, but not too much.
"That'll be 1,400 yen."
"Oh, umm, S-saki did you bring the coupon?" I was able to compromise with Keika to let me change out the 'honey' with Kawasaki's name instead. After a bit, she accepted that deal. Though when Kawasaki asked her about the same idea, Keika refused to relent. She was stuck with calling me, darling.
"Oh, right." Kawasaki started to search through her purse. After a bit, though, it was Keika who called out with an answer.
"Here, mama. You gave it to me earlier, remember?"
"Oh right, thank you, Kei-chan!" With an affectionate look, Kawasaki took the coupon from Keika. "Here you go."
The employee took the coupon, read it, and then looked at both me and Kawasaki. "So you want to use this family coupon, is that right?" He was most likely scrutinizing both of us. No matter what we did, we both do look a little too young. I had a feeling this would happen, though.
"Is there a problem?" Time to put my eyes to use. I furrowed my brows and squinted my eyes a little. I also lowered my tone a little more to sound a little aggressive, but not threatening. Just enough to counter his probing gaze.
"O-oh, umm, n-no problem. Um, the total is 1,000 yen with the family coupon, p-please."
"Sure." I relaxed my gaze and paid him the money. He took it and gave me a receipt.
"Please enjoy your time here today…"
Keika grabbed our hands in each of hers and excitedly led us inside. A female employee inside offered us a map to the zoo, which Kawasaki took. Afterward, she bent down to Keika's height to remind her to stay close to us and not go off by herself.
From there we took Keika from one exhibit to the next. At each one, she would have the biggest smile I have ever seen. She would excitedly tell us the name of the animal and what she liked about it.
Kawasaki would take photos whenever she could. Even I couldn't help myself from taking one every once in a while. Though, Kawasaki would pester me about sending them to her every time I took one. Little by little, we made our way through the animals' exhibits while she held onto both of our hands. The whole time we tried to go back to our original way of calling each other, but Keika would pout. Soon enough, it was lunchtime.
"Keika, are you hungry yet? It's about time we get something to eat."
"Hmm… Ok, papa!" I was starting to get used to the play we were doing.
"Hey, Saki, why don't you grab a table, it's getting kind of crowded. Just tell me what you want."
"Oh, your right. Let's see…" the map had the location of the restaurant as well as a few of the more popular food items. "How about the Genki Pork Curry? Can you order Keika the Kid's curry, please? Here." Kawasaki started to search in her purse for money.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it."
"But you already paid for the entrance fee. I can't have you pay for our food too."
"It's fine. I really don't mind. Besides…" I looked at Keika who was standing next to me and ruffled her hair. "… what kind of papa would I be if I couldn't pay for a single meal. Relax, next time you can pay if you want to."
"Next… time… Fine then. If that's what you want. Come here Kei-chan. Let's wait for papa."
I went to line up. I started to look at the menu for something I wanted to eat too. I ended up deciding on the Red Panda Ramen. There were two lines to the counter. As I was minding my own business, I heard a voice that I really hoped was my imagination.
"Oh man, this line is long! Ena-chan, why don't we come back later when it's shorter…"
"No. I'm hungry now. Besides we're already in line. Just wait a little longer, onii-chan."
Slowly I looked over to the left, where the other line was. Sure enough, I saw the last person I ever wanted to see there. Tobe was standing just opposite to me with a girl, who I had to guess was his sister. Dammit, why did this have to happen now? I can only hope that he doesn't look over here. Wishful thinking…
"Hmm? Hikitani-kun? That you?" All I could do was pretend I didn't hear him. If this was anyone besides Tobe, it might have worked, but that was too much to hope for. He got out of line and threw his arm over my shoulder once he got into range.
"Hikitani-kun! You gotta answer when someone calls your name, ya know! What ya doing here by yourself?" That's not my name. When's he gonna learn that?!
"Oh, hey Tobe. Didn't hear you. There's a lot of people around here."
"Yeah man, I know what you mean. So what are you doing? You're not here by yourself are ya?"
"Oh, um, no I'm not…" I wanted to avoid giving out too much information and risking Tobe spreading it out to everyone at school. If I say that I'm here with my sister, that should be good enough. Wishful thinking…
"Papa!" Why am I not surprised that this would happen…
I turned around and saw Keika running up to me. Kawasaki was right behind her, probably having escaped her watch.
"Keika, don't run off by yourself! It's dangerous! Wait… for… me…"
Her voice started to trail off as she met eyes with Tobe. The look in her eyes was all I needed to understand the despair she was feeling.
"'Pa… pa…' No… way… Hikitani's… a dad…" Tobe looked from Kawasaki to Keika and then to me. "I always thought you seemed more mature. I never would have guessed you were a dad…" The look on his face was one of him still trying to digest the surprising revelation. All I could do was imitate Yukinoshita's forehead massage.
Then, out of nowhere, the girl who was with Tobe smacked the back of his head with the rolled-up zoo map. She had an annoyed look on her face when looking at Tobe, but a sympathetic one when she looked up at Kawasaki and me.
"I'm sorry for my onii-chan's rude behavior. He can be an idiot sometimes, but he doesn't mean anything by it." She bowed slightly while also pushing Tobe's head down.
"N-no, it's fine. I'm used to him by now."
"Ena-chan… Why did you hit me? I didn't do anything wrong!"
"You're jumping to conclusions without having all the details! You obviously know them, so you should have some idea of how old they are. How could they have a kid that old?! Why don't you use your head for something else other than my practice dummy!"
D-damn, this girl is brutal! Good thing Komachi adores her wonderful onii-chan…
"Sorry again! I'm Ena. Unfortunately, I'm this one's sister. I'm in my first year at Sobu High. You two are 3rd years, right?"
"Yea, I'm Hikigaya Hachiman." "K-Kawasaki Saki."
"Nice to meet you Hikigaya-senpai, Kawasaki-senpai. I hope we can get along. Well, we should get back into line. Sorry for the trouble." She stood on her toes and leaned in closer to my ear. She also never let Tobe raise his head the whole time. "I'll make sure onii-chan doesn't talk about your date. Your secret is safe with me!" With a wink and a smile, she walked back to her place in line and apologized to the person who was behind them.
"W-what did she say…?"
"Just that she'll make sure Tobe keeps quiet." I don't think she needs to know about the date part.
"Oh, well that's good." She looked down at a confused Keika who has been holding onto my jacket the whole time. "Come on Kei-chan, let's go wait at the table."
After that, I got our food and brought it to the table. After eating we continued to look around at the exhibits. After being found out by Tobe, for some reason, I was able to relax a bit more. Almost like the worst had already happened, so why worry about anything else. I could tell that Saki felt the same way. Before, she was tense and looking over her shoulder. Now she was focused on spending time with Keika and looking at the animals. Every once in a while I drop a fact or two about animals that I know about, which interested the two sisters. Of course, I still called Saki by her first name and Saki would call me using 'darling' or 'honey' but eventually, Keika allowed the switch to my first name.
The final section of the park, and the one that Saki was avoiding the most, was the reptile exhibit. Keika, though, was excited. There was going to be a live showing. Keika wanted to go see it. As we entered, Saki immediately stuck close to me and held onto the back of my coat. She was close enough for me to hear her breathing.
"You good? You know they're in cages, right? They can't get out or anything."
"Y-yea, I know… It's just… I can't… Give me anything else, just not anything scaly… Just keep walking I'll follow you…"
I looked back to see her face red and eyes closed. That's why she's so close. She can't even bear to see them, huh. Well, having a pretty girl so close to me isn't so bad I guess.
We walked slowly through the exhibit and eventually made it to the stage with the live showing. We sat in the front row seat, unfortunately for Saki. Even though she couldn't see anything, the sound was all she needed to hear for her to start trembling. I asked if she wanted to leave but she didn't want to let Keika down. All she could do was hold onto my arm and keep her eyes closed.
Well not like I'm complaining…
After the show, I led her out of the area and couldn't help myself from asking. "So what's up with you? Why are you so scared?" Likely feeling the fresh, open-air she started to open her eyes and loosen her hold on me, though she still stuck close.
"It's just… when I was younger, I went to the zoo. There was a show like today too, but there was a mistake with a new employee. He had left one of the cages open… and a chameleon escaped. I never noticed it crawling towards me until I felt something on my clothes. Earlier, they were doing face painting and I got a butterfly on my cheek. When I noticed the chameleon it was already so close. I froze and just stared. Its eyes were moving in different directions… and then… it opened its mouth. I still remember the feeling of its cold, slimy tongue on my face." She gripped me tighter. "The next thing I remember, I was in the zoo's rest area. After that, I couldn't even look at any kind of reptile without having the urge to faint. I guess it's just an instinctual fear now."
It was now that she noticed that she was bear-hugging my arm with all her strength. She immediately let go and her face flushed red. "I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to…"
"It's fine. It would be more troublesome if you randomly fainted in the middle of the zoo." To be honest, I didn't really mind. I'm no pervert, but she smelled nice. Though anymore than this and I feel like my heart is gonna beat out of my chest. Being so close to a girl for such a long time was still too much for me. "Besides, what kind of husband can't even support his wife in her time of need?" I couldn't help the tease.
She looked at me with a deadpan expression, all the nervousness and fear from before gone. "Aren't you getting too involved in your role? You're gonna give me the wrong idea if your acting becomes too real. Hmph." She grabbed Keika's hand, who had been walking in front of us while looking at the animals around the area, and asked her if she was ready for some ice cream.
"Papa said you can order as much as you want for being such a good girl today."
"Eh?! Really?! Yay!" She jumped up and down excitedly and then walked up to me and grabbed my hand, Saki's hand in the other. "Thank you, papa! Let's go right now!"
She pulled both of us in the direction of the cafe. Saki gave me a smug smile. "You're such a good papa, darling~"
Now who's the one who's too involved in their role…
"How about this one Kei-chan? Do you like it?"
"Ooh, yea, but I also like this one…"
Saki and Keika were looking through the photos taken earlier. As we got closer to one of the exits, Keika found a photo station, where an employee was taking pictures of guests. Of course, Keika wanted to take a few. We took pictures of the three of us and in pairs. Though when the time came for a picture of me and Saki, we were a little reluctant, but eventually gave in to Keika's pleading eyes. The two of them were choosing the best of them to print out and take home. I was going through the gift shop and figured I'd buy a few souvenirs.
There were a lot of different things. Stuffed animals, glass animals, and shirts with the zoo's logo and popular animals.
The one thing that immediately caught my attention was the big "LIMITED EDITION!" sign. Underneath it was a certain ice queen's favorite mascot: Pan-san. This one, though, was different. Its usual white and black coloring was red, black, white. Its body and head were red, the legs were black, and its right eye was a white circle and its left a white star.
Well, I am being invited to her house for the first time tomorrow. I should bring some kind of gift, right? My mind made up, I decided to buy the stuffed animal.
Looking around, there weren't a lot of other things that caught my eye, except one, a glass figure of a fox. I didn't need to think too much about it and ended up buying it. After all, that day is on Monday. I guess I'll also give it as an apology for ignoring her the last couple of days.
After grabbing a few other things, I went to go see if the sisters were done picking out pictures. Sure enough, Saki was already paying.
"Hey papa, can I see your wallet!"
"Hmm, sure…"
She turned around and fumbled with my wallet for a bit and handed it back to me with a beaming smile. I opened it up and saw the picture of the three of us in the place where my student ID usually is. It was still too awkward for both Saki and me to get into a picture together, but Keika pulled us down by the arm, putting us just one head away from each other.
"Thank you, Keika. It's, uh, a good picture…"
"Here are the others." Saki gave me an envelope with a few other pictures. I looked and she also had another envelope, so I assumed she also had another set of pictures too.
"Thank you. Alright then, why don't we get going? It's getting late."
"Ok!"
"Here, put on your coat, Kei-chan. It's getting cold."
After leaving the zoo's grounds, we got on the train. It was a short ride, but as soon as we got on, Keika fell asleep while resting her head on my arm and holding Saki's hand.
"Thank you for putting up with her for so long. You have no idea how excited she has been. What did you do to get her to like you so much? I think she might like you more than Taishi."
"Honestly, I don't really know. To me, she's like another sister, that's it. Don't know where she got the idea of calling me 'papa' though."
"Hmm… yea, same. I don't know what got into her. Our tou-san works a lot so could be that. Either way today was fun. Oh, just so you know, she'll probably want to go to the park sometime soon, so this won't be the last time."
"That's fine. Besides, I have a lot of free time. Anytime is fine… probably."
"Oh? I might just have you babysit for me if that's the case so I can focus on my studies since you're so free."
"Hmm… As long as Tashi ain't there…"
"Huh?" She gave me an intimidating glare.
"… Nevermind. Yeah, anytime you need…"
"I'll hold you to that ya know?"
"If you say so…"
The rest of the ride was quiet. Once we got to our stop. I carried Keika on my back while Saki carried our bags. Once we made it to her house I laid Keika down on the couch. Saki said that she still had to eat dinner so she would have to wake up soon anyway.
As I set her down, Saki was already in the kitchen. She had just put on her apron and was tying her hair back up into a ponytail. "Are you gonna stay for dinner or are you gonna head home."
"I thought you said you weren't good at cooking?"
"I said I don't know a variety of dishes, but I am decent at simple things."
"Oh, well, thank you, but I should be heading home. I've got a busy day tomorrow too."
"Oh… Ok then. Well, thank you again for this and sorry for taking up your whole day."
"Yea, no problem. It was fun. See ya at school."
With a wave, I put on my shoes and walked out the door. Keika would probably be mad that I didn't say goodbye, but I didn't want to wake her up either. I'll just buy her something good next time I see her…
Once I got home my mom and Komachi interrogated me about where I was today. I didn't really want to make a big deal about it so I just told them that I was showing the transfer student around town. Komachi questioned my act of charity, but I just said that he threatened me into it by saying he would petition the school to get rid of unhealthy, sugary drinks. They seemed to buy that. After dinner, I went straight to bed and fell asleep. I had a feeling that tomorrow would be just as long.
Yukinoshita Household
Sunday Morning
7:30 AM
Yukino POV
I was sitting at the breakfast table, nee-san sat opposite of me, my father at the head of the table, and my mother to his right on the same side of the table as nee-san. We were all eating in silence as the maids stood at the ready. I have gotten used to eating alone, so the silence didn't bother me too much, though it wouldn't hurt to have some kind of conversation. I was sitting in a chair with a wheelchair next to me. My father wanted to keep me off my leg as much as possible and so I use the wheelchair to get around the house.
Nee-san was scrolling on her phone, my mother was working on her computer, and my father was reading documents that I assumed were from work. My father is old-fashioned in many aspects of his life. Our home, for instance, is a traditional Japanese compound with a modern touch. It is very large and spacious. There are many different buildings all connected together.
Even at work, he prefers everything on paper. Even though almost everything can be done on a computer, he still would ask for a paper copy to be had. My mother has always tried to get him to adopt a more technological way of life, if only at work, but he is only stubborn in this aspect. My mother is left to deal with the aftermath, even though she is very busy herself, though she is excellent at handling her work and even has time to spare.
Nee-san has just started her third year of college, and is very busy as well, though she somehow still finds the time to bother me any chance she gets. She takes after my mother in almost every aspect.
"Hikigaya… Hachiman… Is that right, dear?"
As soon as I heard my father speak that name, I started to choke on the tea I was drinking. Kana, the maid who was charged with looking after me while I'm injured, immediately motioned to help me, but I stopped her with a hand as I cleared my throat.
"Hmm? Yes, that is correct. Why do you ask?" Haruno slightly looked up from her phone and my father set down the documents he was reading. I glanced at them and saw a profile with Hikigaya-kun's picture paperclipped in the corner. It was almost as if it was a police file on a criminal.
"Well… the file I asked to be compiled has finally been finished. Since we are leaving soon, I asked for it to be done as soon as possible. Up to date as to yesterday afternoon."
"I see… but is it a good idea to be going over this now?"
I couldn't help but give my father the coldest glare I could. Even so, he stared back at me with a firm look. "Since Yukino is living here again, I thought it best to share my findings with her and have her accept or deny my findings. Well?"
"Otou-san… why don't you explain how and why you have this information."
"Who do you think I am? Anyone my daughter knows, I must know better. I am your father… it is my duty. I hired a private investigator to fol… *cough*… I mean, investigate his background. It is for your safety."
"Why couldn't you just ask me about it, or even nee-san. Was there any need to go through all that trouble?" My father has always been too overprotective of nee-san and me. Even so, he has also been very flexible when it came to our own decisions. That is why I was able to live by myself for so long even though my mother was against it.
"Your opinion would have been biased. I needed an unbiased one… and I have one. My decision… Trouble follows him in everything he does. It's better to distance yourself from…"
Before he could finish that statement I slammed my hand on the table in anger. "I'm done. I will be excusing myself." My father was stunned with his mouth open. My mother was massaging her forehead and nee-san wore an entertaining smile. Kana immediately bowed and helped me into the wheelchair.
"Eh? Eh? Honey… What did I do? Did I do something wrong? I didn't, right?" As we left the dining area, I could hear my father's worried mutterings. He has always been like this. He'll say something irresponsible, we get mad, and he is left wondering what he did wrong. I know he means well, but still… he really did cross the line this time.
"Ojou-sama, is it really alright to leave just like that?"
"Yes, it's fine. I'll apologize later. It's not the first this has happened, remember."
"Hmm~… your right about that. Well, why don't we get you ready for your date today~!"
"D-date?! I am only having a f-friend over to taste test my food. Nothing more…"
"Mm-hm… if you say so~… Oh! Here, you forgot your phone on your nightstand."
As she gave me my phone, my face grew hot at the embarrassing search result on the screen. [Best Meals to Make Together With Your Significant Other!] I must have forgotten to close it as I fell asleep last night. Kana-san must have seen it which is why she has that look on her face… How careless of me…
"Thank you…"
"Right! Let's get you ready for today then!"
11 AM
Hachiman POV
I knew Yukinoshita was rich, but I didn't expect it to be to this degree. Her address was the last one on a private road. Because of the area and security of the place, I couldn't get there walking. Yukinoshita messaged me last night that a car would be there around 10:30 to drive me.
It was a large traditional Japanese compound, kind of like the ones you'd see on a historical drama from ancient times. Of course, it had a modern touch to it, but it was impressive nonetheless.
I hit the doorbell and within a few seconds, a maid with short brunette hair opened the door to let me in.
"Welcome sir, ojou-sama has been expecting you. Please." She gestured for me to come in. I hesitated a little but stepped in. I took off my shoes and put on the indoor slippers already prepared for me. The maid led me into the compound and we eventually made it to an area that looked like a living room. Yukinoshita was sitting in a wheelchair reading a book.
Wait! Wheelchair?! Did she end up breaking her leg or something? She has a brace but no cast though…
"Good morning Hikigaya-kun. Forgive me for not receiving you at the door."
"Yo. And don't worry about it. You're not exactly in a position to be moving around. Though I wasn't expecting the wheelchair."
"Yes, well my father didn't want to agitate my sprain any more than necessary. And a wheelchair is easier to move around in than crutches."
"You're right about that. Are your parents here?"
"No, everyone has already left for the day. Otou-san and okaa-san have left for the office. Nee-san went out with some friends.
"Cool." What a relief. I'm definitely not ready to meet her parents… "So what's the plan for today? Do you have any idea on the dish you want to try out?"
"I'm still deciding, but I have narrowed it down to a few different choices. I hope you're hungry." She opened the laptop on her lap and gestured towards the sofa that she was next to.
"Yea, I made sure to eat a small breakfast." I made my way towards the couch while excusing myself from the maid.
"Excuse me, ojou-sama. Should I take my leave now?"
"Oh! Forgive me, Hikigaya-kun. This is Kana-san. She is my personal caretaker until I am able to walk again."
"Hello. I am Akamine Kana, a maid in the service of the Yukinoshita's."
"Oh, uh, nice to meet you. I am Hikigaya Hachiman, a club mate of Yukinoshita."
"Yes. Well, I leave my ojou-sama in your hands. Please take good care of her. Now, if you'll excuse me…" She bowed and left into a hallway to the side.
"Uh… ok." That was a strange way to put it. "So you have a maid…"
"Hah… I don't usually. I've gotten used to doing everything myself, but with my leg like this, it is helpful to have someone with me. Besides, Kana-san is more like a friend to me. She is usually less formal than just now, but she might be putting on airs because of you being here."
"A friend huh… Well, anyway, what do you have planned."
"Well, I decided on three different dishes. My parents are traveling to the United Kingdom, so I wanted to make something from that area. My choices are Beef Wellington, Toad in the Hole, and Shepherd's Pie. What do you think?"
"I've never heard of any of those. They all sound kind of strange. 'Toad in a Hole'?"
"Look at these." She turned the computer towards me to see pictures of the different dishes. We looked them over and read the descriptions. After a bit, we ruled out 'Toad in a Hole' because of its use of sausage. Yukinoshita figured her mom and Haruno would dislike the fatty sausage. We also ruled out shepherd's pie because it seemed hard to prepare side dishes that would complement the dish well. Besides, it could also be made with leftovers, so it didn't seem like a good dish to make as a farewell.
The last one was Beef Wellington. It looked to be the specialty dish of some famous chef. Basically, it's a slab of beef wrapped in puff pastry. It had a variety of side dishes we could try too.
"I think we're decided. So what are we gonna do about the ingredients? Should I go…"
"I already have everything ready. I bought ingredients for all three. There was a lot of overlap."
"Well ok then, let's get started. Uh… is it gonna be just the two of us or will…"
"I wanted to have as few people as possible in the know, so only Kana-san knows. I had her prepare everything in secret. Even so, I don't want her to know what we are making, so, yes, it will be just us. Is that… a problem?" She gave me an embarrassed look. This is the first time we are doing something ourselves in secret.
I've baked with Yuigahama, run with Miura, went on Isshiki's 'practice date', and even spent the day with Saki and Keika just yesterday. Now I'm cooking with Yukinoshita. Wait… why are they all girls… Since when did I become a riajuu?!
"N-no… It shouldn't be a problem. Just tell me what you want to do. I can't promise quality though."
With a small laugh, she gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. When you make a mistake, I should be able to make it right!" She pointed towards what I assumed was the direction to the kitchen. I got up from the couch, and since she didn't seem like the type to wheel herself over, I pushed her wheelchair for her, which she didn't refuse.
When I got to the kitchen, I was speechless. The kitchen was large enough to be considered a commercial kitchen. If she told me this was one, I'd believe her.
Seeing my surprised gaze, it seemed she couldn't help but giggle. "My family holds large parties for business and private occasions and so a large kitchen helps."
"… If you say so…" I looked to the center island to see a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, jars of spices, pots, and pans hanging from a ceiling fixture, among other things.
"First I need to gauge the extent of your knowledge in the kitchen." She asked me to point out specific ingredients, explain different kitchen utensils and the like. She then explained the things I got wrong and showed me the spices and gave me a brief breakdown of their uses.
Next, she asked me to show her how I peel an apple with a knife. Is that all?
I got the paring knife and started to slowly cut away at the peel. It was a little rough but I thought it was at least passable for how inexperienced I was in the kitchen. I looked at my work and was glad I didn't cut myself. I put it down on the cutting board only to notice a yellowish, white apple already there. Though, after closer inspection, it was a peeled apple.
It was unbelievable. It was smooth and perfectly peeled. If I didn't get close to look at it, I would have thought that it was a brand new, unpeeled apple. With my jagged-looking apple right next to it, it was kind of embarrassing to compare.
Next, she asked me to cut the apple into slices. I grabbed my knife and the apple in half and then those in half until I had 8 slices. When I looked over to Yukinoshita, she set down her cutting board with 8 perfect slices. If I took out a ruler to measure them and the angle, there would certainly be 8 identical slices. The core was a perfect rectangle.
"How?"
"'How' what?"
"How are you so perfect?"
"Practice and experience?" She didn't even hesitate when giving that answer!
"Hah… Alright. What was the point of this little test."
"I wanted to see how you do with a knife. Your knife skills are telling about how little time you spend cooking if any at all. Your first task will be to get used to holding a knife. Many people make the mistake of extending their index finger over the spine of the knife, like you have, which is wrong. Next…" Yukinoshita then started her lecture on proper knife handling. After that was cutting methods. She spent the next couple of hours talking only about knife handling and practice. She even had me peel a grape, though I'm sure that was just to annoy me. Through all this, I ate everything I cut, mostly fruits.
At around 4 PM, we finally took a break.
"I'm impressed you could make so much progress in such little time."
"Oh really? I think even Yuigahama would improve if she went through the boot camp you put me through…"
"You think so? Well, it's a good thing you listen attentively and fix your mistakes efficiently."
Using a combination of 2 of my 'Hachiman Skills', I can improve at something I was previously unskillful at. The downside is I have to want to improve. My skill [Weak Point], which finds faults in others, and [Perception], which I use to observe other people, are a helpful combination. I used [Perception] to observe Yukinoshia's movements and then used [Weak Point] on myself to analyze my own faults and compare them to Yukinoshita. A few hours later and I improved enough to even impress the Ice Queen of Sobu.
"Well, good to know all my time alone has resulted in something useful."
"Alone… Ne, Hikigaya-kun. I know it's strange to ask this after all this time, and I feel like I have an answer for the current you, but why are you alone? If it's the present you, I can answer that question, but I recall Komachi-san once saying that you weren't always like that."
"Talk about left-field…" I grabbed another slice of fruit from the counter and brought it to my mouth and chewed it slowly as if mulling over my answer.
"I don't know…"
"What do you mean?" She furrowed her brow with a slight frown on her lips.
"Relax. I'm not trying to dodge the question. I mean it. I seriously don't know." I looked away from her and started at the pots and pans hanging from the ceiling fixture. "When I think back, all I can remember is vague memories of my middle school years. By then I was already… well… a loner, but I still sought out… something. Can't say what though… Well, I guess I do now..."
I can't remember much from before my middle school years, but from some of the things Komachi says, I wasn't always a loner. I, apparently, had 'friends' and had semi-normal-shaped eyes. Hard to confirm when I can't remember though.
"Oh… I know it was a strange question. It's just hard to imagine. You're not a bad person, per se, but have developed a twisted personality from being 'alone'. Even so, you take the time out of your day to help the people who ask for it, even if it isn't always the best way."
"Debatable." She threw a grape at me for my annoying comment.
"Hah… The question just came to me. Forgive me for prying."
"Don't worry about it. So… what do we do now?"
"Now you will begin the ingredient preparation. I will take care of the final details."
It's good there wasn't much preparation involved in the Beef Wellington itself. I looked at the large beef tenderloin and felt the hunger build up inside of me. I seasoned the beef and seared the slab of meat, covered it in mustard, and let it rest on the plate. I then chopped the mushrooms and put them in a food processor to have them chopped into tiny pieces. After seasoning the mushrooms, I put them in a pan and let the water boil off. The whole time I had the recipe video playing and had Yukinoshita follow everything I did. After I finished the mushrooms it was Yukinoshita's turn to put it together.
She started to get into a position to push herself up but seemed to be struggling. "Here." I extended my hand to help her up. She gratefully took it and I pulled her up. She then expertly wrapped the whole thing up and had me put it into the oven.
"I'll make the red wine sauce quickly before it's done cooking. Can you grab me a bottle of wine, please?"
She pointed towards a shelf with a wide variety of wine. "Is any one of these ok?"
"Yes, any one of those will do." With her confirmation, I reached for a random one, but a certain one caught my eye. Above the bottle, was a small piece of paper that said 'Haruno's'.
"Heh… Pay-back time. Your wine is gonna be my sauce." Without the slightest hesitation, I grabbed the bottle and brought it to Yukinoshita.
Soon enough, the Beef Wellington was finished and ready to eat. During the time I was preparing the Wellington, Yukinoshita had already steamed and seasoned some vegetables.
I then pulled out the dish to see the golden-brown crust of the puff pastry. We let it rest for a few minutes. She then hands me a long serrated knife. I slice the Wellington through the middle and watch as the meat juices flow down.
"I know we haven't tested it yet, but I think it's safe to say it's gonna be good."
"I believe you are right. Well, let's plate it and find out."
After she plated it, I wheeled her out and helped her into a chair. I quickly went back into the kitchen and brought out the two plates. We also needed something to drink. Yukinoshita mentioned that it would go good with wine, but we weren't old enough to drink so we opted for some grape juice instead.
After pouring the juice, I sat down.
" "Itadakimasu." " Without another word, we both started on our food. After the first bite, we both let out a sigh of satisfaction. The tender, juicy meat almost melted in your mouth. The flavor was perfect. The flavor of the meat and the earthy taste of the mushrooms all wrapped in the slightly salty, golden exterior. When paired with the red wine sauce and mashed potatoes, it's all brought together in perfect harmony.
"It's good."
"Is that all you have to say?! Can you not use any other words to describe the taste?"
Well… I can… "Yea, well… Some things are just too good for words to describe."
"Then what's the point of your high score in Japanese if you can't use it?"
"Aren't you in first? Why don't you try describing it?" I should have just shut my mouth. She went on a 5 min rant describing the flavor of the food. I was impressed she could even go that long. All the while I was eating and taking sips of juice. For some reason, though, I started to feel my face getting hot.
Is it just me or is this juice bitter, dry, and burning my throat. I was only putting up with it out of respect for Yukinoshita, but this was some odd grape juice. I took a look at the bottle. Oh… it's organic… No way that's the only reason! I grabbed the bottle and took a look at the label. I didn't see anything strange. Then I saw something on the cap. There was an "H" and a date… today's date.
Wait a sec… I quickly got up and went back to the kitchen, telling Yukinoshita that I would be right back. I opened up the wine cabinet, grabbed the wine bottle Yukinoshita used for the sauce, and poured some out in a cup… it was regular grape juice… which meant that what we were drinking was wine. Haruno must have switched up the contents. I can't figure out why, though.
I rushed back to the table to stop Yukinoshita from drinking the wine, but when I got back she had already finished half the cup.
"Oi… Don't you think that tastes strange? How can you drink it? It's wine."
"I did think the taste was rather strange. How did you know?"
I gave her a clean cup with the real juice in the wine bottle and explained to her my theory.
With her hand to her forehead, she massaged her temple. "Hah… Okaa-san recently limited her alcohol consumption. She must have switched them so she could keep drinking."
"Should we toss it then?" I could see her start to think about the question I just asked. I felt fine, but we are breaking the law, not that anyone would find out though.
Yukino POV
I knew it was wine from the first sip I took. I didn't say anything because I had been watching Hikigaya-kun drink it without much reaction. I was confused as to why there was wine in the grape juice but figured nee-san must have something to do with it. After Hikigaya-kun rushed to the kitchen I figured he must have concluded that this wasn't grape juice.
After he came back with the real juice in the wine bottle, I was convinced.
I know we should stop drinking it, but I don't feel much different. It wouldn't be too bad to indulge myself this time… right? Besides, Hikigaya-kun seems fine as well. He was even able to rush to the kitchen just fine… But I should stop… right…?
"It would be a waste… I'm not affected very much it seems. I feel fine. What about you?"
"I mean… yeah, I feel fine. Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. And If I start to feel strange, I will stop."
"Sure… Never thought you would be the one to do something like this… First time for everything I guess…"
If I was being honest, I could feel a heat in my head but dismissed it as nothing.
After that we continued to eat, having a light conversation all the while. I noticed that we were both talking more than usual. I know the image I usually show is distant and cold, but now I was talking, laughing, and smiling. Hikigaya-kun was the same. Even his eyes, which are usually squinted and intimidating, were beginning to relax and open. I couldn't help but keep looking back at him. All the while the heat in my head was beginning to spread to my whole body with each drink of the bitter wine.
Hikigaya seemed to be fine, apart from his uncharacteristic openness, but I didn't dislike it. I was enjoying being able to speak with him without any reservation. I could express myself with a laugh or smile without having to keep up my mask. While irresponsible and against the law, I did not regret it. I guess the alcohol had something to do with that reasoning, but I didn't care.
At the end of the meal, Hikigaya-kun took the plates to the sink and I had him also wheel me over to help. He washed the dishes and I placed them in the dishwasher.
While not stumbling or anything of the like, I could see Hikigaya walk slowly and carefully. Maybe he was feeling a little dizzy from the wine.
I felt a little light-headed and warm throughout my body, but not much else. We each had about 2 and a half glasses of wine, but I don't know if that was a lot or a little. Though considering we each felt fine, we must be fine… right?
"Good thing it was just us two, not many dishes."
"Yes. It also helps that you cleaned your dish."
"What can I say, that was too good to leave even a single piece of food on the plate."
He handed me the last plate. All that was left was the silverware. "Any more and you would have been licking the plate."
"Hey, you weren't much different ya'know."
"Well, it was quite…" Before I could finish my sentence, Hikigaya dropped a fork as he was handing it to me.
"Ah sorry about that, must not have washed off the soap good enough." He started to search for a towel to not make a mess on the floor from his wet hands.
"It's alright I can reach it." I started to bend over in my wheelchair. In order to reach further, I sat on the edge of the seat and reached down. As I got closer to the floor, I felt my balance falter and my head grow heavier. The hand I had on the wheelchair's armrest for balance instinctively moved to hold my head and in doing so, I lost my balance.
Not again…
My descent to the ground was slow and agonizing. It felt as if everything was moving in slow motion. That was when I noticed the hand quickly making its way towards me. I never would have thought that he would be able to catch me, but there he was. I couldn't help but think back on all the times he was there for me, all the times he would reach out his hand with no regard for his well-being.
Is this what it means to…
With a loud crash, Hikigaya-kun crashed onto the floor… with me on top of him. He caught me just in time and turned me around so I wouldn't hit the floor. With both hands on my shoulders and a groan of pain, I was staring at Hikigaya-kun with wide eyes, surprised that he was even able to catch me in time. Slowly his eyes started to open. With one eye open, he stared back and, soon enough, he opened his other one and we stared at each other. I felt my face grow hot, but, unlike other times, it didn't bother me at all.
Before I knew it I was leaning in closer and closer, letting my weight pull me down. Likewise, Hikigaya-kun's arms slowly relaxed, lowering me down as well. Slowly, our faces inched closer and closer.
At that moment, all reason left my mind as our lips made contact. It was clumsy, quite plainly showing our inexperience. Still, the electrifying feeling the moment our lips connected was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Even in our inexperience, we could not separate ourselves, as if something kept us together. His warm lips made me feel comfortable. I didn't know how long we stayed like that, but the next thing I knew, my head laid on his chest listening to his rapid heartbeat.
I should stay away from alcohol from now on…
Hachiman POV
I was looking for a towel to dry my hands. Yukinoshita's history with water is 0-1. If I'm not careful, her injury could get worse. That's when I heard the creak in her wheelchair. I could see out of the corner of my eye that she was reaching out for the fork I had dropped. My [Danger Sense] started to go off and I immediately dropped what I was doing. I saw her lose her balance and start to fall from her chair, but I was already reaching out for her.
After catching her, I turned my body so that she would land on top of me. After the pain from the fall faded, I opened one eye only to see her deep, blue eyes staring into mine. The almost hazy look in her eyes was hypnotizing. Before I knew it our faces were getting closer to each other and I couldn't find the strength to stop it… or rather I didn't want to stop it.
All the heat in my body went to my head as our lips pressed together. Her lips were cold, but, strangely, satisfying. I had no clue what I was doing, and I'm sure she didn't either… but it felt right. Before I knew it my eyes were staring at the ceiling. I could feel her weight on my chest and hear her heavy breathing.
Slowly, as our breathing calmed down, we both raised our heads and stared at each other. I started to get up and she followed. She sat on her hip, probably to not hurt her injured leg. I just crossed my legs over the other. Though sitting separately, we were still very close.
"Are… you… hurt?" That's the first thing you say?!
I couldn't keep looking at her, or rather I was surprised she could, so I looked away. "Yea… I'm fine…"
Though we just kissed, her being so close made me feel a little embarrassed. While thinking about how I was gonna talk myself out of this, I felt a hand gently cup my cheek. Surprised, I turned to face her again. While already beautiful, her crimson cheeks accentuated her natural beauty.
"Don't do that. I was the one who kissed you first. Not everything is your fault or responsibility."
Before I could even say a word in response, her other hand cupped my other cheek and she pulled me in closer… and I let her. I thought it was just my imagination the first time, but the second time was even better. Again, I could feel the electricity run through me. The feeling gave me goosebumps.
Again, before I knew it, we had already separated. She rested her head on my shoulder and both of her hands gripped my shirt tightly. I bent my head back and stared at the ceiling.
"Hey… um…" That was when I noticed the breathing. It was soft and even.
Did she… fall asleep…?
I moved my shoulder a little to see her face. Her eyes were closed and a small smile graced her lips. My face grew hot as I looked at her lips, knowing where they had been just moments ago.
"Haaa… now what do I do?" I didn't want to wake her, so I slowly got into a position where I could carry her in my arms. The whole time she was clutching onto my shirt. I found my way to the living room and then walked the same way the maid had. I knocked on the first door I found and walked in once I heard the ok to.
"Oh my… what have you done to ojou-sama." Kana was drinking some tea while watching the T.V.
"What do you mean what did I do?! Hah… She… got tired… and fell asleep…"
"Oh my… that sounds very suspicious… Very well. I will show you to her room if you don't mind." I kind of expected her to take over, but I guess not.
As soon as I entered the forbidden land that was Yukinoshita's room, I gently set her down on the uncovered bed. I was surprised by the sheer amount of Pan-san's all around. Remembering my present, I ran down to my bag and grabbed the Pan-san I had bought for her. I set it on her desk and left the room. Before I closed the door I looked back to see her sleeping face. Complicated feelings rose in my chest, one I still had no idea how to express.
I gathered my things and prepared to leave.
"Please take care of my ojou-sama from now on." Kana, the maid, bowed to me as I left.
"R-right…" Did she see?! There's no way… right?
? Household
8:30 PM
Before I could even digest what had even happened not too long ago, I got a text with a troublesome message. Though, even if it was troublesome, I couldn't bring myself to say no, to the sender or the reason in the message. Knowing it was going to be a long night with consequences tomorrow, I resolved to knock on the familiar door in front of me.
"Woof! Woof" I could hear the excited barking from inside and the hurried footsteps that followed soon afterward.
After the turning of locks the door swung open and the familiar hair color and style caused me to lightly smile.
"Yahallo!"
Alright, well I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
For the next chapter, I will take a break from this part of the story and go back to the future! From now on, I will try to drop a future chapter every three or so regular chapters. No promises on that though!
I'll label the chapter differently from now on. I'll put an [F] in front of the chapter from now on. For example, chapters 1 and 2 will be [F]Chapter 1 and [F]Chapter 2. The next one will be [F]Chapter 8.
With that out of the way, I thank you again and I hope to see you at the next one!