Chapter IX

The journey back home was shorter, even though we had been carrying the shopping and tons of bananas for Su, we had been chatting, frankly, I don't know how it happened but after the photos, it simply became easier to talk to each other, the nervousness was not gone but it was far more bearable.

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to go shopping again. No, I wanted to go shopping again.

We passed by the tea shop and it was now filled to the brim with customers, there was a small line of guys outside, but if you looked through the windows you could spy Haruka, Mutsumi, and Kitsune? Going back and forth, also, were they wearing maid uniforms? It's not like I was complaining but I didn't think stoic Haruka would make them wear that for work.

We went straight to the kitchen and began stowing away the shopping, the bananas were left on the table though, Shinobu assured me that these wouldn't last long anyway; looking back at how fast Su had disposed of her banana split, a single bunch didn't look as big anymore but if it were me, these would surely go bad.

We parted ways, it wasn't difficult for her to know my destination since I took one bunch off the table and proceeded towards the stairs. It was better this way, I didn't want to leave this matter to sit more than necessary, if by chance she wasn't in her room, I would simply talk to her after dinner.

After knocking on Su's door I took one step backward just in case her security systems were on but nothing happened. Everything was still and not even a sound could be heard, I knocked again, cautiously. She probably wasn't in there, the sou's rooms were big but not that big so that my knocking would go unheard and if she didn't want to open her door, I sure as hell wouldn't be intruding again.

Just as I was about to leave a series of noises could be heard from the inside of her room, it sounded like a moving mechanism with gears and all until a loud 'clank' was heard, shortly after the door opened Su emerged from her room, wearing a visor with the crest of the three eyes that had blown up on me before.

"Oh, Keitaro! How are you!? Did you come to play!? What do you have there!?" Su bombarded me with questions but she didn't seem angry but rather pleased with my visit, if you asked me she seemed oblivious of what had happened this morning, or last night.

"Hello Su, I wanted to talk to you for a minute, may I?"

"Sure! Come on in!"

I took the bunch as we entered her room, last time, I didn't have the chance to get a good look but it was immense! Surely she had rented several rooms and combined them into one, I don't know much about Su but her parents must be crazy rich if they were able to rent so many rooms at once, make the necessary arrangements to terraform it into a jungle while supporting her daughter's 'calling'. It couldn't be cheap, there were tons and tons of electronics and scrap scattered all around.

It wasn't like this the last time I was here, she must have been working on something new, maybe I needed to give the fruit stand owner a heads up on this, however, the surprises didn't end there, she led me further into the jungle, as eerily as that sounds but I did not question it, no matter how implausible the size of the trees, we finally saw the end of the room, which was far more common, or in this case, uncommon? There simply was a closet and a bed, nowhere to sit though.

"Isn't my room great!?" Su declared as It took me a second to realize that my mouth was wide open, she didn't wait for me to answer, I guess the expression on my face was more than enough answer for her.

"So, Su, I really wanted to talk about the other day and..." I started my apology, not really sure how to continue it, the words didn't flow naturally, I hoped that I wouldn't make her angry.

"You look so serious Keitaro, I don't like it" Su interrupted me with a pouty face, I guess she expected something along the lines of yesterday, maybe she was the kind of girl that didn't forget easily. It wouldn't be strange, seeing how smart she was.

"Ah, well... I, I've brought you something, your favorite I am told" I presented the bunch of bananas to her.

"Really!? For me!?"

She was starry-eyed as if she had just received a present on Christmas Eve. It was surprising for me, someone as smart as her getting excited over a gift like that.

"So, Su, before you dig in, I want to apologize for yesterday"

"Apologize? For what?"

"For being rude to you, I was having a bad day and my temper got the better of me, I am sorry"

Su seemed to have been taken aback at my apology and then, for the lack of a better word, 'slowed' down a little, it was weird seeing someone that looked to be on a perpetual sugar rush suddenly come out of it and start moving at normal speed.

She was pensive as if she was still processing what I had told her, she took a banana from the bunch, peeled it, and started eating it, slowly, deep in thought.

I didn't dare to take her out of her reverie, it felt rude to interrupt her, or to leave, hell, it felt rude to even move, luckily, she didn't take long.

"To be frank Keitaro, I am surprised that you showed up in my room just for this" She finally answered

"I know but -"

"If I hadn't forgiven you I wouldn't have let you into my room ya know? I thought you came to fulfill your promise!" She finished, pouting.

"Oh, yeah, that's true, my… promise" I said awkwardly, my head started aching, I tried my best not to be so obvious but this thing, this 'promise' I had heard that before. It was familiar, suddenly my head hurt, only a bit but it was enough for Su to notice.

"Keitaro! Are you okay?!" Su called to me.

"Yes, I am fine, just a little headache"

"What happened?" She asked me curiously, and very attentively.

"Sometimes when I am about to remember something, I get headaches but sometimes the memory doesn't come through clearly and that just makes my headache worse"

"Ooooh, and did you remember something important?"

"Nothing this time"

"Oh..." She said with a bit of disappointment in her voice.

"Don't worry, I am sure that with enough time everything will eventually fall back into place" I reassured her.

I knew that wasn't true, that there was a possibility that I wouldn't be able to recall absolutely everything but she didn't need to know that, there was nothing she could do, so why worry her?

"Do you still want to play?" She asked as she looked at me with puppy eyes.

"Yes, I promised didn't I?" I dreaded that answer, but I did promise, backing down was not an option now.

"Yay! Then I will pick the game" It would be a lie to say that there wasn't a part of me that wasn't looking forward to this, sure, I had promised but if Su's gadgets were to be involved.

Suddenly, Su jumped on my back, taking me out of my reverie, it didn't surprise me as it had before, maybe I was simply starting to expect that from her, I didn't understand it at first but now I was sure that it was her way to show that she trusted me, she climbed on my shoulders and hugged my head.

"So, I was thinking we could have some fun with this!" She then hung a wooden box in front of me, I recognized it immediately.

It was a chessboard. I sure as hell didn't expect it, but it was better than playing with the tanks that's for sure.

"So, we are playing on the floor? Or do you have a table I missed on the way here?" I asked, relieved.

"No need for a desk for playing! We can do that right there!" She said as she pointed at the end of her room, part of me jolted subconsciously.

"On the bed? You sure?" I asked with skepticism trying to hide my discomfort at the idea.

"Of course I do silly, it's the perfect place to play! Come on, sit down, isn't it comfy? Even your leg shouldn't have a problem"

She made a good point, I used my hand to test the big western-style bed, it was soft and it seemed to adjust to my weight. Su jumped on it, box in hand, and began setting up the pieces while I awkwardly got the rest of me on the bed and made myself comfortable.

Still, I was nervous, far in the distance I could see the door at the other side, unmoved, still with everything that had happened lately. Do you blame me for being a little weary? A misunderstanding with the tenants could be just around the corner.

"Su, won't the pieces simply fall off?" I asked, trying to get myself together.

"Nope, they are magnetized! See?" Su then took the board and gave it a good shake but none of the pieces went flying off when she put the board back on the bed the pieces had barely moved, it was a pretty good chessboard with some high-quality magnets.

"Wow! That would let you play almost anywhere!"

"Prevents people from 'accidentally' flipping the board as well!" She added without the slightest hint of joy, this had been, so far, the only time she'd done a serious comment.

"Alright then, go easy on me, will you? Still a rookie"

"The black army for you then" Su explained to me that those pieces were the best for learning the basics.

To be honest, I was just happy we weren't running around the sou and no gadgets were involved, just a fancy chessboard; now I didn't remember if I was any good but I would do my best.

"Checkmate!"

Our first match was over in just four moves, and after that, it had been carnage after carnage.

Su had said that it would be easier for me but I was flabbergasted, simply trying to survive as much as I could before the inevitable. On the upside, the only thing wounded was my pride.

"Su, how about we leave it at that for today? I don't think my pride can't take another loss"

"Aww, but you were improving so fast! You lasted a lot longer this time!"

"That's true but it's also getting pretty late"

"Aww… Well, thank you for the games Keitaro!" She then extended her hand towards me and we shook on it.

"Good game Keitaro"

"Good game Su" Good slaughter maybe but this wasn't the time to be petty about it.

Alright, thank you so much for reading! Also, I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!