10/30(danggit, I was aiming for the 29th)2021

hi lol

Karaoke Neighbor

Chapter 29

Vanilla

Sitting on her couch, she stares wide eyed at the young man who stands before her. Just a minute ago he had told her that they needed to talk, so he invited himself in and closed her door. She cautiously walked over to the couch. Not that she would be needing it or anything, but Q's gift still sat in the box on the table.

"Um… can I help you, sir?" She decided to get cheeky.

The glare that was on his face remained, but he reached into his pocket and pulled out something that did not match his aura. It was a key chain with a little yellow bird on it. She realized that it resembled Hibird. Hibari held it out to her.

"Here…" he grumbled.

Why did he seem so mad about gifting her something?

"Uh…" She took the keychain from his outstretched hand. "Thank.. you? But why exactly are you giving me a Hibird keychain? Do you want me to join his cult? Is this an initiation?"

He stared at her dumbfounded. "When did Hibird have a cult?"

"I don't know."

"Well, no. Idiot. It's.. isn't it your birthday or something?"

Estell's jaw went slack. Did he seriously remember their conversation from months ago? Did he put it on his calendar or something?

"Yeah. Wow. Okay. Thanks so much, Hibari-kun. It's really cute." The newly turned 19 year old smiled warmly at the black haired young man.

He glanced away and reached into his other pocket. Estell was half expecting this one to be a weapon, but it was a card. "And this."

She took it in her hand and stared at it. Hard.

She snapped her head back up at him, eyes wide.

"Huh?"

"What? I can take it back if-"

"What!"

"Do you want it or not?!" He yelled, irritated at the burgundy-head. "In case you wanted more than just a keychain… Plus, I don't really know what you like."

The girl looked back down at the gift card in her hand. The $500 gift card, to be exact. To say that the girl wasn't expecting something like this would be an understatement. Estell hadn't even known about Hibari's birthday until after it passed, and even then, she gotten him a stuffed toy that he asked for. But this man gave her a whole $500 gift card. She didn't know what to say.

When did Hibari start thinking so highly of her? This isn't something you just give your frenemy, who also happens to be your neighbor. Were they even frenemies at this point? It's been almost a year since they've met, and slowly (very slowly) but surely, they've gotten closer.

If you squint.

But he also wasn't impervious to her advances. Hell, she made the poor thing so flustered he wouldn't talk to her for over a week because of a silly little dream. And during Sport's Day, who knows what could have happened if they continued in the direction that they had seemed to be going in on that mat, faces close and staring at each other's lips.

Perhaps she was also overthinking everything. Hibari seemed to be rich, indicated by the black card he liked to show off, and the fact that his parents (allegedly) held high positions overseas. (This information is speculative and only in her head.) A $500 gift card might have been a normal thing that you give to someone that you tolerate on their birthday.

"You're really something, aren't you?" She finally resumed functioning.

"Huh?"

"Come." She patted the seat next to her.

"Why?"

"Mmm. Because it is still my birthday. Actually it's my birthday week. So, grant me a wish. Come sit."

Hesitantly, he did what was requested of him, which surprised Estell. Hibari loved to make fast getaways. It's a wonder that he hadn't just thrown the things at her and then left, not before mentioning biting to death and then slamming her door.

He sat a small distance away.

'Well that won't do…' Estell thought and crawled closer to him.

"But why-"

She didn't allow him to finish his sentence. She planted a soft kiss on his cheek, then leaned away and smiled. "Thanks for these." She held the 2 gifts in her hands. "It really means a lot that you remembered."

Her smiling continued, but the one that her smile was for had malfunctioned. He just sat there staring at her. And so, she continued to do the same. Time seemed to have slowed to a crawl as the 2 young people sat there awkwardly.

After a few minutes, Estell's jaw started to hurt. "Okay, enough of that."

The smile faded. She pointed to her TV. "Want to watch something? Or.. oh! You wanna do karaoke? Since it's not crowding when it's the 2 of us? Your words."

"And why, pray tell, do you think I would join you in that?"

"I'm the birthday girl."

"Not for much longer."

"I said it's my birthday week!"

He scoffed. "It's also a school night, or did you forget?"

Winter break had ended the week prior. It was also a Tuesday night.

"Ah. Guess I did. I took the day off, so I seem to have regained vacation mentality."

"You took the whole day off?" He questioned. "That's why I didn't see you today," it was mumbled, but she still caught what was said.

"Aww, were you looking for me?"

"No."

"Don't lie; you missed me." She said and scooted close to him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Should I bite you to death on your birthday?"

"You didn't mind the last time."

"That because-!" He cut himself off. "I was so shocked by the sheer audacity that you had. Now move."

"Nah. You didn't even bring your tonfas with you."

She had him on that one.

"Unless, of course…" she pointed to his mouth.

"I despise you…" He grumbled.

"Really? 'Cause I don't think you do."

As if to prove a point, she kissed him on the cheek again, and once again, he froze up.

She laughed. "I'm so curious about the dreams you're going to have tonight."

"That's it!" He yelled and jumped up.

"No, wait! Don't go, Kyoya. I'm kidding. Mostly."

"You don't have my permission to call me that, Kiseki."

"Well, you've had my permission to call me Estell like forever ago. It's only fair."

His eyes narrowed. "Doesn't work like that."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, come back," she whined the last part.

"Would you stop kissing me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sure, whatever. You're lying to yourself if you say you didn't like it, though."

A beat passed, and the boy about-faced, once again trying to escape.

"Okay, fine. I'll stop joking. Sorry."

A long, loud sigh escaped Hibari's lips before he once again sat beside the girl on the couch.

She leaned her head into the back cushion and positioned herself to face him.

"I do have to ask, though. Why the luxury gift? You just wanted to flex your wealth? Or…"

He rolled his eyes at the girl. "Aren't you broke half the time?"

"Um…"

"Honestly, you could use that towards rent or utilities. Or groceries."

"So you were just lending your broke neighbor a helping hand, and not giving the girl you kind of like a fancy present?"

It became silent.

"Who said I liked you?"

Estell opened her mouth, but soon shut it, as she didn't have a comeback.

'Aww. Look at him lying to himself. He wouldn't be here otherwise…'

"You make it obvious that you do, but I've never said anything like that," he persisted.

She continued to gaze at him from her position. "Ehh? You don't hate me, though. So that means you kinda like me. I didn't say you straight up liked me, which you do, by the way. I said kinda. And I'm correct in my assumption."

"Where do you get your confidence from?"

"My daddy," she said and smiled. "He's pretty influential in the community, so he has to be a confident man."

"Your dad's the American one?"

"Yup. And mom's from here. This is the town she grew up in. Namimori was her school. I guess it is kind of a cool place. Maybe."

"Shut up. You like it here."

"And you like me here."

"I don't want to talk to you anymore…"

"So don't talk," she smirked.

His eyes slowly widened, thinking that the girl was going to engage in something perverted, but instead she grabbed a microphone and shoved it into his face.

"Here. Let's sing!"

"I am not doing this."

"Fine. I will."

And thus, the foreign girl serenated her neighbor minutes before the close of her birthday.

One of the songs Hibari recognized and was very disturbed by both the deep voice that the girl took on, and the suggestive subject matter of the lyrics that was directed towards him.

He sat there uneasily as she concluded with:

"Vanilla~"

He was going to have an interesting time falling asleep tonight.

"Oh my gosh. I bet it took them forever to look like that."

"It did. My cousins have done the coming-of-age ceremony recently. It takes hours to get hair, make up and kimono on."

Estell and Tsubaki stood in a crowd with other resident's of Namimori, watching the newly turned 20 year old's celebrate their newfound adulthood.

While they didn't know any of the new adults, it was tradition to attend Adult's Day, aka Coming of Age Day, the national holiday. Tsubaki dragged Estell along since they didn't have school. They didn't invite any of the boys.

"Oh, that one is cute. Let me get a picture. I wonder if I can pull this look off."

"What, that one? Yeah. You can make it work, Kiseki."

"Aha. Thank ya~ Oh. I didn't tell you, did I?"

"What? We got some juicy gossip?"

"Hell yeah. So right after you guys left, Hibari came."

"Uh oh… But no, we were quiet as fuck. You couldn't have gotten in trouble."

"I didn't. He remembered my birthday."

"Get out! Him? The Hibari Kyoya? What did he get you? I mean- he got you something, right?"

"A little yellow bird keychain and a $500 gift card."

Tsubaki's mouth dropped open. "Girl, what the hell!" She quieted down a bit when she realized some of the people around them started looking in her direction. "Are you sure you're not dating?"

"I don't know at this point. But he played it off as a gift because I'm broke."

Tsubaki snorted. "Not wrong there."

"I'm not broke. I choose to live paycheck to paycheck." She laughed.

"But anyway, what are you doing for Valentine's Day next month?" Tsubaki asked, looking intently at the older girl.

"Uh.. Ooo. Did not think about that."

"Girl, are you dumb?"

"Yes? What about you then? What are you doing for Miles?"

"Well, he's working, but I'll make him chocolates and bring them to his job. Then after work we can go on a dinner date or something."

"Ooo. I'm copying that."

Tsubaki rolled her eyes and laughed.

The raven haired man lies on his back on an upper platform on the roof. Though the winter air is chilly, it doesn't bother him any. While he rests, Hibird quietly bounces around on his jacket.

As he begins to drift into a peaceful nap during his lunchbreak, Hibird suddenly starts to make noise. Not irritated in the slightest, he turns his head to his bird companion. "What is it?"

"Hibari! Hibari! Bite you to death!"

"What…?" His question drifts off as he suddenly feels the presence of the person at his left side.

He is startled, but he doesn't show it.

"How long were you there watching me like a creep, Kiseki?"

Said woman, who had been lying on her side watching him, with her head on her hand, shrugged one shoulder. "Eh. Couple minutes? You trying to get hyperthermia or something? It's cold!" She responded to his English with Japanese.

It was something that they started doing the beginning of the school year, especially at school or her workplace. It was a comfortable way of conversing for some reason.

It might have also been to ensure that the foreigner didn't rely on speaking English to him all the time, as they were not in her home country, and she needed to practice.

And he didn't have much reason to speak English anymore besides her.

"Then go back inside. No one asked you to come up here."

"No, it's important that I am here."

"Why?"

"Uh… don't you know what day it is?"

He shrugged briefly and put his arm over his eyes, blocking his view of the burgundy-head. "Monday?"

"Well, yes. But it's Valentine's Day, sir. So accept my gifts."

"I don't want them," he replied groggily. The young woman was interrupting his nap. He had half a mind to grab his tonfas that lay nearby and thrash her in the gut.

But when was the last time he'd done that?

"No! You have to accept my chocolate!"

"Don't want it."

"Take it."

"Give them to Kim or someone."

"Taka? I already gave him his favorite flavor of Pepero."

"Pep- what?" He slightly lifted his arm from his left eye to peer up at her.

"Pepero. It's like Korean Pocky."

"Aa."

A moment passed and Estell held out her heart shaped box to him. "Take it!"

"Who says I even like chocolates?"

"You can't fool me, mister. Do you forget that I am your store clerk when you come to my konbini? I know what you buy."

'Damn,' he thought. She was right on that one. She was aware of everything that he bought when she was on shift.

"Well, I bet it's inedible."

"It's not! I worked really hard on that. You better take it!"

Hibari groaned and snatched the package from her hands, harshly setting it down on his other side.

"Now eat it."

"No."

"Eat my heart-felt Valentine's Day chocolate, Hibari Kyoya!" She exclaimed.

Finally fed up, the young man gave her a look of disdain while eventually giving in and opening the box. Inside was a heart chocolate with his name on it. He groaned, rolled his eyes and broke a piece from it, putting it in his mouth. He expected it to be burnt, but it was just slightly bitter instead, like a dark chocolate. The texture was decent and the taste not quite bad.

"Well?"

"Eh. It's alright. I'm surprised."

Estell peered at him from above and smiled. "You have another present."

"I don't need anything else."

"Sure you do!"

Still lying on his back, he looks up at her with a raised eyebrow, which become two very raised eyebrows as the young woman's face gets closer and closer to his until her lips softly touch his own.

This was not something that he was expecting, yet at the same time he wondered why it had happened as late as it did. Estell was the most flirtatious, insidious person he'd met. It was a wonder she hadn't planted one on him months ago. She had ample opportunity. And depending on when it was, chances are he would have allowed it. Like when they last fought in the hall of the Hana-Kura. Like when they were alone on Sport's Day. Like on her birthday.

Like now.

As clique as this was, the girl that he had gotten to know over this past year had stolen his first kiss. He wasn't sure how to feel about that.

His eyes remained open as she slowly removed her sugary lips from his. He wasn't sure of the flavor, but she had some kind of lip gloss on. The sweet taste lingered on his mouth.

The red-faced girl smiled guiltily and jumped up from her kneeling position. "Happy Valentine's Day! See ya!"

And she clumsily jumped down from the platform instead of taking the ladder, cursing softly, and ran off back into the school building.

Packing up his things, the young man tidied up his office before leaving for the day. Even though hours had passed, he was still in a bit of a shock at what had transpired on the roof. The girl didn't even bother visiting the office during her study period this time, and it was a good thing that she didn't, he had thought. That would have been a very odd time. Were they supposed to just do work like normal? Surely, he would have been too distracted.

He traveled the short distance back to his home and began to relax, changing clothes and grabbing a book to read quietly.

A few hours pass before there is a knock on his door. He wasn't expecting any visitors and so he frowns, but makes his way to it. The last person he wanted to see stands on the other side, smiling dorkily at him.

"Hi," she says casually. "You remember that dinner date that we never had?"

"You still remember that?" He groaned.

"Of course I do, silly! So anyway, we're having it today," she says and pulls out her phone, opening up a notes app. "What do you desire?"

"For you to go away?" He tried.

"Food. What food do you desire?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hmm…" He breathed out. Was he going to trust the cooking of his crazy neighbor? What if it was poisoned? Or worse? "Bread."

She scoffed. "Can you be serious? 'Cause I am. I am like, a really good cook now. I've been trying out the stuff in the cookbook Miles got me for my birthday." She grinned.

"Who?" He asked as if he didn't know who she was referring to. He did.

"You're not funny! You always do that," she rolled her eyes.

He chuckled. "We're really doing this, huh?"

"Yup. And it only took like 8 months. So. What food would you like?"

He sighed. Maybe it'll be okay. Plus, he started becoming fine with spending time with her a while ago. It wasn't going to hurt including her into his evening plans. Or rather, she had included him into her evening plans.

"Just.. curry rice is fine, I guess. Beef, if you have it."

"I just came back from shopping and I have a lot of ingredients, so yes! I'll text you when it's done. My door will be unlocked."

She skipped away and he shook his head, then went back inside.

Not long after, he got a notification on his phone. He set his book back down again and arrived at his neighbor's place.

"Why did you shape it into a heart?" He peered down at the curry poured over rice, all in a heart shape.

"That's a dumb question." She said simply.

'It was literally a legitimate question…' he thought. But then again, the day never changed. It was still the 14th of February. This was shaping up to be the weirdest day he's had in a while. Last time was probably in middle school. Crazy stuff was always happening then.

"You like music? I'm gonna put on some music."

"Whatever…"

He watched the girl put her phone on a speaker and fiddle around with it. Soon, the sounds of smooth jazz softly poured through the apartment.

The table that stood in front of the couch was low, and so Estell sat down on the floor, and he followed suit, sitting adjacent to her.

He stared down at his food. It did smell good, but that meant nothing. He wearily grabbed a spoon and took a bite. He noticed how the girl's eyes fell on him as he did. His face remained nonchalant, but he was actually astonished. The food was good. Really good.

Estell smiled after he went to take another bite and started eating her own meal.

"So…" she started.

"Do we need to converse over this?"

She giggled then. "Admit it; you're gonna miss me once I'm gone."

The young man stopped short the bite of curry he was about to take. "Gone?"

"Yeah. I'm moving back home to California after graduation. Not sure when, though. End of next month, maybe? I should probably start packing and stuff soon. But yeah, I didn't tell you?"

This was the first he'd heard of it. It never occurred to him that she would leave almost as fast as she came. He hated admitting this to himself, but he had some form of affection for this girl, and she was just going to leave. What was the point of everything? He stared down at his plate in thought.

"Um.. Your foods going to get cold..?" She cocked her head at him. "You good? You went kinda quiet. Was it that much of a shock? I wasn't staying here forever."

He lifted his spoon back to his mouth and remained silent.

"Anyway, aren't I such a good cook now? I'm so good." She said happily and continued eating.

He shrugged.

Her smile faded and she stared at the ravenette. "You good, Kyoya? Why am I getting the silent treatment now?"

He looked at her then.

"The thought of me leaving made you grumpy. Aww."

"Shut up," he mumbled, but didn't deny it. He was a bit perturbed by the new information that he received. How was she going to take responsibility for him falling for her? He closed his eyes tightly. He hated thinking thoughts like those. When had he fallen for her, exactly? But the most important question of all should be: why? Why the hell would he fall for this woman? She was crazy, difficult, annoying, coy, uneducated, psychotic. The list could go on.

"I can stay a little longer. Maybe April. Oh! May. I can stay until your birthday!"

He opened his eyes. "Why? There's no point. Just go home."

"Oh…"

He examined the sad expression on the girl's face and sighed. He had hurt her feelings. "Do whatever you want."

He made it his mission then to finish his curry rice. She followed suit.

After they were done, Estell took the dishes and soaked them in the sink. She sat down on the couch as Hibari had did. The sounds of the instruments were the only things heard for a while.

"So um… you took what I did this afternoon very well. Thoughts?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Thoughts on what?"

"The thing… that I did?"

"Mm. I'd rather have no thoughts on that." Which wasn't really a lie. After she kissed him, he kept thinking about it at school, while he was doing paperwork, when he initially went home to relax and escape all thoughts… This woman always did something to make herself stay in his head. He wanted her out.

"Oh. So, you hated it. Like you hate me. Got it."

"Stop putting words in my mouth. I didn't say any of that."

"Eh? Well." She crossed her arms and looked away. "This is—I mean, you know this already. I know you know. You said it. But I guess it's best that the words actually come from my mouth. I um.. So uh…" She looked straight ahead at the wall, arms still crossed. "I really like you, Hibari Kyoya."

Hibari, who had already been looking at her, said nothing. He just blinked. It had finally happened. Her confession. Of course, she was right. He knew. He knew for a while. And so it irked him that she had the nerve to do it on the day that she also said that she would be leaving the country. He was really irritated.

"You don't have to accept it or anything, since you seem really pissed at me anyway. I just wanted you to finally hear it from me, Kyoya."

Again, just casually dropping his first name. The audacity. He didn't even feel like chastising her. He just wanted to leave.

He had enough Kiseki Estell for the day. Any more and he may quite literally go mad.

wow

Anyway, play Karaoke Neighbor (free for PC) link in profile

Shout out to Norway! Thanks for reading.

Song:

Vanilla - Gackt