By : Naki
Chapter Two
While Masaru didn't "go ape" at seeing Jiro, he was ecstatic all the same. He demonstrated this by latching onto him. Literally. He grabbed onto Jiro's arm and refused to let go. He sat on the couch next to his favorite guy in the world and ran at the mouth by telling Jiro of all his exploits in the past year they've been apart. Jiro couldn't get a word in edgeways.
Upon finishing his long narrative, Masaru looked Jiro in the eye with a serious face. "Jiro-niichan?"
Jiro gave him a small smile. "Hm?"
"Will you promise never to leave us again?"
Jiro managed to keep the smile on his face but his eyes betrayed the shock he felt. He hadn't expected Masaru to ask that of him, especially after all that happened. In the past Jiro had felt it was his duty to protect Mitsuko and Masaru, not only because they were the biological children of his creator, but also because he cared deeply for both of them. He knew he was a magnet for trouble that was often in the form of what humans would refer to as "monsters" just because he was "Kikaider." Even after all the trouble, fear, and the near-death experiences, Masaru still wanted him around?
What about Mitsuko? Where did she stand on this issue? Jiro thought back to earlier when she ran up and hugged him. Maybe her happiness at seeing him was going to be a temporary feeling and she would want him to leave? Somehow Jiro doubted that; it wasn't in Mitsuko's character to be cold like that.
"Jiro-niichan?" Masaru asked, ripping Jiro from his thoughts. He gazed into the boy's anxious face.
Darn my conscience circuit… Jiro smiled and ruffled Masaru's hair. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try my best."
"Yay!" Masaru flung himself at Jiro, hugging the android around the neck tightly. "Thank you, Jiro-niichan!"
A sudden brief flash of light startled them. Mitsuko stood in the doorway across the room with a camera in her hand. She smiled. "Now that was a Kodak moment."
Masaru looked at her and blinked. "Mitsuko-neechan, where did you get the camera?"
She sat down in the chair across the coffee table from them. "I've had it for a couple of years and just found it. I hope this film is still good because that's going to make a great photo!"
"Mitsuko-neechan, what are we going to do today?"
Mitsuko shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I hadn't really planned on anything. Tou-san's supposed to call later, I think."
Masaru scrunched his face up in thought, slid off the couch and ran over to the window. He pulled the brown drapes open, allowing sunlight in. Masaru squinted as he observed outside. He smiled. "Hey! It's not raining anymore. Can I go outside, Mitsuko-neechan?"
Mitsuko had turned around in her chair. "You can after you get dressed, Masaru."
"Okay!" On his way to his bedroom, Masaru stopped and tugged on Jiro's arm. "Will you come outside and play with me, Jiro-niichan?"
Jiro looked to Mitsuko, who nodded. He turned to Masaru. "Okay."
"Good." Masaru ran out of the room. As he left he called back, "I'll teach you how to play soccer!"
Jiro cocked an eyebrow at Mitsuko. "What's soccer?"
Mitsuko got up from her seat to sit by him. She left her camera on the arm of the chair she vacated. "Soccer is a sport, Jiro. Masaru's become very interested in sports since he started public school. He's very competitive, too. He also likes baseball, but I think he likes soccer the most." She shifted so she could look him in the face. "Jiro, this is very important. When Masaru teaches you this game and you play with him, you have to remember to control your strength. I don't want you to hurt Masaru on accident."
Jiro nodded. "I understand. How do you play this...sport?"
"Let Masaru tell you that. I'm not about to steal his thunder."
That was another phrase Jiro didn't know if he should take seriously or if it was just another "figure of speech." As he went to ask about it, he noticed for the first time, and he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed before (it was so obvious!) that Mitsuko had...long hair. He reached out his hand and lightly touched her hair. Mitsuko froze and her shoulders tensed up and she shivered. This alarmed Jiro and he pulled his hand back.
"I'm sorry," he stammered.
Mitsuko's shoulders relaxed. She looked at Jiro. "No, no, you did nothing wrong, Jiro. You just...caught me by surprise, that's all."
"Your hair is long."
Mitsuko fought back the urge to say, "You just noticed?" Instead she made a face and twirled a lock of her hair around her index finger. "It's not that long, but I hate it. I'm going to get it cut short as soon as I can."
"Don't." Mitsuko turned to Jiro in surprise when he said that. "I like it. Don't cut your hair. Let it grow."
Mitsuko's face reddened a bit and she smiled shyly. She suddenly felt like a schoolgirl that had just been complimented by her secret crush. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"It's not often that someone compliments me."
Really? Jiro thought in disbelief. How can people not compliment you? As he went to say this Masaru burst into the room, t-shirt, blue jeans, sneakers on with a large black and white ball in his hands.
"I'm ready, Jiro-niichan! Let's go!" Holding the ball between his elbow and his hip, Masaru grabbed Jiro's hand and attempted to haul him up.
Jiro stood and allowed Masaru to lead him outside.
It didn't take Jiro long to learn and fully comprehend soccer. Soon he was blocking every shot Masaru sent his way.
After about an hour and a half, Masaru plopped down on the lawn. He wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
"I think I'm ready to go inside now, Jiro-niichan."
"Are you all right?" Jiro asked, standing over him with the soccer ball in his hands.
Masaru looked up at Jiro and squinted against the bright sunlight. He pulled himself up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all. Let's go inside where it's nice and cool."
Once inside Masaru abandoned Jiro at the front door when he went into the kitchen for something to drink. Jiro wandered into the living room where he found Mitsuko reading a book on the couch. She looked up and smiled at him.
"Am I disturbing you?"
She shook her head. "No, of course not. I was just killing time."
Jiro stood there and gave Mitsuko his famous confused-as-hell look that made his face scrunch and one eyebrow pop up. Mitsuko thought it made him look unbelievably cute.
"Please tell me that 'killing time' is another one of your 'figures of speech.' I don't think that's possible."
Mitsuko attempted to stifle her laugh as she set her book on the coffee table and failed miserably. Jiro continued to look at her only this time his confused look was replaced by a slightly offended expression.
"Did I say something amusing?" There was an edge to his voice.
Mitsuko lost her smile. "I'm sorry, Jiro. I shouldn't laugh at things you don't understand. That's my mistake. I'm sorry."
Jiro's face went from offended to slightly confused. Why is she apologizing? I wasn't really upset. It was just a reaction. He thought about this briefly. The reaction was one he had picked up somewhere, a reaction to being mocked or not taken seriously. But if I didn't really feel insulted or angry, then I misused the reaction. But Mitsuko thought she was inadvertently making fun of me, assumed from my "reaction" that I was offended, and apologized. But I really wasn't offended, but she thought I was because of the way I reacted, so... His eyes fell. I guess that makes me a deceiver! ...or a really good actor... He added as an afterthought.
"Jiro?"
He came whirling back into reality to see Mitsuko giving him a strange look. "Huh?"
It was her turn to look indignant. "Oh, so now you're not even listening to what I say? I just apologized!"
"Sorry," Jiro said hurriedly. "I heard you and...you don't need to be sorry so don't worry about it." Mitsuko patted the cushion next to her and told him to come sit by her. He complied. As he sat down he said, "Besides, I was lost in thought."
"Oh," she said in a high tone of exaggerated understanding. "Unfamiliar territory?"
Jiro caught on immediately. He turned to face her and pointed his index finger at her. "That was so cold! What's with you, anyway?"
As Mitsuko busted out laughing, Jiro dropped his head and hid his face in his hands. He listened as the young woman next to him went on to say, "I wasn't expecting that kind of response at all! That's just not like you."
Great, he thought sarcastically, I'm starting to act like Ichiro. As soon as he thought that, he felt sad. A feeling that was equivalent to his heart falling down out of his chest. He faintly heard Mitsuko calling to him and felt her hand on his shoulder. She didn't know about his brothers, so he was going to leave it like that. Far be it for him to cause himself any more pain.
He finally looked up into Mitsuko's worried face and gave what he hoped was a smile that defied his inner turmoil. It wasn't. "I'm sorry, Mitsuko. I'm fine."
"Okay," she said, her tone saying she believed him, her eyes saying she did not. "Where on earth did you pick that response up from?"
Going with his earlier decision , Jiro came up with the next best thing. "From a...a friend."
Mitsuko felt saddened from the grief laid out in his tone and, as he began to rise from the couch, she grabbed hold of his jacket. He was surprised by her actions that he allowed her to gently pull him back into his seat. She slipped her arms around his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. When she spoke her voice quavered. "No. No. Don't go Jiro. Stay with me. I'm sad when you're sad. So let's just comfort each other, okay?"
Jiro silently agreed and wrapped his arms around her and brought her as close as possible without hurting her. He rested his cheek on top of her head. They sat like that a while, each holding the other. A contented smile spread across Jiro's face. He, as he'd heard other's say and was pretty sure was another "figure of speech," was head over heels in love with Mitsuko. He couldn't explain why, but he was certain what he felt towards her was beyond the simple caring he had initially felt for her in the beginning.
The only problem was, because he knew he loved her (and consequently would do anything for her,) he had no idea how to act on his feelings. This wasn't a department he was well versed in.
He contemplated this as he scanned his main memory processor. Well, he thought as the proverbial light bulb clicked on. I do know one thing... He heard movement upstairs, and deduced that was where Masaru had disappeared. Better make this quick.
He gently pushed Mitsuko away but kept her at arm's length with his hands on her shoulders. She protested by saying his name. She quieted at his smile.
"I have to do something very important," he said. Before she could query him, he leaned over and kissed her. Her initial shock wore off, but just as she was beginning to enjoy it he pulled away. She looked up and in his eyes was a feeling so intense she felt a little...she couldn't explain it, but the best word she could come up with on the spot was...crowded. She knew Jiro was fully capable of experiencing and understanding feelings such as love, but she wasn't aware that his feelings could get so intense.
"I love you, Mitsuko."
Her instinctive reaction was to sit there wide-eyed with a look of shock on her face. She did so, but only momentarily. The next thing she did was such a conflict of personality that it sent Jiro's mind reeling into next week in surprise. She tackled him with such force that he toppled over; the arm of the couch pressed into the middle of his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave a smile so big that Jiro swore the room got a little brighter.
Mitsuko kissed him back, giving herself enough time to fully enjoy the new sensation. Contrary to the rest of him, Jiro's lips were soft. Very soft. As she pulled away to breathe, she smiled again. "I love you, too."
As luck, (or timing, you choose,) would have it, Masaru chose this particular moment to open the door. "Hey, Mitsuko-neechan, have you seen..." He froze at the sight of the two of them in their current compromising position. In shock he slammed the door with a shout.
Mitsuko slid off Jiro looking incredibly embarrassed. Next will come the questions and endless chattering about marriage and the name of the firstborn child...
"Mitsuko...?" Jiro put a hand on her shoulder and she responded by moving into his embrace.
"Do you mean it?" Came Mitsuko's voice, soft and scared.
"Of course," Jiro replied. Mitsuko snuggled tightly against him.
"Good," she replied, not wanting to move. "So do I."
It was at that moment the phone decided to ring.