Kotoko Strikes Back!
Chapter 14 (Side Story)
HIS STORY
"Yucks! It tasted so awful!" I complained out in disgust because of the funny taste. "Is that so?" Neechan anxiously dips her index finger into the bowl and gives it a lick. "Yucks!" Neechan quickly spits out the bitter substance out which is supposed to be chocolate, but I guess she would have to try again.
Poor neechan, always a loser whenever she is in the kitchen, why couldn't she just buys the chocolate instead? I am sure that the chocolates that I received from those anonymous girls during the past Valentines were from the gift shops.
"Michi, what have you done to my pot?" Kaasan almost fainted when she couldn't even recognize her precious red pot that my neechan is holding on to.
Konnichiwa! My name is Kenrou Kurozawa, and that loser in the kitchen would be to be my neechan, Michi Kurozawa and the one who almost fainted is my mother Ryoko Kurozawa. We moved into this new house after my father passed away during one month ago. My father had bought it for my mother during her birthday, so she had insisted moving here even if we have to get up extra earlier than usual for school (me) and work (neechan and kaasan).
"Ohayou!!"
"You are always late." I shouted mercilessly into Tabe, my best friend's ear. I hate people who are always late and yet I have been best friend with this 'King of Lateness' for so many years, isn't life just ironic?
"My alarm clock wasn't working this morning." Tabe would chatter on with his explanation even when I've chosen to ignore him. Always the same old excuses - alarm clock not working, flat tire and once he even told me that he was locked in his toilet when there isn't even any lock in the first place because I have been to his house for countless time.
"Stop explaining or I will make sure your teeth end up in your pocket." I have to turn my head around to warn him because the noise from the bypassing trains is almost drowning our voice. "Kenrou! Watch out!" I could see Tabe's horrified expression, but it is already too late for me to react. "KYAAAAAA!!!"
"Your bike will be ready in two days time." The technician informed in a monotonous voice.
"What? Two days? Are you kidding?" I protested out angrily. The accident during this morning was already frustrating because I have to push my bike all the way to school instead of riding it and now this?
"You can ask the rest of the shops, they would need two days too."
"Whatever." I wave my hand to stop that burly man from blabbering on because I really have no mood to listen to him finding excuses for his inefficiency. I decide to throw away all boxes of chocolates into a nearby bin since they would be a burden to me if I have to walk home instead.
Valentine really sucks!
It has been months since we moved into this house and I am getting quite used to the long distance journey to school. "Damn!" I curse while scrutinizing at the scar on my forehead through the mirror. It kind of reminds me of the girl I've clashed into during this morning. Her expressions gave me an impression that she was in great pain, but she just ran off without accepting my apology. What a strange girl.
Her dress code was a resemblance of a country mouse visiting the town for the first time. I wouldn't imagine any Tokyo girls wearing that kind of dress.
"Oh mother, please stop crying. You sounded as if neechan is not coming back." I am trying my best to comfort mother after neechan and her fiancé announced their plan after marriage during the night before.
"Why must she marry a gaijin? WHY? WHY?" Obviously my skill in comforting needs more polishing because mother is now crying louder and harder than minutes ago.
"Maybe a gaijin would appreciate neechan's cooking than a nihonjin would?" I know I have cracked a bad joke but I just couldn't help it. Neechan is going to get married in a few days time. Kaasan had strongly objected to that marriage during the initial stages but I guess true love could make people survived through any tough obstacles.
I really pity my brother-in-law to be, or to be precise, his stomach?
It's Valentine day again.
"How am I going to digest all these chocolates?" I asked myself while laying out the beautifully wrapped chocolates onto my bed. I can only do this when mother is not around, or else she would start her nagging again. After giving the bed of chocolates a quick scan, I notice one wrapped in pink translucent paper. There isn't any card attaching to it. I must have lost it somewhere. I unwrap the paper and throw it into my mouth and my face turns pale almost immediately as the piece of candy starts melting in my mouth.
"Yucks!" I spit the whole piece of chocolate out and it lands and stains on my favourite jeans. "It's the worst chocolate that I ever tasted! Even worse than neechan's!" I cried out and quickly run into the toilet in order to wash away the awful taste. I don't really know how to describe it -- spicy and yet sweet? Urghh…who can possibly be a worse cook than neechan?
"Kenrou! Are you back?" Kaasan is back from work? I take a quick glance at my watch, which only indicates 15 00 Hr. Why is she so early today? Just as I am wondering, the answer is out. "Someone is here to live with us."
Well, that is something new. I quickly dry my face with the towel and step out of my room. "Meet your cousin Tanaka Keiko." Kaasan starts with the introduction.
"Isn't she?" All I can do is to stare blankly at the girl who is now standing behind mother and at that very moment, I have totally forgotten about the awful taste on my taste bud.
" Konnichiwa, I am Keiko. Doozo yoroshiku!" The girl pauses and fixes her glance at my hand. " Oh, I see that you have eaten my chocolate! Do you like it?"
"What?" I almost black out. This would be the second surprise that Keiko has given to me today. The reason why I was shocked when mother first introduced us is due to the fact that the girl whom I had knocked down with my bike exactly one year ago was actually Keiko, my cousin.
Valentine really and I mean...really sucks!
"Kenrou-kun, wait for me." Keiko has been shouting from behind and I have been ignoring her like what I had been doing for the past few months. "Aren't you going to slow down a bit?" Tabe asked.
"Who cares?" I continue with the cycling at my normal pace because I have had enough of this girl. Her voice is always louder than the thunder and what's worse is that she would always shout right into my ears as though I am deaf. I don't really understand what made mother adore Keiko so much.
"Kenrou-kun! Please wait up...I can't cycle any faster." Keiko pleaded.
"Kenrou, should we stop and wait for her?" Tabe asked again.
"You can do it if you wish to, but not me." I replied coldly, without even looking back. From the corner of my eyes, I notice Tabe slowing down. What a fool, I don't think he would want to do that if Keiko is to stay with his family instead of mine.
"Happy birthday to Keiko…happy birthday to you…"
"Quick, make a wish…" Keiko closes her eyes and starts murmuring something before reopening her eye. Then she blows the candles. Tanaka Keiko has turned 17 this year.
"Kenrou, what present are you giving Keiko?" Kaasan asked.
"Nothing." I replied with a I-don't-care expression and I know she will starts blowing off her top again. "What? How can you be so insensitive?" Kaasan begins.
"Never mind. As long as Kenrou-kun stays here with me, I am contented." Keiko quickly comes to my rescue, but who needs her help? Anyway, I do appreciate that since I don't think I would enjoy a lecture or nagging by mother in front of all her friends.
"What did you wish for?" Someone asked. I notice Keiko starts blushing. Girls! Why do they always tend to blush? Is that a technique to seduce the opposite sex? Well, too bad, I wouldn't fall for this kind of dirty trick.
"I wish Kenrou-kun would wait for me at least for one time." Keiko finally said out her wish and she has successfully made everyone in directing his or her stares at me.
What kind of wish is that anyway? However, she would never failed to surprise me with all those stupid actions, speeches and Urghh…especially her cooking.
"Kenrou-kun, wait for me!"
"Kenrou, stop being so mean and slow down." Tabe insisted.
"Well, I am being mean okay. Is it my fault that she was cycling so slow?" I rebutted, feeling quite offended by Tabe's accusation.
"Kenrou Kurozawa! I have had enough. How can you be so…so…cold-blooded?" Tabe shouted out accusingly and stops his cycle. I stop too, not for the sake of Keiko, but Tabe.
"What now?"
"Can you stop being so mean to Keiko? She is after all a girl and not to mention that she happens to be your cousin, a relative. Does that ring a bell in your cold, cold brain?" This is the first time I see Tabe looking so serious. He must have been in love with Keiko. I could say nothing, and cycle off without him.
"Hey Tabe, what happened to you this morning? I didn't see you at the normal spot." I spot Tabe in the café during break time since we are not in the same class. Tabe's expression is surprisingly cold and unfeeling. For a moment, I thought I have gotten the wrong person.
"I won't be cycling to school with you starting from tomorrow." Tabe replied and shoves my hand away from his shoulder.
"Why?" I couldn't believe my ears.
"I don't want to have a cold-blooded animal as a best friend."
"Cold-blooded animal?" I just stand rooted to the ground, dumbfound, even when Tabe had walked way and out of my sight.
"Kenrou-kun, you are back! Guess what? I baked you a cake!" Keiko comes rushing to the doorway with a big smile hanging on her face.
"Get lost!" Those are the only two words ringing in my head right now. I still couldn't believe that my best friend, whom I know for so many years, would call me a cold-blooded animal just because of this baka!
"What?" Keiko's face turns pale. I have to admit that I had been cold and harsh on Keiko since the day she stepped in my house, but never that harsh before.
"Didn't you hear it the first time? I said, GET LOST!" I repeated myself, my words sound as cold as before and it finally makes Keiko's eyes red as tomatoes.
"Why?" Keiko is shivering really hard while asking me the question.
"Why?" I recited her question out loud and clear. Well, she asks for it, so better don't blame me for it.
"Because………I hate you!" I growled and take in another deep breath before I continue with my reasons. " I hate you for damaging my bike! I hate you for causing me to have stomach upset after eating your so-call chocolates! I hate your loud and irritating screaming over little things! I hate your cooking because they are never edible! Last but not least, I hate everything about you!" I am a devil. I have vented all my frustration on this poor girl.
"STOP IT! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" Keiko burst into tears, pushes me aside and dashes out of the house. "Kenrou! Why must you say all those nasty things to Keiko?" Kaasan questioned me with a glare.
"Those aren't nasty things! Those were the facts." I rebutted.
"Kenrou, go and bring her back." Mother demanded angrily. "No." I replied determinedly. I refuse to oblige to mother because I am still very angry with Keiko and I don't know why, but I just feel so happy to see her crying. SMACK "What the…?" During that split second, I feel a sharp sting on my left cheek and now I could taste blood in my mouth as they oozes from some torn tissue. "You are such an imprudent and insensitive child!" Kaasan screamed right into my face before dashing out to look for Keiko. Kaasan has actually slapped me. I am once again dumbfounded. Kaasan has never slapped me before.
Why is she slapping me because of that baka? It seems that all my loved ones have turned hostile towards me all because of that baka! Isn't that just so unfair to me? For this reason, I am not going to forgive them.
NEVER!
Keiko never came back since that day and I didn't care much either. I've stopped talking to kaasan and Tabe. In fact, I've stopped talking to everyone since then. I am now feeling so lonely. I need to get out of this house, this school and perhaps this country.
Kaasan is crying outside the departure hall through the glass door that separated us. She had read my letter. "Arigatou." I thank the lady at the counter before taking my ticket and passport. I've decided to continue my studies in America. All thanks to that Tanaka Keiko. She has really messed up my life.
I hate her.
"Kenrou! You lucky duck! Are you going out with THE Miki?" Gavin, my roommate starts interrogating me the moment he steps into the room. I guess the news had reached his ears.
"Hai!" I nodded since there is no use denying any further. "She is a hot one." Gavin gave a soft punch on my shoulder and it made me smile. I started smiling again ever since the day I met my first girlfriend, Miki Fuijwara during a class seminar. She is a nice girl and I really enjoy being with her. Perhaps I would show her to kaasan during this coming holiday. I want to prove to her that I could still find a Japanese girl who is much better than that Tanaka Keiko even when I am in America.
Let's just see who gets the last laugh.
"Your house looks empty." Miki remarked.
"That's because my mum is staying here alone." I explained. Kaasan is not at home; perhaps she is still in the office.
"I need a bath." Miki informed.
"You can use the bathroom in my room." I told her and points to the direction of my room. The door to my room is locked. Fortunately, I still have the key with me. Everything is left intact…exactly the same as two years ago.
Miki has been in the bathroom for an hour, well, that's one thing I dislike. She always spent an amount of time on dolling herself up and of course that includes her bathing time. This is one thing Keiko wouldn't do. Urghh…why am I always comparing Miki with that baka? I really shouldn't come back in the first place. It has given me too many unpleasant memories.
I wonder how Tabe is doing right now? My pen! Darn it! It has dropped behind the bed.
"Now, where is that damn pen? "I silently cursed as I search blindly with my fingers. I should have switch on the light in the first place, but I guess I am too lazy to do so.
"KYAAA!"
"Who is screaming? Ouch! My head!" I felt a hard object hitting me right behind my head. "Blood?" I stammered when I notice something warm and sticky staining my right hand after I covered my head with it. What happened?
"Take this!" Another shouting is heard before a hard kick lands on my stomach. The pain is unbearable. I am now having blurred visions, am I draining of blood?
"IRIE-KUN???"
Who is Irie? I am getting weaker... Miki…where are you?
"Where am I?" I woke up and see Miki beside me.
"You are in a hospital." Miki replied.
"Hospital?" I thought I am already in hell.
"You were attacked by some crazy woman." Miki informed.
"Crazy woman? Urghh! My head, it's so painful." Why would there be a crazy woman coming into my house and attack me? And who is that Irie?
"Take it easy. You need some rest."
"I was so angry that I gave Kenrou a slap." Isn't that kaasan's voice? " It was a slap which I regretted giving him. He hasn't spoken a word to me since then."
"Don't cry." Wait…it's not Miki's voice. Kaasan is crying again, I have made her cry again. Oh kaasan…please stop crying. You make me want to cry too. "Kaasan…gomen nasai." I mumbled to myself and continue to pretend falling asleep. I am still not ready to face kaasan yet.
I need more time.
I need to get out of here by tonight.
End of Side Story – His Story