Chapter 7: You and Me One Sunday
AU: The song Sono Mama de Iinda is not mine! Sakamoto Maaya owns it!
ARIKA'S FRONT STEPS
Kiyota knocked on the door, Shinichi opened it with a big grin on his face. "Ohayou nii-chan!" he greeted. Kiyota ruffled the boy's head saying, "Ohayou Shi-chan" with that he entered the house.
It was Sunday morning. Kiyota decided to treat Arika and her brother out. Just last Tuesday, he passed his Chemistry test with flying colors and he owed it all to Arika's effort on tutoring him.
FLASHBACK
Junta-sensei wide-eyed exclaimed, "Nobunaga Kiyota 95%!" Kiyota jumped up saying, "YEA! That's an A+ meaning I've passed the test!"
END OF FLASHBACK
Kiyota sat down on the sofa. Shinichi sat beside him saying, "Nee-chan is so happy that you'll treat us today nii-chan!" Kiyota grinned and replied, "I'm happy too Shi-chan. It's my payment for your sister's tutoring to me"
"Oh I see you're here Kiyota" Arika exclaimed coming down the stairs. Kiyota turned around and saw Arika. He smiled, Arika certainly looked pretty that day. Her hair instead of braiding it was pulled into a ponytail with a silk white ribbon. She was wearing blue faded jeans and a lavender blouse.
"Sorry if I kept you waiting Kiyota" Arika exclaimed. Kiyota shook his head and said, "No it's okay, Shi-chan kept me company" Arika turned to his little brother who was in jean shorts and blue shirt and exclaimed, "Now Shi-chan, behave okay, I don't want to give Kiyota a headache"
Shinichi nod his head and exclaimed, "Yes nee-chan" Kiyota looked at his watch and exclaimed, "I bet the theme park is already open now. Ready to go?"
Arika and Shinichi nod their heads and exclaimed, "Hai!"
THEME PARK
Shinichi tugged Arika's sleeves crying, "Nee-chan, lets ride the carousel, onegai!" Arika smiled and patted her brother on the head and said, "Why sure Shinichi" she then turned to Kiyota and asked, "Is it okay for you to ride the carousel?"
"Yeah its okay, why?" Kiyota asked. Arika went red and replied, "Anou... I thought you would think that riding in a carousel are for babies such like that" Kiyota exclaimed, "Of course not Arika. If Shinichi wants to ride it why not? And besides, I'm treating you guy right? Whatever you want"
With that Kiyota, Arika with her brother went over to the carousel. Shinichi chose a black horse to ride on. Kiyota helped him to get on the horse which is too big for Shinichi. Arika settled for a white pony. Kiyota rode on gray horse next to the white pony. As everyone was settled, the ride started.
"Anou Arika, can I ask you something?" Kiyota asked. Arika looked at him and nod her head. "Where are your parents? No offense, but I noticed that it seems that its only you and Shinichi living in that house"
Arika's head hung low and answered, "You see Kiyota, my parents well... they are already dead. They died two years ago in a plane crash." Kiyota was shocked, he muttered, "Gomenasai, I didn't know..."
"It's okay, its been two years already. If you're going to ask how we are surviving, I have my aunt giving me the money for Shinichi's schooling and stuff. As you see, I have 100% scholarship ever since I started studying in Kainan." Arika replied looking away.
Kiyota exclaimed, "Now I can understand why are you so responsible." Arika smiled and said, "I have to be, I mean... I am now the one who'll be taking care of Shinichi"
"Hows Shinichi coping up with the lose?" Kiyota asked. "He's doing fine, right now he worries about me" Arika replied looking at his brother who is enjoying the ride.
Kiyota replied, "He should be Arika. I mean, according to him, you always go home crying, you know you should learn to stand up and fight. Ria is a just a girl, she may look tough but I know by the time you fight back, she's one hell of a coward" Arika sighed and said, "Common now Kiyota, like I can do that. Ever since I was a child, I am always being bullied by bullies. I'm used to it"
"Everyone has its limits Arika. You too, so when things explode, explode. Like what they say enough is enough!" Kiyota pointed out. Arika looked at Kiyota and asked, "Are you really Kiyota Nobunaga? Such meaningful words coming from you it's like not you"
Kiyota laughed and said, "I know! I usually good around but mind you I can be really serious" Arika laughed and replied, "Sou da yo ne"
Shinichi tapped his sister by the arm and said, "Nee-chan, nii-chan the ride is over!" Kiyota looked around and sure do they're the only one left. They were into their topic that they were not able to notice that the carousel ride ended.
"So Shi-chan, were do you want to ride next?" Kiyota asked. Shinichi pointed to a ride with two huge loops. It was a roller coaster. Arika went white upon seeing it and exclaimed, "No way I'm riding that!" Kiyota held her hand and said, "Common now Arika, there's nothing be afraid of!"
Arika looked at Kiyota. He was holding her hand. "Don't worry, I'm here remember?" Kiyota replied. Arika blushed and said, "H-hai!"
"YAY! Nee-chan is going to ride with us!" Shinichi cried. He then grabbed Kiyota by the arm saying, "Common nii-chan, nee-chan!"
After the roller coaster (bench)
She was never been so embarrassed. She has to puke two times in the trash can to get her dizziness over. "I hate roller coasters!" she cursed in her mind. Kiyota handed Arika bottled water asking, "Daijoubu?"
Arika took the bottled water and drink from it. "Hai... gomen ne... I didn't mean to" she replied after drinking. Kiyota shook his head and said, "Nah it's okay! I perfectly understand!"
"Nee nii-chan, lets go over there!" Shinichi replied pointing over the shooting range that was infront of them. Kiyota smiled and said, "Okay Shi-chan" with that he winked at Arika. Arika blushed. Kiyota stood up and lead Shinichi over the shooting range.
After 30 Minutes
Kiyota went back to the bench carrying a cute plushie toy of a dog. "Here for you, I got it for shooting 13 ducks" he replied grinning at her. Arika took it with a blushing face and replied, "Arigato Kiyota"
Shinichi then handed her another plushie toy, it was a cat and exclaimed, "Here's mine! I also shot 13 ducks, of course with a little help from nii-chan" Akira giggled as she took the toy and said, "Arigato Shinichi" with that she hugged her little brother.
"Hey! No hug for me?" Kiyota asked looking at Arika teasingly. Arika looked at Kiyota and smiled. Kiyota smiled back and said, "Nah, a smile is enough"
Shinichi then pointed something saying, "Nee-chan! Nee-chan! Look! Karaoke!" Arika turned around and sure do, there was a karaoke booth. "Nee-chan, common, you love to sing right? Common!" Shinichi exclaimed as he tugged Arika to the karaoke booth.
"You sing Arika?" Kiyota asked. Arika nod her head and said, "Um yeah but believe me, my voice is not that beautiful" Shinichi dropped a token on the booth, and said, "Choose a song nee-chan" Arika chose the song number 13.
Sono Mama de Iinda by Sakamoto Maaya flashed on the screen and the intro music blared on the speakers. Arika then started to sing...
"sono mama de iinda
sonna yasashii kotoba o iwareta no
sono mama de iinda
kokoro no sukima sotto umeru you ni"
Kiyota's jaw dropped. "My voice is not that beautiful? She got to be kidding me!" he thought. Arika has the voice, she may not look like a singer but she has the voice! That's definitely the fact!
"kanashii KOTO ga atte mo
tsumasaki ni oshi ko meru you ni SUNIIKAA ki tsuku mu sunda"
"Nee-chan is really good" Shinichi exclaimed "Right nii-chan?" Kiyota smiled and answered, "Right Shi-chan"
"dare kano maegami mane shitari
mienai mirai ni obie nagara
nani mo kamo shitteru to
nikki ni kaita
dakedo sono mama de iinda"
"Why is this so familiar to me?" Kiyota wondered "This scene..."
"sono mama de iinda
fui o tsukarete toki ga tachi domaru
sono mama de iinda
afureru itami sotto tsutsumu you ni"
Kiyota noticed that Arika was drawing attention from passers-by. "Wow, such a voice! She's really good" a girl replied to her friend. "Yeah, I wonder who she is?"
"This is so dammed familiar" Kiyota exclaimed in his mind.
"chiisana ryoute ippai
watashi dake no kono jinsei
hoka no daremo kimerarenai"
"Hey who is she? She sounds like Maaya Sakamoto, Sugoi!" a guy exclaimed. The girl with him exclaimed, "Yeah, such a beautiful voice"
"koori no kokoro ga sure chigau
machi ni iki teiru furue nagara
shinjitai ai shitai dare kano koto o
soshite anata ni deatta"
A girl exclaimed, "She sounded like an angel!" when Kiyota heard it, it all became clear to him. "That's right! NO wonder this looked so familiar. Arika's voice and her ability to draw people in her singing is seemingly similar to Veniz's style of singing."
"sakamichi noboreba akogare no
mirai to ha sukoshi chigatte ta kedo
tada nani mo iranai to
odayaka ni omoeta
kitto sono mama de iinda"
"Truly like an angel singing..." Kiyota replied in his mind. As the last note hit, everyone clapped their hands. They even clapped more when the score was shown.
Shinichi cried, "Nee-chan got a score of 100%! Nee-chan is Sugoi!" with that he hugged Arika. Arika smiled and said, "Plain luck I guess"
"What do you mean plain luck? And what's this my voice is not that beautiful? Arika, you've just attracted a lot of people here. You've mesmerized them with your voice. You sings beautifully" Kiyota exclaimed staring at Arika.
Arika blushed pink and said, "Anou... arigato... demo I don't really think that I have such beautiful voice." Kiyota made a laugh and said, "Well I think you have! Common you two, let's have some lunch and ice cream"
RESTAURANT
"Kiyota this is too much, I mean you paid for the theme park fare and now this?" Arika replied. "Common I insist!" Kiyota exclaimed winking at her.
Shinichi beamed at Kiyota and said, "Nii-chan is no nice. I wish you were nee-chan's kareshi so that I'll have you forever!" Arika blushed and exclaimed, "Shinichi! Gomen ne Kiyota, he didn't mean it"
"But I do nee-chan! Nii-chan is nice and I think you and nii-chan look good together" Shinichi pointed out. Arika went redder and exclaimed, "SHINICHI!" Kiyota smiled and said, "It's okay Arika, now Shinichi eat, it's not good butting into adult's conversation"
Shinichi nod his head and started eating. Kiyota looked at Arika who was still red in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry Kiyota, Shinichi always kept on bugging me to find a boy friend already" Kiyota replied, "I can perfectly see that, why don't you look for one?"
"Common now Kiyota, like someone would be interested in me" Arika replied making a laugh. Kiyota shrugged his shoulders and said, "You would never know" Arika looked at Kiyota and asked, "Anou Kiyota... how about you? Found someone yet?"
Kiyota shook his head and said, "Nah... you probably know that after my heart break with Sakuragi's sister I wasn't able to find another yet." Arika nod her head and said, "Anou, you mean no one have met your standards yet?"
"Yup, Veniz is one of a kind, I want someone who is like her, I want that girl to be like an angel in my life" Kiyota exclaimed in a dreamy state. "Demo nii-chan, nee-chan is an angel!" Shinichi exclaimed, apparently he was listening to the conversation.
"A what?" Kiyota and Arika both asked. "Nee-chan is an angel, she takes good care of me, she loves me, she's nice, loving and understanding. Everyone in the Science club of her school calls her an Angel because she has won so many science quiz championships for Kainan! Nee-chan is an angel right?"
Arika smiled and replied, "Shinichi we'll answer that later, you go on and finish your food" Kiyota looked at his own plate, Shinichi's words echoed in his mind. "Nee-chan is an angel!"
"Something wrong Kiyota?" Arika asked. Kiyota looked up and said, "Don't worry, I just felt a lot hungrier than before" with that Arika and Kiyota laughed.
END OF THE DAY
They stopped at Arika's front door step. It was 5 in the afternoon. After the theme park, they decided to go the Children's museum, the park and they stopped over the ice cream parlor for cool sundaes. Arika bowed her head and exclaimed, "Arigato for the treat Kiyota"
"Don't mention it, it's may payment for your patience and hard work in tutoring me" Kiyota replied with a knowing look. "That reminds me, you have another quiz this coming Friday" Arika pointed out.
Kiyota nod his head and said, "So I'll be seeing you tomorrow right?" Arika gave him a thumb up sign and said, "You got that!" she then looked at her watch and exclaimed, "Hey why not stay for dinner? I'll whip up a fettuccini tonight"
Shinichi gave Kiyota a pleading look. Kiyota sighed and said, "Why can't I resist? Oh all right!" Shinichi grabbed Kiyota's arm, tugging him inside the house saying, "YAY! Common, play video games with me nii-chan!" Arika shook her head as she enters the house.
INSIDE THE HOUSE
KITCHEN
Arika was busy preparing the food for that night. Kiyota walked into the kitchen seeing her chopping some celery. Shinichi meanwhile was busy playing video games in the living room.
"Need help?" Kiyota asked. Arika turned around and said, "Well maybe, you could wash those for me" with that she pointed to the sink filled with cups and bowls. Kiyota put on an apron and said, "No problem" he was about to start when Arika cried, "Itai!"
Kiyota turned to her and saw that she cut her finger. Blood was coming out from her index finger. "Oh no I cut my finger..." Arika replied. Kiyota took her finger and sucked the blood and said, "There does it feel better?"
Arika blushed and said, "Um... yeah... arigato" Kiyota smiled and said, "You should be careful in handling a knife" Arika smiled saying, "Hai"
"Nice going Arika, what's with you and cutting your finger like that?" Arika's mind screamed at her. "I'm dammed so nervous! Kiyota is here going to eat dinner with us plus he's helping me in here! I'm just too dammed close!" Arika exclaimed.
She the place the chopped celery on a cup and handed Kiyota the chopping board and knife. She turned around walked towards the cupboard, she didn't notice that there was a little water spilled on the floor, she walked to it and slipped. Luckily Kiyota saw her and caught her in time.
"Arika!" Kiyota exclaimed as he grabbed her by the waist stopping her from slipping entirely to the marbled floor. Arika looked up and saw Kiyota looking at her straight in the eye. Arika's heart was thumping hard.
"Oh my God, now this is dammed closer than I think!" Arika thought turning red. "Oh wow, I never imagine Arika's eyes could be so beautiful..." Kiyota thought staring at Arika's eyes.
Kiyota then helped Arika to her feet saying, "You all right? That was a close call" Arika nod her head saying, "Didn't see that spilled water... dammed it, can't see that well without my glasses"
"I almost forgot, Ria broke her glasses!" Kiyota thought. Arika smiled and him and said, "Don't worry I'm fine. Go back to Shinichi, this will be a breeze"
Soon enough they were eating dinner at the dining table. Kiyota praised Arika for the food was extremely delicious. He even joked, "I'd love you to have you as a wife!" Arika laughed and said, "Oh no you won't, you see I nag a lot!" with that they both laughed.
"Hey why not? I mean you two looked good together!" Shinichi pointed out. With this both Arika and Kiyota blushed and exclaimed, "SHINICHI!" this time it was Shinichi who was laughing. Arika and Kiyota looked at each other and laughed.
ARIKA'S FRONT STEP
Kiyota smiled and said, "Well it was a good day, I had fun" Arika giggled and said, "You know, I should be the one to say that" Kiyota sighed and said, "No I really I do"
Arika replied, "Anyway thanks for a wonderful day, I never have so much fun before" Kiyota grinned and exclaimed, "Then it's an honor to make your day happy Ms. Fujisawa" Arika bowed down and said, "Arigato Kiyota"
Kiyota shook his head and said, "No thank you Arika" with that he turned around and waved goodbye. Arika smiled and went inside the house.
As Kiyota walked along the street, he never expected to meet someone, that someone was Jin Souichiro. "Yo Kiyota!" Jin greeted. Kiyota smiled and said, "Hey Jin, watcha doing?"
"I'm going over the video store to return some VCDs" Jin answered. "So hows the treat you gave Arika?" he asked. Kiyota gave him a thumb up sign and exclaimed, "They have fun and so do I, Arika's cool to be with"
Jin gave him a look and said, "I kinda figured that out, you just came from Arika's house? Ate dinner there?" Kiyota nod his head. "So you like her?" Jin asked.
Kiyota went red and asked, "What do you mean like? As in LIKE?" Jin nod his head. "Jin, don't tease me, Arika is a friend, I like her as a friend" Kiyota exclaimed defensively.
"Okay if that's what you say" Jin replied patting his friend on the shoulder and then he said, "But remember, keep telling yourself Kiyota" with that he walked off. Kiyota looked at Jin walking away thinking, "Keep telling to myself what? That Arika and I are friends? But we are and nothing more!"
And like teasing bug, his conscience whispered, "Keep telling yourself that Kiyota"
AU: Whoah! Arika sings like Veniz... uh-oh... looks like Kiyota is staring to fall... in...love... with Arika....
Don't worry I'll put Veniz into this, she'll play major role in Arika's life. Don't worry be patient.