Please leave suggestions for any filler chapters you'd like to see, as I'm operating on a calendar system and hate big time skips between major events. It can be anything and I can modify it into the current relationships and circumstances of the characters!
Chapter Fourteen
Birthday
Saturday
"Liquid courage, liquid courage," I mumble to myself as I rifle through the built-in drawers of my closet. Dad always brought home the miniature liquor bottles they offer on airplanes, as he only drinks the darker variety, and sets them aside to mix into cocktails and whatnot on the off occasion that we're both celebrating a holiday together - he's allowed me a social beverage since I turned sixteen, only one and under his supervision. I stowed away a few vodka bottles in my luggage in case the occasion arose for Maho-chan and I, or for my brothers; right now, however, I was feeling way too anxious to get through this dinner without something to mellow me out. I find it at the back of my underwear drawer, where I stash most things I don't want to be found: if someone ever comes up with it and they ask why I have it, I can respond with, 'why were you in my underwear drawer?' I quickly flick off the cap and shoot it down; it burns quite unpleasantly and I have to repress the urge to gag.
"That seems very unnecessary," Juli scoffs from my desk. "It's just a dinner, and it's in a public place - I doubt anything would happen there."
I roll my eyes. "That's not what I'm concerned about." My voice comes out in a throaty choke. I gulp down some water from my canteen, and I try again. "I'm just nervous, is all. We're all going out together as a family… it's the first time I've ever experienced something like this. You're right though, that was a mistake."
"Just be yourself," he says, as though it's the easiest thing in the world to be yourself without any adjustments for fear of judgement. "Actually, scratch that. Be the celibate, standoffish, quiet version of yourself…"
"Oh, stop it." I toss a face cloth at him from my closet, then leave the empty bottle in there to be disposed of discreetly another day. I'm not entirely sure which restaurant we're going to - I didn't recognize the name, which I took as an indicator that it's probably expensive. I consulted Kaname-san for a dress-code on the ride home yesterday after dinner, and he just shrugged easily. "You would look great in anything, so I wouldn't worry about it," he had said. I take it that compliments come easy to him, which seems rather odd for a monk in my opinion. It still didn't answer my question.
Nonetheless, I go with something safe. I french-tuck a white blouse with black lace detailing into the front of dark blue jeans, and a gold chain necklace my dad got for me a few years ago for my birthday. They don't really let us wear jewelry to school, so I never get to put it on, or earrings in my four piercings on each ear. The holes in my lobes are donned with crystal daisies, and the others are simple hoops studs. I put on just a bit of makeup and put my hair in a low ponytail so it would be out of my face; it swings to the middle of my back.
"How do I look?" I ask Juli, splaying my arms out to the side.
Now it's his turn to roll his eyes. "Way too pretty for those jerks, Chii."
I flip my ponytail over my shoulder and bat my eyelashes. "You really think I'm pretty?" He knows I'm only saying it to get his goat, so he doesn't dignify that with a response. "I'll bring you some leftovers, and cheesecake if there is any."
He tries not to show just how much that perks him up. "It doesn't matter if you do or not," he grumbles. I sling a cardigan over my arm just in case, and shoulder my purse after checking to make sure I have my wallet, keys, and my phone. I took out some money from my savings for dinner, and if I needed more I'd just excuse myself to the bathroom to transfer it over. I'm nervously patting myself down as I lock my door behind me - I leave the window open a crack for Juli - to ease out any wrinkles or creases that I know aren't there. It's five-thirty in the evening, and we are supposed to be leaving at six. I wanted to make sure I was ready well ahead of time so they would know I respect their time. I figure if I can't think of anything else to do I'll play an otome game on my phone.
When I make it up to the fifth floor, I decide to head to the kitchen to grab some more water; the vodka has my stomach in a little turmoil before it settles in. I have to go through a few cupboards before I find the crystal glasses, still unused to the layout of them. The fridge is one of those classy ones with a screen and water and ice dispenser, and it chimes pleasantly as I press my glass against the lever. It's cold and refreshing, and frostily slides down my throat and eases the burn some more.
I catch a glimpse of myself in the stainless steel reflection of the fridge, and try to smooth down some of the frizz on the top of my head that comes with the territory of curly hair. I'm nervous about looking appropriate and proper enough - but there is an extent to how appropriate I can look with blonde hair and blue eyes. At least some of my brothers had presumably European features as well, like Miwa-san. I'm struck again by how little I look like my father, and how I wish I knew where my mother was really from, just so I have an answer when people ask.
Now's not the time to revisit my identity crisis. Being occasionally snickered at and called a 'gaijin' under someone's breath is nothing new for me, but a bit of a misplaced comment since I was born and raised here. I wonder idly at what kind of comments a hotchpotch group of good-looking men all together earn. I'm leaning against the counter, sipping my water thoughtfully as I mull it over, when gentle footsteps slip down the stairs. Ukyo-san smoothly materializes in the kitchen, neat and pressed as always in a khaki suit jacket and dark jeans. He was making a face I've noticed he's reserved for his younger siblings at his watch, and I'm starting to feel a bit inadequate without a fancy watch in this family of immaculate timekeeping accessories.
He looks up at me, startled; I assume he was so focused on an itinerary in his head he didn't even notice me when entering the kitchen. We bow to each other quickly and exchange greetings, and courteous as ever, he says, "You look lovely."
"You're plenty handsome yourself," I return with an easy smile, which he returns. I'm starting to feel warm and buzzy, starting from my esophagus and travelling downward. Christ, don't make it obvious. I take another purposely ladylike sip of water to balance it out.
"We're going to Primi Baci*," he says and I resist the urge to pause in my sipping and comically widen my eyes. "We did already have Italian, but it is Kaname's birthday and he's very partial. Is that alright with you?"
I raise my eyebrows teasingly. "You just said this is for Kaname-san - I'm happy to go along with whatever he likes. But I meant when I said I don't really have a preference; all cuisines are welcome to me."
"I like that attitude," he says, his eyes soft. "Everyone here is picky about something or other. It's amazingly difficult to put cohesive meals together for everyone." He starts walking away, mumbling something about ungratefulness, and as I'm wondering where he's going considering he just got here, he starts tidying things that are already tidy. I think he's trying to stay occupied so as not to freak out about the time. Maybe it's the vodka, but I'm examining him thoughtfully and wondering how he likes to relax.
To attempt as such, I ask, "How did your trial go?"
He steadily tidies his way back to the kitchen, adjusting knick-knacks and controls in his path. He's like a tornado, but, like, the opposite. Cleanliness instead of destruction. "It went well, thank you for asking. I won't bore you with the legal jargon, but it was the desirable result."
Before I can ask for more details, suddenly Yuusuke-kun is skidding around the corner. He's wearing a hunter green button-down, which compliments his features wonderfully. I wonder if he did that on purpose or if - I have to stifle a giggle - Miwa-san decided to have a hand in his wardrobe. He examines his surroundings and his consistently tense shoulders ease a little.
"I was worried you were down here by yourself," he breathes, and when he catches my smug expression, he flushes and back-pedals. "Not that there's anything to worry about. It's not like you're going to perish without supervis - do I smell liquor?"
The comment was hushed and pointed towards me, so I lower my head and raise my eyes to look at him. "It's a big night," I hiss.
"Not really," he scoffs. "He's turning twenty-eight. Suba-nii's is going to be bigger, since he'll be turning twenty."
"When's that?" I ask, planning on marking it on my calendar.
"September." When I keep his gaze, he starts edging his eyes away. "Septemberrrr…"
"Nice. But I suppose I can't blame you - you have twelve brothers' birthdays to remember."
I'm not sure if it's the alcohol or if they're all really that discreet, but Louis-san appears next to his younger brother, startling me. I hadn't heard him come down at all. His eyes appeared as relaxed as usual, his hair a tad bit on the messy side - as if he'd just woken up from a nap. "And one sister…?" He hedges.
I smirk mischievously. "Guess my sign."
Yuusuke-kun simply cannot resist the urge to roll his eyes. "Fuck off."
"Language," Ukyo-san scolds, and a handful more of our brothers emerge from the elevator. "Let's get going. The twins are meeting us there." He seems to be rushing out the door, ushering each of us out after him. Kaname-san is chortling heartily.
"Relax for my birthday a bit, would ya?"
"It is impossible to relax with you lot being unleashed on the general public," he groans as we shuffle back into the elevator. "Not you, Vivi-chan."
I am pleased to not the honorific change, and my mood sharpens when Yuusuke-kun snorts and adds, "Not yet." I playfully jab an elbow into his abdomen, taking extra care not to be too rough since it's easy for me to forget my own strength.
We all divvy into different vehicles to get there. I'm in with Yuusuke-kun, Wataru-kun, Iori-san, and Masaomi-san in the Range. I'm sandwiched between my two younger brothers (I have a bit over a month of seniority over my classmate), and Wataru-kun is dolled up in a little blazer and some formal shorts. I worry I'm dressed a bit too loosely for the occasion, but Ukyo-san seems to be the pinnacle of propriety to me, and he said I look fine. I self-consciously twist my ponytail over my right shoulder, and Wataru-kun sneezes.
"Sorry, Wataru-kun," I say, automatically flipping it back.
"It's okay," he says while rubbing his nose just a little. "Your hair is so different from Mama's. It's more like Hika-chan's!"
I assume this is a brother I haven't met - one with longer hair? Masaomi-san chuckles lightly at the comparison, and I don't know why it feels strange for me to see him driving a car. He normally seems so laidback and languid that watching him maneuver a vehicle with such confidence was a little disarming. "Does everyone know how to drive?" I ask curiously; it's assumed that by 'everyone' I mean our brothers.
"Yes," Masaomi-san answers easily. "We support the younger siblings as much as we can - Kyo-kun and I, I mean. We all get our driver's license, boating license, and we encourage everyone to go to college. That's what family's about," he finishes kindly yet firmly. "The younger generation is the future, and we think it's important to lay a foundation for them. Are you interested in driving?"
"Yes," I answer quickly, almost too eagerly. Anything to not have to take the train all the time. And to have my own car to commute to whichever college I pick? I could cry. "I'll be able to next year."
"We'd be happy to help you, then," he responds with an easy smile, his eyes flashing back to me in the rearview mirror. I'm suddenly acutely aware of how well he can see me, as I'm sitting in the middle. I try to settle back more comfortable into the plush leather. "Whenever any of us are free, we'll take you out to practise. You as well, Yuusuke." He merely grunts an affirmative at my side. Iori-san adds that he just received his permit, thanks to his older brothers' help.
"Don't let Tsubaki-niisan take you," he warns, his eyes more serious than I'd ever seen them. The streetlights reflected in their slate surface as they darted by, and they seemed to absorb all light. "No matter how he tries to persuade you, he can't drive to save his life."
Yuusuke-kun is brought to a hearty chuckle, and I feel the vibrations against my side. "Azu-nii always has to drive them to work or they're bound to get into an accident."
"Be nice," Masaomi-san warns. "We want to make a good impression."
"We also want to be honest," Iori-san retorts. Masaomi-san purses his lips but doesn't say anything else. I suppose Tsubaki-san really is that bad then that he can't even argue.
We've reached the restaurant by now, and Masaomi-san is able to maneuver into a parking space with ease. I wonder if Miwa-san or Kyo-san taught him, or maybe a mixture of both. It's odd to imagine him young, almost out of high school, so short behind the wheel of a car, especially since he's so tall now. I'm struck with an odd sense of reverie; will they remember me like this one day, fondly, when I'm still young and reckless? I slide my gaze to Yuusuke-kun, trying to be subtle; he's fumbling with his seatbelt. I've drastically altered the course of his life, haven't I. Wataru-kun's as well. While I'm almost frozen and mystified, my brothers exited the vehicle, Masaomi-san helping Wataru-kun over the big step, Yuusuke-kun holds the door open for me.
"You coming?" He asks, genuinely curious. He knows I won't pass up opportunities for food, so it's odd I seem stuck in my head. I unbuckle my seatbelt with purpose and care, trying not to sway; the vodka's really hitting me now. Even if I don't regret drinking it, shooting it was not the right choice. Even though it seems like he's doing so begrudgingly, Yuusuke-kun holds out his hand to help me so I don't eat shit while jumping out from the lifted vehicle. I take it gratefully and slide out, trying to keep from stumbling into him.
Keeping a hold of my hand, he shuts the door behind me, and Masaomi-san locks it with a chirp of the key fob. He only lets go after he's helped me over the wheel stop, but then Iori-san holds the door open for me. Am I completely inept? Or are they just being polite? I bow briefly to thank them and hope it's just courtesy.
A host directs us to a long, glamorously set table with silverware that twinkles beneath the warm light chandeliers. I tug on my sleeves self-consciously; this is for a birthday? I can't even begin to imagine what they'd think of a minor covered in tattoos. Kaname-san sits at the head of the table, looking comfortable and relaxed as he slouches into it like a jungle cat. We sit in the way we arrived, with one car's worth of people on one side and the rest of us on the other; I'm between the two youngest again (ha ha). A server immediately fills our waters from a carafe, and asks for drink orders. I stick with the water; lord knows I need it.
"You can drink at home," Kaname-san assures me out of nowhere. "We think that kids are gonna do it anyway, so we'd rather you do it at home."
"Underage drinking is not to be condoned," Ukyo-san scoffs, pushing up his glasses in the seat to the right of him.
And to the left, Masaomi-san chimes in, "Not like that stopped you." Half of us choke on our waters, and Ukyo-san looks like a thermometer about to explode with bright red mercury.
"We're only young once," Kaname-san adds thoughtfully, and once we receive our respective drinks, lifts his dark liquor on the rocks for a cheers. It's bad luck to cheers with water, so Yuusuke-kun lends me his Pepsi once it comes around to me.
We're all making small chatter, Yuusuke-kun and I talking about our upcoming exams and the potential after-party. Wataru-kun occasionally chimes in about what he's doing in his school, and I'm genuinely interested; the curriculum has changed a lot since I was in grade school. He mentions he has a bake sale coming up soon to raise funds for a school trip, and I offer to help him supply the goods. I've never seen him look happier, and the two eldest brothers shoot me a grateful look; even though I'm a student, the schedule of a paediatrician and lawyer. I'm better with cooking than baking since cooking allows for more experimentation, but so long as I have a recipe I can execute.
The twins arrive momentarily after we place our food orders; shockingly (not) I order the chicken parmesan; my burning stomach informs me now is not the time to experiment with anything overly spicy. They seat themselves opposite each other at the end of the table, and both place orders for dark liquor. I sip my lemon water thoughtfully; I'm not a dark liquor person, and that looks to be the norm for most of them. Does some switch turn you to it once you're in your mid-twenties? Subaru-san is sticking with beer; he's very nearly twenty, so Ukyo-san doesn't seem to mind much.
The atmosphere is warm and cordial. There's small talk and laughs, and I am remiss that I never noticed who avoided speaking to who. The birthday boy looks happy and has a copper flush in his cheeks courtesy of a top shelf bourbon. While my dad and I were by no means less fortunate, this level of wealth is completely foreign to me. There's at least twelve birthdays they celebrate a year - and that's just the brothers, never mind any friends or relatives. I try not to dwell on it; my finances are my own, and I've always been keen on taking care of myself. Their finances and what they choose to do with them are none of my business.
Our food arrives with flourish, and I curse myself for wearing white and ordering a dish with red sauce, because the smell is irresistible and I know I'm going to devour. The table is adorned with pastas and salads and the smell of rich seasoning, and we recite our prayer before digging in. The marinara is flavourful and has a homemade, delicate taste, and the chicken was not as greasy as I am used to. The crust is golden and crumbly, the side pasta perfectly al dente. The warmth in my stomach is being fully sated by the filling meal.
I keep the cloth napkin carefully placed over my lap, and try not to inhale it. I'd kill for a beer to enjoy with it, but that's off the table for now. From the other side of the table, Tsubaki-san is enjoying a fragrant steak, and he strikes up a conversation. "So Vivi-chan - have you ever travelled anywhere with Rintaro-san?"
"Don't tell me this doesn't compare to real Italian cuisine," I tease, and he and Azusa-san chortle in response.
"Not us, no, but mom has definitely been. We just know he's been all over."
"You can tell by just listening to him," Yuusuke-kun adds, and I quirk my eyebrows at him.
"You didn't tell me you've met my dad."
He flushes as though it was embarrassing to say so. "Well, I was there when he introduced himself. He was nice."
"I know he is. No, I stay home - they furthest I've gone is to my grandparents' during the summer. They live in Hakone."
Azusa-san suddenly seems much more interested in the conversation, lifting his gaze from his dish. His eyes are sparkling behind his glasses. I try not to let my jaw drop; he looks so different when his face lights up, and I see a more subtle similarity between him and Tsubaki-san in his expression. "I've always wanted to go to Hakone."
Tsubaki-san is having a riot once he caught the expression on his twin's face. "Azusa-chan loves onsen," he explains, and the face makes much more sense now.
"Anything that helps me relax when you're stuck to me all the time," he says easily in response, a small smile on his face.
"I'm sure they'd love for you to visit," I say, directly the comment mostly towards him. "They are, technically, your step-grandparents, I guess."
He looks a bit taken aback, his cheeks looking a tiny bit pink - or maybe it's just the warm lights. Either way I try not to stare too hard - he looks awfully cute when he's genuinely interested in something. "Er…"
"Wouldn't that be fun, Azusa-chan?" Tsubaki-san sings, reaching across the table to him. "All of us together in the countryside and in the onsen!"
"Yeah, it would," he settles, the tiny grin returning to his face. He resumes eating his meal, still smiling down on his plate.
"Do you have any photos?" The older twin continues, taking a swig of his drink. I'm a bit in shock; he did that to dark liquor without making a face. Should he be drinking it that fast? I have a phantom sensation of the vodka burning down my throat and can't repress a shudder.
"I usually stay off my phone when I'm there," I admit. "My grandfather has a big garden and we're usually out there for half the day, and there's a bunch of trails we take walks on together. I don't have time in the day to be on it even if I wanted to, and besides, I go there to spend time with them." I polish off my final bite with reverence and chew thoughtfully. "There's probably developed photos somewhere with my dad's things, and they have some around the house for sure."
"You must like being outside a lot," Yuusuke-kun mumbles, presumably feeling a bit left out. The situations we'd seen each other in outside of school until now had always been social and normally inside, so he wouldn't have known.
"I love the countryside," I agree. "The air is so much cleaner out there, and they have an old shoji screen porch… I love sitting out there at night and listening to all the frogs and insects. You can see the stars so clearly." My heart squeezes within my chest, missing it exponentially now. I knew I'd have to make time to visit them soon, once summer vacation starts, but the paranoid side of me worries about leaving my brothers and returning to all our relationship progress gone. Would they miss my presence there? It's been a week, I need to remind myself; they won't nearly be as attached to me as I seem to be to them.
"You'll love the villa then," Tsubaki-san says, and he takes a final swig of his drink as he polishes off his plate. He neatly stacks his cutlery and pushes it to the side for the server to take when they come around. Even though everyone says he's messy he still seems to have good table manners; no doubt courtesy of Ukyo-san. "We go every summer. I sleep much better with the sound of waves and a warm breeze."
"Why don't you stay there then," I hear Yuusuke-kun mutter under his breath. I press my lips together; Tsubaki-san does seem to get on his nerves more often than his other brothers.
Water droplets fly at his face, causing him to sputter and reel backwards til he nearly falls out of his chair. Wataru-kun gets a good kick out of that, and Ukyo-san throws daggers at Tsubaki-san from down the table. The latter is perfectly nonchalant, sipping carefully at a refilled drink the server came around with as they cleared the empty plates.
"Split a cake with me, Vivi-chan?" He asks sweetly as his younger brother scrubs a cloth napkin on his face. I'm trying really hard not to giggle at his expense as I agree. I'm feeling quite stuffed, but I'm not one to pass up dessert, so splitting it with someone is perfect. It's not like he's going to feed it to me.
He certainly made an attempt to, however. He pulled a "say ahh" move and splits a gut when he sees the appalled look on my face. Azusa-san quickly scolds him from our side of the table while Yuusuke-kun is railing on about how annoying he is. I'd never say it aloud, but it seems he and Kaname-san both have a naturally flirtatious manner to them. While it gives me pause, since I'm unfamiliar with situations like that, I can't deny that the attention is a bit nice. I think they're just trying to be sweet and make me feel welcome.
Wataru-fun offers me a bit of his dessert, which looks to just be ice cream with caramel drizzle, by proffering me the spoon with some on it. I blink, trying to see if he was being serious, and he looks so excited that I lean down and take it. It's nice and cool with the caramel warmed up to create a pleasant temperature, and the burn in my throat is completely dissipated by now. I tell him it's yummy and thank him, and give him a bite from my share of the cake. His eyes glitter as he chews - I'm a chocolate person over vanilla, and Tsubaki-san must be as well since that's what he chose - and there was crumbled chocolate bar on top.
"I love sweets," he sighs through his mouthful. It's pretty easy to tell that he does, so I smile and agree with him. I'm definitely more of a savoury person, but a good dessert every now and again - especially if you're taking the time to go out - is too tempting to pass up.
The night's winding down, the dishes all cleared and the servers coming to ask about the bill. I'm gearing myself up to say I'll be paying separately, but before I know it, everyone else is standing up to leave. I'm bewildered - how did it happen so quickly that I missed it? I carefully start to stand when someone pulls my chair out from behind me; it's Masaomi-san, smiling peacefully.
"Um," I begin, feeling extremely awkward. "Do we have to go up to the front to pay?"
His brows furrow, but his smile stays in place. "It's taken care of."
"I want to pay for my share," I insist as I step from my seat and he slides my chair back into place. The floors are carpeted, so it slides across easily, making it seem that much more effortless on his part.
"Please don't worry about it," he says with an easy shrug. "When we go out, it's our treat. Especially for the youngest; you have enough to worry about without factoring in paying for an evening out."
"I don't want you to think I expect it." I tuck a stray hair loose from my ponytail behind my ear, making my earrings glitter in the light. I see him looking at them from the corner of his eye, and I'm suddenly even more self-conscious. I usually don't care much about what other people think about my style, but it can be associated with a more reckless lifestyle. I'm bent on making a good impression, and the way I look shouldn't be factored into that, but I can't help but worry. "I'm happy to pay for my own share and do my part."
"I won't hear anymore of it," he says, being teasingly scolding. "Let's go home."
I stay quiet, but it doesn't sit right with me. Don't they have enough to worry about without treating 12 people to a fancy dinner? Masaomi-san has his blazer slung over his right arm as we exit the restaurant into the far more balmy summer evening, and everyone is basically already loaded into the cars, Azusa-san and Tsubaki-san being in the sedan and already pulling out, the former behind the wheel to prove everyone's point about his twin's driving. As subtly as I can, I pull a five-thousand yen note lingering in my wallet from when I got my tattoo and slip it into his jacket pocket. Hopefully he'll think he's just forgotten he had it in there.
It's about nine thirty once we're all piled back into the house, the fifth floor filled with noise once again. Tsubaki-san is lounging on the couch, almost completely star-fished, and I see Ukyo-san lay a blanket lightly over him whilst shaking his head. The sight makes my heart swell. Masaomi-san is taking Wataru-kun up to bed, wearing the blazer now so he doesn't have to carry it; his arms are full of the youngest. He's so tall and lean it looks like a strong wind can blow him over, so it's a bit disconcerting to watch him lift a ten-year-old kid with ease; though I suppose he has to be used to it from taking care of the rest of his brothers.
There's so much responsibility on his shoulders, I realize, as the eldest with a mother whose job who takes her away most of the time. It's like he filled the fatherly role when Kyo Asahina passed away. Just like Ukyo-san, I wonder when he ever gets to relax. As a doctor, he must be on call all the time, too. What more can I do to support them, so they can rest assured they don't have to worry about me? I guess the best thing to do is keep going as I am, fulfilling my duties as a student and a sister. I subtly pump my fists to myself in the elevator down to my room. I'll just have to keep trying harder to integrate into the household so they can rest assured. It'll be the best thing for everyone, especially if I'm an inconvenience to them, if they realize I can be left to my own devices.
They don't seem like the type of family to do that, though, I think. They always hover over each other without even realizing it, and it might be because when it comes down to physically being there, they've really only had each other. That's not to slight Miwa-san; she's done plenty of work in her life just going into labour twelve times. The thought makes me shudder. How is her body not ruined?
I'm just unlocking my door when I hear a deep voice call out "Imouto-chan" behind me. I can guess it's Kaname-san before turning around; he's taken to calling me that more than anyone else. I grin up at him; he's roughly a head taller than I am.
"Happy birthday, Kaname-san," I tell him earnestly. He's really looked after me since I've gotten here, from checking on me when I was late to taking me out for ramen. My face warms at how considerate he's being. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you anything."
He actually snorts like that, and from his chest lifting I notice quite a few top buttons undone on his shirt. Was he like that earlier? Good thing all our servers were male, otherwise I'm sure he would have had some girls in a flutter. I see a sharp slash of black peeking out from his collarbone, and I wonder if that's an old ink splash or something else - he did say he's interested in tattoos. "Please," he says. "I'm just happy for the company and everyone being together. I don't need anything else."
He means it. His brown eyes are warm and tender when speaking of his family, and I can't help but meet his gaze with the same feeling. He leans against the door frame, as I've stepped inside and am holding it open, arms crossed over his chest. "I do actually have one request," he says, the tenor of his voice vibrating in the space between us.
I shrug casually. "You name it. Anything I can do."
He puts a hand conspiratorially against his cheek, as if preparing to tell a secret. I get the invitation and lean in closer, wondering what it could be that he needs to whisper in an empty hallway. Imagine my surprise when the warm sensation of his lips caress my cheek.
My stomach drops as the blood rushes to my face. Dimly I hear Juli shrieking bloody murder behind me - he must have been protectively observing, then his worst nightmare occurs. His nails are clattering against the floor at mach speed, and I snap to respond before he can claw Kaname-san's face off.
"That's not funny," I tell him, pulling away and notching the door just a tad more closed.
He laughs heartily, but there's a severity to his dark chocolate gaze. "What's not funny, Vivi-chan?"
The sound of my name confirms my suspicion he's messing with me. I narrow my eyes at him, stretching my leg out in the frame to prevent Juli from bolting out. "Messing with me like that. Catching me off-guard."
His eyebrows skyrocket. "So if you were prepared, it would be okay?"
I reel back as if slapped. I know my face looks like a lobster, my hair frizzy and falling around my face. "No - that's not - I meant -"
This sends him into hysterics. "You're adorable," he chokes out, much to my frenzied dismay. "Right. No messing around." He straightens from being doubled over with laughter, his cheeks copper with mirth. "But I might be serious one day."
I growl and turn abruptly away from him, my heart thundering in my chest. I know he's open and amorous, but there's such a thing as taking a joke too far. "Good night," I grunt, taking care not to slam the door behind me. There's thirteen of them, my mind teases me, and I want to bash my skull into the wall.
"Good night, imouto-chan." His voice is low and amused as I gently close the door behind me, completely carefree as to how the incident may have affected me. Bold to assume every girl would melt at the gesture - especially your sister! How many more of them take joy in bullying like this?
I have to smother myself with my pillow to lull off to sleep, both to ease my frustrated breathing and drown out Juli's fit of rage. After a few minutes have passed and I'm finally starting to doze off, he goes painfully silent and suddenly asks:
"Where's my cheesecake?"
I've all but forgotten about it the next morning; with a belly full of good food and the baby shot of vodka, I'd had a great sleep. I'm rubbing my eyes as I open my door to greet the fifth floor for the morning, dressed in comfy clothes bordering on sweats, when something planted in the middle of my door catches my eye.
A five-thousand yen note taped to it with bunny washi tape, topped off with a rapped rep lollipop. I tear it off and shake my head, mystified. I'd have to plant it on him again, and be more crafty next time.
I place the lollipop on my desk, not the type to enjoy sweets first thing in the morning, along with the bill. My fingers linger there before Juli and I depart, and I can't help but let a warm smile cross my face.
Something between just the two of us.
I DID IT I DID IT! I'M SO PROUD OF MYSELF, BUT ALSO NOT REALLY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN LIKE A YEAR IM SO SORRY. HAD A LOT GOING ON.
Any guess as to what Vivi's sign is lmao? Did I create her with it in mind? Not at all. But there are some weird similarities in her personality and the description. I don't put any stock in that, just a fun fact.
Thank you sososososo much to everyone who's stuck around and waited so patiently. The first week at the house is almost complete, and that's when things are going to start picking up! If there's any filler events you'd be interested in seeing between the major events I have planned throughout the months, since I am operating on a calendar like in the game, please let me know I'd love to hear!
With that in mind, I'm also going to start putting the week day at the beginning of the chapter to prevent any confusion. I also dunno, just seems more enriching that way? Like oh, Vivi and so-and-so did this on a Tuesday. Maybe I'm weird for thinking that.
