Mamimi chuckled to herself as she thought of catching Naota with a
girl. It amused her as she walked home. Her own apartment was in a less
heavily trafficked neighborhood, and the quiet was something she valued
particularly. She could not help but be a little surprised. In all the
years she had now known him, she had never expected Naota to suddenly start
bringing women home. But, that was his life, no concern of hers.
That was a lie, and she knew it. She shook her head and sighed, more than little frustrated with herself. She had always looked upon Naota in a little brother fashion, and more than once she had intervened to try to help steer his life in a better direction. Things had not always been great between the two of them, and at one point they had argued so fiercely that they did not speak for almost two years, during which time she traveled, mainly going to America to visit Tasuku. And, as much as she tried to deny it to herself, when she had returned and found Naota grown into a handsome, bright eyed college boy, it had made her heart flutter a little. And his guitar playing helped to ease her mind many times after hard days on the job.
She shook her head, clearing away all the thoughts. She had thought of Naota enough. Now, it was time to think of her bathtub, and the bottle of brand new bubblebath she had just bought that was sitting in it, and how wonderful those little bubbles would feel once they foamed up around her skin...
So distracted was Mamimi by the thoughts of soap and water that she payed absolutely no heed to the motorcycle parked on the curb outside her building...
Naota made his way slowly home. Classes were over for the day, and he needed to get home and make sure Haruko was all right. It felt strange to be thinking of her in such a protective manner, but ever since that attack by Jakun, he had been worried about the possibility of him trying again while he wasn't there to help her. He had forbid her to go anywhere in public without him there as well, and she actually accepted that without an argument. Rather, she had commented on how cute it was that he was worried about her.
That was the other strange thing. Haruko had always had a strange sort of flirtatiousness with him, but lately she seemed to be turning it on extra hard. She constantly reminded him that he had once said he loved her, and she seemed almost possessive of him whenever any other girl was near. She had practically bit Eri's head off at the supermarket, and she had questioned him for an hour about his relationship with Mamimi. Even stranger was that she actually seemed lonely. For the first couple of days, each time he left for his classes she would beg him not to go, and then she would cling to him a like puppy when he came home. She had calmed a bit in the couple of days, she still showered him with her bizarre versions of flirting. And he was not entirely sure, but he had a strange suspicion that she had been going through his underwear drawer. He always folded his boxers neatly, but lately they were looking ruffled and wrinkled, as if they had been jammed back into the drawer rather hurriedly.
He opened the door to his small apartment, and was surprised to not find Haruko right behind it with her characteristically large grin plastered across her face. He raised an eyebrow and advanced cautiously, wary of her waiting around any corners with another of her super-glomps. He made his way into the living room, and was amused to find Haruko snoring on the couch, surrounded by candy bar wrappers, a TV test pattern blinking from across the room at her. He smiled, and leaned against the wall, watching her sleep for a moment. He remembered hearing that snoring from above his head. Sometimes it had actually helped him sleep to know that she was there. He didn't know quite why, but part of him felt actually very glad that she had come back.
He left her sleeping. He felt like getting some refreshment, and doing something else...
"Now ladies and gentleman, I would like for you all to give a warm welcome to our friend, he's a genius at his bass, Nandaba Naota!"
Naota walked into the stage amidst a soft applause. His bass rested on his thighs once he was seated. He smiled at the small crowd. He could not make out their faces from the lights shining at him, but it made it better for him that way. If he saw their faces, his stage right would start to take in. He took a deep breath and began.
He strummed the chords hard, his infliction perfect. His music was different from what he occasionally heard Haruko playing. Haruko tended to play hard rock, or sometimes heavy metal. But Naota favored lighter, more soulful sounds. He closed his eyes, his fingers finding the chords perfectly on their own. Each note pounded out into the microphone in front of him, echoing through the small coffee shop hauntingly. As people listened, they closed their eyes, letting their minds conjure colors and images that flowed in rhythm to Naota's music. He occasionally stopped plucking the strings to stomp his foot in time to the beat, only to resume playing without missing a beat. When he finished, the applause was louder this time, more appreciative. Naota strode off the stage without a word, and took a seat as the next performer stepped up.
He ordered some green tea, and leaned back into his chair. That had definitely been what he had needed. The waitress returned and placed a cup of coffee with cream down in front of him.
"Excuse me, but I ordered..."
"A lady got this for you" she said with a playful smile.
"A lady?" This caught Naota's attention. "Who?"
"She's right over there." Naota followed her pointing finger to where Eri sat. She smiled at him warmly, and raiser her own cup to him in a silent toast. Naota returned the smile and went over to sit with her.
"That was quite a performance" she said as he sat. "I didn't know you could play like that."
"I kind of learned over time" he said, taking a sip of the coffee she had gotten him.
"You write that song yourself?"
"Well...yeah" Eri's eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise.
"And a writer too. Is there anything you can't do, Naota?"
"Since when did you start calling me by my name?"
"Since you grew up." Naota looked at her eyes, and found a sincere look of admiration. And while he was looking, he could not help but admire the features of her fair face. For a moment, he found himself hypnotized by those eyes. The spell was broken when she spoke.
"Ever thought of writing lyrics for that song?"
"Huh? Oh, not really...I think it kind of speaks for itself."
"That it does. Maybe I can help you make one up some time."
"I'll make one special, just for you, how would that be?" She smiled softly at this, recognizing it as a rather inexperienced person's attempt at flirting.
"That would be just fine Naota. And will you play it for me when its done?"
"Sure. If you don't mind waiting till its done."
"I'll wait forever, if I have to." With that she rose, and gave him her lovely eyes one more time. "I'll see you around, Naota." She left Naota alone, feeling rather content with himself. Overall, this day had actually not been that bad.
Another waitress plopped another cup of coffee down in front him. He eyed it suspiciously.
"Okay, who sent me this one?"
"A lady."
"Another one? Who this time?" He followed the pointing finger once again, and this time found it led to cinnamon skinned, freckle faced, blonde haired woman, older than Naota, but still bright eyed and eager. He squinted for a moment as he tried to recognize her, and then felt afraid when realization struck him.
"You're..." he started to say when he stood before her.
"I'm agent Kitsurubami of the Interstellar Immigration Bureau. And you are Nandaba Naota. Mind if we talk?"
That was a lie, and she knew it. She shook her head and sighed, more than little frustrated with herself. She had always looked upon Naota in a little brother fashion, and more than once she had intervened to try to help steer his life in a better direction. Things had not always been great between the two of them, and at one point they had argued so fiercely that they did not speak for almost two years, during which time she traveled, mainly going to America to visit Tasuku. And, as much as she tried to deny it to herself, when she had returned and found Naota grown into a handsome, bright eyed college boy, it had made her heart flutter a little. And his guitar playing helped to ease her mind many times after hard days on the job.
She shook her head, clearing away all the thoughts. She had thought of Naota enough. Now, it was time to think of her bathtub, and the bottle of brand new bubblebath she had just bought that was sitting in it, and how wonderful those little bubbles would feel once they foamed up around her skin...
So distracted was Mamimi by the thoughts of soap and water that she payed absolutely no heed to the motorcycle parked on the curb outside her building...
Naota made his way slowly home. Classes were over for the day, and he needed to get home and make sure Haruko was all right. It felt strange to be thinking of her in such a protective manner, but ever since that attack by Jakun, he had been worried about the possibility of him trying again while he wasn't there to help her. He had forbid her to go anywhere in public without him there as well, and she actually accepted that without an argument. Rather, she had commented on how cute it was that he was worried about her.
That was the other strange thing. Haruko had always had a strange sort of flirtatiousness with him, but lately she seemed to be turning it on extra hard. She constantly reminded him that he had once said he loved her, and she seemed almost possessive of him whenever any other girl was near. She had practically bit Eri's head off at the supermarket, and she had questioned him for an hour about his relationship with Mamimi. Even stranger was that she actually seemed lonely. For the first couple of days, each time he left for his classes she would beg him not to go, and then she would cling to him a like puppy when he came home. She had calmed a bit in the couple of days, she still showered him with her bizarre versions of flirting. And he was not entirely sure, but he had a strange suspicion that she had been going through his underwear drawer. He always folded his boxers neatly, but lately they were looking ruffled and wrinkled, as if they had been jammed back into the drawer rather hurriedly.
He opened the door to his small apartment, and was surprised to not find Haruko right behind it with her characteristically large grin plastered across her face. He raised an eyebrow and advanced cautiously, wary of her waiting around any corners with another of her super-glomps. He made his way into the living room, and was amused to find Haruko snoring on the couch, surrounded by candy bar wrappers, a TV test pattern blinking from across the room at her. He smiled, and leaned against the wall, watching her sleep for a moment. He remembered hearing that snoring from above his head. Sometimes it had actually helped him sleep to know that she was there. He didn't know quite why, but part of him felt actually very glad that she had come back.
He left her sleeping. He felt like getting some refreshment, and doing something else...
"Now ladies and gentleman, I would like for you all to give a warm welcome to our friend, he's a genius at his bass, Nandaba Naota!"
Naota walked into the stage amidst a soft applause. His bass rested on his thighs once he was seated. He smiled at the small crowd. He could not make out their faces from the lights shining at him, but it made it better for him that way. If he saw their faces, his stage right would start to take in. He took a deep breath and began.
He strummed the chords hard, his infliction perfect. His music was different from what he occasionally heard Haruko playing. Haruko tended to play hard rock, or sometimes heavy metal. But Naota favored lighter, more soulful sounds. He closed his eyes, his fingers finding the chords perfectly on their own. Each note pounded out into the microphone in front of him, echoing through the small coffee shop hauntingly. As people listened, they closed their eyes, letting their minds conjure colors and images that flowed in rhythm to Naota's music. He occasionally stopped plucking the strings to stomp his foot in time to the beat, only to resume playing without missing a beat. When he finished, the applause was louder this time, more appreciative. Naota strode off the stage without a word, and took a seat as the next performer stepped up.
He ordered some green tea, and leaned back into his chair. That had definitely been what he had needed. The waitress returned and placed a cup of coffee with cream down in front of him.
"Excuse me, but I ordered..."
"A lady got this for you" she said with a playful smile.
"A lady?" This caught Naota's attention. "Who?"
"She's right over there." Naota followed her pointing finger to where Eri sat. She smiled at him warmly, and raiser her own cup to him in a silent toast. Naota returned the smile and went over to sit with her.
"That was quite a performance" she said as he sat. "I didn't know you could play like that."
"I kind of learned over time" he said, taking a sip of the coffee she had gotten him.
"You write that song yourself?"
"Well...yeah" Eri's eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise.
"And a writer too. Is there anything you can't do, Naota?"
"Since when did you start calling me by my name?"
"Since you grew up." Naota looked at her eyes, and found a sincere look of admiration. And while he was looking, he could not help but admire the features of her fair face. For a moment, he found himself hypnotized by those eyes. The spell was broken when she spoke.
"Ever thought of writing lyrics for that song?"
"Huh? Oh, not really...I think it kind of speaks for itself."
"That it does. Maybe I can help you make one up some time."
"I'll make one special, just for you, how would that be?" She smiled softly at this, recognizing it as a rather inexperienced person's attempt at flirting.
"That would be just fine Naota. And will you play it for me when its done?"
"Sure. If you don't mind waiting till its done."
"I'll wait forever, if I have to." With that she rose, and gave him her lovely eyes one more time. "I'll see you around, Naota." She left Naota alone, feeling rather content with himself. Overall, this day had actually not been that bad.
Another waitress plopped another cup of coffee down in front him. He eyed it suspiciously.
"Okay, who sent me this one?"
"A lady."
"Another one? Who this time?" He followed the pointing finger once again, and this time found it led to cinnamon skinned, freckle faced, blonde haired woman, older than Naota, but still bright eyed and eager. He squinted for a moment as he tried to recognize her, and then felt afraid when realization struck him.
"You're..." he started to say when he stood before her.
"I'm agent Kitsurubami of the Interstellar Immigration Bureau. And you are Nandaba Naota. Mind if we talk?"
