Chapter 3
Walking and Talking
They spent all day at the park. Ayame pushed Erika onto a swing and insisted on pushing her. Erika got so concentrated on the low height of the swings that she didn't notice Aya stopped pushing. The swings got stronger and higher and Erika started having fun. She smiled despite herself.
Ayame was suddenly standing in front of the swing, just far enough so as not to get hit. Erika could still feel strong hands pushing her on the swing. But who was? She turned her head and saw Hatori. He must've been smiling too, but when she turned to look his face went stoic.
Soon, because Hatori was so strong, Erika was almost over the bar. But Hatori noticed this as well and stopped pushing. Erika was getting kinda dizzy. She put her feet on the ground and almost fell back into Hatori, but he moved and she hit the ground.
"I.. I'm sorry. Are you okay?" Hatori asked, kneeling down. Ayame gasped.
"Hatori! You just let her fall?" Shigure looked just like Ayame.. it was almost funny.. Almost..
"It's okay.. I'm fine.." Erika stood up and shook her head to clear the dizziness. "How bout a walk? It's fun and doesn't make you dizzy." She smiled. "Alright.." Hatori returned a small smile.
On the walk, Hatori kept looking at the trees instead of at Erika, even though he was the closest to her. He wondered why Ayame and Shigure were ten feet behind them and snickering. He accidentally yawned. It was getting late and he just couldn't help it.
"Tired Hatori?" Erika asked. "Maybe we should all go home." She laughed and looked back at the other two, who were instantly right behind them. "Okay?" They nodded and everyone headed home. Or.. almost..
"Ha'ri.. Walk her home." Aya pushed Hatori toward her and then the other two took off running.
"Uh, Hatori.. Did he just do what I think he did?" Erika asked, staring after the strange long haired student.
"Yes.. I suppose he did.." Hatori sighed and started to walk Erika home.
"You know... If you don't want to walk me home, you don't have to. Though it is kinda nice." Erika admitted. Hatori had been about to take up the offer of going home.. but.. somehow his conscious and his heart wouldn't let him. As Shigure would say 'It's not right to let this flower walk home alone.' of course.. then he'd probably add.. 'And what if she got kidnapped.' Hatori sighed and sweat dropped as he thought about it.
"Hm.." Hatori looked up. He still didn't want to look at her. Maybe it was that smile she had on when he started pushing her on the swing.
"We're here." Erika said finally. Hatori looked to see a 'just barely considered big' house. It was white like the surrounding buildings but it had a flower garden out front and a plain fountain on the other side of the yard. Again.. Hatori couldn't help but smile at the quaint cuteness of it all.
"Well. I'll... see you tomorrow. Right?" Erika started to walk to the door. "Right." Hatori took a step but stopped. "Well then.. Good Night." Erika flushed and hurried inside. "Night." Hatori said in his monotone and walked home alone.
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Erika couldn't believe she'd just spent a whole day with Hatori Sohma.. Not to mention the.. dashing.... Ayame Sohma, and everyone favorite 'soon to be author' Shigure Sohma. She didn't think she'd ever be able to sleep tonight. Or maybe it was just a dream.. a figment of her imagination that was forced by her long term period of dreaming from afar finally come to taunt her.. Ya.. that was it.. She was making herself dizzy again. She sighed and decided to sleep on it.. if she ever got to sleep.
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Hatori arrived at home about 20 minutes later. Later than they were expecting someone like Hatori.
"Hatori? Why are you so late?" Ask one adult at the door. "Ayame." was all he said and he walked past them.
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The next day at school, Ayame was already gone. Hatori didn't even know where. Shigure was determined to see how many girls he could talk to before school.. his topic was a book he planned to write called 'Summer Colored Sigh' and he wanted to get a girls point of view so he knew what girls were like when he actually wrote it..
Hatori sighed. "I'm surrounded by idiots." "Are you? Hey, come to think of it.. where are Shigure and Ayame?" It was Erika. She had told herself that if he responded without question.. then it wasn't a dream.. if he asked her who she was... then she'd be embarrassed for life and never show her face in public again. But she went for the first one.
"I guess that Ayame may be finally signing up for class president. And Shigure is flirting. What's new with you Ms. Erika." Hatori said, looking around for Aya. He may be in trouble.. and only Hatori could make him do anything.
"Ms. Erika. Nah." Erika laughed. She was so relieved that it was true and she hadn't spoken to someone who didn't even know her.
"Um.. Erika.." Hatori glanced at her and then straight ahead. "Ya?" "I was wondering.. Aya told me to ask this.. but.. Would you care to visit our house this afternoon?" Hatori sighed. Alright Aya. He'd said it. Now she could respectfully decline and he'd get on with life.
"Oh well.. I..." He was only asking because Ayame suggested it.. "I guess I could." she tried to sound cheery despite that. I mean.. a chance to be in Hatori, Ayame, and Shigure's house. Any girl would wish for it. Might as well go with the flow.. right? heh.. heh.. uh.. Erika was making herself dizzy again.
"Huh?" Hatori looked at her in confusion.
"Well.. I guess it could be fun... seeing your house.. and all.." Erika flushed. "I'll see you after school." she ran off before she said anything stupid. Hatori didn't believe his ears. Aya must have been afraid she'd say no and so passed the task to Hatori.. I mean. The worst thing that could happen to a guy.. so says Shigure.. is that his girlfriend denies him.. Gibberish..
Hatori couldn't start liking this girl at all. She was Aya's girl after all. Anyone who liked him had to have some weird bone in their body... Maybe he'd look into that when he became a doctor. He smiled.
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