Part Six, Thursday 5:00 AM
Getting to Know Each Other
Hanamichi walked along the Shohoku High School corridor with her guntai when someone called her from behind.
"Hana!"
"Huh?" she turned around and was greeted with a stoic-face Rukawa Kaede. Feeling a blush formed in her cheeks, she tried to hide it with an irritated remark.
"What do you want, kitsune?" she snarled.
Rukawa's expression didn't change. "Ohayo," he said instead, shocking everyone who heard the greeting.
Hanamichi's cheeks flushed red. She nodded woodenly. "Ohayo gozaimas," she greeted back.
The whole school buzzed at the morning greetings of the two. Everyone was wondering if the two were a couple especially when the news that Sakuragi Hana had already met Rukawa's parents last
night.
The guntai was swarmed with a lot of people asking for details of the supposed relationship to the delight of the four.
"I feel like a celebrity," Takamiya exclaimed excitedly.
The three nodded in enthusiasm.
12:00 PM Shohoku School rooftop
Hanamichi felt a déjà vu when she found herself sitting beside Rukawa on the school rooftop during lunch break. She chewed her food while contemplating how the hell she ended up making friends with her worse enemy. She glanced at the boy beside her as these thoughts flashed through her mind.
Rukawa looked at Hanamichi when he felt the stare.
"Why am I being nice to you?" Hanamichi pouted her lips before asking the question.
The action made Rukawa Kaede leaned towards her and gave her a kiss.
"I don't know," Rukawa answered after a few seconds of kissing.
Hanamichi placed a hand on Rukawa's chest to stop him from getting too cozy again. "You're making this a habit," she said with frown.
"Oh?" he answered. Rukawa gazed at Hanamichi as the girl chew her bottom lip thoughtfully. He tried to kiss her again but was intercepted with a hand on his chest.
"Look, kitsune, I'm serious here, okay?" Hanamichi said calmly.
The boy sighed but yielded to the request. He set his lunch aside and moved closer to Hanamichi.
Hanamichi narrowed her eyes at Rukawa. "Rukawa?" she inquired.
"Kaede."
"Huh?"
"You should call me Kaede."
"And why should I do that?"
"You're my girlfriend now."
Hanamichi choked. "Excuse me?"
"You're my girl now."
"And when did that happened?"
"Last night."
Hanamichi's eyes widened at the answer. "As far as I know, we had dinner with your family and you told me you love me. But I don't remember saying I love you too."
"You just said it."
"Excuse me?"
"You just said you love me."
"Oh for God's sake! Stop twisting my words." Hanamichi glared at Rukawa. "And in my terms, you're not my boyfriend. You haven't even courted me yet."
Rukawa's eyebrow rose at that. "Courting is very old fashion, Hana," he informed.
"Duh! As if the tensai doesn't know that!" Hanamichi said indignantly. "Look! I may not look like it and I may not act like it, but I am very old fashioned. My parents taught me that being old fashioned is more secure than the modern way."
"More secure?"
"Yes. Because old fashioned ways is very tedious and…"
"Okay, I got the idea. But I still think of you as my girlfriend," Rukawa insisted.
"Why are being so stubborn, kitsune?" Hanamichi glared at Rukawa again.
"Because I'm not old fashioned," Rukawa said calmly as he took hold of Hanamichi's left hand and brought it to his lips. "Hmmm. You should wear something that would mark you to me. A ring, perhaps?" he thoughtfully inquired.
"I think you should jump over the rooftop," Hanamichi suggested angrily, snatching her hand from the kitsune.
Rukawa smirked.
"What so funny?" the redhead snarled.
Rukawa's smirk turned to laughter.
If looks could kill, Rukawa Kaede would have been dead by now. Hanamichi was so angry that she slapped Rukawa.
"Itai! Why did you that for?" Rukawa said rubbing his injured cheek. He was now glaring at the redhead.
"Hmp! Don't talk to me, I'm eating!" Hanamichi went back to her unfinished lunch. She practical ignored Rukawa as she shoved the food down.
"Slow down. You'll choke if you…"
"Urusei!" Hanamichi yelled at Rukawa's face.
Rukawa grimaced when some food particles flew to his face.
'Kuso!' he thought as he wiped the disgusting particles with a handkerchief. 'So much for Hana being a lady.'
He took a peek at the redhead as she took a swig of her soda bottle.
After taking the liquid, Hanamichi licked her lips, unconsciously seducing the boy beside her.
Rukawa had to hold himself in check so not to jump at the redhead. 'She is angry as it is,' he thought. But was very much tempted to jump when the girl bit her lip absentmindedly.
"Damn."
Hanamichi turned to Rukawa. "What's with you?" she asked haughtily. Rukawa shook his head. His back was facing Hanamichi to the bafflement of the redhead.
"Crazy kitsune," she murmured softly. She went back to her lunch and ate it with gusto. When finished she calmly placed the bento in her bag and placed the kitsune's bento in his bag.
"Oi, kitsune," she said irritably. When Rukawa didn't reply, she lifted the boy's bag and flung it at his back.
"Oof!" Rukawa exclaimed at the painful hit. "Nani yo, do'aho?" he demanded as he turned to face Hanamichi.
"Duh! The ring had just rung, baka kitsune," Hanamichi retorted with a snort. "If you wanna stay here and sleep, feel free but I ain't staying with ya!"
Hanamichi flung her duffel bag to her shoulders and marched to the rooftop door.
Rukawa was left on the floor staring after the redhead. After a few seconds of immobility, he stood up and followed the redhead to attend their respective classes.
-5:00 PM after school-
"Don't you have any practice today?" Hanamichi asked to the boy beside her.
"Iei. Anzai-sensei cancelled practice today for some reason he won't tell us," Rukawa answered monotonously.
"That's weird."
Rukawa nodded as agreement.
"Do you think oyagi missed me?"
Rukawa stared at the girl. "What makes you think Anzai-sensei would miss you?"
"I don't know. Maybe because I missed him too," Hanamichi answered honestly while staring at the road in front of her with a wistful look on her
beautiful face.
Rukawa nodded. "Probably," he answered.
Silence reigned between the two as they walked slowly towards Hanamichi's house.
"Anou…kitsune?" she started tentatively.
"Nani?"
"How was the team this week?"
"Doing fine."
"Oh."
Rukawa looked at the girl again. "The team is a little bit quiet," he informed softly.
"Are you saying that I'm loud?" Hanamichi tried to make her voice sound angry but failed miserably.
"If you don't know that already, then you're more of a do'aho than I presumed you to be," the boy replied matter-of-factly.
To the surprise of Rukawa, a giggle escaped the redhead. He stared at the girl again.
"Yeah. I guess I'm overly loud, aren't I?" she asked.
Rukawa smiled at that. He reached out pulled the girl closer to him.
Hanamichi gazed at Rukawa with surprise. But smiled as she made herself comfortable with the kitsune's embrace.
Rukawa was relieved when Hanamichi didn't try to wiggle her way out of the embrace. He tightened his hold when he spotted some people watching them both. He recognized one as the captain's sister, whatever her name was.
Hanamichi spotted Haruko with two friends and tried to move away from Rukawa but the kitsune won't have it her way.
"Kitsune?" she begged softly.
"Iei."
"Demo…"
"Don't patronize her, do'aho."
Hanamichi studied the boy closely, and then looked at Haruko. Seeing hurt and jealousy on her eyes, she leaned closer to Rukawa and whispered softly, "I have to talk to her, Kaede."
"Iie."
"Don't be impossible, kitsune," she snarled. They were still walking forward in steady steps, though Hanamichi's legs were getting shaky due to Haruko's glare. She had never been subjected to the girl's glare before.
"I know you want to talk to your friend, but I seriously opposes it," Rukawa reasoned out. "She's jealous and won't be very open-minded if you tried to talk to her now. Maybe later after she's through with her infatuation."
Hanamichi was looking at Rukawa while the boy reasoned out. She knew that he had a point so she remained quiet and snuggled closer to Rukawa.
Rukawa in response tightened his hold as he led the girl away from trouble.
Hanamichi looked back behind them and found a group of girls glaring at her. Haruko was one of them and that was what broke Hanamichi's heart.
When they arrived at the redhead's house, Rukawa calmly asked Hanamichi for her keys. When the girl didn't respond, he carefully fished the keys out of the girl's bag pockets. He entered the humble abode towing the silent girl beside him. He placed Hanamichi in a very colorful sofa after taking both their shoes off.
Hanamichi had strangely fallen asleep while walking home. Rukawa almost laugh at this.
'Seems I'm becoming more influential to you,' he thought as he joined the girl in the sofa. He positioned Hanamichi so the girl was half lying to his chest. Promptly he fell asleep too.
A fly was hovering at his nose. Rukawa swat it away but it persisted.
'Damn annoying fly,' he thought angrily as he swatted it away again. He heard a muffled giggle, and almost laughed out. So his annoying fly could giggle, huh?
Hanamichi delicately traced Rukawa's face with her hair, tickling the boy. She was trying not to laugh when the boy frown with annoyance and tried to swat her hand away.
For the third time, she brushed her hair to Rukawa's face. She squeaked when a hand suddenly took hold of her hand.
Rukawa laughed when the girl squeaked in surprise.
Hanamichi blushed for getting caught in her little prank. But was irritated when the boy kept laughing at her.
"Stop laughing, kitsune," she demanded with a little poke on Rukawa's ribs.
"Okay," Rukawa hiccupped after laughing so hard.
"Hmp!"
Rukawa laughed again. It earned him a glare from Hanamichi and another painful jab on the ribs. The jab was too uncomfortable for Rukawa that he involuntary twisted away from it.
Resulting in a tangled mass of legs and arms on the floor.
"Itee!" Hanamichi cried out when the floor met up with her back. The kitsune laughed harder to Hanamichi's enragement.
"Get off me, kitsune," Hanamichi demanded to the laughing hyena.
Rukawa stopped laughing when he realized their position. He grinned lecherously at the girl at the bottom.
Hanamichi panicked when she saw the look on Rukawa's eyes. She struggled vehemently.
"Get off me, Rukawa Kaede, unless you want me to bring the whole neighborhood on your head. I'm very loud, you know," she threatened.
"Oh? That is what I like to find out," Rukawa murmured seductively. He grinned evilly when the girl gave him a wide-eyed look.
"You're joking," she insisted.
Rukawa shrugged his shoulders, then maneuver his hands to Hanamichi's and placed them over the girl's head.
Hanamichi was so shocked at what the kitsune was implying that she didn't move a muscle to stop the boy.
Not receiving resistance, Rukawa lowered his head to kiss the girl softly. Nibbling at the delicate lips, he slowly deepened the kiss. A very merciless knee made contact with his groin.
"…"
Due to the pain, Rukawa couldn't even mutter a word as he crunched away from Hanamichi.
"Serves you right, hentai," Hanamichi reprimanded angrily while standing as far away as she can from Rukawa.
Rukawa was thinking painful torture for Hanamichi as revenge, unfortunately he couldn't even sit up straight yet.
'Damn you, do'aho,' he thought. He heard footsteps moving away from him then a door opening.
"Get out, hentai kitsune," Hanamichi ordered to the fallen boy.
Rukawa gritted his teeth together to stop from yelling at Hanamichi. After all, it was his fault that the girl was angry with him.
'I'll torture my onii-san first before I torture Hanamichi,' he promised himself. He looked up and gazed at Hanamichi with helpless-puppy eyes, begging forgiveness.
Hanamichi's eyebrow rose at the look. "It won't work on me, kitsune. Now out before I kick you out," she ordered with softer tones this time.
Rukawa heard the softening and didn't hesitate to use to it his advantage.
"Onegai, Hana," he begged with the same helpless-puppy eyes. "Gomen nasai, honto ni. I'll behave from now on."
Hanamichi turned away from him to think for a moment. Rukawa felt a sense of triumph, but it was squashed when Hanamichi gave him a stern look.
"Get out," Hanamichi ordered with a hand pointing to the open door.
Rukawa sighed with defeat. He slowly untangled himself from the floor and walked in as much dignity he can muster with the pain in his groin. He made a mental note on his head that he would not try to forcefully kiss the redhead without liquor, the thought made him smile in spite his injury.
Hanamichi noticed the small smile playing in Rukawa's lips. 'What the hell is he thinking of now?' she wondered silently. 'If it's how-to-get-me-to-bed thoughts again, I swear I'll cut off his penis with that kitchen knife Okina gave me.'
The thought made her blush.
'As if I'll ever touch his penis,' she thought with a hot face.
Rukawa was watching her closely and wondered what the girl was blushing at.
"Daijobu des ka, Hana?" he asked, worried that he might have caused the girl some shock due to his advances.
Hanamichi couldn't look at him in the eye. She was blushing too much.
"Hai, daijobu des," she answered meekly. She was staring at the spot on the floor.
Now, Rukawa was really worried. The girl was never meek, that he realized just a few minutes ago. The girl was blushing and not looking at him.
"Hana," he called tentatively. When the girl didn't look up, he made her look at him.
"Gomen, Hana," he apologized. "I'm not really a hentai."
Hanamichi stared at him big luminous eyes, not really understanding what he was saying, but understood what he wanted to say.
The girl nodded.
He smiled reassuringly, "Gomen if I scared you. It won't happen again, I promise." He ran his hand that cupped Hanamichi's chin to her throat then to the back of her head. He then placed his forehead on the silent girl's, looking deep in her eyes.
Hanamichi smiled at Rukawa, forgiving him as she did so. Rukawa smiled back, his thumb soft caress the girl's cheeks.
They stayed like that for a few minutes; both were relishing the closeness of each other.
"Kaede?"
"Huh?"
"I'm hungry," Hanamichi informed softly.
Rukawa chuckled. "So am I," he answered.
"Let's eat then."
"Where? Are you going to cook? Do you know how to cook?" Rukawa seemed surprise to the idea of Hanamichi knowing how to cook.
Hanamichi pinched Rukawa. "Baka," she reprimanded. "How do you suppose I eat if I don't cook? I lived alone, you know."
"I don't know. I never thought of it before," he explained. He straightened and pulled Hanamichi to the open door. "I don't think my stomach can wait till you cook something. I'll just treat you out."
Hanamichi frowned. "I bet you don't think that I can cook properly," she snorted.
"You can guess?!" Rukawa teased.
That earned him another jab on the ribs.
The boy just laughed at the girl.
The two walked around the neighborhood quietly. Hanamichi hummed her ore wa tensai song while Rukawa held her hand.
"Hana?" Rukawa asked suddenly.
"Hai?"
"Who provide for you?"
Hanamichi stared at Rukawa. "You mean, provide for my studies and food?" she frowned.
"Hai. You're an orphan. And you don't have a job to provide for your basic needs. Yet you seem to be having a nice life with no financial problems whatsoever," he wondered.
Hanamichi smiled. Nodding in understanding, she answered, "I have a trust fund from my father that finances my studies and other stuff, its good till I finished college. But it was not the one that provides for my food. I have a little garden at the back of my house and I fish if I don't have money to buy meat."
"How about the rice? You eat a lot, I've noticed."
Hanamichi giggled. "Yeah, I eat a lot. I love food." She then whispered conspiratorially, "but you know what? The one that supplies my rice is a magic box that never runs out of rice grains. But you mustn't tell anyone about it, huh kitsune?"
Rukawa seriously questioned the sanity of the girl beside him. He stopped walking and studied her closely for any signs of mental illness.
Hanamichi bit the inside of her cheek to stop from laughing at the boy. His thoughts were so easy to guess by the look on his face.
"You're kidding me," he said matter-of-factly.
That triggered Hanamichi's mirth.
Rukawa's eyebrow rose at the reaction. He turned away and started walking.
"'Che," he huff with annoyance.
Hanamichi stopped laughing and ran up to him. "Come on, kitsune. Lightened up, it was a joke," Hanamichi grinned cheekily at him. When the boy kept walking, Hanamichi held his hand and made him look at her.
"I was serious," he said deadpan.
That evaporated Hanamichi's mirth. She bit her lip nervously, not knowing what to say.
Rukawa, seeing the girl's indecision, began walking away again.
Hanamichi was left with a heavy heart. She looked at the retreating back for a few seconds. With a determined look, she walked up to Rukawa and gave him a bump on the head.
"I'm sorry, okay?" she said arrogantly when the boy glared at her.
Rukawa frowned and stared at the girl intensely.
Hanamichi visibly squirmed under the intense look. She looked at her feet and fidgeted nervously.
"Look," she started with her head bowed. "I'm sorry. I thought that by now your sense of humor might have improved a little. I'm really sorry." She finished her explanation and gazed at Rukawa straight in the eye.
Rukawa nodded.
Hanamichi sighed with relief.
"The truth is that," she began. "I have unlimited supply of rice from a farm far away. I don't know why they sent me sacks of rice without payment monthly. So I do have a magic box filled with rice."
Rukawa nodded again.
Hanamichi grinned. "Can we find a dim sum house now? I'm really, really hungry," she pleaded. "But it's your treat, right?"
Rukawa nodded.
Hanamichi squealed in delight. She hastily dragged Rukawa to a certain road that led to her favorite dim sum house.
Rukawa's tension evaporated as a genki girl chattering about her favorite foods led him to a small restaurant.
"Konbanwa, Mina-kaasan," she greeted to the people inside the restaurant.
"Konbanwa," a motherly woman greeted back. She was wiping the counter and talking to a man with spiky hairstyle.
"Konbanwa," a smiling face greeted them. An eyebrow rose when he recognized one of the newcomers. "Rukawa-kun?"
Rukawa nodded as greeting to Sendoh Akira.
"What are you doing here, smiley?" Hanamichi asked in surprised. She clamped her mouth when she slipped up.
"Smiley?" Sendoh wondered in shock. "Hanamichi-kun?"
Hanamichi sweat dropped.
"Hanamichi-kun?" Rukawa repeated as he glared at the redhead then to the smiling face.
"Ahh," Sendoh confirmed with a nodded. "We're friends."
"Really?" Rukawa asked sarcastically.
Sendoh laughed. "Hai, we're friends. Though I have to admit that I wanted more than that but Hanamichi-kun here told me that he…" he didn't get to finish his speech for a bamboo plate was flung to his face.
"Urusai!" the redhead yelled.
Sendoh calmly plucked the bamboo plate off his face. "Hai. Hai," he agreed with a smile. "You should retard that temper of yours, Hana. It could get you in trouble someday."
"Whatever!"
Sendoh laughed at the redhead.
Rukawa watched the exchange with an annoyed expression. "Aren't you hungry, Hana?" he asked to Hanamichi when the Ryonan captain opened his mouth again to tease the redhead. He was glaring at Sendoh.
Sendoh closed his mouth and glared at Rukawa too. "Hana?!"
Hanamichi looked nervously at the two glaring males. She edged closer to Rukawa and blurted out nervously, "Anou… Kaede had been calling me that since this…"
"Kaede?!" now Hanamichi was subjected to Sendoh's glare.
Hanamichi laughed uneasily. "Hai. Kaede," she nodded in affirmation.
One could see Sendoh turning into stone then crumbling into a dust pile on the floor. The woman, whom Sendoh was talking to a while ago, hastily swept the floor and tossed the dust outside.
"There," she said as she dusted off her hands. "I'm sure he'll get over it soon."
"Demo…"
"Don't worry," the woman reassured the redhead. "He's your friend. He'll understand.
"By the way, my name is Mina. But Hanamichi and the rest of her friends call me Mina-kaasan," she introduced herself to Rukawa. "And you are..?"
"Rukawa. Rukawa Kaede," Rukawa bowed in respect.
"Hmmm. A Rukawa eh? I have to say, Hana-chan, you know how to choose."
"Mina-kaasan!" Hanamichi yelled aghast.
The motherly woman laughed. "Just kidding. Now, the regular or..." she looked at Rukawa, "...special?"
Hanamichi beamed, "The special! But it's the kitsune's treat. So I'm not cleaning your dishes tonight."
Mina nodded then left the two to attend to their orders.
"Cleaning dishes?" Rukawa asked to Hanamichi as they seated themselves in a corner.
"Hai," Hanamichi nodded. She looked around the little restaurant then eyed the boy closely. "I have dinner here if the gang isn't with me. But if I don't have money, Mina-kaasan will still serve me dinner but I have to do the dishes."
Rukawa nodded. "And Sendoh? When did you become friends? He doesn't seem to be surprised to see you as a girl."
"Oh we became friends after the Kainan and Ryonan match. We kinda met in the seashore while I was fishing. He said he wanted to be friends and I said okay why not. Youhei had probably told him about what happened to me," Hanamichi shrugged.
Another nod from Rukawa. "He said that he's interested in more than friendship. Is that true?" he interrogated.
"That's what he said," Hanamichi answered honestly. "I like him, but not that way. I was still hung up on Haruko at that time he told me he'd like to be my boyfriend."
"Oh."
The two fell silent.
"Mina doesn't have customers much, does she?" Rukawa looked around the quiet, homey restaurant.
"Hai. But she's okay with this. She said that she doesn't get to become too tired if customers come only by one or two," Hanamichi explained.
"And she didn't get bankrupt?"
"Thinking like a businessman, aren't ya?"
"Can't help it," Rukawa shrugged.
"She doesn't have much," Hanamichi sounded wistful. "She loves this restaurant very much, but not that much that she'll kill herself for it. As long as it's open, she's happy."
"I see," Rukawa said. He took hold of Hanamichi's hand and whispered inaudibly, "I like the music."
"Hmm?" Hanamichi had to lean towards Rukawa to hear him clearly.
"The music. The one being played on the radio," Rukawa clarified.
"Oh." Hanamichi listened and sure enough, music was indeed being played on the radio.
"Utada Hikaru's First Love," she informed Rukawa.
Rukawa nodded as he tightened his hold on Hanamichi's hand. "It's beautiful," he whispered.
Hanamichi smiled coyly, "Want me to sing it for you?"
"Please do."
Hanamichi cleared her throat then began to sing earnestly.
You are always gonna be my love
Itsu ka dare ka to mata koi ni ochite mo
I'll remember to love
You taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
Ima wa mada kanashii love song
Atarashii uta utaeru made
Rukawa gazed at the brown orbs and felt suddenly giddy and warm inside. He brought the redhead's hand to his lips and kissed the palm.
"Aieru, Hana," he said.
Hanamichi didn't answer but rather reached out to touch Rukawa's face.
Rukawa smiled sweetly at the old-fashioned girl before him. He wished that he could freeze that moment and be beside Hana forever.
-8:00 PM, after Dinner-
The dinner went well. Rukawa enjoyed the dinner though his taste buds were a little singed due to the very hot sauce that Hanamichi preferred for her steamed meatballs. The redhead laughed heartily when Rukawa's face turned tomato red. After dinner, they walked hand in hand towards Hanamichi's house.
"Arigato for the delicious dinner, Kaede," Hanamichi chirped happily. They were just a corner from her house.
Rukawa looked at the girl and smiled. He nodded when Hanamichi looked at him.
Hanamichi chew her lip as she thought of something. Rukawa had to restrain himself not to kiss the redhead. The incident in her house lingered in his mind like a nasty thundercloud.
"Kaede?"
"Huh?"
"Your family," Hanamichi began hesitantly.
"What about them?"
Hanamichi stopped walking and faced Rukawa.
"Tell me about them," she whispered.
Rukawa stared at her for a moment. "Naze?"
Hanamichi turned away from him and shrugged, "Because I'm curious."
"Oh."
Hanamichi faced him again.
"You don't have to tell me anything important," she said. "I just wanted to know more about you."
Silence reigned between the two.
Rukawa smiled. "What do you want to know?" he asked.
"I don't know," Hanamichi shrugged.
Rukawa thought for a minute.
"My parents were married for thirty years now," he initiated. "My okaa-san was only sixteen when she gotten pregnant, otou-san was eighteen at a time. My grandparents decided to marry the two in spite of their young age. Both parties thought that the marriage would not last."
Hanamichi stood rooted to the ground as she listened to the story.
"Looks like they were wrong," she cried.
Rukawa smiled. "Yeah. They were wrong. For even in my parents' young age, they both loved each other very much.
"My Ken-niichan built his own empire of businesses at the age of twenty. He is a notorious playboy." Rukawa began walking again towards Hanamichi's house.
Hanamichi ran to catch up. "What about Naoko?"
"What about her? She had begun designing clothes just a few years ago. She's a lesbian. She likes you," Rukawa answered frankly.
Hanamichi frowned. "Oh."
Rukawa grinned. "Ken-niichan and Naoko-neechan were always at each others' throats. Okaa-san had lost hope of ever having peace between the two."
Hanamichi laughed. "That's why Kana-san was so embarrassed at their childish squabble."
Rukawa nodded. They arrived at the redhead's place in no time.
Hanamichi stood at her gate, debating in herself wither she'll invite the kitsune in or not.
"I have to go now, Hana," Rukawa announced. He took Hanamichi in his arms and kissed her softly.
Hanamichi slumped at Rukawa as she let the kiss deepened. She sighed as they parted.
Rukawa gazed at the girl carefully. He gently traced Hanamichi's face. "Hana?"
"Huh?"
"I don't believe in courtship. When I like someone, I tell that person right away but for you, I'll make an exception. Love me now, I'll court you forever," Rukawa promised soulfully.
Hanamichi's eyes widened. "I…" she stammered.
Rukawa smiled. He tenderly untangled himself from the redhead and walked away.
Hanamichi was left staring at his back.
"I always wondered why I don't like him. I guess I knew from the start that he'll take something precious from me," a voice spoke.
Hanamichi twirled and came face-to-face with Sendoh Akira and Mito Youhei. From the tune of voice, Hanamichi easily decipher that it was Sendoh who spoke. Youhei smiled apologetically at Hanamichi.
"Sumi-masen, we didn't mean to scare you," Youhei apologized to the redhead.
Hanamichi shook her head. "Iie. You didn't scare me."
Sendoh stared at Hanamichi accusingly with his ever-present smile. "So he's your boyfriend now." It was not a question.
"Akira, I never gave you any hope that I'll…"
"Urusai!"
Hanamichi obediently shut up.
Sendoh smiled ruefully. "I wish that I could hate you. I really do," Sendoh said. After a few seconds, he started laughing hysterically. "But you know what? I still love you so much that I could come up to Rukawa right now and kill him."
Hanamichi stared at him like he had grown another head.
Sendoh laughed harder. "Nay! I won't do that to you," he said. He sobered then stride out of the gate and in front of the redhead. He tenderly reached out and cupped Hanamichi's face.
"You are so beautiful in both genders. I hope that he love you because of who you are and not because you're a girl that resembles a dream," Sendoh stated gravely. He walked away leaving a stunned girl behind.
Youhei approached the silent girl. "He'll be fine, he's a survivor," he reassured.
Hanamichi had her head hung down after what Sendoh had said. She slowly shook her head to clear her mind. She calmly looked at Youhei and gave him a smile.
"Hai!" she said in a false cheer.
Youhei didn't smile back. "It's okay to be worried. He is, after all, your friend."
Hanamichi nodded. "I…I just can't see why he kept on hanging there," she cried. "I've rejected him before but still he…"
"Hope springs eternal to a loving heart, Hanamichi," Youhei interrupted. "You should know that."
Hanamichi barked a miserable laugh. "Damn! You're right!"
Youhei silently let Hanamichi vent out her pain.
"Did you tell him everything, Youhei?" she uttered after sobering from her misery.
"Hai. He asked for details. Though I'm a little bit hesitant, I decided to tell him the truth," Youhei admitted. "He deserved to know."
"Even the dream-thing?"
"Yeah."
"You don't like Rukawa for me, do you, Youhei?"
Youhei stared at Hanamichi gloomily. He gripped the girl's shoulder in a brotherly comfort.
"Go to sleep now. It's not wise to think too much of the things that should be left in time," he suggested.
Hanamichi nodded in agreement. She suddenly felt so tired. She felt Youhei moved away and before she could speak, Youhei had already turned into a corner. She helplessly stared after her best friend.
A sensation of loneliness and foreboding filled her heart.
She entered her humble abode with a heavy heart. She dropped into the couch and curled into a ball.
She felt so alone. A feeling that she hadn't had since her parents deaths. Her eyes traveled to a picture frame on the wall.
It was a family picture. A cheerful couple could be seen holding to a small boy with red hair. Hanamichi was only three years old at the time the picture was taken. Those were the happy moments in the Sakuragi family. After Hanamichi's mother died in an accident when Hanamichi was only four, the household had little to be happy of. Hanamichi's father spent more time in his work than with his son. Hanamichi met Youhei and the guntai, and was happy to be with them than with his father. The father and son had become strangers to each other till Hanamichi's father died of heart attack. The young Sakuragi had learned to be independent at a very young age.
A knock on the door interrupted Hanamichi's musings. She silently uncurled from the couch and answered the door expecting Youhei.
"Megane-kun?!" she exclaimed in surprised.