Chapter 5
Walking
with the rest of the family' at the back makes Kokoro felt
very
unease. Just by looking at them made her wish to fade away from
the
crowd or escape back to her own reality. In her mind, endless
naggings
to herself are repeatedly done. The way the girls smiles to
her
sensei seemingly having him as a father they long to have, so
goes
with Megumi-san. Megumi could play a good role to be their
mother.
And by the looks of it, she looks at Aoshi with very much
amazement
and endearing. Damn! All of these thoughts were hovering in
her
pesky mind, trying to move on from the present scene at her front
sight.
Just wishing it all to stop.
"Are we there yet?" Suzume excitedly asked.
"We
are nearing, Suzume-chan. Don't worry." Megumi stated then
stared
momentarily
at Aoshi's face tuning to the path silently.
After
10 long minutes walking around the neighborhood, they were able
to
arrive to the designated place – Tae's Restaurant. Aoshi held down
the
girls to the ground from his arms. The girls happily went inside
the
restaurant then followed by Megumi. Kokoro just stood their,
making
amends on what decisions she has to do. Aoshi stood their,
waiting
for Kokoro to enter – again, without looking back.
"Sensei."
"Nani?"
"I
should go now." She shyly stated. She was making her way out
through
the streets, ready to leave them for their own privacy. But
suddenly,
Aoshi make amends to the situation.
"Do
you want to disappoint the girls just like you did to me last
night?"
Aoshi's voice mellowed a bit Kokoro's actions to get away
from
them. She stopped then instantly glared him, blushing.
"Last
night is different! And," She was almost giving her way with
her
sensei, irritably.
"Whatever
reasons you have there, forget it. I'm your sensei and I
know
what's best for my student. Understand?" He finally ceased their
argument
and entered his way to the premise.
"Now
he dictates my diet." She sighed. She doesn't know what to think
about
her sensei, what's going onto his mind. He sure is very
different
from the rest of the teachers she had encountered. This one
is
stricter and very demanding. She, then, follows him inside.
Inside
the restaurant, Megumi and the girls are waiting. Megumi was
quite
a bit anxious of what's happening between Aoshi and Kokoro. She
thought
of maybe the two are known each other long time ago. Aoshi
isn't
a type of guy to tell all of his stories in life, his secrets.
He
never talks anything of it which make her feel a bit depressed on
knowing
the limitation of their relationship. And with this girl
outside
with him, she could possibly be what he's hoping for. Hoping
for,
for what?
A
woman appeared at the dining table of the girls. "Can I take
your
orders?"
Megumi
hadn't noticed the woman asking their orders. Suzume and Ayame
were
puzzled at Megumi, who continuously staring impassively right at
the
front door of the restaurant.
"Hello! Ohayo ma'am. Can I take your orders please?" Bowing down.
"Doctor-sensei!
Doctor-sensei! The lady asks for our orders." Ayame
thumps
gently Megumi's right arm.
"Wha..What?" She snapped out to her ordeal.
"You must have been very hungry, Doctor-sensei!" Suzume giggled.
"Sorry
girls. Something came through my mind." She smiled at looked
at
the waitress. "Pls. come back after a minute to us. Our other
companions
are still outside."
"Hai." The waitress walks to the other table of customers.
Aoshi
approaches the table, so as Kokoro behind him. They position
themselves
without minding the people around them who are seemingly
eager
to know what kept them so long outside the restaurant.
"What took you so long, Sensei!" Ayame questioned.
"We are very hungry." Suzume massages her belly.
Aoshi
smiled while Kokoro took her seat and never laid a single stare
on
him.
"Oh
yes. What took you so long outside the restaurant, Aoshi-san?"
Megumi
looked close to Aoshi then to Kokoro. "Kokoro-san?"
Kokoro
didn't react, minding other things besides from answering
questions
from a suspecting member.
"Nothing, Megumi-san. Nothing." Aoshi suddenly responded.
Megumi
held back to her own chair and felt aggravated. To Aoshi,
perhaps.
To Kokoro, could be a lot. Kokoro smells a feisty war on a
breakout
and she doesn't want to get involved with it.
The
manager of the restaurant came to their table. "Ohayo minna! My
name
is Tae and I own this restaurant. Feel free to order, and of
course,
pay later." She giggled.
Kokoro
looked at the woman and suddenly recognizes her physical
features
– close enough to her…to her…to her…sister! Sister
Omasu!
"Tae-oneesan! It's me Kokoro." Kokoro happily stated.
"Kokoro?
Kokoro! What a surprise!" Tae went close to Kokoro's side.
Others
were also felt surprised from the woman who rushes towards
Kokoro.
"So.
What are you doing here? I thought you are in Tokyo. It seems
you
have moved."
"Half.
It's kind of a branch of my original one back in Tokyo. So how
are
you and your sisters?"
"We're
fine. We own a cyber café near the park. Visit us whenever
you're
free. By the way, these are my friends." She stood up. "This
is
Takani Megumi, a soon to be doctor; Ayame-chan and her sister
Suzume-chan;
and Shinomori Aoshi, my…"
"Nice
to meet you." Aoshi stood up and shook Tae's hand. He then goes
back
to his seat.
Tae whispered to Kokoro's ears.
"He's
damn good looking, Kokoro-chan. Is he your boyfriend? If you
ask
me, he is too mature for someone like you. He should have been
mine."
Tae teased.
"Baka!
The idiot isn't my boyfriend, Oneesan. He is my," Kokoro
drastically
explains, trying to lower her voice.
"I
know. I know. Your secret is safe with me." She suddenly
interrupted
Kokoro, mumbling, leaving the others doubting for her own
right
sanity.
"But, but, but it isn…." Kokoro tries to explain her dearly.
Tae
turned to the rest of the people in the table and announced
something.
"Since
my cousin is here, I would like you all the taste my special
delicacies
in the house. All is free, a sign of welcoming and," Tae
viewed
back to confused face of Kokoro then to Shinomori-san. ", it's
my
gift for the couple. Ja ne!" Tae went to the counter.
"A couple?" Megumi asked.
"Ha
eh…couple! Couple! Oh yes! The girls. Ayame-chan and
Suzume-
chan!"
Kokoro sat down nervously.
"Oh I see." Perceived a doubtful look.
"Wow!
All is free! All is free!" Ayame and Suzume rejoiced, playing
all
the utensils at their reach.
"What
now, Kokoro! You had been charged a crime that you didn't
commit.
Nice! Nice going Kokoro!" She rebukes.
Special
delicacies from the restaurant were served at their table.
All
were look delicious and the group wanted to start the feast. The
smell
of steaming beef, one of the morning specialties of Tae's,
entices
the mouth of every member of the group except Aoshi. He just
sits
still and waiting for something light to eat. The children are
very
happy on feasting such mouth watering meals – the beef pot, the
sukiyaki
and a platter of sushi. Megumi starts to prepare the dishes
to
them, as for the girls, they could wait any longer for it. Kokoro
watched
Megumi how she gently equally divides the food among the
people
in the table especially to Aoshi. She glanced at Aoshi,
unbothered
to what she's been doing. Megumi does it all perfectly – a
sign
of a woman of a house – a complete opposite of her. She then
remembers
Omasu preparing meals for the family. Omasu has such great
dedication
to what she's been doing – every detail of it from cooking
the
food up to the packaging. And now, Kokoro completely understands
what
her sisters been telling her long ago. A woman should learn to
cook
or perhaps to any related works from the house chores.
"Kokoro-san.
Would you like to have some sushi on your plate?" Megumi
waits
for Kokoro's responds.
Kokoro
snapped out from her trance, looking directly at Megumi's
questioning
eyes. "Oh! Um… Pls. do!" She held the plate towards
Megumi
unintentionally surprising the rest from the table.
Megumi smiled and grab her plate.
A
woman, about Megumi's height and body, entered the premise with
such
great self-confidence that could almost blow any person away
from
her path. She wears a black jogging pants and sweater, looks
like
she's gone from a morning exercise. She accidentally perceives
Kokoro
dining. As she wipes her excess sweat from her face and neck,
she
walked slowly towards them.
"Well,
well, well. Look who's here?" The woman apparently ceased,
nearing
to the right side of Kokoro. "They said you are my new
contender
to the upcoming Kempo competition."
Kokoro
glanced at the woman. She looked at her from head to toe,
intentionally
mocking her. The girls were again surprised, so as
Megumi.
Aoshi continues to mind his own business – at the food.
"Oh
I see. I never thought that I could become this famous. And your
name
is…."
"You
don't know me? Oh my! How pity! You never tend to research on
things
you have to know my dear. Knowing your opponent dearly – its
abilities
and weaknesses – is a golden rule in winning."
"Thanks for the tip. Your name?" She smirked.
The
young woman chortled like she owns the place, so goes with the
whole
world. Too confident and far more obnoxious than someone she
already
knew. Another individual approaches the table where the
argument
starts to fume. A young man, close to Kokoro's age, has a
good
built and fine manner to be reckoned with.
He
bowed tenderly towards Kokoro's group, greeting them a silent
hello
from a stranger like him. He turned to the arrogant
woman.
"Ohayo Misanagi! What brings you here in this restaurant? You
never
said to me that you're fond hanging with these kind of places."
He
smiled.
"Seta-san!
What a surprise!" She embraced tightly the man who greeted
her.
Every one on the table was totally clueless to the couple who
had
arrived, disturbing their breakfast. "It happened to be that I
decided
to dine in this new opened restaurant, then unexpectedly
saw
someone…..Oh well, since you are here, we better find another
place
with much more ambiance to dine with , Seta-san." Then she
released
him from her arms.
The
young man nodded as he glances back to Kokoro. With his silent
stare,
he bid her many deep apologies from what his boasting friend
told
them, especially to her. Kokoro understand and took the message.
The
two immediately went on their way outside the restaurant. She now
hopes
for the best that no other bad incident will follow. Twice is
enough!
"I'm full!" Suzume gently thumps her belly.
"Me
too. Arigato Kami-sama!" Ayame folded her hands while closing
her
eyes,
thanking someone – or some unseen being.
All
finished their breakfast. Aoshi took his black wallet from his
rear
pocket on his jeans. He signaled one of the waitresses near the
counter
for the check, for the bill. But a waiter from the other
table
approaches.
"Sir,
our manager told us not to accept any payments from this table.
All
were free to dine." He glances at Kokoro.
"Well
I don't. I insist to pay anything we ate in this table. Do you
understand
me clearly?" He stared coldly at the frightened waiter.
Megumi
wasn't shocked at what Aoshi did to the poor food server.
Kokoro
was a bit angered but trying not to show it at front of Suzume-
chan
and Ayame-chan.
"Demo…"
"Nani!" A hoarse voice prompted.
"Hai!
Hai sir!" The waiter quickly went to the counter, computed all
the
food they ate and sloppily searched for a receipt.
"Sensei
doesn't want to take any chances of debt." Ayame whispers to
Kokoro's
left ear then giggled.
The
waiter unhurriedly approaches the table, looking scared at the
demanding
man. Aoshi received the receipt, checking if all were
calculated
correctly. He opened his wallet and took a large bill,
giving
it to the waiter. Kokoro accidentally saw a picture – picture
of
a young girl's half portrait but it is kind of blurry. Aoshi
closes
it and put it back to his rear pocket.
"Megumi-san."
"What,
Aoshi-kun?" Megumi glances blissfully at Aoshi, a thing that
made
Kokoro now felt a bit jealous.
"Could you pls. take these little angels back to their home?"
Suddenly,
Megumi's phone rang. She answered the call and it was her
father,
telling her that she is, indeed, very much needed at the
clinic.
Someone came in their clinic, wounded dreadfully by a
gunshot.
She quickly stood and looked at the children then to Aoshi.
"Gomen
Aoshi-kun. Something came up. It's an emergency call from the
clinic
and I need to go there immediately." Megumi directly ran
towards
the door, waving her hand to them for a good-bye.
"Sensei."
Kokoro called the attention of her sensei. "If you want,
I'll
take them home. Just tell me were they lived."
Aoshi glances at Kokoro.
"Yes!
Oneesan could take us home, Sensei. Don't you worry."
Ayame
went
close at the side of Aoshi.
"Don't
you want us around the play center, Sensei?" Suzume asked
subtly.
The
little girl was sad on knowing that she and her sister will be
brought
back to their home, leaving suddenly their sensei. She made a
great
effort on finding their way to the place yet their Sensei
didn't
notice it. Aoshi picked her up, embracing her well.
"Sorry
but I have other plans to do. Maybe next time." The child
embraces
Aoshi more firmly, wanting not to let go from his neck. He
smoothly
brushes the small back of the child.
Kokoro
was touched from what she sees – the interaction of the child
and
her sensei. She began to see the another self of her sensei,
opening
inadvertently. She wondered if Aoshi could stay as that when
she's
on training with him. It would be likely her best benefit to
the
game.
"Okay. Kokoro-san and I will take you two back home, alright?"
"That
will be great!" Suzume instantly faces Aoshi then gave him more
intense
hugs. Ayame followed, grasping lightly his jeans.
Aoshi
and the children went on the way out of the restaurant. Kokoro
also
followed without any arguments or contradictions like what she
did
earlier. Few moments after, Tae rushed outside, hoping she could
talk
to Kokoro about returning the money to Aoshi-san. But they were
nowhere
to be found.
"Mou!
Where are they? Oh well….at least, I saw Kokoro-chan once again
after
so many long years. She really grew up into a fine looking
young
woman. And about the guy…..I hope she had chosen the right
one."
Nearing
to the place where the girls live, Kokoro silently watched
how
they interact with each other. Aoshi, her sensei, wasn't that
much
bothered on carrying them at his arms, feeling at more peace –
Suzume
and Ayame – while busy playing of some sort pre-school game of
hand
clapping. As long they are happy and safe in his arms that would
be
enough for him to know. Safe and sound in his arms. Kokoro
assures
that Aoshi will be a good father someday. He will be. Just
listening
to the laughter and giggles of the two little girls on his
arms
made Kokoro felt serene, wishing of something….. Suddenly, she
remembered
her sweet childhood. She was with her sisters, running in
the
park where Sakura trees starting to shed. Truly, it was an
awesome
experience. All the laughter and giggles they created,
playing
impassively to the real world they are walking with was the
best
thing they had ever done when she was a little – too innocent to
what
beholds. The faces of her sisters dictate her delight at that
specific
moment. For whatever reason, they are smiling genuinely.
"Oh
no. We are almost there." Suzume covered her eyes with her
palms.
"Don't want to go home yet."
They
finally arrived. Kokoro was surprised seeing such huge Tudor
house
– kind of a European architectural design. Gates were painted
in
silver. Their garden is so huge, full of ornamental hanging
flowers.
Three cars, all are Ford cars, park at the cave-shaped
garage.
4 servants are waiting near the security house.
"Arigato
Shinomori-san for taking them home safely. Everyone in the
mansion
was very much insanely worried to you two. I almost called a
police
because of this. Your big brother will surely fire us out in
our
jobs if he knows this." The old head maid scolded the two young
ladies.
"Sorry. It will never happen." Ayame tries to calm the old woman.
"We
have to go. Pls. excuse us." Aoshi turned away without saying
goodbye
to the girls. Kokoro also bid them farewell though she wasn't
introduced
by the children and Aoshi.
"See
you in Monday, Sensei!" Suzume rushes towards the gate, followed
by
one of the maids.
Aoshi
and Kokoro continue to depart the place. Kokoro looked back,
seeing
the children's' gloomy faces. With these kind of reactions and
emotions
towards their sensei seems projecting much amount of need on
seeing
him more. They already had the boding', rare seen from the
people
of today. To family, perhaps but to this kind of relation is
different.
Kokoro assumes that Aoshi and the children share emotions
they
both only knew within themselves, needed to sustain to live
everyday.
Aoshi
stopped from walking, seeing the sunshine above his lovely
head,
and faces Kokoro. "As I had said last night, do your training.
See
you tomorrow at the gym." He walked again towards to outskirts
of
the
city then vanished.
He's
back to his old ways again; never interact to the people besides
the
two little angels they left a while ago. When will he learn to
open
his heart up to other people? When will she see the truth behind
those
icy blue eyes from the man who just left? She wanted to know
more
of him but she's afraid that he might reject her, treat it all
non-sense.
What now?