Dawn at the Hinata Inn greeted a new face, as a young woman slowly rode up to the address on a blue Vespa scooter. She stopped, unhooked her helmet, and proceeded to walk up the steps.
Her black electric guitar was securely strapped to her back, and her torn denim and faded leather clothing was a definite contrast to the pleasant, natural atmosphere of the surrounding springs. The only remotely fancy thing on her person was a gold chain necklace, which trailed down her collar and under her shirt. Her steps were the only things making noise this early in the morning, other than the rustle of tree leaves.
She stopped close to the top, taking in a deep breath with eyes closed and arms stretched outward. She shook her head, her messy, quasi-spiked blue hair greeting the morning breeze.
"Finally…" she said, "I'm here."
*******
Chapter Two: Mysterious Punk Girl! Hello Rieko—Shinobu's Family?
*******
Motoko was wide-awake. Of course she was.
And she was practicing. The rhythmic swiping of the sword was the only noise this early in the morning, and that's the way she liked it: just her, the sword, and the empty world.
When the scraping of steps dared to intrude on the peaceful stillness, Motoko immediately snapped to attention. She unsheathed part of her blade with her thumb and whirled around to face the source of the noise, getting ready for whatever would come.
It was just a girl. In her early twenties, Motoko assumed. She looked like a punk, or some kind of rebellious character, though Motoko couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu looking at her. Strapped onto her back was… some kind of weapon? A musical instrument? She couldn't tell from this distance, but she wasn't willing to hedge her bets. A visitor at this hour wasn't a good sign, let alone a stranger.
The punk girl's casual stride was abruptly interrupted when the warrior girl called out from the rooftop. "You there!" She pointed at the intruder. "What business do you have here this early?"
For just a moment, she looked completely shocked. Then the punk girl regained her composure, smiling brightly and bowing. "Oh, ohayo gozaimasu! Is this the Hinata Inn?"
Motoko nodded. "Yes, this is. And you are…"
"Forgive my rudeness! My name is Maehara Rieko. I was wondering if Shinobu-chan still lived here."
"Maehara…?"
She nodded. "Is she here?"
Motoko regretted her previously curt tone. If this was some important relative and she had a bad impression of the Hinata Inn… "I'm sorry, but Shinobu-chan won't be waking up for another hour at least. Would you like to wait inside?"
"Oh, no thank you, I'm fine out here." She took a closer look at Motoko. "My, aren't you a pretty girl! Practicing kendo this early in the morning… shouldn't you be getting your beauty sleep?"
Motoko blushed, half in embarrassment and half in anger. "I beg your pardon, miss, but I am the heir to the Shimeiryuu, and a warrior in training. Warriors do not have 'beauty sleep.'"
"A warrior?" Rieko seemed impressed. "Well! I'm happy to see that Shinobu-chan is staying with such interesting people. Say, would you like a match or two with me?"
"You know kendo?"
"Oh, a little here and there." The punk smiled. "So how about it?"
Motoko shrugged. This girl looked strange, but she seemed nice enough. "Sure. Let me get a practice stick."
*******
Naru awoke to the sound of heavy sparring. She recognized the noises from her earlier days living with Motoko, and it was an intense session from the sound of it.
She looked at her watch. 6:00.
Who would be sparring with Motoko this early in the morning?
Putting on a sweater, Naru stepped outside and went into the courtyard.
Motoko and Rieko were taking a quick rest, facing one another. Both were short of breath and dripping sweat.
"You're… good…" Motoko said.
"Really?" Rieko panted, "Arigato… You are definitely more skilled than I am, though."
"Ready for more?"
She smiled. "Let's go."
Their practice swords met, and then it began.
Motoko started out with a wide swipe, one that was easily countered by Rieko. The blue-haired girl took the split-second pause to launch her own array of offensive attacks. Motoko leapt back, parrying each motion with a fluid series of defensive strikes. Then she jumped into the air, preparing to attack Rieko straight on with a full body strike.
Suddenly, Motoko found herself on the floor. Rieko was kneeling over her, one hand hovering over the wooden blade and the other holding the bokken to Motoko's neck.
She recognized that technique. It was the special Falling Leaf Maneuver, a difficult defensive move that only Motoko's family knew. At least, she thought that was the case. Now she was just confused. "How did you know that move?"
Rieko stood up, helping Motoko up with her free hand. "Like I said, a little here and there."
"Excuse me," Naru stepped outside. "Motoko, is this a friend of yours?"
Motoko was silent. Rieko let her practice sword rest, and bowed. "I'm just a visitor. My name is Maehara Rieko. What is your name?"
"Narusegawa Naru…" Naru blinked. "Maehara? Are you related to Shinobu?"
"As a matter of fact, yes!" Rieko nodded enthusiastically. "Motoko-chan and I were just passing some time until Shinobu-chan woke up. Is she…?"
Shinobu chose that time to come outside, dressed in her pajamas and turtle slippers. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Ohayo minna… Who's that?"
All eyes were on the older punk girl. Ah, Motoko thought. That's why I got that feeling. Except for her taste in clothing, this girl looks almost exactly like an older version of Shinobu.
"Shinobu-chan…" Rieko smiled, running up and giving the younger girl a big hug. "Shinobu-chan, it's so good to see you!" When Shinobu failed to respond similarly, she put her down and leaned down to meet face to face. "Remember me? It's Rieko! Your cousin!"
*******
"Cousin, huh?" Haruka muttered, taking a drag from the ever-present cigarette that dangled from her lips.
"That's right, Haruka-san." Rieko took a sip of tea. "I went to both of her parents, but they said she was here. So I decided to come up here, see how she was doing, maybe spend some time with her."
The older woman nodded. "I see. She doesn't seem to remember you, though."
"Hai, that's true. It makes me a little sad that she doesn't remember me, but I understand. It's been many years… Almost a decade, really."
Haruka leaned back on the loveseat. "Well, Shinobu-chan's definitely changed since her younger days. She's less shy, for one."
"Oh, I noticed. You've been treating her very well here!"
"Eh, it's nothing." She waved the other girl off. "Most of the positive change has been thanks to my nephew. Have you met him yet?"
Rieko stayed silent, staring intently at the dregs of her tea. The awkward pause was just long enough for Haruka to wonder if she had heard her question. But then the punk girl put down her teacup and smiled sweetly. "No, I don't believe I have… But what's a guy doing in an all-girls dormitory?"
Haruka sighed, taking another calming drag of nicotine. "You know, I thought I knew in the beginning… but if you'd like to stay for dinner, I could tell you why I'm probably wrong."
"Well, if you don't mind my being here that late…"
"Don't worry about it. Besides, you'll be able to try Shinobu-chan's cooking."
"She cooks, huh?"
"Mm, quite well too." Haruka stood up. "But I think it's time to greet the welcoming party…"
She walked over to the door, ignoring Rieko's confused expression, and quickly opened the sliding door to reveal Sarah, Su, Mutsumi, and Keitaro. They apparently had their ears propped up against the door, judging by the way they fell over. Haruka smirked, crossing her arms. "I knew it."
"I saw these three here, and I thought that maybe they were playing some kind of game… Ara ara, I guess not!" Mutsumi smiled, bowed to Rieko, and excused herself politely, Tama-chan flying behind her. Sarah and Su offered no explanation; they simply walked off to do something else.
Haruka picked up Keitaro by the ear before he could scramble away, making him wince in pain. "And you, oh honorable manager?"
"I, er…"
"You know, I was just talking about you with this nice young lady, and you embarrass me by eavesdropping like a sneaky ninja. You disappoint me so much, Keitaro-kun. I think I'm going to cry." Her amused expression (about as amused as it ever got, anyway) suggested otherwise, but Keitaro decided not to point that out. He liked his face the way it was.
"I just… I heard from Narusegawa that there was somebody here related to Shinobu, and er… I wanted to wait and see when it would be best for me to walk in and introduce myself, that's all!"
"Oh, is that it? Well then." His aunt yanked him around to face Rieko, still holding on to his ear. "Rieko-san, I'd like you to meet my nephew Keitaro. He is the grand poobah of the Hinata Inn, my bundle of pride and joy, and so on."
"K… Konnichiwa…" Keitaro bowed politely, regretting that he decided to dress today in a grungy t-shirt and jeans. "You are Shinobu-chan's cousin? I can see the resemblance!"
Their eyes met, and all was still.
Rieko's expression was inscrutable. Keitaro nervously scratched the back of his head. "I mean to say, that is… you two look really alike! Very pretty, and…"
Still, she said nothing. Keitaro was beginning to worry, and the situation didn't get any better when he noticed tears brimming from the corners of Rieko's eyes. He tried again. "You're both Maeharas all right… uh-huh, definitely… eh-heheheh… I. Um."
What was he doing wrong?
He looked at Haruka, trying to beg for her help using his eyes.
Sorry kid, she seemed to reply, turning around to put away the dishes. You're on your own.
But before he could try another one of his excellent ice-breaking techniques, Rieko suddenly jumped on him, embracing him in a tight hug. Keitaro's mind immediately went into overdrive.
She's hugging me. Why is she hugging me? Ack, she's crying on my shoulder too! Why is she crying? She wouldn't be crying and hugging me, not unless she was happy about something. But what would she be so happy about…?
For the briefest of moments, Keitaro wondered. It was a silly thought, one that he normally would have crushed right away, before it led to him doing something embarrassing. He thought he'd grown past this by now. But it came to him anyway, the lingering, traitorous thought: Was this Maehara Rieko the girl who he made the promise to so long ago, now come back to him? It seemed so unlikely, so downright impossible to happen now… but why else would she be this happy? There was just no other explanation for it. His hopes sprung anew from his heart like a silver wellspring, and he could no longer contain himself.
He hugged Rieko back.
They pulled away from each other slowly, reluctantly, and still remained holding each others' shoulders. Neither of them spoke for a while, but Keitaro finally broke the silence.
"I'm so happy to finally meet you!"
Rieko looked deeply into his eyes, with a smile so radiant and gorgeous that Keitaro could hardly believe it. Then she spoke, her words echoing with a sadness and longing that only the two of them could ever understand:
"Me too."
There. Keitaro finally heard it.
The voice that he had been waiting for over fifteen years to hear.
He hugged her again, this time taking care to memorize every little detail about her. He had been waiting for her for years, and she had come back! The girl from his childhood, the one who promised to go to Tokyo U with him! And now… they could finally be happy.
This was, Keitaro concluded, the happiest day of his entire life.
Haruka came out to see what all the fuss was about. Her cigarette dropped out of her mouth when she saw the biggest, happiest smile she'd ever seen shining from Keitaro's face. "Kei-kun…?"
Keitaro laughed, exulting in this profound feeling of joy he never even knew he was capable of.
"It's okay, Haruka-san… Everything is okay."
*******
"KITSUNE!"
She sat up unenthusiastically, warily putting down her copy of Horse Racing Weekly. She didn't even have time to change out of her 'comfort ensemble' of a long dress shirt and purple pantyhose. This had better be good. "Yes, Keitaro-san…?"
Keitaro burst into Kitsune's room, his mannerisms and the expression on his face verging on manic. "Where's all of your sake??"
Kitsune raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?"
The ronin giggled like a little schoolgirl, and for a moment Kitsune was genuinely creeped out. "Are you okay, Keitaro-kun?"
"Okay? Okay??" He laughed and grabbed Kitsune, spinning her around in an impromptu salsa. "Konno Mitsune, for your information, I feel great! Wonderful!" He dipped her and gave her a big kiss on the lips. "Never! Been! Bett—"
Naru gave him a solid whack on the skull with a fan. "Damn pervert…" She almost screamed when Keitaro laughed and flipped himself up barely a second after the concussive blow.
"Oh Naru… I love you so much!"
Naru dropped the fan and blushed furiously. "Kei… Keitaro…"
He smiled brightly. "You're beautiful! Don't ever change!"
She turned redder.
Kitsune dusted off her shirt and stood up, getting back on the bed and propping her feet up on a footstool. "What's got you so happy, anyway? Did you win the lottery?"
"No, even better!"
"Ha! Nothing's better than money."
"LOVE!" Both girls had to cover their ears from Keitaro's joyous exclamation, and covered them even harder once Keitaro began to croon a traditional love song.
"Has he lost it…?" Kitsune muttered to Naru, raising an eyebrow behind her Horse Racing Weekly. The other girl just smiled.
"I don't think he has. Not at all."
Naru could feel herself filling up to the brim with happiness.
Keitaro said that he loved her! Her! Narusegawa Naru, fellow ronin and Tokyo U hopeful! All those times she had abused him, all of the times she treated him like dirt, and Keitaro still loved her… She felt like she could fly. And if she did, she knew she would fly straight into Keitaro's warm, comforting arms.
Is this what it truly meant to fall in love?
Naru liked the feeling, loved it more than even expensive food or Bruce Lee films.
This feeling was new. It made her heart race and her breath catch.
"Keitaro, this is so wonderful…" She said, tears forming in her eyes.
"I know, isn't it?" He laughed. "And it's about time, too!"
Naru laughed along with him. "I know what you mean! I'm so glad!"
Keitaro stepped out of the room cheerfully. "Kitsune, bring all the booze you can possibly hold! We're going to have ourselves a party!"
Kaolla Su stepped out of her room, armed with a bushel of bananas. "Party? Yay!"
Shinobu also found herself attracted to the noise, poking her head out from the kitchen. "Party? Nani?"
Haruka leaned back in her chair and slapped her forehead, using her free hand to light another cigarette. "Party. Great."
*******
Keitaro entered the Hinata Inn late at night. The living room, where the party took place, was now devoid of people. There was nothing but empty cups and a half-empty bowl of punch to show that anything even happened before. It felt like a ghost town… as small as a ghost town could get inside a room.
Sighing, Keitaro began to slowly clean up.
As he wiped up the table using a spare napkin, he began to think about the way he had acted earlier. With even the slightest hope that he had found the girl he had promised so many years ago, Keitaro was reduced to an utter fool, one who couldn't even see what was going on around him. Looking back, it was pretty embarrassing…
"Um… Keitaro-san, what are you talking about? What promise?" Rieko seemed confused, and Keitaro chuckled good-naturedly. Looks like she had a little too much to drink.
"Don't you remember, fifteen years ago?"
"Nope. Sorry." Wait. That wasn't right.
He kept looking at Rieko, hoping for a 'just kidding!' or an 'I love you.' It was a little soon for that, he knew, but anything was better than this…
Silence.
Behind Keitaro, Narusegawa's eyes blazed red. "… KEITARO…"
Then she punched him so far into the air that it took him a full hour to walk back home. Poor Naru; he shouldn't have gotten her hopes up about him finally finding his childhood friend. She seemed so excited for him earlier in the day, and to let her down like that… he just felt stupid. Stupid and selfish.
In fact, why was he so willing to let go of Naru when faced with the opportunity to fulfill the old promise? Was Naru really that unimportant to him, in the end? He hoped not, but the way he acted today wasn't very reassuring.
"Keitaro-kun?"
Great, now he was hearing Shinobu-chan's voice in his head. Probably to make him hate himself even more…
When she called him again, Keitaro realized that it really was Shinobu. She came out from the kitchen, wearing a green party dress and holding two paper cups full of punch. When she stumbled and hiccupped, Keitaro all of a sudden could smell the pungent scent of alcohol in the punch bowl. How much did Kitsune put in there?
"Keitaro-kun..." Shinobu giggled, swaying back and forth like a leaf in the breeze. "I mean, sempai!" She laughed as if she had said the funniest joke in the world. "Wanna… do you wanna drink, sempai-kun?" She lost her balance, dropping the cups on the floor.
"Shinobu-chan!" Keitaro ran to catch her, just barely getting her waist. "How much did you have to drink?"
"Just… a little bit. Kitsune used all of the regular drinks for her punch… so I had a few. Cups. Three, four maybe." She giggled at him, touching his nose. "I was thirsty."
"And nobody noticed you?" Keitaro felt a surge of anger. How could they leave Shinobu like this?
"No sempai, no no no nobody noticed me… I just… slipped into the kitchen…" Suddenly she began sniffling, and her voice cracked. "Nobody goes there if the food's out already… and I didn't cry, I swear sempai I didn't…" Shinobu began to cry in earnest. "I didn't! Don't you believe me, sempai?"
"Shh, don't cry Shinobu-chan …" Keitaro gently picked her up, carrying her slowly to her room. Shinobu was a pretty miserable drunk, he mused. He'd met a few of those before, and so he knew what to do. "Of course I believe you."
She sniffled, looking up at him with glistening eyes. "This is just like when we were running with the groceries… Urashima-sempai, fight… I don't feel very good."
"I know. You'll be up in your room soon, and you can just sleep it off."
Shinobu settled on staying quiet after that.
Once they got to her room, Keitaro placed the girl on the floor, taking out the futon and laying it out as quickly as he could. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Shinobu was staring at him from the ground, a contented smile on her face.
"What is it, Shinobu-chan?"
She coyly looked away, her face turning even redder than it already was with the alcohol. "You're sweet, sempai…"
Keitaro smiled back. Then he remembered what happened an hour ago, and it faded immediately. He sighed. "No… I'm not."
Shinobu pouted, her hair falling over her face as she rolled onto the futon. "Why not?"
"Because…" Keitaro sat down, putting the covers over Shinobu and adjusting her pillow. "I don't think about other people. It's always my promises, my needs, what I want. Me, me, me. It's always about me, never about anyone else." He looked at the young girl sadly. "You can't really love someone who thinks of no one but themselves. People like that don't even deserve to be loved."
Shinobu sat up. Her eyes met with Keitaro's, and in them Keitaro could see Shinobu's true self with the utmost clarity: sensitive, caring, compassionate.
"Don't be sad Urashima-sempai. Remember? I hate it so much when you're sad…" She touched his face tenderly, a tear rolling down her cheek.
"I'll love you, I promise. Just don't be sad any more… okay, sempai?" She kissed him on the cheek. "You won't need to worry any more, because I'll love you."
Keitaro couldn't speak.
The words were so simple, and yet…
And yet, again, he found himself unable to remember the last time anyone said anything like that to him, ever. Again, he found Shinobu to be the only one to grant him such a deep kindness. Keitaro owed Shinobu a lot.
"Why, Shinobu-chan?"
"… Why what?"
Their faces were an inch apart, but Keitaro was too absorbed in the moment to know or care. "Why would you ever love me?"
"Because, sempai…"
Shinobu came closer. Their noses were touching.
"Because I do. That's all there is. There's nothing else."
And then she kissed him.
He was being selfish again, he knew.
But in a moment of irrational clarity, Keitaro realized that in the end, someone loved him. Even if Rieko wasn't really his childhood sweetheart, even if Naru kept hating him like she always did, even if everyone else took advantage of him and disdained even to hear his name… Shinobu loved him.
It gave him hope.
And then Shinobu threw up, right into Keitaro's face.
*******
Shinobu awoke slowly. Her tongue felt lifeless, and her brain and heart seemed to have been switched, the way her head was throbbing. It took her a while to summon the willpower to move, especially since it was a Sunday. But move she did, and the first thing she did was roll over to her side to check the time.
Taped onto her Moshi Maro clock was a handwritten note. Shinobu pulled it off, and began trying to focus her bleary eyes to read what it said:
**Don't worry about breakfast ((that was crossed out)) lunch ((that was also crossed out, with a different color pen)) dinner. I'll be taking care of it, so just rest. I left some water and aspirin for you.
- Keitaro**
The water and aspirin was waiting for her on a tray. There was also a lemon slice and mint leaf placed next to the aspirin, presumably to add a fancy touch.
Shinobu smiled. It was sweet.
She took the water and aspirin, choking down her gag reflex thanks to the hangover.
Sitting up to let it all settle in, Shinobu idly took a look at her clock. Her eyes widened when she saw the time.
18:00.
That, Shinobu decided, was not good.
She crawled out of her futon, ignoring the protest her body was giving. It simply wouldn't do for her to be lying around all day, no matter what the excuse was. Kitsune drank a great deal more than she did, and she never seemed to complain, or even look like she was suffering.
Shinobu stood up shakily, debating on and finally deciding against changing out of her pajamas. She didn't want to move her arms any more than she had to.
Groaning, she stumbled out of her room. She needed a bath badly.
*******
A wonderful aroma greeted her as soon as she entered the kitchen. Somebody was cooking something.
"Ohayo…" Shinobu said as she stepped in. The unpleasant croak in her voice surprised her. "I mean konbanwa."
Keitaro spun around, chopsticks in one hand and metal spatula in the other. Tied uncomfortably around his torso was a frilly white cooking apron. "Shinobu-chan, you're awake? Konbanwa."
She giggled.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing, sempai…" She pointed at his apron and smiled. Keitaro blushed, scratching his head self-consciously.
"Oh, this? It's Haruka-san's. She lent it to me so I could cook." He turned back to the frying pan. "I figured it was the least I could do, to help you out a little."
"Arigato sempai. I'm very grateful." Shinobu bowed, then opened up the pantry to get her own apron out. "Do you mind if I help you? I don't feel right just sitting here doing nothing."
Keitaro shrugged. "Sure. Did you take the aspirin?"
Shinobu nodded. "Hai." She took a look at the frying pan. "Okonomiyaki?"
"Yep." Keitaro took out the cooking oil, pouring a little on the pan. He grinned as it sizzled. "I think it's almost done, actually. Want to give it a try?" He quickly cut off a piece with his spatula, picking it up with chopsticks and gently blowing on it. "Shinobu-chan! Ahhh…"
Shinobu's breath caught, and she blushed. Slowly, shyly, she opened her mouth.
"A… Ahhh…" He popped it into her mouth, and she chewed thoughtfully. "It's good… But have you tried adding a little chili powder?"
"Wouldn't that make the okonomiyaki too spicy?"
"Not too much, just a pinch or two should do it, I think."
"All right, here's the chili powder…"
They stood there cooking for a little while, the only noise being the sizzle of the pan. Suddenly the oven bell dinged. Keitaro handed Shinobu the spatula. "It looks like the soufflé is done now."
"Soufflé?"
"Hai." He put on a pair of oven gloves, taking out the soufflé and setting it on the counter. "I figured I should start practicing making different types of cakes, just some small ones. You tell me which type you like the best, and I'll make a big one of that for your birthday."
Shinobu felt a small packet of joy erupt upon hearing him say that. "Arigato, Urashima-sempai… I didn't know you baked things."
"I actually know how to make a lot of different desserts, thanks to my family. Cooking regular food, though, that's a new experience." He put away the oven gloves and went back to standing next to Shinobu. "How's the okonomiyaki now?"
"I think it's ready." Shinobu hesitated, but only for a moment. Then she smiled, cutting off a piece and picking it up with a pair of chopsticks. "Sempai! Ahhh…"
This time it was Keitaro's turn to blush. "A… Ahhh…" She placed it into his mouth, and he cringed. "Ow, it's hot!"
Shinobu gasped. "I'm so sorry sempai! I forgot to blow on it!" She looked at him with concern. "Did you burn your tongue?"
He shook his head as he chewed. "I'm fine…" He swallowed, and looked at the younger girl. "Shinobu-chan, this…"
"…This…?"
Keitaro came closer. "This… is the best thing I've ever tasted."
"Really?"
He nodded and smiled. "An excellent dish, all thanks to you Shinobu-chan. Your skill is unparalleled." He bowed to her, and she blushed again.
"Oh, well it was nothing…"
"And she's modest, too." Keitaro chuckled.
"So, Shinobu-chan, when did you want to get to studying?"
"Nani?"
"For math."
"Oh, yes math! Well… Whenever is fine with you, sempai."
"Tomorrow night, then?"
"Hai! I can do that."
The two stood there together, at the stove, cooking together and chatting. They talked about school, about Motoko and Rieko's sparring the other day, about the types of movies they liked. Shinobu didn't know why she was being so open today. She just felt like there was something special between her and Keitaro now, like they were just two comfortable friends enjoying each other's company. She didn't know the difference between today and the day before, but it certainly was nice.
Keitaro's memory of the night before was still fresh in his mind. Seeing Shinobu so drunk, being driven to tears, didn't sit well with him at all. Did she really feel like nobody cared about her when she wasn't making food for them? That was wrong in so many ways, and yet he couldn't really contest it. The other residents were kind to Shinobu, but she always seemed a bit like the fifth wheel, staying around the girls not because they genuinely wanted her company, but because she couldn't go anywhere else.
And he remembered a couple of days ago, when he watched her cook curry. She was a little nervous, he could tell. Keitaro wasn't completely blind. But beyond that, she seemed so pleased that he had come just to talk with her. He didn't understand why. Not until the next night, when it all became clear how she really felt.
So at some point, Urashima Keitaro decided he wanted to be a bigger part of Shinobu's life. He didn't know when he came to this decision, or how he would go about it. But he would try.
For her sake, he would try.
"Shinobu-chan?
"Hai, sempai?"
"I'd like to do this more often… If it's okay with you."
"H… Hai. I would like that."
*******
Rieko stood just outside the kitchen, surreptitiously watching Keitaro and Shinobu as they obliviously talked away.
They made a cute couple.
She didn't realize that they had been so adorable together.
But now she could see it clearly.
Sighing, she turned and walked away.
She talked to Haruka-san earlier that day. The older woman had agreed to Rieko staying for a few weeks, and Rieko swore she almost broke Haruka's legendary poker face when she actually offered to pay part of the rent.
So she had a little bit of time to figure things out, and see what she could do.
But was it enough?
Rieko honestly didn't know.
But she hoped.