Chapter 4-Feelings

The usual practice sessions started for the koto club. The nationals were just a month away and they still have to perfectly play their solos. Even though Chika was trying hard to focus, he just couldn't focus properly. The thoughts of that kid and his father weren't leaving his mind. That day after going home, he had asked Isaki about his father's remarriage. She didn't talk about it to Chika because it will only hurt him. Chika did pretend that it doesn't matter to him but she knew that he was hurt.

It was Sunday so Chika asked Satowa to help him with the solo. He invited her to his house. She hesitated at first but then decided to go, she was searching for a chance to tell him her feelings. Even though she decided to go, she was still hesitating, standing in front of his house. Finally, she pressed the bell. In a few seconds, Isaki opened the door.

"Satowa-chan, welcome!" she greeted with a smile.

"Pardon my intrusion!" Satowa humbly entered.

"Chika, your girlfriend is here!" she yelled from the hall which made Satowa blush.

"Oi, she isn't my girlfriend, yet!" Chika replied as he came out of his room.

At first, Chika was only given a corner in the hall but after they got selected for the nationals, Isaki decided to give him his own room in this house. His own room was a gift from her.

"Yet? Poor Chika." She started teasing him.

"Shut up, bachan (aunty)!" he teased back but received a kick on his ass.

"You idiot, what the hell are you doing?" he shouted.

Isaki just ignored him and turned to Satowa.

"Enjoy, I will bring some snacks."

"Let's go to my room, my koto is in there." He asked her.

"Don't do anything perverted, Chika!" Isaki teased and went to the kitchen.

"Ignore that idiot." Chika told Satowa as she followed him to his room. She was feeling nervous.

"You two are so close." She smiled.

"Well, that's true though. She does take care of me a lot. I can't be enough grateful." He just smiled.

He told her how she got him this new room as a gift. Satowa felt glad that someone from his family still loves him and cares for him. Both of them then practiced together. She helped him with his solo parts and wherever he was facing problems. After practicing for a few hours, she decided to go home. Chika insisted to drop her at the station.

"Isaki, I will drop her till station," Chika informed her before leaving.

"Can you buy this from the store?" Isaki asked him giving him a list.

He nodded and left with Satowa.

"Did Isaki san know about your father's marriage?" she asked him.

"Yes, she didn't tell me because she was worried about me." He told her.

They reached the convenience store.

"Wait, here I will come in 5 minutes." He told her and went inside while she waited outside.

"Oh, you were with Chika in the amusement park." She heard a man saying as he stood in front of her. He was Chika's father.

"Chika's father?" she said.

"I see, he told you about me."

"Yes." She plainly replied. "I know how you just abandoned your own son now raising another son without even properly giving attention to the first son." She said angrily.

She hates that man.

"I see, you have been told quite wrong things." He spoke.

"Look, I don't even want to talk with the person whom Chika hates." She courageously said.

"Chika? You call him by his name. Are you, his girlfriend?" He asked her.

"Yes, I am his girlfriend. Do you have a problem with that? And even if you have, I don't care neither does Chika."

Chika stood in front of her. "What are you trying to do with Satowa?" he asked angrily trying to protect her by covering her.

"Oh, Chika. Nothing, I was just talking with your girlfriend. Well, it's a surprise that you have got yourself a fierce and beautiful girlfriend."

Chika was just glaring at him. He hates him more than anything.

"It's none of your business. And she isn't my girlfriend." He snapped at him.

"Eh? But she said earlier that she is your girlfriend." He told to Chika.

Chika surprisingly looked at Satowa. She was flustered. He wondered why she said it.

"I will take my leave. Before that I will just tell you one thing, this boy uses his hands only for fighting, so don't expect that he will use them for protecting you." Chika's father advised her.

"I don't need any advice from you Kudo-san, those hands have already protected me many times." Satowa smirked. "Let's go, Chika." She held his hand and pulled him.

Chika's father was awestruck. Chika on the other hand was astonished. Satowa was fuming with anger. How can a father talk like that about his own son? But she also felt to change his thoughts about Chika. She wanted him to know that Chika is no longer the Chika he knew. He has changed a lot!

"Oi, Satowa, stop for a moment." She heard Chika saying. She stopped and looked at him.

"What happened?" she asked him.

"What did you say to my father?" he asked her.

"About what?"

"About us." He said shyly.

"That I am your girlfriend." She told him.

"But you are not. We aren't dating."

"That was my reply, Chika." He looked at her. She was smiling. He didn't want to let this chance go so he hugged her suddenly.

"Really?" he asked her.

"Yes!" she replied.

"That means we are dating?" he asked.

"I guess so." She replied.

He smiled and hugged her even tighter. Both of them felt embarrassed as people walking by were looking at them. They quickly broke the hug feeling flustered. They began walking towards the station.

"Can I hold your hand?" he asked looking at her.

"You don't have to ask, baka!" she replied her cheeks beet red due to the blush.

He slowly held her hand and they continued to walk.

On the other side, Takezou and Hiro were having a small study session together. Being third-year students, they have to also focus on their studies as much as the nationals. Hiro was at Takezou's house when Satowa messaged her about her answer to Chika. Hiro smiled widely at the thought of them finally being a couple.

"What happened?" Takezou curiously asked her.

"I just received Satowa-chan's message. She replied to Chika-kun's confession and now finally they are dating!" Hiro replied with big excitement.

"I am really happy for them. After everything they have gone through, I am glad they were able to understand and convey their feelings." He said with a smile on his lips.

"I was really surprised by Chika's confession though," Hiro said.

"Me too. I never thought Kudo-kun might do something like that. If it was for me, I don't think I can ever do that." He laughed sheepishly.

Although Hiro just chuckled, she knew that Takezou will never have feelings for her. Her days with him now are limited. After graduation, they won't be able to meet each other every day like now. Their paths will be different. She felt sad but she didn't want Takezou to worry about her so she tried to keep straight face. But she didn't know that somehow Takezou realized. He has an idea of how she feels about him though he isn't sure. But he is sure of his own feelings.

Although he is not the Takezou he was before and he has become a little more confident, still conveying feelings is the thing that is most hard for him, unlike Chika. But one thing pushes him forward and that is their last few months together. He wants to spend it with her not only as classmates or clubmates, as lovers. He wants to make it one of their high school memory.

Sometimes he feels like just going up to her and telling her his feelings and sometimes he feels like if she doesn't have any such feelings for him, his confession might only make things hard for her.

"Ne Kurata, don't you have someone you love? Anyone from our class?" Hiro asked him trying not to show awkwardness on her face.

He was a little bit surprised by her sudden question.

"Eh? Ah-" he hesitated but thought that this might be a chance to know her feelings as well. "I do." He replied.

Hiro wasn't sure how to react. "I-I see!" she just stated plainly.

"What about you, Kurusu-san?" he asked her.

"I have someone I like too." She replied looking down shyly.

"Is he from our class?" he asked her wanting to know more.

She just nodded.

"I see, hope you get to tell him how you feel." He patted her head.

Her heart just skipped a beat when he patted her. Her cheeks felt hotter than usual and a bright red shade was seen over her face. Takezou thought she looked cute when flustered. But he decided to continue studying to make her feel relaxed.