Chapter 03: A Careless Way of Falling In Love
A week has passed and she can't forget what happened that night, when he fell on top of her and when their lips accidentally touched as the result of the sudden shaking of the ship. Maki can't help but blame the gods for putting her on something like that. There was almost a part of the day when she wanted curse, but cannot do so. In the end, she sighed heavily. No one knows about it but the two of them. She stood up and made her way to the rooftop, for once, she wanted to relax and watch the leaves falling on the school entrance.
I don't even know how he doesn't even feel the slightest way disturbed with that kiss. He still talks to me normally—brimming with arrogance. At least, I'm getting used to him, little by little.
"Finally, a place where I can relax." She closed her eyes for a bit.
She then heard a sound of an engine. When she opened her eyes, a familiar black car was there—the car that Masato used when they first met each other.
"Wait, don't tell me…" Her eyes enlarged when she saw a familiar red-haired young man wearing the UTX High school's boys uniform came out of the car. There, he leaned on the car as if he was waiting for someone, few seconds passed, he took out his phone and seemed like sending someone a message. For some reason, Maki opened her phone and waited for a message—nothing came.
"I'm sorry, did you wait?" it was a familiar voice, when she checked to confirm who it was, she was surprised to see that it was one of her seniors—Minami Kotori. Huh? What is Kotori doing with that guy? Is she going out with him?
"Does she know about this?" Masato asked.
"No, I haven't told everyone about—" He gestured a 'shh' to Kotori. He opened the car doors and Kotori entered it, without any hesitations, she even looked happy and excited.
She stood in shock, her hands are shaking. Am I jealous? She quickly shook her head. I can't be jealous. Maki thought. She made her way back to her classroom.
The classes ended, and as expected, she saw Kotori. She wanted to ask her about what happened a while ago. But she just can't bring herself to ask. More like, she was scared. After all, what she did was actually close to eavesdropping—though she can just say she saw it by chance. I-It's not really like it bothered me a lot, I'm just curious of what they did… She thought to herself, but still, it is a bit suspicious for her to ask about it.
Maki continued to think about something that could make her less suspicious when she asks about it. Something came to her mind, What if I use the 'Since I'm his fiancée' card? Yes, she wouldn't look so suspicious with that, she's about to be married to Masato, so it is just appropriate for her to ask why is there another girl probably going out with him. Engrossed into thinking, she didn't notice that the person she wanted to ask was already in front of her.
"Maki-chan? Is there a problem?" It was Kotori, wiping her sweat with the towel hung on her neck.
"U-Uhm… Y'know that I'm going to get m-married with Masato right…?" She began.
"Un. I know about it, why so?" Kotori retorted. Her answer seemed natural, which Maki found really suspicious. Ah! I knew it! I should've followed them!
"A-As his fiancée, I saw you together with him during the break time, you rode a car together. If you don't mind me asking, w-what'd you do with him?" Maki said as she kept on twirling her hair on her index and middle finger.
"Eh, is that so?" Kotori chuckled, "Just a small talk, as friends." Maki sighed heavily, Oh, it's just a small talk between friends. She thought, soon she had an internal screaming.
Wait, why am I this worried about their relationship? I wasn't supposed to be feeling like this! She screamed internally again, Maki! You hate Masato, right? Then you shouldn't have selfish feelings like… this…? The scarlet haired princess didn't realize her heart was throbbing so fast, she wouldn't believe it until she had the courage to place her hand on her chest. Maki didn't know why she was feeling strange whenever she thinks about Masato—she doesn't even like him, she just loathes him for being an annoying arrogant monster.
"E-Everyone, I'm going home early today. Please excuse me!" she grabbed all of her things and made her way down their clubroom to change into her school uniform. Maybe I'm just tired, that's why I'm feeling things like this. Yes, that's right. Maki, you just need a rest!
When Maki arrived, something was missing on her room. It was her piano. She dashed to their living room to discover her mother drinking a cup of tea.
"Mama! Where's my piano?" She asked.
"Ah, that grand piano? We've sent it to our relatives. I figured out you won't be needing it since you're pursuing Medicine on college, right?" It all made sense, what she heard the night before.
"B-But why'd you give it away without my permission!?" She couldn't hold her irritation after discovering what had happened to piano which she used to compose songs. She didn't even wait for her response, she rushed to her room and hid on her blanket.
Tears started falling, she couldn't understand why has to be placed in this kind of situation. Maki opened her phone and checked on the contacts, on the recently added tab, there was Masato's number. Should I call him? She was hesitating whether or not she calls the number on the top list. There was a part of her wanting to press the button, there was also the feeling of nervousness that she might get ignored. She wanted to tell anyone of her problem, but she couldn't. She wanted to tell it to the members of µ's but she doesn't want to, it might spark out multiple problems within the group—and she doesn't want to hurt them.
Maki accidentally pressed the call button, she was about to press the red button but it was immediately answered.
"Hello? Masato here." She heard sounds of chopping. He must be cooking. Soon, heard voices of what she presumed, members of A-RISE.
"Masa-nii~ How long will our stew take? I'm hungry!"
"Tsubasa, stir that up faster!"
"What the? Erena, try cooking for once! Such a shame your family owns several food chains but we rarely ever see you cook!"
"Hehe~ I'm too hungry and too tired to cook, you can do it leader~"
Those loud conversations she overheard from the phone made her smile even just for a bit.
"Ugh, if you're not going to talk, I'm hanging up." Masato said, still chopping.
"Uhm, can we meet?" The chopping stopped, "Where? I'm going now." Seriously? Maki thought that he might be busy, she then told him to not come if he has something else to do.
"U-uhm, you don't have to come if you have something to do or if you're busy…"
"I said where. I'm your fiancé, even if our relationship doesn't involve love, I'm still responsible if anything else happens to you." There is it again, her heart skipped a beat. Hearing someone get worried about her gives her reassurance. "Are you home? Or did something happen? Hey, answer my questions for goodness sake." She heard a door closing on the other line, she assumed that he was serious on meeting her tonight.
"I-I'm home. But don't ring the doorbell. Let's go elsewhere." Maki dropped the call. She made some of her blankets a make shift rope that could help her go down from the second floor of their house. But it wasn't enough, she was soon stuck on getting down.
"Ah, what should I do?" Maki whispered. She looked at where she is going to land once she jumps off from the rope, it was still high.
From afar, Masato noticed the strange thing hanging on an open window.
What? Don't tell me… He raced like a jet to see what it was, he only had two things on his mind. It might be Maki who's trying to escape, and it might be a thief. The first speculation is more like it. When he arrived, he saw the scarlet-haired young girl struggling to go down, she really looked like she was having a hard time. Masato had no idea on how he'll be able to bypass their gates, but nevertheless, he climbed up their gate and sneaked to get closer to her.
"Maki, let go of that… rope." She was startled when she heard his voice. She even thought it was just her imagination.
"N-no! I'll die!" Maki tightened her grip even more. She acts her age, it's cute.
"I'm going to catch you." Those words and how he sounded made her remember something she had forgotten long ago.
It was the same scene, but from a big jungle gym. Maki stood at the top, she was scared to go down. Especially when the parts she had to step on became oily because of the other kids her age placed oil in it to bully her.
"Jump." The image on her memories were kinda blurry.
"I don't want to! I'll die!" She exclaimed.
"I'm going to catch you." The voice said.
"Trust me."
"Trust me." Masato added. Then, she removed her grip from the makeshift rope.
Maki felt a pair of hands catch her, just like what it was before.
"Told you." Her amethyst violet orbs met his pair of flaming red orbs. Their faces were close, but not as close as when they accidentally kissed on the ship. Maki looked at his face, he was smiling—not the arrogant one she's always seen him with. "Let's go?" carrying her, Masato made his way to where he came from and told her to climb it to reach the other side, of course, she still felt scared but the assurance that Masato would come and help her gave her small courage.
The moment they reached the other side, Masato pulled her and ran away, the farthest he can make from her house.
"So what is it that you wanted to talk abou—" he stopped when he noticed Maki's dad from afar carrying a flashlight, and is been calling Maki's name.
"Hey, it's your dad."
"Hide me."
"Eh? Why?"
"Just hide me!"
"Okay, okay."
Masato removed his blazer and covered it on Maki's head. Then locking her up on the wall with his arm. He wanted to make it seem like that they were just a couple doing something couple-ish—with just Maki being unseen. When her father passed and saw them, he made his way towards them to ask if they had seen Maki. But before he can even come closer, Masato did something that made him rethink.
"Hey, let me see it." Masato whispered on her ear, but was quite loud.
"E-Eh? S-See what?" Maki tried to hide her voice as much as possible.
"Those things underneath this… fabric." He bit her uniform's collar, which made him look like he was kissing her neck.
"H-Hey s-stop that!" He placed his knee in between her legs, to add more tension.
"Stop what?" He whispered loudly again.
Maki's father slowly backed a few steps and took another path. When they confirmed that he had gotten faraway, both of them breathed heavily.
"I thought we're a goner." It was the second time they smiled at each other. "I think you're not a bad guy after all." Hearing Maki's words, Masato turned a bit red.
"Ma-sa-to." Tsubasa's glare welcomed him when he opened the door.
"Where've you been, and why are you with Nishikino?" She added.
"Well, something came up and… I needed to help her." Masato quickly answered her and gave her a pat in the head. "Lock the door before you sleep, okay?" He reminded Tsubasa as if she was a little kid—well, she is little, but she's not a kid.
Masato brought his guest to the dining room and offered her the food that Tsubasa and the others left for him.
"What about you?" Maki asked, hesitant about taking the food that was actually meant for the man in front of him. What's with him? And what's with the good boy act now? She took a spoonful of the curry that was offered to her just now. Her face slowly lightened up.
"This is delicious…" She can't stop herself from eating, it was the first time she had tasted curry this good. It was better than the ones she had eaten before.
"Erena cooked that." Masato leaned on his chair. "Her family runs a food chain, it's normal that she knows some of their recipes." He chuckled, then ate the spoonful of curry and rice placed on Maki's spoon.
"H-Hey! That was the last… one…" The young man laughed, "Didn't you have something to tell me?" He stood up and walked towards his room. Maki followed him.
"So what is it that you wanted to talk about that you even made it far as to leaving your house without your parent's permission?" When Maki sat on the single bed on the room, Masato laid and her thigh's his pillow.
"W-What are you doing!?" Surprised, Maki tried to push him away.
"We're getting married soon right? We just have to get used to it." He once again, laid himself and rested his head on her thighs. Maki turned red but eventually remembered what she had to tell him.
"Mama and Papa gave my piano away." Masato felt tears dropping on his face. This was the first time he was arranged with a girl who dared to fight with him, other than that, Maki reminds her of the girl in his past. Maybe she wouldn't be as bad as the girls I've been arranged before. Just to try, maybe she's the one I've been searching for all these years. Masato thought to himself as he looked at Maki who soon started crying upon remembering what happened a few hours ago.
He sat up straight and hugged her. "Maki, don't cry."
"Maki! Don't cry!" that voice from the past, she heard it again on her mind. Maki felt the warmth of his hug, she started crying.
"Hey, I play the violin right?" with her chin on his index finger, Masato smiled at her. "I have a grand piano on the living room, by the way. I think I'd make you use it for the meanwhile." He patted her head and messed her hair up.
"Why do you have one?"
"Have you forgotten? I compose songs for A-RISE. And also Tsubasa's my accompanist." What? If she's his accompanist, then why didn't she come to the stage during that party?
Silence soon filled the room. They don't even know what to talk about. Maki remembered what she saw this morning, she decided to ask him about it.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, what did you do with Kotori? I saw you ride the same car." She was trying to dodge his eyes.
"Eh? Could it be, my future wife is getting jealous?" She found the Masato she was seeing right now very different from the usual and arrogant one, he smiled a lot, and joked a lot.
"No I'm not!" She retorted.
"Kidding aside, I was with her a while ago because I told her I like her."
Something inside her felt sad. What is it actually that I wanted to hear from him? Silence filled the room again. It hurts, it just hurts. She doesn't know why she feels like this. She sighed heavily, I don't understand a thing, I hope this just ends already!
"Are you serious?" Masato looked at her pair of amethyst orbs. He leaned closer to her.
"I'm not." With their faces only an inch faraway with each other, Masato stood up and left the room. He doesn't really want to answer her.
The next morning, Maki woke up wearing a different set of clothes. Someone went out of the shower inside the room, only wearing a pair of black slacks and was drying his red hair with a small towel. She had a thought that something weird had happened last night.
"H-hey! What'd you do?!" Maki exclaimed. "W-Where's my uniform?!" her eyes explored the room in search of her missing white blouse, dark blue blazer, skirt, and ribbon. She began thinking that maybe, just maybe, Masato did something in her sleep.
"What did I do?" He raised a brow. "Let's see, I entered this room about thirty minutes ago and took a bath." Masato responded.
"T-Then why are you not wearing… a shirt…" She was covering her face with her hands.
"Why—I just came out of the bath. And my… shirt accidentally fell on the tub." he said the last part in a total embarrassment.
"Are you sure you didn't do anything to me?"
"Huh? If you're talking about how you got changed, I asked Erena to do it before she and Tsubasa went home." He sighed. "Unless you really wanted me to be the one who'll change your clothes—" he got slapped.
"Stop it Masa-nii! You're creeping your visitor out!" It was Anju.
"C'mon Anju, I'm just joking." He laughed but Anju's still furious. "Maki-chan, you can use my room." She threw a glare at her brother before leaving his room. Masato's phone rang, upon checking, it was his father. He immediately answered.
"Yes?"
"Where'd you bring Dr. Nishikino's daughter?"
"I brought her to my unit, and we had all sorts of fun last night."
The calm voice from the other line became enraged. "What'd you do to his daughter, you scum?!" Instead of feeling threatened, he cackled. "Relax, we just played some instruments for a bit." Masato continued. His father hung up.
After Anju was successfully fetched by their family chauffer, Masato brought Maki back to their house.
"Thanks for letting me sleep over last night." Though embarrassed, Maki thanked him.
"It's fine. Just call me when you need something." He turned his back and began walking towards a different direction. A car stopped in front of him and he entered it.
"This isn't UTX right?" Tsubasa found it weird for the driver to take her to the newly opened hotel of her family. The four of them inside the car went out to see what was going on. They were welcomed by Masato and Anju's father.
"A-RISE, I've been wanting to talk to you." Tsubasa and Masato looked at each other for a second, they felt they knew what will happen next. "Masato, stay out of this." His father added.
"Mr. Yuuki, we'll agree to talk to you if you let us bring our composer over." Tsubasa took a step forward, the middle aged man, though annoyed, had no choice but to agree to what she wanted.
I have to do something, but what? He didn't know what to do, Masato wanted everything to just stop and to not move again. Seeing his younger sister and her team mates cry, hurts him the most. He felt weak, as if all of the energy was drained from his body—he ran from the faraway hotel, up to a shopping district near UTX.
Masato dialed Maki's number on his phone, at all costs, he wanted to talk to her.
"Maki, meet me outside Otonokizaka and bring Toujo, and Ayase with you." He hunged up without even waiting for her answer.
After telling them about what was really happening, Nozomi and Eli can't help themselves but be surprised and threatened.
"M-Maki! Don't tell us you've already known about this?" Eli exclaimed.
"A-About that… I knew. Since that cruise…" she can't bring herself to look at them.
"You should've told us sooner!"
"I wanted to, but I'm scared."
"Now, now. There's no use to fighting, I'm sure there's a way to avoid this from happening." Nozomi tried to get in between the two.
"For now there isn't. They have plans, and we don't. I can't even do something." The young man leaned on the wall while looking at the two. "It's the whole purpose of my arrangement with Maki." He added.
"If we could make a plan, and successfully stop this, then our marriage can be stopped. Maki can live normally, I'm not only doing this for A-RISE, but also for your group." Hearing those words coming out from him, hurt her the most. Just when she was starting to like him, he was talking about this.
It's alright. It's not like I wanted to be married to him, its okay. I'm too young to be married after all.
It's true that I possibly might have come to like him, but… I don't know.
"Especially for Maki. She's too young for this. Arrangements are dumb things that rob people off their happiness, right?"
If you continue saying things like that, I might… Ah! Stop it! Just what the hell am I talking about inside my mind? Just what the hell is this intrapersonal conversation sparking up inside me?
"I apologize for what happened a while ago." Eli apologized.
"If we work hard, then we could probably turn the tables." Nozomi encouraged them. It somehow helped them ease the tension. "It's getting late, should we go home and discuss it further tomorrow?" The blonde initiated.
"I think so too." Masato smiled at the new found comrades he had through this battle. "Then, I'll be going home." Maki stood up from the Monobloc chair she sat on a while ago and made her way at the doorstep.
"Wait up. I'm going with you." He smiled at the two and followed Maki.
On the dark streets, the two were at a distance. Neither of them begins to talk. A few minutes passed and Maki decided to break the silence.
"Seriously, you didn't have to follow me home." She stopped walking, which made him also stop. She faced him.
"But I have to do—"
"Being married to you in the future doesn't have anything to do with this."
He sighed. "I'm worried about you."
"And why so?"
"Every time I remember what you told me last night, about your piano being taken from you. I can't help but remember my past self who was robbed off of his dreams, and hobbies. Forced to do things he doesn't really want." Masato answered, Maki doesn't know whether to believe him or not. But when he raised his head up, she saw his sincere eyes. "It would start off as them taking a small portion, and soon will make it bigger and bigger." A strong gust of wind blew past them.
"T-There's no way that would happen." Maki retorted and turned her back.
"As expected." He chuckled. "Let's quit this up, and continue on to your house." The distance they had a while ago had vanished as Masato walked closer to her, they were an inch away from each other.
When they were nearing the Nishikino Residence, Masato grabbed Maki's left hand and walked towards the gate. Maki tried getting away from his grip, but Masato would just hold it tighter. She wanted him to let go of her hand before pressing the doorbell, just what would my parents tell me once they see me holding hands with this stupid? She thought.
"Let go, stupid!" she whispered. Instead of following what she said, he pressed the doorbell with his free hand. The doors opened, revealing Maki's parents. They opened the gate and let the two in.
"My, my. Mr. Yuuki, thanks for taking my daughter home." Her mother thanked.
"Ah, no. It's my pleasure." How is he able to pull off a good act like this? I don't understand! Maki still tried to free herself from him.
"Why don't you come and have a dinner with us?" Her father invited.
"Eh, really?" Masato stood surprised of the invitation. This guy, really. What's to be surprised with that invitation? Stupid.
"Yes. After all, you and our Maki-chan will be married soon enough." Maki felt that Masato's wondrous boyfriend façade—as what her inner voice named it deep within her head, kind of 'cracked' due to what her father said.
"Thank you for the invitation but I apologize I can't join you today, someone's waiting for me at home. Instead, I'll make sure to take care of your daughter from today on, to the future." Maki's eyes widened and her face turned red, in addition to his hand holding hers. How did he manage to still keep his charm on times like this?! Geez! I don't really get it! "Right, Maki?" her heart raced faster when she heard him say her name.
She just nodded, unable to answer due to what she is feeling now.
"Aw, what a waste." Both her parents look apologetic. "Well then, I'll be taking my leave." Masato smiled at the two. He then grabbed Maki by her waist, she faced his chest, then later felt a pair of lips touching her forehead. W-What the… the hell?
"Bye." With his left hand's index finger on her chin, he bid her good bye.
On her room, she buried her face on her pillow. She kept on remembering what it felt like when she first got her forehead kiss from someone other than her parents. Seriously, that idiot! Her cheeks, puffed red. She then felt her phone vibrate.
She received a message. It's from someone she nicknamed as 'Stupid Idiot' on her contacts.
I'm sorry for doing things without warning a while ago.
But it did turn out great, right?
That's all, good night.
See you tomorrow.
Ps. What I did a while ago requires fee. 500 yen per line. 1000 yen per kiss—lips, neck(lol), cheeks or forehead.
- Yuuki Masato
Reading the last lines gave her a smile that reached her ears—she is closer to admitting that she is kind of falling in love with him. But suddenly remembering what she saw a day ago still bothered her.
"Just a small talk, as friends." She felt that there's more to this lines that she heard from Kotori, she wonders what it might possibly be, but instead fell asleep.
