Gomennasai everyone, been very busy for the last few months with exams, then work and now projects...To all who like my work so far, arigatto for the reviews. I forgot yer nick; you commented that my story starting to get pretty dry. Well, as I've mentioned earlier, this is Kaoru's POV, so most of the action will involved around her. However, you did make me reconsider and I did editing on this chapter. Part of the many reasons why it took so long to be posted.
Another is I've wrote an AU of Hiruma & Mamori based on a song. It's going to be a five part special, and it mainly rotate around the couple. I've completed one, another in WIP. I'll post them after I done up all five. This is the last of her Flashback. But it doesn't mean there wouldn't be any bits of past cropping in the story. It's one way of making the story progress with bits of flashback. Ok, enough of the chit chat, Onwards with the story, Ya-Ha!
Chapter 6
Flashback, later in the afternoon, on the same day
Once out of the school compound, Kaoru continued walking at the same pace she used to flee from the scene. Ideas of how to react differently to the one she made earlier filtered in her mind and were being thrown aside because of one reason: she made a wrong judgment call as to how Hiruma would react to a stranger. Based on Kurita's reaction, it seems that he doesn't do these kinds of actions without a gain or advantage to his purpose.
His earlier gesture to time her must be from the intentions of his heart. Sighing, she wondered would he ever forgive her for putting him in a difficult position. Cynical exterior but an honorable and magnanimous heart inside, interesting insight. If excluding the second point and include the following points like solitary, obsessive drive towards a particular given goal, I wonder if that makes him a Scorpion. Frowning, Kaoru pondered over that possibility. She'll have to check her notes to make sure. (refer to a/n at the bottom)
The moment she come to a halt before her apartment door, she winced as more thoughts of how Hiruma's reaction towards her behavior and the spot she has put him into in front of his teammate. She'll better apologize to him later when he's back from practice.
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Hiruma got back to his apartment at dusk. The days are slowly getting longer as it's almost Spring. Even though Kurita didn't say anything during practice, those glances he keep getting from that buttama tells him that he's dying of curiosity. Just that he respected the QB's decision for not saying anything. Being put in a position like today was not something that Hiruma desires, in fact he detests it tremendously. Kaoru and her wayward tongue, he mentally grumbled as he approaches his doorsteps. He halted his steps when he noticed her waiting just outside his unit, along the corridor. She turned around the minute the sound of footsteps ceased.
Kaoru shifted her feet, trying to gather her thoughts and string them into words as Hiruma looked at her with a hint of irritation in his eyes. "Ah…regarding to the incident earlier…Gomennasai! I didn't meet to put you in a spot, it's a bad judgment call on my side and I should have considered it before opening my mouth. I still hope we're still good neighbors and friends. So…apology accepted?"
Hiruma stared at her; Kaoru's eyes are looking at anywhere but him and she's fidgeting with her fingers. It seems that she doesn't make it a habit to act contrite and her actions are telltale signs that she is really serious in her effort. As he dragged the silence between them, she has gotten more edgy.
"There's nothing to forgive, I've more or lessexpected it anyway. You should do something about clearing up the air around us with buttama and I don't care how you do it, so long this episode never happened again." Kaoru gave a heaving sigh of relief, and then straighten herself, giving him a silly grin. "I've got something for you to see, this is what came to my mind when I saw Kurita. To be honest, I wasn't expecting my interpretation to be that accurate."
Kaoru handed him a folded piece of paper. Hiruma opened it and nearly gaped in reaction. It was a drawing of Kurita; except it's more like a giant walking talking water chestnut, with no lower limbs. A few lines were drawn at the bottom of the figure, to emphasize its movement. In his arms are the bottles of water he'd carried back from the cafeteria. Hiruma's lips twitched in reflex as he tried to bite back a grin that's trying to appear. (To all Kurita fans out there, sorry if this offended you, but it's only for the plot. I'll not be making anymore remarks to the cuddly giant.)
"You're good at drawing," he answered after he's confident enough not to burst into laughter the minute he speaks. Kaoru took back the slip of paper, fully aware that Hiruma also finds it funny. An inspiration popped into her mind and she decides to act on it. "Arigatto. By the way, have you had your dinner? I've made extras." When Hiruma lifted a brow at her, she quickly explains. "It's not what you think, I'm used to cook for three as back in my Onii-san's home, we took turns to prepare meals. It's become a routine for me. So…coming?" Actually, she didn't do any of the things mentioned, but Kaoru is determined to have a meal with the teen, never mind the saying of bring a long spoon to dinner when having a meal with the devil.
As he was about to reject her offer and have microwave food instead, his stomach protests fiercely at that choice. Kaoru covered her mouth and close her eyes, to give him a sense of privacy to make his decision. She pretends not to have heard the rumbling sound. Hiruma was pissed and modified; this is the second time in the same setting that his behavior had made her laugh. The last time was their 1st encounter of each other. At least this round, she has the decency not to utter any sound. "Half hour later. I never forgo a free meal," he replied, adding the last bit to ease his way out of this awkward situation.
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Kaoru's mind wandered back to the present and she chuckled at that last incident. Poor guy, just when you least expected, your body go against your will. Then she sobered as that phase also applied the same thing to her, making her drop out of the competition. She stopped before the pedestrian crossing and waited for the lights to turn. As she walks pass Sun Sun Provision, her thoughts went back to the dinner conversation they had, or rather, a one sided monologue as she tried to coax Hiruma to spill some information about himself. All she got for her effort was some vague answers, since she is focusing on his childhood.
However, when she asked him as to when he started playing Amefuto, Hiruma is like a kid in a candy store; he could talk for hours and still not get bored. From a brooding individual to apassionate fan. One thing she knows for sure, the guy is an American Football nut. She learned a lot from him, more than what she got from anyone in Oujou. Finally, she gets to the main topic of this conversation.
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"So, do you think I'm able to get myself into Deimon? I heard that not much could get into it easily. Not the 1st year, of course. I wonder which class would I be assigned to? Do I get to choose?" Kaoru voiced her concerns to him as they eat their food in the dining area of her house.
"Does it matter which class you're assigned to?" Hiruma is more relaxed around her as the meal progresses. Kaoru paused, her fork halfway towards her mouth. She made spaghettis, something she mention,not having for a long time. Lucky for her, he didn't make a fuss over the unusual choice for dinner.
"No, it's a subtle way of me asking you which class you're in, but I guess being direct is a better choice of interrogation. Especially if the person-in-question is you," she replies bluntly, her fork pointing at him. Hiruma cackled, his lips twisted to a demonic grin, something Kaoru took time to get used to without breaking into laughter. He played around with the meatballs on his plate, then replies her question with one of his own. "Do you know where's the main notice board where all the after school activities posted their recruitment posters?"
"Yeah, but what has that got to do with the answer to my question?" He didn't answer her. He just continues finishing his serving. Suddenly, a light bulb appears in her mind. "Oh…, I see. Arigatto, I think." (refer to a/n at the bottom) Hiruma smirked a little, and said nothing. The meal went on without any further questions being fired at him. It's the first time he'd ever got himself invited over for dinner, or any other meal, in such personal setting. He finds that he enjoyed it and might return back the favor.
His eyes wandered over the surrounding environment, observing and taking note the way Kaoru make this unit a cozy haven for herself. Spacious is the word he'll use to describe her home. His living room is cluttered with firearms and ammunitions of assortment, unlike hers, which only has a sofa, a plasma TV fixed onto the wall with two tall speakers on either side and a laptop lying on the floor, with a screensaver of Zodiac symbols floating about. Their apartment is about 10 stories high and they occupied the top level. Since it's short compared to the surrounding buildings, it compensates its height in space. One unit, compromising a living/dining room, bedroom, kitchen, balcony and an extra room, is almost doubled the usual size of the rented houses for singles in Tokyo.
His ears picked up the tinkling sounds of wind chimes she hung at the opening towards the balcony. He remarks about it and Kaoru said it's an art piece, designed by her and sold in souvenir shops. Her source of allowance, she answered his unspoken question reflected in his eyes. The translucent texture of the chimes allows light from the setting sun to filter through and cast colorful patterns on the wooden tiles, another difference from his ceramic ones.
He bids her a good night after dinner and went back to his unit. Kaoru stood at her doorsteps, looking at Hiruma and waited until he unlocks and shuts the door behind him before closing her own. She decides to turn in early and went back to school tomorrow to have a chat with the giant. As she performs her nightly ritual, her mind turns over the conversation they had during dinner and the words given by Takami as an advice.
"He's not as bad as you think he is, just very paranoid about his privacy. And maybe a little unsure as to how to open up to someone." Kaoru mumbled aloud to herself.
The next day, she went to look for Kurita-san and have a chat with him. At the same time, she used the opportunity to dig more information about Hiruma. It's from there she found out about Musashi, another fellow classmate who quitted school and their team due to family matters.
Author notes: 1) Hiruma's zodiac is based on research and notes I've gathered over the years about horoscopes. In fact, I've even determined when is his DOB. Ah, but it's my secret. Wanna know, keep reading. 2) I got the info from the back of Book 1, it has his name, class and number of contact. Right, this the end of Kaoru's 2 part flashback. Next story will be a bit on the flyers stunt and the 1st day of school. Oh my, Kaoru, what have you gotten yourself into. Review, I need comments!