Hello readers! Thank you for keeping with this story so far, remember to let me know what you think in the review box below. Last time I introduced two characters, so what do you guys think of the new found trio? Like it, hate it?
Winter II
"It just keeps getting colder" he said, Yuta chuckled as the trekked through the snow, Akemi frowned pulling he coat closer to her.
"At least when school starts up you'll both be warm, me on the other hand in that stupid skirt…"
"Cheer up school doesn't start until tomorrow, say how was that date with Sakamoto?" asked Yuta as the three crossed the street towards the mall. Keisuke pursed his lips , yesterday was New Year's day while he and Yuta finished up the work on the motorcycle, Akemi was on a date with Yoshiro Sakamoto an eleventh grade track runner.
Akemi shrugged "good I guess he was nice enough." The two boys looked down at he as if expecting more details but instead the young woman sighed. "I'm so used to Keisuke that nice people seem weird to me."
Yuta laughed whilst Keisuke rolled his eyes. "Oh c'mon Akemi, he isn't all that bad" said Yuta in between his laughter, Keisuke walked up ahead, he wasn't mean, at least he thought he wasn't mean to her and Yuta at least.
"Oh Keisuke cheer up" she said pulling on his sleeve; he looked down at her as she went on "you guys finished your work on the bike!"
"Yuta did most of the work" Keisuke admitted with a small smile, Yuta patted him on the back.
"Hey you helped out too, so as soon as the snow clears I'll teach you how to ride it" said Yuta as they entered the mall. Keisuke nodded, he couldn't help but feel excited, in a mere few weeks he'd be able to ride his bike.
"So what did you do for New Year's eve?" asked Akemi to Keisuke before he could even look to the side.
"Yuta and I worked on the bike-"
"At least I was forced to spend it with my father and his coworkers" she shuddered putting her hand sin her pocket, Yuta titled his head curiously. "My father and I don't get along, I hate him, he hates me."
"Why's that?" asked Yuta, Keisuke too looked at Akemi curious, it was something she rarely spoke of. "Simple, I'm not a boy, I'm not the perfect heir he wanted, he was the only one of his brothers to have girl."
Yuta nodded understanding, Keisuke frowned it was a stupid reason for someone to hate their own child, Hell even his father had better reasons than that.
"That's stupid" said Keisuke as the trio entered a small café. Akemi smiled as Yuta walked up towards the back looking for a booth.
"See, you're not all bad" she whispered, pulling him along. He kept up with her pace until they reached the booth Yuta had picked out.
"Now Akemi are you planning to tell us what really happened with Sakamoto?" asked Yuta with a toothy smile.
Keisuke, who was already bored kept his eyes on a nearby wall, he heard Akemi speak but only one phrase caught his attention "…well he kissed me…"
"He what?" asked Keisuke knowing that in school the rumor would go very differently. She blushed looking down at her pants.
"You heard! I'm not repeating it again" she said turning to Yuta who looked worried.
"Listen I haven't known you two for a long time but I'm sure Keisuke's just worried" Yuta turned towards Keisuke who pursed his lips.
"Why should he be worried?" asked Akemi innocently, Keisuke ran his hand through his hair, this was starting to get frustrating.
"Men are pigs" answered Yuta wisely as the waitress came by. They made their orders and waited in silence, at least until Akemi spoke.
"So you boys think he just wants to play with me? "
"Yes" answered Keisuke flatly as he sipped on his soda, Yuta nodded.
"Your date was too perfect, and no offense, but the way you describe the way he was talking to you, he'll want to get into your pants soon" explained Yuta, Akemi put her finger on her chin.
"Well if you guys think so, we'll see when school starts up again, let's just enjoy the last day of freedom."
Yuta and Keisuke both agreed as their food arrived. The boys ate in silence while Akemi barely touched her food, she instead went on how she couldn't wait for the snow to clear, because once it did the track club could practice outside again, Keisuke too was dying for the snow to clear, he'd be able to ride his bike around without all that ice.
After the trio was done with their meal they walked around the stores, mostly following Akemi around the sports store as she looked for a pair of good running sneakers.
"You seem quiet" said Yuta to Keisuke as they stood a couple of feet behind Akemi.
"Hm"
"I said-"
"I heard ya, I'm just thinking" responded Keisuke his hands in his pocket. If he kept going to school this half of the year he might actually pass to the eleventh grade, but was that what he really wanted? "I could use a smoke" he whispered Yuta nodded being the only other person to know about Keisuke's habit.
"Me too, it's frickin' freezing" whispered Yuta as Akemi walked towards them.
"Got them!" she said enthusiastically lifting up her bag for the boys to see.
"Nice, so now can we go to my place" said Yuta, the other two nodded and followed Yuta out of the mall.
After a half an hour of bus riding they were finally at the Sato residence, it was larger and grander than the Takahashi place, and for Keisuke that was saying something, yet the only two people to live in the residence were Yuta and his older brother Kyo. Keisuke of course hadn't bothered to ask why although he was curious to know where their parents were, after all they couldn't have just left Kyo who only twenty years old in charge of Yuta.
As they walked into the garage they found Kyo under the hood of his car, it was a silver Nissan Skyline (R32), at least it was what Yuta said it was.
"Hey bro!" called Yuta, his brother closed the hood of the car revealing his spiky dark hair and eyes to match, he had more facial hair than the last time Keisuke had seen him.
"Hey Keisuke, and I see you've brought someone else" said Kyo with a smile, Akemi gave him a small wave.
"Yeah, this Akemi Kaneda a friend from school."
Kyo nodded and showed his dirty hands "I'd shake your hand but-"
Akemi nodded "it's alright, say is that an R32?"
Yuta chuckled at the look on Keisuke's face, how did she know what kind of car that was? Kyo's eyes widened slightly as he nodded. "Yeah."
"Does she race?" asked Akemi curiously taking a long look at the car , Kyo chuckled.
"Of course!"
"Are we going to start talking about cars?" Keisuke asked Yuta in a whisper, Yuta smiled.
"Why do you hate cars so much?" asked Yuta as they walked inside leaving Akemi to talk with Kyo.
"They're boring, I don't why everyone's so interested in them anyway." Yuta patted Keisuke on the back.
"You'll know soon enough."
January flew by and soon Feburary came into view, once back in school Keisuke's only comfort was the thought that soon Yuta would teach him how to ride the bike. So far all he had done was some research on motorcycles, they were fascinating better than cars in his opinion.
He walked through the school gates this time by himself today in the halls the girls were in small groups giggling and showing each other present they had gotten. Shrugging it off he walked into his classroom and found Akemi in the middle of a group of girls smiling like the rest of them.
"What's going on?" he asked Yuta as he took his usual seat.
Yuta frowned "you seriously don't know what's going on?" he asked pointing to the calendar in the front of the classroom. When Keisuke didn't respond Yuta spoke. "Today's Velentine's Day."
Keisuke sat down and sighed "that sucks."
"Tell me about it" said Yuta taking a glance at Akemi. "All girls do is give the hottest guys in the school chocolate…"
"Yeah, it was the same in junior high, stupid if you ask me" said Keisuke pulling out his pen and notebook.
"But in better news, by the end of this month we should be able to take the Fireblade for a spin!" Yuta whispered as Akemi walked towards the holding up two small bags.
"Happy Valentine's Day!" she said with a smile, Yuta took his bag while Keisuke stared at his.
"What's in there anyway?" he asked as Akemi put down the bag on his desk.
"Poison" she answered impatiently as Yuta took a piece of chocolate out of his bag.
"It's chocolate, this is really good!" Yuta peeked into Keisuke's bag probably to truly check if the was poison in his bag.
"Why are you giving us chocolate?" inquired Keisuke, Akemi rolled her eyes.
"It's because were friends Keisuke, it's been a whole year and you still don't understand what having a friend is like" she became impatient as she went on "friends care for each other, they do nice things for each other like give one another chocolate."
"On white day you're getting chocolate!" declared Yuta, as Keisuke pulled a piece of chocolate out of his bag and took a bite. It melted in his mouth; Keisuke took another piece and shoved it in mouth.
"It's good" he said, Akemi's eyes lit up as she clapped. Yuta chuckled as Keisuke took yet another piece chocolate.
"Save some for lunch" whispered Yuta as he put his bag away.
Keisuke put his bag away as the teacher waked into the classroom, Akemi walked away taking her usual seat at the other side of the classroom, the teacher after saying good morning started the class.
He kept his mind on the motorcycle as he wrote down whatever was on the board, in fact Keisuke could barely tell anymore what he was writing, until lunch arrived, for which he was thankful. Looking through his bag though Keisuke couldn't find his bento box.
"Shit!" he muttered standing up, deciding he'd find Ryosuke before his brother came to give him his bento box.
Yuta was too distracted by two girls who came up to him with a box to notice Keisuke had left. He walked down the hallway and up the stairs looking for the classroom Ryosuke would be in.
Once he found the classroom he stood outside deciding whether to slide the door open or not, it was the same thing back home, frowning he decided to open the door, but just as he did he found himself facing his brother.
"Hey bro."
"You should be more careful with your lunch Keisuke" said Ryosuke hand Keisuke as bento box, he nodded but before he could leave his brother spoke again.
"How's your motorcycle coming along?" asked Ryosuke curiously.
"Good, it's done we're just waiting for the ice to melt away, how's getting your license?" asked Keisuke in return, Ryosuke smiled.
"I get it tomorrow."
"Cool."
Ryosuke nodded , Keisuke held up his bento. "I'll talk to ya later, I've got to get back before lunch is over." With that Keisuke turned his back on his brother and walked back to his classroom, once in the hall though he found himself with a scene. Akemi was on her tip toes kissing a tall dark haired boy.
He frowned and walked past them "get a room" he muttered feeling a pang at the bottom of his stomach.
It was a feeling he couldn't place his finger on, or maybe it was his stomach asking for food.
Either way all Keisuke knew was he needed a smoke.