It was spring and the cherry blossoms were fully bloomed, something he knew she loved to look at; in fact she was sitting underneath one with an open bento box. He watched her from inside the classroom, today she was alone which most likely meant Yuta was absent, since one couldn't be seen without the other. The blond turned back to his magazine, just a few weeks ago he had gotten a driver's license, but had yet decided what kind of car he wanted. He mindlessly flipped the pages of the magazine while taking a quick glance outside. She was no longer under the cherry blossom, knowing her she was probably coming back into the classroom; he shut the magazine and stuffed it into his bag.
The bell rang letting them know that the lunch period was over, he propped his chin on his hand his eyes on the cherry blossom outside. The teacher arrived, he turned and pulled out his notebook and began to copy mindlessly hoping for class to be over soon. He couldn't wait to look through his second magazine, even if none of the cars interested him some of the articles did, especially the section for beginners, he was taking his brother's advice and learning all he could before he tried tackling Akagi by himself. He looked up at the clock, only an hour until class was over. Keisuke sighed looking down at his notebook, it was full notes he couldn't understand, he cursed under his breath as the bell rang, and while everyone packed he pulled out a second magazine then packed his notebook, slinging the bag over his shoulder he looked around the classroom, she was already gone.
Keisuke walked towards the door and slid it open only to notice someone standing in front of him. She looked up at him blushing, he felt his heart beat faster, but before she could react he walked past her holding his bag tightly ignoring her as she called his name. All he could think about was the look of surprise she had after he stabbed her, the feeling of the blood on his hands. He shook his head as he switched his shoes in front of his locker, she couldn't possibly want to speak to him. Why would she? After what happened last winter she hadn't said a word to him. So why talk now?
He was outside the school gates walking home, but his thoughts were still about her. It was like she hadn't changed a bit, her hair was still messy and her brown eyes bright. She was always full of life, but then all he could hear were Yuta's words.
"You heard me right Keisuke, she friggin' loves you, hell she's always had faith in you..."
Keisuke crossed the street; he was now a few blocks from his house, Yuta's words repeating themselves in his head. He could only wonder if his words were true, if she still felt the same way today?
"She's probably gotten over it," he thought aloud, shaking his head as he reached the house.
Today his brother had said that after dinner they'd go to Akagi for Keisuke to become more familiar with the mountain pass, this time he'd watch his brother's footwork to see if could learn something from him. They had been going up there every night for the last few days, while Keisuke itched to get his own car. He'd have to wait until today's dinner for Ryosuke to negotiate with his father.
He walked into the house and immediately headed towards his room, if he wanted to get on the old man's good side he'd have to look and act the part. Keisuke tried to fix his hair, but it was no use, with the haircut and the length, nothing but his usual mess would work. Frustrated he threw the comb in the trash can, now he was concentrating on his clothes, he found a pair of black slacks all he needed was a shirt for it.
"Dammit where the hell are they?" he muttered looking down at the pile of clothes on the floor, there was no way he was going to look decent if it was wrinkled, and he knew nothing about ironing. "But Aniki does…" he mumbled kicking the clothes around until he found a blue polo, picking up and sniffing it. Smells clean, he thought throwing it onto the bed along with the black slacks and a pair of dark jeans.
Just as he was about to make his decision he heard someone open his door, turning he found his brother wearing a dark polo with white slacks. He took a glance at Keisuke's room and sighed.
"What?! All I do is sleep here."
"We'll leave that discussion for later, for now take the blue polo and the jeans, you don't want to look like you're trying too hard, hurry grab some sneakers" said Ryosuke in almost a whisper as if he fear someone overhearing their conversation. Keisuke quickly took off his school uniform and replaced with the blue polo, jeans, and a pair of white sneakers. He then followed Ryosuke to his room. "Remember Keisuke just bite your tongue, and by this time tomorrow you'll have your car." Keisuke nodded as his brother who sat down on the chair in front of his computer, Keisuke took his usual seat at the edge of his brother's bed. Ryosuke turned towards his brother with a stern look on his face. "Today you'll do the talking" said Ryosuke, Keisuke raised an eyebrow.
"You're joking" said Keisuke abruptly. His brother shook his head.
"No I'm not, I'll be there to help but you'll have to do most of the talking or he won't take this seriously, remember to mention your grades and how you haven't skipped school in a couple of weeks-"
"What the hell is that going to do?" interrupted Keisuke, but before the blond could go on Ryosuke raised his hand.
"Think about it, you're eighteen years old" Ryosuke continued despite the shocked look on the younger Takahashi. "This will show him you've matured, and beside Tsugumi will be there, that'll help control father's temper."
Keisuke frowned biting his bottom lip.
"Are you sure this'll work?" he asked, Ryosuke nodded. "Alright but if the old man picks a fight-"
"You'll control yourself" Ryosuke's voice firm, Keisuke sighed. If his brother thought it was a good idea then it was.
The door then burst open, at its frame stood Tsugumi her dark hair held back by a headband. Ryosuke smiled at his younger cousin. "Ryosuke, you're a genius!" she shouted running over to the older Takahashi pulling into what looked like a tight hug. "I aced my algebra test!"
"I'm glad to hear it" he answered Tsugumi smiling, she then turned to Keisuke who waved at her. She smiled at him taking a seat next to Keisuke. "So Ryosuke, what's the plan?!"
Keisuke looked at Tsugumi then to his brother who wore an amused look.
"You'll need all the help you can get, Keisuke," Ryosuke stood up to close his door.
He took his a seat in front of his brother while their mother and father sat in opposite ends on the table, leaving Tsugumi to sit next him. Keisuke could hear his heart beating in his ears; he took a glance at Ryosuke who gave him a small nod. It was his cue; he took a deep breath reminding himself of his brother's words.
"Control your temper."
He watched his father take a bite of a piece of cake. It was then Keisuke cleared his throat catching his father's attention. The elder Takahashi turned to his youngest son, picking up his cup taking a sip of his wine. "Father I've been thinking," he began cautiously, his father raised an eyebrow turning to Ryosuke who busied himself with his water as if the conversation had nothing to do with him. "I've raised my grades and I'm going to graduate soon-"
His father put down his glass lacing hands together, placing his chin on them. "Your point being?"
Keisuke felt Tsugumi squeeze his hand under the table. "I already have my license-"
"You're asking me for a car" said Hajime in an amused tone of voice. His wife kept glancing at her younger son and her husband anxiously.
Keisuke nodded doing his best not to retort, Hajime then turned to Ryosuke. "What do you think?"
Ryosuke looked slightly surprised; this wasn't part of the plan. "I believe Keisuke's right; he got into his last year of school at the top of his class-"
"That's what I expect of my sons," interrupted Hajime he took a glance at his eldest son before turning to the younger one. "I can't reward you for doing things that are expected of you, besides you have that thing-"
"It's a motorcycle" said Keisuke a little rougher than intended. He felt his brother's gaze on him; Keisuke took a deep breath as his father turned towards him.
"That motorcycle should be enough for now" Hajime said in a final tone of voice before turning to Tsugumi. "How has school-"
"You're just going to ignore me?" he asked heatedly his mother reached out to touch his hand but he pulled away, his eyes on his father.
Hajime turned slowly to face Keisuke who glared at his father in return. "Watch your tone with me," he snarled.
"What the hell is it that you want from me old man?" shouted Keisuke as he jumped up to his feet.
"To do what is expected from you!" yelled Hajime who was now too standing. "Ryosuke was able to keep up-"
Keisuke slammed his fist on the table causing Tsugumi to jump a little, spilling water all over her.
"Guess that's why you've never given a shit about me!" said Keisuke bitterly, before his father could speak he went on "Screw you and your friggin' 'expectations',"
He then turned his back on his family heading out towards the garage slamming the door behind him.
Luckily he had his keys on him, as he picked up his helmet he heard the door burst open.
"Keisuke," shouted Tsugumi "Don't go!"
Ignoring her, he put on his helmet and started up the Fireblade. She kept shouting but the sound of her voice was replaced with the sound of his engine, before he could even form a thought he was out on the street. Keisuke kept thinking back at his father's words, he hated to admit it, but his father had struck a chord.
He should have been used to it by now, even as kids, his father would compare him to his brother. As a child it often made him angry, but he could never bring himself to be angry at Ryosuke, as children it was Ryosuke who'd always pull Keisuke out of tight spots, and still did so.
He clenched his teeth feeling his phone vibrating in his pocket; he ignored it as he had done for the past few hours after riding mindlessly around he stopped across the street from the familiar convenience store. He pulled off his helmet and set it on the Fireblade, Keisuke patted his pockets and cursed, he had left his cigarettes at home.
"Keisuke" he heard a voice call, he looked up, across the street was Akemi her hair hanging loose around her face, before he could react she ran across the street. "Wait! Don't go!" she shouted as he picked up his helmet. She grabbed on to his wrist, he turned to look at her. "I've seen you out here before," she added as she let go of his wrist. "I've wanted to talk to you, I just didn't know if I should-"
"Even after what happened?"
Akemi nodded as he now leaned against the Fireblade. "I miss you," she said her voice barely above a whisper. It was then that she wrapped her arms around him, for a moment he was surprised to find himself hugging her back.
"You don't think I'm some screwed up-"
"You're not a screw up," she said interrupting him, "no matter what anyone else thinks." She pulled away.
"You're the only who seems to think that way," he answered bitterly as he relived his argument with his father in the back of his mind. Again her felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, he ignored it and watched as she looked up at him.
"Listen, you aren't the most polite person in the world-"
"That does a lot for my self-esteem-"
Akemi flashed a half sarcastic smile "you know it's true," she then turned taking a glance back at the store window "Are you hungry? C'mon, my shift is over."
Keisuke felt relieved, she was acting normal, as if nothing had changed between them.
"Where do you want to go?" he asked as she pulled him towards the store.
"I just rented an apartment with Mori, she's out so you can stay over if you want" she answered as they walked into the store, at the counter stood a young man with short black hair and dark eyes he wore square glasses.
"He's a friend," shouted Akemi from the break room. The young man turned toward the break room.
"You leaving already?" he asked, as soon as she came out of the break room she nodded.
"Yeah, you have my number if anything comes up," she said taking Keisuke's hand and pulling him outside again. "I only live a couple streets over."
He picked up his helmet handing it over to her; Akemi looked up at him perplexed.
"Put it on" he instructed, she put on the helmet as he hopped on the Fireblade. She followed suit putting her hands around his waist. "Ready?"
"Yeah."
Keisuke followed her instructions; it didn't take long to arrive at the apartment complex. He parked the Fireblade in the parking lot before following Akemi to the stairs.
"Which floor's yours?" he asked as they arrived on the fourth floor.
"This one, I live in apartment 406, you're more than welcome to pop in at any time."
Keisuke nodded as they walked through the hallway until they finally arrived to her apartment. "Does your father know you've moved out?" he asked taking off his shoes at the entrance. The living room wasn't all that spacious and the kitchen was small.
"He doesn't care" she answered from the living room as she tidied up the small table. He walked towards the table as she placed the items that were on the table into a closet in the hall. "Besides he's marrying that bimbo at the end of the year so he was bound to kick me out sooner or later."
He took a seat at the table as she walked back into the living room. "How about you? Something must have happened for you to be out and about this late" she said taking a seat across from him. He shrugged.
"The usual, the old man comparing me to Aniki," as the words left his mouth he could feel his mood begin to go sour. "I don't how my brother takes the pressure, the old man expects him to be perfect," he finished a little more roughly then intended, she reached across the table taking his hand. He looked down at their intertwined hands Yuta's words coming to mind. Keisuke looked up from their hands only to see her turn pink.
She quickly pulled her hand away and stood up "If you want to shower the towels are in the closet in the, there's also some of Mori's boyfriend's clothes in there, though they'll probably be a bit short on you, anyway I'll go make something to eat-" As she tried to walk past him he grabbed her wrist, for a moment he thought of asking her if Yuta's words were true, but then again he'd rather not know the truth.
"Keisuke?" she said looking down at him slightly surprised, he let go of her his mind reeling to find something to say. "Is there something on your mind?" she asked.
"N-nothing" he stammered as she walked away towards the small kitchen. He watched her walk away with a small smile grateful to have his friend back.