"I'll stay Sora, no complaints." I regain eye contact and see the worry flush from her eyes. "I wasn't kidding though, I really could use the bathroom." I add somewhat bashfully.
"Oh…yeah…of course" She blurts out awkwardly. "Sorry, I'll leave you to it." With that she is out the door and closing it in short order. I take a deep breath but right when I think I'm alone, she continues. "Let me know if you need anything…not that you would…I just…sorry I'll be in the kitchen."
As she walks away I can hear frustrating mumbling continue, this time clearly not directed at me. "Great going Sora, you just had to go and raise your voice at him again, just give him a break…" Then it trails off out of hearing distance, presumably towards the kitchen.
Standing truly alone now in the bathroom, I feel the need to cover my mouth with a hand to avoid the sound of laughter traveling through the door and down the hallway. Same old Sora, some things never change I suppose. This is honestly one of those cases, where I feel like she had every right to raise her voice at me, but I am still glad that Sora is cognizant of how she speaks to me.
If someone were only observing the two of us tonight, they would probably think that for best friends we sure are awkward and argue a lot. And I suppose they would be partially right. Fighting came and went throughout the years. Sometimes we would go over a year without arguing, other times it would seem that we had it scheduled on our weekly calendars to annoy, frustrate, or simply confuse one another. And despite us both being pretty social and outgoing individuals, you might be surprised how awkward and tongue tied we can both get. But I could assure any observers that we are both clearly in rare form tonight. Despite our quirks, we always have each other's back. If I was to calculate out how we have spent our time together over the years, a vast majority of that time was spent enjoying each other's company and building each other up not tearing us down. Tonight has truly been a lot, and I think it has taken a toll on both of us; but frankly, despite the stress, the anxiety, and the unpleasant looking wound on my palm, I feel oddly glad the way that things have turned out. Sora may never love me the way that I secretly love her, but a night like tonight gives me hope that she will always be in my life, even if at times we both get busy. An unpleasant chill radiates through my body, as I think about how I will likely never get the chance to be with Sora as more than a friend. However, I quickly remind myself that this is neither the time or the place for this sort of moping.
After being lost in thought for a moment there, I remember the whole reason why I am currently standing in Sora's bathroom. Shaking off the mental cobwebs, I go about my business. Pardon me for being gross, but after a night of heavy drinking and running around across campus, this hits the spot like finding an oasis in the desert. My mind was so preoccupied with everything else going on that I did not realize quite how badly I needed to go. A good thing too, since there is certainly nowhere to go on campus at this hour. After I finish, I wash my hands and head back down the hallway where I assume Sora is waiting for me.
When I reach the kitchen once again, Sora is nowhere to be seen, but the light coming from her bedroom which bleeds into the adjoining hallway swifty resolves that mystery. Deciding not to intrude, and frankly needing to get off my feet, I pull out a chair and take a seat at the nearby table.
I do not remember putting my head down on my arms or resting my eyes, all the same Sora's inquisitive voice seems to pull me out of a trance. I jolt back up in my seat only to find Sora standing about a meter to my left. She's holding two towels, and has a gym bag slung over her right shoulder.
Sora is now looking at me with discernable worry in her gaze. "You ok Taichi?"
"Yeah, of course sorry it's just been a long day." I say wanting to put her mind at ease. "I was not exaggerating when I said I poorly chose this morning to work out; not to mention that it was the first time I have worked out in over a week. Classes have been brutal and I have been feeling out of it. I probably went a little too hard on too few hours of sleep, but hindsight is 20/20 as they say." I watch as Sora frowns slightly at this.
"Nevermind me" I continue "you must be pretty exhausted yourself Sora. You had a class bright and early this morning. I suspect you've been up near as long as I have."
"I'm a bit tired of course, but not as much as you might expect. I suppose everything that happened tonight has given me something of a second wind. Besides I often get a bit anxious falling asleep after watching a horror movie; tends to cause some pretty messed up nightmares so I'm not exactly in a rush to go pass out."
This statement still makes me feel a little glum, but she certainly seems to be feeling better than she was a few hours ago and I suppose that is what counts.
"And besides" She teases again "I did not make the questionable decision to run a marathon right before a long night of drinking and unknown shenanigans."
"Yup, fair enough. You got me there." I admit raising my hands in a show of defeat. "So, uh, what's with the towels Sora? Am I using them as blankets or something?"
"Oh please Taichi, I'll have myself sleeping with towels before making you go without proper bedding. Remember, you're my guest tonight, and you'll be treated like it. No, these towels are for a much more standard reason." She pauses and unfurls one in dramatic effect. "Shower anyone?"
I have to pause and consider this for a moment. "On one hand a hot shower would feel really nice right now, on the other hand…literally my other hand…" I raise my injured hand to Sora. "Not sure if I should be getting these bandages wet right after you went through the trouble of getting them on properly."
She nods gently. "I could always redo…"
"Besides" I go ahead and finish my thought. "As nice as a steaming hot shower would feel on my muscles right now, if I'm being honest, my legs feel so weak right now I'd probably faceplant the second I stepped in." I suggest exaggeratedly, but honestly not exaggerating by much.
"Yeah, all good points" Sora responds. "Well if you don't mind, I for one am still freezing; despite the charity of you lending me your coat for our recent outing. If you'll be ok here, I'd like to refresh myself quickly. I promise I won't be too long. I would like you to stay up if you could manage, as soon as I am out of the shower I will set up your sleeping arrangements. Deal?"
"Of course, go ahead Sora, take your time. I'll stay here and do my best to keep myself awake. Besides if I do nod off, I won't mind in the slightest if you wake me up again. Who knows, maybe when you're done I'll feel up to showering myself. I probably stink to high heaven anyway."
"Oh hush now" She retorts strongly, now leaning in close. "You smell just fine, Taichi. You've never been one to be particularly stinky after a work out; besides its cold out there, you probably weren't sweating as much as you imagine that you were. I'm your best friend, remember? If you smelled I would level with you, you're good."
"Well I appreciate it." I say, as her comment honestly puts my mind at ease in that regard.
"Anytime." Sora pauses for a brief moment before suddenly shifting her expression to one of delight and excitement. "Oh how could I forget! I have the perfect thing to help you stay awake and alert while I shower."
"Oh yeah?" I respond honestly, having no clue what she might be talking about.
"Yeah, I have a gift for you! I bought them for you a few weeks ago, but you haven't been over to visit recently. Honestly, I didn't buy them for any particular reason or occasion, I just saw them while out shopping with Mimi when she last visited me, and well I thought of you."
Before I can even think of how to respond to this very thoughtful gesture, Sora drops the towels off in my lap and rushes off back to her bedroom. Presumably to procure these mysterious items. I watch the hallway for her return, and it does not take long for her to reemerge with a large brown shopping bag; she seems to intentionally be carrying in such a manner that I cannot make out the bag's logo.
"If only I had thought ahead to wrap these, but naturally I had no idea you would be stopping by tonight." She says putting the bag on the table in front of me. She is still covering most of the label, but I can see a few english characters written in bold green lettering. "Come now, don't spoil the surprise, close your eyes Taichi."
Ordinarily I might tease her about it or put up a fight, but I'm so surprised by this unexpected gift, that I close my eyes without a second thought.
"No peeking now!" She says eagerly, perhaps even more excited than I am. I wonder what her surprise could be.
I sit quietly and listen to her rummage through the bag for a little while. I can hear various sounds of different materials being moved and shuffled about. After a moment of this, I hear her mumble to herself. "What to pick, what to pick?"
"I didn't realize there were options, how fancy" I chuckle, while keeping my eyes clamped shut.
I hear Sora scoff slightly at this. "Hold your horses…yeah you know what, I think this one will work." I hear her fiddling with a familiar but unplaceable soft yet clattering material. Perhaps she is opening something.
"Alright Taichi, say ahh" She says softly, her voice coming from nearby my left ear.
I guess it must be food then, at least I hope it's food. I hesitate slightly. She wouldn't prank me at a time like this, would she?
"Come on tough guy, it won't bite; that's your job." She follows-up, clearly sensing my hesitation.
I do as she says, and Sora gently places a rather odd, long but thin object on my mouth. Her fingers brush against my lips softly, as she does, giving me a not unpleasant tingling sensation. The object feels to be around the size of a cigarette, but is rather hard and seems to have some powder on the outside, which coats my tongue.
"Now chew" She bids me gently. I do as she says and the object splinters into pieces in my mouth. It's crunchy and just a bit odd tasting; but not in a bad way.
"How is it?" Sora seems to ask with genuine curiosity. "I don't think either of us have had these before."
I continue to chew and swallow before responding. "It's good, I can't really describe the flavor. It's savory but also…maybe a bit citrusy…and…well…that's strange…it's getting hot…like really hot…why is it so hot?" I say panicking slightly, as I feel my entire mouth reacting to some delayed spice.
I think Sora senses the panic in my voice, suddenly I hear her rush off away from me. At this point I can't help but to open my eyes, and watch as she heads towards the kitchen sink. Grabbing a glass from the nearby cabinet and filling it with water, before finally rushing back to me. I take it gladly and start drinking, which alleviates the burst of heat to a manageable level.
"Sorry Taichi, I knew the bag said hot, but I figured it would just be a mild kick." She says with slight concern.
I finish off the glass of water and place it down in front of me, breathing out a slight sigh of relief. "What did I just eat?"
Without saying anything, Sora lifts up a small purple chip bag. It says Takis on the front, a product of Mexico. "I guess Mexican snack makers don't mess around." She says a bit bashfully. "Sorry."
"No worries Sora, it wasn't that bad, I just wasn't expecting it." I sit there momentarily thinking about the mix of flavors. "Honestly it's kinda nice, in a strange way. I just don't know if I would recommend the blind taste test next time you show these off." I chuckle.
"Note taken" Sora says with a smile.
"So what made you think of me when you saw these chips? Is it because I'm so hot?" I tease, but almost feel a bit awkward doing so.
"No you goofball, it was all these snacks in general." She says while gesturing to this table.
It is at this point I finally turn my attention to the table and realize that there are probably about a dozen different little snack packages spread out before me. I quickly scan each of the packages, but the only one that I recognize is a selection of peanut butter cups from America. I quickly realize that each package looks like it is from a different country.
"Wow Sora" I gasp "This is awesome…but all of this could not have been cheap. And really for no occasion either?"
She beams brightly at me, clearly happy that I like the gift. "Well, I guess you could say Mimi has a way of rubbing off on me. When she wants to go on a shopping spree, it's almost hard not to get into the mood yourself. You don't need to feel bad though, it was a little costly but didn't exactly break the bank. We went to one of the big international grocery stores in Minato. Since you've been studying politics and diplomacy, all these neat international options made me think of you. Besides, you've always been a fan of interesting snacks, you just had to watch what you ate when you were on the soccer team. I remember how it would sometimes frustrate you when you had to watch your intake of calories. Now that you're not on the team, you can afford to indulge a bit more. Especially on a night like tonight, when you've very much earned it."
Perhaps it is a bit silly of an occurrence over some snacks, but I find my eyes getting slightly watery; I honestly cannot remember the last time someone bought me a present out of the blue. I try to rub my eyes slyly with the back of my wrist. Sora gives me a reassuring pat on the head, lingering with her fingers in my messy hair for a brief moment. "Thanks Sora, really this is an awesome gift. You really didn't have to go through the trouble…but I'm glad you did."
"For the best friend who has been there for me my entire life, please it's nothing. Oh and don't go thinking that you need to get me something in return now. This was just something I felt like doing and besides…you haven't always had the best luck with gift giving." She teases playfully.
"Yeah…I know." I respond quietly while looking down at the table. Now thinking of the times in which I struggled in that department. Just like the hair clip and well most attempts to get her something special.
"I'm only teasing Taichi, you know that right?" I look back up at Sora, who is eyeing me with concern again.
"Yeah…yeah of course Sora… I know. Sorry if I seem out of it, just a bit weary." I bluff slightly now.
She's quiet for a moment, then responds. "Well, maybe this can help with that, if only a little bit." Reaching out to the now cluttered kitchen table in front of me, Sora picks up a long rectangular box. I examine the box as she holds it up for me, but I notice there are no Japanese characters, only English and another language. My english is good enough to pick up the word chocolate at least.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Luckily for both you and I, Mimi spent a few years in America, so she knows English as well as anyone in Japan. She told me they are hot chocolate balls, imported from Switzerland. We just add some steaming milk and boom you got yourself a hot treat for a cold night like tonight. May not wake you up as much as coffee, but I don't know if either of us should really be reaching for caffeine at four in the morning."
I simply nod in agreement with a quiet affirmative grunt.
"Fortunately Ren actually keeps milk in the fridge, she likes it in her coffee." She walks over to the fridge, grabs the slim white carton, then heads to the electric kettle sitting not far from the sink. She fills it up then hits the switch and a red light appears as the appliance whirls to life. Sora hums a catchy little tune as she waits for the milk to come up to temperature. I do not recognize the tune, perhaps it is something she came up with herself, but I find it relaxing nonetheless. I sit watching her, my cheek resting on my left hand, enthralled by her, almost like a sailor to a siren.
Before long, steam begins to billow out of the small machine. Sora then proceeds to flick the switch again, and carefully carries the kettle over to me. Ever so gently, Sora pours a fine stream of hot milk into my mug which is now situated on the table in front of me. She stops pouring once the mug is a little less than three quarters full. Then, as carefully as she brought it over to the table, she returned the kettle to its heating baseplate.
"You do the honors" Sora says after returning to my side, a spoon now in her hand. I pick up the box, unseal it, and grab one of the balls of semi sweet chocolate. Lifting it up, we can both see that the treat has little patterns and a white chocolate drizzle across its surface. I drop it into the steaming hot milk, with a tiny splash. The milk makes quick work of the chocolate sphere, which begins to melt away and reveals puffy marshmallows and colored sprinkles which float to the top. Sora gives it a quick stir with her spoon to even everything out and the drink settles into chocolatey goodness.
"Thanks Sora, this is honestly the best gift anyone has gotten me in a long time." I say letting a little emotion shine through my words.
She smiles warmly at me. "Be careful Taichi, you might need to let it cool down a bit." Sora picks up the semi-unfurled towel that I had half forgotten was on my lap and along with her gym bag, starts making her way towards the bathroom. "I'll be back soon ok? Then we can both get some much needed rest."
"Sounds great, and with the hot chocolate I shouldn't have to work about dozing off." I give her a small wave. "Enjoy your shower."
"Thanks" She responds, turning to me. "Oh and Taichi…"
"Yeah Sora?" I respond dumbly, noting that her tone has changed again.
"No peeking" She says quite firmly.
I almost knock over my mug, when I wave my hands defensively. "Sora…I!"
"Relax, just messing with you." WIth that she chuckles, gives me a wink, and heads down the hallway towards the bathroom.
I sit here in the kitchen in no small degree of shock for a moment. Sora teasing me is not unusual, in fact she has been on fire with it tonight now that I think about it. However, lewd or raunchy humor is rarely ever her style; so that comment was a bit out of character for her. I sigh heavily, loud enough to hear in the quiet apartment. I know Sora was teasing but I wonder what brought that on, she's gonna be the death of me one of these days.
I gaze at my steaming mug of chocolate drink. It looks incredibly inviting but Sora was completely right, I would probably burn my tongue if I drank it right now. Looking around the kitchen I suddenly realize that Sora left the milk out on the counter and did not clean out the kettle; usually used for water its internals are assuredly caked in hot milk. Maybe she forgot, or maybe she figured she would deal with it after her shower.
I decide to get up and address both of these tasks, besides I figure it will help keep me awake in the meantime. A few minutes pass and I return to my seat at the table. After giving the liquid a few shallow breaths, I slowly bring the rim to my lips. The drink is incredibly rich but somehow not too sweet. I cannot remember the last time I ordered a hot chocolate but this is absolutely delicious.
"Thanks Sora" I find myself saying out loud. "Sometimes it feels like you know me better than I know myself. This really hits the spot." I add cheerfully, especially considering how cold I now realize that I still am. I hadn't exactly been dressed for the weather for the past few hours after all.
Savoring the drink, and not wanting to burn right through my treat in a matter of moments; which has often been my style, I take several small sips enjoying the complexities of the flavor. Despite the beverage I still find myself feeling rather drowsy; a strong desire to rest my weary eyes. So, after a few repetitions of this, I determine that pulling out my phone would be a good additional distraction.
I browse mindlessly through my applications seeking an activity. I have most of the major Japanese social media apps and even some international ones, but I have never been a particularly active user; mainly keeping them in order to chat with and keep track of my friends, not to mention a bit of networking now that I am studying to work in government. I flick past all these apps, a few games, and YouTube, until something catches my eye.
"Haven't been on here in a while" I say contemplatively.
The last time that the Digidestined were all together at Koushiro's office, he set us up with a shared cloud storage drive for photos and videos. If I recall correctly it was actually Hikari's suggestion; a shared location where we could all contribute and view photos of our time together. This way, no matter how far apart we may become physically, we could always feel like the rest of the team was there rooting for us from the sidelines. Especially after the Digimon left, it became increasingly important to all of us that we hold onto the memories that we have remaining.
The storage drive has only been active for about six months but already hundreds of photos have been added to it. The Digidestined pulled them out of everywhere they could find them. Browsing emails, old cell phones, and even uploading scans of old physical copies. There are dozens of photos of the entire team and even more photos of us broken into various sub groupings. Most have our Digimon in them, but there are even some older photos of us humans hanging out as kids. Just now I see a picture of everyone hanging out after our first foray into the Digital World. Whoever took this photo, likely one of our parents, seems to have caught us all in action. Sora and Mimi are playing with Hikari and Takeru in the jungle gym. Sora with her arms outstretched under Takeru making sure he does not fall off the monkey bars. Koushiro and Jo sit on a nearby bench having a discussion like two old men in a park. Finally, Yamato and I are on the right side of the photo, on a picnic bench having an arm wrestling contest. Both of our faces are red with focus and a drive to win. Even now I find myself wondering who ended up winning, not that it matters much. I really miss those days…
There are pictures in here from basically every step of our lives, from Sora and I playing soccer as kids, to elementary, middle school, and high school graduations, meetings of the Digidestined, trips and times we went camping, all the way up to the last time we were together…together without or Digimon anyway… The photos both sadden me while simultaneously warming my heart. I feel a little guilty for not having contributed much to the collection myself, but Hikari seems to have gone through all of our old photos on my behalf. There are photos here that I have not seen in many years.
As I continue to scroll, a picture suddenly catches my attention. In the picture Sora and I are posing on a picnic blanket in front of some bento boxes. On my shoulders sits Agumon eyeing up the food, and Piyomon is comfortably settled in Sora's lap. Upon closer inspection you can make out tailmon having a cat-nap on a nearby tree. Hikari must have taken this photo. I honestly do not even recognize it or remember the picnic for that matter, but it looks like Sora and I must have been in late middle school or early high school at the time. Around the time that Sora started embracing more of her feminine side; perhaps not coincidentally this was also around the time that I developed confused feelings for my best friend. Some many phases and changes, yet throughout it all our Digimon were there by our side; supporting us through thick and thin. As I gaze at the joyful Agumon and content Piyomon, I cannot contain the single tear that forms and rolls down my cheek.
Suddenly, I am snapped out of my nostalgia as I hear Sora yell loudly. Dropping my phone on the table with a clattering thud, I stand up and hurry down the hallway and towards the bathroom. Arriving at the door, all I can hear is the rushing water on the other side.
"Sora are you ok in there?" I call out, my hand hovering by the door not but not quite touching it. No response.
"Sora!" I try louder. After which the water suddenly is shut off.
"Taichi, was that you?" I hear her call back suddenly, putting my mind at ease.
"Yeah, I could have sworn I heard you yell just now. Are you ok, do you need me to…" I start.
"Don't come in! I'm alright. Just the building's stupid water heater acting up. Sorry to worry you, go back to the kitchen, I'll be right out."
"Gotcha, was just checking." I turn around without saying another word, feeling relieved that nothing was wrong but stuck wondering if tonight's surprises will ever come to an end. I return to the table and to my hot chocolate; taking a large gulp before resting my hands behind my head and leaning back in the chair, all in an effort to shake off the recent jolt of excitement to my nerves.
A few minutes pass and I hear the bathroom door open down the hall. I realize that I have been staring off into space, but I readjust my focus to the doorway awaiting Sora's return.
"Sorry again about the scare Taichi." I hear her say before appearing through the doorway. I am ashamed to say that I cannot help but to gawk at Sora in her current state. Sora appears in the kitchen now wearing a loose fitting white undershirt and the shortest red shorts that I have probably ever seen her wear.
"We have been having a problem on and off with the building's water heater." She continues. "Sometimes we can wash just fine, other times the water becomes freezing or too hot with no notice." She clearly toweled herself off after her shower, but did not do a thorough job, perhaps because she did not want to leave me hanging for long. Her beautiful red-orange hair was messy, with some strands heavy with moisture and sticking to the side of her head; especially by her neck.
"The really frustrating part is, once it gets cold it tends to stay like that for hours. Building management says they planned. Since I doubt an icey cold shower would do you good right now, it looks like you might be skipping out tonight after all. Sorry about that Taichi, you probably could have used a warming up more than me." She says walking around the kitchen table to stand by my side once again.
I cannot help but to notice that while her shirt is loose fitting, her skin is clearly a bit wet too, as the undershirt sticks to her body here and there. Looking at her I suddenly realize Is she not wearing…
"Umm earth to Taichi, you there?" She says waving her hand in front of my face to get my attention. Looking up to her face, I can see that Sora is blushing deeply. The tingling heat from my cheeks tells me that I am doing the same, probably have been since she walked in the room.
Knock it off Taichi, not cool. I kick myself internally. "Sora…sorry." I mutter, what I was doing must have been clear.
"Taichi, you goof, did you hear a word that I just said?" She says with a blushing sigh.
I simply shake my head in response.
"Aww well it hardly matters anyway. You still look pretty out of it. Not that you are going to be on your feet much longer, but do your legs feel any better?" She asks while reaching out to rub my knee gently. I am surprised but feeling grateful for the change in subject. Maybe she actually did not notice or maybe she is simply giving me a break after the night we've had.
"They are still sore, but they do feel better. I don't feel like I'm going to collapse under my own weight anymore, so that's good." I realize that I probably expressed this a bit too honestly, as Sora frowns in a clear reaction to my words.
"You really did overdo it today, didn't you Taichi? I have not seen you in a state like this in many years, then again, I am partially to blame after all. Well we are safe and sound here now, we will get you rested up and back to your normal energetic self in no time."
Sora steps close to the table, and clearly sees the old photo of us open on my screen. "Aww I almost forgot about that photo, I think that was our last picnic with Hikari before Yamato and us graduated highschool. Going down memory lane a bit?" She says obviously feeling as emotional as I was a few moments ago.
"Yeah." I remark softly. "I'm really glad that we still have these pictures to hold onto."
With that thought concluded Sora suddenly steps even closer to me, reaches her hand out, and brushes her fingers through my messy hair without warning. I can feel each finger as they trace their way across my scalp, ever so gently tugging at my long hairs as they do. Sora repeats this process with her other hand, but moving at a slightly different angle. "I really do love your hair Taichi, I'm glad that you decided against cutting it short when we started university."
With this Sora takes both hands and ever so slowly clenches them in my hair, giving me a gentle but amazing tugging sensation at my roots.
"Sora" I say, instinctively, but it comes out more as a moan than I would like to admit.
"Does that feel good?" She asks in a whisper near my ear. I can do nothing but nod slowly at this; embracing the sensations.
She then moves behind me fully, placing her hands onto my shoulders. "How long has it been Taichi?" She says before giving my shoulders a firm but careful squeeze. Sometimes after a soccer game Sora would rub my shoulders or massage my calves back in the day, but she is right, this has not happened for several years at least, maybe longer.
"It's been a moment." I whisper, not out of need to keep my voice down, but simply because that is all I can muster right now.
I can almost feel Sora smiling softly behind me, as she begins to massage my shoulders and upper back through my long sleeve short. And this is Sora, a former and recently renewed athlete we are talking about. These are not gentle strokes, but a firm pressure targeted at my stiff muscles. Using her thumb to squeeze and stretch out my upper trapezius. Using knuckles and briefly her elbow to dig in deep around the muscles of my shoulder blade.
I groan in pain now and again. But not a bad kind of pain, the kind of pain that any athlete knows comes with a skilled massage. After loosening up my back a bit, Sora reaches her hands around to the front of my shoulders.
"I still remember that your pectoral muscles are often a bit tender." She says warmly, before pressing her fingers through my shirt into the deep muscles of my upper chest. I groan pretty loudly now, not having been touched here in a while, I had until now not realized how sore my body is. This goes beyond this evening as well, I am probably not taking care of my body the way that I should be.
"Is the pressure too much Taichi?" Sora checks in.
"No… it's perfect" I feel myself blushing deeply again. Even though it is happening through my shirt, it feels quite intimate to have Sora touching me like this, especially with just the two of us alone here in her apartment.
Sora continues to press deep circles with her fingers into my pectoralis major until the degree of pain begins to subside. After which her hands actually return to play with my hair again. Her hands run circles around my scalp then work their way down toward the base of my skull. She skillfully and diligently rubs every nook and cranny of my head with a deep but much desired pressure. This earns a few stifled moans from me embarrassingly. I think I hear her giggle to herself at this. Finally she works her way down to my neck.
But when Sora reaches the back of my neck, her hands stop moving all of a sudden. This brings me out of my trance a bit, realizing that I had my eyes closed, I open them. Her hands are still just gripping my neck from behind without any sign of movement.
"Sora?" I call out softly, almost sensing that something is wrong.
She does not respond, but places her warm hands inside the collar of my shirt, less massaging now more just feeling that around. Pulling her right hand out from under my shirt, she places it on my forehead like a mother testing her child for a fever.
"Sora, is everything ok." I ask suddenly, a bit concerned myself now.
I can actually hear her clenching her jaw in frustration behind me. "No Taichi, everything's not alright. Your skin is ice cold, we have been inside for probably about thirty minutes or more and you are still absolutely freezing! You should have said something at the lake! Just thinking about all that cold wind, I was not even thinking about you sitting there without a coat."
That statement about her not thinking about me is not remotely true and I suspect she knows that, but sensing her frustration I am not about to push back against her assertion. It is clear that Sora is upset, but I can tell it's more out of concern and less out of anger.
"We need to get your body temperature up right away, before there is a risk of hypothermia." She says eagerly. "Keep drinking your hot chocolate, I will be right back."
I grab her by the wrist though before she can walk off. "Wait Sora, won't you try my hot chocolate quickly before I finish it off, you got it for me after all." I realize that it is probably not the moment but I want to calm Sora down at least a little, and this is the best way that came to mind. I know she said earlier that she is not that tired, but she was drinking too; granted not as much as me, and I can tell the stress of tonight is still getting to her. Plus she spent all this money, I really do think she should at least taste it. She really likes chocolates as well. "Please Sora." I add, pleading to her with my eyes.
Sora sighs heavily and looks at me sadly. "Fine, but quick, and then we need to get you warmed up."
I am honestly not sure why but it makes me really happy that she is listening to me even though I know she wants to run off this instant. Stepping closer to the table, Sora lifts the mug and brings it to her lips, taking a moderate sip. She closes her eyes for a brief moment to focus on the flavors.
"It has cooled down a bit, but it's delicious." She says with a smile "I am going to have to thank Mimi for the suggestion."
I grin up at her as I can see a relative calm has been restored to my best friend. That sense of drive and focus never leaves her expression fully however and it is not long before she hands me the mug once again. She pats my head softly. "Now finish your drink Taichi, I am going to prepare things to get your body temperature up. You are not getting sick on my watch."
She expresses her last statement with a fire in her eyes, and before I can blink she is speedily off back to her room once again. I feel my wrist with my other palm, Sora is not wrong, my skin is very cold to the touch. I don't really know if there is a risk of hypothermia here, but Jo is not exactly here to answer that question for us, and Sora, understandably, wants to play things safe. I suppose my mind had simply been otherwise occupied, as now that the realization of my condition dawns on me, I feel a deep shiver run up my spine. Grabbing the nearby mug, I finish off what is left of my still warm but no longer hot beverage.
As I place down my empty mug, I realize that I can hear Sora shuffling around her room; not entirely sure what she is planning, but am sure I will know soon enough. I decide to get up and rinse out the mug in the sink so that it does not stain. I do so, wipe down the area around the sink with the nearby hand towel, and place the mug on the drying mat. Leaning against the counter until I hear Sora call my name.
"Yes Sora?" I call back.
"Come here please." She responds.
I do not question her request, and quickly make my way down the hallway towards her bedroom. I realize I have not been in her room, either this one, or her room back home in a very long time. Sora's mother and I get along fine, but in Japan it is not really acceptable for an older boy to be just hanging out in the bedroom of a female friend. My parents were always fine with Sora visiting, but Sora's conservative mother was not eager to host me or any other guys for that matter. I do not know why, but I feel a bit nervous at how long it has been.
As I enter her small room, I am a little shocked at how neat and orderly everything is. Sora has always been more organized than myself, but all the same it is a shocking contrast from my own apartment. Her textbooks, laptop, backpack, and classroom supplies neatly organized around her small wooden desk. There is no clothing in sight except for the outfit she was wearing this evening, sitting at the bottom of a small hamper. The walls are lined with a few posters, a landscape painting, some pressed flowers, and a large photo of her and Piyomon that her mother had framed for her recently. It was truly a very thoughtful gift.
I walk up to the picture on the wall. Sora had texted me a photo but this is my first time seeing it in person. The photo is the size of a large portrait. It looks like it must have been taken in late highschool, Sora is dressed up in an expensive looking kimono, and holding Piyomon in her arms. They both look so happy together. I am not used to seeing Sora so dressed up, but must admit to myself that she looks very beautiful in this portrait; this despite the fact that I have never been the biggest fan of that traditional Japanese wardrobe and style.
"Taichi?" I hear her voice call softly from behind me.
I turn around on the spot, dumbly forgetting that I am not in the room alone. Sora is standing next to her bed, which looks to have recently been remade with fresh sheets. She is holding a few folded blankets and staring at me with great interest.
I notice there is a blush on her cheeks. Suddenly I am left wondering if my tired mind vocalized my thoughts about the portrait. I am uncertain but cannot help but to feel embarrassed in case I did. Is she mad at me?
"You're wearing an undershirt like usual, right Taichi?" She asks me suddenly.
"Yeah of course." I respond almost thoughtlessly, still wondering if she heard me say anything just now.
Sora nods at this. "Alright…take off your shirt."