Chapter 3: Holding it In, Letting It Go

Ayano opened her window to the balcony and stepped out onto it. It wasn't as easy to sleep as she thought it would be. Too many things had been on her mind.

Since Kazuma had been staying at their home, it felt like they might all become a family again. But, after he kissed her twice that night he returned, she had a hard time looking him in the eye without blushing. She wanted to get angry and shove it off…but she couldn't.

Maybe Nanse and Yukari were right; maybe it was just a defense mechanism? But then why did he always flirt? If so he was just as guilty!

"So I'm not the only one who can't sleep huh?"

She blinked. She turned to her left and saw Kazuma on his balcony, his shirt off and a pair of pant he must have been sleeping in, leaning on the glass of his balcony door.

"Is it that surprising." She said.

"No, sleeping doesn't always come easy. So Nanase is planning on having you guys go out shopping tomorrow too?"

"Yea, I mean I think she has some kind of plan to get Trista and her brother to go out. You'd think those two were cupid sometimes."

"It's not a bad thing. I'd say that they'd make a good couple, but it's not always that easy. Just make sure she doesn't overstep."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't force two people to like each other. It has to be mutual."

"Yea I know that." Ayan said.

"Seems obvious but sometimes it isn't." Kazuma shrugged.

"…I never knew you got bullied as a kid…" Ayano said.

"That? Look, I had a lot of pressure on me back then. We all had bit of a family rival…a friendly family rival that took a lot of weight on us. I didn't know you as well back then either, so I can' t imagine it was easy for you either. But with that strong personality of yours I guess it wasn't a problem."

"No, not really. But, why couldn't you handle it? Or were you always this distant…"

"Distant?" Kazuma gave a small laugh. "No, when I moved away and found an identity independent of the family for a while it came naturally. Especially when Tsui-Ling helped me out. "

"So, it was our family's fault then. Actually it was mine." She gave out a half-hearted smile.

"No, it wasn't yours. I just didn't have the gift. Blame it on some strange genetics or whatever. I just learned that you shouldn't give out your friendship that easy. People come and go. But if you're willing to at least try to look out for others, most of the time that kind of thing becomes mutual respect. Kenta was the first to really kind of show me it was possible. Then Tsui-Ling."

"Hmm. Pretty deep thoughts."

"Well frankly if you want to know, you were the first person who really made me challenge that idea."

"What do you mean?" Ayano worried he would bring up her irrational actions back at the town with the rocky waters and that youma.

"Well, I think we both saved each other's asses in a few different ways. Me more physically looking out for you, and you happened to get me out of a few emotional jams I've had. First time I haven't left a relationship feeling a little short handed." He looked out over the water. "But nobody is perfect right?"

"Yea you're right." She nodded and looked out over the water too. The moon was almost full. Maybe it would be full for her birthday? Her mind glazed over the passive compliment he'd given her. It was more of a true statement anyway.

"So was that it? You were thinking about my childhood and that's what kept you awake?" Kazuma smirked.

"No, not that. Just everything lately."

"There has been a lot of stuff going on lately hasn't there."

"Kazuma?"

"What?" He looked at her thrown off by her sullen expression.

"Why did you even kiss me twice? Was it just so you could brag about it after? Or because you know it would have caught me off guard?" Her voice had that tinge of irritance he'd come to known.

"No, because I couldn't wait any longer."

"You mean you couldn't restrain yourself?" Her eyes looked disgusted.

"No, no." He groaned. "I told you I appreciated what you said. That part you forgot. I've been waiting around for you to mature Ayano, but I guess I got the feeling after you really kind of scolded yourself for your actions, and then what you saw in Mr. Kaneigi and Mizuko in my own past… I realized you just kind of had a bit more than I'd noticed."

"So what are you saying?" She asked.

"Well I'm not saying you shouldn't have been a little mad or surprised, but lets just say I wanted to see how you reacted to it."

"Another test I didn't pass huh?" She was completely turned towards him, her hands on the railing closest to the railing on his balcony. Her eyes looked challenging.

"Nah, I wouldn't say that. But just don't take these things so seriously that you're going to beat yourself up about them. Didn't do me much good to beat myself up about things in the past did it?" He leaned over to her balcony and put his hands over her clenched ones around the railing.

"But how can I- umph!"

He kissed her again.

"Can you stop just doing that without giving me any warning?" She arched her back away so she could regain her composure. Her hands were still stuck under his on the balcony.

He just smiled, his smirkish smile. "Nope."

"Oh..." She said quietly. She stifled her feeling she had to storm away into the other room in anger.

"No lecture?" He asked raising a brow.

"Uhm, no I'm…uhm I'm uh going to go to bed now I think." She stammered, her cheeks blushed and her mind unsure of how to act. Being feeble…it wasn't her normal personality. She felt her self close her door to her room behind her, like a childish girl.

Kazuma's hands released, and wondered what he could have done to gotten such a reaction from her…

That wasn't the Ayano he knew.

"So I'm thinking, what if I get my brother a pearl necklace to give to Trista?" Nanase led them down a small string of stores just on the waterfront.

"But isn't that expensive?" Yukari asked.

"Well I told him I'd get us some groceries too, since he didn't expect to have so many people over for the next few days." She flashed a credit card that was clearly her brother's.

"That's so clever! What do you think Ayano?"

"It sounds really nice. But are you sure you should be doing this?"

"Of course. I'm going to give it to my brother. He can give it to her or return it, but I can tell. I'm going to go find one, while you two can go look for dresses for the Beach Bonfire!"

"But don't you need one?" Ayano asked.

"Nope. I already packed for it. You and Yukari need them."

"How do you know I didn't already bring one?"

"Oh come on Ayano, I don't remember the last time I saw you in a summer dress! Consider it a celebration for your birthday; there will be fireworks and everything! Plus don't you want too look good for Kazuma?"

"Well I-uhm…" She felt her arm being pulled by Yukari as Nanase waved them off. She actually didn't know if Kazuma would really want to see her…or rather how to react the next time she saw him? Maybe stifling her anger…or letting down her defenses…wasn't exactly going to work? But it was still going to be her birthday, and at this point she knew her friends wanted to make her happy.

"So what are you thinking? You're way too quiet Ayano!" Yukari pulled her into the nearest shop.

"Oh it's nothing." Ayano said.

"So what color?" Yukari asked.

"What color of what?" Ayano asked.

"The dress! Actually, forget about it leave it to me!" Yukari shoved her into a change room quickly.

"Hey!"

Kazuma left a shop, with a few bags. He needed summer clothes anyway, so this whole ordeal wasn't a big thing for him.

He wondered if Trista and Kenta would be able to find the owner of that pearl necklace on their own. He had the feeling it wouldn't be just a morning adventure like they had planned. He looked at the jewelry shop in passing.

They were right. Pearl necklaces seemed to be a popular item. Probably popular down by the water here.

Fewer jewels stood on necklaces then pearls. One of them kind of stood out to him though.

"Hey Kazuma. Looking for jewelry for someone?"

He turned to see Nanase with a bag from the jewelry store, her eyebrows raised.

"And you are?" He asked diverting the question.

"No. Just a little gift to help my brother out for something." She said. "Did you see Ayano and Yukari recently?"

"No, not particularly. Why?"

"Oh no reason. I just might meet up with them now, so we can head back for the volleyball tournament."

"When does that start?"

"I think just after noon." Nanase said.

"You're not competing?" He asked.

"Me? Well according to my father I have my mother's gift for sports, and I'm way better than my brother at volleyball but I don't really have a partner anyway. It's always guy-girl doubles."

"Well if you needed one I could step in. Why don't you go up with your brother though?"

"My brother was always better at Swimming than me, and soccer, but I can't say his gifts came over to volleyball. He's actually way smarter than I could be. Plus I'd rather he spend his time with Trista today. I don't want to bug him!" Nanase shrugged.

"Hmm. Well then I'll join you then? Make the tournament a bit more interesting."

"Are you sure? I mean can you play?" Nanase asked.

"Well I'm not bad. Plus you are talking to a contractor here."

"No way. No cheating." Nanase said. "Good sportsmen always play fair!"

"If you say so." Kazuma nodded.

"Hey what's going on?" Yukari ran up with Ayano following.

"Kazuma just said he'd double up with me for the volleyball tournament!" Nanase called over. "And I got the loot!" She held up the bag.

"Good, and we got our stuff too!" Yukari looked to Ayano who nodded.

"I hope you don't mind that I partnered with Kazuma Ayano?" Nanase asked.

"Me? Why would I care?" She said, and then realized her statement might have been a little sharp after last night. She also realized they'd be celebrated as victors together if they won at the bonfire.

Kazuma let out a small laugh. "I don't think you play Beach Volleyball anyway Ayano…so it doesn't matter."

"Who says I don't!?" Ayano couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Actually Ayano isn't too bad in gym class volleyball..." Yukari nodded.

"If you want you two can join together?" Nanase asked.

"No, don't worry about it. If I really wanted to join I'd just get myself a different partner anyway. It's fine Nanase." Ayano breathed out slowly.

"Do you even know any other guy to ask?" Kazuma raised a brow.

"Don't worry about it." She said bluntly.

"Fair enough. I'll meet you guys back at Kenta's." Kazuma threw his bags over his shoulder and walked off.

Ayano growled to herself. How did he always seem to act so nonchalantly to this kind of stuff? No even reaction about last night either?

"So what did you two find? Any cute dresses for the Beach Bonfire on Sunday?" Nanase asked.

"You should see the one I convinced Ayano to get! But yea we both found one!" Yukari nodded.

"It's not that great or anything." Ayano put her hand behind her head, trying to dismiss the compliment.

"Oh come on! You look cute in it! So do you need some help finding a Vollyball Partner?" Yukari asked.

"Nah, if I run into one I might do it. Just to prove Kazuma wrong."

"Back to the old games eh?" Nanase smiled as they walked back.

Ayano swallowed. It didn't matter. Kazuma didn't seem to be off-put by her actions last night anyway. She wasn't being defensive; it was just her competitive spirit.

Plus if she got the chance, maybe she'd end up apologizing. But only if they were alone…which might be awkward anyway…

She sighed. Was making things complicated all Kazuma was good for?