Chapter 6: Gone Before Breakfast

"Ayano?" Yukari knocked on her friend's door.

"Yea?" Ayano got up in her bed.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't come to the first aid to see you today! The crowd was so restless when they thought the tournament was going to be cancelled!" Yukari ran in her room and gave Ayano a hug.

"It's alright. I'm fine now. Did Nanase and Kenji win?"

"Did they win? Of course they won!" Yukari said. "Kenji and Nanase will be honored as champions tomorrow and it will be so romantic! They're such a sporty couple! And then what about Kazuma? You should have seen the way he dove to stop your head from hitting that pole! You would have…it could have been so bad! Your so lucky!"

"You spent some time with Nori during the tournament?" She said aloud trying to switch the conversation. She hadn't thought about Kazuma's actions. Maybe she was taking him for granted now…

"Yea, well I kinda asked him if he wanted to meet tomorrow at the festival. It's really just a beach bonfire apparently, and some events. But I figured you'd spend it with Kazuma. Actually I think Nanase is going to try to get her brother to give Trista the pearl necklace she bought tomorrow too. But it's your birthday so no way am I going to ditch you for a boy!"

"Don't worry." She smiled. She didn't even know if she'd spend the day with Kazuma. She'd never had the chance to answer his question about the other night because Trista had interrupted them. He was probably still under the impression that she didn't like him or something. But then why would she have said all that to him in his apartment a week ago? Or why would he have come back to live at their family temple? She wanted to scream, but she couldn't let Yukari know about it, so she bit her lip and held it in.

"Hey Ayano!"

She looked past Yukari to see Nanase coming through the door. She looked like she'd just had a shower.

"Congrats Nanase!" Ayano smiled.

"Hey, don't congratulate me, my spike nearly got you in the hospital! Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine now. I'll probably-"

"You're going to play it easy. Don't worry no plans tomorrow just your birthday, and the festival! Oh and my brother asked us if we want to stay another day since the festival was tomorrow evening! I figured that would be way better…no point in going home late!"

"Sounds great." Ayano nodded. "Sorry about screwing up the game."

"Are you kidding me? That save was pretty epic if not for the head injury…I mean most people don't really dive like that because it's a bit scary…but nothing probably scares you so." Nanase looked impressed. "Is Kazuma's hand okay?"

"I think so. It was pretty bruised." Ayano furrowed her brow. "Didn't he show you?"

"No, he's spent most of the afternoon in his room. Honestly I think you guys are both whipped from the competition and stuff. I know I am." Nanase stretched. "So tomorrow we'll get up and celebrate your birthday here at the house. Then we can take our sweet time getting ready for the festival!"

"Mhm!" Yukari nodded.

"Thanks guys!" Ayano smiled. She couldn't forget that this trip was relaxing. One way or another she'd enjoy her birthday tomorrow.

"Well we're going to head off to our room! I know Nanase is dying to sleep… She kind of snores."

"I do not!"

"No, you don't but you do take up a lot of the bed."

"Oh come on, you're a blanket hog!"

Ayano watched her door close as they left.

She took one of her pillows on her bed and put it over her face and screamed into it. It wasn't like she wasn't angry? Or whatever…she didn't like being passive…but Nanase was right. She couldn't just yell at Kazuma every time he tried to kiss her or something…not now that she knew…or kind of knew that she wanted it too. But she didn't know how to be passive…how to just accept it? It made her feel weird…vulnerable when he did that. Now he thought she probably disliked him for it.

She got up, her pillow in her arms against her chest, and opened the door a bit to her balcony. She felt the fresh evening air come in. The sun was setting. Her hair danced out into the air, the breeze pushing it in front of her face.

She was turning 18 tomorrow. She wasn't a full adult, but in some senses, people did consider it older. Soon her friends would leave to go to university, and she would probably stay at the Temple, so she could take over full time as leader when her father stepped down.

Her family was her future. She didn't want to do anything to put that in jeopardy. Even if Kazuma and her …even there was a chance it didn't work out, she couldn't mess up the family again. She knew Kazuma's story too well, and to think that any other family member might have to go through the same thing, well that was why this kind of harsh isolation of those who didn't have the fire affinity needed to stop. A push in the right direction she was totally for, but … not that.

She closed her balcony door and found her bed again. She barely had a bruise on her head, and Kazuma's hand was probably sore. Did she even say thank you to him?

Enough.

She put her head on the pillow and her blankets over her head. She needed sleep. Thinking about these things wouldn't fix it. Tomorrow she would thank him.

"Morning Ayano!" Kenta said as she went into the kitchen area of his oversized beach house.

"Morning." She smiled as she saw Yukari and Nanase were already in the sitting room, presenting her with a large "birthday breakfast."

"Happy birthday Ayano!" They chimed.

"Thanks!" She smiled again to them. "Where's Kazuma?"

"Kazuma left earlier on. I told him we were having breakfast for your Birthday, but he said to save him some and he'd be back later." Kenta admitted.

"Oh." Ayano said.

"Don't worry I don't think he'd leave and miss this if it wasn't something important." Nanase said.

"It's okay." Ayano said. "I came here with you guys anyway. Lets enjoy it!" She put her smile back on her face and sat down.

"Good outlook. You know, you seem kind of opposite to him in some ways. More upbeat and fiery in you're personality. Kazuma always let, or at least seemed to let things slide off his back. Even when I remember him being bullied, he'd never stand up for himself, he just kind of shrugged it off. I think he's got more backbone now, but I'd got to say, he probably learns from you in terms of a cheerful manner." Kenta laughed a bit as he put down some more dishes on the table.

"He does shrug things off. But actually a lot of stuff bugs him. I think if Kazuma told you all that happened to him, you'd understand he's not as passive as he seems." Ayano took a bite of her food. She didn't want to be accusatory- actually, she listened to her own words and realized Nanase was right about Kazuma too. He did put up a front sometimes. Maybe he was being outgoing when he flirted for the same reason she got angry when he teased. They were both trying to cope with it.

"Actually we did. Last night, he told me a lot. I was in the lounge and he I heard him up. We got to talking and he told me a lot about what happened and his return home. I think you got a more detailed story and I also think you understand his injury more, but I do think, him being around you lets him borrow a bit of your spark Ayano." Kenta leaned back in his chair.

Ayano noticed how Kenta seemed to have such a chill personality. If he wasn't a marine biologist she would surely think him a surfer or something. She'd never really thought that she could give anything to Kazuma. It had always seemed the reverse. Even when she'd saved him, he was somehow stronger and more knowing than her. It was a different light.

"Okay Mr. RelationshipAdvice, but how about you and Trista?" Nanase leaned forward over the table closer to her brother. Her brother's chair tipped a bit before he let it fall back onto all four legs.

"Trista?"

"Oh come on. You two are so perfect for each other. She is a totally awesome girl. And by the way I figured out the perfect way to show her!" Nanase said.

"Me Mr. RealtionshipAdvice? I think you must be Miss. Cupid? Why do you think I need help and-" Kenta's eyes opened with his slip.

"I knew it!" She beamed. "Well she's coming to the festival tonight right?"

"Well I thought all you girls were?"

"We have dates kind of." Yukari spoke up.

"So you'll be alone with Trista!" Nanase said. "And you got her a gift to show her that you care!"

"Wait-what? I did?" Kenta looked wide eyed at his sister, his brow cocked up.

" Yep! This!" Nanase showed him the pearls she'd bought. "You bought it when you bought the groceries! I thought it was a cute thing since you guys just returned the pearls to that older man!"

"I couldn't just give her these for no reason?"

"Tell her it's a thank you for her help! Still I bet she'd get the drift!" Nanase smiled, setting them down in front of her brother.

He sighed. "Okay, if you guys say so. But if it turns out badly Yukari you get that room to yourself. I'm going to make Nanase sleep outside."

"You would never!" Nanase said making a face to her brother.

"You want to play cupid you have to pay the consequences sis." He shrugged.

"So what's it like being 18 now Ayano? Your almost a like twenty year old adult?" Yukari looked to her.

"Not much different." She shrugged, taking another spoonful of food to her mouth.

"Well I'm pretty much done eating so why don't we see what you have in your closet for tonight my dear brother?" Nanase took her brother by the shirt and dragged him off.

"What? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"You're giving her pearls not going to go surfing with her…"

"Wait does he actually surf?" Ayano asked.

"Who knows? But I wouldn't worry about Nanase ignoring you, she's just really eager to see her brother off."

"It's fine. It's amusing really." Ayano shrugged, with a smile.

"Which reminds me we have got to get you looking really good for tonight- do you think we should do something with your hair? Your are supposed to look like an pretty-much-almost adult on your birthday and-" Yukari began when they both heard the front door open and close.

They peaked out to see Kazuma walking rather quickly towards his room with a bag in his hand.

"Kazuma I-" Ayano called out, but he closed the door behind him. She slumped a little.

"Don't stress about him! I bet he's got something planned for later. Maybe he's just-"

"Don't make excuses for him. It's fine." Ayano lifted her shaded face. "Why don't we plan out exactly what we're going to wear tonight? Plus, you haven't told me much about Nori! Now I'm the one who can tease you so-" Ayano stood up and shoved her friend off to her room and followed her in.

Her eyes dwindled on Kazuma's room's door.

She got the feeling that she messed up bad.

Suddenly it opened.

Kazuma came out. He walked passed her.

"Morning Ayano. How was that birthday breakfast? Is there any left for me?" He passively tousled her hair a bit as he left for the kitchen.

She watched him leave silently. Tousling her hair? He did that to Ren…was that how he saw her now? As just a little sister or something? Had she really made him back off that far?

"Hey, Ayano get in here! I've always wanted to see what kind of fancy hair do we could put in your amazing hair!" Yukari pulled Ayano into the room before she could fret any longer.