It's strange, how even when you're really upset about something, you can push it behind you. Bury it deep within your mind until it almost doesn't exist. That's what I did. I had to, to remain sane. Hikaru liked someone, a guy, and it could be just about anyone. I didn't want to think about it. Time after time I told myself that I didn't care and the lie became so sweet that I could actually feel happy again. I could pretend that such a fact didn't exist and I could pretend that I wasn't jealous that he loved someone deeply enough for a sexual relation, and that that person wasn't me.
"Hikaru, is there someone you like?" One of the guests asked, a frequent customer of ours by the name of Sayaka. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. This question had been asked many times before, but in light of what I knew, it didn't seem like a game any more.
"Well there is someone..." Hikaru looked my way but I caught his eyes flickering upwards to someone behind me, or at least thought I did. I chose to ignore it and went along.
"Eh? Why are you looking my way?"
"Oh...no reason..."
The girls giggled. As the talk continued and fresh drinks were poured, I took a look behind me. It wasn't helpful, we were at the far side of the room today, everyone was behind us. I sighed.
Hikaru, you tease!
I hummed as I wiped one of the tables, the duty for cleaning up afterwards was on a schedule to stop anyone complaining, that anyone being Hikaru and I mostly. I smiled and continued to hum. Where was Hikaru anyway? Probably slacking off somewhere, he always left me to do the work. He was clearly the more irresponsible of the two of us, I shook my head in amusement and annoyance. It wouldn't kill him to help me at least once. I picked up a piece of paper and was about to screw it up for the bin when I saw that someone had written on it. A girls phone number perhaps?
No, this was Hikaru's writing. 'I want to talk to you after school Friday, in private, before the club starts. I think you know what this is about.' it read. This note was unmistakably written for me. I was the only one here, and it had been left in my plain sight. Was that why Hikaru wasn't here...was he embarrassed?
I smiled thinking of that and a flower of hope bloomed once more in my chest. My skin grew hot all over and I couldn't believe it. Either Hikaru liked me too and meant to tell me, or he was going to tell me who he liked. Either way it would put my mind at rest one way or another. Hikaru, you dummy, why make it so secret? I wouldn't question his methods. Instead I ripped up the little note and tossed it away piece by piece playing a 'He loves me, he loves me not' game with it in my air of love sickness.
"What are you doing? Slacking off?"
I turned and grinned. "You're the one to talk, where the heck have you been?"
"Bathroom."
"Oh?"
"Jeez Kaoru, do you want to know the details?" Hikaru slung his arm around my shoulder. He always had such a sweet scent, I couldn't put my finger on it, it was simple the scent of Hikaru.
"No, I just want you to do your share of the work for once." I pushed a damp clothe into his face and Hell broke loose. We might have played around for maybe an hour, tossing the damp clothes that were supposed to be used for wiping tables, back and forth at each other. I laughed madly, almost falling over a chair and then decided to use it as a shield. The noise of his running and laughter went dead and I paused. What was he planned.
I leaned up to peek over the chair and was surprised as he popped into view, no time to cry out before his lips were on mine. My eyes closed but the kiss was chaste and quick compared to usual. I smiled and once more pressed a cloth into his face. "Just get to work already."
Tell me that I'm your love.