Chapter 3: Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

It's been two weeks since Shin moved into the Sendoh Family household. For the most part, her adjustment went smoothly and comfortably. The father, usually works out of town, he's one of the lawyers for Japan's National Basketball team, leaving Mrs. Sendoh and their son at home. Sendoh's mother is a clothes designer, unlike Shin's mother, her best friend doesn't rely on her husband's money to survive. Her clothes line is flourishing in Kanagawa and slowly infiltrating Tokyo through her wide array of ready-to-wear women's clothing.

All of them seldom meet when they're home. Akira Sendoh comes home late from practice, and since it's sports season, matches are on-going almost every weekend, Shin has tennis practice and she seldom stayed at home, same with Mrs. Sendoh who's busy preparing for the S/S Fashion Week in Tokyo.

That's why this particular Saturday was a rare occasion for both Akira Sendoh and Shin for they met at breakfast for the first time. It was Sendoh who greeted Shin first when she descended the stairs and he was sitting on the smaller dining table located in the pantry.

"Ohayoo Gozaimasu." he looked up from his cereal.

"Oh," she smiled at him brightly, her white blonde hair tightly pulled up in a ponytail, bouncing while she approached the table, "Good morning, Sendoh-san?" she took a seat in front of Sendoh and reached for a bowl like it's the most normal thing in the world for them to be having breakfast together. "Sendoh-senpai? You're first name's Akira, right? Do you mind if I call you Akira-san?"

"I don't mind." he said.

Shin can't help appreciating his deep, velvety voice, for some reason it was light to the ears. She smiled at him, "Akira-san it is."

"So, you like the same brand?" Sendoh asked when Shin reached for the chocolate rice puffs,

"Yes, I love this brand very much." Shin filled half her bowl.

"Is that why you bought an entire box and put it in the pantry with that note?" Sendoh chuckled, "'Please feel free to eat it' it's the first time I saw someone do that." he remembered last week when he stepped into the kitchen and saw the empty cabinet filled with boxes of chocolate rice puffs.

"Well, you've never lived with two more teenagers in the house then." Shin started, her face pondering a bit before explaining, "I'm used to buying my own food or replacing food I ate, or else I'll feel bad for eating your food so—"

"You mean you did that before?" Sendoh cut her off, not quite understanding what she saying.

She stared at him with her bright amber eyes, "Hmm, it's one of the house rules for me," she stood up, walked towards the left side where the fridge was placed against the wall and took the carton of chocolate milk she brought with the cereal.

"Really?" Sendoh asked, genuinely taken aback, "So you all bought your own food?" he watched her pour the brown liquid on her bowl.

She shrugged, "My aunt has two kids, all the shopping she does is for them and since my dad sends me allowance, I can take care of my own share." she said as a matter-of-factly, taking a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

The brushed-off way she said it clearly indicated that she's used to that method of living, but it was clear to Sendoh that it affected how she lived and it stirred something in him. Irritation? anger? annoyance on her behalf? He seldom felt these things since he's always in control of his surroundings not to mention he's an only child but she's living in his house now and he didn't want his environment to seem stifling to someone.

Sendoh schooled his features and his voice to sound normal, "Don't you live here now?" he cocked his head to the left, "Treat this as your home from now on. Surely Okaa-san told you that. Eat anything you want around here." he paused, leaning forward, his blue eyes intense, "The housekeeper buys grocery every Sunday so you can just make a list of what you prefer and give it to her. Alright?"

Shin chuckled, "Okay."

"What's so funny?" Sendoh asked, he also didn't find her answer to have enough conviction, but he'll get back to that later.

"Well, this is the first time I've spoken to you, other than the usual good morning, hello and good bye,"

"And?"

"You seem more forceful and straightforward than I imagined, usually you're carefree and.." there was no apology in her eyes, but he saw a sparkle of mischievousness there.

"Lazy?" he finished her sentence.

"I didn't say that." she smiled, taking a spoonful of cereal in her mouth.

"You were thinking it."

"Well," she swallowed, "I'm not the best judge of character anyhow, also, you move so slowly and you're always carrying that fishing rod," she flicked her spoon softly like a rod, "when you go out."

The mention of his fishing habits lightened his mood a bit, it was normal for her to be observant of her surroundings, nonetheless, it still amused him. "So?" Sendoh cocked a brow at her, the corner of his lips lifting a little.

She stared at him in a funny way, "Err, you're the only guy I know who goes fishing, and I bet the only guy your age who brings home fresh fish from the sea."

"Well, you can eat those too, but cook them first." he smiled, going back to their earlier conversation about food, "I'm serious," he said though his face was masked in a gentle smile, "Throw away those stupid rules, this is your house now and nobody cares if you eat the entire contents of the kitchen, or up your room if you want to."

A bit taken aback by the sincerity of his statement, Shin paused before replying. "Ah, if you put it that way, thank you," she said. Sendoh wondered about the brief change in her demeanor but didn't dwell on it. Shin smiled "You make me want to never leave this house." she said out loud before she can even think about it, she stared at him and he gave her his usual gentle smile. Good, he didn't put any weird meaning in her words.

In a calm and nonchalance voice he said, "Is that the reason why you seldom sleep here?" his question caught her off-guard, it was as if he was asking about the weather, Shin didn't know how to respond, didn't think he even knew.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Shin unknowingly knitted her brows.

Sendoh knew that his question was a brave one, they weren't close enough but it was something that nagged at him whenever his mother told him that Shin was sleeping at a friends' house. Unlike his mother, he knew there was more to that excuse. All those gossips from Koshino and his teammates about Shin and her lifestyle made him much more aware of what's really going on.

"Well, I hear from Okaa-san that most of the time you slept at a friend's house and she asked me if I knew who your friends were." he shrugged, "I told her there's no way I'd know them." he said lightheartedly, "Anyway, from what you've told me, I realised that you never felt comfortable in your old house, so that's affected how you felt here." his face held that gentleness accompanied by an underlying dominating aura that reminded Shin of a sleeping lion.

Shin stared down at her cereal then looked back up at Sendoh who went back to eating, "What school do you go to again, Akira-san?" she added his name for politeness.

"Ryonan." he said, staring at her questioningly.

"Ah," she stirred her cereal and stared at it in deep thought, "I guess there's no helping it then," she said more to herself than to him, "You've heard rumours about me haven't you?"

Sendoh raised his brows, his blue eyes met her amber ones, they were staring at each other and although their conversation is about to take a more serious note, there was no tension between them.

"Hm." Sendoh replied, "We're being honest now aren't we." the corner of his lips lifted in an amused smirk, "I admit, I heard a few things about you, but just recently."

She nodded in understanding and smiled, her golden eyes sparkling at him, "Then you probably know that I went out with some of your schoolmates and did stuff. Some of the rumours you heard were probably true, some were probably embellished, I dont care either way, but,"

"But?"

"I'm just being honest with you because I realised there's no point in keeping things secret."

"What are you even hiding?" he asked in his calm voice.

"I'm not hiding anything and being a student of Ryonan, you're bound to hear things whether you like it or not. Kanagawa is such a small district if you think about it." she explained, "I just live a bit differently from the people you hang out with or even the kids Sendoh-Oba-chan is used to dealing with." she stared at him thoughtfully and said, "I like your mom you know, I don't like her to worry when I can take care of myself, and I think you're cool too so I don't want things to be awkward because you heard something about me."

"So before I hear things from others, you're telling me yourself." Sendoh cocked a brow at her, "What if I'm some uptight jerk, or even an asshole."

"You're not, that's why I like you and as I've said, I like your mom so I'll never sleep with you," she smiled sweetly at him, "but either way, I'm gonna be honest now, I know that my way isn't exactly common to every male or female in the world, so you can't accept it then you can just go on with your life and pretend I don't exist, I'll do the same."

"… and if I don't?" Sendoh asked, his blue eyes clear and focused on Shin's who smiled upon hearing his response, "Then, just tell me if I'm bothering you. Since I won't and can't change, the least I can do for you is get out of your way if I'm in it."

"I didn't expect you to be this nice." Sendoh said dryly, "Just do what you normally do but take care of yourself. It's unlikely our paths will cross since it's never crossed before, but if it does I don't really care."

"Akira-san," she looked at him curiously, her eyes probing like she's going to say something serious, "You're incredibly mature for your age, and smarter than you look. What sports do you play again?"

"Basketball."

"Ah," Shin nodded, keeping that in mind.

"And you're incredibly frank, you know that?" Sendoh shot back.

"With my looks? I can get away with anything." she flashed him a dorky close-mouthed smile.

"Humble too." he chuckled and the two of them went on with their breakfast, talking most about sports.

The breakfast conversation with Shin was refreshing to Sendoh. The girl was uncomplicated and, like Koshiro said, she was cool. The only time she seemed uncomfortable was when he told her that his mom believed she slept at a friend's house, other than that, their conversation proved that she was comfortable in her own skin. Her carefree actions were the complete opposite of her fragile and refined look. Sendoh could feel her elation when he told her to feel at home and eat whatever she wanted, her gaze seemed to light up a bit, and after that the guarded look in her eyes seemed to have lifted.

"Oie, Ace-san, you're dozing off again." Koshiro said, passing the ball to Sendoh, who was his passing-drill partner at the moment.

"You're not making it challenging enough for me." he taunted.

"Cocky bastard. Are you thinking of your new housemate? Don't tell me you're already dating her."

"Wouldn't that make you cry?" he retorted.

"Hn, so introduce me already!" Koshino tossed the ball back with more force.

"I told you she's never home and we barely talk." Sendoh tossed the ball back and he smiled when Koshino coughed an 'umph' upon catching it, "The longest time we talked was this morning before her boyfriend came and they left." he said, and then he remembered her invitation.

"I told you she's not into relationships." The shooting guard reminded him.

You got that right, Sendoh thought to himself, "Do you want to go see Ryonan's tennis match today?"

"Me? Nah, Uekusa and I will go to a Goukon later."

"Ah, alright then." Sendoh said without much thought before Uozumi called them to huddle up for a freshman vs. sophomore match.

To be continued...

Thanks for reading!