How about that... looks like chapter 14 was received rather well. Appreciate the reviews by folks keep them coming. It gives me some insight into what works...and what doesn't... You never know until folks tell you. Its time for chapter 15. It hasn't been a pleasure cruise that's for sure, but getting the chance to prove ones self never is...
How about Kyosuke holding his own on that ship...Well at least he hasn't gone overboard..but now that hes on the big island what kind of trouble awaits him.. Well you'll just have to find out ...do I smell steak? -DjTenki...
legal jargon:
I do not own Oriemo or any characters related to light novels, manga, or anime...but I love the story so here we are...
Chapter 15: Two Days in Paradise...and yeah I'm ready to go... and Manu Manu the Slender?... He aint so slender...!
Kyousuke:
Docks at Oahu...Hawaii...
Well I have to admit that Salty was right the sunset from the Hawaiian Islands was nothing like the ones I had see at home in Chiba.. The colors seemed to just bleed together to the horizon. The reds and oranges seemed to just become gold as they shimmered across the water toward us. We dropped the Mersk off to the authorities and I was glad to see that the big ship made it to port safely.. A job well done I though.
Whew glad that's over I can't believe how beautiful the sunset looks.. I took a deep breath and felt very calm considering all that I had been going through and seen in the last eleven days. "Hey Greenhorn the time to grandstand is over..I know its a pretty picture but we got shit to do... Go grab the rear line and get ready to dock I'm getting hungry as hell and this thing ain't gonna park itself"
I shook my head obviously the jovial Salty was gone at least for now I guessed. I ran back to the rear of the ship and grabbed the tow line preparing to toss it over to the dock worker I could see coming out to greet us... Come on Kyousuke lets try not to mess this up.. Sure enough my concentration was rewarded as I threw the line and the dock worker caught it and started to draw us along side the dock.
We pulled in and I heard the engines shut down, it wasn't to long after that both Carl and Art came up from below deck and Captain Cliff walked out of the wheel house and made his way down to us. "Well another happy landing it seems.. You four ready for some shore leave?" We all nodded, "Sure Capt, How many days we staying here?" Art asked. "Id say two to rest refuel and relax. That sound OK to the rest of you?"
I had no idea myself so as with the rest I nodded. "Hey Kyousuke you come with me and well get the Jeep and grab everyone's pay and head out." I followed Cliff up and onto shore and that's when I felt completely out of whack.. whoa what the hell? My legs felt like jello.. "Ha I figured you'd get your sea legs under ya and I was right he he he he" I looked at Cliff with a serious feeling of confusion. "Relax Kosaka just keep walking after you been out on the water like that coming ashore can mess with a man but give it a bit you'll be fine." He grinned as he headed down the docks..
I took a deep breath and continued, I guess it was like grandpa said training never really ends it just reinvents itself...as it seemed I was finding out...great. We went down to the end of the pier and after about three minutes we came to an old small building. "Welcome to the Lucky bulldogs Hawaiian offices Kyousuke" Cliff said with a grin as he unlocked the door and we went in. First thing I noticed dust...LOTS of dust. The office itself had a bunch of old ship pictures on the wall and a rusty old fan on top of some filing cabinets.. Seemed fitting for a work outfit like this one I guessed...
"Ah hey has it been a while since you been here? This place looks like its been shut a while." Cliff raised and eyebrow at me. "Well maybe a month or so I guess.. but hell I think it adds character to the old building right?" I just shook my head, "I guess you could call it that..." I shrugged and Cliff just laughed.
I watched as he walked around behind the old desk in front of a large window with old tinted blinds and sat down. He gestured for me to take the seat across from him and I did so. "So Kyousuke you did good out there man, I was glad to see you hang in there and from what I can tell Salty seems to have taken a liking to ya too". My eyes widened.. Salty liking me that just crazy... My thought were interrupted as Cliff tossed an envelope at me hitting me in the chest and followed by grabbing a few more and some keys.
"Whats in the envelope Cliff?" I asked surprised by him tossing it to me. "Open it up Kyousuke its your pay plus the bonus from the trip so far." he grinned as I opened it to see hundred dollar bills staring back at me... Whooooa that's a lot of money...
Cliff must have seen my surprise because he started to laugh, "Its a working mans pay Kyousuke your out there doing life threatening work and we get paid like it.. you included." He smiled and got up from the desk. "Come on man lets go the Jeep and the other three I am sure they want their pay as well." I got up nodding and headed out behind Cliff.
Once he locked the place back up we headed around to the side of the building where a Jeep sat.. This thing was painted brown with orange tiger stripes and had a few solid dents in the side and was missing a baha light on top.. "Where'd you get this Jeep Cliff from Jurassic Park?" I said with a raised eyebrow.. he sighed as he walked toward it.
"Man why does everyone say that? If you must know I got a great deal on it a few years back and she runs like a top so don't knock it... Hop in the back Kyousuke and lets get going." he said has he hopped in the driver seat and just as he said it started on the first turn over. I jumped in just as he started back up tossing me back in my seat..geez crazy driver..
We headed back down the pier to the Bulldog all three of the other crew were there. Once we arrived Carl and Art hopped in the back with me and Salty climbed into the passenger seat.. obviously they had done this before, I thought. Cliff handed out everyone's pay and we began to drive out of port as we passed the security gate a large man in a security uniform waved us by... huh a lot of security around here I guess...
"How do all feel about having dinner at the L.R. before splitting up that OK with you all?" Cliff asked. The rest of the crew nodded and I decided that was fine with me I was starving and really was OK with anything. Cliff drove the jeep out onto a short highway until we reached a large hill. he made a left onto a smaller street that took us to the top of the hill and what I saw surprised me.
There in front of us was a large diner with a palm grass roof and a bamboo framed structure! There was a broken sign hanging sideways that read Last Resort. Needless to say it looked to me like this place had seen better days but who was I question it if these guys ate here regularly? "Hey Kyousuke don't worry man this place has some of the best food on the island I'll tell ya." Carl said as he elbowed me in the ribs and smiled bringing me back to reality.
Cliff parked and we all got out of the Jeep and headed inside. The inside was way nicer than I expected bamboo stools and booths with light brown smooth tables and an old style counter to sit at and order food. There was an older woman in a Hawaiian shirt taking orders at a booth with some people and a younger man working behind the counter. Reminded me of an old diner I once saw in a black and white western film back home... god dad loves those old black and white films..terrible..
"Hey Bruno is Manu back there cooking up poison again?" Cliff yelled really loudly as we walked up to sit at the counter as everyone turned to look at him. I was shocked by Cliffs comments something told me whoever this Manu was he was going to be really pissed.. You don't talk crap about the cook even I knew that..
I just stood there as Carl, Art and Salty took seats at the counter facing the younger man I guess who was Bruno behind the Counter. Before anyone else spoke a huge man with a hotdog vendor paper hat and a Hawaiian shirt and apron came storming out of the double doors at the back of the room.
"Who the hell is calling my food Poison?! Your about to get your ass handed to you Poonooo!" he yelled as he headed toward us. I looked over to Cliff as I was ready to run for my life, this man had to be six foot five and pushin three hundred and seventy pounds. his dark eyes and black hair made his angry face all the more menacing.
Cliff all the while was just smiling..insanity... The man took a look at me and then to Cliff and stopped dead in his tracks... He then started laughing as he ran forward and picked Cliff up off the ground hugging him which is no easy feet because Cliff is a big man as well. All I could do was stand there staring like a blank idiot. I had never seen anything like it in my life.
Meanwhile Carl and Art had stared at me and started laughing really hard at my scared ass face. Salty was sitting at the counter talking with the younger man Bruno and ordering some food. He was ignoring the whole scene it seemed... I was completely embarrassed to say the least. "Cliffff where you be mah man Me and Onno here wondered when you'd come back we was missing you!" The large man I guessed was Manu said as he continued to hug Cliff.
"Yeah Manu I missed you too so we decided to stop at the big island here and rest a few days ...and ahh could you put me down Manu I cant feel my arms." Cliff said with a laugh as Manu complied. By now the few customers in the diner were now staring at the scene. I was about to move forward and take a seat at the counter when I was stopped by the large man himself. "Eyyy Cliff who's this little ladies man here he looks like he rode in on some waves come from the rising sun coast there eh?"...rising sun coast I thought? Cliff smiled and looked over to me for introductions.
"Yeah Manu he is from Japan alright, hes a new crew hand on for a short hop across the pacific to mainland America his names Kyousuke Kosaka." Manu reached out and engulfed my hand in a rough large shake that about tossed me off my feet. "Kyousuke this man here is Big Manu Manu the slender! Hes the owner here at the last resort and I'd say the best cook in all of Hawaii!" Manu looked up and grinned at that comment. "Over here is his wife Onno and don't cross her Kyousuke she may be small but shes dangerous!" She looked over from her order taking and stuck her tongue out at Cliff and Manu and then smiled at me I smiled back. "Nice to meet you Manu I'm Kyousuke" I couldn't for the life of me figure out why the called him the slender.. there was nothing slender about this huge guy but oh well I thought...
Manu smiled at my politeness. "Well Pono take a seat and order up some food from my boy Bruno there he will get ya settled in the right away." I nodded and sat down at the counter as Manu headed back to his kitchen to begin cooking again. Cliff sat down at the counter next to salty and I grabbed a menu. There were so many things to pick from it was crazy. I ended up ordering a steak and a few sides of fried vegetables and some rice..thank god they had rice... Bruno took my order and hung it up to be cooked. No surprise working on the boat had made me very hungry.
While I sat there waiting Bruno walked back up to me and started talking, "Hey man did I hear right you come from Japan?" I nodded. "Ah yeah I'm from the Chiba area not sure if you know where that is but that's where I am from." He leaned against the counter and nodded. "That's great I'm not really sure where that is at exactly, but I have always wanted to take a short hop over to Japan and see it, I hear its really something." I could agree with that I thought so many tourist each year!
"You know Kyosuke there are two things I really like about Japan one being culture, so traditional like Hawaii here and ahhh the the other thing.." as he leaned in close.. "The women! man are they hot!" he said with a grin shaking his eyebrows. I was caught off guard and sputtered some of my water.. "So many hot girls from Japan come over here I hit on a few of em Kyosuke but they don't give me the time of day why I ask you?" he said looking put out...
I was surprised to be asked for women advice from a guy my own age I just met! I mean honestly I just ran away because of a girl back home... do I really have any right to be handing out women advice I thought? I decide to just give as simple an answer as I could... "Ah look Bruno girls from my country are kinda reserve...well most of them anyway..Kirino maybe the exception... but if you come on to strong like that they just run most of the time." He sat there listening very seriously nodding his head.
"Huh really to strong you say and they run away? I had no idea thanks for the information Kyosuke its much appreciated." It was then that Art spoke up next to me.. "Hell Bruno Kyosuke is being modest hes a real ladies man! Have him show you the picture he carries around of his girl back home.." he said with some laughter...Just great.. lets just throw out all my secrets why don't you...
Bruno was highly interested. "Hey Kyosuke is Art right? You got a girl back home? I really want see this picture he is talking about." I sighed and gave Art and ugly glare, which like usual just made him laugh at me again.. I reached into my pocket sighing deeply and pulled out my wallet and the picture of Kirino I carried around with me.. It was one I had secretly taken of her at a modeling job near our home.
"Wow Kyosuke she is smoking hot.. where did you meet her at? she looks like a model!" Bruno said as his mother Onno curious about our conversation walked over and picked up the picture. This surprised me, "Well isn't she a picture of beauty but I can sense she might be a bit of a handful eh?" I raised an eyebrow..is she a psychic?
She saw my face and laughed as she sat the picture back on the counter. "You have no idea Mrs. Onno." I said shaking my head which made her laugh "Just call me Onno deary...oh you poor boy..."she said as she walked away... Bruno spoke up as his mom left, "That's mom alright Bruh, Shes always gettin nosy when it comes to talk about a girl" he made a bit of a disturbed face. "Well anyway tell me about her I am curious.. whats her name?"
Obviously thanks to Art there was not going to be any getting around this conversation so I resigned myself to answer what I felt I could without complicating my situation.. "Alright Bruno her name is Kirino, and before you ask I met her at school." He nodded, "Really she much younger than you man?" "Hmm about two years younger than myself she sixteen and I'm eighteen." Bruno was raptly listening to me now. "Your call about her being a model surprised me but is spot on. I took this picture at one of her jobs, but if she ever found out she'd kill me so I'd appreciate it if you'd keep it to yourself." Bruno laughed and smiled.
"Hey your secrets safe with me but wow a real model, I bet its tough dating her with all the guys hitting on her and people staring right?" I frowned at this, "Not really she kinda has a high and might air about her and people back home are a bit standoffish with her." Bruno stood there slack jawed.. "Your kidding a girl looking like that and people wont approach her wow, then how did you manage it?" oh my goodness there it was the question I wanted to avoid.. "All I can say Bruno is its complicated... and shes pretty jealous.. something to be very aware of if you date a model..I'm just telling you.." I said with a wary face...
Bruno seemed a bit wary by my statement, "Well I was gonna ask if she had any friends but it sounds kinda rough being in your shoes Kyosuke.. I think I'll pass man, I hope we can talk some more but for now looks like the food here and there's some folks just coming in." he said as he nodded, "Sure Bruno I'd like to talk some more. It was nice to finally meet another person my own age again to talk with.." this made him grin.
It wasn't more than a minute after Bruno and I finished talking that our food arrived and it was just as Cliff had said, the food in this place was amazing. I'd have to watch myself here and not pig out for sure I thought. My talk with Bruno enlightened me to a few things, One he was Manu son and someday wanted to take over for his dad and his mom Onno. Two, he loved the ladies it seemed.. and finally he was pretty interested in where I came from and more so about me and Kirinos situation...not good...
I had spent quite a while sitting there and just eating and didn't notice that Salty, Carl and Art had all left the diner. The other customers too were starting to thin out, and I had no idea where I was supposed to go for the next two nights..since it was starting to get late. I looked down at the end of the counter and Manu and Cliff were talking like old friends as I stared at them Bruno spoke up again.
"Hey Kyousuke you got a place to stay while your here the next few days?" I shook my head in the negative. "Good bruh you can stay down the street here with me I figured you could use a place." I was shocked! Why was this guy willing to put himself out there like that he doesn't even know me... "Hey Bruno I can find a place to stay I don't want to intrude really." I was interrupted by Manu...
"NONSENSE! Pono, you stay at my boys house while your here! If your a friend of Cliffs your a friend of ours!" I just smiled and nodded at both of them. Cliff got up from the counter and walked over to us. "Good with that settled I'll be heading out Manu, Kyousuke I will be back in a few days to pick you up alright." I nodded at Cliff picking up my bill and heading over to Bruno to pay at the counter. Once that was done I grabbed my small bag from the Jeep outside and followed Bruno to his house.
We walked about half a block talking about the island and Japan and a few other things, including the fact that Bruno had trained in martial arts! That really got my interest and we talked about possibly sparring over the next few days. When we reached and older small house with dull white siding and a palm colored roof we headed up the walk to the front door.
"Hey Bruh it ain't much but I call it home, come on in and make yourself at home." I thanked him and walked inside.. it surprised me that he had a mix of oriental style and Hawaiian style mixed together! "Hah you look surprised I told you I love your country and the island so I thought why not make it look like both!" he grinned as the threw off his shoes and made his way to the fridge to grab a water.
I sat down on his couch as he came back out and tossed me a water as well and sat down in a large green recliner across from me. we both opened our waters and sat there drinking. When I had drank half the bottle Bruno spoke. "Hey Kyosuke can I see that picture of your girl again?" I stopped drinking and raised an eyebrow, huh whats this about, I wondered. I nodded, "Sure I guess its I mean its not much but itw all I have to keep with me so be careful with it alright?.." I reached into my wallet and took it out and passed it to him.
He sat back drinking his water and studied the photo I sat back ans well and just watched him do this with no real idea what to think.. I wa broken from my thoughts when Bruno whistled... "You know what I finally figured it out Kyosuke she works for some blue company over there right?" what the? How'd he know that... "Ha Kyosuke that look on your face tells me you wonder how I knew that right?" I nodded. Bruno laughed again as he handed me the picture back and opened a drawer on his coffee table and pulled out something I had seen before back home.
It was a popular teen magazine I wasnt really familiar with the title "Teen Pop" but it was clearly written in Japanese. he thumbed about half a dozen pages before his eys lit up and he dropped it open in front of me. "See man I was sure I had seen her before! That is your girl right there on the page...Kirino was it? Yeah here she is right?" I was shocked large on the page was a picture of my sister in a light blue summer dress and and earrings to match.. in front of none other than that fountain I had seen that day! Seeing it caused my chest to tighten a bit but I did my best to keep a straight face. "Well I'm surprised for sure Bruno I wouldn't have guessed you'd have a girly teen magazine in your house?" I said with a sly grin...
Bruno scoffed at my comment waving a hand at me.. "Purely for research purposes man I told you so many hot girls from your country come over here I was trying to get some insight...seriously!" he said as I raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. It was then he turned the tables on me. "Seriously Kyosuke why would you leave home man if you got a girl like her there? That's crazy there is no way I'd let her outta my sight!" he said as he sat back again and drank some water all the while watching me as I put Kirinos picture away.
I sighed and sat back on the couch. I mean he had a point any guy who had a girlfriend like Kirino would never let her be alone to long..of course not everyone was in a situation like I was.. The girl who I had only know as my sister..turns out to end up liking me? then come to find out she not my sister at all?.. she my Fiance?! Yeah I could only start to image what Bruno might say to me... I was broken from my thoughts when he spoke again...
"Look Kyosuke I know we don't really know each other real well, but were both guys right?" he said looking straight into my eyes. I nodded with confusion as he smiled, "Right well we got the guys code right? I swear on the guys code that whatever you tell me I'll believe and I wont repeat it or judge you OK? Seems to me like you got something on your chest man and I'd like to hear your story... I'm sure if a guy like you leaves a girl like that.." as he pointed at Kirinos picture.. "Then there has to be a story behind it right?"
I was beginning to wonder if this guy was some kind of psychic or something. I sat there weighing what he had said to me. It was true that guys from eight to eighty knew of the guy code, it was world wide and every guy out there honored it seriously so... against my better judgement I decided that it couldn't hurt to see what this outsider to my situation might think of it, and hopefully as he said he might not judge me as a sick crazy person...
"Alright... Alright Bruno I give... look man what I'm about to tell you probably will mess with you but hear me out fully and feel free to offer up questions as we go alright?" he nodded with his bottle of water in his lap as he threw a leg over the arm of the chair to get comfortable as he lounged back to listen.. "Well let me ask you Bruno do you have any siblings?" he shook his head no. "Well that is where this story begins lets start with Kirino..."
Well three hours later and four bottles of water later I had pretty much explained what had happened to me in that last month and needless to say Bruno had questions...so many questions.. and by the end of it he sat there slack jawed and wide eyed.. "...and well today we arrived at the docks, came to eat at your dads place and here I am sitting here telling you a partial stranger about my problem.." I finished and sat back...
Bruno took a long drink of his water and sat there thinking... the silence lengthened and it started to make me uncomfortable... "So its all true Kyosuke...your serious that all really happened?" I nodded and tried to put up a straight face front. Bruno whistled...and blew out a breath.. "Wow man.. I can't even imagine how I would feel after all of that...Talk about crazy with a capital C bruh.." "Yeah Bruno I know...but that's my point I had no idea what to do..so I guess I just paused my life there and left..."
"Bruh you could go on any talk show with a story that crazy...Its like Jerry Springer or something!" I had to think a second...oh yeah that show where people start yelling and throwing chairs! oh my god no! I shook my head no vigorously at that comment and Bruno started to laugh.. "I was only joking Bruh..anyway that is hard to believe that all went down like that... but you know there are two things I took away from your story.."
Huh? What in the world could he have learned from my crazy life? "Whats that Bruno I'd be curious to know what you thought. "Yeah first thing your sister..or fiance or whatever! geez...well she won't let you get away forever man... she'll eventually come for you right? Shes got means right..money from that modeling thing..?" I hadn't thought of that...crap...she did have money I mean that pile of Eroge alone could buy a car! crap crap crap...
Bruno saw my face, "Relax bruh I doubt shes coming anytime soon, plus she has no idea where in hells half acre you are anyway right?" I nodded he had a point unless dad went and told her I left even then he had no idea where I went either...so I was probably safe for now... "Second Kyosuke you want to be with her and not as her brother..I'm sure of that even if you aren't yet..." I made a few sputtering noises and a raspberry or too but it was probably written all over my face.. that he was pretty much right.. "Yeah that is the thing though Kyosuke...your a lucky man at least it turned out that you aren't really related.. I can imagine it will be hard to retrain your mind to think of her outside of being a relative but you'll just have to come to terms with it I guess... though I sound pretty much like a hypocrite since I ain't even had a girlfriend yet bruh!... but all the same it is what I think.." he said nodding...
I didn't know what to say.. I mean the more I thought about it the more I thought it was true.. even back home when I was with Kirino i felt better...whole.. peaceful... but then they just had to shock my system like that with an eighteen year lie! Seriously and whats worse you'd think at three years old I would a remember that..but of course I'm a moron...probably more for leaving now then forgetting then.. "Yeah I'll work on that while I travel Bruno but really I don't know how long it will take me to change my thinking...but I guess I need to..." Bruno smiled at me.
"Nice Bruh at least your making an effort, but one thing is for sure we ought to go out back, I got a rock garden with a training dummy and we can spar... Your going to need it because I bet all the money in your wallet that Kirino girls gonna want to whoop your ass when she finally finds you.." with that he laughed really hard as he got up and waved me to follow... I paled at the thought of what was to come for me when Kirino did finally catch up to me.. Training..yeah that is probably a good idea I'm gonna be in for some pain I bet... I got up and followed him for what I was sure was going to be two very interesting days in paradise...