Kanako sat on her bed, staring at the locket Mariya had given her.
Mariya was at the archery range, he hadn't been in the room when Kanako had come back from class. He had left her a note simply reading: "At the archery range. -Mariya."
She sighed as she looked at the birthday gift.
"What will I do?" She asked herself quietly.
She opened it and gazed at the picture of her mother, wondering were he had gotten it from. Kanako closed it again. She put the necklace back on and laid back on her bed.
As soon as she laid back, she fell asleep, being tired out from school.
She woke up a few hours later and she was tucked into bed and looked around confusedly. Mariya was in his bed, sleeping soundly. Kanako looked at the alarm clock next to her bed and noticed that she had slept a lot longer than she had thought. It had been a little after 4 in the afternoon, now it was almost eleven thirty at night.
She yawned and pulled her blankets around her tightly, thinking that it must have been Mariya that tucked her in. She then realized that she was still in her school uniform so she got up and grabbed her pajamas. She quickly went into the bathroom that her, Mariya, and Mariya's maid (Matsurika) shared. She changed and then got back into bed.
When she laid back down she realized that Mariya was awake and looking at her.
"Is everything okay, Kanako?" he asked quietly.
She nodded. "Yeah... I just... woke up... Did you... cover me up?"
Under normal circumstances she wouldn't have cared but this time she felt as though she needed to know. Kanako wanted to know if he really did care about her.
"Yes..." he paused for a minute. "You were shivering when I got back. So I cover you up. You also seemed to be having a bad dream... But I didn't know I should wake you... Sorry I didn't... Good night, Kanako."
Then he rolled over and faced the wall.
"Thank you, Mariya," she muttered but she knew he heard her.
He just grunted his response and went back to sleep.
Kanako knew then that he cared for he like he had told her that he did. But there was still the problem that he was a guy. If she tried to date a guy, it would be hard for her, because he would never be able to hold her hand or kiss her, because she would break out in hives as soon as they touched. For now she would get some sleep and then think on it tomorrow.
And then she practically passed out again.
The next morning was a Saturday, so she slept in for a while and when she got up, she got a text from Mariya's twin sister. Shizu had sent her a message and asked if she wanted to go to the movies together or something today. Kanako tilted her head to the side and was very confused, because she had hardly gotten to know Shizu. She was curious as to why Shizu would want to hang out with her in the first place.
Just as she was about to send Shizu a reply she got another message from her. It read: I'm sorry that I asked. It's just that I need some time around a girl. I am so scared around all these boys here. Could we hang out at my house? Please?
Kanako thought it over for a minute and then decided that it would be okay. Maybe she could ask Shizu about Mariya, and find out what she thinks Kanako should do.
Kanako replied: Sure. Where should we meet? And when?
She instantly got an answer. How about in an hour at my house? Will that give you enough time to get ready? And I got to call home and have them send me a car to pick me up. We can stop and get you too if you want, Kana-chan.
That's fine, Shido-san. I will see you in an hour, then? Kanako waited for a reply.
Yes. See you then. And I told you, you can call me Shizu.
Okay. Kanako then got clothes and got into the shower. She left her phone sitting on her bed.
When she was done in the shower, twenty minutes later, Mariya was sitting on his bed.
She looked at him asked: "Where is Matsurika?"
"She's at the dentist. She had a routine cleaning," he replied. Then he asked: "Are you going somewhere?"
Kanako froze for a minute. She didn't know how he would react to being invited to his house by his sister.
She paused for only another minute then answered hesitantly: "Y-yes... Shizu... invited me over..."
Mariya looked at the floor. "Oh" was all that he said.
"Is... that a problem?" She questioned gently.
He shook his head no. "No. I don't care what you do. It's your life. I am going somewhere anyways. I was just waiting for you to hurry up in the shower. You take forever."
Then he got up, grabbed some clothes and walked calmly in the bathroom. And he did plan on going somewhere, but little did Kanako know, that was his house. He was suddenly very curious about what Shizu wanted with Kanako.
But more than anything, Mariya wanted to find out if Kanako was interested in Shizu instead of him. If she was... it was understandable... Shizu was an exact carbon copy of him other than their genders and placement of their moles. So it would actually be easier for her to be with Shizu... Kanako wouldn't break out like she did with him...
He got in the shower. And when he got out and was dressed and came out of the bathroom, Kanako was gone. He sighed.
'I can't believe this...' He thought to himself.
He did his hair the same way as always and left a note taped to the door in case anyone stopped by to see them.
He simply wrote: "Sorry we missed you. Try stopping by later. -Mariya and Kanako.
And with that he left.