A/N: Hello! I just want to say thanks to everyone's understanding and encouragement. You have all been amazing and supportive. While I am still a few months away from full recovery, I have regained a good portion of my mobility; definitely enough to start typing again.
This chapter took me a bit to write, but I hope the results are worth it. This chapter really gets the ball rolling with the story.
I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 19: Learning to Fall
The air picked at his skin, and he blew hot air into his hands, hoping to warm the frigidness of his digits. He hadn't meant to leave his jacket in his locker, but when he got the text from Ayame, his mind had lost its sense of ration and bolted.
He wished she would have picked somewhere a bit warmer.
"Hiro."
At the call of his name, the fourth year turned to face his surrogate sister.
The smile that played on his lips fell as his bright green eyes fell on her.
There was something… different about her. She was standing with a confidence he had never seen in her. Her eyes looked determined, and sharp. Those sweet, carefree brown eyes had this resolve swirling in them that left his chest bubbling in uncertainty.
"You wanted to talk?"
She gave a strained smile and nodded.
"Yeah… but you're looking a bit cold." He was hugging himself, trying to keep warm since he so stupidly forgot his jacket.
He smiled sheepishly. "I was in such a rush to meet you that I forgot it in the locker room."
She sighed, and shook her head. "Let's go inside, you dummy."
He followed her in and she escorted him into the first floor music room, that was thankfully empty. Whatever she had to speak to him about, it wasn't something to be shared with a room full of gossiping students.
"It's kind of ironic that you forget your jacket, isn't it?" He crossed his arms, unsure of where she was going with this. She turned back towards him with an uneasy smile that made his stomach queasy.
"I'm always the one that making silly mistakes like that." She paused. "And you're always the one picking up after my mistakes."
Hiro scowled. "Now that's just absurd."
She puts a finger up, her face absent of any emotion. It makes it difficult for him to read her, to see what she's thinking. Her stoic demeanor reminds him of her older brother, and his lack of countenance.
"Since we we're kids, Hiro, you've looked after me. You've always nudged the bullies away and steered all the boys in the opposite direction. I can't even begin to think of the numerous times you've let me cry to you. You've listened to every complaint I've had and have taken care of me in my worst states." She went on and on, but Hiro couldn't put together where she was going with this.
"All things I've never felt pressured to do." He countered.
She smiled again. "I know. I know you never did." She thumbed the clarinet set next to her as distraction. "That's because you are a good person, Hiro. A good person with a loving heart. As much as you hide it, you empathize with the world around you. If you could help any person on this earth, you would. Even if you try to deny it."
"Ayame… you're scaring me. I'm not sure what exactly you're trying to accomplish here, but it's not working." He states, swallowing the frog in his throat. There's an idea that she's trying to push him away. For what? He doesn't know.
"That day, at the park, when you saved me from those bullies, do you remember?"
He nodded. "Of course, I remember. That's when we became friends."
"You saw a fragile, hopeless girl in desperate need of help. In desperate need of someone to save her."
Hiro narrowed his eyes. "What?"
"You knew who I was. You knew that Akito was my brother. And you knew that at the end of the day, I was a small, tiny girl whose brother could care less about her. And you felt pity for her, did you not?" Hiro couldn't believe the words he was hearing. His eyes went wide as the words so effortlessly left her lips.
Pity? Did she truly think that he pitied her?
"I never felt pity for you or your situation, Ayame. Now, stop whatever this is and just tell me what the hell has you acting so strange." His chest was filled with this anger that he's never felt towards her. Sure, she would frustrate him. But, he could never recall a moment where he was angry with her.
Not like now.
"My father left to LA." Hiro's eyes went wide again, the news being new to him. She hadn't mentioned that he left already. Before he could make another comment, she continued.
"Before he left to LA, I learned that he was requesting to leave on these long-term business trips."
Hiro felt his heart sink.
He had heard it all. Ayame would speak to him about the fights her brother and father would often engage in. She would tell him how she had heard her brother accuse her father of leaving them purposely leaving them behind because of his selfishness and lack of responsibility. He knew she would sit at the stair tops and watch as her family continued to tear itself apart.
All this time, she thought her father was leaving because his job had asked him too.
Now, she was learning that he left because he wanted too.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to process this information.
"Akito was right. All this time, I was so stupid and naïve. I refused to believe that my father was that much of a coward. I refused to believe that he would abandon us the way he has." She spoke with a soft voice.
"That's not your fault? You're a child, Ayame! Your father is supposed to be there for you! How could you blame yourself for thinking anything different?"
He asked her because he asked himself the same thing when his father left his family.
The reason he could connect to Ayame so well wasn't because of pity.
He knew what it felt like to be abandoned by the person who was supposed to care for you and watch over you. He knew what that feeling was.
"But I let myself be fooled by my own grief and misery!" She countered, her voice elevating slightly.
"You lost your mother, Ayame. You would have never imagined that your father would let his own grief swallow him whole. You didn't know any better!"
"And that's the problem! I should have known better!" He wasn't making this easy for her, he could tell. Whatever she had to say, whatever resolve she had decided, he wasn't going to let her say it easily.
But damn, her stubbornness was driving him insane!
"I have played victim for far too long, Hiro. I have allowed myself to be so consumed in my own grief and misery that I never realized who I was affecting. The relationships I built around me were slowly deteriorating because I couldn't help myself."
He stood perplexed, unbelieving of her reasoning.
"I have allowed you and Kyo, and now Sana, to be sucked into the chaos that is my life and I have not taken any steps to fix this broken mess. Because I have been too afraid. I took no responsibility for my own life."
Her voice was filled with conviction and resolution. Hiro was speechless. For as long as he has known her, she was timid and soft spoken. Ayame gave her opinion when she felt it was warranted or needed, and didn't often find ways to argue with others. Before the accident, she was bright and full of lift and laughter. There was never a day without a smile. She was so much more expressive.
After the accident, she shrunk into her shell and talked only without those she was close too. She refused to talk to anyone about what she underwent and what she was feeling.
Ayame was different from her brother in so many ways. They both had such stark differences in their personalities and the way they approached their problems.
But, the girl standing before him.
The conviction and resolve that settled in her eyes, her hardened eyes, made her realize she and her brother were more alike than any of them had thought.
"I have depended on you for far too long, Hiro." Her voice low and soft, her eyes looking at the floor beneath her.
"It's never bothered me."
"Because you have a kind heart." She smiled softly, and walked up to him. Ayame grabbed his hand and clutched it tightly.
"You have kept my head above the water for the last three years. And I can't thank you enough for that." Ayame squeezed his hand tightly.
"But it's time that for me to swim on my own."
Hiro's heart constricted tightly in his chest. There was a hollowness in his chest as Ayame leaned up to his cheek and gave him a chaste kiss.
It felt so... final.
He knew Ayame was not kicking him out of her life. She wasn't breaking off their friendship.
But, this felt like closure.
This was her keeping him at arm's length. This was her taking her independence back.
She gave his hand one final squeeze and disappeared quietly out of the music room. When he heard to soft click of the door, his eyes trailed to where she once was.
Clenching his fist tightly, screwed his eyes shut and felt nothing but disappointment as he let one of the most important people in his life down.
-O-
The weather was a replication to the mood set around school today. It seemed like everywhere anyone went, there was a dark, brooding cloud hanging over everyone's head.
Sana seemed to be the only person in the entire population of Jinbou High School with high spirits. Then again, she usually was. The lunch room seem bleak with the hanging heads and soft whispers.
Even her charming companion, Akimoto Hiro, seemed to be elsewhere this morning.
She watched as his usually bright, green eyes were somber and dull, a firm line replacing the usual charming grin etched on his face,
"You wanna talk about it?" She asked, and he barely moved.
Before she could follow up with another sentence, his eyes moved slowly from the table to hers.
"Not really." Sana couldn't recall a time she had heard his voice so subdued and defeated almost.
"Anything I can do to help?" She hated seeing him like this. Hiro had become a good friend of hers over the last few months and seeing him in this somber state left her upset.
She was always one to pry, but how could she when he wouldn't let her help?
His green eyes found hers and he smiled sadly.
"Unless you can make sense of the decisions people make," Sana titled her head in confusion "then unfortunately, not much you can do."
"Ah," She laughed almost bitterly, "can't help you there. I'm still trying to figure that out myself."
She pointed her fork at him after she took a bite of the pasta in front of her.
He smiled meekly. "I feel like I've been broken up with."
Sana's eyes went wide, and she pushed her food to the side as she laid back and crossed her arms in front of her. "I wasn't aware that you were seeing someone."
She slightly teased but knew to tread carefully since he seemed to be more sensitive today.
He stared at her for a moment.
The rolling of his eyes and small smile while shaking his head meant she was treading on the right waters.
"I'm not used to feeling this way, you know."
Sana attempted to resist the urge to roll her eyes, but she couldn't help herself after he smirked.
So much for his bad mood.
"Oh, I'm sure." She nodded her head, pretending to feel for his pain. "We wouldn't want that pride of yours to be wounded."
The smirk fell from his lips after her mimicking tone. It was her turn to smirk now.
"You may have bruised it slightly with that teasing of yours, Kurata." He muttered, "You sure know how to make a guy feel confident."
Sana beamed at him and padded the mop of hair on his head.
"Gotta knock you down a few stools, Mr. Akimoto."
Before she could remove her hand from his head, he latched onto her wrist and pulled her closer to his face. Her cheeks pinked immediately at the close proximity of their faces. The auburn-haired teen could feel her heart rapidly pound in her chest as she stared at his green eyes.
His usual bright, green eyes that were dimmed slightly today.
"You're the only girl who makes me feel like that, you know?" She could feel his warm breath and Sana gulped at the steadiness of his voice. Her cheeks felt even warmer than before. "You are so unfair."
Hiro released her wrist, and Sana backed away immediately. Her heart was hammering up to her ears.
He didn't look phased at all.
They sat in silence for a moment and she immediately shrunk under his gaze. Sana knew he was a flirt; harmless, but a flirt. But, in all their teasing and all their back and forth, he had never seemed so confident and serious as he did in that moment.
She was still trying to catch her breath.
"Cat got your tongue?"
And there went that stupid smirk of his that Sana wanted to wipe off his face. For as much as she enjoyed his company, he was quite infuriating.
"That wasn't fair." She swallowed and pouted; her cheeks still bright pink. "Some people would say you're giving a girl the wrong impression."
"Well maybe I should give you the right impression."
Now her neck was burning.
"You are quite bold in your broodiness, Mr. Akimoto."
She found that having this sense of properness was an easy way to deal with awkward situations.
He began to cackle as his smirked formed into more of a smile. That settled her stomach with relief.
"What can I say? You make a guy feel bold."
So direct... She thought to herself, but had to appreciate him for that. No beating around the bush with this guy.
"Alright, alright. Enough of that out of you!" Sana handled embarrassment rather well. But, he was making her stomach flutter in ways that hadn't before. She pointed her fork at him with narrowed eyes and burrowed brows.
Hiro broke out into a grin and put his hands up in defense. "Easy now! If I had known a little teasing would have ended with a fork in my eye, I wouldn't have pushed."
There was laughter in his voice. While she was still eying him skeptically, inwardly she was happy to see a change of demeanor. Akimoto Hiro was best seen with a smile on his face.
"I'll let it slide this time, Akimoto." She put the fork back on the table. "But, be sure to not let it happen again, got it?"
Instead of replying, he simply laughed.
And the lunch bell rang. Hiro didn't give her much time to reply as he grabbed his school bag and stood from his seat. Sana followed him with her eyes.
"Thanks for cheering me up. You always know how." The warm smile on his face left her blushing again. She hated him for his charm and suave. It was no wonder girls loved him. She had to admit, if she wasn't looking for love, there was a very slim and slight chance it may work on her.
But, she wasn't so easily susceptible to his flirtations.
It wasn't often that boys teased and flirted with her so she was easily embarrassed by their advances.
Hiro waved goodbye and Sana returned his gesture, left to herself in her own thoughts as the students around her went to their respective classrooms.
-O-
The thing Fuka hated the most about being on crutches is all the staring.
She had made quite a name for herself at Jinbou High School.
Between her academics and gymnastic talent, people have become familiar with her name and who she was. And she even had her own fan club for some time.
So, when she was hobbling around the school with crutches and a white cast that truly was a sight for sore eyes, it was obvious that people would stare.
She just wished they wouldn't stare so much.
It took her twice as long to get to where she needed to go and was much too stubborn to ask for help. Rather, her pride refused to allow help from anyone.
She was heaving as she rested along the wall, sweat running down the back of her neck and corners of her forehead.
"You look like you could use a bit of help."
Fuka turned around to find Tsuyoshi staring at her with apprehension. His empathic smile was poking at his face as he gripped his school bag.
"Thanks, but I think I can manage." She muttered with a slight smile.
Why was she acting like that?
Maybe it was because Tsuyoshi was looking at her like she may break if he touched her.
"I insist." Tsuyoshi persisted and Fuka didn't have the strength nor will to fight him on this.
"Well... alright." She shrugged her school bag off her shoulders and let them drop into Tsuyoshi's arms.
Fuka felt a significant relief of her back now that her school bag was dragging her down. She even noticed she was able to ambulate much better.
Tsuyoshi kept her pace as they made their way down the hall.
"How is it feeling?" His eyes traveled down to her cast, and Fuka felt sudden embarrassment. The brown-haired teen didn't know why this happened, but the cast was such a sight for sore eyes that it filled her with utter embarrassment.
She shrugged her shoulders. "Some days are worse than others. I don't feel much in the ankle these days."
"How long in the cast?"
"Doctor said 2 weeks in the cast, then repeat x-rays, and then another 2 weeks for stability while healing." Fuka recalled the conversation quite vividly. Her mother had a question for every statement the doctor made.
Tsuyoshi hummed. "Well, that's not terrible... physical therapy after?"
Fuka nodded. "6-10 weeks to regain the motion I lose and have full mobility of my ankle."
"So, I'm assuming gymnastics is out of the question for this season..." His voice trailed off, and Fuka wished he never brought it up. While it wasn't the end of the world, it felt like it.
She knew she would still have the tail end of spring and all summer to compete. But, this competition season meant a lot to her. And, her mother was dissatisfied with her wasting her time and money to only hurt herself in the end.
Fuka choose to not reply and that was enough for Tsuyoshi to clear his throat and change the subject.
"Hey, did you know Akito's birthday just passed?"
Her eyes went wide at Tsuyoshi's comment, stopping almost immediately.
"What?"
How did she not know this? When was this? Why didn't he say anything?
Then again, it was Hayama Akito and he was infamous for saying a whole lot of nothing.
He chuckled slightly in response. "Yeah, October 12th."
That was almost a week ago! She thought to herself and immediately felt remorse for not even telling him happy birthday. Though, she was sure he didn't really care. If he did, he probably would have said something to them.
"Sounds like him to not say anything, honestly." Mumbling under breath, Fuka didn't have it in her to chase after him. Not that she could if she wanted to anyway.
"Well, he has been dealing with a lot right now."
Fuka had suspected that Akito had been dealing with some personal issues. Between his little disappearing stint a few weeks ago and Sana's sudden interest in him, it only made sense that she learned something to catch her attention.
Her mouth soured at the thought of her best friend.
Fuka didn't want to blame Sana for her injury. She really didn't. But, every time she saw her, or saw her and Akito together, her ankle throbbed. And she thought about her loss of focus that lead to her injury because she couldn't stand looking at the two of them together.
Fuka was an awful person. Truly.
"Is that why Sana's taken such a sudden interest in Akito?" She had to ask. Because if anyone was to know anything, it would be Tsuyoshi. He was the closest to the blond anyway.
He took a moment to respond.
"I think a lot of their time together comes from working on their project."
"Maybe so." Fuka continued to crutch down the hall with Tsuyoshi in tow.
"I would give them both a break, you know?"
Fuka stopped immediately and looked at Tsuyoshi was furrowed brows and confusion written all over her face. Tsuyoshi's smile fell into a thin line on his lips and he clutched his and her school bags.
"Sana is trying her best to keep everything together and keeping everyone happy. Akito is trying his best to just keep himself together. I know they both are important to you." Fuka couldn't believe her ears. "But, it seems like all you guys do these days is fight."
Fuka's eyes grew wider with his last statement. She was in more shock that Tsuyoshi had even said something. They were never particularly close. Fuka was closer to Aya than him. But, they still had a close friendship.
He was reserved with his comments, only sharing his opinion when asked. He is most expressive with the blond and Aya. He and Fuka had never had conflict with one another. So, for Tsuyoshi to say something to her, it really shocked him.
"I- I don't think that's really any of your business." She said, and he smiled in response. This made her frown.
"I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, nor am I trying to offend you. I'm sorry if it came across like that." The thing with Tsuyoshi is, he was never for one with malicious intent. He had a big heart and cared immensely for the people around him.
It was obvious with his sister. He adored and spoiled her.
It was obvious with Aya. He was so foolishly in love with her.
And it was obvious with Akito. He was constantly worried about the blond. Akito didn't realize how good of a friend he had.
Now even with Sana, he was always keeping an eye out for her.
So, she knew he wasn't attacking her. Even if she felt like it.
"You're not one to pry, Tsuyoshi."
"I'm just tired of the awkwardness, you know?"
She did. And part of it was her fault. They continued on in silence with Fuka's crutches clicking at every step. Thank goodness it was free period, or else they would have been very late to class.
Fuka wished she could just swallow her pride and let go of her frustrations and jealously. Her spiteful attitude towards Sana was always causing strife. And her inability to just let Akito be was putting a drift between them.
But, she just couldn't.
Call it her upbringing, but Fuka didn't lose. And she realized there was no such thing as winning or losing with Akito and Sana.
She really was awful, wasn't she?
"I know you haven't had it easy either." The glass eyed boy spoke, eyes trailing down to her ankle. The insecurities rose again, and she wished she could just hide away that ugly cast on her foot. "It's okay to ask for help from time to time. I know you're not very keen on it, but that's what we're all here for."
The brown-haired gymnast sighed.
"Thank you."
He gave her a small smile in return.
-O-
Sana had only ever been in the Hayama household once.
It was back when she dragged him back to his home after he collapsed with a fever. The man had adamantly refused her help. He probably would have ended up in the hospital if it wasn't for her.
She gave a small whistle as she waited for said blond to return to the living room. Although they were friends, he was still keeping her at arm's distance. Which was... okay. She knew they weren't going to become best friends over night.
Hell, it took forever for them to spend time after school.
She had to bribe him for goodness sake!
But, all her pushing and persistence paid off because now she was sitting in Hayama Akito's house.
With her papers spread out all over the coffee table in front of her, she looked over the assignment and her notes she had already taken.
Well, not so much notes as pointless scribbles. Everything she needed to know for this assignment was all in her head. She didn't need to take any notes to understand the assignment and write a comprehensive paper on Hayama Akito.
She felt her phone vibrate and was shocked to see the name on the screen.
From: Fuka
I know I've been a jerk recently. I've had a lot going on. I know that it doesn't explain my actions, but... I wanted to say I'm sorry.
Sana's eyes widened each time she read the message.
To: Fuka
Apology accepted.
That wasn't her typical response... but it was best she wasn't too obnoxious right?
Sana really hated this maturity thing. When she was kid, she ran rampant. She was always jumping off the walls and running around like a yak with its head cut off!
Another vibrate.
From: Fuka
That's it?
Okay... so even Fuka thought her response was weird! Sana sighed in relief. Good to know she was still expectant of her eccentric personality.
To: Fuka
Well... I wasn't sure if I should make a sarcastic comment. Wouldn't want you mad at me again.
She applied an emoji to the end of the text.
From: Fuka
How considerate of you.
It feels weird when you aren't being obnoxious.
To: Fuka
Interesting you say that when you always complain about my eccentric personality. ALWAYS.
From: Fuka
It's annoying but it makes you who you are. You're already all weirdly mature enough for me.
To: Fuka
I could always act like my 12 year old self again.
From: Fuka
Please don't.
Sana chuckled under her breath. This was such a nice breath of fresh air in comparison to the hostile environment between the two girls. While they hadn't really talked too much in person, this was a good first step.
It was like they were rebuilding their friendship. From scratch. They had been separated nearly three years. That was enough time to change and mature into their own. Coming back together after three years, they were almost strangers to one another. And while Sana hated to admit it, she hardly recognized the Fuka she saw now.
To: Fuka
Eh, I'll think about it.
Anyway, I gotta go! I have some homework to get done! See ya at school!
While she knew change was inventible, she didn't realize their friendship would become this unstable. She sighed, and placed her phone down. The smile from her lips fell, and her eyes found the ground like it was her next serving of apple pie.
And when the blonde walked back into the living room, rid of his uniform jacket and tie, he stopped at the door frame.
Kurata was sitting in a pile of her own mess. Her papers were scattered all across the coffee table with her legs crossed under her. But, it wasn't her just being in his house that made all this weird.
It was the fallen look on her face.
And the grim line the replaced her ever present smile.
There have been several instances since her arrival that Hayama has seen her express other forms of expression other than her usual annoying, bright disposition.
It came in flashes.
One moment it was there, the next… it was gone.
It was almost like she was wearing a mask, like she was acting.
Acting to be happy all the time, pretending that she was always okay.
He didn't even know her that well. But, he was perceptive and observant. He lived his life in monotonous silence. The world was blurred and muffled around him.
That all changed when she literally knocked him to the ground and landed on top of him. After that incident, he saw her everywhere.
Though he was successful at first at pushing her away, she involved herself with all the people that were close to him.
She was Fuka's best friend.
She was his sister's idol.
She was Tsuyoshi's crutch.
And she was his English partner.
And in the last few months, she has successfully barged into his life and attempt to knock down every fuckin wall he put up. Though not very successful, she was persistent. And intrusive. And damn right annoying.
Kurata Sana wasn't a bad person.
From an outsider's perspective, she was kind and full of life. And she lightened up the room everywhere she went. She was impulsive and brash and loud. But, she cared. She cared too much maybe, but she cared.
And that's why, from his perspective, he thinks she's just acting.
"Did you come here to work on this project, or did you just come here to make a mess?" He asked, and she jumped almost to the damn roof of his house. She yelped slightly, and there was a blush in her cheeks. Embarrassment for being caught.
She furrowed her brows and glared at him. "Geeze Hayama! Don't you know it's rude to scare people like that?"
"You're in my house. You should've known I was coming back any second." The blond walked towards her and sat down across from her on the other side of the coffee table. No longer was she wearing that somber look. It vanished the moment he opened his mouth.
"Normally people would announce themselves, you know…" She grumbled and crossed her arms.
He shrugged his shoulders and grabbed the assignment off the coffee table. It was ridiculous. She didn't have to come over to finish this. Hell, they didn't even really have to spend time outside of school together to finish this.
"Again, my house."
Kurata rolled her eyes in response.
"ANYWAY, ahem." She cleared her throat and bit down on her pen while she looked over her own assignment sheet. "I was thinking that maybe we could go through some of these questions."
"We could have done that at school. You didn't need to invite yourself to my house." The moment those words left his lips, he noticed the instant pulsing of the vein in her forehead. She frowned and gripped the pen in her hand tightly.
The auburn haired teen collected all the papers spread out on his coffee table. She opened her school bag and stuffed them with a force that left him puzzled.
She then dropped her school bag next to her after she closed it and brought her hazel eyes back to his golden brown eyes.
"And your point?" He asked, wondering why she made such a debacle of this ordeal.
"MY POINT!" Her voice starting high pitched, and then she sighed, rubbing the corners of her forehead. "My point is that at school we would have to have all our notes out to do our project."
"That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."
She smiled, and then laughed.
"Maybe, but now were not at school right? We don't have to act by the confounds of the school walls."
The auburn haired girl sitting in front of him truly made no sense to him. Sometimes, she acted like a complete fool and he wondered how she made it this far in school.
And other times, well her intelligence and articulation of words surprised him.
"You're an idiot." The blond rolled his eyes and she smiled.
"Come on, Hayama! Why do we use this stupid project dictate when we hang out? Why can't we just hang out to hang out?"
Her big eyes shone at him and he released a small "tch" while looking away from her.
"Because I enjoy the time I have to myself when I'm not at school."
"Such a typical response, Lone Wolf." She replied and he frowned. What was with this Lone Wolf bullshit? He noticed she would drop that name periodically.
Not that he cared, but her giving him a nickname made it seem like they actually friends.
"What do you even do in your spare time?" Sana asked him, and he remained silent, trying to think of an answer for her. It was a fair question. Simple really.
So why couldn't he answer it for her?
"I read manga."
Her eyes lit up at that statement.
"Really?" Her voice went one octave higher, and the smile turned into a grin as she inched closer to him.
"I never pegged ya for a mange type of guy." What the hell was that supposed to mean? He was offended by her choice of words. Before he could formulate a response, she started again. "But, that's pretty cool. What type of manga do you like to read?"
"Thriller, suspense, and mystery."
Hayama decided that if he indulged her, maybe she would leave him sooner. If he denied her what she wanted, Kurata would remain persistent. She would push and push until she got what she wanted. That was how she and Fuka were alike.
They were both stubborn fools who put their noses where they do not belong. Though, Kurata was much better at being intrusive than Fuka; if that was such a thing. Fuka became aggressive and shut down completely when she isn't given what she wants.
"That I could see!" She nodded her head vigorously, and that stupid grin of hers stayed plastered to her face. She then burst into a fit of giggles and he became uncomfortable with her change in attitude.
"What are you laughing at?" His voice grew defensive, not wanting to be mocked for his choice in leisure reading.
"It's just… cute!" And her giggles returned as she covered her mouth. He felt immediate heat rise to his cheeks and his eyes went wide. His throat went dry and he gulped.
… Cute?
"It's cute that you like manga! It's like I said, I wouldn't have pegged you for guy to enjoy graphic novels. But, I think that's awesome!"
His cheeks continued to grow warmer and warmer the more Kurata talked and he couldn't even formulate a response to her as she went back to grinning at him.
"Cu-cute?" He barely managed to say, and Sana nodded. "What the hell?"
And he grew even more embarrassed the moment her eyes went wide with realization and pointed at him.
"Are you blushing?!" And she immediately jumped from her seated position and Hayama wanted to murder her. He rubbed his nose, hoping to hide the blush that refused to go away.
"Aww! You are blushing!" She squealed, and he wanted to stab chopsticks into his ears. Why was she making such a big deal out of this anyway?
"Shut up will you!" That probably came out a bit louder than he wanted too, but it did nothing to cease her excitement.
"Oh man! This a break through!" She continued to cheer in apparent victory – what the hell did she win anyway!?
Deciding enough was enough, Hayama stood from his sitting position and started trotting away from her because she was really irritating the hell out of him.
But he wasn't fast enough and she was able to tumble across the room and land in front of him, blocking his path back upstairs.
How the hell did she move so fast?
He was shocked at her ability to move so quickly. Kurata appeared to be active, but who knew she was that active?
"Why are you trying to run away? Don't be a coward!" She pointed at him while the other hand landed on her hip. She was wearing a devilish grin with a twinkle in her eye and Hayama glared. This was becoming all too bothersome.
"Because you're being weird as hell!" Calling me cute- tch! What the hell!?
Laughter spilled from her lips and she flexed forward, her body at a weird 90 degree angle. How flexible was this girl exactly to be moving so fluidly?
"You are so easily embarrassed." She brought her body up, like a spring and winked at him. "I'm just pulling your tooth, silly!"
He stared at her with utter confusion. "You mean pulling your leg?"
She waved her hand at him. "Tomato, potato. Same difference!"
He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. She really was an idiot, wasn't she?
"I felt less stress before I became friends with you." Sana shrugged her shoulders and walked back to the couch, plopping right into it.
"Your life gotten significantly brighter with my presence." She stuck her tongue out at him like a 5 year old child who was throwing a tantrum in the playground.
He scoffed. "Your presence is nauseating."
"Now that was uncalled for."
It was his turn to shrug his shoulders, and found a seat on the ground opposite of her.
Wasn't he supposed to march back to his room?
"So, you like to read manga. Anything else?" She continued intruding and he sighed roughly. Wasn't that enough for her?
"No." But that wasn't enough of an answer for her.
"Liar." Now that offended him. Because he wasn't a liar.
He frowned immediately. "Don't accuse me of being a liar."
Sana noticed his immediate change in tone of voice. That comment pushed a button, but she knew he wasn't telling her the whole truth, courtesy of Tsuyoshi.
She knew he did more than just read manga.
I'm so sorry, Tsuyoshi. Please forgive me for what I'm about to say.
"Well, I know you aren't telling the complete truth." She teased slightly, and that caused his glare to deepen. Poking at him was just way too much fun! Watching him squirm uncomfortably and find ways to deal with her obnoxious and eccentric attitude was way too enjoyable.
"What the hell do you know?"
Touchy, touchy.
"Don't get mad!" She started, know she was going straight for the wolf's den with this next statement. "But, I heard from a little worm that you were once a karate kid back in the day."
It was like all the air in the room was sucked out.
And Hayama's eyes went wide. Wider than she has ever seen them go.
In her observation, she realized the brown tint to his golden eyes. And how pretty his eyes could be if he just livened up some.
He stilled in his position and Sana felt a frog form in her throat. She knew that she was offering herself to be torn apart by the Lone Wolf. She knew that she was rustling the leaves of his den.
But, she was willing to be the bait if it meant understanding the dark and broody Hayama Akito.
Like a wolf snapping at its prey, Hayama's widened eyes immediately retreated to a ferocious glare and his eyes were hardened. Gone was that moment of golden clarity. The walls rose from the earth and one by one she could see the barriers hide away his true self.
"That's none of your business." Like a harsh growl, Hayama spat at her, once again standing. Her eyes followed him and she stood in response. "Tsuyoshi has a big mouth that he needs to learn to keep shut."
Sana glowered immediately.
Hayama didn't realize nor appreciate the friend he had in Tsuyoshi. That boy would dig himself an early grave from how much he worried over the blond.
"He cares and worries for you." Hayama's jaw hardened at her statement. "He just wants to see you happy again."
All Sana could think about was the story Tsuyoshi shared with her a few days ago. Looking outside of his apathetic and aloof personality, Sana could see him as a Boss Monkey. Of course, her images of Hayama in a Boss Monkey role included him looking like a monkey.
Him being involved in karate shocked her.
But, it seemed like it was something he truly enjoyed with how Tsuyoshi told the story.
He continued staring at her with hard eyes and she could feel the angry vibrating from his body.
Sana didn't think that mentioning karate was that big of a deal. But, it must have been something dear to him for his reaction to be like this.
"I don't get what the big deal is." She muttered as Hayama continue to scowl at her.
"The big deal is that you are intrusive and irritating. You have no regard for anyone's privacy." His words were sharp, and harsh. And Sana definitely felt a few prickles to the skin with that statement.
"I get being private, but there are people who just want to be there for you." She could feel her own tone of voice increase in defense. They always engaged in harmless banter, but she wouldn't let Hayama insult her.
Sana glowered immediately.
Hayama didn't realize nor appreciate the friend he had in Tsuyoshi. That boy would dig himself an early grave from how much he worried over the blond.
"He cares and worries for you." Hayama's jaw hardened at her statement. "He just wants to see you happy again."
All Sana could think about was the story Tsuyoshi shared with her a few days ago. Looking outside of his apathetic and aloof personality, Sana could see him as a Boss Monkey. Of course, her images of Hayama in a Boss Monkey role included him looking like a monkey.
Him being involved in karate shocked her.
But, it seemed like it was something he truly enjoyed with how Tsuyoshi told the story.
He continued staring at her with hard eyes and she could feel the angry vibrating from his body.
Sana didn't think that mentioning karate was that big of a deal. But, it must have been something dear to him for his reaction to be like this.
"I don't get what the big deal is." She muttered as Hayama continue to scowl at her.
"The big deal is that you are intrusive and irritating. You have no regard for anyone's privacy." His words were sharp, and harsh. And Sana definitely felt a few prickles to the skin with that statement.
"I get being private, but there are people who just want to be there for you." She could feel her own tone of voice increase in defense. They always engaged in harmless banter, but she wouldn't let Hayama insult her.
"Well, don't." His voice also matching hers with defensive ferocity. "I never asked for any of you to care."
Furrowing her brows deeper, she clenched her first tightly and gritted her teeth.
"You say I'm infuriating, but you don't even know how annoyingly stubborn and selfish you are!" She pointed an accusing finger at him and this caused him to widen his eyes and open his mouth slightly. His brows were still etched into a scowl, but he seemed more perplexed by her comment.
"There are a handful of people in this world he give a damn about you." She started and felt a bubble of anger emerge in her chest. "Not many people can say the same."
"You should be thankful and appreciative towards the people who just want to see you be happy and succeed in your life. Because some people don't even get that. Some people are abandoned and left to fend to themselves. Some people aren't so lucky to have even just one person on their side."
Her chest felt so incredibly heavy. And so many emotions swirled within her that she was having a hard time keeping them at bay. She was always so emotional and wore her heart on her sleeve. That character flaw of hers ended up getting her into trouble frequently in her life.
But this. His selfishness and lack of concern for others was hitting too close to home for her.
"I get it." She lowered her voice, eyes looking down at the ground. "Your life has been hard. You lost your mom and your dad's a jerk. You were hurt physically, mentally, and emotionally."
"But that doesn't give you an excuse to treat others like crap."
While she was empathic towards his circumstances and the arduous trials of his life, she would not sit idly while he continuously treated the people who cared for him so horribly. He even admitted of how dreadful he could be too Fuka.
She half expected him to adamantly deny her comments, continue insulting her, and throw her out of his house.
Her relief when instead of being aggressive in his response, he simply released the white knuckled grip of his hands and released a loud, rough sigh.
Hayama rubbed at his forehead, eyes screwed shut.
Sana watched him try to recollect himself. He was silent, and she sighed.
"You know a lot about me." Sana tilted her to the side, and then put a finger to her chin.
"I would say I know more than most." But in reality, she knew very little of him. Though, that was changing almost every day. "But, there is still a lot to know about who you are."
Hayama leaned back and fell against the chair behind him- where did that come from?
She took this as a sign to sit down on the couch behind her. His eyes found hers again. Gone was the blazing fury from just moments ago. Now, they were stoic just like that of his demeanor.
"You say that, but I just realized something." His voice was low, but clear. There was a stillness in the air and Sana was starting to feel uncomfortable under his gaze.
"What?" She was afraid to ask.
"I know nothing about you."
Now that stumped her. Sana always felt like she was an open book. You could ask her anything and she would tell you the truth- well, for the most part. There were some things better left unsaid.
But, she felt like she gave him a decent indication of who she saw as a person. They've shared some deeper moments and saw softer sides to one another.
For Hayama of all people to say something like that though, it made her think about how she presented herself. She never wanted to be a 'mystery,' or too complicating. Sana had always wanted to assure that the Sana people saw was real and honest. Honest with who she was.
"What do you mean? You know plenty about me!" She laughed, though it didn't do much to break the tension in the room. "I always talk about myself to you."
The panned look made her realize that maybe he wasn't always listening.
"But of course, you didn't listen because-"
"Because it was just bullshit ramblings, that's why." He cut her off, and she gave him a disgruntled look. He didn't seem to care.
"Fine then." She crossed her arms and legs, her hardened eyes matching his. "What do you wanna know since all of a sudden you have this interest in getting to know me?"
"You know so much about my family that I know nothing about yours."
Her heart almost stopped, and Sana felt her throat go dry.
She gulped before answering. "M-my family?"
He nodded. "I've met your mom and house maid several times, but I have yet to see a male in your house. So that begs the question, where's your dad?"
Sana inhaled deeply, her chest tightening in her chest. Her heart dropped to her stomach and her head feeling light headed. She clenched and unclenched her fists multiple times, and her breathing became more stagnant.
She knew that this was coming.
It was only a matter of time before the truth came out.
"Oh." She gave a forced laugh and rubbed the back of her neck. "That's it? That's all you wanted to know?"
Her eyes went to the coffee table, not wanting Hayama to read her discomfort. Though, he could probably tell something was bothering her with her change in body language.
She sat straight back up and smiled nervously. "Well, I don't have one!"
And this was where his stoic demeanor lost face and he looked so utterly confused. His brows furrowed closer together and his eyes were searching for answers.
"What do you mean 'you don't have one?'" Hayama questioned, trying to make sense of her statement. "Everyone has a dad. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here."
"Well, yeah. But, I don't." It was simple. She didn't have one.
He narrowed his eyes. "What about your mom? Doesn't she have a husband?"
Sana chuckled at the mention of her mom's husband... well ex-husband.
"Mama divorced her husband over 17 years ago. Though, he will still come around and ask her for money. It's kind of desperate it you ask me." The memory of her mom's husband always left her giggling. While he mother bad mouthed him quite often, he was also the source of her fame.
If he hadn't been such a sleaze, her mom wouldn't have found a source of inspiration and her books wouldn't have been such a hit. Or maybe they would have. But, they wouldn't have been as fun to read.
"So, then he's your dad?" Hayama asked, and she shook her head in denial.
This caused even more confusion on his part. He looked so severely perplexed.
"Nope!" She smiled, and there was that tightness in her chest again. Watching these different expressions cross his face was amusing, but she knew that he would grow tired of her vagueness very soon.
"I don't get it. You have to have a dad." He muttered and wouldn't stop looking at her with such confusion.
She sighed, chuckling under her breath. For someone so smart, she figured he would have probably put it together already.
"You're supposed to have put it together already. I mean, you are one of the smartest kids in school." That didn't help the conversation because it only made him glare.
She slumped her shoulders, and rubbed the back of her neck.
"It's only fair that you know. Despite the banter, you've been pretty patient with me sticking my nose into your business." His eyes grew, and she could tell he wasn't sure where she was going next.
"The reason I don't have a dad... well..." She inhaled deeply and then exhaled, not knowing why she was so nervous to say anything. It was just Hayama. The resident, troubled lone wolf Hayama Akito.
"It's because I'm adopted."
A/N: DUN. DUN. DUUUUUN.
I know this story has been a bit of a slow burn. I never meant to make it like that, but once I found a groove with it, I realized this was the best way to move forward with it. But, this chapter really gets the story moving. Both Sana and Akito have their own demons to deal with and we have only touched the surface of the Hayama household issues.
I wonder if you guys caught the nod to the anime in this chapter. I included one of my favorite scenes into this story. It was the only way to reveal the truth of Sana's past. Some of the events in this story will follow along the mange/anime, as you have probably seen already. But, they may be altered or changed a bit. So, I hope you guys enjoy my spin on canon events!
Thanks again for being so patient! Reviews, comments, and criticism are always welcomed!
Until next time!
-Dark Waffle