"Akira," I said and put the book down.
He gave me a side glance, but he didn't remove his earbuds. "Do you like it so far?"
I frowned, not sure if he meant my stay in the inn, but then he tapped the book. I mouthed ahh and nodded even though I hadn't read much.
"Not a fan of mystery?" Akira leaned back again.
I stared at the book I picked from his shelf. It was the same book he'd been reading this morning. I read the synopsis and it seemed intriguing yet none of the words registered.
It had been an hour since we returned from shopping. Mayuki-san made me sit down when I volunteered to help in preparing dinner even though I only knew the basics since doing something was better for my nerves. I insisted but she emphasized I was a guest. I backed down.
Akira entertained me instead. He finally showed me his room, and I wanted to stay there but of course, we couldn't. We returned to their house at the back after getting books and spent the time in their living room.
But time was slow, or maybe it was going too fast. The monotone atmosphere and jumble of letters weren't helping either.
"I am," I replied and hesitated, swallowing hard. "I can't concentrate. It's your parents."
He pulled out his earphones. "You have nothing to be worried. They're just like my brother."
"A pompous ass?" My stomach dropped, my mouth going dry.
Akira laughed.
"Seriously?" I glared at him.
"My brother is like that. Especially to me. I can't deny it. But he's easygoing and warm to people, and he likes you. My parents are like that as well." He paused and touched his lips with the side of his forefinger. "Well, my grandfather is a little stern and blunt with words."
"Grandfather?" I asked.
"Oh. I forgot to tell you. My parents came to pick up my father's relatives in Tochigi." Akira shifted, placing a hand near my sock-covered foot. "Just don't take it to heart if my grandfather ever says anything to you. It'll be fine. We won't be around them that much anyway."
It's not that, I almost blurted out. I was okay with handling relatives with years of practice with Mina's. I just didn't like answering unavoidable questions.
A sigh came out instead. I propped my chin on my knees. I needed his help. There was no way around it.
"Do you think they'll ask about my family?"
"Probably." Akira frowned a little.
I gulped. "My mother too?"
He studied me before he nodded. "I think they'd want to know which side of your family is American. But if you'd rather not talk about it, I could do it for you. Just tell me the basics, and I'll stop them from there."
Bending down, he leveled his head with mine. "It won't lead into anything serious. Marriage or anything like that won't be mentioned. I made sure of that."
I drew out a big breath and put a hand on my forehead to hide my scowl. He completely missed the point. After several deep breaths, his words registered. It was a nice reassurance. I would lap it up any other day, but now, it left a hint of bitterness in me.
Getting out of my position, I pushed off Akira's legs and straightened it without any resistance. I plopped my head into his lap before he could say a word. I covered my face with my hands and rolled on my back, groaning.
"It'll be fine. Really," Akira said after a minute of silence, raising my head a little, scooping my hair out from sticking to my neck. "I'll find a way, so they won't get to ask."
I tilted my head and met his gaze. The corner of my lips twitched as I saw his knitted brows and pursed lips. "Alright, I'll tell you, but do I have to sit on seiza all the time?"
He chuckled. "Yes. For the rest of the dinner. I'll massage your legs in the evening if it ever gets too numb."
Wailing, I buried my head into his rough jeans and slid my hand under his thigh. I began, "If they really had to know, both of my parents were raised in Japan. My mother was raised in Saitama as a kid while my dad grew up in a sake brewery in Nagano."
I waited for a response but got none. I continued, "They met in Tokyo and fell in love like your brother and Mayuki-san except my father's family was not too keen with their relationship."
I forced out a laugh, remembering the times my mother told me about it. "Mom was a half, and she spent most of her teenage years in the States with her grandmother, who's pure American. But my mother was already pregnant with me, so they didn't have a choice."
Rolling again on my back, I met his eyes and lifted my hand to brush his bangs to the side. This was the most I had said to anyone about my parents, and his expression was hard to gauge. "Do you think that's enough?"
"More than enough. I'll manage. I promise," he said. "But can I ask you one thing?"
I nodded.
"Your mother talked to you in English?"
I smiled and shook my head. "She was bad at it. I stayed a couple of years in San Francisco with her when I was a kid, but keeping in touch with Miracle helped. Plus studying."
"So, Grace is like your English name?" he asked.
"It's a joke." I laughed. "My cousins' names were Ben Sky, Miracle, and Hope. They said I could be Grace. No one ever calls me that. And I'm more Asian than the three of them because I did not get my mother's fairer white skin or big round brown eyes."
I paused. "I wasn't really sure if you knew because people couldn't usually tell and assumed I was naturally tall."
"Not that tall. I'm way taller than you." Akira took my hand and interlaced his fingers with mine. "And you're beautiful as you are."
I stared back at him, unsure how to respond. I couldn't be sure whether it was on a spur of moment or how he truly felt, but then he looked away, his ears reddening.
Oh, gods, he meant it. He wasn't convincing me to have sex with him or anything. His real thoughts spilled out. I found myself grinning and blushing at the same time, my worries melting bit by bit.
We stayed like that, holding hands without speaking even when he offered me the other half of his earphones. Our gazes met. He took in my grin, and his lips curled slowly until it was a full big smile. My heart was going to burst.
Then we heard Mayuki-san's footsteps. "They're here."
It exploded. We broke apart. I sat up and ran my fingers in my hair before I picked up the book, pressing my lips together, wishing my face and ears weren't betraying me.