nonetheless, her head feels dizzy like it has never before.
Her eyes were wet and tears were starting to leak out. She opened them and saw an unfamiliar ceiling. She felt like she was laying on the ground for hours because her back hurts.
Feeling the soft mattress she was laying on, she remembered not having a futon or an unframed bed. Not only that, when she woke up from the futon, her surroundings were completely different from the one she remembered.
She was still wearing the clothes she wore yesterday, she was still wearing her thigh-high socks though she doesn't like wearing them when she's asleep. Her clothes weren't dirty, all of them were there and clean.
The room was dark but the door was opened enough to let the light shine through the crack of the door.
Close to the door was a small and short table. And she saw picture frames on top of the table. Out of curiosity, she crawled on all fours to the table.
Pictures of a boy and his mother in front of some beautiful scenery. The boy was smiling, hugging his mother and some were only pictures of the young boy. The smile on the boy's face made her overwhelmed with joy, and she smiled.
"Haha, he's cute…" she giggled as she looked at the pictures in front of her.
Then, she stopped. She heard rustling noises from behind her. It was like the sound was from her futon or maybe beside it. She slowly turned her head around and saw her futon, the only thing reflecting the light from the door except for the pictures. But she saw something beside it, a foot.
"Eep!" trying to hold back her scream, she leapt back accidentally hitting the table behind her.
"Ow! That hurt-" she stopped, she closed her mouth with her own hands as she looked at the foot moving further into the dark side of the room. Letting out a quiet sigh, she turned her body around to face the doo—
"Master Kazehaya, it's already morning"
Kazehaya?!
Finally she figured who was in the room with her. The boy she left back at Tokyo and the boy who bought her expensive food. And the one who accidentally gave her a beer.
The door was pushed open, allowing more light into the—Takanashi assumed the bedroom of Kazehaya Shouta. The light from the outside of the room reflected a silhouette in front of the door. A tall woman wearing a dress, it was all in black.
"N-no…" she squealed as she tried to crawl back to the dark. Until she hit the ball making a rather loud thud on the wall.
With the light shining in the room, she could clearly see there was another futon beside hers and there was someone inside and that someone stood up hastily.
"Who's there?!" the person who was inside the futon shouted.
The woman walked from the door to the man calming him down.
Takanashi hopes the person beside her was Kazehaya. It would make her very uncomfortable if it's someone else she doesn't know.
She closed her ears and made herself small in the corner of the room, hoping her small body could hide her so the two people couldn't see her. But that didn't happen.
"Takanashi? What are you doing in the corner?" The person in the room in the room asked as he flicked on the light switch. It felt like the voice was right behind him, only centimetres away.
"Eh?" startled by the voice of Kazehaya, she slowly turned her head around to find Kazehaya standing right behind him.
"The light switch is right there, on top of you"
"Eh?"
"What?"
"Mmm…" she mumbled as she played her fingers through her hair. "Don't scare me like that…"
"...I'm sorry. I also didn't mean to give you that drink"
"Eh, what drink?"
Completely forgotten about that night. Takanashi tilted her head, confused. All that she remembered was only her going to the restaurant and eating one expensive food but in actuality, she ate four.
Kazehaya couldn't decide. Should he lie? Or should he tell the truth and embarrass himself again? What should he do?
"Uhm, excuse me. Breakfast is ready!"
Exactly, a cover up!
"So, Kazehaya, what happ—?! He already left?!" before she could ask, Kazehaya disappeared into the hallway in front of his room without saying anything.
"My apologies Miss Takanashi. Master Kazehaya has been like that when he doesn't want to tell something" Yamamoto kneeled down, putting her hand on her chest.
"No no, it's okay uhm… could you introduce yourself?"
"My name is Yamamoto Kaede, the maid of this house. Nice to meet you"
"Oh! N-nice to meet you too, my name is Takanashi Ichika!" Takanashi stiffened her body as she bowed to Yamamoto, hands shaking. Without saying anything else, Takanashi walked out of the room with her hands holding each other and her head looking down at the floor.
Yamamoto followed behind her.
"You two sure took your time" the boy said in the dining room where breakfast was to be held, the boy with messy black hair and ocean blue eyes was sitting on the dining chair and eating steak.
"Master Kazehaya!" The maid walked up to Kazehaya's chair, ready to give him advice about mannerism. She grabs a napkin and wipes it around Kazehaya's mouth, what a mother figure she was.
All while Takanashi stood behind the dining table waiting for the right time to sit down. She looked at both of them like mother and son.
"Well… Takanashi, aren't you gonna eat?"
"Uhmm, please… excuse me…". She pleasantly walked to the dining table while watching Kazehaya slowly eat the stake.
"Miss Takanashi, here's your plate" Yamamoto placed a plate in front of her and a fork and knife beside the plate. She smiled before she left the dining room, going back to the kitchen.
Before Yamamoto went to the kitchen, Takanashi thanked her for the food and for the service. After Yamamoto went to the kitchen, she grabbed a piece of steak and placed it on her plate, slowly eating while turning her gaze back and forth from her plate and Kazehaya.
"...Takanashi…"
"Y-yes!?"
"I'm sorry, I gave you the wrong drink"
"—eh? What drink…?"
"Yesterday"
"But, yesterday I only ate 1 food, right?"
"No, you ate more than 2. Actually, it's 4. Then you were thirsty for some drink and stupid me went to the bar and brought you wine instead of normal water…" Kazehaya regretfully laid both his hands on the table.
The bartender did try to stop Kazehaya from grabbing the drink but the bartender's voice was all blurred and muffled, Kazeahay didn't hear the bartender's voice.
Kazehaya hoped Takanashi would be mad if she found out what happened to her last night, or she would run away from his house and call the police. But, Takanashi simply laughed, and smiled.
"Well… please don't do that again!"
"You're not… mad?"
"I am but what should I do, call the police? I would feel bad for you…" suddenly her face turned red as she rub her hands with her thighs.
The alcohol had run out so it wasn't that. Her face was red and the next words she tried to say were all gibberish like she can't get it out of her throat.
"Uhmm… Ka-... ze...ha...ya…"
Just as Takanashi was about to finish her words, the doorbell rang. Kazehaya took a quick glance at the clock on the wall; it was already 10 am. Kazehaya knew who it was at the front of the door.
When the second bell rang, his phone followed.
Onii-chan, daisuki! Onii-chan, daisuki!
"———"
Everyone in the room stopped, surprised by the ringtone of Kazehaya's phone, including Yamamoto who overheard the sound from the kitchen.
"Kazehaya… what is that sound…" Takanashi pointed at Kazehaya's legs. The way Takanashi sat enabled her to see the dining table from end to end. And the sound was coming from Kazehaya's pocket.
Kazehaya rustled through his pockets and brought out the source of the sound. "It's my ringtone" as he pulled out his phone and brought it between him and Takanashi.
Surprised. There aren't any other words to describe Takanashi's face at that moment. Already hearing the unexpected ringtone from Kazehaya and now seeing something even more unbelievable.
"I guess you're paralyzed because of my wallpaper, right?"
"Wha...what?" Her hands were ready to take Kazehaya's phone. It was weird seeing a boy's phone that has a girl wallpaper but she can't deny the girl in the picture was too cute.
She was a clean-cut young girl in a white sundress that only enhanced the image of wholesomeness.
Kazehaya walked to the door and opened the front door.
"You could tell that I have a visitor now…"
"And it's a girl?"
"Correct"
"And also, would you please change that ringtone!?"
"Will never"
A girl wearing a high school uniform stood in front of the door. Holding her phone then putting it back inside her pocket.
The girl squinted her eyes and turned around. She crouched down then pulled out her phone and started typing as fast as she could.
"I'm telling mother you have a girlfriend…"
"Please don't, she's not my girlfriend"
"Then, who is she?"
Kazehaya glanced back inside the house, seeing Takanashi still eating the stake. He turned back his gaze at the girl in front of him.
"So, who is she?"
"A close friend"
"Mmm…" The girl mumbled before she turned around again and played with the buttons on her phone. Typing words per word. "Mother, Brother is becoming a perv—"
"Nope, I'm not going to allow you to send that!" Kazehaya yanked the phone out of the girls hands, pulling it up in the air. Not allowing the girl to grab it.
"Hey! As a big brother you shouldn't do that!" The girl jumped as high as she could to reach her phone.
"And as a younger sister! You shouldn't be sending hoaxes to your mother about your big brother!"
"Give it back!" The girl grabbed Kazehaya's shirt pulling it and pushing it until Kazehaya let his guard down but…
"What a waste of time… come on, have you eaten breakfast yet?"
"Yes I have! Now give me back my—" Just as Kazehaya's little sister was about to jump in the air again, her stomach made a noise. A noise which she wanted to hide from her brother.
"Eh, what was that just now—?"
"Ahhh ummm… It's nothing! It's nothing really!!"
While the two siblings had a talk in front of the front door, Takanashi could only look at them and listen.
"Those two are always like that," Yamamoto said as she brought in another set of plates and silverware.
"Miss Yamamoto…"
"Yes?"
"What was Kazehaya like when he was young?"
Yamamoto paused and looked at the front door, Kazehaya was still speaking to his younger sister. Then, she continued answering Takanashi's answer.
"Well, I only met Kazehaya when he was in his last year of middle school and he was a completely different kid. The way he spoke, his manners and even his look. Oh, I do believe he does have photos of him and his mother in his room".
Indeed that was Kazehaya with his mother. The photo was taken right before graduating from 5th grade of elementary school.
"But the same thing stay, the sadness in his face"
Takanashi's face gleaned as she looked at the present Kazehaya. Then why is he different now? The photo was clearly Kazehaya smiling at being happy but Takanashi could only repeat those questions in her head.
"Miss Takanashi. I'd recommend not to look any deeper into Kazehaya's childhood".
"Oh? Why's that?"
"You'd fall for him"
Takanashi lowered her head, hiding her red face. It wasn't long until both siblings were done talking to each other.
The girl—Kazehaya's little sister—went straight to Kazehaya's room. Kazehaya was carrying a bag. Just by looking, everyone could tell the bag is heavy.
"Takanashi, could wait for a moment"
"Mmm? What is it?"
"I have some business with my little sister…" The door to Kazehaya's room closed, only leaving Takanashi and Yamamoto alone.
"Umm… what are they going to do?" Takanashi asked. She looked back at the dining table where Yamamoto was cleaning the table.
"Them? Well… Master Kazehaya has uhh…"
In the next second, sounds can be heard from Kazehaya's room. The sounds Takanashi heard were suggestive. From what she could hear, her face turned red only thinking of weird thoughts about the two siblings.
K-kazehaya… what're doing?
All of the time Takanashi stood between the dining room and the hallway, she keep hearing noises she doesn't want to hear from someone she—
"Don't think such things, miss Takanashi. Master Kazehaya has sister complex"
"Eh?"
Takanashi hearing the newly given information from Yamamoto was both relieving and weird. All of the time she was with Kazehaya, she has been wearing a sad look and his attitude can tell he's depressed.
Takanashi slowly walked in front of Kazehaya's room and the door wasn't closed fully. She peeked her eyes on the room and saw taking photos of her little sister wearing different clothes.
Isn't this illegal!!??
"K-kazehaya… what're you doing?" Takanashi asked as she opened the door slowly.
Kazehaya saw Takanashi crouching down in front of the door and looking at both him and his sister with a confused and red face.
"Don't worry about us, it's just we do this for memories. You may have weird thoughts when you heard those sounds, am I right?"
"Uhmm… yeah"
"Hmm… you're not the first one" He said as he pushed the button on the camera, taking another picture of his sister. "Oh, and I heard miss Yamamoto telling you I have a sister complex"
"Y-yes…"
"Well, the more you know about me" Kazehaya took another shot of his sister.
Kazehaya's sister was wearing some kind of costume. Fake cat ears, a maid black and white dress with a white apron in front. Her face wasn't forced, it looked like she enjoyed doing these photoshoots with her brother.
The sound she heard wasn't anything weird. Kazehaya always chooses the costumes for his sister but she doesn't want his brother to pick but Kazehaya forces her, making the sounds Takanashi heard.
"Nice to meet you Miss Takanashi!" The sister waved at Takanashi, giving her a small smile as she leaned her back on the wall, raising her right feet, waiting for Kazehaya to take another shot of her.
"Takanashi, her name's Kazehaya Mia but she prefers to be called Mia"
"Nice to meet you too, Mia!" Takanashi stood up then bowed her head to Mia. Someone who just met would speak to each other in a very formal way but Mia dislikes someone who acts formal to her.
With her arms crossed, her young highschool lips moved and said. "...Miss Takanashi, don't be formal with me…".
"ah! Yes, I'm sorry!"
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
The sun was shining brightly on the yellow beach. The sound of the wave softly hitting the shore and kids screaming and laughing on the beach with their parents.
With enough food in his stomach and the girl beside him was doing well, they walked to the bridge where they will meet a certain someone.
"Good morning!"
"—? Oh, good morning" said a girl holding a glass of coffee. Judging from the image imprinted on the side of the cup, she bought it from Starpucks coffee. The girl wore a light blue sweater cardigan over a white shirt. Today, her hair was a ponytail and she was wearing her favorite bow on her head, making bunny shaped ears.
"What's with the ponytail?"
"Can't a girl be herself?"
Takanashi walked up to both of them. She was well prepared to visit the aquarium with Kazehaya and Sara. Wearing a teal long sleeved shirt and a white and blue scarf. Her slender and petite legs were wearing black knee high socks.
Everyone who looked at her though she was someone's little sister. It was clear, Kazehaya picked Takanashi's clothes. She was wearing Mia's clothes she used for photo time with her brother.
"Takanashi! Good morning!" Sara said as she ran to Takanashi, hugging her tightly around her arms.
"Eh?! Sara… good morning!" Takanashi was surprised by the sudden change of personality from Sara.
"Did Kazehaya do anything to you?!" she patted Taknashi's cheek and patted her head. It was like a mother checking on their children.
"N-nothing… Kazehaya did nothing to me"
"Oh really?"
"Yes!"
"Mmm" Sara looked behind her. Kazehaya was standing there, waiting for the two girls to finish talking. He clearly doesn't care about what the girls were talking about because he was scrolling through his emails on his phone.
"Kazehaya!" Sara walked past Kazehaya as she glanced at him. "Lets go!" She crossed the road onto the other side of the sidewalk and Kazehaya and Takanashi soon followed behind her.
11 am was a good time to go to the aquarium. Not a lot of people came at that time but there were still people going in and out of the aquarium. And the line wasn't that long.
Inside, was a beautiful place. Animals were everywhere. Of course the one who wanted to go to the aquarium was excited, running around and placing her face right in front of the glass.
A worker there had to tell Sara that she was making everyone very uncomfortable when they're passing by her while she was looking at the fish very intensely.
And for the next 3 and a half hours, Kazehaya's legs started to sore and Takanashi's legs were at the point of breaking. Soon after they left the aquarium, the two collapsed on a sofa in a nearby restaurant.
"Haaaaaa… my legs are killing meeeee…" Tired, she sighed and sat down on the soft sofa.
"Same here…" Kazehaya sat down gracefully.
"You two really are weak…"
"Don't say something like that! I wasn't ready for three hour standing up and walking around the aquarium! What is it with you with fishes?"
"She's into fishes because she watched an anime with a handsome half human half fish" Kazeya leisurely said as he leaned back at the sofa, both arms behind his head.
"I can't believe it!" Takanashi clenched her fists in front of her chest. "Sara, you like those things?!"
"Ummm… it's true…" a little embarrassed, she sat down in front of the two new friends who were a couple of centimetres away from each other.
"Ice cream would be nice"
"They don't sell ice cream here"
"How about we go and get ice cream?"
"Then you would complain about your legs being tired"
"Why do you always guess right?!"
"You're the easiest one to read"
"Dammit"
Where they were, was close enough to the restaurant Kazehaya, Koharu and Sara went yesterday. The restaurant there sells ice cream which Kazehaya likes.
The ice creams were delicious and sweet and the price was reasonable.
Kazehaya stood up and grabbed Takanashi's arm, laying on the sofa like it had run out of energy.
"W-where are we going?!"
"To buy ice cream!"
"Hey wait! Wait for me!"
All of them ran outside of the restaurant. Kazehaya leading, holding Takanashi's hand tightly with his. Sara running behind them, following Kazehaya to the direction where she recognize.
"Are we going to…?"
"Yes we are! Ice cream is on me!" His eyes were all bright. His voice was filled with excitement. Kazehaya didn't believe he was happy but he embraced it anyway.
Bright. The ice cream was white, Kazehaya had chosen vanilla flavour. He walked out of the restaurant and went to shichirigahama beach. The scenery was beautiful.
He couldn't take off his gaze from the waves hitting the shore. The relaxing sound of the wind and the waves makes him feel at ease.
"Kaze…"
Nothing could get his gaze off the beautiful scenery or even move him from where he was standing.
"Kazeha…!"
The warm breeze—
"Kazehaya!"
"Eh?"
A voice. A woman's voice. Not that far but yet not that close. A few metres away behind him.
"Hmm?" Kazehaya turned his body around. A gust of wind flew right past him and the person who was calling him.
"You're hand" the person then pointed at Kazehaya's hand.
He turned his gaze to his right and noticed another hand holding his hand. Not just a hand, but there was also an arm, long sleeved clothes. And in the next moment, he realized what he was holding.
"Kazehayaaaaaaa…. P-p-please let go of my haaaaaaaaand….."
"...oh, sorry…" Kazehaya lets go of Takanashi's hand. All of that time before, he has been holding her tightly, never letting her go.
"...It's ok… but please don't do that again…"
"Swear, I won't" He puts his hand on his chest.
Sara came down the stairs of the road and walked to Kazehaya and Takanashi who were at the end of the beach. She was glad she was wearing sandals.
Takanashi was breathing heavily after being pulled around by Kazehaya. Her legs were on the verge of breaking and she collapsed on her knees, still breathing heavily.
Kazehaya, meanwhile, helped Takanashi to stand back up because the sand was all wet and waves were hitting the spot they were standing. It would be bad if his sister's clothing get wet like that.
Kazehaya gave his ice cream to Sara. Sara wondered what he's about to do.
"Guess it's back again…" Kazehaya said as he picked up Takanashi and carried her on his back. He takes back his ice cream he entrusted to Sara.
"Hey, pervert, what are you going to do to Takanashi again?"
"Bring her to a place where she can rest," Kazehaya said as he walked up the stairs again. Trying to find a place where Takanashi could rest her legs except his house. But— "— it looks like there aren't any places to rest. There aren't any other choices than my house". He then takes a bite of his ice cream.
He looked at his phone and checked the time; it was 1 pm. A bit annoyed he had been outside for half of the day, his time with his sister was cut off. Out of frustration, he took another bite of his ice cream.
Shit. Why did this happen…?
Some of the time he went outside, he did hide his face. For personal reasons, he tries to hide his face by looking down at the floor or wearing unusual clothes that he doesn't wear daily.
While carrying Takanashi on his back, he walked back to his house and at that time, Mia should be there. He really hopes to spend more time with his sister.
It only took him 10 minutes to walk back to his house.
Since her shift was taken by another worker, she had nothing to do and followed Kazehaya to "protect" Takanashi from Kazehaya's weird sister complex.
"I'm home!" Kazehaya opened the door, trying to keep Takanashi comfortable on his back.
"Excuse me for intruding" Sara peeked her head inside.
And at the other side of the front hallway, a face appeared.
The person was a man. A man who stood tall and had the posture of a gentleman and a strict businessman. His hair was all tidy and wasn't messy. He is neither tall nor short, around the same height as Kazehaya Shouta.
From just looking at the person, anyone could feel an intense aura around him.
"Ah, Shouta, welcome back home" The person stood tall at the end of the hallway.
"...it's been a long time, Father"