After school, we left immediately for the reddish-brown-haired young man's house to try out the new jobs I had been appointed.
Shunsui wanted chocolate Crepes today, while Gōjun wanted Sakura Mochi. After having prepared these and served them to the two boys with saké, I went on to prepare dinner for them.
Shunsui didn't make too much of a fuss and asked me to do with whatever there was available in the fridge for today. Since there was only fish, I decided to grill it, and to cook some rice. I also prepared a few other accompanying things.
At the same time that I took care of the dinner, I also prepared their bentō box, and put them in the refrigerator as Shunsui had indicated me to do.
I had just finished preparing everything when, the two young men walked in the kitchen to check on how far I had gotten with dinner, and to inform me that they were going to eat in the kitchen itself.
They took a seat around the table, while I set the dishes down on it.
As I served them their food, Shunsui asked for more saké, and I couldn't help but feel a bit flabbergasted at their want of alcohol. But what was even more surprising was their level of alcohol tolerance. They had consumed so many beers and drank saké with their wagashi earlier, that I was surprised they weren't even slightly drunk. Their tolerance level must be really high. Not to forget that I had never seen anyone smoke as much as they do.
'Why are you standing?' Shunsui asked me, out of the blue, as I poured him his saké. 'And where's your plate? Aren't you going to eat with us?'
I looked at him in surprise.
'Hime! Don't tell me that you only intended to serve us and then watch us eat!'
'W-Well-' I began, smiling goofily.
'It's you who have prepared us this dinner! And so, the least of things is that you dine with us!'
I felt uncertain. 'Can I really?'
'Of course! Please, take a seat!'
But is it really okay? I wondered to myself.
'Hime?!' he said, cocking an eyebrow up at me, not seeming to appreciate my hesitation; and I gave in at that moment.
I had fried an additional fish, in case one of them would have want to re-serve themselves, and as such, I took a seat too and served myself, despite my embarrassment.
Shunsui and I said "Itadakimasu" together and had been about to start eat when, we noticed that Gōjun was doing no such thing. The latter had picked his chopsticks up in his hand, but was not eating. He was staring at his bowl of rice.
'Is there... something wrong?' I asked him, timidly.
Shunsui seemed to remember something at that moment, and he declared, in an awkward tone, 'Oh right! I completely forgot that you don't like fish that have bones!'
I looked at the reddish-brown-haired young man's face, then back at Gōjun, apologizing instantly, 'I'm sorry. I didn't know. There was only fish in the fridge.'
Without thinking, I took his bowl of rice and picking the grilled fish up in my hands, I discarded all the bones and set it down on top of his rice again, before putting the bowl back in front of him.
As my eyes returned on his face, I found him staring at me with wide, astounded eyes. This, made me utterly self-conscious, and I realized what I had just done- that I had put my hand in his food- telling myself that he had most definitely not appreciated it. Automatically, I exchanged our bowls, apologizing again.
He continued to stare at me with the same expression as before for a few more seconds, before he, unexpectedly, exchanged our bowls back again, and began to eat in silence.
I was befuddled.
I had feared that my action had obfuscated him, but I guessed that he had only been surprised by it.
Shunsui and I began to eat too, and after we were done, and I had washed all the utensils that I had used, he told me that I was free to go.
Gōjun decided to leave too, and we came out onto the street together. It was already dark by now and the visiting hours at the hospital were already over. The only thing that I could do was to go home, before I would head to work.
Gōjun and I exchanged a look with each other, where we had paused down in front of the gate, before we both left, each one in our own direction, still on a silent note.
When I reached home, Obā-san was clearing the table in the living room, having just finished taking dinner.
'Tadaima!' I called, timidly.
She looked up at me but didn't respond. I could read anger in her eyes. She fixated me for half a minute, before she returned to what she was doing, muttering, 'Would you mind informing me when you don't intend to dine at home?! It would avoid me from wasting food by preparing your portion for dinner! You've already brought additional expenses on your grand-father and I; there's no need for us to incur unnecessary costs because of you, don't you agree?!'
'Y-Yes,' I stammered, and bowing down in apology, I promised her that it won't happen again.
She was right. It had been inconsiderate on my part not to inform her that I was not going to dine at home. The truth was that I had not intended to eat at Shunsui's place. However, the moment I had accepted his invitation, I should have informed her immediately that I wouldn't be there for dinner; perhaps it wouldn't have been too late and could have avoided her the expense.
I felt selfish.
We cleaned the table together and I did the dishes for her, while she left for her room and never came out again; she was still very angry.
After I had freshened up, I left for work.
***
The following day, Shunsui informed me during lunchtime that I'd be free to go after school, as he has a rendezvous with a girl from Africa after school. He was going to fetch her directly from the airport, and the moment he mentioned the word "hotel", I wasn't listening anymore so much I was trying to hide the flush of color my face had taken.
And indeed, after school, the reddish-brown-haired young man left for his rendezvous, demonstrating a great hurry and level of impatience.
However, just before he parted with us, he- unexpectedly- put a hand down onto Gōjun's shoulder to tell him, 'Now that I think about it! Since I'm allowing you to use Hime as a maid too, you should probably jump on the occasion to show her your appreciation for all that she's doing for you, yes? Perhaps, by complying to one of her demands, don't you think?'
Gōjun's mouth went agape, and he exclaimed a big "What?!", but the other male wasn't listening and was already rushing out of sight.
I stared after Shunsui for a few seconds, puzzled by his request, before I turned to face Gōjun.
The latter had turned to face me too, with an unhappy expression. I was almost scared by the look he was giving me, and putting my hands up at him, rapidly, I told him, with a goofy smile, 'Yosh! Yosh! It's alright! You don't have to do anything.'
I had realized that I didn't really mind to prepare him something at the same time that I was doing it for Shunsui.
He fixated me for a minute, before he exhaled, averted his eyes, and told me, grumpily, 'No! Go on! Ask me whatever you want!'
It's alright, I was going to insist, but then something came to my mind. It was an irresistible call. Ever since the father of little Yōsuke had given us the tickets, I had been yearning to go to the local public park to admire the Sakura. This yearning had fomented with the days, and I had even told Okā-san about it. I remembered that on the rare occasions she would mention Kokubunji, she always talked about the beauty of the Sakura when viewed from the middle of the lake.
Lowering my eyes and clasping my hands shyly in front of myself, I asked him in a murmur, 'Ano… Do you still have the tickets Yōsuke's father gave us?'
I was squirming in embarrassment now, my cheeks having taken a shade of red.
I knew that it was an activity reserved for couples, but I really wanted to do it.
'I can't believe it!' he exclaimed, his tone displeased. 'Of all the things that you could have asked of me, it had to be this!'
Making a jump backward, I apologized to him very quickly and told him to forget it; feeling a little ashamed of myself. I had been about to scoot away immediately after that when, he seized my forearm, stopping me.
'No, wait!' he exhaled. 'Let's do it! It's really not my kind of thing, but okay, let's do it!'
And on these words, he began to drag me away with him.
'The ticket is still in my bag. Do you have yours on you?'
I could only nod, while I stared at his face, surprised by his change of decision. I knew that he was doing it only to please me, but despite of that, I couldn't help but appreciate his solicitude.
'Well then, let's go immediately and get it over with as quickly as possible!'
'Hai!' I replied, in a small giggle.
The park was not as crowded as it could have been expected to be, and there were only a few couples doing boating. We didn't meet Yōsuke's father at the lake, but handed out tickets to another man, who indicated us to one of the boats on the shore.
Climbing into it, Gōjun and I rowed our way over the lake. The atmosphere was very peaceful. It was very quiet, with a small breeze blowing now and then. And contrarily to what I believed, I didn't feel that much uncomfortable by Gōjun's presence or the fact that he was brooding. It was, as though, the peace reigning over the lake was imbibing itself through every one of my pores, and filling me with a strange kind of joy.
'Do you think we're right in the middle of the lake now?' I asked Gōjun, after a few minutes, and he muttered that he thinks so.
We stopped rowing at that moment, and the water all around us became very still. I gazed at the surface of the lake, subjugated by its beauty. The water was perfectly clear and it was reflecting the blue sky like a mirror. It was absolutely magnificent.
'Look at this, Gōjun! It's almost, as if, we're floating in the sky!' I exclaimed, delightedly, but my delight would only increase ten-fold when I lifted my eyes to gaze at the shore.
The scene took my breath away.
It was an unmatchable sight.
Unconsciously, I had risen to my feet, and I turned onto myself slowly, my eyes traveling across the Sakura trees which surrounded the lake.
It was a real treat for the eyes, and it left me completely spell-bound.
'Oi!' came Gōjun's annoyed voice, out of the blue, pulling me out of my revelry, 'Don't stand up! You're going to-'
But, he was unable to complete his sentence.
The breeze had risen again, and somehow, I lost my balance; the boat tilted dramatically on one side under my weight; and in less than two, we were under the surface of the lake.
***
A few minutes later…
'I really can't believe it!' Gōjun spat at my back, angrily. 'It's really not my day today! What took over you to stand up? Now, I'm completely drenched from head to toe because of you!'
We were back on the shore and had found a small area behind a few bushes to hide until our clothes would dry up.
I felt so much ashamed of myself. Not only did we end up down the lake because of me, but when I had been swimming my way up to the boat, my head had hit the crank, which had sent me unconscious, and Gōjun had had to save me from drowning; he was forced to swim the whole way back to the shore with my inanimate person.
Bringing my knees up to my chest and hugging myself, I turned my head slightly around to look at him over my shoulder, apologetically.
As my eyes fell onto him, I blushed madly. He had removed his shirt and placed it to dry on the branch of a tree. His chest was completely bare. His hands were now going for the button of his trouser and he undid it. At this, my whole face turned tomato red.
Wah! What is he doing?!
Just as he was about to slid his zipper down to remove his pants, I covered my eyes automatically with my hands, and turned my face back to the front, to skirl, 'No, please! Don't take your trouser off!'
'Oh, right! I forgot that you're a girl!' he muttered, in a frustrated tone, and my mouth went slightly agape. He forgot?!
I heard him move up to me after that, and it was only when he had himself sat down next to me that I finally dared to uncover my eyes to check whether he still had his pants on. I almost sighed in relief when I saw that he hadn't removed his trouser. He was staring in front of himself now, his expression filled with displeasure.
'I'm really sorry,' I apologized, sheepishly, my voice a whisper.
He looked at me at that moment and all anger dissipated from his expression.
Without giving any warning, he leaned towards me, and I saw one of his hands move up to my face.
I froze into place.
He pushed my bangs back with his hand to uncover my forehead, and holding them there, he told me, bluntly, 'You have a swell! Got to put ice on it!'
I didn't respond. I couldn't. His face was so close to mine. I simply stared into his eyes, without breathing.
He lowered his hands shortly after that, and turned his face away again to stare back at the front, his expression blank.
Looking back at the front too, I fixed my hair rapidly, blushingly, while I watched him secretly out of the corner of my eyes.
I guessed that I had just discovered yet another aspect of his personality. Gōjun Shoran doesn't hesitate to shout his discontentment, but having done this, it would then be all in the past for him.
***
Meanwhile, from the window of a room on the tenth-floor of a hotel that stood close-by to the local public park of the city and which gave a direct view on the lake, a certain person was observing the two of them.
Well, well, I believe that we're on the right track! Shunsui Shigeizumi thought to himself, a self-satisfied smile coming to his lips.
'Shunsui, what are you doing? Come back!'
The reddish-brown-haired young man turned to look at the young, dark-skinned woman who was lying under the covers on the bed behind him.
'Ready for another round already, eh?' he said, with a smirk, and setting the pair of binoculars down on the table by the bay window, he went to join the young woman again.
Thank you for reading!
Glossary
Mochi - Japanese rice cake; Sakura mochi are eaten during Sakura
Tadaima - means 'I'm home'