Life returned to normal after that.
Tsubasa-sama, Katsura-san and Natsui punished me as they owed to do, but no punishment was too severe when it was given out of love. Shunsui and Gōjun's demands increased, but it was without complaint that I prepared them everything that they asked me to cook.
A whole week has gone by ever since.
I had quit both my job at the supermarket and the service station. And I was now impatiently waiting for Katsura-san's wedding.
That Monday, Gōjun headed to his dōjō, while I went to Shunsui's house after school as usual. The reddish-brown-haired young man asked me to prepare them only their bentō for the morrow, for he'd be dining outside tonight with a group of top models he had encountered recently. And therefore, I left his house quite early. The sun had still one hour left to set, and on my way home, I decided to make a small jump at the supermarket to buy a few things.
As I came out of the building after having done all my purchases, I noticed that clouds had rolled in the sky. It was only a matter of time before it would start raining. Instantly, my mind drifted to Gōjun. He has asthma, and it was not good for him to be out in the rain. I wondered if he has left his dōjō already.
By the time I reached the dōjō, it had started to rain and it didn't seem to be about to stop until several hours. There were still many people inside of the building, including Gōjun. He had not left yet.
Since I didn't want to disturb him, I decided to wait for him outside, under the porch, by the side of the door. I didn't wait for too long though. After a quarter an hour, he had grabbed his bag and came outside onto the porch, preparing to leave.
Looking up at the sky, he made a grimace, muttering to himself, 'Ugh! I hate this kind of weather!'
He didn't notice me until I had moved my umbrella to cover him with it. He turned to face me, his expression filled with surprise.
'What are you doing here?'
Lowering my eyes and blushing in shyness, I asked him, in a murmur, 'Can I- Can I walk you home? You don't have an umbrella, do you?'
Just at that moment, a car pulled up in front of the building, and looking up, I realized that it was his driver. I remembered only then that he has a driver!
I flushed up in embarrassment.
'I'm sorry. I often forget that you have a driver!' I told him, feeling so stupid. Between a car and my umbrella, there was no element of comparison. 'I- I think I'll get going now! See you tomorrow at school!'
And on these words, I started to hurry away, almost panicked.
'No! Wait!' he exclaimed, running to place himself under my umbrella against all expectations.
I lifted it further in the air so that he could stand properly, my eyes widening at him in astonishment.
'Let's walk a little!' he told me, and he signaled at his driver to follow us with the car from behind.
For a whole minute, I stared at his face, stunned, before I lowered my eyes and smiled, blushing once again.
We began to walk in complete silence. However, it was not uncomfortable. At some point, however, my foot caught onto something and I tripped. Automatically, he caught my arm, preventing me from falling right onto my face on the pavement.
'Th-Thank you!' I told him, in embarrassment, turning to face him.
We had both came to a stop now, and I found him fixating me. Not in an angry way. But only, with great intensity.
Gōjun…
He held my gaze for a minute, before he, very unexpectedly, took hold of my other arm as well, only to bend down slowly, drawing his face towards mine.
I held my breath, going very still.
What is he doing?
Just when I thought that our lips were about to touch, he froze for a second, only to straighten up in a jerk and turn his face away, releasing my arms on the spot. I thought I could see a blush on his face. I was blushing too, my heart beating extremely fast.
'I need to go now!' he told me, without looking at me, and very rapidly, he had jumped into the backseat of his car and he was gone.
I stared after him in puzzlement.
Had he been about to... kiss me?
***
The moment they rounded the corner of the street, Gōjun Shoran brought his hand over his palpitating heart.
He couldn't understand what had just happened.
Had I been about to... kiss her?
Do I feel… attracted to her?!
***
The following day, when I met Gōjun at school, he didn't reply to my greeting and simply casted at me a stern look, before he looked away, cutting me dead.
At this, I couldn't help but giggle nervously, telling myself that I had only been imagining things.
After all, why would he try to kiss me?!
However, I noticed that his expression was more severe than usual and he seemed particularly unnerved towards me. And I was not the only person to notice this. Shunsui seemed to notice it too, and when we had climbed into the reddish-brown-haired young man's car to head in direction of his house after school, the latter pointed this out to him, by asking, 'Say, did something happen?'
'Did you say something?' Gōjun demanded at him, with a cutting look, causing him to flinch.
'No-no,' Shunsui answered, in an awkward giggle, putting his hands up and closing his eyes.
The reddish-brown-haired young man's cellphone began to ring at that moment, and looking at the screen, he told us, 'Ah, it's my mother!'
As he picked up the call, suddenly, a frown came to his forehead.
'Yes, I'm her son. But who is this speaking? Why do you have her phone with you?'
Gōjun and I stared at his face, becoming alarmed.
'Alright. I'm coming right away!' he said, his voice strained with worry. 'Yes. I know the address.'
The moment he had hung up, we asked him, with affright, 'Shunsui, what is it? Did something...'
***
A few minutes later…
We arrived into a bar on one of main streets of the city.
Tsubasa-sama was in a pitiful state. She was completely drunk and had rested her head on the counter, being barely conscious.
Tsubasa-sama…
Why did she put herself in such a state?
'Is it you who called me?' Shunsui asked the bartender, casting an anxious look towards the blonde woman.
The bartender was a man in his middle-age. He had slightly tanned skin and was clothed in classics.
'Yes,' he answered, edgily. 'I'm sorry. I didn't know whom to call. I don't know her personally. She has started to come to my bar since only a few months ago. She doesn't come very often and whenever she does, she always sits at the counter to drink all alone. She has always appeared to be a very kind lady to me. When I checked her cellphone, that's when I saw your number and I decided to call you.'
'A few months ago, you say?' Shunsui asked him, lowering his eyes, his voice catching a little. 'That's around the time I left the mansion. She had never touched alcohol in her life before that!'
Oh Tsubasa-sama…
I looked at her again, my heart clenching.
I felt so sad for her.
I wondered why Shunsui has left the mansion to live all alone.
Is he really hiding something, just like Gōjun believes it? Oh, Shunsui...
Closing the small distance between them, he threw the blonde woman's arm around his neck and holding it tightly there, he sent his arm around her waist to pull her into a standing position, supporting her weight. She was hardly conscious.
'I'm going to take her back to the mansion,' he told us. 'Her car is parked outside. In the meantime, you go to my house with Takara-san. I'll join you there in a while.'
We both nodded and watched him as he carefully led the woman to the door and outside to onto the street.
Oh, Tsubasa-sama…
When Gōjun and I arrived at the reddish-brown-haired young man's house, we were both still thinking about the blonde woman. She had put herself in really a very pitiful state. All this while, she had been concealing her pain.
Since Shunsui didn't tell me what he wanted for me to prepare as dinner, I turned to Gōjun to ask him what I should cook, but even before I could open my mouth, he started to voice out a whole list, starting with Ebi Tempura.
'A-Alright!' I told him, giggling awkwardly.
***
On the other side, at the mansion...
Stepping out of the vehicle, Shunsui Shigeizumi came around it to open the passenger door, and grabbing the woman's arms, he threw them around his neck and picked her up in his arms, to take her out of the car and carry her inside of the mansion.
The moment he entered into the entrance hall, he came across of Hinagiku-obāchan. The old woman became completely alarmed.
'Is she alright? What happened to her?'
'Yes. Don't worry. She only needs to sleep. I'm going to take her upstairs to her bedroom. Could you ask someone to bring her a mug of water, please?'
'I'm going to bring it myself right away!' the old woman replied, urgently, and without losing a second, she made a rush for the kitchen.
'Thank you!' Shunsui whispered, and making his way up the staircase to the blonde woman's bedroom, he went to place her onto her bed, tucking her under a thin quilt.
Just as he was straightening up, suddenly, the blonde woman caught his hand, and opening her eyes just a little, she told him, in a small croak, her voice filled with pain, 'Shunsui… Why did you leave? Is it- Is it because of me? Yes, it must be because of me.'
His eyes went at her in shock, his heart skipping a beat.
The woman was accusing herself. She believed that her presence was the reason of his departure. She believed that it was her fault. He would never have thought that she would come to this conclusion.
'What are you saying?' he exclaimed, fervently. 'It's not because of you!'
'Then, why?'
He didn't answer her, becoming silent, his heart completely swollen with pain.
If only I could tell you about it...
The woman's grip on his hand had loosened by now as she slowly began to slip into complete unconscious.
Getting down onto his knees on the floor by the side of her bed, he clutched her hand with both of his, kissing her finger-tips, his eyes welling up with tears.
***
Later...
What is happening to me? Gōjun asked to himself, as he took a glance at the dark-haired girl, where she was standing in front of the sink, doing the dishes, with her back turned onto him.
It was completely dark outside by now and they had just finished eating dinner. He was still sitting at the table, rocking himself in his chair, waiting for Shunsui's return.
Looking at the table again, he frowned at it.
Yesterday, I had almost kissed her, and ever since, it's obsessing me!
Do I feel attracted to her?
No, it can't be!
Maybe, if I kiss her, it'll pass.
His eyes went wide at himself.
There I go again, wanting to kiss her!
What's happening to me?!
***
I wonder how Tsubasa-sama is doing...
Taking a deep breath, I let out a heavy sigh, feeling a bit low.
I was done doing the dishes now.
Just as I had finished cleaning my hands properly and drying them with a towel, I turned around to look at Gōjun, only to find the latter standing right behind me, our bodies nearly entering into contact.
'Gōjun!' I gasped, looking up at his face, startled.
I had not heard him get up from his chair, and much less, approach me! A little more and I would have bumped into his chest!
I stared at him, holding my breath, my heart accelerating a little.
He was fixating me directly in the eyes with an intense look.
What- What is it?
My heart accelerated further when I felt him place his hands over mine on the kitchen counter to prevent me from moving them from there, and bending down slowly, he began to draw his face towards mine.
What is he doing?
My eyes went wide in shock when he pressed his lips against mine, sealing our mouths in a kiss. I froze into place, my heart fluttering in my chest.
WHAT IS HE DOING?!
The kiss lasted for a minute, and when he broke it, I could only stare at him, utterly voiceless and blushing madly.
Why- Why did he kiss me?
Letting go of me, he averted his eyes and covered his mouth with one of his hands for a minute to try to hide the flush of color adorning his own cheeks, before he flung around and started to make for the door rapidly, telling me that he has to go.
***
What took over me? Gōjun Shoran demanded at himself. Do I feel attracted to her? Like, really?!
His heart was palpitating; his breathing coming out almost in the form of pants.
I'm sure that it's only physical!
Just as he came out of the doorway of the kitchen to into the corridor, suddenly, he almost bumped into Shunsui, the latter returning just yet.
'I need to go home,' he said to the latter, urgently, pausing down only to ask him how his mother was doing, before he continued to head for the door of the house and left.
Shunsui stared after him, feeling a bit puzzled.
'What happened to him?' he asked, almost to himself, before he turned his head around to look at the dark-haired girl through the doorway of the kitchen, where she was leaning against the sink, her face all flushed.
'Did something happen?' he inquired.
'N-No,' the girl answered, flushing deeper, and covering her mouth with her hand, she flung around to face the other way, avoiding his look.
Shunsui was intrigued now.
Judging from her reaction and Gōjun's behavior, he was certain that something had happened between the two of them.
And he thought he knew exactly what it was that happened!
Thank you for reading!