The waitress brings back a small trolley full of the drinks and food Hisao’s friends ordered after they piled into the booth. With me and Hisao pressed firmly against the back wall — and each other for that matter — and flanked by Kapur and Arai on the left and Hayashi and Suzumiya on the right; we have no escape from the torrent of curiosity that flows from the foursome.
“So how did
you two meet?” The excitable Kapur is first to attack but is soon followed by Hayashi.
“Hisao was no doubt trawling the second and first year classes for tail.”
“Back off, Akio!” Hisao is quick to defend his honour with a laugh and a lazy back-handed swipe towards the male Fuuka. “It was at the post office, actually.”
“Geez! Between the sweater-vest and
this, you really are an old man, aren’tcha?” Suzumiya throws a smirking barb in Hisao’s direction but it’s Kapur resting her chin on her hands as she leans in that gets my attention.
“So the post office, eh? That’s… different!” Molly smiles earnestly and I find my cheeks burning hotter.
“Hisao; you didn’t show this impressionable young girl your huge package, did you?” Akio casts an accusing glare at Hisao.
“Pack that in, Akio!” Arai interjects with a threatening point to the guy across the table. He looks to me with sympathetic eyes and a soft smile. “Sorry about him. He’s a filth-monger.”
“Hisao d-
did have a big box with him.” I chuckle in a vain attempt to contribute something to the conversation but the double team of hands hitting faces from Arai and Hisao tells me I shouldn’t have said anything.
“You monster!” Akio jeers as he and his boyfriend burst into hysterics. “You absolute
deviant!”
While Hisao throws a barrage of insults and half-hearted punches at Hayashi, I take the moment to take a quivering sip of tea. Kapur turns to Arai and whispers something in his ear. He smiles a little then shakes his head and whispers something back to her that makes her eyes go wide as her grin. Dare I ask?
“Are y-you guys t-talking about me?” I ask quietly, more than a little uncomfortable at the thought and it must be plain to see as Molly takes hold of my hands.
“Oh, sweetie, not like that! I have a… thing I do when I find out about new couples…” She giggles coyly, her shoulders rocking in that sort of embarrassed way you see in anime. Do people actually do that or is it just her? Wait, what was that about couples?
“She likes to give couples names based on mash-ups of their individual names. It’s called ‘shipping’, right?” Arai clarifies a little before seeking some of his own from Kapur, who nods enthusiastically.
“Yup! And I was just thinking up a name for you and Hisao! Taro thinks he’s got a better one though…” She pouts in the big guy’s direction before looking to me again. “Wanna hear them?”
“We’re…
not actually a couple though…” I admit, almost in a sad little whisper and Arai laughs, a booming laugh that suits his large frame.
“Trust me, it doesn’t matter to her. She’s been doing it to me and my deskmate since last semester and we’re as far from dating as me and Akio.” He says with a shrug.
“You had your chance, wide load!” Hayashi calls from across the table and Arai is soon on the attack.
“Don’t remind me… I’m just thankful you’re not squeezing my butt anymore.”
“You used to squeeze his butt?” Suzumiya turns to Akio, looking almost hurt and Akio is quick to begin reassuring him. As they continue their little back and forth, Hisao joins my conversation with Kapur and Arai at the most inopportune moment.
“So I was thinking
Risao but Arai said
Hika would be better; what do
you think?” Kapur offers up each of her hands, as if the words were options to be selected out of the air and I look at Hisao worriedly. Are all his friends this intense?
“I have no idea what’s going on but I’m pretty sure it’s making Rika uncomfortable, guys. Ease off a little?” His assist isn’t the best but it’s still appreciated and it does make Kapur back down a little.
“You’re right, you’re right! Sorry, Rika… I get a bit carried away sometimes.” She smiles ruefully as she scratches her cheek. The chime of her cell phone thankfully draws her attention away from me. She studies the message with a furrowed brow before holding it up to the large boy next to her, flashing a smirk at him.
“Mr Arai — We’re needed.” She says with more… seriousness in her voice than she’s shown so far and whatever it is certainly makes the soft Arai look a little sterner.
“Sorry to eat and run, guys, but we gotta go.” Arai explains, shifting out of the booth and fishing a few bills out of his left pocket while Kapur slides out after him. “It was nice meeting you, Rika.” Kapur says with a little wave to me which I shyly return. The odd pair say goodbye to the couple left behind and rush to the door, disappearing in a flurry of animated arm movements.
With the way free and clear, I excuse myself and make for the bathroom, restraining every muscle in my body that wants to bolt for the door. Locked in a single stall, I crouch down in a corner and bury my face in my arms.
Ho-lee-
crapbaskets! That was stupid over the top! What was with the naming thing? And all that stuff about touching butts? Is this what Hisao and his friends talk about all the time? Am I really attracted to a deviant?
The thought of Hisao smiling and touching my hand suddenly comes flooding back to me and I smile giddily. Okay, no one that cute could be a deviant. And it was nice touching his hand. Really nice.
If nothing else, this little panic attack is worth it for that.
-----------
Opening the bathroom door out back into the Shanghai feels an awful lot like sneaking back into the house after curfew. Well, what I imagine that would feel like. Never done it, always wanted to though.
I can already see that Hayashi and Suzumiya have left but peering into the booth reveals an almost clear table, save for a mug of coffee and what appears to be a fresh cup of tea in place of the one I left. Along the back of the booth, legs up on the cushions and arms folded, rests Hisao. His eyes are closed and his face is peaceful, as if he was more than just sleeping.
He died of boredom waiting for me to come out of the bathroom, didn’t he? Not an especially pleasant thought and one that I soon kick to the mental curb as I slide into the booth on one knee. I feel almost as guilty for waking him as I do for leaving him on his own out here as I place my hand on the sleeping prince’s shoulder and gently push him.
“Hisao…”
“Mm? Hey, you.” He mumbles, opening one eye to look at me.
“I’m sorry, Hisao. I kinda bailed on you back there. I hope you haven’t been waiting too long…” I apologise softly, knowing full well I’ve been MIA for at least twenty minutes, as he turns his body — yawning as his shoes softly click onto the wooden floor. He rubs his eyes and peers up at me.
“It’s okay, I didn’t even realise I’d nodded off. Thought you’d fallen in or something.” He smiles meekly as he reaches for his mug and guzzles what’s left in there. I take the opportunity to do the same with my lukewarm tea.
“Are you feeling better?” He asks as he stretches and I kinda feel like slinking back into the bathroom of shame. “Akio was actually looking sorta guilty before he left. Were the guys a bit too much?”
“No, no! You’re friends were cool! It was just…
Yeah, it was a bit much…”
Hisao smirks a little as he leans on the table, arms folded. He tilts his head towards me and I shyly meet his eyes. Those big, curious peepers looking right at me with not an ounce of annoyance in them. “Yeah, they can be a little much. Maybe I should have thought about this a bit more though. What you said earlier, about me and Fuuka being your only friends? Maybe that should have been my cue to cancel rather than throwing you in the deep end…”
He’s taking it on himself. Damn it, Rika! Don’t let this nice boy think he did something wrong! Say something, dummy!
“I…” I begin and then let out a snort of amusement from my nose before I smile at Hisao. “I g-guess that kinda makes us even. Though you
literally fell into the deep end at the pool…” He looks up to me again, with a little smile that could melt hot steel if he wanted it to. It’s certainly melting me.
“Heh. Okay, yeah, I guess you can look at it like that.” He chuckles softly before reaching into his back pocket. “Shall we head off?” He asks as he proffers his wallet and I’m quick to place my hand on his.
“Nuh-uh, senpai. This one’s on me. It’s the least I can do after I left you out here napping.” I give him some big apologetic eyes and he nods with a smile.
“Okay, sure, but I’m paying for next time.” Next time? That's…
Encouraging.
-----------
The talkative stroll back up the dusk-lit hill to Yamaku is much slower than our previous one; some sort of silent agreement that we didn’t want to be huffing and puffing half way up.
Hisao talks and talks; first about school stuff I already mostly know, then about his friends which is enlightening to say the least and then finally about his past. How his parents were always working and he pretty much lived alone for as long as he could remember.
“That must have been so cool! All that freedom, no one breathing down your neck all the time… I
always had someone watching me like a hawk growing up.” I admit, winding my braid through my fingers idly. Hisao tilts his head with interest.
“That’s what family is for though, right?” He offers and I shake my head with a smile.
“More doctors and nurses. I was super-sick when I was little.” Still am, really. “So I was constantly monitored, whether I was in the hospital or at home.”
“What about school?” He asks and I laugh, almost a little bitterly.
“I was home-schooled, Hisao. Too risky to be left at a public school where I could get jolted or have a sudden attack and no one be able to help. Plus all the operations and medication I had made me weak as a kitten!” I playfully, and weakly, bop his arm and to the boy’s credit; he feigns being hurt.
We share a laugh and it goes strangely quiet after that. Hisao, bless him, is many things but his ability to hide his emotions? Weaker than his Tekken game. He wants to ask but he’s scared. After seeing my medication, I imagine he’s got an idea what it is since I bet we share that particular bottle.
“Go on.” I nudge him with my elbow. “I think your social link is high enough to know my little secret. Just ask.”
Hisao looks pensive at best, down right worried at worst, but he lets out a sigh and looks at me with a determined look.
“Wh-What is your… um, condition?” He rubs the back of his neck, as if he had anything to be embarrassed about. I pat his arm proudly and come to a stop. We’re still a about a third of the way to the top but this isn’t the kind of thing I feel I should say casually.
Hopping onto the rail, Hisao following suit, I take a deep breath; both to steel myself and to catch my breath. Talking and walking is up a hill is really hard.
“I have hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Essentially the valves and stuff in my heart didn’t develop right when I was born. Been in and out of hospitals all my life.” I explain and immediately his face sinks. A sombre reminder him of his own condition, no doubt.
“Is that why… Y’know… The hair?” He points towards my face and I can’t help but giggle uncontrollably.
“Nope, that’s because I’m an albino!” I say in between gasps for air. “Talk about a one-two combo, huh?” Hisao smiles in response but he looks so guilty for asking. I place my hand on his, which is helping him keep his balance on the railing.
“Cheer up, senpai sad-sack! I’m a lot better now plus who else could rock white hair and red eyes as well as me?” I chuckle again, trying to keep the mood light for him but it’s not working too well judging by his expression. “Anything else you wanna know?”
He’s clearly thinking as he slips off the railing onto the sidewalk, now leaning on the railing as he looks at the ground. “Not that I can think of right now.” His lying game? Also weak-sauce.
“Okie dokie but you know where I am if you have more questions or anything.” I hop off the railing and rub his arm as I pass. “C’mon, Hisao. If we go any slower, we’ll miss curfew.” I smile broadly in my last vain attempt to get some positivity out of him and it seemingly works as he returns a smile in earnest with a nod.
We’ve still got an hour before curfew when we finally reach the split between our respective dorms. I don’t know about Hisao but I’m beat. Emotional and physical fatigue to maximum.
“I think I’m gonna be asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.” I yawn loudly as we stop to say good night. Hisao pinches the bridge of his nose while trying to hold in a yawn of his own.
“Know what you mean. I’m beat. Today was fun, barring the obvious. We should do it again soon.” Hisao suggests and I nod reflexively.
“Yeah, it was fun
apart from my freak out.” I smile coyly. “But thanks for inviting me. It was nice learning more about you.”
“Same. I’ll see you tomorrow?” He still looks a little rattled from earlier but he’s not shying away from hanging out, which is a good sign. Maybe I should reward him for being so patient with me back at the Shanghai? Seems only right.
“Yup-yup! Thank you for a lovely evening, senpai!” I grin, taking a step forward on my tip-toes and pecking his cheek softly. I trot backwards, beaming like an idiot at his dumbfounded expression.
“See you tomorrow, Hisao!” I call and he says something but my pulse pounding in my ears doesn’t let me catch it as I almost skip towards the girls’ dorms.
~~~~~~~~
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