Masquerader Mystery - One Last Chance For Choji Akimichi (ENG)

14.

"THE DOOR!"

Ignoring the curses coming from the classrooms next door, I faced the usual draft with my head down and entered the Music (and Reading) Room.

As soon as he noticed my presence, Rokuro immediately stopped slaughtering the drums and greeted me with a warm hug.

"YA-HOOO!" he screamed, hopping happily up and down "I didn't expect to see you again so soon! So you must liked my present! How was it? Was it good? Eh? Eh?"

"I liked it more than you can imagine! But now calm down, so I can give you mine."

Rokuro suddenly stiffened.

"By "mine" you mean... Your present? F-for me?"

"For you... and for Yori, too. It's a memento from my country: I brought it along to enjoy it at the right time, but then I thought you deserved it more."

From my pockets, I pulled out a limited edition bag of potato chips from my favorite brand.

Taste: pink pepper and cheese. For those who want to be sweet inside and outside as well.

A little uncertain, Rokuro took the bag and examined it carefully, while scratching with his free hand the hairless half of his head. He didn't look very convinced of it...

"Did you say "for me and for Yori too"? What do you mean?"

"Well, you know... Even though you said I shouldn't worry, I still wanted to make amends for destroying your song for Yori. So, I thought of this. Yori comes here every day to clean, right?"

"Right... Ha, I get it! You want me to give her these chips! But are you sure she'll like them?"

"No" I replied.

"No ?! But then..."

"Listen."

Posing like a sort of professor, I raised an index finger, put my other hand behind my back, narrowed my eyes and started walking slowly around my "pupil".

"Correct me if my memory fails me. With your song, you wanted to make Yori realize that the most important thing, for you, is that she can be happy again. Is that right?"

"Quite right!" Rokuro exclaimed, passionately. "I can't bear to see her so sad and grumpy! I don't even know what I'd give to make her smile again!"

"It's a very noble thought. I, too, always think about the well-being of my friends, before mine. ...but, admit it, you also don't want Yori to just be a friend to you."

Rokuro blushed conspicuously, to the point of becoming one with his red hair and red shirt.

"It's true... I want her to be happy, but at the same time I love her and I wish she loves me, but ...what does that have to do with these chips?"

"Everything, my friend! To be totally in tune with a person, the most foolproof way is to share something with her or him. In our case, these chips. Do you follow me?"

Rokuro nodded, although it was evident that he was struggling to understand the meaning of my words.

"I have to share them with Yori... I mean, eat them with her? At the same time? Some for her, some for me?"

"Exactly so! Bravo!"

"It doesn't sound so complicated... Wait, what if one of us don't like their taste? I have to taste them first!"

Rokuro was about to open the bag with his teeth, but I stopped him a moment before.

"I'm getting there. You don't have to like them or not. Any food becomes the best in the universe, if you share it with someone you like."