The Golden Pear [YA - Featured]

♫~Notes 14~♫

Nobody dared to complain. If one hadn't tried Mrs. Sato-san's cocoa, they never tasted the best one. Its rich aroma and full taste pumped strength and warmth into everybody, even if they would be skeletons.

The outdoor bell rang.

"Hubby, can you open the door?"

"Coming."

Once Freya was alone, she took out the name card. It was on her mind for too long. She turned it around in her fingers.

'Should I?'

It was tempting to write to somebody else, but Aiyoku was involved with that stupid pear. What if he did it to endear himself to her?

"... Glad you came, A-kun!" Mr. Sato-san's voice echoed from the hallway.

"Of course." The other person spoke in a muffled tone, which was strangely familiar. "I can't wait to start."

Freya jumped to her feet, the chair under her clattering. The hall turned silent for a short while before a ringtone filled it.

"I-I'm sorry." A-kun fished out his phone, looking at an unknown number. "Hello?" He picked the call, but nobody responded. "Um, hello? Can you hear me?"

His blue eyes widened as they saw the person on the other side of the hallway.

"What?" Mr. Sato-san looked behind, watching Freya standing there with a mobile phone by her ear.

"Oh, crab," the new helper muttered as his finger moved across the hang-up button.

Mr. Sato-san didn't need a cue to understand it was time to clear the area. He slipped back into the kitchen, where he gestured to his wife to not interfere, yet both watched.

"I-I..." A-kun, or more like Aiyoku, stuttered as his arms hung lifelessly.

Freya's mobile slid from her fingers. Its body hit the wooden floor with a thud.

"I can..."

Her face wrinkled as she clenched her teeth, showing them. She lifted her other hand, holding up a picture of a horse dancing among stars with a big thank you under it.

Tears poured down, drenching the drawing. Aiyoku leaped to her, hugging her. He caressed her hair as she cried her heart out into his scarf.

Minutes later, they sat down in the kitchen, where the aroma of hot cocoa greeted them. The silence grew among them as Freya watched the escaping steam. Her picture laid next to the middle triplet, who pushed down his shawl.

"I suppose I owe you an explanation."

"You do," Mr. Sato-san agreed, and his wife gave him a stern stare.

Freya raised her eyes, watching her classmate through her fringe. His downcast face seemed to show great regret, but it could be a mask.

"Freya-chan and I are classmates. We didn't... have a good start. I was pushy at first. A big jerk."

'Can't disagree there.' Still, she wouldn't call him a jerk.

"I once glimpsed her poster with a horse, and something inside me moved." He placed his clenched fist on his chest. "It never happened before, and I wasn't able to get that image off my mind. It bugged me." For a fleeting moment, he averted his eyes before returning to the cup.

"I searched on the Internet, but with no luck. I turned to maps, hoping something inspires me when I discovered this farm." He looked at the Satos. "That spark resonated in me, and I knew I've found it."

"But why did you hide your face?" Mrs. Sato-san asked.

"I figured Freya-chan comes or works here, which you confirmed for me later. If she would find out I'm helping here, she would think... I do this only to make an impression on her."

Silence spread among them, and Aiyoku took a sip of his hot drink. A smile immediately invaded his face, his hand leading him to take another one. He refrained from taking the third one, enjoying the aftertaste in his mouth.

"I should go." He stood up, the chair quietly creaking against the wooden floor. "I'm sorry for bothering you."

Before Mrs. Sato-san could disagree, Freya raised her palm, stopping Aiyoku from moving. Her face didn't recover her usual smile yet, but more color returned to it.