The Golden Pear [YA - Featured]

♫~Notes 23~♫

The girl meanwhile checked the room since yesterday they had to concentrate on the Garden Parade. The apartment looked the same as Kagetsu's, only colder. Where Kagetsu had some clothes hanging here and there, Rigaku had nothing. As if geometry forbade him to break the perfection.

She stood up, peeking into the ajar wardrobe. Everything seemed to be perfectly folded. 'Are boys this punctual?' Not that she was messy, but hardly as perfect in folding. 'Or is it the room service?'

Inside the corridor, she listened to running water, realizing she also needed to use the restroom. So she slipped into Kagetsu's suite for a quick visit. On her way back, she noticed her schoolbag laid on the floor when she seated it on a small cabinet by the door.

'It must have overbala—' She stopped as she lifted it, sensing the familiar weight. She let out a deep and frustrated sigh. 'Again?'

She checked inside, finding the wrapped pear. 'But why? Didn't I... give it to one?' Memories of her flinging it at Rigaku flashed in her mind. She showed her teeth in a forced smile. 'Oh, dear. Talk about embarrassing stuff.'

Freya lifted it. 'But this could be a splendid opportunity to ask more about this.' She returned her bag and headed into Rigaku's suite, where she left the pear in his bedroom. After that, she took a peek into a living room with a huge TV and at least a kilometer-long couch in her eyes.

'Rich people love to live big.'

She entered, taking the scenery. A bar full of bottles stood in the corner, shelves packed with discs laid under the television, offering a wide range of movies if anybody found the offer of stations lacking.

Her fingers traced the surface of the sofa. 'It's soft.' The carpet under her feet could substitute for her bed in a blink of an eye, and she would never get cold. She stepped toward the big window, watching outside.

Unlike her apartment, this one had an open view of a city park. She moved her gaze, following the scare furniture. Something seemed off, but she couldn't place her finger on it despite tracing the smooth surface.

'Not used?' Ran through her mind as she circled the living room. 'Is Rigaku not using any of this?' She could imagine herself diving onto the couch, watching a movie or two once in a while. And if not that, she would read or relax here after a long day.

She left the room, finding a kitchen. Even here, everything was in order. She only saw a few cups outside drying in the air. 'Wouldn't rich people want to use their money to enjoy themselves?'

She racked her brain until she remembered how Rigaku was in school; cold, detached, and almost robot-like. 'But why, when he can smile too?'

Her stream of thought interrupted a bell. She jerked like a hissing cat.

"The room service," the woman's voice called from behind the door.

The girl let out a frightened sigh, opening the door.

"Mr. Kamini-san?" The young woman hesitated as her eyes darted toward the nameplate in case she made a mistake.

Freya nodded, gesturing to her throat and shaking her head. But the woman didn't catch her message, struggling to say anything.

"Arigatou," Rigaku called from the hall, saving the situation as water dripped from his hair. "Sumimasen." He slightly bowed. "I should have added a note, my classmate may pick it."

"That's alright." The woman bowed too and handed them the trolley with their meals. "Please, enjoy." Then she promptly left.

"Sumimasen, I should have..."

She waved his apology away. She licked her lips, pointing toward the dining table, which she glanced in the kitchen.

"Right." He followed her.

Freya's eyes sparkled as she lifted the lid, revealing the rolls of sushi.

"Itadakimasu," Rigaku said, and Freya cupped her hands with chopsticks between her fingers.

She picked the smallest roll with cucumber wrapped in seaweed, going teary on how good it tasted. The soy sauce gave her a completely new experience, but she skipped on wasabi or ginger as she was never a fan of either.

After the fifth piece in her mouth, she noticed Rigaku's stare at her.

"S-Sumimasen." He fixed his posture and took a spoon of his lukewarm broth. "I... guess I'm still feverish. I don't know what I'm doing."

She checked the area around her face just in case to catch any stray rice grain, giving him an encouraging smile. 'You apologize a lot.'

They continued to eat in silence, with Rigaku stealing glances at her. He returned to watch his soup between morsels. 'Was eating ever so much fun?'

Itadakimasu – Bon Apetite

Ohayo Gozaimasu – Good morning

Onegaishimasu – Please

Sumimasen – I'm sorry

Iie – No.