" Ah, can I ask you something first, Kenji?" Akihiko said, they both took a pause, they were just about to part ways till' Akihiko said that.
" How's mom doing?" He asked.
" Heh." Sakurai chuckles. He was thinking whether he should mention her or not, but waited for Akihiko's signal.
" Aunt Kimiko is still working as hard as always. My parents have been wanting her to take a break but-- you of all, know how she is. She is your mother, after all." Sakurai said. " If I have to say something about it.....I think the reason is obvious. She wants to take on the role that your dad left behind ever since he....." He stops there, the implication of it was enough.
Akihiko nods, grateful. " I understand."
Mr. Akihiko had passed away when Asahi was still 10, and Seiji at the younger age of 7. It was due to a fatal accident via car collision. The family was devastated, especially the beautiful Kimiko, the man's wife. Asahi and Seiji were still too young at the time, of course, they missed their father and cried all they could let out, but upon seeing the pain on their mother's face.... they quickly realized that maybe sucking it all up and hiding the pain is better. So they wouldn't have to let their mother handle more stress than she does by having to emotionally support her two sons all by herself when she couldn't get a handle on her own.
Around that time, it's when Asahi met Kenji and became good friends. Kenji introduced Asahi to his family and chemistry was immediately formed due to Asahi's positivity, they often joked about taking Asahi as their own son alongside Kenji. A few months from there, young Kenji absent-mindedly mentioned Asahi's dwindling family situation and Mr. Sakurai and Mrs. Sakurai quickly took action and introduced themselves to Kimiko.
And there, they offered her a job that pays well, and could single-handedly support her two children financially. Kimiko basically leaped for the offer as soon as it was made, and her contract with the Sakurai family was formed. That's how Asahi and Seiji were able to enroll in Oreha High, the same school as Kenji. And things were going well......until now.
Sakurai still didn't know the reason why Asahi left. The circumstances behind it. But he won't pressure Akihiko into telling him, he's confident that Akihiko will tell him soon before it's too late.
" Please--"
" I know." Sakurai raises a hand, having gone through this over and over with him. " I'll annoy Aunt Fuyuko into taking a break, and to also tell her that her dearest sweetest darling little cutie baby boys, Asahi and Seiji, wish for her to take a break~" He teases.
Akihiko found his little tease a bit embarrassing-- well, because it was true in Kimiko's eyes. And he loves his mother and wishes her well, intending to provide for her once his time has come to take a real job.
" Thanks, Kenji."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After another evening at Starry's, I was just about to pack up and go until Kita-chan stopped me by holding onto my arm. I looked to her, confused.
" Hey guys!" Kita suddenly called out. Nijika and Ryou-san immediately stopped their packing and turned to us-- well, her. Since she's the one who called all of a sudden.
" It's a saturday tomorrow! Let's go out together! "
" Go out, huh--" Nijika was interrupted.
" No." Ryou shuts it down immediately.
S-So quick to decide?!
" Eh?! But why, senpai? Don't you like hanging out with us..." Kita-chan deflated. I also felt hurt too, Ryou-senpai is sometimes too straightforward.
" I have to agree with them..." Nijika raises a brow to Ryou. " You refused her a little too quickly, don't you think?"
Ryou shakes her head, placing both her hands up. " I have plenty of awesome reasons as to why I won't be able to join." She announces.
" My little brother's musical is coming up and I'm forced to attend--"
" You have no little brother." Nijika blankly says.
" I have to work part-time at a zoo tomorrow--"
" Didn't you say you hate the smell?" Nijika chimed again.
Amazing....Nijika-chan is shutting Ryou-san down so easily....I guess that's the perks of being schoolmates.
But I guess the same could be said for me and Kita-chan. Our friendship advanced to levels I thought it could never reach-- she can easily read me like a book. It's honestly terrifying. But what's more terrifying is that I've still got a lot of things to learn about her.....the memory of her suddenly pulling out chains and locking me down to my seat was traumatizing and it's making me doubt whether she is just a normal social butterfly. She might be an assassin for all I know!
" I have to babysit--"
" Nobody would pick you to babysit."
" Okay, now that hurt." Ryou pouts.
Nijika was tapping her foot, smiling smugly. " Anything else?"
" Fine....you want to know the reason...?" Ryou-san turned to us with a sad look on her face. Eh? What's with the serious atmosphere all of a sudden?
" The truth is....my mother collapsed yesterday, and she's been in the hospital ever since..." She sighs. " I didn't want to tell you guys this and spoil the mood.....but it's the truth. I hope you understand."
She's lying.
After knowing Ryou-san for so long, all of us can tell that she was lying.
" OH MY GOODNESS! SENPAI, YOU NEEDN'T TO HAVE SAID IT!" Kita cries. Apparently she didn't think she was lying. How...?
Kita-chan's affection really makes her blind sometimes....
( Bocchi is the Pot calling the Kettle back. )
Nijika gives Ryou a cold stare.
" Enough with the lies and dramatics. Just tell us the truth!" She says, tapping her head with her drumstick.
Ryou-san finally relents. She sighs and gives us her deadest stare yet.
" I'm lazy to go out tomorrow. Please hang out by yourselves."
" No." Nijika says. " We haven't hung around together in a while, so let's take this opportunity that Kita-chan suggested!" She says, determination in her ruby eyes. When she uses that tone of voice and expression, the decision has been made.
" See, this is why I came up with lies." Ryou falls to the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today is a Saturday and our group couldn't help but stare at the VERY much busy small. It was suffocating-- what if I bump into someone along the way? WHAT WILL I DO THEN, HUH?! TELL ME!
( While Bocchi was having a mental breakdown. Nijika took the initiative in dragging her like it's just another day with the Kessoku band as they followed Kita's lead. While Ryou sleepily trailed behind. )
.
.
.
.
" Oh, Bocchi-chan you look super cute in that!" Nijika says and Ryou gives a thumbs up.
" Hehe~! See? What'd I tell ya? Our lovely lead guitarist has an underused cute aura to her! And the fact she looks good in these clothes, is proof of it!" Kita proclaims. " Though....this was the only compromise I could make with her. She refuses off shoulders and the like!" She pouts.
" That sounds like Bocchi." Ryou enforces.
I shuffled my feet under their heavy scrutiny. I felt so...weird and exposed, especially to my lower half. I'm so used to wearing track pants-- even wearing it under my school skirt or any type of skirt whenever I had the chance. Sometimes I did run out of track pants and would wear long stockings instead-- but this....I feel so ashamed!
I fiddled with my hands.
" C...Can I change back now..." I said, embarrassed.
" Bocchi, your thighs look enticing." Ryou hums as she observed closer, poking it. " Very lap pillow material."
" E...Eh?"
" Guess Akihiko-kun is a lucky guy, yes?" Nijika giggles. Why did she bring him up?
" Hey, hey~ You're turning red again, Gotou-san~" Kita teases too.
I repeat to all Hitori cells; Retreat back to the dressing room! Defcon 100 has been triggered, I repeat to all units. Retreat, retreat!
I teleported back to the dressing room.
" Did she just--"
.
.
.
" How do I look?" Nijika slides the curtains open and steps out.
All of our eyes widened upon seeing her.
" O-M-G!" kita-chan snaps pics, making sure to capture every angle of Nijika-chan. " So cute! And you totally give that rocker chick vibe!!!"
" Ehehe! That was the plan!" Nijika says as she poses for Kita-chan to take pics.
" This is a catastrophe. It seems many guys will go for our drummer now, and she won't be able to have time for us anymore." Ryou-san sniffles, wiping away a fake tear. " I will miss you, Nijika."
She'll always be in our hearts.....
" Ryou, it's your turn!" Nijika points after approving the pics that Kita-chan took.
" Okay."
.
.
.
.
" How's this?" We hear Ryou-san say.
We all looked up from our phones and immediately did a spit-take.
WHO IN THE WORLD IS THAT?!
" Who are you?!" Nijika asked exactly what I thought.
" Hm? It's me, Ryou." Ryou-san says, putting a hand to her chest.
" I refuse to believe it!" Nijika cries out.
" Ryou-senpai, thank you blessing me with this." Kita-chan says while snapping multiple pictures, and Ryou didn't hesitate in making poses. Wait a minute...
Is Kita-chan drooling?!
" All right, my turn!" Kita says, running to the dressing room.
.
.
.
.
" How's this?"
Kita-chan exits the booth and we were left in awe at how cute she was-- but she pretty much rocks almost anything with that unstoppable Kit-aura...
" Well?" She winks, giving us a peace sign.
" Aww, so cute! That's Kita-Kita for ya!" Nijika claps.
" That's the Kessoku band's poster girl right there." Ryou says, proudly.
" Y-You look nice, Kita-chan!" Yay, I contributed with a compliment of my own!
" Should we buy the outfits we've chosen?" Kita asked.
" Hm, I think I'll be able to buy mine." Nijika gives a thoughtful expression.
" I'm broke." Ryou said, but I could already feel her looking at me and staring holes. " Bocchi, is there any chance you have some yen to spare--"
" Ryou-san....I'm all out of money too..."
" Bullocks." Ryou sulks.
I should be sulking here! You were going to take a loan from me again....
" I guess it's only me and Nijika-san then?" Kita said.
Nijika nods. " Let's go to the counter!"
" Haii~"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After having a short lunch together, we simply roamed around the mall, ice cream in hand. I licked mine in silent content while the others talked, I didn't feel left out. I enjoyed listening to their topics and I do sometimes join in when I see the opportunity ( That's a lie, I just wait for them to drag me into it...)
" Ah-" Ryou-san pauses.
" What is it?" Nijika asked, looking to where Ryou was staring at. The blue haired girl pointed to the store with stars in her eyes.
" Please, let's go in there. I see a brand new bass in there." She pleads.
Nijika sighs, shaking her head. Looks like she'll enter the music store again, a store that she CAN'T fit in because her instrument is a drum and literally everyone else is looking for stringed instruments...
" Okay, fine. I'll come with you." Nijika says and Ryou lets out an uncharacteristic but still somehow characteristic squael ( ? ) " What about you two?" She asked us.
" Ah! I actually have somewhere I'd like to check out. And..." Kita turns to me. " Gotou-san, would it be okay if you accompanied me?"
Over the months, I've come to realize that either I agree immediately or agree the hard way. The latter containing Kita's power of kawaii and giving me the cutest Kit-aura puppy look she could muster that could make me bleed internally until she hears me give her a ' yes'.
And I've grown wise enough not to reject her and prolong my inevitable fall.
" Sure..." I said. Even if my thoughts were reluctant though, my heart was contradicting. Kita-chan was a fun person to be around, it's just my introvertedness in these situations going mad in my head at these times.
" Oh, okay! Let's meet up-- h-hey Ryou--!!"
" No time to waste, woman!"
We watched as Ryou-san dragged Nijika-chan away from us and towards the store. Kita and I looked at each other in confused silence before agreeing to the fact that that just happened and there's nothing we can do about it. Thus, we went on our merrily way...
" Um...by the way...where we going exactly...?" I asked after a while of walking.
" Oh, sorry! Forgot to tell you, but there's an anime convention happening in the center of the mall. That's where we're heading." She says.
...Convention?
CONVENTION?!
I immediately imagined the crowds of people gathering in the center of the mall. I imagined myself being pushed away by a wave of people and separating from Kita-chan, my body forever lost and never found. And not to mention how it's going to be with all the human body heat and breath! It's a death trap for introverts like me dammit!
Wait! I still have time, maybe I can convince her into reconsidering it--
" Gotou-san, can I ask you something?"
" Y-Yes?!" I accidentally yelled out. She gives me a look of suprise and I quickly muttered an apology for my noise and asked her to continue. She laughs with a shake of her head before continuing.
" I was thinking....we've gotten closer, right?"
" I-If you think so then--" She gives me a look. A rather disappointed one. I quickly made a correction. " No....sorry, I didn't mean it that way."
" I just didn't want to make assumptions earlier....but I always thought of us as closer compared to when we first met all the way to our first peformance..." I told her honestly.
She smiles. " Is that so? I'm glad.....in that case, I want to have your permission in something."
" What?"
" I'll call you Hitori-chan from now on, is that okay?" She asked.
" Does that mean I can call you Ikuyo-chan...?" I noticed her shudder at my question. So she really hates the pun that goes along with it.
" Nevermind, it's alright with me. I'll be happy if you'll call me that from now on." I smiled.
" Alright, Hitori-chan~!" She cheers. " Ah, we better hurry. The reason we're going to the convention is because a friend of mine asked if I could buy her something--and she was busy today so she couldn't come herself."
" I understand...let's go." I said and she nodded in gratitude before leading me.
I'm ecstatic that Kita-chan and I's friendship have advanced once more...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
" Come one, come all! And get your shounen jump character stickers! Luffy from One piece, Ichigo from Bleach, Goku from dragonball-- you name it! They're all here!"
" Body pillows! Get your favorite anime girl body pillows!"
" Sir! You're dressed in a Barabara costume aren't you? May I interest you with a few banner posters?"
Wait.....' Sir'? And....Barbara costume? Isn't that a girl character--
" Ah, there it is!" Kita points towards a crowded stall selling what I assume to be pins and badges. Also figurines.
" I'll just be here..." I said to her and she nods before running quickly to the stand and fighting thru the crowd.
I feel so out of place...
I'm surrounded by anime enthusiasts and cosplayers...not to mention, the cosplays look amazing even though I'm not familiar in the anime community. I can tell that they were having fun taking pictures with other cosplayers or just fans of the character they're cosplaying....I want to do something similar once my fanbase grows and I become a huge star nationwide.
I took a step back, but then I felt I bumped into someone. I quickly turned around and the stranger turned to me as well, looking equally flustered.
" I-I'm sorry!" We both said and then paused.
....
Well this is awkward--
" H-huh...wait, you look familiar..." She suddenly said. She was dressed in a character I actually knew-- Sailor Moon, if I'm correct. But that aside, what did she mean.....
" W...What?" I asked, confused.
She gasps.
" G....Gotou-san...?"
Wait a second, that voice....could it be....
" M-Mayafumi-san?!"
~~~ End ~~~
Wooooo, finally done!
And also, happy new years to everyone!
Wanted to add some Kessoku band bonding time here since that's Bocchi's second family! I hope you enjoyed it, and Ryou's attempt at gaslighting.
Mayafumi-san's character will be explored in the next few chapters ( probably ) if I don't go off track!
And, some info about Akihiko's mom. Was supposed to add it in the previous chapter ( not the jimihen one ) but I cut it out and used it here instead, since it would've kinda ruin the ending for that chapter.
I'm not breaking my streak of publishing a chapter daily-- hell nah! Even tho it's currently 1 am and I technically missed the day...
I'll just publish again when I wake up lol.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter once again and look forward to more! See ya!