It wasn't raining. In fact, it was oppressively hot. The black dress I was wearing didn't help. Neither did the umbrella that I had in my hands. Aghh, at this rate, I was going to melt!
Kimiko stood next to me, wearing her own black attire. She was staring at the grave in front of us with a solemn expression. It was always like this. Year after year, we'd always come back to this grave to pay our respects. Ever since I was born, I had spent this very day here in this cemetery paying respect towards a woman I'd never met before: Aunt Setsuko.
Mom had told me before that Aunt Setsuko had passed away a few months before I was born. She said that my aunt would have loved to see me born.
My parents, Kimiko, and I stood in front of the grave. Several Black Garlic Squad members and my parents' personal servants stood farther back.
Mom laid down a bouquet of red tulips and soft-yellow alstroemerias. The three of us stepped back as Mom spoke quietly to the grave. "Setsuko. It's been a year again. I'm still doing well, and my family is doing well too. The business is well. There's not much trouble these days. Mom is up there with you, isn't she? I hope it's nice up there. I hope you're happier up there."
Her voice drifted away.
Dad put his arm around Kimiko and me. "Today's always like this, huh?"
I nodded, watching Mom's back. She was always down and extremely reserved on this day. I wasn't even entirely sure how Aunt Setsuko had died. It had been some kind of car accident.
"Kimiko-nee," I said quietly. "What was Aunt Setsuko like?"
She was staring at the ground. She inhaled slowly, then let her breath out. "Aunty... was a very kind person. She-She was always smiling and...well, I don't have too many memories." Kimiko sighed. "I wish I did though." Her voice cracked.
I bit my lip. I wish I'd gotten to known Aunt too. She seemed like a very good person, maybe not as uptight as Mom was.
"Do you know, Rika," Kimiko said, "that if Aunt were still alive... things would be so different." I nodded. Definitely. I'd probably have cousins. Mom wouldn't be so busy all the time. Maybe Aunt was an awesome and chill person, and the two of us could get along well.
The three of us stepped up to the grave as Mom moved to the side.
"We're doing well, Setsuko-san," Dad said. "The business is especially doing well. You must have already heard about how we're going international, right? I bet you would have loved to see our very first store opening in America."
Kimiko nodded. "You always were interested in other countries."
I struggled for a moment, unsure of what to say. "I... I wish I'd been able to meet you, Aunt." Kimiko glanced at me, forcing a smile.
We had Aunt Setsuko's picture on the family altar, which was tucked away in the back of the house. I didn't visit that room often, but I knew Mom and even Kimiko did every once in a while.
After a few moments of silence, we climbed into the limo and rode back home.
My research on Kurosawa Raiden hadn't brought me much. He'd gone to the same university as Aunt and had been with her in the Book Club. He was the third child of a small business that had gone bankrupt several years ago. But that was it. Any information about the man now couldn't be found. Maybe Kyoya would know more about him.
Thank goodness air conditioning was invented, though. Why was today so hot? Summer was already coming to an end. School would be starting again. Hm... There was only a few more things to look forward to. And the only good thing was the party.
The thirtieth came sooner than expected. I'd spent most of my days baking, trying to perfect the skills I'd learned from Oji-san and coming up with Takashi's cake. After his, I'd have to make Tamaki's, which would either be fun or painful.
Mitsukuni came over almost everyday to try something that I've baked and to talk to me. He sometimes did his summer homework while I baked. On a few days, I went to his place instead and we practiced some martial arts. It was a good way to spend my time.
Dad stayed around too. He'd been gone from Japan for so long, working to set up an international chain, that he wasn't too keen on leaving soon. I baked him the special chocolate cake I always did. One where there was a layer of melted chocolate in between two rich chocolate cake layers. It was a cake that had to be kept warm or else the chocolate would harden.
warm or else the chocolate would harden.
Mom came to pester me in the kitchen at about one in the afternoon. I was busy spreading whipped cream on a fruit tart, which I'd recently learned how to bake. The next step would be fruit pies. That'd be fun.
"Rika," she said, standing by the island bar.
I glanced at her. "Yeah?"
"Don't you think you should start preparing for your date?" she asked.
Oh God. I'd been avoiding thinking about it, and I hadn't said a word of it to Mitsukuni. He wouldn't be mad right? Yeah, it's not like I had a choice over this.
I started plopping the berries onto the whipped cream. "When is he coming?"
"Three, Rika," Mom replied. "I thought you two could go watch a movie and then get dinner." Goodness gracious, my mom planned the date for me?
"Okay, let me finish these tarts," I said.
"Rika-"
"Do you want to try one?" I whirled to face her, holding a finished tart. "It's not too sweet." Mom sighed. "If you will go and prepare-"
"Fine," I said, handing her the tart. Then I took off my apron. "I'm going." I grabbed the tray that the tarts were on and shoved it quickly into the fridge. I'd have to deal with them later. Most of what I baked was eaten by the servants of the house anyway.
"Hayashi Rika." Mom's rather sharp tone stopped me. I glanced back at her. "Did you just interrupt me twice?"
"Didn't you want me to hurry up and prepare?" I asked with an innocent face. She sighed and then waved me away. "Yes, hurry along then."
I washed my hands in my bathroom and found my face was smeared with some whipped cream. I grinned. If only I could show up with whipped cream on my face... I bet that'd make Minoru even more pleasant.
Azumi knocked. "Rika-sama? May I come in?"
"For what?" I asked, opening the door. She was holding a few bottles in her hands. I raised an eyebrow at them.
"Preparation, Rika-sama," she said with a smile. Oh no.
My hair was washed more than once, brushed several times, and then some kind of perfume was stuck on me so I smelled like... flowers. Then Azumi did something else to my hair to make it shinier and smoother and softer. Then my eyebrows were plucked and I had to brush my teeth. Overall, it was a big pain in the butt.
If this is what I have to go through every time I go on a date, then I would happily never go on a date again. Like, what the heck, I didn't do squat about my hair when I went out with Mitsukuni!
Azumi then began pulling out different dresses, asking me which one I liked. I shook my head at every one, just to be a bit stubborn.
Bling!
I grabbed my phone off my bed and found a message from Mitsukuni: "Want to go see a movie today? :)"
Are you kidding me?!
Why of all days, today? I sighed, as I began typing out my response.
"Rika-sama, how about this one?" Azumi asked, holding up the dress I'd bought from the mall. "Your mother said you looked very pretty wearing this one."
"I thought you were just talking about making me look cute," I replied wearily.
"Well, you can look cute and pretty," Azumi said with a straight face.
I shook my head. "Sure. I'll wear it." I snatched the dress from her hands then went into the bathroom. "It's already two-thirty, Rika-sama. Please don't take too long," she called from outside.
"I know," I said with barely masked annoyance.
Great, of all days, Mitsukuni invites me to go watch a movie when I have to go watch one with Minoru? Daaaaamn.
"Sorry, I already have plans :(" That was my response to his email.
I pulled the dress on. At least this dress was better than the frilly, bright pink ones that Azumi had been
waving around.
"And try these shoes on, please, Rika-sama," Azumi said, placing a pair of black heels in front of me.
"Are you kidding me?" I asked. They weren't particularly tall heels, but they were at least two or three centimeters tall. "I can't wear heels."
"Your mother requested you do so," she replied. She gestured at them. "At least try them, please."
I sighed, stepping into the heels. They were pretty comfortable, actually, except my toes were being pinched just a bit. At least this was open-toed. I shook my head. "Do I have to?" I began walking around my room, trying it out. Well, most of the time I'd be sitting anyway.
"Please do," Azumi said with a nod of her head.
Ugh. As if this could get worse. Now, to wait for the torture to begin.
He came wearing a crisp, white collared shirt and tan shorts. He smiled at me. "Good afternoon, Rika-san." I smiled back pleasantly. "Good afternoon, Funaki-san."
Mom's smile was the brightest of us all. "Have fun, you two."
The moment we were seated in his car, Minoru said, "Shouldn't you call me by my first name, Rika-san?" "I'm not sure I'm ready for that, Funaki-san," I replied sweetly.
"You should be. Just try it out tonight," he said, sounding almost like he was a nice person.
Shoot me now. Just end it already!
"So what movie are we watching?" I asked.
"Ah, the new action one." He looked up. "Mm, the one with Haruka Teshu in it. Have you heard of it?" He glanced at me.
"Ohh." I nodded. "Yes, it's really popular right now, isn't it?" He smirked. "It is."
What is with that arrogant smile? Ahh, let's think of positive things for now. I'm getting to watch a movie for free, one that I probably wouldn't be able to normally. And, um...
Bling!
I pulled my phone out of a white purse that Mom had shoved into my hands. It was an email from Mitsukuni:
"Aw that sucks. :("
I felt Minoru lean towards me and I turned my phone's screen away, looking at him. "What?"
"It's not polite to be answering emails while on a date, you know," he replied, staring straight into my eyes.
"Let me just answer this one," I said. Without waiting for his reply, I began tapping out a response. "Can we do something tomorrow instead?"
"That was fast," Minoru said when I began tucking my phone away. I shrugged. Mitsukuni would just have to wait.
The movie was pretty good, certainly better than staring at Minoru's face. We managed to talk briefly about the movie, discussing particular elements that we liked or disliked.
The restaurant we arrived at was a fancy one for rich people like us. It was Italian, with several stories lit up by sparkling chandeliers.
We were escorted to a table in the back on the second floor. There was hardly anyone here, which was actually rather unsettling to me. The waiter set the menus on the table, bowed, and then walked briskly away.
I sighed as I unfolded the menu.
"Not enjoying yourself?" Minoru asked.
I glanced at him over the menu. Then I forced a smile. "I am. It's just a bit tiring."
He stared at me for a moment with a calculating gaze. Geez, it's not like he's Kyoya. He can't possibly know anything about me. He tilted his head with a knowing smile. "You don't like me very much, do you?"
I grinned brightly. "You just noticed?"
Ahahaha, crap. I said that. I seriously just said that. I shouldn't have said that. I just really really wanted to
Ahahaha, crap. I said that. I seriously just said that. I shouldn't have said that. I just really really wanted to say that to his face. Oh no.
"You act as if you don't not like me, but you don't act as if you like me either," he replied, glancing out the window.
"What?" I asked. Not a word of that had made sense.
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "What I mean is that you don't make it very obvious that you dislike me. If you don't like me, then why did you agree to this engagement in the first place?"
"I'm sorry? I never agreed to this engagement. My mother did," I said, trying my very best to remain polite.
"Really?" He smiled. "Well I agreed to this engagement myself."
"Why?"
The waiter came back with water for us and we quickly placed our orders. Now that the menus were out of the way, we were just facing each other.
"My dad showed me a picture of you," Minoru said. "You look like any other girl at Ouran."
"Why thank you," I replied. Fitting in was what I had been striving for.
"I thought we could get along, so I agreed."
What the hell. He agreed to getting married to some girl he's never met before just like that? Is he an idiot?!
Then Minoru started to chuckle. "You think I'm an idiot, right? Well it's not like I'd never met you before. You're in my last class, and you seemed like a nice girl. With an obnoxiously large red bow in your hair. What happened to that anyway?"
I ran a hand through my bare hair. Azumi had insisted that I kept my hair down. "It got cut in half and tossed in the pool."
"Bullies?"
I shrugged. "I doubt it."
"Anyway, if you don't like me, you could at least say so." "Why would I do that?" I asked.
"Then I could know what to do to make you like me," he replied. "So? What can I do to make you like me?"
I stared at him with raised eyebrows. Is he kidding me? He stared right on back with a very calm gaze. Then I cleared my throat, thinking. "Okay, so... you like me?"
"I think you're interesting, and that we could make a good pair," Minoru said. No. We do not make a good pair. We could never make a good pair.
"You know, you could start off with telling me what you're thinking right now," he said. "I can tell you're not very happy."
"How can you tell?" I asked.
"Your eyes say it all." He shrugged. Oh yeah, like that's just so helpful. Come on! This isn't some novel where you can read every emotion through the eyes of-
"You don't believe me," he said. "You know, Rika-san, you display your emotions quite clearly." "I do?"
He nodded, smiling in a lazy manner. "It's written all over your face."
I sighed. "Okay. Why should I try to like you?"
He blinked as if I was asking the most stupidest and strangest question. Then he said, "Because we're going to get married, of course."
"Uh, no, actually, we're not," I said, shaking my head stubbornly. "We are not getting married." "Cause you have a boyfriend? That Haninozuka?"
I nodded. "Plus, I just can't see myself with you. Why do I not like you? Well, your very first impression on me was an arrogant pretty boy who was used to getting everything he wants."
"Aren't you?"
"I am," I replied. "But, at least I don't manipulate my fiancee around." He smirked. "See? We are getting married."
My eyes narrowed. "No. We aren't. I'm not letting it happen. I don't like your personality. I don't like how arrogant you act, how pushy you are, and how you seem to look down at me."
"I don't," he said, sitting up.
I shot him a sharp stare. "Let me continue. I don't like your face either. I don't like your silly conditions involving the Chess Club or how you have made me suffer ridiculous things for this date!"
"What ridiculous things?"
"Getting myself all primped and ready," I said through gritted teeth. "You have hurt me, Funaki-san. You grabbed my wrist, and you twisted it. And, guess what? It hurt. You don't seem to trust anything I say. What can you do so that I like you? Nothing."
"Ouch," Minoru said with a small chuckle. Then the food arrived, steaming and looking absolutely delicious. "Okay, so maybe we started off on the wrong foot."
"No, we didn't," I replied. "You're who you are, and I just don't like who you are. That's that. We're not getting married."
"About the Chess Club, there's a tournament coming up."
Great, more crap to deal with that involves Minoru.
"You'll participate, won't you? You might not be one of the greatest, but you could certainly get far in the tournament," he said, taking a bite of his pasta.
"See? That's the arrogance. That's the looking down on." I pointed at him with my fork.
Suddenly, he laughed, just a bit. "I never expected Rika-san to be so... interesting! You're not like one of those Ouran ladies a bit!"
"In what way am I interesting? Just cause I'm insulting you?" I bit back, feeling annoyed. The last thing I needed was his interest. I'd rather I disgust and repulse him than intrigue him.
"You act all sweet and innocent," Minoru replied. "When inside you're actually a roaring tiger, aren't you?"
"I don't appreciate being compared to a tiger," I said, stabbing my pasta in a futile attempt to rein in my irritation.
"Does your precious boyfriend know about this side of you?" he asked.
I smirked. "What would you do if I said no? Blackmail me with that information?"
"Maybe."
"See? I hate conniving, blackmailing men!" I jabbed the air with my fork again. "They don't make good partners because you can't trust them completely."
"Aren't you friends with Ootori Kyoya? I've heard he's into blackmailing."
"I've known Kyoya long enough that I have blackmailing material on him," I said. "Besides, Mitsukuni would never believe anything you say."
"Well, aren't you two sweet," he replied, eyes narrowed. A chill ran through me, and I didn't think it had anything to do with the strong air conditioning.
I turned my gaze back onto my pasta. "Funaki Cakes," I said, "does it really need an alliance with Hayashi Sweets? Do either companies really do?"
"Funaki Cakes isn't doing so well these days," Minoru replied. "Hayashi Sweets is definitely doing better. You guys are even expanding across seas."
"That's why I don't understand why we should be allying with you," I said.
"Old ties are hard to break," he said simply.
"What does that mean?"
"Our parents have history, Rika-san. Well? Are you going to call me by my first name or not?"
I shook my head. "No. I'm not. And I would appreciate it if you'd call me by my last name instead. I never gave you permission to use my first name." I looked up into his eyes.
He smiled. "You're more interesting like this, Rika-san. If only I knew there was this side of you before. Then I wouldn't have pushed your buttons so much."
"So you know you're being a jerk," I said. "Me? A jerk? No, that's just how I am."
Lord, I feel like I'm going in circles talking to this guy! I glanced at my watch. Let's see, there should be something else we can talk about. "What's this chess tournament?"
He smirked and launched into a lecture about it. He'd won first last year and was planning on being first again. Then he started talking about the judges and the brackets and how the whole thing ran.
At some point, we began discussing chess strategies and moves. I guess it wasn't bad to have something we shared in common. I checked my watch periodically. When I was full and it was getting late, I smiled genuinely.
I can go home!
"I had a lovely evening with you, Rika-san," Minoru said, taking my hand and kissing it. "How about you?" "It was... lovely," I replied, forcing a smile.
"What do you really think it was?" He stepped closer. A hand picked up a strand of my hair.
"Terrible," I whispered. "And boring. And I definitely could have been having fun somewhere else."
"With who?"
"Mitsukuni," I said, smiling.
"You're just using him to annoy me, aren't you?" Minoru asked. He fingered my hair. I took his hand instead, just to keep him from touching my extremely clean hair. The moment his hand had lowered, I dropped it.
"I love Mitsukuni," I said. I stared straight into those hazel eyes. "More than I'll ever even possibly like you. More than I will ever hate you. More than anything."
He smirked. "We'll see about that. See you!" Then he skipped away into his car and was driven away.
I didn't want to go inside. I didn't want to face Mom, or Dad, or even Azumi. I didn't want to see any of their ugly faces who had pushed this crap onto me.
I crouched on the driveway, hugging my knees and rocking slightly back and forth. What should I do? What could I do? There had to be something that would stop this engagement. Something that could keep Minoru away.
"Rika!"
I glanced up. That voice sounded like heaven to me. Well, in general it did. Like angels singing or wind chimes ringing.
Mitsukuni was dashing across the lawn.
He stopped right in front of me and smiled. "What are you doing?" He held out a hand, and I took it.
"Moping," I replied. "And fretting over my stupid first world problems."
"First world problems?" he asked with a tilt of his head.
"Like problems that only people well off would have. For example, I have a creepy fiancee that I hate and can't get rid of," I said. Then I forced a smile. There wasn't any point in worrying Mitsukuni about this.
And... I was much taller than him! Thanks to the heels, I towered a good few centimeters above him. Mitsukuni stared at me and then glanced down at my feet. "You're wearing heels?" He giggled. "You got taller."
"I did." I smiled.
"Uh." He paused, scratching the back of his head. "Um, I saw him."
"You did?"
"You two on the driveway," he said, waving a hand vaguely in the air. His eyes were wider than usual. And in the darkness, I couldn't quite make out his expressions. "Um." He looked down.
"What?" I asked, tightening the grip on his hand. "You two were standing really close."
"Is that it?" I said.
He glanced up, biting his bottom lip. He looked worried. "Y-Yeah."
I grinned. "Really? Thank goodness. Don't worry. He was just being annoying as usual."
"Well, you could have stepped back," Mitsukuni said, pouting slightly. He still wouldn't quite meet my gaze. "And..."
"Are you jealous?" I asked. My grin widened, when I saw him blush. He ducked his head down, covering his eyes with his bangs. "Hey, Mitsukuni! Come on!" He shook his head. "What? Fine, I'll tell you. You remember when I was upset? And I told you it was cause I was jealous of you and the Host Club? Actually, I was jealous of that Hayakawa Ayako and how you got to spend time with her."
Mitsukuni chuckled. He looked up at me with a smile. Then he reached out and pulled me into a hug. "You're jealous of a guest? I'm jealous of your fiancee."
"Mm," I said, burying my head into him. He smelled like Mitsukuni. Sweet, fresh.
"You smell different, Rika," he said.
"You smell different, Rika," he said.
I giggled. "That's some perfume. You know, Mitsukuni, you make me feel warm and fuzzy. Like a good shojo romance manga."
Mitsukuni pulled back, laughing this time. "You're comparing me to manga?" "What?" I said.
He shook his head. "So is that why you couldn't go watch a movie today?" "Yeah. Mom planned this out, not me." I shrugged.
Mitsukuni's hand reached out and picked up a strand of my hair. "What happened?" he said with a short laugh. "Your hair seems so... flat and smooth now."
"Yeah, courtesy of Azumi," I replied, grinning.
"Rika-sama!"
Speak of the Devil! Azumi was waving from the doorway. "What are you doing? Come on in."
"I think I have to go," I said.
"Wait," Mitsukuni replied, leaning forward. He bumped his forehead against mine. "I'm leaving tomorrow."
"What?"
"I'm going on this family business trip thing," he said. "I'll be back in like a week." He withdrew away, smiling.
"Is that why you wanted to go see a movie today?" I asked. He nodded, pulling his hands out of mine. I grabbed onto them tighter. "Hang on. When are you going to come back?"
"Don't worry. It's just a week. I'll be back a few days before the party. You can call me, okay? You have my phone number right?"
"Yeah." I smiled. "Wait, do you want to come in? It's not even eight yet." He shook his head. "No, I can't."
I frowned. "Okay then."
"Can I kiss you though?" he asked quietly.
"Of course." I closed my eyes nervously as he kissed me quickly. Yeah, this was going to take a while to get used to. When I opened my eyes, he was grinning at me. "That's it?"
"What?"
"You're leaving for a week and you kiss me like that?" I said. I couldn't help the smirk on my face as I pulled him closer and kissed him myself.
Someone cleared her throat not too far away, but I disregarded the sound. When we broke apart, Mitsukuni's face was a bright red tomato.
I giggled. "You're really red, Mitsukuni!"
"I know!" he said, blushing even more. My own face was hot too. Then he looked at me and grinned. Azumi was, indeed, standing next to us. She cleared her throat again but I continued to ignore her. I kept my gaze on Mitsukuni. He took my hand and kissed the knuckles gently. "I'm going then."
"Okay, have a safe trip," I replied. We stared at each other for a moment, gazes locked. "Rika-sama," Azumi said. She was obviously starting to get impatient.
I leaned forward and kissed Mitsukuni on the cheek. "Okay. Now you should really go. Good night."
He grinned. "Night." Then he ran back across the lawn. He stopped halfway and waved at me enthusiastically. I waved back. He ran up to his front door and waved again. Then he started making shooeing gestures, telling me hurry up inside.
I tried to roll my eyes so he knew, but I doubted he could see. So I began wobbling - thanks to the heels - the short distance to the front door. He disappeared inside a moment later.
"You two are happy together, aren't you?" Azumi asked softly as she opened the door. I nodded, as that warm sensation spread through me. "Yeah."
"How was it?" Mom asked, sitting across from me in the living room. "Alright," I replied. "I still don't like him."
"You're just being difficult." She smiled, crossing her legs. "If you'd just give him a chance, you'll find that he's a very fine young man."
he's a very fine young man."
"He threw away that chance a long time ago, Mom," I said.
"How's that?"
"You weren't around but I came home one day with my wrist all bandaged up."
"Because you fell down the stairs?" Mom asked.
I shook my head. "It was a while after that. Azumi knows." Then I told Mom about Minoru injuring my wrist again.
She listened silently, staring at the coffee table in between us. After I was done, she glanced at me and smiled. "I'll have to think this over. It's late. Go to sleep, Rika." She stood and began making her way to the staircase. "Good night."
"Good night," I said.