After school is over, Taro goes on the search for Hiroshi's book.
When he finally does find Hiroshi's paper book (it was behind the cherry tree, he didn't even bother asking how it came to be there), it was already 4:20. He still does have a bit of time left for part of this to work out.
The cover of the book had two stick figures, one with brown hair (which Taro was guessing was Hiroshi) and the other with light hair (which was probably his sister). The title said 'my bg borthr hiroshi ikina'.
He finds Hiroshi in the library, and he quietly calls to him. "Hiroshi!"
Hiroshi turns around looks at the paper book in Taro's hands.He smiles, and that smile reaches his eyes. "Is that the book?" Hiroshi asks excitedly.
Taro nods. "It is. I found it behind the cherry tree behind the school. Don't know how it got there."
"Oh, thank you so much!" Hiroshi exclaimed while taking the book from Taro's outstretched hands. "Oh! Is there anything that you want or need? I have to return the favour somehow."
"Well, there is this one thing. I just need you to answer a question," replied Taro.
Hiroshi nods. "Okay then, it's the least I can do with all you've done for me."
Taro hesitates for a second. "Do you like Osano-kun?" he asked.
Immediately, Hiroshi's eyes widen and his cheeks flush. "W-well, um..." he stammered. He sighs and nods. Then hangs his head down. Taro smiles. Perfect, he thought.
"Well," started Taro, "that's good. I think he likes you back."
His head pops up, still red in the face. "Me? No way. He likes Ayano-chan, not me!"
"Hey, you don't know if that's true or not."
"It is! I've heard what happened in the plaza today, There's no way in hell he could like me. I'm just an average guy, nothing compared to Ayano or Osano-kun."
Taro sighs inwardly inside. This might be harder than I thought.
"There's only one way to find out. Stay here."
Before Hiroshi could say anything, Taro's already out the door, rushing to the rooftop, his phone out.
If he wanted his Kohai he would have to take a panty shot.
The thought disgusted him, but he would do anything for Ayano.
He goes out, and there are only two girls outside-thank gods or he would have to suffer more people out and more chance of being found out- Midori and Mai.
Since Midori seemed more distracted by her phone, sending those stupid emails, and was closer, he sneaked up on her, crawling. When he got close enough, he took his phone and took a picture up her skirt. Then quietly stood up behind her. Midori didn't seem to notice anything.
Face flushed, Taro quickly went to the hallways of the school and sent the picture to Info-kun.q
***
Excellent! Now I have a picture of Midori's panties. I owe you a favour for this one.
Actually, I could use the headset right about now. Where am I supposed to get them?
Check behind the school, you'll find it. But hurry before other people find it and take it.
***
Taro put his phone back in his pocket and briskly went outside behind the school. He finds the headset and makes his way back to the library. He gives Hiroshi the earpiece.
"What's this for?" he asked.
"It's an earpiece. Go put it on and then go to the east side water fountain and wait. I'm bringing Osano there. So you guys can talk."
"What? No, no, I can't! I'll embarrass myself and he'll think I'm a freak and never want to talk to me again. Plus I wouldn't even know what to say!"
"Don't worry," Taro reassured, "I have headphones that I can tell you what to say and what to do. I'll hide behind the tree."
"I don't know..."
Taro puts a hand on Hiroshi's shoulder. "Don't worry, it's gonna be fine."
"W-why do you want Osano-kun and I to be together? I'm a year younger than him, anyway. And how do you know he even likes me? Even just the slightest bit?"
Taro's heart sped up. For a moment he thought Hiroshi knew everything about him and his plans.
"I-I've seen the way he looks at you."
"Well, he looks at Ayano like that, too."
"Hiroshi, please do this."
"Oh, fine. But I'm only doing this because you found my sister's book."
After he gets it put on, Taro says, "Okay, now go outside to fountain. I'll find Osano and bring him there, okay?""
Hiroshi nods and leaves the library.
Taro searches the school looking for Osano, hoping that he was still at school. And he was, just with Ayano, like always.
Once he got there, Ayano excused herself to go to the restroom, leaving Osano all alone, defenceless.
Plans of torture and murder rushed through Taro's head. Him, just all alone and defenceless.
Those plans got pushed back to Taro's mind when Osano turned around and found Taro walking to him.
"Oh, hey Taro. What're you doing?"
"Well, um, someone wanted me to tell you to meet them at the east side water fountain. They're already there."
"Someone's waiting for me? Why? Who is it?"
Taro shrugged. "I don't know, and you'll have to find out for yourself. They said they just wanted to talk."
Osano nods slowly. "Tell them to wait a couple more minutes. I have to tell Ayano where I'm going."
Did they always need to tell each other where they were going and everything? Can't they just text? thought Taro as he ran outside.
"Is Osano coming?" inquired Hiroshi, looking around.
"Yeah but wait a couple more minutes." Taro picked off a rose and gave it to Hiroshi. "Give this to Osano. He said he'd like someone to give him a rose."
He takes the rose from Taro and sits down on the bench.
"Now, I'll hide behind this tree and tell you what to do, okay?"
Hiroshi nods. "Okay."
He gets behind the tree just as Osano comes outside.
Osano looked over at the water fountain, and then at Hiroshi, their eyes meeting. Osano blushes. Hiroshi stands up, waves, and smiles to Osano.
Osano walked over to him.
"Hey."
"What do you want? I don't have much time," he grumbled.
Hiroshi looks hurt by this for a second but regains his composure. "I just wanted to talk."
"About what?"
"Cats. He likes cats. Talk about that," interrupted Taro, speaking into the earpiece.
"About cats. They're really beautiful, don't you think? Especially the tabby cats."
Osano's eyes seemed to brighten at that moment. "Cats? Oh, I have a cat! Two of them, actually. Do you have a cat? They're wonderful, and both tabby cats. Although they can be annoying and mean at times, they're all nice, deep inside, I know. Their names are Aslan and Autumn."
Kind of like you, thought Hiroshi.
"Do you have a cat?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes, I do. His name is Cali. He's a Persian cat. We just got him a couple of weeks ago. If you'd like, you can come over and meet him. He's actually pretty nice."
"Really?" Osano's eyes brightened at the thought of this. "That would be amazing!"
"Okay, now give him the rose," commanded Taro.
Hiroshi got the rose from behind his back and gave it to Osano. "I-I heard you like roses, well that you like flowers, and I thought you'd like to have one."
Osano takes the flower gingerly from his hands. "For me? I don't think anyone has ever given me a rose or any flower before. Thank you," Osano said happily, pushing a lock of orange hair away from his face.
"I-it's no problem."
"Oh, umm, say a random fact or something smart. Say that...say that a cat has been the mayor of a town in Alaska for about fifteen years."
"Did you know that a cat has been the mayor of a town in Alaska for fifteen years?"
"Oh, that's cool," Osano said.
"Tell him something negative about greed. He hates greedy people," said Taro.
"Don't you just hate greedy people? They're always keeping everything to themselves, never sharing anything. Selfish bastards," Hiroshi remarked.
"Right? I'm glad someone agrees with me."
"Now give him a compliment about his shirt," Taro ordered.
"I like your shirt. Where'd you get it? It looks nice on you," Hiroshi complimented.
Osano touched the bottom rim of his shirt. "Really? You think so? Some people think it's childish to wear a polka dot shirt to school when you're eighteen, much less a 'girly colour'. I got it from my mother."
"Well it does look nice on you," complimented Hiroshi again.
"Okay, now time to say goodbye," Taro said.
"Well, I've gotta go. It was nice talking to you Osano. I do hope we can do this again."
Slightly blushing, Osano replied, "Me too. I've gotta be going now also. I do hope we can do this again, too."
Osano departed ways with Hiroshi, leaving him still standing. When Osano was completely out of his sight, Taro came out behind the tree and patted Hiroshi. "Not bad."
He takes the earpiece off and holds it in the palm of his hands. "What do I do with this?"
"Keep it. We're gonna do this again tomorrow. And tomorrow. And the next day."
"What? Why? I can't do that again. That was nerve wracking."
"C'mon, please Hiroshi, you said that you would do anything."
"Yeah, okay, okay. Fine. but only for those three days. Then I'm out."
Taro's phone buzzed and he pulled his phone out. It was a text from Hanakō, asking where he was.
-
Taro! When are you coming home? Mum and dad are already here, they want to see you again. It's already five!
Yeah, I'm coming. Just like 10 more minutes and I'll be there.
Oh, okay, but you better hurry!
-
"Well, I've gotta go. My mom and dad are probably worried. See you tomorrow, Hiroshi."
"Wait!" Hiroshi said while taking his own phone out. "Can I have your phone number?"
Taro nods and takes the phone from Hiroshi's hand. Then puts in his number.
"Thanks, see you tomorrow!" Hiroshi said.
-
When he comes home, the familiar scent of his father's cologne hangs in the air, and the warmth of being home overtakes him. He drops his school bag on the floor, takes his shoes off, and walks to the kitchen, where his mother, with her dark brown hair, pulled back into a braid, is making miso soup and sashimi.
"Hi mom," he greeted.
His mom looked up at him, smiling. "Taro! It feels like I haven't seen you in ages! How was school? Was the first day fine?"
Taro smiles. "The first day was fine. I wasn't late to the entrance ceremony, though I barely got there in time. Today was fine, nothing new from yesterday. Where's dad and Hanakō?"
"Dad's in the living room and Hanakō's upstairs doing his homework."
He nodded and went to the living room first, where his dad was watching TV.
"Hey, dad. How was the trip?" he asked, plunking down on the couch beside him.
His dad sighs. "All I can say is that it was better than last time."
"What's this show about?" questioned Taro, eyes focused on the TV screen.
"It's a reality show about-"
"I'm already bored. I don't like the idea of people broadcasting their whole lives to the internet, where the media can manipulate what they say. Anyway, I gotta do homework." He stands up. "See you at dinner."
He walks back to the front door and grabs his school bag, then walks upstairs to his room. He changes into a regular black shirt and shorts.
He walks over to his desk and takes out his homework from his bag, setting it on his desk.
Taro starts doing his homework and waits until his mom calls him downstairs.
-
Dinner that night is lively, laughter and smiles everywhere.
Taro looks around the table. This, this is what I want to have, me and my Kohai, sitting together with our two children, he thought.
When dinner was over, they all gathered in the living room, watching movie after movie, until it was time for them to go to bed.
"Goodnight Taro, goodnight Hanakō. Don't stay up too late doing homework, guys," called their mother.
Hanakō hugged and kissed their mom and dad goodnight, before going upstairs. "Goodnight, big brother!"
"Night Hanakō, night mom, night dad," Taro said
"Goodnight Taro," all three of them said at once.
Taro fell asleep almost instantly when he fell onto his bed, maybe before he even hit the bed. All of that work made him exhausted. He couldn't wait to fall into the dreams of his Kohai and him.
Well, hopefully.
-
A/N: Thanks for all the reads! Hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and if you did, please vote/comment! Let's hope that I can update at least two more times before spring break ends.