The laughter died down as everyone started to arrange everything. New tents were placed and so did tables and chairs. It did seem like a lot of people will be coming judging by the tables and chairs. Subaru crossed his way towards Koharu, who was attaching a black lining to the table. He tapped her shoulder and flinched.
"I'm not a kidnapper or a stranger Nanakura"
Koharu sighed in relief and turned around to face him. Her amythest eyes showed a glint of curiosity as she turned to him.
"I'm sorry. Do you need anything Subaru?"
"Yeah I have a question"
"What is it?"
"How many people are coming?"
Koharu stared at him for a while. Checking her mental checklist.
"About 15 - 21 people"
Subaru's eyes went wide at the said statement.
"You have got to be kidding me?"
Koharu shook her head nervously. She looked at him with nervous eyes.
"I'm not... Actually"
Subaru stared at her in disbelief. 21 people are coming. They were only 12 last year. Why now?
"Do you have a list?"
"Y-Yeah I do"
She rummaged through her pockets, fishing out what looks like a plain tissue.
"I was in a hurry in writing down the guests that I grabbed the nearest thing to me"
She handed him the tissue. It was a simple plain white tissue with pink flowers imprinted on the tissue. But it's not a tissue at all. It was a hankershif that belonged to one of Koharu's latest fashion album "Hanker - Joy!"
He opened it and saw the list of the said people
- Yuuki Subaru
- Nanakura Koharu
- Satome Ako
- Sakuraba Laura
- Kasumi Mahiru
- Kasumi Asahi
- Kasumi Yozara
- Nikaido Yuzu
- Lilie Shirogane
- Kisaragi Tsubasa
- Shiratori Hime
- Forte Elza
- Hanazono Kirara
- Kizaki Rei
- Igarashi Nozumo
- Ms. Nijino
- Mr. Nijino
- Futaba Aria
- Kira Kanata
- Aoi Zen
- Nagisa Ezra
Subaru rose an eyebrow. He looked at Koharu with confused eyes.
"Who's Nagisa Ezra?"
Koharu gave out a jolt of regognition.
"My distant cousin"
"Distant cousin?"
Koharu nodded her head yes "He's my cousin from Los Angeles! My mother said that he would stay here for a couple of months to explore Japan!"
Subaru gave Koharu a confused gaze "Why is he invited? He has no connection towards Yume and Yume has no connection towards him. What was the point?"
Koharu scratched her head in a nervous manner "Well he will be staying at my house and he will be arriving today actually. He doesn't know about Japan so I decided that he could tagged along and met new friends"
Subaru gave out a sigh. A person he hasn't met is coming to his late girlfriend and sister's anniversary. But the name sounds familiar though. How eccentric.
"Best be off then Subaru!"
"Huh?"
Koharu giggled softly "My cousin is here"
.
Dirty blonde hair decorated with pink hues stood out from the black car. His pale skin had a hint of life and his orange citrus eyes complemented his shy smile. His glasses had a strawberry designed to it at the sides of his lens.
"Ezra!"
Koharu yelled happily as she hugged him tightly. The poor male was desperate for air and it seems that Koharu didn't notice it.
"I feel sorry for the dude" Laura sighed.
"Will he be alright though?" Ako chorused.
"Is he gonna live?" Nozumo asked uncertainly as he looked at Kanata.
"Is he gonna die?" Kanata questioned back.
"Ko-Ko-Koharu... I can't breathe"
Everyone flinched (aside from Koharu) when he spoke. His accent sounds so foreign but a japanese accent was also hinted out from his voice. His voice sounded so squeaky and female that they almost mistook him as a girl.
Koharu quickly let go of him when she heard the struggle in his voice. Smiling out an apologetic smile she gushed out things about the trip to Japan and how he managed to grab a cab.
"There were cab drivers who speak english so I asked one of them to drive me to Luneta Cemetery, 13 courtyard and he happily obliged"
The next thing Koharu did was unexpected that everyone (aside from Ezra) looked at her in shock. Instead of having that happy smile and curiosity in her eyes, her eyes were clouded in suspicion and her smile into a thin line.
The next thing she said was also unexpected.
"He didn't... Do anything to you... Did he?"
Everyone stared at their exchange in disbelief.
Ezra looked shocked and answered in a soothing voice towards her "No! He didn't he didn't!"
Koharu sighed in relief "Good"
She turned around to face everyone (and to Subaru's and everyone's surprise) beamed cheerfully at them like nothing happened at all.
"This is my distant cousin Nagisa Ezra! He's from Los Angeles!"
Ezra stared at them and nervously scratched his head "I-It's nice to meet all of you"
Everyone stared at Ezra, some with their jaws hung open and eyes were wide open. He spoke fluent japanese!? They all thought at the same time.
"I-I have been t-taking japanese l - lessons for 2 years! So I... Ah" He covered his face with his hand.
Koharu chuckled lightly "He is very shy in meeting new people you see" She nudged him in the ribs lightly "He works at a bakery"
"Koharu!" Ezra hissed at Koharu with a red face (which everyone found cute) as Koharu gave him a smug smirk.
"You work at a bakery?" Kanata asked amazed.
"I bet that he and Ako would work together on a cake or something" Nozumo chuckled.
"Don't give him trouble already Nozomu" Subaru sighed.
"I bet he just wants to eat cake" Ako huffed.
Subaru gave out a thought until something clicked in him. Dirty hued blond hair. Citrus Orange eyes. A shy smile.
"Do you perhaps know Shira Yuuki and Aoi Zen?"
Subaru watched Ezra flinched at the names in regognition.
"Y-Yeah... How do you know"
"Your friends with my sister right?"
Subaru mentally winced when he said that. Ezra looked shocked but later found his composure when he stared at Subaru like he just told him his secret.
"Y-Your S-Shi-chan's little brother!"
Subaru smiled at him.
"Happy you could come Nagisa-san"
Ezra blushed deep red when he was addressed by his last name. "Oh p - please! C-Call me Ezra" He fiddled with his fingers nervously.
Subaru smiled softly "Okay Ezra"
.
Everyone settled in as Ako and Laura chatted away with Ezra, who was a blushing mess from the attention. Kanata and Nozumo glared slightly at Ezra. Subaru noticed this and laughed.
"Oh my god guys! Don't bully the new guy"
Subaru laughed as Kanata and Nozumo turned to face him with a glare.
"Besides"
Koharu sat beside Subaru (the boys were shocked by her presence).
"He swings the other way"
The boys (Kanata and Nozumo) stopped their glaring and had their jaws on the floor.
"He-"
"Gay?"
Subaru laughed and so did Koharu. "He's bi actually. He prefers boys mostly"
Koharu laughed as Kanata and Nozumo stared at the other group nervously. "The girls there in LA doesn't seem to catch his eye you know?"
But Kanata and Nozumo were nervously staring at each other, formulating a plan in their head. Koharu noticed this and laughed.
"He is not a threat guys! Calm down"
Subaru shock his head no. It was a coincidence that Ezra is here. He has a connection with his sister too. Subaru stared at Ezra and then it clicked.
Shira Yuuki, Aoi Zen, and Nagisa Ezra were best friends. Shira and Zen met through high school while Zen met Ezra online. The three became the best of friends later on.
Ezra liked Shira. But Shira and Zen are dating. They almost called their friendship off because of the death of his sister. But Ezra also liked Zen. Subaru thought.
He watched as Ezra interacted with Laura and Ako. He liked the two people who are close to him. One died and the other locked away. Not giving any attention to the other.
Word Count: 1343