*****
"I'll put your bag in my room. You can take a bath now. The warm water is ready." Akagi put a plain t-shirt and towel on Akashi's arm. "Are you sure you don't need any pants?"
"No. My extra pants is not wet since my bag is waterproof. But I don't have any t-shirt so I will take this one." He smiled thinly.
She squeezed Akashi's drenched jersey as he walked to the bathroom. It smells like rain and his own body scent. Akagi shook her head and turned her body to the place where her washing machine is.
"Whoaaa!!"
She shrieked as she found her father and mother peered behind the wall.
"What are you doing Gossh!" Akagi hissed and walked to the washing machine. Tossed Akashi's clothes and dry it.
"Tell me. Who is that decent man?" Her mother asked with twinkling eyes.
"Your boyfriend?" Her father added.
"Noo he is not! He is just acquaintance. Not even friends." Akagi open the refrigerator and poured some water into her throat.
"Oi ane-san."
"What?"
"Don't you think he is so handsome? He has different colored eyes!" Akio stared at his sister. Look all amazed.
'Tch. You all just don't know his foul mouth.'
"Ask him to join the dinner after he took a bath, Sei." Her mom smiled. "He must be hungry."
"It's better if he is good at playing shogi or go." Her father mumbled.
Akagi thought it seemed that Akashi was the type of super cool guy and shopisticated. Like he has no interest in traditional games like that. She walked into her room and dried Akashi's sling bag. She unzips it so the inside part won't damp. Actually it was a little bit shocking since his bag is very neat. In addition, Akagi could sniffed the smell she got from Akashi's jacket before. It is really nice.
She left out of her room when she heard the 'click' sound from the bathroom door. Akashi came out and his red hair was flat from the bath.
"Uh-oh, are you done?" Akagi asked akwardly.
He nodded.
"Would you come to join our dinner?"
"No, I think it's not important." He briefly answered.
"Ah.."
They both fell in silence when Akagi's mother shouted from the kitchen.
"Food is ready! Invite your friends to join, Sei!"
Akagi smiled to Akashi. He still shows the same expression. Not interested.
"Today I cooked *yudoufu!" Her mother added.
"Heh?!" Akagi shouted. "Why eat nabemono in the summer?!" She protested and frowned.
"It's raining! Don't be noisy and quickly invite your friends to eat!" Her mother rebuked.
Akagi pouted.
"Yudo..ufu?"
"Huh?" The girl saw a change in Akashi's expression. "Why? You like it? Do you want to eat?"
He looks embarrassed before nodding. Discard his face and avoid Akagi's gaze.
'Eh, is he shy?'
Akagi grinned. Showing her sweet smile.
"Then dry your hair. Hurry up and go to the dining table." Akagi rubbed Akashi's hair with a towel then pulled the towel from his head. Showing his pale skin that contrasts with his eyes and flaming hair. Akagi was stunned for a moment. He is very handsome. Like really.
"Fuck.." Akagi muttered.
"Huh?" Akashi looked at her.
"Ah nothing." Akagi swung her hand in front of her face. "Let's eat."
Akashi suddenly grabbed her wrist. Jerked it once and pulled Akagi closer towards him. He planted his gaze into Akagi's scarlet eyes and with his thumb, he was caressing the tip of the girl's lips who couldn't stop staring at him.
"Such a foul mouth." He whispered.
Akagi widen her eyes.
"Sei! Let's eat quickly!" Her mother's voice pulled them back to reality and Akashi loosen his grip.
"L-let's eat. S-shall we?" Akagi sputtered.
'OMG! Am I still alive?!'
—
"Thank you for the food." Akashi bowed his head towards Akagi's parents. Then showed the sweetest smile to them.
"Onii-san." Akio called out to him.
Akashi looked at Akagi's younger brother.
"Do you know that you are very handsome?"
"Oh, really?"
Akio nodded so many times.
"You're really handsome. How could you be friends with an ugly duckling like my sister?"
Akagi snorted.
"Do you have a death wish?!" She rebuked him.
"Hey young man." Akagi's father called Akashi and grinned. "Can you play shogi or go?"
Akashi smiled thinly.
"Of course. I really like and good at playing shogi."
"Heeeh?" Akagi screamed while still pulling Akio's hair. "You? Play shogi?"
Akagi's father looked so happy. His eyes sparkled when he found out that Akashi was good at playing shogi.
"Is it alright if I defeat you Akagi-san?" Akashi asked politely.
"Of course it's OK! Hahaha! But I will try to win."
Akagi blinked her eyes. Was that the same Akashi who always said harsh things to her? Akashi who was sitting with his father looked very different. He's just like other people.
She crumpled the tip of her shorts.
'Who exactly are you, Akashi Seijūrō?'
—
"Whaaaaat? I am lost? No way!!"
Akashi smiled when he saw Akagi's father's reaction. That middle-aged man sort of did not believe that he had just been defeated by a first-year high school guy. He repeatedly saw his shogi board but no matter how many times he observed it, he did indeed the one who lost.
"Haaah, this is the first time I've lost. You're really great young man. Your strategy is truly extraordinary."
He pouted. Then laugh again.
"We will play again sometime!"
"I'm sure you'll lose again, father." Akagi snickered.
For some reason she was sure that Akashi's ability to play was far above her father's.
"Ah, but your strategy is also good Akagi-san. I'm impressed. Usually I will win in a no time. But I need a decent amount of time to defeat you. That means you are a strong opponent." Akashi briefly bowed his head again.
'Ugh! What's wrong with all this polite Akashi? So weird!'
Just seeing him made Akagi think more. Whether is it the same Akashi as she ecountered before or not.
The rain had stopped and Akashi's clothes were dry. He changed the t-shirt he borrowed with his basketball jacket. Akagi's mother forced him to bring an umbrella and some yudoufu's for his teammates. Akagi still held the t-shirt which Akashi had just worn when she took that red head to the terrace. It feels a little bit cold after the rain.
"Be careful." Akagi said. She chewed her lower lip. Felt all nervous. "Thank you for returning my student card."
Akashi nodded.
"The food is nice."
He walked away without bid a goodbye. When he arrived near the fence he turned to face Akagi.
"Your family is very kind, Seira-san." He said shortly before he walked away from Akagi's house.
Akagi stand still at the door. Her face feels warm. Her hand suddenly straddled the shirt that Akashi was wearing near her face. She buried her face in the t-shirt and inhaled the smell that left by him.
'God, I'm sure I'm crazy now'
*****
Note:
*Yudoufu is a Japanese nabemono (hot pot) dish consisting of tofu simmered in a clay pot with kombu (edible kelp) stock. The dish is often served with garnishes such as scallions, ginger, shichimi tougarashi (a Japanese spice mixture containing seven different spices), and/or grated daikon (an East and Southeast Asian radish). The tofu itself can also be dipped into various sauces - usually ponzu (a citrus-based sauce), but a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and dashi can be used as well. Like other nabemono, yudoufu is most popular during the colder months.