| Fan Fiction |
by biniBningPunkista
“Ohayou.” He shook his head then took a sit at the kitchen counter as he watched her moved swiftly around the kitchen, as she prepared breakfast. She reached out a glass of orange juice for him that he thankfully took. He was about to take a sip from the glass when he noticed that his mom looked unusually pretty today. Her hair all made up, clothes picked out differently… this woke him up immediately. Something was up.
“Mom… are you dat…” He cut his sentence then knitted his brows trying to think of the right words to say.
After a few moments of silence, his mom spoke up.
“Am I dating someone?” His mother took his words out of his mouth which made him half relieved but not as much as knowing the real answer.
“Would it be wrong if that was the case Hiro?” She gave him a questioning look that left him unable to speak.
“I’m sorry for saying that honey. It’s just that… It has been three years now. We both know that your father will never come back. I have asked myself about this before too you know,” she shrugged her shoulders and folded her arms in front of her. “I have asked myself if I date someone would it mean that I really didn’t love your father because I’m replacing him in my heart? Then again as I think about it, would your father be really happy that I would be left alone when Riko and you have to finally go on your own lives and leave me behind?” By this time she was thinking thoughtfully while staring far away not looking at him.
“Oh mom… you know I wouldn’t be able to leave you behind.” Hiro muttered sheepishly under his breath.
“You’re just saying that because you’re still in college. Wait till you graduate and fall in love, that’s when you start thinking of yourself.” His mother smirked at him looking like a know it all.
Fall in love. When will that ever happen to him?
Hiro wondered to himself as he looked back at his mother who has recovered from staring into space.
“Mom…” he called out to his mother.
“Yes?”
“Are you dating Mr. Yu?”
His mother suddenly turned at him looking very surprised. Then she burst out laughing like he just said a really funny joke.
“What?! What did I just say?” Hiro cocked his eyebrows while trying to guess what he just missed.
“Honey. If you think I was dating Takagi… then you can be rest assured I am not.” She smiled at him and started laughing once again.
“So what’s so funny mom? You can’t just laugh like that for no reason. I also don’t get it why a woman like you can’t date someone like Mr. Yu. Besides he really looks like a decent guy.” He didn’t want to say the last sentence but he said it out loud grudgingly.
“Honey… I did tell you that Takagi and I have been friends for a long time right?”
“Yeah… So? What’s keeping you from dating him?”
“Well the fact that he is GAY would stop me from wanting to date him.” His mother said it carefully then she looked at his face which has suddenly contorted with shock, that’s when another fit of laughter escaped his mother’s throat.
“I’m sorry honey if you misinterpreted what we were doing last night. I figured you must have thought we were flirting right? Oh… this is so embarrassing. I wouldn’t want you to see me flirting Hiro. I think it’s the most awkward thing that I do…” she talked on while his mind was going somewhere else. He has not yet recovered from the information he just learned.
Mr. Yu Takagi is gay? Aoi’s father is gay?
“Mom, how could he have a daughter when he is gay? Is he a bisexual by any chance?” He asked her, now that he’s getting really curious with the Yu’s history.
“Ah… I forgot to tell you that Takagi isn’t really Aoi’s biological father. Although it isn’t really impossible for a man to have children … Oh well…” all of sudden his mother’s mood changed and became very serious.
“Hiro, the truth is Aoi’s parents died from the earthquake that happened in Prague. Your father worked for Aoi’s real parents. He was doing the interior designing in their house when the biggest earthquake hit in Prague. Your father, Aoi and her parents where part of the casualty in that accident. Aoi was in a coma for a few weeks while Takagi who was her father’s step brother, the only living relative she has in Prague, took care of her while she was asleep. When she woke up, Takagi took her in and eventually adopted her.”
“Mom, I was in Prague at that time too right? Why don’t I have any recollection of knowing the Yu’s if Dad worked for them?”
“Yes honey you were there, the doctor’s don’t know where the rescuers found you and I really don’t care about that because here you are with me and you are alive. Your dad probably didn’t bring you with him at his work. By the way Hiro… don’t ask Aoi or Takagi anything about that incident ok? Let them tell you about it on their own. Losing your dad in that accident was a horrible experience for both of us. So I think it’s as much as horrifying for Aoi. Imagine waking up suddenly in the hospital and knowing that you don’t have you family anymore.” She looked grim thinking about this then suddenly cheered up trying to lift the mood up.
“Well honey, I’m just glad that you came back to me. I swear I don’t know what would happen to me if you weren’t here.”
Hiro nodded at his mom as she held his arm and smiled tightly at him. It never occurred to him that their lives where almost linked together. His heart clenched at the thought of what happened to Aoi, he knew how it felt to lose a father, but losing his whole family instantly… it never occurred to him how it would feel. Probably that’s the reason why she was crying that one time at the beach, but it was still weird because she was smiling at the same time.
After contemplating more about Aoi’s situation his mind went back to his mother’s attire.
“Oh, mom… if you’re not dating Mr. Takagi why are you wearing… ummm… clothes like that?” He reluctantly pointed at his mother’s clothes.
“Why? Does it look bad?” She asked worriedly, smoothing her skirt self consciously. This was the reason why he was reluctant to ask about it. His mother is going to be overly conscious until she gets out of the house and he assures her she looks ok for the millionth time.
“It looks good on you, mom. Don’t worry. You definitely look gorgeous.”
“Are you sure Hiro? You’re not just saying that because you’re my son?”
“No mom. You really look great in it.”
“Really? Don’t you think I should change the skirt or top? Not mismatching it or anything?”
“Mom. Really. You look beautiful.”
“Well you know I could just change and go back to my normal clothes…”
“Mom. You look fantastic and there’s no need to change. You also haven’t answered my question.”
“Oh, yes. Your question… I’m going with Takagi on this taste show in the hotel near town, where people dress up nicely and get to taste food on every variety. You do remember that I was a chef a long time ago right?”
“Yes mom, how would I ever forget that?” He smiled warmly at her this time, as he looked at the plate that his mother just placed in front of him. It was good food. On the outside it looks like a normal omelet, but once it hits his nose and taste bud he knew his mother had prepared it. It was the best omelet he could have in his life. No omelet can surpass his mother’s cooking, not even in big time restaurants. His mother was once a Taillevent chef which ranked number one for the last couple of years in Paris. It was her one pride that could never be taken away from her after she shifted her profession and managed his father’s business after he died.
At last his mother was doing something she actually likes for a change. Hiro smiled at himself as he looked at his mom who has been checking out herself on the window by the sink. He was about to get out of the chair to rinse his plate at the sink when he heard the doorbell. Instinctively he looked at his watch to check out the time.
“Oh crap! Mom, I got to go… I have to come early to school today and Aoi’s going to ride with me again.” He quickly laid the plate by the sink and gave his mom a quick peck on the cheek.
“Am I hearing you right? Are you actually going to give Aoi a lift voluntary this time?” His mom raised an eyebrow as he hurried out of his seat.
He just shook his head and ignored the teasing, as he rushed to the front door Aoi was already there standing by the doorway.
“Ohayou.” She said shortly while smiling brightly at him.
His heart made a skip when he saw her beaming face, he was at loss of words for a moment, then he suddenly felt confused and knitted his eyebrows.
“Ohayou.” He greeted back at her but not with the same enthusiasm. When he did this gesture, he chose to ignore Aoi’s face that fell for a moment, but as soon as her moment of disappointment appeared it was instantly replaced by a hopeful face.
“Hiro, do you think you can do me a favor?”
“Eh? Aren’t I giving you a ride already?” He glanced at her as he opened the car for her.
It was too late for him to realize what exactly he was doing for her. This gesture felt so weird, why does it feel that he has to do such simple things for a girl like her? What happened last night that gave him a different attitude towards Aoi?
Aoi unfortunately noticed his out of the character behavior and kept bugging him about it for almost half of their ride to the University.
“Come on Hiro! Why the sudden courtesy of opening the door to me? It was soooooo… out of character for you. You are usually mean to me and then suddenly you just open the door for me like that? Like the perfect gentleman? Were you suddenly abducted by aliens or something?” Aoi kept going on like the small kids who cannot get enough words out of their mouth.
“Aoi, yamero. You are way getting too annoying, too assuming and TOO PERKY in the morning. You are giving me a head ache. So please. Just stop. Cut it out already alright?” Hiro gave her a sharp look before looking back quickly on the road.
This made Aoi shut up… momentarily. Then she started yapping about her favor that she had already opened up earlier.
“Since we’re already on the friends category… we are already friends right?” Aoi re-assured him with uncertainty in her voice.
Hiro tried to consider this thought for a moment. Maybe it was a bad idea to be friends with this girl? He was slowly becoming the opposite of what he used to be. Firstly, he never hung out with other girls except his little sister and mom. Second, he never opens the door for girls even if it was his own mother and third, his heart doesn’t do stupid things just because of a simple smile.
The last thought made him reconsider the friendship part with Aoi.
“Yes. We are, after all I did tell you to call me Hiro already.” He answered her while looking straight ahead on the road with a bit of deliberation in his part.
“Yosh! Then that’s great, now that we are actually friends, you can do me a favor.” Aoi smiled mischievously at herself.
“We haven’t been friends for a day yet and now you’re already asking for favors. You are such a user, Yu Aoi.” Hiro shook his head trying to hide the amusement in his voice.
It was surprising that Hiro wasn’t annoyed with the way she was trying to persuade him to do her a favor. Rather, he found it interesting and aroused his curiosity as of what was the favor exactly.
“Hiro, honestly you’ll love the favor once you hear it out, but first you have to say YES. So you cannot back out no matter what happens.” Aoi told him smugly.
How come the condition was always a benefit for her and not him? Then again his curiosity got the best of him.
“I need a bit of a glimpse of the favor before I actually say yes.”
“Souka… its art related.” Aoi spoke quickly, with no hint of further clues as what the favor was about.
The girl knew exactly where to hit him. Hitting his weakest point was exactly what would have gotten him to say yes. Since it was art related, his curiosity went sky high. Anything art related was something he wouldn’t want to pass up at anytime. If it would score him something big within the art industry then he’ll take the chance whatever it was.
“You know my weakness.” Hiro told Aoi defeatedly.
Aoi was facing him while her back was at the door and she was nodding expectantly at him.
“Then your answer is a yes?”
“Stop doing that, it’s very annoying.” He told her trying his best to pretend he was annoyed.
“Come on Hiro!!! Just say yes for heaven’s sake!” Aoi said clearly losing her patience at him as she tried to tug his arm. This caught him off guard and he tried shrugging her off but the wheel steered mercilessly away from their lane.
“Alright! Alright!!! Yes, Yes! whatever it is! Just stop tugging at my arm.” Hiro shouted at her as he tried to steer the wheel back to their lane.
“Yatta!” Aoi exclaimed raising both her arms as she let go of his arm and beamed at herself.
“What the heck are you trying to do?!? Kill us on our way to school? Geez… just for the sake of a favor you’re going to risk both our lives?” Hiro muttered loudly to himself completely bewildered by what just happened. Good thing there were no cars in front of behind them. They could have easily gotten into an accident just because of that.
Hiro saw the school building ahead and drove towards the parking lot still bemused on how Aoi tried to make him say yes.
“We’re here Aoi, and please never do that again!” He reprimanded.
“Hai, hai… I’ll behave next time Hiro-kun.” Aoi said sweetly this time, she even batted her eyelashes for effects then got out of the car.
“Don’t act too cutesy on me, it still doesn’t change the fact you almost killed both of us just for a stupid yes.” He said with real irritation in his voice as he also got out of the car and slammed shut the door with more effort than necessary.
“Alright fine, but now I won’t be telling you what you just said yes for.” Aoi taunted at him.
“What?!? What the hell did I do now to deserve this hidden agenda from you?”
“You can’t lay low even for a bit Hiro! We have to live life on the edge sometimes. Where’s the fun of living if you can’t live on the edge?”
With that statement, Aoi turned around then waved with her back at him and left him alone by his car.
What exactly did he do wrong to deserve this kind of friendship from her?
He suddenly felt the black stone bulging at his pocket and shook his head for committing to something like this insane. At least when he’s with Toma, he knew his life was safe… but with Aoi around he had a feeling that starting that moment, his everyday would probably feel like his last.
……………………………………..
“Yo Hiro! I saw Aoi awhile ago currying a huge box around the school. Are you guys up for a project at work?” Toma asked as he walked with him towards their office building.
“Eh?” He looked at his friend completely clueless.
“You mean you don’t know that Aoi has been carrying something huge all the way from the school to the office?” his friend prodded.
Hiro just shook his head for an answer. What was that girl up to now?
“Oh well, she’s probably given an assignment by the boss.” Toma thought to himself loudly and scratched his chin.
“But if the boss gave her a project, shouldn’t you be the first one to know since you are supposed to be her senior?” Toma pointed out.
“You’re right. I am supposed to know that.” If he just missed a huge project because of a girl, and specifically because of Aoi… it would piss him off.
Big time.
“Gotta know the details Toma, I can’t let a girl overthrow me just for a week. Ja!” Hiro patted Toma’s back before rushing towards the elevator to check up on what exactly Aoi was up to.
He was already inside the elevator when someone shouted,
“Matte!!! Matte Kudasai!” It was Aoi, shouting to for wait so she may ride at the elevator.
She was carrying two triangular large boxes, as entered the lift huffing and puffing from running to catch up with the doors.
“Help me?” She asked Hiro gesturing with the boxes.
“What are you carrying around? Bones?” Hiro asked.
“Haha. Very funny.” Aoi said sarcastically.
“You’ll see later.”
~~~End of Chapter 4~~~
*sigh* i don't know what came over me. but i decided to post this. (sorry for any typos coz i got too lazy to check) i find the whole situation cute. ^_^v i miss annoying someone...