Part 3 :

 

Three week passed by.

Ai was walking in town alone while holding onto a bucket of fresh strawberries, heading toward a bookstore. As she walked in, a person called her name and she looked up in surprised. “Miss Koizumi!”

Ai smiled warmly at the older man. “Konichiwa, oji-chan.”

“You look so cute today.”

Ai put her bucket and her bag on a table and chuckles before she turned facing the older man again. “Why thank you, you looked cute too.”

“Haha, so what kind of book you are searching for?”

“Let me see.” Ai browsed over the book shelf and spotted what interest her, four new comic books and a book on how to control her anger during red flag. She pays for it and went out, bringing her bucket and her bag along, unconscious that she dropped something important to her.

A guy walks in next. “Ah young man,welcome! What can I get you?”

“Ah, yes. Can you get me books about photography?”

“Sure, I’ll be back in just a sec.”

“Arigatou!” He grinned while taking a seat, his eyes catches a sight on the table at the first glance and reaches for it. “…. Koizumi?”

***           

“Aron?!” Ai screamed as she reaches at her apartment, she throws her bag and looked around. Gasping, her heart was beating fast and she feels the urge to cry at the moment. “It was still in my bag when I checked earlier- Aron!” She called as she gave up from searching and abruptly ran out from her apartment. “The bookstore!”

“Humph!” Ai fell on her and groaned in pain as she bumped into a strong force.

“Uwaa! Gomenasai!”

A familiar voice hit her eardrums, causing her to frown and blinks at the moment she saw a familiar black haired guy.

“You?!”

A hand reaches for hers, pulling her up and makes her stand immediately. “Eh? Were you crying?”

Ai looked down and shakes her head “I am not!”

“Yeah right.” She heard the latter chuckles and ruffling voice were heard. Within seconds she feels warm hands cupped her cheeks, forcing her to look up at the person. His eyes were gentle and he gave a reassuring smile, somehow it calms her down. A white color came in view and Ai begin to realized that it’s a tissue rubbing against her cheeks. Ai couldn’t move at the moment and just stand still until it’s over, her eyes focused completely on the charming black haired guy.

“There.”

“A-Arigatou.”

“Do’itashimasu!”

 

Yuto’s POV

“Humph!” I bumped into her and cause her to fell. Obviously she was running cause she hits me hard that even my body moved backwards.

“Uwaa! Gomenasai!” I shouted in panic, widening my eyes.

She looked up with a frown “You?!”

She remembered me! I reaches for her, pulling her up and makes her stand immediately. I notice her eyes were red and a little swollen. “Eh? Were you crying?”

She looked down and shakes her head “I am not!”

Obviously lying.

“Yeah right.”  I chuckled and took tissues out. I reaches for her cheeks and cupped them in my both hands, forcing her to look up at me. I smiled and she seems to relax a little . She didn’t push me away. Okay, that’s new. I wiped her last tears gently and notice that she was standing still like a doll and seems to be focusing on me until I’m finished. Is there something on my face?

“There.”

“A-Arigatou.” She had her face down again, playing with her skirt.

“Do’itashimasu!” I answered while rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.

“W-What are you doing here?”

Oh, a question.

“I came to say ‘Hi’. How are you?”  I patted her head. Her hair feel so nice and soft, until I didn’t realized that I couldn’t stop myself from patting her. Alright, that’s enough.

“I-I’m fine.” She looked away and turns to me after, I felt my heart jumped at the moment I’m having eye contact with her.

“No you’re not.”

“I am! I just.. I lost something very important.” There’s something in her eyes as she spoke, a gaze of loneliness. Does it have to do with the book she always seems to cherish?

“You mean this book?”

I took the book I found in the bookstore a while ago, I know it was hers cause of the photo.I was surprised myself that I was still able to remember her after weeks since that first encounter . Her hands automatically reached for it, she seems to be in despair at the moment and suddenly I felt my heart hurts. She seems to realize she had her hands up and was leaning on me in awkward position. I decided to encircle her waist with my arm, and seemed to cause her to yelp and react by putting her hand on my chest, jerking herself a little to look at me. I stared at her amusedly and curved my lips into a smirk.

“Woah, I never had girls taking advantage on me before.” I mentally laughed at her reaction.

“W-Wha- “

“It’s very important to you, huh?” I waved the book and cut her words.

“Yes.” She pushed me away and I let her go, smiling innocently.

“I want my book back.”

“What can I get?” I bit my lip and raise an eyebrow. Hey, I deserved a treat or awards!

“I don’t have time for this.”

“Well, I want something in return.”

“Do you want me to hit you again?” She glared through her bangs at me and cross her arms, lips twitching.

“Of course no! Geez! You should at least thank me for returning this to you deshou?” I spoke out bluntly.

Her gaze soften.

“What is your name again?”

So cruel.

“You forgot?! How could you! I still remember your name!” I sobbed and faked a tear, I pouted and I received a hit on my chest by her small fist. I notice a smile appeared to her face as she shakes her head and found myself digging my nails on the book. She seems to lighten and completely forgot about the book I’m holding. It wasn’t tense like the first time we met.

‘Who’s the guy in the picture?’ I found myself asking the question in my head and narrowed my eyes.

“You know, you looked cute when you smile.”

“Arigatou?”

She didn’t take it as a compliment.

“Haha, I’m Nakajima Yuto. Yoroshikuu!” Second introduction in proper way. I bowed and she bowed back.

“Yoroshiku, Nakajima-kun.”

“Iya, iya. Just call me Yuto.”

“…alright then? Yuto-kun.”

“Drop the ‘-kun’ .” I decided to play a little.

“You sure have lots of request huh?”

“Say it.” I was suddenly determined in getting her to say it.

“No.”

“Say ittt.” I take a step closer toward her and reaching my hands up to her side, but she react quick by moving away and I ended up catching air.

“Hahaha!” She burst out laughing while keeping a distant between us.

“Don’t run!”

“What makes you think that I might listen to you?”

“This.” I pushed myself up toward her, catching her around her waist and I had her in my arms in just seconds. She lost her guard at the moment and had her eyes wide opened  “H-Hey!”

“Got cha!”

“.. Now, say it.”

“No!”

I didn’t see this coming. She hits my tummy with her elbow and peeled my arms off. She turned to look at me who already on the ground, trying to suppressed the pain by pressing on the spot. Why am I so weak??! I cursed myself and shouted “Oww!”

I found her kneeling beside me and tilted her head like a kitten. Her fingertips ran over my cheeks, and I gasps at the touch like a girl. Yeah, I do act girly sometimes. “Pftt..” Ai had her hand over her lips and laughs, I blushed and pushed her face from view, sat up and mess her silky hair, covering up my embarrassment.

“It’s embarrassing.” I turn away and put a hand over my own mouth, other hand was still on her head and I saw her looking up through her messed bangs from the corner of my eyes. Her eyes are very captivating.

“It feel nice.” She muttered as she looked down, smiling like an idiot. Cute.

“Hmm?” I had my camera in hand and aimed toward her.

“Your warmness.”

“Click!”

My warmness?  Unexpected.

“Eh?”

“Huh? Aa-ah! Y-You should smile more like that.” I found myself unable to speak at the moment I heard her saying such thing.

“Hey! Delete that!”

“Nu’uh!”

“Uh’uh!”

“Haha, still no.”

“Stop being a meanie, Yuto!”

I smiled in victory as she whined (And cause she finally called my first name), and suddenly had my eyes on the abandon book in my pocket.

“Here.”

She immediately stopped whining and reaches for the book, her hand gently picking up the book and had it placed on her heart. She closed her eyes and looked down, covered by her hair so I couldn’t figure out what expression she’s making.

“Gomen ne Yuto-kun, I- I gotta go. Arigatou for delivering this. It’s very important to me..”

I narrowed my eyes at her tone and clenched my fists. She’s broken.

“…more than my life.”

I suddenly feel the urge to hit that person and the feeling of regretting, cursed myself for giving it back to her.

“Who is that guy in the photo?” I blurt out without thinking and notice she had her eyes met mine instantly.

Yuto’s POV END

***Part 3 (End)

A/N : ….. I got nothing to say. Lol. It’s already part 3! Coming up next is part 4. *put my arm around Yuto’s shoulder and raise an eyebrow at him* Any idea baby?

Yuto : How about we-

Me : *covers his mouth* Please wait for the next part! *winks*