Afternoon Together
Beautiful Intentions
She felt warm and at ease. A feeling that had been absent from Chisato’s emotional library for quite some time. The easing calm of drifting on the back of another…that feeling had been thrown out long ago. Yet, here it was now. Wrapping its warm arms around her as she reluctantly opened her eyes. Shutting them quickly when florescent light blinded her.
‘Where the hell am I…?’ She thought, blinking rapidly to help her pupils adjust. Still lying in place, Chisato glanced around the room she was in.
Taking in the pastel green walls and white ceilings, noting the small size and contraptions around her bedside she quickly figured out where she was. It was similar to the other examination rooms in clinics she had been to before with her mother. That is until they were recommended to go to a hospital physician.
Slowly sitting up, Chisato tried to run her right hand through her hair but found it stuck. Looking down she saw that it was being held by another hand…a hand she recognized instantly. Even after three months she knew that this hand was attached to Ohno Satoshi.
Her coffee colored eyes flittered over the man; his head was resting on his free arm that was practically hanging off the edge of the bed. Ohno’s sleeping expression caused a fire to light up Chisato’s cheeks. It was so embarrassing to have him there, holding her hand and looking so cute. It felt like it was something straight out of a romantic drama.
The normal reaction might have been to just lie back down and enjoy holding hands with Arashi’s Leader…but Chisato wanted to yank her hand away and run for the door. She thought it unnecessary to be in this guy’s presence again. Besides, she has work…well…had work.
‘It’s already one o’clock!? Naomi-san will be disappointed in me…’ And her best friend’s disappointment seemed more dire then getting fired or yelled at. Spotting her purse on the bed side table, Chisato started leaning towards it to retrieve her phone. It was a shame the table was on the right and her hand was occupied. Sighing in slight aggravation she gingerly tried to pry her hand from his. Trying to remain gentle as not to wake Ohno up…
When she become impatient at the time it was taking to free herself, Chisato accidentally jerked her hand free, waking the sleeping Leader. His groggy blinked and yawned before he regained his senses; a sleepy grin slowly spreading across his face.
“…Ah, ohayo….” He said between another yawn, his smile never wavering.
“How’s your head?” With furrowed brows, Chisato inched away from Ohno. Eyeing him like he had just tried to make a pass at her.
“Where am I?” Her tone was sharp and insistent. Pursing his lips and stretching his arms above his head, Ohno took his time to reply.
“We’re at a clinic, you hit your head on a light post….” This seemed plausible; she was after all a pretty clumsy person.
“…But why are you here? And why were you holding my hand…and sleeping!?” Her words came out in a flustered rush as the memory of walking down the street and hitting something replayed in sepia colored memories. Ohno furrowed his brow in confusion; he only caught half of what she had just said.
“Could you repeat…all of that?” He asked with a slightly timid smile. Narrowing her gaze, Chisato sat up straight and gathered a big gulp of oxygen before slowly releasing it. Attempting to calm her suddenly frazzled nerves.
“Why are you here?” Repeating the calming breathing, her words seemed to flow easier and much more audible. Ohno tilts his head to the side slightly before answering.
“I’m the one who found you.” Though her heart gave a hard thump, her brow twitched.
“I got that much. I mean, why are you still here…and why were you holding my hand?” Chisato held her hand up as if it were evidence in a trial. Her brow creased and eyes holding a startling glare.
“…You’re the one who grabbed me.” Bypassing the first question, Ohno answered the second with a monotonous voice. Turning his head to the side a fraction as he recalled the incident.
As he was thinking of the memory Chisato had closed the small gap of space between them without thinking. Her face was virtually a breath away from his. Realizing her predicament she slowly pulled back, her right hand hovered over her chest and her eyes evaluated Ohno’s relaxed posture. He seemed to be utterly immune to the thick tension filled air as he blankly stared at nothing.
‘That or he’s a moron…’ The thought entered her mind as quickly as it left. Her stomach and heart twisting in a bit of guilt over the notion.
“Ah, look who’s finally up.” A male voice crammed itself into the already compact examination room. Her eyes reluctantly moved from Ohno to the doctor who had taken care of her.
He wasn’t as old as one would have thought. If she had to guess Chisato would say he was in his early to mid thirties. He had dark feathery hair and kind eyes that were surrounded by laugh lines. A perfect specimen to play a hunky doctor in a medical drama.
“Yes, I’m sorry to have troubled you.” Chisato bowed her head while he just smiled and shook his head.
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s my job to look after those who need help. Luckily you don’t have any serious injury to your head, only a bump.” Chisato’s hand gently grazed said bump, making her wince.
“Easy. It will probably be sore for a while.” He assured gently patting the top of her head like she was a mere child. Unsure of the contact, Chisato arched away from the man. She didn’t even know his name yet.
“Oh, how rude of me, let me introduce myself. I’m Ayano Ryouta…sensei…” He whispered the last part in an attempt to remain humble. Glancing from Ohno to Ayano-sensei, Chisato felt a warrant of obligation to introduce herself. But the doctor should already know her name…right? Ohno told them it…right?
“….I’m Shirokawa Chisato…nice to meet you.” She whispered, feeling a mixture of discomfiture and anger. Why didn’t Ohno tell them?
“Ah, I see, Shirokawa Chisato-san.” Ayano-sensei parroted, jotting down her first name while Chisato peeked at Ohno. Who seemed to also have a sense of awareness of her name now.
Tightening her jaw, the thought of him forgetting what her name was came to fruition and it enraged her. Was she that easy to forget? She had remembered his name the moment he uttered it, the forename managing to etch its way into her memories. However…it seemed it was a one sided affect.
~++++~
After a few more tests that required Chisato to be awake, she was finally allowed to leave. But before that she had to pay the bill…with the money she was going to use to eat lunch with….
“Thank you very much for taking care of me.” She repeated several times before finally exiting the small clinic. Ohno following right behind, though if it weren’t for his footsteps she would have thought no one was there. After a few blocks of travel she finally had, had enough.
“Why are you still here!?” She snapped getting a blank look and a few thoughtful blinks in return.
“Don’t you have some other things to do?” There was an emphasis on her words. Like she wasn’t worth his time or that he was far to important to even remember her name.
‘When I had been thinking of you this whole time!’ She mentally screamed, trying to keep her lower lip from quivering pathetically.
“…No…” He muttered still giving her that in thought blink. She scoffed, shaking her head at the obvious lie or so she thought.
‘A member of Arashi doesn’t have anything better to do than follow a nobody around…yeah, right.’ She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips.
“Listen, it’s not that I’m not grateful that you helped me…but you didn’t even remember my name…so…” She trailed off, hoping Ohno would get the message…he didn’t.
“Was I that obvious? I thought I had dodged the bullet on that one…” Chisato’s brow creased as Ohno gave an apologetic crooked smile accompanied by nervously scratching the back of his head. The whole ambiance would have made any girl keel over but Chisato’s irritation had managed to overpower that emotion.
It took a sizable amount of will for Chisato to keep from yelling or letting her eye twitch.
‘What is with this guy!?’ She thought slowly turning her back towards him.
“Right….So, I’ll just be going now.” She mumbled, starting to walk once again and once again Ohno’s footsteps echoed in the background. With each step they took her grasp on her nerves seemed to fray. But before she could spin around once more and yell at the man, her phone rang.
‘Naomi-san!’ Instantly she flipped her cell open and pressed the little green phone with her thumb. Holding the receiver to her ear.
“Hello? Naomi-san?” Noticing her increasingly heavy breathing, Ohno spotted a vending machine. Silently taking his leave to fetch them something to drink. It was summer after all and the heat today was exceptional. Paying no mind to his absence, Chisato turned waiting for a response from her friend.
“Ah, so you are alive. Just making sure since you didn’t come into work…and you didn’t call.” Naomi grumbled in an annoyed tone.
“…Do you have any idea how worried I was!?” She snarled into the receiver, Chisato wincing at the raised voice.
“Sorry…I…uh…bumped into something and thought I should check it out before work….I guess my phone was off. I’m really sorry.” She whispered the vague explanation. It wasn’t a lie entirely….Hearing a deep sigh on the other end, she released a pent up breath.
“I guess it’s fine. Are you alright?” Before Chisato could answer, Naomi was already speaking again.
“Don’t you think of coming to work today. I’ll call Taiga-san and tell her you’re not going to GIMMICK either. Go home and rest, you got that! Don’t worry about your pay either, just rest!” Without another word the dial tone sounded, signaling that Naomi had hung up. Blink in utter shock, Chisato slowly closed her phone.
It was only when she felt an icy cold bottle against her cheek that she snapped out of her stupor. A different kind of surprise presenting itself on her face. Ohno’s brow rising and head tilting when she didn’t say anything.
“Here.” Gently taking the bottle from his hand, Chisato examined it. The label was decorated with a cute picture of a peach and tea leaf with smiley faces.
“I didn’t know what you would like…so I got you water too.” He said after Chisato didn’t react to the bottle that was given.
“No…it’s not that…This is my favorite peach tea, thank you.” She smiled genuinely, causing Ohno to blink in surprise. Her happy smile truly was engaging. He silently wished that he could see it more often instead of the indifferent mask she always seemed to wear.
“But I’ll take the water too.” She wasn’t about to pass up water on a summer day. Ohno cleared his head of the sparkles Chisato had induced by smiling. It was a fleeting thing, her smile, if you closed your eyes for a second you’d miss it….
“How much?” She asked, taking her change purse out as she was putting the water away. Ohno just shook his head as he took a gulp of his drink, sighing in content when he was done. Feeling suddenly awkward and guilty for being so rude before, Chisato shifted in place.
“Um…hey…I’m-” She was cut off by a loud groan coming from her stomach, it was lecturing her for not eating anything since breakfast. With her cheeks painted red she looked up at Ohno, who let out a short chuckle.
“Should we go get something to eat?” Chisato’s brow creased again.
“Not with you…” She snapped bitterly. The image of eating with an idol didn’t sit well with her, sure Ohno was nice enough and didn’t have that high and mighty attitude…but the attention they could get made Chisato uneasy.
“Come on.” Ohno called from about fifteen feet ahead. He wasn’t paying attention to anything she was saying! No wonder he didn’t remember her name. Silently, in the back of her mind she was glad he didn’t hear her bitter words; it was an uncharacteristic reaction from the usually docile Chisato. He brought out all kinds of new emotions and sides that she didn’t know existed within herself.
“Oi! I’m not going to eat with a guy who didn’t remember my name!” She yelled while following after him. Ohno shrugging as he lead the way in their trek to find food.
~++++~
Following their inevitable lunch in which Chisato stubbornly insisted on paying for her own meal…with the money she was going to use for a few books she had been wanting. But the good news was that to her surprise no one recognized him. Though at the same time she thought it strange, she was also relieved.
As the two walked for a while in silence Chisato continually insisting that he stop following her…
“I’d feel bad if you ran into another post.” Was his answer to all her griping. His simple worded answer made her heart pound and cheeks flush. Ohno seemed utterly unaffected by Chisato’s complaining and shouting. He would either look off into the distance or let a small crooked smile go.
‘What is with this guy…?’ She thought again, a soft smile appearing on her lips as she shook her head. They approached her apartment as the sun was starting to set.
“Well, thanks again.” She mumbled, trying to hide her reddened face.
“Sure, bye.” He said before bowing slightly, turning around to start walking. As he did so something pulled at Chisato’s chest. She had to repay him somehow for helping her, is the excuse she chalked it up to be.
“Wait, Ohno-kun!” Said man turned at hearing his name being carried on her voice. It was the first time he had heard her say his name, and Ohno liked it just a little bit.
“You should stop by C’est La Vie Café sometime.” His brow creased in confusion.
“C’est La Vie Café?” The words felt as foreign as it’s origin as he said it.
“Yeah, I work there. Here.” She handed him a business card with the phone number and website on it.
“If you stop by I can repay you for saving me. Even though I was rude to you…I hope you’ll let me treat you.” She whispered, bowing quickly as a strange emotion bubbling in her stomach. Glancing at his confused expression once more she hurried inside the apartment building without hearing his response.
Ohno stood there for a few seconds, staring at the black and mauve colored card. Sticking it in his front pocket with the silver ring he had forgotten to give back to Chisato once again.
‘I guess I really should stop by there…even if to just give this back to her.’ Ohno thought walking in the direction of the station that would take him home. Thoughts of Chisato and their afternoon drifting in and out of his mind. Questions and thought like: why would she have a ring with fish on it? She didn’t seem like the fishing type…
Then again, she didn’t seem like a lot of things he discovered were true today. Some of which weren’t exactly attractive, but Ohno didn’t seem to think them unattractive either.
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Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update. But here it is. I'd like to thank everyone who subscribed!!!
You're all so awesome as are the readers. Anyway, enough of my rambling.
Thanks for reading!!!!!!!!!!!
If you didn't know already, here's a small key to the italics and underlinging:
- italics + underline = English
- italics = thoughts
P.S. Comments are always welcome! <3
Update 4/4/2012: Alright, so I re-read this chapter and fixed a bunch of thing. I was very ashamed of myself for having such embarrassing mistakes. Anyway, working on new chapters! Thank you very much for your patience.
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