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Shouko walked from the kitchen.
"Sakuta-kun, what would you like to eat tonight?" she asked with a smile. No matter what, she always had that smile. It was the kind of smile that convinces you that everything will be alright because Shouko can handle anything that comes your way.
Sakuta grunted as he saw that Shouko was already dressed in an apron with a spatula in hand. It was still a little early for dinner--too early for Sakuta to start making dinner.
"Shouko-san, what the heck are you doing?" Sakuta asked, a great annoyance in his voice.
Shouko's smile only grew larger as she closed her eyes to respond. "I told you yesterday that I was going to make dinner starting today. I wouldn't want you to think less of me by not holding my word."
It was hard to tell if she was serious or joking around. Probably both. This was not an answer that Sakuta was expecting, even though he knew her more than anyone else did. Maybe it was because he was not used to someone being so bold with him about their kindness. With Shouko, it was hard to tell if these words were trying to forward an ulterior motive, if any.
"I can handle the cooking. Besides, it's going to take a lot for my opinion of you to be lowered." His words came out more concerned than apathetic. For some reason, the image of Shouko comforting him by the beach flashed within his mind. To thank someone through empty words often was not enough to satisfy a person. True gratitude had to be expressed through actions. Sakuta knew this better than anyone, but now that he thought about it, had he thanked Shouko yet?
"By the way, er, Shouko-san." His voice trembled a bit as his gaze slighted to whatever it was to the right....which just so happened to be Kaede. Sakuta could feel a tinge of embarrassment thump at his chest, thinking he may have accidentally sent a nonverbal message to his little sister.
Kaede looked back at her brother with a hint of surprise. She nodded and walked to her room. At the door, she turned to Shouko, "I hope you enjoy your stay here, Shouko-san," and closed the door swiftly, but quietly. Though this should have lightened the mood, Sakuta could not tell if his discomfort lessened.
It was the perfect opportunity for Shouko to take advantage of the moment. It was not often that Sakuta was left vulnerable. Any one of Shouko's comments can leave him without words, and he knew that Shouko would enjoy seeing that side of him. To his surprise, she did not capitalize on the moment.
"What is it, Sakuta-kun?" Her expression was more serene, like she was ready to comfort Sakuta in case he wanted to share whatever might be troubling his heart. Her smile did not fade, but now there was a more serious, yet caring side to it. This was no longer the Shouko who liked to tease Sakuta. This was the Shouko who wanted to respond to his feelings. Sakuta could not help but think there was no better situation for him to get his words across.
Serious and genuine, Sakuta looked at Shouko in the eye. "I just wanted to thank you for back then. You saved me, Shouko-san. So....please....if there is anything I can do for you, Shouko-san, I would want to hear it." These words, once believed to be almost impossible to convey, now seemed effortless. It took years, but Sakuta could have these words leave his heart and be given to the one he's been waiting for--waiting for far too long. A lot has happened during these years, and Shouko recognized this.
For the first time, it was Sakuta that left Shouko vulnerable. Light tears crept their way behind her eye lids. They were easy to be held back, and now there was a new type of smile that shined angelically on her face. Struck with insurmountable joy, Shouko walked over to Sakuta. Her arms gently wrapped around his neck and her head rested on his chin. Caught off guard, Sakuta slowly reciprocated the gesture.
"My, you've grown over the years, Sakuta-kun," Shouko's soft voice whispered by like the gentle waves of the beach from back then. Sakuta could not help but picture that golden horizon with the same girl leaning against his slumped shoulders. "How sweet of you to be concerned about my feelings. Of course....you were the one that saved me." These words troubled Sakuta a bit. He could not recall when he had ever done something for Shouko. Maybe she was referring to how much he worked to become a kinder person--someone more like the Shouko who was kind to him. His life had come a long way since he met Shouko....including....
"Shouko-san," Sakuta almost swallowed his words. "I have a girlfriend." His throat was horribly sore. Sakuta closed his eyes, fearing the sight of Shouko crying, losing her smile. "Thanks to you, I have a girlfriend." The love he held had not faded--not ever. If he knew that he would meet Shouko again, he would reserve his heart for her. Now, things are complicated. If Mai was here, she would probably scold him for letting Shouko get this close to him, knowing that he had a girlfriend.
No....Knowing Mai, she would not scold him for this. If she was here, she would let this play out. If Sakuta had any doubts about his relationship with Mai, they had nothing to do with her as a person. He truly was blessed to have both her and Shouko in his life.
"Mai-san is truly pretty with a good personality," Shouko spoke with soft acceptance. Sakuta opened his eyes, not expecting this sort of reaction. He glanced to the side, trying to guage Shouko's physical reaction, checking for tears or a sniffling nose--but no, there was no indication of his words hurting her. At worst, her expression was solemn, but peacefully indulgent. "I'd say she is a good match for you. You have the Shouko-san guarantee that you will live a happy life with her." Shouko let go, revealing her face to him, as though trying to confirm to him that she will manage.
Sakuta, relieved that Shouko's feelings were not devastated, could not help but ease into a smile. Though battered, a weight was lifted from his shoulders, a closure that he wanted to get from the girl that saved his life. Maybe Shouko knew that this would happen and pretended to accept this turn of events. Whatever the case, Sakuta did not want to forget Shouko, the one who gave him a future.
Shouko padded down her apron, removing any wrinkles. With a twirl, she clasped her hands behind her back, posing elegantly for the man she loved. "Well, what do you think, Sakuta-kun? Does this apron make me look cute?" She let out a small giggle, ready to hear his response and hoping that his heart skipped a beat.
Sakuta struggled to slight his eyes away. A great uneasiness rose as he knew that he was being dragged into a trap. "You are above average," he replied with feigned apathy.
"Above average meaning cute?"
"Above average meaning above average."
Shouko giggled, clearly enjoying this little exchange. "Well, if Sakuta-kun likes to see me wear this, then I guess I have no choice but to cook."
"W-wait! Time! T-time out!" Sakuta sputtered. "I said I can handle the cooking." He was losing ground and disoriented, unable to gain more ground. That darn Shouko made his heart throb, making it hard to think, to come up with a comeback and reasoning. This was all part of her plan!
'It's not fair if I get to stay here and not help out. Think about it this way, Sakuta-kun. If you were staying at my place, wouldn't you want to pull your own weight?"
"I would probably listen if you told me not to cook, like any other decent human being," Sakuta spoke with condescending apathy.
Shouko pretended to sigh and tapped a finger on her bottom lip. "Ah, how sad that Sakuta-san does not understand the kindness of friends. I guess Shouko-san will have to be the first friend to cook for you." She turned and made her way to the kitchen.
"Wait a second, Shouko-san!" Sakuta called out, his hand reaching out with subdued effort.
"Yes?" Shouko turned her head back, the motion tugging at Sakuta's heart again.
It was out of character for him to be this nervous. How long has it been since he had such a visceral reaction to a person doing the littlest of movements and making the most lighthearted of teasing. It was kind of frustrating not to be able to think as clearly as he did before, but some aspect of this he welcomed. There was something about this weakness that made him feel more human.
"Let's make a compromise." To his own surprise, Sakuta found himself asking for middle ground that the two can share. How odd it felt to neither be in the right nor the wrong. This was all pointless in the grand scheme of things, but even pointless banter like this was not bad.
Shouko bowed. "Yes. Anything for you, Sakuta-kun. Just nothing erotic, alright?" Dumbfounded at this statement, Sakuta needed a moment to compose himself. Didn't she just decline his request to let him cook dinner? At this point, it didn't matter.
"How about we cook dinner....together?" Sakuta asked, wondering how Shouko would respond. He's been wrong about a lot of things this night. At this point, he learned to watch and react.
Strangely enough, Shouko pretended to show worry. It was possible that this worry was genuine, but anything can be possible concerning Shouko. However, it was good feeling as the recipient of Shouko's worry. A part of Sakuta wanted Shouko to show this gesture more, and he knew that she would be happy to oblige, but it might be wrong to ask such a thing from her.
"That might be troubling. I only found this one apron, and Sakuta-kun said that he likes to see me wear this. What are you going to wear to protect your clothes?" Shouko pondered aloud. It was obvious that she was completely open to this idea, but behind her way of presenting this, she was truly giving this idea some thought.
"I'll just wash this if it gets dirty," Sakuta let out, almost on impulse. He was no stranger to walking around without a shirt on. If needed, he could get easily get a new pair of clothes after a nice shower.
Shouko placed a fist upon her palm, emphasizing her new idea. "Well then," she exclaimed, "I will just have to do your laundry for you, as well." Satisfied, Shouko marched onto the kitchen, playfully strutting slowly in case Sakuta had something else he wanted to say.
However, nothing came out but a sigh. Arguing against this would just be a repeat of the events before. The best option seemed to just let Shouko do what she wants, as long as no boundaries are overstepped. Helping Sakuta out probably made Shouko happy, so through some twist in logic, letting Shouko help out around the house might be a part of Sakuta thanking Shouko.
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With two people working in the kitchen, dinner was both plentiful and delicious. Sakuta was surprised to see Shouko's dexterity with a knife, cutting vegetables as smoothly and efficiently as an expert manually sharpening a pencil. He was impressed by how evenly Shouko could distribute the pepper by just letting it fall from her palm and how evenly she decided to split the workload.
Full, the two were lounging in the living room, waiting for the food to digest. Kaede, possibly out of respect for her older brother, had left the host and his guest alone. Sakuta, leaning against the couch, could not help but reminisce how delicious the food was that Shouko prepared. Shouko, sitting upright and brushing her hand against Hayate's soft fur, day dreamed peacefully with her eyes closed. Whatever was going inside her mind was anyone's guess, but Sakuta had greater things on his mind, such as what Shouko would look like in a bunny outfit.
"Thank you for letting me use your ingredients, Sakuta-kun," Shouko said in between back rubs.
"Uh, yeah, no problem." Sakuta got up from his hypnotic stupor. He only just noticed Hayate curled up comfortably on Shouko's lap. The lucky cat was half awake, trapped within its own comfortable world where it could feel the gentlest of hands flick back its fur. What Sakuta would give to join Hayate.
"By the way, Shouko-san, where did you learn to cook like that?" asked Sakuta as he positioned his arms to support his angled body.
Shouko grinned. "Oh my. Sakuta-san is interested in my hobbies?"
"Must you really turn my questions into a big deal?"
"Well, if you must know, Mai-san was the one who helped me practice my cooking."
The strength in his arms quickly destabilized. Almost falling, Sakuta had to catch himself from his wobbling arms, straightening them swiftly back to full length. His muscles were now pulsing in pain, forcing him to sit upright with a forward lean.
"Seriously? Mai-san taught you? How is that possible?" His curiosity peaked into an all-time high. The time he spent with Mai gave him the impression that Mai never met Shouko beforehand. And then there was the case of the middle school Shouko....
Still smiling, Shouko placed a finger to her lip. "Sorry, Sakuta. That is a girl's secret. Since there are two girls involved, this is a double-girl's secret. Girls, only." She gave an apologetic turn of her head, playfully showing her condolences as cute as ever.
"Now you are just making stuff up," Sakuta sighed with disappointment. "If that's the case, then I guess I am entitled to a boy's secret." Shouko let out a chuckle, covering her mouth, even though Sakuta did not intend to make that a joke. He meant this statement in its entirety. Still, it was nice to see Shouko letting loose like someone told her an embarrassing secret.
Shouko placed the tips of her fingers on her chest, catching her breath. "Unfortunately, society does not work that way," Shouko stated with what seemed to be an apologetic tone that had little effort involved. "Though, I have heard of a 'bro's code,' or 'bromance.' Unfortunately for you, Sakuta-kun, I am female. You're going to have to live with not being entitled to a boy's secret, at least when you're around me or Mai-san." Shouko chuckled even harder, greatly amused by the concept of a boy's secret. "It seems you still have a long way to go before you're ready to interact with other women, Sakuta-kun." Her face grew a little red, now trying very hard to hold back her laughter with a single palm.
Sakuta twitched in annoyance. If Mai was here, she would not let Sakuta hear the end of this. To his chagrin, Shouko might also be the type to not let this moment down. He scratched his head uncomfortably, increasing in intensity with every moment Shouko's subdued laughter gets register within his cranium.
"ARGH! Fine! Just don't tell Mai-san about this," Sakuta pleaded with a tone opposite from the request he is making and the frown more noticeable than his closed eye lids. He crossed his arms, trying his best to act annoyed.
"A-alright, then," Shouko struggled to say. "If you will let me cook for you tomorrow."
A pause.
"Denied."
"Then, how about the next day?"
"Denied."
"Oh, dear. I guess I'll do it the day after."
Sakuta twitched his brows with greater intensity. "I have the patience to continue this for forty more rounds," he muttered truthfully.
Shouko eased into a smile in response. "Then, I'll try my hardest to reach forty-one." Sakuta mustered up the strength he needed to backup one final statement.
"You saying that makes me want to go for forty-two." Surely, this was not enough to surpass Shouko....
"You beat me, Sakuta-kun," Shouko sighed with playful intent. "My limit really is forty-one." Shouko waited to hear the relief exhale from Sakuta. "....As a reward, I'll cook you dinner tomorrow." His mouth agape, Sakuta could not find the words to retort this. He was completely sapped, either by Shouko's insistence or the pleasantness of the food he prepared with Shouko. He searched hard to formulate coherent sentences, but found himself laughing out of the blue.
It was a light laughter that one might mistaken for sobbing. That was because, in a way, this was Sakuta sobbing. Sick of this sensation, Sakuta placed his hand over his mouth, as though he was expecting himself to vomit. His shoulders shook like occasional jolts of electricity were coursing through his body.
Noticing this, Shouko scooted closer to him and slowly pulled his head over to her chest where she snuggled him ever so gently.
"It's okay to cry, Sakuta-kun," Shouko spoke softly, her hand now caressing the back of his head. "Around me, crying has nothing to do with being a boy. You've tried your best, so you deserve it." Sakuta, unfazed by this, could not find the stimulus within him to give in to Shouko's comfort.
"That's easy for you to say, Shouko-san," Sakuta muttered with the lowest amount of energy he had since keeping himself awake for Mai's sake. "You always smile for me. I never know if you are hurting behind that. It's frustrating, sometimes."
Shouko merely shook her head. "That's not true, Sakuta-kun. I smile for you because I want to smile for you. To smile for you is my way of showing gratitude. Remember how I said you've saved me once? I can never let go of that." Sakuta groaned, not knowing fact from fiction. As nice it was to be around Shouko, it was hard to get a read on her.
"Let's....make a compromise."
Shouko eased her eyes shut, now a smiling woman with no use of her vision, but a hand keeping someone close and another hand extending greater comfort. All that was left was to hear his request. "Yes, anything for you, Sakuta-kun. Just nothing erotic, alright?" Sakuta let out a weak groan. It pained him to say it, but he managed to let it out.
"I will cry if you promise me to cry when you need to," the words rolled slowly from his mouth. "I want you to trust either Mai-san or me to lean on." At this point, Sakuta no longer had the capacity to care about how Shouko might react. It was better to find whatever comfort he could find, though something prevented him from accepting the one extended to him.
Shouko remained silent for a bit, the words processing through her mind. Perhaps she was conditioning herself, mentally. "Yes, Sakuta-kun. I promise." The words left her mouth as peacefully as the passing night. Her calm voice echoing through his mind, Sakuta unlocked whatever was holding him back. It was a slow, yet automatic process with one last lock in place. It was hard to tell what that lock was, but it, too, slowly unlocked as Sakuta could feel light drops fall from his face.
Sakuta found himself unable to head to his room that night, for he found himself falling asleep alongside Shouko.