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The college studio was much smaller than the old Tokyo appartment Arata had once lived in with his parents, but far from as decrepit. In fact, it seemed mostly new and a sense of emptiness emanated from the plain walls that hadn't seen much use yet. Waking up there had been very strange in the first few days and when he opened his eyes because of the ringing alarm clock, he sometimes forgot he wasn't in his Fukui bed anymore.
With how depressingly impersonal the place looked, he had avoided spending too much time in it yet. Between his classes, studying in the university's library, going to karuta clubs and visiting friends, he had plenty to do elsewhere anyway.
But today, Chihaya was coming to see his one-room housing for the first time, just after getting a tour of his campus. Arata had gone to see hers the previous week, so now it was her turn.
Over their heads, grey clouds had covered the sky, making for a chilly and dull spring day. No rain was falling for now, unlike on that distant day they had walked together for the first time to his appartment. How strange it was, to lead her back to his new "home", so many years later.
He had mostly been silent back then, barely opening his lips, even though he felt that she probably wouldn't mock his accent and dialect like the others had. Today, on the contrary, it seemed like he couldn't keep his mouth shut, trying to find interesting things to say as he guided her through the various buildings he still barely knew himself.
The result of his conversation attempts turned into mostly random chatter, that Chihaya listened intently nonetheless, smiling and adding little comments on what she found amusing. She still had the same gentle and joyous expression than back then, though it had matured with time and she didn't appear nervous when she entered.
"It's small! Tokyo appartments are really pricey aren't they?"
Arata chuckled, it wouldn't have been Chihaya if she hadn't said what was on her mind that frankly. Then he got red as she asked where she should sit, looking between the bed and the only chair he had bought. For many reasons, showing her what was not only his appartment, but basically his bedroom, appeared to be a lot more embarrassing than it would have been, almost a decade ago.
He gave her the chair, thinking he'd better buy another one at some point, before going to the kitchen corner to make some tea. Chihaya looked through his textbooks scattered over the table while waiting. They drank and talked of little things, until they finally decided to play karuta. Some things never changed.
His small studio may have been already pretty cramped, with his few furnitures, but Arata still had made sure to leave enough free space for any eventual karuta game. He took his old tape player, the same one used in the previous appartment for their first match –a present from his granfather– and they started lining up the cards.
It wasn't their first match anymore, far from it, and it certainly wouldn't be their last either but something still seemed special about it. For the first time in that place, he would play a game with someone, someone precious at that. And that would surely make it feel a bit more like home.
Nostalgia guided Arata's hands, almost leading him to make card placements closer to those he used back when he was a child. Opposite from him, Chihaya's own game couldn't have been more different from her very first one, in which she had randomly spread the cards. Now, they laid in very deliberate positions, a simple but well thought out arrangement, completely focused on efficiency. A mark of pride for doctor Harada's good teaching. When she finished placing her cards, her eyes stayed focused on them, barely blinking.
Chihaya's intent gaze reflected Arata's one all those years ago, a look he still usually had when he wasn't busy being distracted by his opponent and losing himself in the warm color of her eyes. Putting his glasses back up against his nose, he turned resolutely to the cards, making sure to extensively check each and every one on both sides.
Fifteen minutes later, his finger pushed decisively on the play button and the voice of reader Igarashi burst out, reciting the opening poem. Time seemed to disappear for a few seconds, they were there but also in the old appartment, in the national highschool tournament at the same time as in the Queen-Meijin matches, centuries before now and decades after. Both leaned closer at the end of the second strophe, hands and knees tensing, breaths hold back so as to not disturb them from hearing the first syllable.
Sharply trained fingers aimed for a single point, sending a card flying. Each of their movements were fluid and precise, avoiding any waste of energy and time, going directly for the desired poem.
The lenghts at which Chihaya had trained, perfecting the control of her body, reflexes and strenght, weren't any secret to Arata. Though from afar, he had still followed her improvements in the various tournaments they took part in and the few times they had played together, since the last high-school national championship. And through the perfected gestures of her right arm and hand, he could still remember the energy and vigor behind her very first take, for which she had thrown her whole body forward.
The old tape didn't sound as good as it used to in the past, sputtering occasionally. Chihaya pushed back strands of hair behind her ears, closing her eyes to concentrate and avoid mishearing the decisive syllable. Arata may have been more used to the noise of his tape player but still couldn't help from feeling chills down his backbone at each slight crack of the sound. He had been much more relaxed back then, elated from the joy of finally being able to play with someone again.
Today was exhilarating too, though, being the first of many times he'd be able to play with Chihaya in Tokyo. Arata tried to tame that excitement and turn it into a swift current flowing from his shoulder to his fingers, one strong enough to rival Chihaya's agressive karuta. His usual calm game flow was still perturbed by the loud beating of his heart, which kept jumping in his chest until the last card was read.
At the end of the match, they both agreed to start a second one, hungry for more of those heightened sensations karuta games provided. Sweat poured from their brows as they kept playing, their ears tingled with echoes of the poems and their muscles tensed so much they became sore but they still couldn't help their lips from rising up into fierce smiles under the effort.
They would have happily played a third game to decide the winner, after ending-up with one loss each, but time had slipped under their fingers too long already. The sun was going down and Chihaya had to return home, they would need to wait another day to set the records.
On the front door, they made their goodbyes. Those were a bit awkward and hesitant, like always between them, it seemed to Arata. But it didn't matter much this time, since they would be able to see each other again very soon.
For a moment, Chihaya stood still, seemingly lost in thoughts, then her head moved closer. Arata felt his whole face warming, up to the tip of his ears, as their lips connected and he leaned slowly into the kiss. Hesitantly, his hand rose to her shoulder, only brushing slightly against her arm. He was afraid his glasses may bump against her face but Chihaya didn't appear to share this fear, her mouth was hot and greedy.
The kiss didn't last long. When she pulled away, her cheeks were pink and her brown eyes seemed set ablaze, from a similar fire that burnt Arata's now empty lips. Then, her eyelids closed as she smiled that smile that made him melt, happiness lighting her whole face while she said goodbye once more as she finally went out.
In a daze, Arata closed the door after waving his hand at her receding silhouette that he watched cross the street and disappear. It was their first kiss. Just thinking about it was enough to bring back a blush spreading across his face from ear to ear. His hand went to his mouth and a soft shiver spread to his body, despite the warmth he could feel his face drowning in.
From the moment they met to when they'd eventually part for good, they would share many first times and if Arata knew one thing, it was that Chihaya would always manage to surprise him.