Chapter Text
I was really hoping that after the training camp we could calm down a little. I wanted to spend time with Nakano off the volleyball court. But instead, everyone seemed to go into overdrive. Summer break started, and all that tension Nakano had been talking about seemed to fuel everyone's volleyball drive to insane levels.
Everyone but me, that is.
I just don't see the point. I mean, why kill yourself over stuff like this? But Nakano is at least partially a volleyball idiot too, I suppose, so she's gotten really into all the extra practice and perfecting new weapons and whatever.
When she told me about the fight between the shrimp and the King, I almost laughed out loud. Almost, because I could see it was really bothering her. Well okay, I did kind of laugh, but not as much as I really wanted to. That earned me a smack from my girlfriend, which I probably deserved. But it's just too hysterical to me. Those two morons, at each other's throats over something so ridiculous. The two of them still aren't really talking to each other, which has made practice somewhat more enjoyable, actually.
Nakano's been working really hard, trying to help people develop new skills. I end up staying late at practice a lot, because I don't want her walking home alone. Plus, that walk home is time we can spend together. I wish we were spending more of this break with each other, and not just with the team.
Of course, I've not particularly asked her for time together. In fact, we've not been on an official date since our first one. Maybe I need to fix that.
At the moment, I'm watching Nakano work on jump serves with Asahi. A couple days ago, we were here late as I watched her working with Nishinoya on setting. That leaping set technique is crazy. I'm amazed she was able to teach anything to Noya, he's always so insanely energetic. I didn't think he'd have the ability to focus on something so complicated. But he's really very serious when it comes to being a libero, and he seems to have decided he needs this technique to be an effective one. Nakano really seemed to be in her element as well. She may not be the best tutor around, but she's pretty incredible when it comes to teaching volleyball techniques.
Yesterday, we all were here extra late working on the synchronized attack. It was exhausting in the extreme. Nakano took over for His Majesty at one point so he could go continue working on this new setting technique of his. We've actually started using the girls' volleyball gym so we can have all these different things going at once.
And now, here I am, sitting against the wall, watching Nakano teach Asahi jump serve techniques. Apparently, since the braces came off, Nakano's been working her jump serves at home a lot. She says they don't quite have the power they used to yet, but I've got to say, I'd rather not be on the receiving end of one of them. Her serve is at least as powerful as the King's, and if she really can improve it, she might even give her asshole ex-boyfriend a run for his money. I guess it stands to reason, since they all learned from one another. I can't help but worry about her. Sometimes I get exhausted just watching her. Her passion for volleyball both amazes and upsets me. I want to feel like that - the way she must feel when her eyes almost seem to be lit from within. And I want her to feel like that...but about me. I want to be the focus of her passion.
Oh god, listen to me. I'm jealous of fucking volleyball. I am so screwed. What the hell has this girl done to me?
Wait a minute...something isn't right. Asahi is yelling. I'm on my feet, rushing to Nakano. She's just collapsed against Asahi.
"Nakano? Nakano, can you hear me? Asahi, get some water!" He rushes off to grab a bottle. I'm holding her head in my lap as she lies on the floor. She opens her eyes.
"Woah, sorry Kei. I just got so dizzy there..."
"Dammit, you've been working way too hard! You can't keep this up. It's too much."
"I got this. Just give me a minute."
"Now who's lying?" She looks properly chastened. Wait a minute, I've just realized something. "When's the last time you had something to eat?"
"Uh...lunch?" Her voice tells me everything. I sigh, too grateful that this is likely nothing worse than low blood sugar to be angry. Asahi comes back with the water bottle. "Senpai, could you please get an energy bar or something from the vending machine? She hasn't eaten since lunchtime, nor has she had a break."
"What!? Nakano, you can't work your body like this and not eat! I-I'll be right back." He runs off toward the door.
"Once you've eaten the energy bar, I'm taking you to get some real food. Then I'm taking you home." She's giving me a look, and is about to open her mouth. "Roses, don't even try. I'm not in the mood. You're going to do what I say, idiot, and that's final."
She's smiling at me. Dammit, she could convince me to commit murder with that smile. "You're right, Kei. This was pretty stupid of me. I should know better. I guess...I've just been feeling so stressed about all this...I wanted to help so badly..."
"How does fainting on the court help?"
She looks really unhappy now. "I'm sorry." Her voice is so small. "I promise you, this will not happen again."
"Damn right it won't. And I hope you're prepared to be punished." God, I can't bear to see her sad, even when she's been this stupid.
Asahi returns with an energy bar and some juice. "Nakano, I'm sorry. If I had known, I would have insisted you get something to eat before working with me. Tsukishima, I'll take care of cleaning up here. Can you take her to get some real food?"
"That was my plan Asahi-san. Thank you." I help Nakano sit up, and get her started eating.
"Take good care of her, okay?"
"Yes, senpai."
"Thanks, Asahi. I'm sorry I've been so much trouble." Nakano looks at the ace.
He chuckles. "You're not trouble. You just don't know when to quit. Thanks a lot for your help, and do us all a favor and listen to Tsukishima." He heads off to clean up the gym.
"Tsukki, I'm feeling a lot better..."
"Finish the food and the juice."
"But I..."
"Your punishment has started, Nakano. You will do exactly as I say until I get you home safely tonight, is that clear? You will not argue, complain or negotiate with me. If you try to, I will extend your punishment by 24 hours each time. So what's it going to be, hmmm? I would love to have you at my mercy for several days, so please, feel free to act out." I give her a leer. She's looking at me wide-eyed. I do believe the girl has figured out that I'm quite serious.
She finishes the food and juice without another word.
Once she's done, I pick her up in my arms like a bride. "Woah!" she calls out.
"Is that a complaint?" I ask.
"Nope," she sounds almost panicked. "No complaints here. Just surprised, that's all. I think I'm still allowed to be surprised, right?"
I carry her up to the girls' changing room. "Do you need my help? I don't think any of the other girls will be coming in any time soon."
"No, I'm pretty sure I can manage. I really do feel a lot better. I got this."
"Very well. You get 10 minutes. If you're not back in 10 minutes, I'm coming in to get you."
She's back out in 5 minutes. I think that might be a record.
"Now, Roses, I want you to tell me honestly how you feel. Do you think you can make it to the yakisoba place, or do I need to carry you there?"
Her eyes widen again. She looks at me a moment, then takes a deep breath. "My head is clear. I don't feel dizzy or weak. I do feel hungry, and I know I need a proper meal. I think I should be able to walk there just fine." She looks at me, her cheeks a little pink. "But I would very much appreciate it if you'd put an arm around me, just in case?" I give her a look. "You said to be honest! I'm not negotiating, I swear!"
I chuckle, taking her things and putting my arm around her. She puts hers around my waist, and I can feel the tension drain off of her as we start walking. "I'm not angry with you, dumbass. I should be, though. You of all people should know better. And I'm holding you to your promise that this won't be happening again."
"It won't, believe me." She pauses. "Am I still being punished?"
"Oh hell yes. Until I get you home tonight. Now let's go eat."
Nakano ate an impressive meal, including a good deal of protein. By unspoken agreement, we didn't talk about volleyball or the team the entire time. It was really quite nice. I watched over her carefully, and it truly did seem like low blood sugar was the only thing wrong. Besides the meal, she drank plenty of water. When we were finished, Nakano gently insisted on paying for dinner. I let her - after all, this was her fault. Well, mostly. I feel like I should have been paying closer attention, knowing what she can get like. You'd better believe I'll be watching her eating habits from here on out, especially when training gets intense like this.
We're walking home now, at a slower pace than normal. I don't want to push her at this point. We've got our arms around each other again. It's becoming our favorite way of walking. I never thought I'd want to show this much affection out in the world like this, but feeling her so close to me as we walk...it's perfect. About a block or so from her house, I stop us.
"Kei? What is it?"
"Kiss me."
She smiles, and does as she's told. A lovely little peck on my cheek.
"Not good enough. Kiss me again."
She kisses my lips this time, but only briefly. Her smile is getting a bit more sassy.
"Kiss me like you actually mean it, Roses."
Her arms go around my neck, and she tugs me down, capturing my lips with hers again. But this time, she lingers. Her lips taste of the dinner we had. I slide my tongue along them, and they part. The spicy-sweet taste of her mouth is like an addiction. My hand slides into her hair, the other one around her waist, holding her close. These moments are heaven. I don't want to stop, but I know we can't stay here kissing all night. I finally break the kiss and pull her into a hug.
"Go out with me again. Tuesday after practice. No staying late."
She giggles. "I guess I have no choice. I have to do as you say, since you've not gotten me to my home yet."
"Smart girl, Roses."
I walk her the rest of the way home, giving her a proper goodnight kiss at the door. I'm already looking forward to Tuesday.
🏐🏐🏐
Nakano's been upset the past couple of days. She's tried to hide it, and frankly, she does a pretty a good job of it. I get the feeling she's gotten really good at keeping things locked inside over the past couple of years. I don't like that at all, but I know it's going to take time to unlock those things.
This one, though, is recent, and probably not quite as bad as the other things she has hidden away. What's bothering her right now is the King.
They've not really spoken much since we've returned from the camp. They used to do that bizarre hug thing at least once a day, especially at practice, which we're at all the time now. I can't remember the last time I saw them do that. Nakano told me what happened between them, how she basically had to tell His Majesty he was being an ass again. He still is being an ass. I mean, I guess no one really likes to be told that, but after all his loud insisting that Nakano is like his sister, he's basically shut her out entirely. It's kind of pissing me off a little bit. He was so insistent to me that he would never make the same mistake again...and here he is doing just that.
She's trying to give him some space, but it's getting to her. I suggested just letting me shake some sense into the idiot, but Nakano didn't take too kindly to that idea. We're at practice again, and the King has been off in his own little world. Coach just called for a break, and Nakano is coming over to me.
"Hey, will you do something for me?" She's whispering.
"What?"
"Kags is gonna go to the vending machine any second I'll bet. I want to see if he will talk to me...but I want you to be nearby."
"You want me to come with you?"
"No...just kinda...be out of sight close enough to hear us."
"So...you want me to spy on you?"
"Ugh...I want you to be nearby in case...in case I lose my temper." Well, that's interesting. I'm kind of surprised she thinks that might be likely. She sees my face and sighs. "Kags is like my brother...and just like my actual sister, he can piss me off like no one else. I don't want to end up making things worse by yelling at him, but this silent treatment crap is driving me crazy. Just do it for me, please?"
I chuckle. I can't help it, even though she gives me a look. "He's headed outside, Roses. Don't worry, I'll be there."
Sure enough, the King is headed for the vending machine. Nakano follows him, and I wander outside. She shoots a rapid glance to a bench nearby. I gather that's her destination if she can get him to talk. I head that way. There's another bench on the other side of some bushes. I lay myself out on that and wait. They shouldn't be able to see me, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to hear them well enough.
And indeed, I can hear them just fine. I know they've both walked up and sat down, and I'm pretty sure they are both drinking something. Now we just have to see if words start being used.
"Look, I..." "I just want..." They're talking over each other.
"Go ahead," Nakano says, "you first."
"I'm...uh...I'm sorry...I've been kinda...you see..."
"You talked to him, didn't you?"
The King's grunt of surprise is delightful. I can actually picture his wide-eyed stupid face.
"How...how did you know?"
She chuckles. "Who else would you talk to about something like this?"
"I...I didn't go looking for him or anything! I happened to run into him at the park, and I...well..." The King sounds downright sheepish. What the hell? Who did he talk to? "Are you mad?"
"Tobio, why would I be mad that you talked to Oikawa? For good and bad, he was effectively your mentor for awhile." Oh shit. That's why he's so submissive. He's expecting to be in the doghouse. How delightful.
"Well, I thought..." The King's voice is almost shaky.
"Plus it had to be easier to hear coming from Oikawa, who you know will treat you like shit, than coming from me, who you expected to simply agree with you."
And there's another surprised noise from the King. I'm literally biting my cheek to keep from laughing out loud. He's known her all these years, how does he not yet understand her reactions to things like this? Wait a minute...is this...is this what it means to be meant for someone? When it feels like you've known them forever even when you haven't?
"...he would say the same thing?" Damn, that was the King. I missed something there, lost in my own thoughts.
"Because, Tobio, in this case, I know I'm right. Oikawa may be a useless lump of a human being, but he's one hell of a setter. Plus, I know he'd revel in the chance to tell you how you've not changed at all. How you're still being the tyrant he worked so hard to turn you into. Except he's wrong."
"Is he?" Wow, that actually sounds like regret in the King's voice.
"Yes, he is. This isn't about you wanting to be in control, Tobio. This is about you being afraid you'll be left alone again." Holy crap. I wish I could see them, because the King's face has got to be priceless at this point. She is damn good at that, my Nakano. She'll slice right through whatever protective bullshit you've put in the way and get straight to the heart of the matter. Now I just wish I could learn to do that to her. Wait...I just thought of her as 'my' Nakano. How is this happening to me so fast?
"...partner. But you can't let that partnership stagnate, okay? You both need to grow. Have you talked with him at all yet?" Dammit, I did it again. That's Nakano, and I've missed something. Well, it doesn't sound like they're going to fight anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter. If I get up though, they'll see me, and the King will pitch a fit. So, I guess I'll just wait here until they finish their chat. By the sound of things, there's a hug happening. I'm pretty sure they are talking still, but I can't make out what they are saying. From the soft tones, I'm guessing there's some apologizing going on. Hopefully the King is apologizing for acting like an ass and not talking to her for so long. I wonder why he did that. Was it just because he thought she'd be upset that he talked to Oikawa?
"So, how are things going with the blonde...uh...middle blocker?" Oh the look she must have given you, Your Majesty. I'm pretty sure you weren't about to call me by my volleyball position originally.
She chuckles. She says nothing for a moment. Oh shit, do I... "Tobio, do you remember what I was like after the accident?" Her voice is thick with emotion. What is happening?
"Yeah." He sounds sad. "You were...so different. So sad and walled off. I didn't know what to do. It was like...you'd encased yourself in layers of protection that no one could get through. I thought I'd never see you smile again." Wow. I can't imagine Nakano that way.
"A good description. Well, that's all still in here. Buried under so many layers. I've learned to live with it. I thought I would always have to. That there would be no way I could ever share any of it with anyone else, because...well...it hurts so bad. But now...Kei is starting to peel those layers away. I've told him things I've never been able to say to anyone, Tobio...not even you. I mean, he's only scratched the surface, but...I think there might be a chance for me now. I don't know how, or why, but he makes it possible for me to let these things out. I've begun to think that maybe...maybe I can be like I was before the accident again...someday."
My heart is pounding. She knows I'm here. She knows I'm listening. She has to know, she asked me to. Did she want me to hear this? Can I really mean so much to her already? We've only known each other a few months. How is this possible?
"This...this is good, right? It makes you happy? These are happy tears, right? Or is it hurting you? Do I need to..."
She laughs. It's almost musical. "Yes, these are happy tears, Tobio-chan. I'm happy. It won't be easy, I'm quite sure of that. But this is the happiest I've been in a long, long time."
That's another hug, I'm quite sure of it. "Good. I'm really glad, Naka-chan. You ready to head back inside?"
"You go on ahead, okay? I'll be in soon."
I hear the King make his way back towards the gym.
"You can stand up now, he's gone back inside."
I make my way over and sit next to her. She still has tears on her cheeks. I brush them away with my thumbs, cupping her face in my hands.
"Did you really mean..." I start.
"I won't lie to you either, Kei. You heard what I said. I meant it. I also said it won't be easy, and believe me when I tell you that's no lie either. I wanted you to know that you've given me real hope for the first time in a long time. Real hope that someday, I won't feel broken anymore."
My heart feels like it will burst. I wrap my arms around her tightly, hugging her for all I'm worth. I want to do that. I want to peel away all the layers. I want to know everything about her - all the good, all the bad, all the parts and pieces that make her what she is. I want to say these words to her, but my mouth won't open. I hope she can feel them in the way I'm holding her. That's all I can do for now.
I let her go, and she's looking at me in surprise. She's smiling too. I take her face in my hands again, and kiss her just as desperately as I hugged her a moment ago. How is it me? How on Earth did she choose me? How can I possibly be worthy of this much trust from someone? From someone like her?
"HEY! LOVEBIRDS! LET'S GO!" Coach Ukai calls out from the gym doors.
I guess break is over. Surprisingly, we don't talk. We just walk back to the gym, hand in hand.
🏐🏐🏐
It's finally Tuesday. I feel like it's taken a whole month for it to get here. It's only been a few days, of course, but they've been exhausting days. I checked with Nakano last night by text and she assured me that she will not allow herself to be dragged into staying late at practice, no matter what. We've agreed to head out from Karasuno again, just like last time. Well, hopefully not just like last time. If anyone throws condoms at me, I'm going to kill them.
Practice officially runs until 2pm today. At precisely that time, Coach wraps up his talk with us, and dismisses the team. We begin breaking up, everyone talking about what they'd like to do for individual practice. Nakano and I start gathering our things.
"Nakano! Tsukishima!" Sugawara calls out to us. "Want to work on the synchronized attack?"
"Sorry, Suga-senpai, but we're not staying today." I grab Nakano's hand and start leading her towards the door.
"Ooooh, are you guys headed out on a date?" Tanaka sing-songs at us.
Nakano flashes him a smile. "As a matter of fact, we are, Tanaka-senpai. We've been working really hard, and it's time to take a little mental health break."
"Don't forget to use protection!" Nishinoya yells at us as we head out the door. Nakano stops and sticks her head back in the gym.
"Of course, Noya-senpai! We always wear our helmets. Safety first!" She gives them a wave and we duck to the side of the doors, both holding our mouths to stifle the laughter.
"Did she say helmets?"
"I think she did."
"What do they do on these dates?"
We can hear Nishinoya cracking up.
"You know, I think those two might have the right idea. Maybe we should all take a little break today..." Sugawara begins. That's our cue, we run for the changing rooms before everyone else ends up in there.
Twenty minutes later we are away from Karasuno, and headed towards the movie theater in town. We walk together in our favorite way - my arm around her shoulders, her arm around my waist. As we start to encounter more people, Nakano looks at me curiously. I squeeze her shoulders. She smiles and squeezes my waist. We've not said much as we walk, but it feels comfortable. We can communicate with each other just fine without using words.
I let her choose the movie, and steel myself to have to sit through some kind of romantic comedy thing. To my surprise, she immediately requests two tickets to an action adventure film. I should have known she'd be unlikely to go for the girly-girl option. We get snacks and sodas and settle in for some simple escapism.
Two hours later we head back out onto the street, discussing the movie and laughing. She complains that the plot was a little thin, I argue back that escapism doesn't really require a plot. She says the special effects were amazing, I complain that the filmmakers really did rely on them too much. She says the lead actor was hot, I make a comment about the sexiness of the leading lady. We laugh, knowing that neither one of us really cares about the quality of the film. It just feels good to be out together, enjoying ourselves.
"So where are we headed now?" she asks me.
"Hmmm, good question. We've got a bit less than two hours before our dinner reservation..."
"Reservation?" She looks at me, concerned. "I'm in jeans and a t-shirt! I'm not dressed to go someplace that takes reservations!"
"You'll notice I'm in jeans and a t-shirt too, so I wouldn't worry."
"Fair point. Okay, so...what should we do until this dinner reservation?"
I spot an arcade up ahead...and we are only a couple of blocks from our dinner location. "Wanna hit the arcade?"
Her eyes light up. "Let's do it!"
The arcade is the ultimate time waster. We play more games than I can count. She's really good at skee-ball, but not so good at first-person shooters. We both love old style arcade games like Pac-Man and Centipede. She dragged me into playing Dance Dance Revolution with her. I dragged her into a recording booth and made her sing 'Hotel California' with me, which made her blush as she realized I did hear her singing under my window. Before we knew it, we needed to leave, or we would miss our reservation. While she used the ladies' room, I traded in our tickets from the games for a little panda hair clip.
When she returns, I show it to her, and place it in her hair.
"Kei! It's adorable! Thank you!" She almost squeaks. Pandas appear to be her one girly-girl weakness. It should irritate me, but I find it sweet. If you'd told me six months ago that I'd be putting a cute little panda clip in a girl's hair while out on a date with her...I'd have told you I'd sooner die than do something so ridiculous. And yet, here I am.
We head towards our dinner location. As we enter what appears to be an office building, Nakano looks at me suspiciously.
"Are you taking me to a maid café?" she asks as we enter the elevator.
"You'll see."
As soon as we arrive and our reservation is confirmed, we are whisked apart by the staff. It's time for the fun to begin. This cosplay café treats their diners as lord and lady of a traditional Japanese manor, including dressing them up.
Soon we are each brought separately to our table. I'm now wearing a dark blue yukata with light blue pin striping. Nakano looks incredible. She is in a black and white yukata, covered in cherry blossoms. I can see the necklace I got her at the museum. She wears it almost all the time, but it's often hidden under her shirt. Now the necklace lies along the neckline of the yukata, and I love it. They've even done her hair, sweeping it up and to the side, holding it in place with elaborate combs and pins. But the little panda clip is still in her hair and I chuckle. She smiles at me, a blush across her beautiful face. Once the servants have seated us, they show me a menu. I nod, approving the meal that I'd already chosen when I made the reservation, and the table service begins. I am 'master' and she is 'mistress'. It's all kind of funny, especially since everyone who works there is older than we are, but it's also rather enjoyable. I take her hand, kissing it.
"Kei! This is so amazing! You look incredible!"
"And you are absolutely stunning, m'lady." She laughs.
"What gave you the idea to come to a place like this?"
"I wanted to do something special for our second date. You are the Queen of the Court, right? You should be treated like a queen, then."
The entire experience is perfect. The food, the service, the conversation, everything. We talk and laugh and hold hands and enjoy ourselves completely. Musicians play from time to time to entertain us. The staff encourages us to get into the roles, but we end up laughing through the whole thing. I don't think the staff minds, as they all smile at us whenever we lose our composure.
At last, we finish dinner, and the time comes to go back to the real world.
"Kei, do I even want to know what that cost you? You shouldn't have spent so much money today! If I had known that you'd made such expensive dinner plans, I would have insisted..."
"You would have insisted on paying for things. Well, next time, you ask me on a date and plan it then. I asked you, and I planned this. Now stop complaining."
She gives me a look. "Very well. I accept that challenge." Her smile is...both intriguing and terrifying. I get the feeling our third date is going to be very interesting.
The walk back to her house is long but pleasant. The sunset colors are beautiful and we watch them as we walk along, sometimes stopping to stare at a particularly lovely view. At such times, I frequently end up looking at her. I'm still struck at times by the idea that this is all real. That I'm not dreaming, or making it up. That I'm dating this beautiful girl at my side. That she chose me, for some crazy reason I can't figure out.
Arriving at her place, she gestures towards the garden, and quietly slips in the house. I go to the yard, knowing that in a moment she'll return with a couple of strawberry sodas. Sure enough, she's soon at my side again.
"This was a fantastic idea. We needed a break from training," she says, smiling up at the Moon.
I sigh. "Yeah, tomorrow, it's back to it, I guess."
"Don't sound so sad! We'll be together. And I'm looking forward to seeing how these new things we're working on play out against the teams in Tokyo."
"How do you have so much enthusiasm for all this? I'd like to spend my summer break doing something other than a ton of hard work."
"But this is time to do it. We need to have all of our weapons as sharp as possible to get to Nationals. You know that."
I scoff. "I'm getting so tired of hearing about Nationals. Do you really think we can beat Aoba Johsai? They're not standing still either, you know. They're working too, becoming better than they were when they beat us last time. And even if we can beat them, that just leads to Shiratorizawa. What do we do about them?" Ugh, why are we talking about this? It's been such a perfect evening, and this is starting to piss me off.
"We have to defeat them too. That's the path to Nationals."
"And we're just suddenly supposed to be able do that, are we? You've seen Ushiwaka play. Do you honestly think I can block his spikes?" My voice is strained. I'm getting angry. Dammit, shut up. We both need to shut up about this already.
"Yes, I do. I know you can. I've seen it in your eyes, in moments when you stop feeling like you're not good enough and just let your passion for the game come through." I freeze. What did she just say? How the hell does she see into my soul like this? She's still talking, but the words are rolling over me and I can't bring myself to respond. I don't think she's noticed, her gaze looks far away. "You won't block them all, no one could, but there are other ways. You're clever, Kei. You're the brain of our team. You can narrow his options, force him to take shots that place the ball where we want it, and not where he wants it. You can deceive the other players. I've seen you do it. When we played against Tobio and Shoyo, I watched you. They should have wiped the court with us, but you and I worked together to use strategy to defeat them. And when they started to strategize against us...we adapted. That's our strength. We can adapt on the fly. I believe in you, Kei. I know you can do it, if you just let yourself."
She finally refocuses and looks at me. "Kei, what happened? Why don't you think you're good enough?"
She catches my eyes. I can only imagine what she sees there, as suddenly her eyes go wide and she looks upset. My hands are clenched. Why did she have to do this? Everything was fine, why did she have to start this damn conversation? I can't do this right now. I'm done.
"Kei, I'm sor..."
I stand, putting the soda on the bench. "I need to go home, it's late." My voice is flat. I feel the walls close around me again. I bend over and kiss the top of her head. "Goodnight, Nakano," I whisper. I need to get out of here.
"Goodnight, Kei." Her voice is small and broken. I walk away. I turn back only briefly at the gate. She is still looking at me. I can see the moonlight shining off the tears on her cheeks.
I walk home, feeling angry and empty all at the same time. Why did she have to go there? Our perfect day, ruined, because she has to be a volleyball idiot.
A small voice in my head asks why I think this is her fault, when everything she said was true.
I get into my room and collapse in my bed. She's just as stupid as the rest of them. She's just setting herself up to be hurt. Who does that? Why would I want to do that?
Because she believes in you, answers that little voice. Or at least, she did.
I fall asleep with those words ringing in my head.
🏐🏐🏐
I see her, walking towards Karasuno. She had already left when I'd gotten to her house. I'm running, trying to catch up to her.
I call her name.
She doesn't stop. She doesn't even turn back.
I call her again, louder, almost shouting. I run, overtaking her, stopping her. Making her look at me.
Her eyes are dead. They are flat, emotionless. I feel a terrifying chill run down my spine. I've never seen her beautiful blue eyes look so dead, not even after we lost to Aoba Johsai. I want to speak to her, but no words come out.
"Kei, this is pointless. I thought you were the one, but I guess you're not. I had hope, but it's gone now. So you can stop. Why go through all this if we're just going to be hurt in the end?" Her voice is as dead as her eyes. There's no emotion. No sign of the affection we share for one another.
I find my voice at last. "No! That's not what I meant! You said there was a chance! That I could..."
"That was when I believed in you. But why should I believe in you if you don't believe in yourself?"
She walks past me. I cry out, a strangled noise of pain. I reach for her, but it's like she's already a thousand miles away.
I sit bolt upright in bed, reaching my hand out. Sweating, shaking, the nightmare leaving me a mess inside.
My god, what have I done?
My face is wet with tears. I dash them away and look at the clock. 2AM.
My body moves without my brain really being involved. All I know is I can't leave things as they are. And I know I won't be able to sleep again until I talk to her. I text several times, but she doesn't answer. Not surprising.
Why did I do that? Why did I shut down and walk away? I'm such an idiot. Did I think she would share her innermost self with me but not expect me to do the same in return? That's not how a relationship works, moron. Relationships have to work both ways.
Dammit, I am such a jackass. I've got to fix this, before I lose my shot at actually being happy with my life. Everything that has made me happy in the last few months has involved her. I might have just thrown it all away because of my own stupid fears. I can't let that happen.
I'm halfway to her house before I even realize what is going on. I start jogging, trying to get there as soon as I can. Her window is shut, of course. I'm going to have to be careful, or I'm likely to be arrested as a pervert.
Small price to pay for fixing this damn mess I've made. I just pray she'll talk to me.
I can see her in her bed through the part in the curtains. Her strawberry blonde hair scattered across the pillow, her face buried. I feel the tears forming in my eyes again. I tap on the window, gently, but insistently.
Damn, I know from the bus ride home from Tokyo just how heavy a sleeper she can be.
I keep tapping, changing rhythms, trying to tap louder without tapping too loud. She's moving! She sits up, looking towards the window. Thank the gods!
She opens the window, hair a mess from sleep, eyes squinty, clothes twisted. She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I hop up on the windowsill and clamber into her room.
"Kei?" Her voice is music, even rough from sleep. "What's wron..."
I grasp her into a hug so tight I hear the breath leave her. I breathe in deep, her fragrance calming me, helping me settle down. She holds me tight. I feel like I can breathe normally again. She's not pushing me away.
"Roses," I breathe out, "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. Please, please forgive me."
Oh god, she is pushing me...no, no she just wants to see my face. "Kei, have you been crying? Please, tell me what's wrong! Are you okay?" Her voice is an urgent whisper, and she looks scared.
I hug her tight again. I can't let her go. "I'm sorry I walked away from you. I was so stupid."
"Hey, come on, look at me." I move back a little, still holding her in my arms. "I'm the one who should be sorry for that, Kei." I'm sorry, what? I can't even process that statement. How in the hell is my being an asshole her fault? "I should have paid better attention to you. Seen how you were feeling about what I was saying. Instead, I just let myself ramble on, not even considering how my words might affect you. So I hope you can forgive me. I promise I'll pay more attention from now on."
I want to laugh out loud, but I am very aware I'm standing in her bedroom in the middle of the night having climbed in the window. I stifle myself by laughing as softly as I can into her hair. "Roses, stop apologizing for things that are not your fault. I was the one who shut down. I was the one who went away. I am the one who needs to apologize. You've been open with me about so much, and the first time you try to get me to be open with you, I..."
"That's the whole point, Kei. I tried to get you to talk to me about things when you weren't ready. And that was wrong. And that's why I need to apologize too. If I push you too hard, too fast, please tell me. Please stop me. But always know that I'll be here when you're ready."
All the tension I've been carrying suddenly fades. I feel exhausted, like I might just drop. She guides me to the windowsill and we sit down, feeling the cool night air.
"Kei, what happened? I mean, I get that you felt badly about just walking away from me tonight, but surely there has to have been more than that to bring you to my window at 2:30AM?"
I hold both her hands. Her touch grounds me at the moment. "I...I had a nightmare. You broke up with me. You told me there was no point in believing in me anymore, since I couldn't believe in myself."
She chuckles, taking one hand and lifting my face to look at her. "Oh my goodness, drama much?" Her eyes are warm and full of affection, and more than a little mischief. "Kei, I need to teach your subconscious what I'm really like, because clearly it doesn't know." Her eyes and face become more serious, but no less loving. "I believe in you Kei. I will always believe in you. And I will believe in you for you, until you can believe in yourself. You'd have to do something a lot more awful than walk away from a conversation for me to turn my back on you. Please know that. You're my boyfriend, yes, but you were my friend and teammate first. I don't take any of those things lightly. You mean the world to me."
I hold her again. Tears in my eyes that I try hard not to let fall. "Dammit, how do you do this to me? You make me so...so soft...so weak..."
She chuckles again. "You think you're weak? On the contrary, it takes great strength and courage to be willing to share who you really are with someone. Believe me, I know. And we've got a long way to go together."
I sigh. "I...I want...t-to share with you...why I feel...like..."
"Shhh." She runs her fingers through my hair. It's so soothing. "I know. But I don't think you're really ready. Especially not at coming up on three in the morning when you've been awoken by a nightmare and run to my house to wake me up to comfort you." I can't help but chuckle. She's right, as always. "When you're really ready, you'll know."
I look at her face. She's smiling, and I can't help but smile back. "I'm sorry I ruined our perfect evening."
She scoffs. "First of all, I already told you, I am least as responsible for it as you, probably more so. But beyond that, forget about perfect. Nothing's perfect. This is real. I want us to always be real, whatever happens between us."
"What do you mean?"
"I've seen so-called perfect couples. Hell, Oikawa said he and I were the 'perfect' couple. Perfect is overrated. Every perfect couple I ever saw were perfect because what they had barely went skin deep. As soon as anything happened that required them to really invest in the relationship, they didn't. They walked away, parting as 'friends' because they were so 'perfect' they didn't even fight when they broke up. Because it had never meant anything to them in the first place. Stupid. Real life is messy. Real life hurts. The real test of a relationship is how you fight, how you deal with pain, how you get through the crappy things that come and still manage to find joy in each other. I want a relationship that's real, Kei. Not one that's perfect."
I kind of let that soak in a little. She makes a lot of sense. Real life is never perfect. I want this to be real too. But this conversation is getting pretty heavy for 3AM. I smirk at her. "So...was this our first fight?"
"Do you want it to be?" Her look back to me is equally sassy. "I get the feeling you do...so that we can make up." She leans forward. I cup her face in my hand and kiss her. It's absolutely...real. For the first time since I woke up, I feel normal. Like everything is okay.
I break the kiss, resting my forehead against hers. "Roses..." I whisper. I don't know what else to say. I want to stay. I want to carry her to the bed and climb in with her and snuggle up warm and cozy and never leave her side.
"I know," she says. "I wish you could stay too." Dammit, how the hell does she do that? She giggles. "Could you imagine my mother's face in the morning?"
"Could you imagine how fast I'd be thrown out and told to keep the hell away from you? She'd probably chuck me right out this window."
We both chuckle. It's time for me to go.
"Will you be able to get back to sleep?" I ask.
"I'll manage. You?"
"Yeah, I'm fine now. Good thing you live so close by." I put both my legs out the window, ready to leave. I kiss her forehead. "Goodnight, Roses."
"Be careful going home, okay? And text me when you get back in bed." I hop down. "Goodnight, Kei. I'll see you tomorrow."
I head out, looking back every so often. Every time I look, she's still in the window, watching me, until I can no longer see her clearly. I text her as soon as I get into bed, as promised. Her reply is immediate, glad that I'm home safe.
My own fear had gotten the best of me. The reality was that all of that crap was in my own head. She said I gave her hope that she could one day feel like she's no longer broken. Well, I think I've got the same hope now.
Maybe we can heal each other.
🏐🏐🏐
It's been another busy couple of days, full of practice and precious little time for just the two of us. I probably shouldn't complain about that, as I've been taking a lot of teasing from her about being 'overly dramatic'. Okay, I'll admit, showing up at your girlfriend's window in the middle of the night is pretty dramatic. However, I think I'm finally going to get some revenge.
Roses
ARGH!!! My mother wants to know if you can come to dinner tomorrow night. Amalie is coming home, and she insists she wants to have you to dinner before we go to Tokyo again. She wants to 'have a talk' with us. I AM GOING TO DIE!!
Kei
Now who's being overly dramatic?
Roses
If she starts actually having a sex talk with us, I will simply dissolve on the spot.
Kei
I am going to change your name in my contacts to Drama Queen.
Roses
No you won't. You love calling me Roses too much.
Kei
Guilty as charged.
Roses
So...does tomorrow night work?
Kei
Should be fine. What time?
Roses
Dinner will be at six. So you might want to come a little before that.
Kei
I'll be there at half past five then.
And that is how I find myself, dressed like a proper, well-mannered boyfriend, standing in front of Nakano's door. I bought a bouquet of lavender roses to bring to her mother. They remind me of Nakano. Pretty cheesy, I guess, but I am trying to impress her mom. And I also want to see how Nakano reacts to them. I get the feeling this might well be an interesting evening.
I ring the bell, and Nakano opens the door. She sees the roses and giggles softly. "Pardon the intrusion," I say as I enter and change into house slippers. Her mother and sister are standing nearby, just waiting. Nakano looks beautiful. I've rarely seen her in a skirt apart from her school uniform. She's wearing a white collared shirt with a V-neck vest on top, with the necklace I gave her visible on the white shirt. I smile, knowing she planned that deliberately. "They want me to formally introduce you," she whispers. I give her a scant nod. This seems strange, but okay, whatever.
She leads me over to her mother. "Mother, this is Tsukishima Kei, my boyfriend. Kei, this is Ogawa Emiko, my mother." I bow and greet her formally, then offer the flowers. She greets me formally as well, with a small distant smile. I think I might be in some trouble here. She isn't acting like the same kind woman who welcomed her daughter's friends for a tutoring session. I guess being the official boyfriend makes a difference.
Nakano leads me over to her sister. "Tsukishima Kei, my sister, Ogawa Amalie. Ama-nee, my boyfriend, Tsukishima Kei." I bow to her sister. They look very different. I've not seen a picture of her father, but I'm guessing Nakano takes after him. Her mother and sister do look similar to each other, and both have the same wavy brown hair. Nakano has her mother's blue eyes, though. Amalie frowns at me, looking very severe. Okay, this is not good. How do I fix this?
Nakano's mother and sister turn to one another and almost seem to be communicating telepathically. I look at Nakano. She looks...kind of a mix of irritated and scared. There's a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Am I going to be thrown out before dinner? Suddenly, the two older women turn towards me, their eyes piercing. I've got no clue what to do here, but I've got to do something to salvage this.
I bow a full 90 degrees. "Th-Thank you for having me to dinner. I...I promise to take excellent care of your daughter. She means a great deal to me. Please allow me to continue to see her." I don't know what else to do. I hope this helps.
The two ladies burst into laughter.
I sort of half stand up and look at Nakano. She now looks murderous.
Amalie holds her phone out towards me and says, "So how was that for you, Dad?"
"DAD!??!" Nakano shouts, grabbing at the phone. The two sisters start jumping around, Nakano trying to grab the phone away from her slightly taller older sister.
I can hear laughter coming from the phone now too. "Woah, hey, you're gonna make me sick over here. Give the phone to the boy, would you, Ama?"
Nakano stops fighting for the phone, but I can see she's desperate. I take the phone gingerly from her sister, standing up properly. "Hajimemashite, Ogawa-san," I say. Yep, Nakano is the spitting image of her father. His eyes are green, but they hold the same light as his daughter's.
"So, you are the remarkable Kei-chan my wife has told me about," he says. His voice holds a great deal of humor. "I've got only a few minutes, but I wanted to meet you tonight too. I'm Ogawa Tanjiro, Nakano's father. I won't be able to meet you properly for another couple of months, young man, but your little speech just now has earned you my permission to continue seeing my Naka-chan until then. Well, that, and Emiko's flattering description of you."
"Thank you, sir. I'm looking forward to meeting you in person. Nakano has told me a lot about you."
Nakano's mom comes around so she's in frame with me. "Look at the beautiful roses he brought me, dear," she says, holding them up to the camera.
He laughs. "Well done, young man. You can't go wrong with roses."
"Yes, sir," I say, smiling at Nakano. She rolls her eyes at me.
"Alright, I'm nearly out of time. Give the phone to Naka-chan, would you, please? And keep your word and watch over her while I'm gone, okay?"
"I will, sir. That's a promise. It was a pleasure speaking to you, sir. Stay safe."
"Thanks, young man." I hand Nakano the phone. I can see tears in her eyes as she takes it.
"Dad," she says, "I miss you!"
"Miss you too, Naka-chan. I hope you're not mad at me." He sounds almost contrite, but a little more amused than actually sorry.
"Dad! Was this all your idea? I swear, Mom and Ama scared us half to death!"
He laughs again. "Yup. You didn't seriously think I'd miss this chance, did you? I had to see what would happen. Now, show me your legs." Nakano laughs and pans the phone down herself. "Look at you! No wonder that young man of yours fell for you. And how is volleyball going?"
"Great, Dad. Kei plays on the Karasuno boys' team and..."
"..and you're their manager, I know. Working hard, I assume? Doing right by those boys?"
"Yes, sir. I take good care of them. And you don't have to worry about me...between Kei and the other 11 boys on the team, I am very well protected at all times." They laugh together. "Not that I need all that much protection," she says in a sassy tone.
"There's my Little Warrior." The affection between the two is so clear. "Ugh, that's it, my time is about up. Love you, my Naka-chan! Love you all, my beautiful ladies!" All three of them sing out goodbyes until the phone disconnects. Nakano's mother plants a kiss on my cheek.
"Oh, Kei-chan, I'm sorry, but we simply couldn't resist that, especially not when Tanjiro was able to get a line arranged. Well, now that you've met the real Ogawa-san of the family, why don't you call me Emiko-san. Come on, you three, let's go get ready for dinner." She heads towards the kitchen. Amalie turns to me. "Might as well call me Amalie. Do you mind if I call you Kei?"
"Not at all, please do," I say as I take Nakano's hand and we walk towards the dinner table.
Dinner is quite nice. Nakano's mom is a very good cook. There are the usual questions that I kind of expected to be asked - are my grades good, what are my future plans, all the usual is-this-boy-good-enough-for-my-daughter sort of things. But they are all now a little tongue-in-cheek, more to try to ruffle my feathers than anything else. I keep my answers to Emiko-san very polite, but as things go on Nakano and I get a little sassy with one another, and her sister seems to appreciate that.
In fact, it's Amalie, not Emiko-san, that causes my girlfriend to almost dissolve on the spot, as she put it. At one point, Emiko-san tries to delicately indicate that she hopes we will choose not to engage in a physical relationship at our age. And that's when Amalie lets all this drop.
"Oh Mom, please - they're high schoolers! High schoolers are just walking piles of hormones! Of course, they're going to get physical with one another. That's what you do when you're in high school and you've got a significant other! But it's not like you need to worry about it Mom, Nakano's been on the pill since she was 12. So there's no danger of her becoming a teenage mom or something."
I was already blushing a bit just from the topic, as was Nakano. At this statement, Nakano groaned and buried her face in her hands, the tips of her ears bright red. Emiko-san was also a little taken aback, and rubbed her forehead with her hand.
"Amalie!" she cried, sounding a bit exasperated.
"What?" Nakano's sister asked. "Really, you should have been more worried about me at this age than you should be about Nakano."
Her mother glares at her, and Amalie finally realized she'd said too much and blushed.
"Please forgive my older daughter, Kei-chan," Emiko-san said, "She has a little trouble figuring out where personal boundaries are."
Nakano looked up, having taken several deep breaths. "Mom, could we please just have dessert now?"
And that is how I find myself currently enjoying Nakano's delicious strawberry shortcake again...while admittedly wondering exactly how I should feel about the knowledge that my girlfriend is on the pill.
We finish our desserts over a little more conversation that strictly avoids anything to do with my relationship with Nakano. After that, I stand up to help clear things away and clean up from dinner, but Amalie stops me before I can pick up anything.
"Please, Kei, you and Nakano go spend some time together. I'll help Mom with all of this."
I smile at her, then look at Emiko-san. "Are you sure? I'd be glad to help clean up."
Nakano's mom gives me a knowing smile. "Go on. I think we've tormented my daughter enough for one day." Nakano's face is caught somewhere between desperation and frustration. It's actually pretty amusing.
"Thanks, Mom, Ama. Come on, Kei." She takes my hand, grabbing two strawberry sodas before we head to her room and shut the door.
"Oh my gosh that was insane!" Nakano laughs and flops on to her bed, holding the sodas up to me. I put them on the table and settle on the bed next to her.
"It certainly wasn't what I was expecting. Meeting your dad was pretty cool, though."
"He's something else, that's for sure. I never expected he'd go through all the trouble of getting a line home just for this." She smiles at me. "You must be very special."
"Thank you," I say, kissing her cheek. "Your sister..."
"...has turned the concept of oversharing into an art form," she groans.
"Roses..."
"You want to know if what she said is true? And why, right?"
"Well...I mean, I am curious. Surely, you and Oikawa..."
"Oh good gosh no. We barely even kissed. Little pecks on cheeks and noses, that sort of thing. He kissed my lips once...maybe twice."
"Hmmm. No tongue?"
"Uh, no. And frankly, ewww. Even then, I probably would have said ewww." She chuckles.
I smirk at her. "Good." She arches an eyebrow at me. "I like the fact that I'm the only one who has ever tasted you." I kiss her lips, they part at once, inviting me in. She lets me explore her mouth a bit, tasting her spicy sweetness, and just a little strawberry.
"So what do I taste like?"
"Spicy and sweet. Delicious." I kiss her again, softly. "So...do you mind telling me..."
"Oh, right. Well, I had my accident when I was twelve. And then, a few months later, I started my period. A few months after that, the decision was made to start the surgeries to repair my legs. I was undergoing a lot of medical treatment, and taking lots of medications. The doctors decided to put me on the pill to regulate when I would have my periods and control my hormones so I didn't have to worry about that while dealing with the surgeries. And I've just never stopped."
"Makes sense."
"I've heard girls talking about how awful their periods are. I'm kind of grateful I've really never had to deal with that. Mine are very regular and predictable, and fairly easy to manage - that was the whole point." She looks thoughtful. "I guess I've not really thought about it before. I'll have to stop taking them someday, if I want to have kids. But obviously, not now." She looks at me intently. "Does it bother you, knowing I'm taking them?"
"What? No, of course not. I was just curious why you started them so young, you know?"
"Mmmm." The look on her face becomes almost shy. "Does it excite you?" she asks softly. Woah, not the question I was expecting.
Well, I'm feeling a little excited now, thanks to that. She's lying on her back in bed, her head on her pillows, looking up at me, while I'm lying on my side next to her propped up on my elbow, playing with her hair. Talking about the fact that she's on the pill. And she asks me if I'm excited. "Idiot. I'd be lying if I said it didn't, at least a little." I kiss her again, her hand cupping my face.
"Kei, you're 15, right?"
I look at her intently. "Roses, I didn't ask you about this because I want to get into your pants." She snorts and laughs, and I chuckle at her reaction. "Do I want a physical relationship with you? Yes, of course I do. But there's a lot of ground to cover between making out and making love, Nakano. And we've got all the time in the world to explore it."
She smiles sweetly at me, and I can see just a little bit of relief in her eyes. I can understand that...having your older sister announce to your boyfriend in front of your mother that it's okay if he has sex with you had to have been pretty nerve wracking. Her smile shifts just a little, becoming coy.
"So...wanna make out?" she asks.
I laugh and lean in towards her. "Good plan, Roses."
"Oooh, wait!" She jumps up off the bed. Ouch.
"Geez, way to tease me, Nakano," I say with a bit of a pout. She shoots me a look and I laugh. "What are you doing?" She's messing with her phone. After a few moments, music starts playing through a couple of speakers. She chuckles as she gets back on the bed with me. "What?" I ask. Her face is almost gleeful.
"When Ama was at Karasuno, she always used to tell me not to come in her room if I could hear music playing through the door. Well, every time she had a boy over to the house, the music would be on."
I chuckle. "And did you figure out why the music was on?"
"Well, duh. You've already heard how she overshares. Let's just say she's not exactly quiet in general."
I can't help it, I bust out laughing. Nakano joins me. After we settle a bit, I ask, "I wonder if you can be more discreet?"
"Try me," she whispers, just before our lips connect again.
Things progress as they did that day in the storage room, only this time it's slower, more deliberate. I'm aware of everything - every touch, every kiss, every sensation. I don't want to lose control again like I did then. I pull away to remove my glasses, she takes off the vest she's wearing. It's comfortable on her bed, and the music sets the mood perfectly. Everything feels so good. I fumble with the buttons on her shirt, kissing down her neck. I open one, then another, finally a third before her hand moves up and stops me. I smirk, kissing the top of her chest where that third button sits and then moving back up. Before long, she's undoing the top three buttons on my shirt, copying my movements. When she kisses my chest at that third button, she runs her tongue all the way up and starts sucking on my Adam's apple.
I gasp aloud at the feeling of her tongue, and groan as she latches on to my neck.
"Now who can't be discreet," she mumbles around me, still giving all her attention to the lump on my neck. Oh god, it feels so damn good. She's gonna drive me insane.
"Hnng...Nakano...hah...you...you'd better stop," I put my hand in her hair, gently pulling her away from my neck. "Seriously...or I'm gonna need to use your bathroom."
She smirks at me. "I guess you like that, hunh?"
"You have no idea."
"Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea, actually," she says, glancing down at the bulge in my pants. I can't help but blush a bit. She chuckles and sits herself up, using her pillows as a backrest, inviting me to lay my head on her chest. I do, and she gently runs her fingers through my hair. We just lay together, her playing with my hair, me tracing my fingers on her stomach and legs, listening to the music. The song changes...a gentle guitar plays, soon joined by a recorder, I think. It's beautiful.
"What song is this?" I ask.
She looks down at me, incredulous. "You seriously don't know this song?" I shake my head no. "How are you a guitar player and you don't know 'Stairway to Heaven'? It's Led Zeppelin, for crying out loud." I look at her blankly. "Just listen," she says.
We listen to the entire song, it's incredible.
"So, you said this is Led Zeppelin?"
"Yes, Kei. Led Zeppelin. Start listening to them - everything you can find. How is it you know Eric Clapton but not Jimmy Page?"
"Don't blame me. I just stumble across things and then try to learn to play them. Guess I've never come across this band before."
"So you've never taken lessons?"
"Nope. It's just something I've messed around with for a long time. Everything I've learned I've picked up from internet tutorials."
"That's pretty impressive, given how well you play. Have you ever played for an audience?"
"Never. You are the only audience I've ever played for."
"Not even your family?"
"No. It's not really something I've ever wanted to share with them."
She kisses the top of my head. "Well, I hope someday I can convince you to share your talent with other people. You're not only a good guitarist, your voice is wonderful."
"Yours is pretty nice too, you know. Do you sing for your family?"
"Alright, alright. Maybe we'll have to make our debut as a duo then."
"I think I'd like that."
"Oh my goodness...do I hear music playing in there?" Amalie's voice sounds from the other side of the door. Nakano quickly does up the buttons on her shirt, I do the same. She doesn't move though, so I also stay put. The door opens a crack, I can see Amalie peeking in. "Is it safe?"
"Amalie, quit that and just come in." Nakano says in irritation. Amalie opens the door properly, leaning on the frame.
"Aw, you guys look comfy. I hate to tell you this, but Mom says Kei-chan should probably be heading home. It's almost 10 o'clock."
I sit up. "She's right, tomorrow's our last day before we head to Tokyo again, there's a lot to do."
"Mom is in the kitchen, she says to stop by there before you go. It was nice meeting you, Kei. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of you."
"Thanks, Amalie, it was nice meeting you, too." She smiles and shuts the door again.
Nakano sighs. "Let me look at your neck." She uses her hand to gently tilt my head back.
"Why?"
"Well," she says, blushing, "I didn't think I left a mark, but I wanted to make sure."
My eyes widen. I guess she was sucking on my Adam's apple pretty intently. I smirk, I kinda like the idea of having a girlfriend who's not afraid to leave her mark on me. Of course, I'd never hear the end of it from the guys. "I'm not going to need makeup, am I?"
She chuckles. "No, you're good. Did you leave any on me?" She lifts her chin.
"You're good too." We stand up, and I stretch, then wrap my arms around her again. "Well, this was quite an evening, Roses." I kiss her forehead.
"That's for sure. Come on, I'll walk you out."
We go to the kitchen, where Emiko-san has a small package wrapped up for me. "Three pieces of strawberry shortcake. Please share them with your family, Kei-chan."
"Thank you, Emiko-san, I will. And thank you again for having me to dinner."
"The first of many, I hope, Kei-chan. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Emiko-san."
Nakano walks me back to the door, and I put my shoes on. I give her a gentle kiss and whisper "Goodnight, Roses."
"Goodnight, Kei. Text me when you get home, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."
I walk home, feeling warm inside. I think her family kinda likes me. We've cleared one of those first big relationship milestones - the boyfriend officially meeting the parents. I wonder what the next one will be?