Violet Roses | Saiki K

Chapter 10

"Are you doing something after school, Kumiko?" Yumehara questioned, standing next to Akemi's desk.

"Um, yeah. I... have some plans," Akemi answered hesitantly.

After Akemi had told her dad about wanting to start a garden, she had found out there was a flower shop just five minutes from her house. It wasn't the same one she had gone to when she had been dragged along to get ramen and got to the shopping mall, it was a bit closer. It was also had more plant starters instead of bouquets.

"Oh really? What are your plans?" Teruhashi asked.

Akemi shifted a bit. It had been a few days since she came up with the idea, but she was still unsure if she'd actually be able to do it. "I... I'm going to a flower shop."

"Oh, that sounds fun," Teruhashi said, "Could we come with you?"

"I... I don't wanna sound rude, but..." Akemi took a deep breath. "This is actually something I want to do... on my own. So... you know..."

Teruhashi's smile faltered, "Oh, ok. That's fine. We can just hang out some other time."

"Yeah..."

"Well, we'll see you later, Kumiko," Teruhashi said before her and Yumehara left the classroom. Akemi let out a sigh before grabbing her bag and making her way out of the classroom herself.

She made her way out of the school and in the direction of the flower shop. It took her just under ten minutes to walk there and when she arrived, she was greeted by the boy that was sitting behind the counter.

"Hello, let me know if you need anything," the boy said. He had dark brown hair and seemed to be around Akemi's age. Akemi found it slightly odd there was a boy that age working at the shop, though, that was only because the owner of the flower shop in her old town was an old man.

Akemi nodded and walked further into the shop. She immediately drifted toward the roses almost subconsciously. Akemi stared at them for a minute before picking up one of the red rose plants and setting it on the counter.

"Is this all?" the boy asked, earning a head shake from Akemi as she turned back to the plants. The boy seemed confused but didn't say anything else.

Akemi wanted to get more flowers but knew she would be stretching it by buying two big potted plants. She already knew she was going to be making multiple trips here. Akemi would just buy seeds, but she knew that would end up taking way too long.

After a few minutes of debating what else to get, Akemi picked up a hanging plant pot with various different colored hydrangeas. She set that next to the roses and looked up at the cashier, who had a troubled expression on his face.

"Um, are you gonna be able to carry these on your own?" he asked.

Akemi glanced at the two plants she picked out, both of them were pretty big and heavy. But she'd manage. "Yeah."

"Ok..." the boy looked at the little tags that had been stuck in the dirt of each pot and said, "That'll be 6,000 yen."

Akemi pulled out her wallet and gave the money to the cashier before staring at the two plants she picked up to try to figure out a way to carry them. She could carry the roses in her arms and just hold onto the hook of the hanging plant. But she worried that would lead to something happening to the hydrangeas. There was also the problem of them possibly being too heavy for her.

"How far away from here do you live?" Akemi looked up and tilted her head at the question.

"It's about a five-minute walk."

The boy smiled, "Then why don't I just carry one for you?"

Akemi stared at him, "Aren't you suppose to be working?"

"I guess," the boy said with a shrug. "But things are slow right now and if my dad cared that much he could come in here himself."

"Your dad?"

"Oh yeah. My dad owns the shop."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so I can kinda do whatever I want anyway." the boy said before taking off the shop apron he was wearing and hanging it up. Then he walked around the counter so he was standing next to her, "Which one do you want me to carry?"

Akemi looked at him then back at the flowers before pointing to the hydrangeas. He picked up the plant effortlessly and stood by the door while Akemi readjusted and picked up the roses. It was a bit heavy, but nothing Akemi couldn't handle.

The two of them walked out the door and Akemi lead the way to her house. The walk started off in silence, but it was clear the boy couldn't take that, "Uh, so, what are you getting the flowers for?"

Akemi tensed slightly, "I'm starting a garden."

"Oh cool," the boy started. "We have a garden at our house too. Though, it kind of is our house. Both of my parents are kinda obsessed with plants. Though, it does make sense. We do run a flower shop."

Akemi didn't respond and the boy shifted nervously, "So... what's your name?"

"I... My name is Akemi Kumiko."

"Oh, it's nice to meet you, Kumiko. I'm Ren Fujiwara."

More silence hung over them. Once again, the boy, Ren, shifted. Then Akemi spoke up, "This is my house."

"Oh, ok. Um, where do you want me to put this?" Ren questioned as they stood in front of the house.

"Follow me," Akemi said, leading Ren past the front gate of her house and around the side of it. She set the roses down on the porch and pointed next to it, "You can just set them there."

"You sure you don't need help hanging it?" Ren asked.

"No, I'll be fine."

"Ok."

Ren set the hydrangeas next to the roses before Akemi said, "Thank you."

"No problem," Ren replied, smiling brightly. "I was happy to help. There was no way I was just gonna let you struggle to get this here. Oh, and this is a really nice place for a garden."

"Yeah..."

"Uh, well, I should get going. Be sure to stop by again." Ren said with a wave before walking back to the front of the house and down the street.

Akemi smiled as she watched him leave before heading back to the backyard. She wasn't quite ready to plant the roses, but she could probably figure out how to set up the hanging hydrangeas.

Taking a few steps into the yard, Akemi stood in the center of it and looked back toward the porch. She already had a vague idea of how she wanted to do things but wasn't exactly sure how everything would work. There was a bit of roof hanging over the porch because of the house's second story. So she wanted to hang the hydrangeas in a corner there somehow. Akemi just had no idea how to actually hang the plants. And she was a little nervous about asking her father to help. He had been acting weird since Akemi had talked to him when she came back from the school trip.

After ten more minutes of pondering what she would do with the two plants she had brought, Akemi decided to leave them both on the grass against the house. This was something she would work on later.

Akemi stepped inside her house and took off her shoes before sitting on the couch. She let out a long sigh before her gaze fell on the glass doors. A small smile formed on her face as she realized something.

Maybe I haven't broken my promise to Mom.