"Kaito! Zoe!" Marie's voice rings out, catching their attention. They turn to face her.
Marie looks stunning in her purple dress, accentuating her tiny waist, and her black coat complements the outfit perfectly. A touch of sophistication and femininity exudes from her, along with the grace of her gray sling bag.
"Where are the others?" Marie asks, removing her ponytail and then shakes out her hair. Zoe heaves a small sigh, thankful that she is no longer alone with Kaito.
"They're on their way," Kaito replies, his eyes still on his phone.
Zoe and Marie engage in small talk while Kaito just stands there, watching students pass by the gates.
Zoe occasionally throws glances at him. After they shopped at Don Quijote, Kaito has refrained from speaking with her. She dreads that she might have added fuel to the fire.
A few minutes later, Taylor, Jesse, and Naoki arrive, and they embark on the train going to Shibuya. From there, they will switch to the JR Chuo Line going to Hachioji.
Zoe remains quiet the entire ride. The gang chats about what happened in a class Taylor and Jesse attended. The professor yelled at one student who was sleeping. And snoring. She laughs with them, but her mind still mulls over what she could have done wrong and if she made it worse by declining the club invitation.
She's aware that Kaito doesn't have to talk to her all the time. That he has his own stuff to deal with. But she can't help but agonize over the silence.
She only gets her mind off it when they arrive at Naoki's residence.
It is a traditional Japanese residence with a flower garden and a koi pond in the middle. Cherry blossom trees in full bloom stand tall beside the pond, surrounding it like a wall, their pink buds reflecting on the water. The front yard is well-tended, and it smells like freshly cut grass and wet earth.
Zoe read about traditional houses before and was fascinated. She never imagined that she could see them up close, let alone stay in it.
"This is amazing. It's like little Kyoto!" Jesse exclaims.
"It's so quiet, man. You don't have ghosts living here, do you?" Taylor jokes.
"Shut up," Kaito says.
Naoki leads the way, walking to the entryway and instructing everyone to leave their shoes there while grabbing indoor guest slippers. They comply with his guidance, stacking their shoes neatly on the shelf, and step onto the raised tatami floor.
The group follows Naoki to the living room, where a low, rectangular table with cushions welcomes them. Bonsai plants add a touch of nature and artistry, complementing a family picture hanging on the wall.
"Tadaima," Naoki greets.
(Trans: I'm home.)
"Come on," he says, turning right, then he slides another translucent door open.
A middle-aged lady in a white dress gets up from the floor. She is pale and thin, her skin radiating a light glow. She strongly resembles Naoki. The dining table is already set up for them.
"Okaeri," she greets back, then she smiles at Naoki's friends.
(Trans: Welcome home.)
They all bow their heads.
"Ojamashite sumimasen," Kaito says.
(Trans: Sorry to bother you.)
Everyone repeats the same phrase except for Zoe. She couldn't pick it up right away. She scowls at herself.
YOU ARE READING
The Spring I Met You
Romance"Things that are special, though temporary, tend to last longer in our memories," Kaito says. Zoe recalls the Hanami party that they had and everything that has happened since she arrived. She remembers every detail perfectly. She nods slowly. "You'...
