Segue: KamiJirou

five

Kaminari peeled potatoes as Jirou cut vegetables and told him about her sister. Yui was 3 years younger than her, and had passed away in a sudden accident when Jirou was 15.

The reason Jirou stopped playing instruments and even singing, was because at the time of the accident, she was in another city with her band. Yui had passed away in the hospital before she could get home, and the next time she saw her sister was in a coffin at the funeral.

One of the members of One A happened to be a part of her band back then, and had she kept playing with them, she might have been touring just like they were. Instead, she swore she'd never put herself in a position to be away from the people she loved again. Her current job and apartment were close enough to family to get to them if anything happened, and she really didn't make any close friends.

Her voice grew soft and warm as she talked about Yui- how she was just starting to get into makeup and have feelings for boys. Jirou loved being an older sister, and her and Yui had always been close. Once she got started, Jirou realized she didn't want to stop talking. The only ones who knew this part of her were her family and high school friends, who she rarely talked to these days. And now Kaminari knew, too.

He loved letting her open up and talk to him about her life. The life she really lived, not the one she presented towards the outside world. As she went on and on, he could clearly see how deep her emotions really ran. Standing in the kitchen next to her, talking about family and doing ordinary things, he felt like this was the part of life he had been missing.

"And she just loooved to hear me play for her. Every week she'd come up to me with a different instrument, or a new song, and I'd have to play it for her. She was really good at the piano. I could never really get into classical stuff, but Yui on the other hand... I was really looking forward to seeing her grow into it. I was sure she'd be the next Mozart," Jirou's voice petered out for the first time in minutes. Kaminari looked up and saw a tear stain run down her cheek.

"Kyouka, hey... I'm sorry..." he put down the potato peeler and reached out to her. She had temporarily put down her knife on the cutting board, staring down at the half-cut vegetables.

"It's- it's just this onion I'm cutting, haha, I mean," she wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, "Yui loved making curry with my mom and I."

More tears began to roll down her face and her bottom lip quivered. He couldn't take it any more, just watching her. Pulling her into his arms, he held her against his chest and silently rubbed her back. At first she held in her breath, trying to stop her emotions from tumbling out, but too much had built up inside her. She pressed her face into his shirt, hiding from the world and from her memories.

"I regret not being there for her so much... now... I'll never get to see her again. Her smile, her laugh, the way she teased me and I teased her back. I... I just want to play for her again. Just one more time..." she whispered once she had calmed down a little. Kaminari didn't know what to say, so he just hugged her tighter.

Eventually, she pushed away, her eyes red and puffy, "I'm sorry I got your shirt all wet. Maybe I have one that can fit you..."

"It's okay. I'm... I'm just glad you opened up to me about it. I could tell you needed to let that out," he replied in a gentle voice.

She managed a smile, "Yeah, I think I did want to tell you about it, deep down. Whew, well, I'm going to wash my face and we can get back to the curry, yeah?"

He smiled back at her, "Sounds good. And, wait... you can call me anytime, if you want to talk more. Day or night."

"Thanks," she replied genuinely, then turned to wash off in the bathroom.

The rest of the evening was lighthearted. After they stuffed themselves full of curry they decided to watch a movie, and then Kaminari got up to leave. He felt perhaps the happiest he ever had, but sensed that it would be inappropriate to stay too late. Jirou sent him home with some leftovers, a shirt she had lent him, and a few of her CD's.

"Let me know when you're free again," she said leaning on the door frame of her apartment.

"Same for you," he murmured, wanting to say more but unsure of what words to use.

"You should know..." he started, then hesitated before continuing, "what I said earlier, about liking you... I really meant it." They both blushed.

"It's the same for me, and... and I wouldn't mind being more than friends," she said, her voice fading out at the last part.

"So... are we, together?" He asked her. She was looking down, too nervous to look him in the eye.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Then, that makes me really happy- you- make me really happy. Anyways, goodnight, Kyouka." He held his breath and gave her a kiss on the top of her head, which was the part of her that was closest to his face. Before he could think about what just happened, he turned and walked away.

For a few moments, Jirou stood in her doorway, digesting their words and actions. Then she rushed inside and crawled into a ball in her bed, smiling like a child who just won the largest rainbow lollipop. She pulled out her phone and stared at Kaminari's number for a solid thirty seconds before sending him a text.

Jirou: Thank you. Really, for everything. Oh, and you make me happy too. Really happy.

Kaminari: I'm glad to hear that. You're welcome.

She wanted to say everything she was feeling, but didn't know exactly what that was. Instead, she pulled out some of her good love songs and snuggled into her blankets. Soon she was out, music still playing in the background as she fell into a deep slumber.