Silently in Love

Chapter 10

"I don't have any cream or crumbs on my face, do I?" Akari put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"There's nothing." He glanced at her and continued to walk. Akari wanted to insist that he look again, but it was too late because he was already opening the front door. She gasped and shuffled after him, sticking close to his heels. She peeked around his arm as they walked into the kitchen and they were quickly greeted by Mrs. Nishizawa. Her cheeks were glowing from the excitement of having her husband home again. Akari was caught by her infectious giggling and Akari smiled broadly. There was no sign of Mr. Nishizawa yet.

"I'm so glad you agreed to have dinner with us! I made so much food because I wasn't sure how much we would eat and-" Akari blinked when Mrs. Nishizawa eyed her. She let out a little hoot of laughter. "You have some cream on your face, dear!" Akari slapped a hand to her face in embarrassment and sure enough there was a bit of cream at the corner of her lips. She wiped it from her face and passed a burning glare in Kuro's direction. A small grin graced his perfect face and she was tempted to make it un-perfect with her fist.

Behind her, footsteps descended down the staircase and Akari stiffened at the sound. Mrs. Nishizawa glanced around her and then turned Akari around by the shoulders.

"Oh! Dear, this is Akari. The poor girl I told you I bullied into helping me with the groceries during the rain storm" She laughed.

Akari widened her eyes. Kuro's father had an overpowering presence in the room and she finally understood who Kuro took after. He was the splitting image of his father only younger and slightly taller. His father looked no older than 35 and if she didn't know better, she would have thought he and Kuro were brothers.

"Nice to meet you, Akari." Both Mrs. Nishizawa and Akari shivered at the sound of his velvet voice. She might have laughed at their identical reaction, but she was too distracted by the man in front of her. It seemed Kuro also inherited the same refined character.

"I didn't know Kuro was bringing over a girlfriend." He glanced at his son with a twinkle in his eye and Akari sucked in a deep breath.

"Friend." Kuro corrected and Akari let out a relieved sigh. The last thing she wanted was to make things awkward.

Mrs. Nishizawa clicked her tongue in hidden disappointment and took the plate of cream puffs from Kuro and brought it into the kitchen.

"Isn't this nice? Akari made dessert!" She called from the kitchen.

"I love cream puffs." Mr. Nishizawa eyed the plate and Akari was very happy to hear it.

"Please come and sit down! Kuro, go get your brother!" Mrs. Nishizawa's voice grew considerably more impatient with the last sentence. Akari followed Mr. Nishizawa's lead and sat at the table.

Akari had grown very comfortable making her way around the house and being in Mrs. Nishizawa's company, but now that Mr. Nishizawa was sitting near her, she felt like a stranger in an unfamiliar world again. She found herself anxiously searching and waiting for Kuro to return. Having him beside her really calmed her nerves.

"My wife tells me Kuro is tutoring you. That must be tough." Mr. Nishizawa chuckled and Akari whole-heartedly agreed with him. "You're lucky you asked Kuro to tutor you. He has more patience than Hiro." He glanced in Mrs. Nishizawa's direction and lowered his voice to a whisper. "He takes after his mother." He said and Akari stifled a laugh.

"Who is she? What is she doing here? Is she your girlfriend?"

Akari glanced up and the arrogant voice belonged to Hiro, who stood at the end of the dining table. She saw Kuro roll his eyes as he walked around his brother and sat beside Akari. She was relieved he chose to sit beside her.