A Thousand Flowers [Ritsu Kasanoda]

10. Wilted

By the next day, it seemed like everyone had heard about Momoka and Hoshi. It made her blush. He'd spent the night texting her and Momoka felt a little better about their date now. He was a little more serious than she initially thought him to be, but she liked that he had his head on straight.

Momoka absolutely avoiding the Host Club at all costs, even though she had three of its member in her class, and she avoided the gardens all together. She didn't want to take a chance and see Ritsu head on. She didn't know what she'd say.

Haruhi had attempted to talk to her, but Momoka just brushed her off. She didn't quite know what to say to her either.

By that weekend, Momoka was actually pretty excited. She decided to wear a white shirt tucked into a floral skirt and sandals. She had Karin help her pin her hair up in intricate braids and, as usual, she didn't go overboard with the makeup. Hoshi had told her he wanted to take her out for brunch and a movie, since he had to appear at his father's business party later that evening, and she was fine with that.

At ten o'clock exactly her doorbell rang and Momoka hurried to answer it. Standing there in a crisp button down and shorts was Hoshi. He smiled when he saw her, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"You look great, Momoka. Let's get going, I don't want to be late." Momoka smiled and she quickly followed Hoshi, thanking him when he held the door to his car open for her. It was a shiny sports car and it looked expensive.

"Do you like it?" He asked her and she nodded politely. "Thanks, it's new."

"It's lovely," Momoka agreed, turning on the radio, and she was surprised to hear piano music coming from it. "You listen to this?"

"Oh yeah, all the time, it helps me think," he said smoothly, and Momoka hid a smile, looking out the window.

Hoshi drove her to a very fancy looking restaurant and she felt a little self conscious. She didn't realize brunch would involve them going to a five star restaurant, but then again she should've expected that. She just had a feeling someone else wouldn't have felt the need to..

"Alright, let's get going, I have a table reserved for the two of us," Hoshi told her as he held her door open for her and Momoka smiled.

"You really didn't have to go to all that trouble, Hoshi, I would've managed," she said but he shook his head.

"Nonsense. It's no big deal, I come here all the time," he said, guiding her into the restaurant.

They got a booth by the window and soon were glancing through the menu, listening to the soft music and light conversations from the others in attendance.

"I think I'm going to get the roasted turkey and avocado sandwiches, what are you going to get?" Momoka asked Hoshi and he shrugged.

"I think I'm going to get strawberry pancakes and cranberry french toast. Nothing like a good meal to start the day," he said with a smile and she nodded.

"So tell me a little more about yourself, Hoshi," Momoka requested after their orders had been taken, folding her hands in her lap.

"What would you like to know? I'm the eldest son of Matsumo Asokuji and I'm going to be practicing medicine in the coming fall, hopefully so I can become a neurosurgeon like my father. I'm going to be his successor." He reached his hand over the table, surprising Momoka when he took her hand in his. "And I can make you a very happy woman, Momoka."

Momoka felt her cheeks heat up and she hastily brought her hand back, rubbing at it. She didn't quite know what to say and was glad to be interrupted by their waitress delivering their food. Sure, Hoshi had a lot of money and a lot of connections, and he was quite intelligent and he didn't treat her poorly, but was that all that she wanted?