Girl Next Door

Chapter Three

It was two or so minutes before Kyosuke could join Risa and his family downstairs for dinner.

Kyosuke's sister Hinako was a small teenage girl with long, straight dark blue hair. She was a year younger than Kyosuke, and was particularly fond of Risa, affectionately calling her "Onee-chan" (big sister). She liked hugging her a lot, particularly when she first came home.

The four of them knelt down together at the wooden dining table and dug in. Kyosuke was a gentlemanly kind of eater and didn't rush, and Risa was usually ladylike when eating, but coming back from the hustle-and-bustle of America, she was now a very fast eater and almost wolfed down her share of the food on the table. Matsuko and Hinako laughed, but Kyosuke was smiling rather awkardly.

A minute later and conversation began.

"So Risa-chan," said Matsuko, "how was America?"

"Oh, it was amazing," Risa replied cheerfully. "It's cold during the winter and early spring, but it's really fun to play in the snow. Tee-hee. I never get to play in the snow here in Tokyo." She stirred her yakisoba noodles with a pair of chopsticks.

"I see," said Matsuko, sipping tea.

"Some of the people there are real nice too," continued Risa. "But they're prone to stereotyping, and it gets on my nerves sometimes. They even asked me if my parents worked at Honda just because I'm Japanese. Ugh." She put her hands on her head and ran them down her rippling auburn hair.

"Well," said Matsuko, smirking slightly, "you can't blame them."

"Ooh, ooh, Onee-chan," said Hinako enthusiastically, "have you met any handsome boys?"

Both Risa and Kyosuke were completely taken by surprise by what the giggling fourteen-year-old said. Risa blushed and Kyosuke looked a bit nervous but at the same time wondered what Risa was going to answer.

"O-Of course not," came Risa's answer. At that, Kyosuke exhaled deeply.

"I never really had a taste for American boys, really," she continued, twirling a strand of her hair on her finger. "I prefer the boy-next-door types."

Kyosuke once again felt uneasy as he heard the words "boy-next-door". "Does she mean...?"

When Risa saw Kyosuke's expression, she said, "O-Of course, relationships will have to wait... Have to put studies before all that." She gave a wide grin.

"Right," replied Matsuko.

"Besides," said Risa, "boys like that don't come around everyday."

Kyosuke felt confidence swim into him as he heard those words. 

"So Risa," he spoke, "Where are you going to school?"

Risa paused for a moment. Then she replied, "That's a secret. Tee-hee."

"Huh?" Kyosuke uttered.

Matsuko and Hinako laughed all the way until after dinner. Risa helped Matsuko arrange the dishes after Hinako washed them. Then after wiping her hands, she decided to go home.

"All right, thanks again, guys," she said as she opened the front door.

"Thanks too for helping me with dinner," replied Matsuko.

Hinako rushed up to Risa and gave her another hug.

"Bye, Onee-chan!"

"Tee-hee," giggled Risa, "bye, Hinako-chan."

Waving, she walked out of the door. Hinako then closed the door in front of her.

It was eight in the evening.

Kyosuke never actually had a chance to say goodbye to Risa, as after dinner, he immediately excused himself and ran upstairs to his room. He still can't get over the prospect of seeing Risa again after three years. He regretted not having said goodbye to her this time.

"Damn," he muttered to himself as he sat on his bed. "Don't make the same mistake you made three years ago. One that almost cost you your best friend. I should be happy she's back." He picked up a guitar from under his bed and played a tune.

All of a sudden, something light and pointed hit Kyosuke on the temple and slightly pricked him.

"Ouch," he grunted, as he searched for the thing that hit him.

It was on his bed. It was a paper airplane.

"What the...?" he wondered, as he proceeded to unfold the paper and reveal a note that read:

You forgot to say bye to me, baka! :P ("Baka" means idiot for those who don't know Japanese)

"Huh?" he uttered. He looked upon the window and saw that it was open. He walked up to it, and outside he saw Risa peeping out of her bedroom window, wearing white pajamas and smiling at him.

"Risa?" said Kyosuke, scratching his head. "What are you doing?"

"I was wondering when you were gonna come out here," said Risa, smiling affectionately.

"Okay, I'm sorry I didn't say bye to you," said Kyosuke, slightly annoyed.

"You look like you're not happy that I'm back," said Risa, putting her hands on her window sill almost flirtingly.

"I-I am happy you're back," replied Kyosuke. "I'm just not used to you being here for a long time."

Risa gave a sweet smile and said, "Well, how about we talk about it tomorrow at your house?"

"T-Tomorrow?" asked Kyosuke. "But--"

"No buts," said Risa, holding her index finger up at him. "I'm coming over tomorrow."

Kyosuke sighed.

"Kyosuke," said Risa in a softer voice.

"Yeah?" answered Kyosuke.

"I'm really glad we could talk like this again after a long time," said Risa.

Kyosuke looked at her sparkly green eyes. His chest tightened.

"Me too, Risa," he answered after a short pause.

Risa gave a warm smile. "See you tomorrow, then."

Kyosuke smiled back. "Yeah. Good night."

"Good night." She then closed her window.

Kyosuke did the same. He then threw himself onto his bed, smiling widely with renewed confidence.

"Risa..." he muttered to himself, "you are so mysterious. Well, gotta hit the sack. Don't want Risa coming over and seeing how much of a slacker I am." He chuckled as he wrapped his sheets around himself and went to sleep.