Love Between Old Friends

Chapter 3

xXKazuma POVXx
I just stared aimlessly at the folded letter feeling sad and guilty, Kenji came back after talking to Mariko. "I told Mariko... she said that there isn't any rooms available so you'll have to make some space here." I turned to Kenji who now was standing in the centre of the door frame, I nodded to him and returned back to my gloom.

Kenji approached and sat down beside me, petting my head lightly. "So...who is this guy?"

"Ten years ago, friends of the family came to visit, the parents were busy at the time but their two children were able to come here on their own. The youngest, Riku Matsumori, was the same age as me, while his sister Kiyoko is five years older than him."

"So this old friend of yours is Riku?"

I nodded. "When I first met him...he was very shy, quiet and kept to himself a lot, it took me almost half my summer to get him to talk! But after a while I got him talking and we had a lot in common, however...he kinda liked me..."

"Liked you?" Kenji questioned, tilting his head slightly

"Liked, liked me, as in he had a crush on me." I blushed a deep red as I said it and in turn Kenji did too.

"So is that the reason why you're so down? Because its going to be awkward talking to him again?" Kenji questioned.

I buried my face between my knees. "That's not the reason... and I don't really want to talk about it, it hurts to much think about it and it may even hurt Riku if I bring that up..."

A momentary silence filled the room, no one else was around so there were no sounds of footsteps or tid bits of chatter, it was the summer so naturally the cicadas where playing their tunes. Suddenly out of nowhere rapid footsteps became louder and louder until finally a figure skidded across my door frame, bumping against the wooden arch.

It was Natsuki, Kenji's fully committed lover, she was breathing quiet heavily, like she just completed a lap around the house. "Natsuki, is something the matter?" Kenji asked with worry.

Natsuki shook her head vigorously and stared at me. "Kazuma you might wanna come to the front door, there's someone who wants to see you."

xXOC POVXx
After a hour train ride, half an hour on a bus and then thirty minutes of walking I'm finally here, the Jinnouchi residence, and it is still so massive as I last remembered it. However I don't remember one of the arch ways missing, or a hot spring, man...things change significantly when your away for ten years.

I walked along the dirt path road that led to the main entrance to the house, many of the Jinnouchi family was swarming about meeting and greeting one another, some I recognized in an instant, others took me a while but I remembered in the end. Most of them had outfits that suited the summer, short sleeved shirts, tank tops and even shorts, except for one person in particular, Mariko.

She stood out among the rest, she didn't wear any casual clothing during the summer or in any other season, that i know of. She wore a green tea coloured yukata, I didn't even know that they had such colours. Mariko was standing at the entrance telling people were to go and greeting family members that came in after a while she turned to face me as if she knew I would be coming.

She looked at me with a smile on her face. "My goodness you've grown up to be a fine man, Riku Matsumori."

I faintly smiled back. "Thank you aunty, its good to be back."

"I'm afraid that all of the rooms have been taken so you'll need to bunk with someone."

"That's okay who am I bunking with?"

And from out of the corridor a familiar voice spoke "You'll be bunking with me..."

From out the side of the corridor, I saw my old friend, Kazuma, he hasn't changed a bit; he still has that long black hair, those massive hazel brown eyes, sun tanned skin and that same red tank top and shorts, he did grow a bit taller than last time but I'm still taller than him.

"So are you coming or you just gonna day dream?" Said Kazuma with a low tone to his voice.

My eyes snapped to his, and I shook off my daze and followed him to his room.