Strawberry Season [Karushuu]

Chapter 7

(P.O.V : Asano)

I was lying on the grass with Akabane, who seemed to be spaced out at the moment.
While I was trying to relax, he kept moving around.
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"Do you remember the time you told me you trust me?"
I asked.
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After a few seconds he looked up to me and stopped moving.
"Yeah?"
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"Then why are you lying to me about something that obvious? I mean you're clearly struggling."
I stated and sat up, leading Akabane to do the same.
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He looked at me for a few seconds before he faced the lake.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think you'd be able to understand."
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"Try me."
I said with a slight grin on my lips.
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He sighed and laid back down.
"Better not- If even the number one of Kunugigaoka isn't able to solve the problem, how should you even have the ghost of a chance anyway?"
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I was about to say something but stopped myself, the moment I saw him smirking at me.
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"You just can't stop bringing it up-"
I said smiling to myself.
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"Why should I?~"
He asked and I laid back down next to him.
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"It's annoying-"
I explained, while closing my eyes once again.
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"Then why did you smile?~"
He asked, still smirking.
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"I smiled, because it's good to see you're happy again."
I answered and opened my eyes to look at him.
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He seemed surprised and blushed a little after hearing my words.
In order to hide his red cheeks, he placed his head on my arm and avoided to meet my eye.
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'How cute-'
I thought and laughed a bit.
He was still a delinquent at that time, but on the inside of the tough shell hid a soft core.
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As I slowly put my arm around him, he twitched a little bit but relaxed again immediately.
Although I didn't realize what I just did, it felt nice.
This was the first time I hugged someone in like forever.
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Not long after 'it' happened, he fell asleep.
I gently stroked his back and held him close.
'Why am I doing this?'
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I questioned myself but the only answer I found was rather odd.
I liked hugging him.
Unfortunately, I didn't know why.
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'It's probably just because I can't remember the last time I hugged someone.'
Yes, it's been years.
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While searching for more reasonable answers, I went to the land of nod as well.
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When I opened my eyes again, the sun was already setting.
"Wake up, sleepyhead-"
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Akabane stretched himself with a loud yawn and slowly opend his eyes.
"What's the matter?"
He asked, still being half asleep.
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"Shouldn't we be heading home by now? It's already evening."
I said and we both sat up again.
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"Heading home? I still planned to go downtown today- and I want you to accompany me!~"
He told smiling.
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I looked at him in surprise.
"Are you sure? Shouldn't we wait until tomorrow?-"
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He shook his head and stood up, reaching his hand out to me.
"No way, we're going right now."
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I took his hand and he pulled me up.
I never questioned it but I had to admit it; he was incredibly strong for a 15 year-old.
I knew about his past actions and why he had been expelled from school but I never really cared about this back then. He was just another troublemaker, who happened to be getting a few good grades - Nothing special.
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But then again, everything he had done was in order to protect others- and there were times he simply snapped.
He almost destroyed the whole office of his former homeroom teacher before he was sent to 3-E.
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When we arrived at the train station, he told me that he already bought some tickets.
We spent like 5 Minutes to get into the train, because it was very crowded.
We ended up being sandwiched in a corner.
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'It's a train to downtown Tokyo- what did I expect?'
I sighed but Akabane didn't seem to be bothered at all.
He was talking about something but I wasn't able to understand his words due to the perpetual noise.
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After around 20 Minutes we arrived.
I ended up trying to follow Akabane, who somehow easily made his way through the massive crowd.
I almost lost him but thanks to his red hair I had no problem to find him again.
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"Here it is, my favorite place of Tokyo!~"
He said smiling as we went inside the building.
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It looked like an ordinary café, only 10 times bigger.
He led me to his favorite spot upstairs.
As we sat down, he handed me the menu.
"I already know it inside out!~"
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I took a close look at the sheet right in front of me.
There was a lot to order, but it seemed like this place was specialized in the drinks of the "Ore-Series", or better said the"Simmered au lait series".
'Right, isn't he always drinking those in class?'
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"Have you decided what you want to order?"
Akabane asked.
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I nod and Akabane beckoned the waitress over.
As both of us had ordered, I took a look outside the window right next to our table.
It was already dark outside and Tokyo was covered in hundreds of the brightest colors and millions of people from all over the world.
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"Beautiful, isn't it?"
He said smiling.
"I really wanted to show this to you."
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I looked asquint at him.
On this floor, the lights are only given trough the windows and some small multi-colored Chochin-Lanterns.
I had to admit, that he looked gorgeous being covered in those colors.
His eyes shone like ambers on a sunny day.
'He's beautiful.'
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I smiled lost in my thoughts but the waitress broke the silence, as she served the dinner.
"Bon appétit."
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As I saw what Akabane had ordered I laughed a little.
"You love those drinks, don't you?"
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Akabane, who was about to start, glanced up again and nod.
"Those are my favorites, especially the ones with strawberry flavor!~"
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His plate was full of seafood and sushi, while I just ordered a miso-soup and a cup of coffee.
As we both started to eat, I noticed how fast he ate.
I wasn't really hungry, but the soup tasted delicious.
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Even tho I've lived in Tokyo my whole live, I never had time to discover it's beauty.
I understood why Akabane loved this place.
It was different from the places I knew.
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As we both finished eating, Akabane wanted to pay, but I stopped him.
"You paid for the tickets, I will pay for the dinner."
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He looked at me in surprise but started to laugh as soon as I finished my sentence.
"I knew you would insist on paying this time-"
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We both looked at each other for quite a long time and almost forgot that the waitress was still there, waiting for the payment.
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As I attempted to go downstairs, Akabane reached out for my hand.
"Wait- Follow me."
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He said and rushed upstairs, while holding onto my hand until we reached the Rooftop.
"You can see almost all of downtown Tokyo up here."
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He lead me to the edge of the roof and sat down.
"I hope you're not afraid of heights!~"
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I took a seat next to him and smiled.
"I'm not- but I would prefer a more safer spot."
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"I wanted to be alone with you- that's why I chose this place."
He explained and faced the night sky.
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"Why? Is there something private you want to talk about?"
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"That's not it- I just- I'm-"
He sighed and I noticed how his cheeks turned red.
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"It's fine- I appreciate your effort, Akabane."
I said smiling.
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"Just call me Karma."
He said with a slight smile on his face.
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I was surprised.
Calling someone by their first name isn't common in Japan.
Only family members and close friends are supposed to use this kind of addressing.
It usually implies a high degree of intimacy.
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"Are you sure?"
I asked, still a bit confused.
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He simply nodded and rested his head on my shoulder.
"I'm sure."
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"Alright, Karma."
I said and started to smile again, still wondering why.
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He looked pleased before he closed his eyes to take a nap.
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'Again?'
I asked myself and noticed that he only wore a flimsy shirt.
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I sighed and decided to share my coat with him and moved a bit closer, trying not to wake him up.
He snuggled up to me and I put my arm around him.
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'You're such an idiot-'
I was aware of his intelligence and how he proved himself some months ago.
I still remember how the E-Class proved themselves, while all the students and teachers of the main-building were proved wrong.
Especially my father.
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Ever since then you can say our relationship may have improved a bit, but it didn't erased the scars of the past 12 years.
I was about the age of 3 as my father began to turn into a monster.
It was hard to understand for a 3 year old boy that his father changed and showed no more affection towards his own son.
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As I looked at the sleeping boy next to me, I remembered his words.
He never felt a father's love, but he had a mother, who deeply cared about him.
I can't even remember my mother's face.
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My father never talked about her after her disappearance.
No matter how much I pleaded him to tell me what happened.
The first lesson he taught me showed me that people won't stay for ever and no one will help you, no matter how many nights you spend begging and crying for them to return.
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It hurts to remember.
Someday you'll start accepting things the way they are, knowing nothing in your might is able to bring them back.
That's why I stopped befriending people.
I stopped caring about them, knowing the pain it could cause.
The closest "friends" I could remember were rest of the big five, but I never really considered them as friends- more like some people, who helped me to run the student council, knowing they could never compete with me.
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The only one, who showed me that he was qualified to be considered as my rival was sleeping on my shoulder.
I smiled, as I faced the sleeping devil once again.
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"Wake up-"
I whispered in his ear and he opened his eyes.
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"Hm?"
He looked at me with sleepy eyes.
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"It's past 9 pm- Have you bought some tickets for the way home?"
I asked calmly.
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"..."
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"Don't tell me you forgot-"
I was about to finish my sentence, as he interrupted me.
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"Shut up-"
He said, as he sat up and seemed quite embarrassed.
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I sighed and got up.
"Let's find a hotel nearby-"
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He nodded and we went down more than 20 floors by using the stairs, because the elevator was out of order.
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After about half an hour searching for a appropriate hotel, I noticed how Karma began to shiver, tho he hid it quite well.
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Without further thought, I put my coat around his shoulders.
He looked at me surprised and a bit confused.
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"Wh-"
This time I interrupted him.
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"Just take it- You're cold. Don't you even try to deny it."
I said and he blushed a little.
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"But-"
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"But me no buts- I won't take it back."
I stated with a slight smile on my lips.
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"Thanks-"
He muttered and snuggled into my coat.
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I couldn't help myself but thinking how cute he sounded at the moment.
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Not long after this moment we found a nice-looking hotel and we waited for like 10 minutes to be the next.
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"Sorry, but there's only one room left for today."
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I sighed and accepted my fate.
As we arrived at our room, we rushed inside and slumped onto the bed.
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"Let's go to sleep right now-"
I said, while I undressed myself.
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Karma just sat there, still wearing my coat around his shoulders.
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"What's the matter?"
I asked and caused him to blush once again.
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"N-Nothing."
He said and started to take his clothes off.
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As we both lied under the blanket, I closed my eyes and fell asleep in under one minute.