Open Your Heart - Chapter Ten
Keiko.
The name echoed hauntingly in Daiki Arioka's mind.
Why is this happening?! There’s no way… but she looks exactly like her! She even has the same name! Daiki Arioka’s thoughts shouted in remonstration as he followed Keiko Inoo upstairs.
“Here you are,” she gestured to Kota’s room as soon as they reached the door. Daiki nodded slowly, unwilling to take his eyes off the familiar-faced girl.
“Daiki!” Kota Yabu greeted with a smile as soon as his best friend walked through the door.
“Kota!” Daiki grinned back. “So what’s up? How come you called me here?” he asked curiously.
“Well… remember how when your girlfriend broke up with you, I helped you get through it…?” Kota began slowly.
Daiki’s heart ached at the mention of his ex-girlfriend. He still loved her dearly, no matter how much Kota had tried to help him cope after she broke up with him. Plus… he had just been thinking about her.
“…And then you said whenever I had relationship troubles, you’d help me?” Kota continued, pausing at the end of his question.
“Yeah,” Daiki answered quietly.
“Well, I kind of wanted to talk to you, about something… like that,” Kota finished, grinning sheepishly at his friend.
“Oh, yeah, sure,” Daiki replied. “I’m all ears.”
“Cool,” Kota smiled. “Okay, so my problem is that I think I’m falling for someone…”
“That’s great!” Daiki cut in excitedly, now fully eradicating himself from his own thoughts to focus on his friend’s so-called dilemma. “You’ve never developed feelings for anyone before, have you?” he smirked, slightly mocking his inexperienced friend.
Kota shook his head. “No, but the problem is…”
“What problem could there be?” Daiki laughed lightly. “Yes, the strange sensations you’re feeling are all normal. When you’re in love with someone, your face is supposed to turn all red, and your stomach is supposed to feel all fluttery, and your heart is supposed to start beating faster whenever you so much as start thinking of her… It’s all perfectly normal!” Daiki smiled at Kota who was starting to get annoyed at Daiki’s constant interruptions.
“Daiki,” Kota stated firmly. “The problem is that, yes, I’m getting those ‘strange sensations’,” Kota paused, feeling his cheeks burning slightly as he spoke. “But the person I’m constantly thinking about…is a-a guy!”
“Oh.” Daiki answered softly.
Kota heaved a big sigh. “Is that really…bad?” he asked quietly, looking uncomfortably down at his feet which were dangling limply off the side of his bed.
“Kota,” Daiki said softly, walking over to sit down next to him. “No, that’s not…bad,” he began slowly, trying to comfort his friend. “But do you know if that guy likes… guys, too?” he asked softly, wanting to make sure Kota knew what kind of situation he was getting himself into.
Kota shook his head again. “I don’t know…” he mumbled, shutting his eyes.
“Well, you never know, Kota, he could very well like you back,” Daiki replied cheerfully, trying to sound encouraging. “Don’t be so down about it!” he insisted with a smile. “Come on, why don’t you tell him how you feel? Then you’ll know if he likes you back!”
“It’s too early for that, Daiki,” Kota groaned, putting his head in his hands.
“Well then, why don’t you wait a little, see if you still feel…that way about him, and then tell him?” Daiki suggested.
“I guess so… But I still feel like I’m just really…weird…and just abnormal… to like a guy…”
“Don’t worry, Kota, you’re definitely not ‘abnormal’; I bet there are tons of guys out there who feel the exact same way as you! No matter what, I’ll support you one hundred percent of the way!” Daiki grinned at Kota, whose lips curved slightly upward into a slight smile at his friend’s remarks.
“Thanks, Daiki,” Kota nodded his appreciation for his friend’s earnest support. “But anyway, enough about me, how are you doing? Have you met someone new yet? You can’t still be moping around about your ex, can you?” Kota asked, changing the subject.
“Well actually… there was this maid I saw on my way up to your room today, and I thought there was something special about her…” Meeting her was like meeting Keiko for a second time… like a chance to start over, to try again…
“Well, I’m glad you’re finally getting over your past and looking for someone new!” Kota grinned, patting Daiki on the back.
“Yeah…” was Daiki’s inattentive response.
~~~
“It’s okay, I’m sure I can find my way out myself. See you later, Kota!” Daiki waved as he walked out of Kota’s room. Whistling tunelessly, he stuffed his hands in his pockets as he made his way downstairs. Out of the corner of his eye, Daiki spotted a familiar face waving out the front door, yelling, with what seemed to be a hint of sorrowfulness in her voice, “Bye, Yuto, I’ll see you later! Thanks for everything!”
Daiki took this chance to catch up to her as she turned to walk away.
“Hey…” he greeted, a little awkwardly.
“Hello. You’re Daiki, right?” she asked softly. Kei’s voice was still choked with the remnants of his tears.
Daiki nodded. “And you’re Keiko, right?”
The girl nodded timidly back before straightening herself up, signaling her impending exit. “Well, I’m sort of busy right now, so-”
“Wait,” Daiki said, pulling her back as she started to leave. “I know this is kind of sudden, but would you like to have dinner with me sometime?”
Kei was taken aback by the sudden offer. “No, I’m sorry, but I don’t-”
Daiki cut her off again. “To be honest, you look a lot like somebody I know, and so Keiko, I, uh, I really like you,” Daiki confessed shyly.
Gently removing Daiki’s hand from his wrist, Kei sighed. “I’m going to make a wild guess here, considering I have no idea who the girl that I supposedly look like is, but I think she’s the one you really like, not me.”
“N-No!” Daiki answered abruptly. “I-I like you,” he persisted.
“Listen,” Kei sighed. I’m not really in the best mood to deal with this right now… I’m sorry, Daiki Arioka, if I hurt your feelings with my bluntness… “I bet you’re a nice guy and all, but I’m pretty sure you’re just in denial right now. You should just admit to yourself that you like her.” Kei patted Daiki on the shoulder gently before walking away. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so direct… Kei regretted, shaking his head sadly as he walked off, leaving Daiki standing motionless behind him.
“N-No…” Daiki repeated, whispering to himself. There’s no way I haven’t gotten over her yet… No way… I can’t accept this. Keiko Inoo, you are the one I like, and I will win your heart someday, I promise… I have to.
~~~
Yuri Chinen reached out her arm to grab a pack of ramen off the shelf at the supermarket, but her hand grazed against another’s, which then snatched the packet first.
“Oh, I’m sorry, did you want this?” A familiar voice inquired.
Looking up into those large, shining eyes, Yuri breathed, “Yuto…”
“Yuri?” he grinned, surprised to realize he was in the company of a friend. “Hey, I didn’t expect to bump into you here.”
“Me neither,” Yuri smiled shyly.
“Oh, here, you can take this,” Yuto gave her the ramen that they had both reached for.
Yuri blushed, “No, it’s okay. It’s the last one, and besides, you did reach it first.”
“It’s fine,” Yuto insisted. “I want you to have it,” Yuto offered it to her again and Yuri accepted this time, touched by his simple act of kindness.
“Thanks,” she mumbled.
“No problem,” Yuto smiled.
~~~
“So I thought you lived at the Yabu mansion, like an on-site maid. Why do you need to buy groceries?” Yuto wondered aloud inquisitively as the two of them waited at the bus stop together on their way home.
“Well, Miss Mai sent me to buy groceries for making dinner for all the housekeeping staff, and Young Master Kota, of course.” Yuri explained.
“Ah, I guess that was a pretty obvious answer… Sorry for my stupid question,” Yuto laughed sheepishly, making Yuri’s heart flutter. His carefree laugh, his adorable smile… I can’t stop myself from loving every part of him… but he’s already with Kei, and I can’t betray my friend!
“The bus is here,” Yuto remarked, gesturing to allow Yuri to get on first. She nodded and smiled at his politeness once more. Sitting sown in an empty seat, Yuri reddened slightly as Yuto sat down next to her. Her heart was racing as his arm accidentally brushed against hers when the bus ran over a bump.
At the next stop, an elderly woman boarded the bus, and seeing how there were no more seats available, Yuto was the first one to jump up and offer the lady his seat. Thanking Yuto for his kind offer, the old lady sat down next to Yuri. She then turned and whispered to Yuri, “You’re very fortunate to have a boyfriend who is so considerate.”
“Oh, no,” Yuri shook her head. “He’s not my-”
“Whatever you say, dear,” the old lady chuckled softly before getting off at the next stop.
Once she had left, Yuto slid back into the seat. Seeing Yuri’s stunned expression, he cocked his head to the side and asked, “What did that lady say to you?”
Yuri flushed pink and answered, “She said you were a very well-mannered young man.” It was partially a lie, but Yuri couldn’t get herself to tell Yuto the rest of what the elderly woman had actually said.
“Oh, well, I was just doing what I thought was the right thing for anyone to do,” Yuto shrugged.
She smiled. He’s very kind-hearted, too, isn’t he? Yuri asked herself.
Only when Yuto muttered, “I wonder how Kei’s doing…” did Yuri once again, remember that Yuto belonged to Kei.
“I’m glad even to just simply be your friend, Yuto,” Yuri murmured quietly.
“Did you say something?” Yuto asked, cocking his head again. He thought he had heard Yuri whisper something, but he dismissed it was she didn’t reply, she only giggled.
He’s still so cute, though…