Melon Love - Chapter Five
Daisuke yawned as he sat up and stretched. He got off his bed, walked over to his window and pulled the curtains open. As he looked out of his window, he saw the post man putting the mail into everyone’s letterboxes. He blinked before turning around and walking to his door. He opened it and looked down the hallway to see if anyone was awake yet.
He stepped out and walked across to the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and having a short shower, he walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, back into his room. He changed into his school uniform and put his shoulder bag on. Daisuke walked silently down the hallway and down the staircase. When he was down on the first floor, he turned around and walked into the kitchen. There on the dining table was a bowl of cereal, a jug of milk and a plate with two pieces of buttered toast. He smiled; he knew that his mother made this before she left for work.
His mother, unlike other rich mothers, did things. She didn’t just leave everything to her maids and butler: she spent time with her son, cleaned the house and even cooked sometimes. That’s what Daisuke liked about her, even if she was immature at times. See, his father, his mother’s first husband, cheated on her. His parents divorced when he was seven years old. Over the next few years, she remarried time and time again, never finding the one man that she wished to be with. After those marriages, Daisuke told her that she rushed things too much, and that most of her ex-husbands had married her for the money.
After this was when she started to act more like a child and she decided not to get married again. Daisuke, meanwhile, had been a very isolated child. After watching how the adults around him acted, he thought that he should not fall in love, for he thought that he might hurt the girl he would fall for, or himself. Because of that, he didn’t socialize with the other children at school, and just read books. By the time he was eleven, he was at the top of his class, getting one hundred percent for all of his tests and assignments. This then made him grow popular, with mainly the girls. And also his growth spurt was quite slow. He was sixteen, but his height was only 154 centimeters.
After finishing his breakfast, he walked out of the house and past the gate. He preferred walking to being driven around in a car. As he was walking to school, his mind was only on one thing… What or who was he thinking of?
“Shintani-kun?”
He blinked and squinted his eyes. “What?”
A few meters away from him was Chieko; today her hair was in two plaits. “Good morning!” she greeted.
“Yeah,” he muttered.
She pouted. “Okay, whatever.”
After the homeroom period, they had a free study period. During that time, Chieko tried to write her own song. Daisuke wasn’t studying: he was reading. He glanced at what she was doing and snatched the piece of paper from under her, making her draw a line.
“Hey--!” she cried out softly.
He smirked and read her lyrics. He then sighed and handed it back to her. She took it back quickly, and flipped it over, starting over. When it came to lunch time, Yuri called Chieko over to her.
“Ne,” she whispered. “Are you and Shintani-kun going out?”
Chieko rolled her eyes. “Not again…” she groaned.
“What? I’m just asking!”
“Well… I’m not too sure… you see…” Chieko started off, and then explained about what happened with her and Daisuke and about her and Yuya.
Yuri listened to the whole thing, nodding when necessary. “I see…” she murmured.
“Do you know who you like more?” she asked.
Chieko bit the inside of her bottom lip. “I don’t know.”
Yuri nodded again. “Well, your heart will tell you who when you’re ready.”
Chieko looked at her. “You think? You really think so?”
Yuri nodded her head. “Of course! Why do you think I’m with Hayato-kun now? Because I trust him, of course…”
Chieko nodded understandingly. “Oh, okay…”
When she turned around, she didn’t see Daisuke sitting at his desk, and had a good feeling where he was. A moment later, she was walking into the music room, and she saw him sitting on the piano stool. “Hey,” he smiled.
She blinked. He’s smiling… she thought. Actually smiling…!
“Uh, hi…” her response in a soft whisper.
He raised his eyebrows, but then seemed to shake off whatever he was thinking and started to speak. “Have you decided what song you’ll sing for the audition?”
She bit her lip, “Umm…”
He rolled his eyes and sighed.
She glared at him. “Yes, actually, I have chosen!” she announced, irritated.
He smirked. “Really? What song is it?”
She stared at him. “Uh… it’s called…”
He exhaled. “You know, a singer without a song isn’t really a singer, right?”
Her mouth twitched, and her eyes glared at him. “No, really,” she started, an answer ready. “I have chosen my song.”
He walked over to her, hands in pockets. “And what song is that?”
“The song that I was writing during the study period.” She answered, feeling that she was winning this small battle.
“Huh… weren’t you supposed to be studying?”
“What about you? You were reading!” she rebutted.
“I don’t need to study.” He answered bluntly.
She glowered at him and then turned to the raised platform. “Whatever, I don’t need your help anyway,” she muttered under her breath.
He chuckled to himself and turned to face her.
Meanwhile, Yuri was sitting on Hayato, who was sitting under a tree in the yard.
“Ne,” he started, chin resting on her head. “Do you like me?”
“Of course,” she murmured, sleepy.
“Really? No second thoughts?”
She nodded, eyes starting to close. “Uh huh…”
He grinned. “That’s good.”
She smiled, and took a deep breath.
“Yuri! Hayato!”
Hayato lifted his head off Yuri’s and looked to his right. “Hey!” he called back, waving. “Chi! Shintani!”
Yuri squeezed her eyes and opened them, lifting her head off Hayato’s chest. “Ch-Chieko?” she mumbled.
Chieko jumped and landed a little bit away from them. “Hey there!” she made the piece sign.
“Yo.” Daisuke walked towards them.
“Ah…” Hayato looked at him, then to Chieko, and back. “Are you two going out?”
“No.” Daisuke answered straight away.
Hayato snickered. “You don’t need to deny it!”
After school, Daisuke walked home with Chieko to her house. The walk was silent, but breathable. She bowed when they arrived at her gate and turned to walk into her house.
He looked down at the ground, and then held his head up. “Wai-- Hey,” he started, stepping forward.
She turned around a little too quickly for him. “What is it?”
“Uh…” Daisuke opened his mouth, but that was the only sound that came out.
“Well, if you don’t want to say anything, I’m gonna go in--“
“No.” He walked up to her and hugged her from behind.
“What--?” she started and blushed. “Shintani-kun?” she whispered.
“I… Can we just stay like this? Just for a little while…”
She smiled and bit her lip, and then nodded her head once. He smiled and laid his head on her’s.
“Ah!” Akiyo was out of the house in a flash, finger pointing at Daisuke.
Daisuke and Chieko looked up at her. Chieko immediately blushed and pulled away from Daisuke. He wanted to pull her back, but instead he just put his hands in his pockets and glowered at her older sister.
“What?” he growled.
She gaped at him, and then her mouth twitched. “If you hurt my sister, I will seriously--”
He looked at her. “I won’t hurt her.”
“Oh, really?” Akiyo strode towards him and looked into his eyes. “And why exactly should I trust you?”
Chieko took a step forward. “Because I do.” she said.
Akiyo looked at her youngest sibling. “Y-you do?”
Chieko nodded. “I trust him… with all of my heart.”
Akiyo blinked at her. “Okay.” She smiled. “You’re growing up… so fast.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “I… I miss the old you…”
Chieko bit her lip, smiling. “Sorry, Aki-nee…”
Akiyo shook her head. “No, don’t be. I’m just acting older than I should be.” She grinned.
She walked up to her and hugged her sister tightly. “But… just remember: if you need any help with anything… don’t hesitate to let me know.”
She winked at her and turned to face Daisuke. “And you…” she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Take care of my sister. If you don’t, me and Hiyoshi-nii will bash the crap out of you.”
She turned around and walked back into the house. Chieko walked up to Daisuke, hugged him tightly for a second, and then ran back into the house.
He smiled at her back. “I will.”
Later that night, Chieko could hear someone throwing rocks at her window. Typical cliché! She knew exactly who it was and quickly changed her clothes and rushed out of her room. When she was in the hallway, she tip-toed to make sure no one could hear her, but the floorboards creaked while she did. She opened the door and quietly closed it behind her. She slipped her shoes on and ran towards her nighttime visitor.
“Yuya!” she exclaimed happily.
“Ah, you knew.” She could tell he was frowning by the tone of his voice. “I was hoping to surprise you.”
“You can’t fool me.” she threw herself into his arms.
He sighed and held her close to him, hoping that he didn’t have to let go.
“I saw someone hugging you today.” he said after some time.
She looked up at his face, but couldn’t see too much, since there wasn’t a streetlight. “He’s…”
“I’m happy for you.” he smiled, kissing her head.
“Really? Not jealous?” she asked, astonished.
He nodded his head. “Yup. I’ve already been your boyfriend before, and I know that you’ll be a great girlfriend to that new guy.” He paused before continuing. “What’s his name?”
“Daisuke… Shintani.” she answered, closing her eyes.
“Ah…”
There was silence, before:
“Is he better than me?” he laughed.
She grinned. “Way.”
He gasped. “No he’s not…” he whined softly.
She smiled and nestled into his chest. “Will you still protect me?”
He nodded. “Definitely.”
She smiled softly. “Thank you.”
He stepped out and walked across to the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and having a short shower, he walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, back into his room. He changed into his school uniform and put his shoulder bag on. Daisuke walked silently down the hallway and down the staircase. When he was down on the first floor, he turned around and walked into the kitchen. There on the dining table was a bowl of cereal, a jug of milk and a plate with two pieces of buttered toast. He smiled; he knew that his mother made this before she left for work.
His mother, unlike other rich mothers, did things. She didn’t just leave everything to her maids and butler: she spent time with her son, cleaned the house and even cooked sometimes. That’s what Daisuke liked about her, even if she was immature at times. See, his father, his mother’s first husband, cheated on her. His parents divorced when he was seven years old. Over the next few years, she remarried time and time again, never finding the one man that she wished to be with. After those marriages, Daisuke told her that she rushed things too much, and that most of her ex-husbands had married her for the money.
After this was when she started to act more like a child and she decided not to get married again. Daisuke, meanwhile, had been a very isolated child. After watching how the adults around him acted, he thought that he should not fall in love, for he thought that he might hurt the girl he would fall for, or himself. Because of that, he didn’t socialize with the other children at school, and just read books. By the time he was eleven, he was at the top of his class, getting one hundred percent for all of his tests and assignments. This then made him grow popular, with mainly the girls. And also his growth spurt was quite slow. He was sixteen, but his height was only 154 centimeters.
After finishing his breakfast, he walked out of the house and past the gate. He preferred walking to being driven around in a car. As he was walking to school, his mind was only on one thing… What or who was he thinking of?
“Shintani-kun?”
He blinked and squinted his eyes. “What?”
A few meters away from him was Chieko; today her hair was in two plaits. “Good morning!” she greeted.
“Yeah,” he muttered.
She pouted. “Okay, whatever.”
After the homeroom period, they had a free study period. During that time, Chieko tried to write her own song. Daisuke wasn’t studying: he was reading. He glanced at what she was doing and snatched the piece of paper from under her, making her draw a line.
“Hey--!” she cried out softly.
He smirked and read her lyrics. He then sighed and handed it back to her. She took it back quickly, and flipped it over, starting over. When it came to lunch time, Yuri called Chieko over to her.
“Ne,” she whispered. “Are you and Shintani-kun going out?”
Chieko rolled her eyes. “Not again…” she groaned.
“What? I’m just asking!”
“Well… I’m not too sure… you see…” Chieko started off, and then explained about what happened with her and Daisuke and about her and Yuya.
Yuri listened to the whole thing, nodding when necessary. “I see…” she murmured.
“Do you know who you like more?” she asked.
Chieko bit the inside of her bottom lip. “I don’t know.”
Yuri nodded again. “Well, your heart will tell you who when you’re ready.”
Chieko looked at her. “You think? You really think so?”
Yuri nodded her head. “Of course! Why do you think I’m with Hayato-kun now? Because I trust him, of course…”
Chieko nodded understandingly. “Oh, okay…”
When she turned around, she didn’t see Daisuke sitting at his desk, and had a good feeling where he was. A moment later, she was walking into the music room, and she saw him sitting on the piano stool. “Hey,” he smiled.
She blinked. He’s smiling… she thought. Actually smiling…!
“Uh, hi…” her response in a soft whisper.
He raised his eyebrows, but then seemed to shake off whatever he was thinking and started to speak. “Have you decided what song you’ll sing for the audition?”
She bit her lip, “Umm…”
He rolled his eyes and sighed.
She glared at him. “Yes, actually, I have chosen!” she announced, irritated.
He smirked. “Really? What song is it?”
She stared at him. “Uh… it’s called…”
He exhaled. “You know, a singer without a song isn’t really a singer, right?”
Her mouth twitched, and her eyes glared at him. “No, really,” she started, an answer ready. “I have chosen my song.”
He walked over to her, hands in pockets. “And what song is that?”
“The song that I was writing during the study period.” She answered, feeling that she was winning this small battle.
“Huh… weren’t you supposed to be studying?”
“What about you? You were reading!” she rebutted.
“I don’t need to study.” He answered bluntly.
She glowered at him and then turned to the raised platform. “Whatever, I don’t need your help anyway,” she muttered under her breath.
He chuckled to himself and turned to face her.
Meanwhile, Yuri was sitting on Hayato, who was sitting under a tree in the yard.
“Ne,” he started, chin resting on her head. “Do you like me?”
“Of course,” she murmured, sleepy.
“Really? No second thoughts?”
She nodded, eyes starting to close. “Uh huh…”
He grinned. “That’s good.”
She smiled, and took a deep breath.
“Yuri! Hayato!”
Hayato lifted his head off Yuri’s and looked to his right. “Hey!” he called back, waving. “Chi! Shintani!”
Yuri squeezed her eyes and opened them, lifting her head off Hayato’s chest. “Ch-Chieko?” she mumbled.
Chieko jumped and landed a little bit away from them. “Hey there!” she made the piece sign.
“Yo.” Daisuke walked towards them.
“Ah…” Hayato looked at him, then to Chieko, and back. “Are you two going out?”
“No.” Daisuke answered straight away.
Hayato snickered. “You don’t need to deny it!”
After school, Daisuke walked home with Chieko to her house. The walk was silent, but breathable. She bowed when they arrived at her gate and turned to walk into her house.
He looked down at the ground, and then held his head up. “Wai-- Hey,” he started, stepping forward.
She turned around a little too quickly for him. “What is it?”
“Uh…” Daisuke opened his mouth, but that was the only sound that came out.
“Well, if you don’t want to say anything, I’m gonna go in--“
“No.” He walked up to her and hugged her from behind.
“What--?” she started and blushed. “Shintani-kun?” she whispered.
“I… Can we just stay like this? Just for a little while…”
She smiled and bit her lip, and then nodded her head once. He smiled and laid his head on her’s.
“Ah!” Akiyo was out of the house in a flash, finger pointing at Daisuke.
Daisuke and Chieko looked up at her. Chieko immediately blushed and pulled away from Daisuke. He wanted to pull her back, but instead he just put his hands in his pockets and glowered at her older sister.
“What?” he growled.
She gaped at him, and then her mouth twitched. “If you hurt my sister, I will seriously--”
He looked at her. “I won’t hurt her.”
“Oh, really?” Akiyo strode towards him and looked into his eyes. “And why exactly should I trust you?”
Chieko took a step forward. “Because I do.” she said.
Akiyo looked at her youngest sibling. “Y-you do?”
Chieko nodded. “I trust him… with all of my heart.”
Akiyo blinked at her. “Okay.” She smiled. “You’re growing up… so fast.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “I… I miss the old you…”
Chieko bit her lip, smiling. “Sorry, Aki-nee…”
Akiyo shook her head. “No, don’t be. I’m just acting older than I should be.” She grinned.
She walked up to her and hugged her sister tightly. “But… just remember: if you need any help with anything… don’t hesitate to let me know.”
She winked at her and turned to face Daisuke. “And you…” she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Take care of my sister. If you don’t, me and Hiyoshi-nii will bash the crap out of you.”
She turned around and walked back into the house. Chieko walked up to Daisuke, hugged him tightly for a second, and then ran back into the house.
He smiled at her back. “I will.”
Later that night, Chieko could hear someone throwing rocks at her window. Typical cliché! She knew exactly who it was and quickly changed her clothes and rushed out of her room. When she was in the hallway, she tip-toed to make sure no one could hear her, but the floorboards creaked while she did. She opened the door and quietly closed it behind her. She slipped her shoes on and ran towards her nighttime visitor.
“Yuya!” she exclaimed happily.
“Ah, you knew.” She could tell he was frowning by the tone of his voice. “I was hoping to surprise you.”
“You can’t fool me.” she threw herself into his arms.
He sighed and held her close to him, hoping that he didn’t have to let go.
“I saw someone hugging you today.” he said after some time.
She looked up at his face, but couldn’t see too much, since there wasn’t a streetlight. “He’s…”
“I’m happy for you.” he smiled, kissing her head.
“Really? Not jealous?” she asked, astonished.
He nodded his head. “Yup. I’ve already been your boyfriend before, and I know that you’ll be a great girlfriend to that new guy.” He paused before continuing. “What’s his name?”
“Daisuke… Shintani.” she answered, closing her eyes.
“Ah…”
There was silence, before:
“Is he better than me?” he laughed.
She grinned. “Way.”
He gasped. “No he’s not…” he whined softly.
She smiled and nestled into his chest. “Will you still protect me?”
He nodded. “Definitely.”
She smiled softly. “Thank you.”