Hi, Sato-chan! - Part 4
Satoshi’s house wasn’t like how Nino imagined it would be. But, he wasn’t surprised by it. Perhaps he was projecting his memory of Satoshi’s old room when he thought that the house would be full of expensive furniture. That room back then was decorated by Satoshi’s mother. Now that Satoshi was living alone, of course the house would be up to his preference.
Satoshi’s house was… hmm… how would Nino describe it? It was simple, he thought. There was barely any furniture in it. There was a couch and a coffee table. No dinner table but there were bar seats on the kitchen counter. Considering how bare the house was, it was a surprise to see how huge Satoshi’s TV was. Near the TV was an easel with a painting on it. It didn’t look complete, though.
“Do you want to put that thing in the oven?” Asked Satoshi, pointing at the container Nino was carrying. It was a mango cheese danish he prepared in the cafe earlier. It was a new recipe and he hadn’t let anyone else try it yet. Since Satoshi was upset that he wasn’t the first person to try Nino’s strudel, he decided to let Satoshi get the honor this time. “I would do it for you but I don’t know how to do it,”
“Yes, may I use your oven?”
Satoshi answered with a nod and beckoned Nino to enter the kitchen with him. They weren’t awkward together as before thanks to the conversation they had in the car on the way here. Satoshi was the one driving. Apparently, he had just gotten his license. Before this, it was Sakurai who drove him around. But, the man was complaining about it and urging him to get his license. So, yeah, he decided to do so.
In the car, they talked about the people they both knew from the past. The list wasn’t long because they went to different schools. So, they talked about the maids in the house. To Nino’s surprise, the head housekeeper, Ms Murakami, had already retired. Weird. Nino thought she would be there forever.
Nino didn’t particularly like Ms Murakami. She was horrible to Nino and by extension, to his mother as well when they were there. Nino didn’t understand why. But, he thought, it could be because of his close relationship with Satoshi back then. She often berated Nino when she saw the two of them together. She would never say anything if Satoshi was there. But, whenever Nino was alone, she would often tell Nino to remember his place. Whatever! Nino often ignored the warning.
They also talked about what they had been up to after separating. Satoshi went to a business school abroad and that was where he met Sakurai. There, Nino found another info about Sakurai. Like Satoshi, Sakurai was also an heir to a wealthy businessman. But, he decided to gain experience by working at another place before he inherited the business. That was how he ended up being an assistant to Satoshi.
Without wasting time thinking about their previous conversation, Nino put the tray containing mango danish into the oven. Then, he headed back to the living room but Satoshi was nowhere to be found. He didn’t have to wait long, though. Turning around when he heard the sound of the door opening nearby, he found Satoshi smiling at him. Gone already are the suits that he previously wore. He was now wearing a t-shirt and shorts.
“I’m gonna re-heat the meal,” informed Satoshi. “Feel free to watch the television,”
Nino simply nodded as he watched Satoshi enter the kitchen. Instead of watching television as recommended by Satoshi, Nino decided to look at the photos on the shelf. There were only five photos on it. He suddenly thought of something. Did Satoshi have a girlfriend? They didn’t talk about relationships while in the car. Hmm, perhaps if Satoshi had a girlfriend, there would be a picture of her here. Hehe, let’s see.
Well, as expected, there were pictures of Satoshi and his parents. Two of them actually. It appeared to be a picture of Satoshi's graduation and christmas. Next, it was a picture of Satoshi and Sakurai, somewhere abroad.
When Nino looked at the next two pictures, he almost gasped, too surprised by what he saw. Of all the people he could think of, he never thought that he would see pictures of him in Satoshi’s house. He knew the first picture because he had the same one. It was a picture of the two of them when they were kids, perhaps around six years old. They took the picture when they went to the zoo together. Satoshi had insisted that his parents brought Nino along to the zoo and reluctantly, they agreed. He smiled to himself thinking of how cute the kid Satoshi was. Of course, the adult Satoshi was also cute.
The last one was a photo of them at the bus station. It was taken before Nino left for his hometown. Looking at their pictures together, Nino wondered if there was a meaning behind it. Well, perhaps Satoshi appreciated their friendship. Nino didn’t want to overthink.
He quickly moved to the couch when he heard footsteps from the kitchen. He didn’t want Satoshi to know he was looking at them. It would be a topic for another day.
“Kazunari, the food is ready,” announced Satoshi as he put the plates on the counter. “Let’s eat. I’m sure you’re hungry,”
Nino was about to head to the table when the doorbell rang.
“Are you expecting someone?”
He asked. Satoshi looked confused as he shook his head. Without saying anything, he hastened towards the door. He didn’t immediately open it. Instead, he looked through the peephole to see who was at the door. Noticing the troubled look on Satoshi’s face made Nino wonder who the guest was.
Without telling Nino who it was, Satoshi opened the door. There were three ladies at the door and Nino recognized one of them. It was Satoshi’s mother. Weird. Why would Satoshi look unhappy to see his mother?
“Satoshi!”said his mother, kissing the man’s forehead. “You haven’t come home for a while. Are you eating well? Of course, you’re not. You must be busy at work. I brought…”
Satoshi’s mother stopped her babbling when she stepped inside and saw Nino. She seemed confused at first. But, Nino could see the look of recognition on her face once she recovered from the shock of seeing Nino.
“You’re Kazunari,” said the woman. Nino was surprised that she still remembered his name. “What are you doing here?”
Nino didn’t know how to answer. Thankfully, Satoshi came to his rescue. Within seconds, he was by Nino’s side and held his hand.
“Yes, mama. This is Kazunari and hmm…” Satoshi paused for a second as he turned to look at Nino. “... and… I’m dating him,”
A/N: The story is going in a different direction from what I initially planned.
Satoshi’s house was… hmm… how would Nino describe it? It was simple, he thought. There was barely any furniture in it. There was a couch and a coffee table. No dinner table but there were bar seats on the kitchen counter. Considering how bare the house was, it was a surprise to see how huge Satoshi’s TV was. Near the TV was an easel with a painting on it. It didn’t look complete, though.
“Do you want to put that thing in the oven?” Asked Satoshi, pointing at the container Nino was carrying. It was a mango cheese danish he prepared in the cafe earlier. It was a new recipe and he hadn’t let anyone else try it yet. Since Satoshi was upset that he wasn’t the first person to try Nino’s strudel, he decided to let Satoshi get the honor this time. “I would do it for you but I don’t know how to do it,”
“Yes, may I use your oven?”
Satoshi answered with a nod and beckoned Nino to enter the kitchen with him. They weren’t awkward together as before thanks to the conversation they had in the car on the way here. Satoshi was the one driving. Apparently, he had just gotten his license. Before this, it was Sakurai who drove him around. But, the man was complaining about it and urging him to get his license. So, yeah, he decided to do so.
In the car, they talked about the people they both knew from the past. The list wasn’t long because they went to different schools. So, they talked about the maids in the house. To Nino’s surprise, the head housekeeper, Ms Murakami, had already retired. Weird. Nino thought she would be there forever.
Nino didn’t particularly like Ms Murakami. She was horrible to Nino and by extension, to his mother as well when they were there. Nino didn’t understand why. But, he thought, it could be because of his close relationship with Satoshi back then. She often berated Nino when she saw the two of them together. She would never say anything if Satoshi was there. But, whenever Nino was alone, she would often tell Nino to remember his place. Whatever! Nino often ignored the warning.
They also talked about what they had been up to after separating. Satoshi went to a business school abroad and that was where he met Sakurai. There, Nino found another info about Sakurai. Like Satoshi, Sakurai was also an heir to a wealthy businessman. But, he decided to gain experience by working at another place before he inherited the business. That was how he ended up being an assistant to Satoshi.
Without wasting time thinking about their previous conversation, Nino put the tray containing mango danish into the oven. Then, he headed back to the living room but Satoshi was nowhere to be found. He didn’t have to wait long, though. Turning around when he heard the sound of the door opening nearby, he found Satoshi smiling at him. Gone already are the suits that he previously wore. He was now wearing a t-shirt and shorts.
“I’m gonna re-heat the meal,” informed Satoshi. “Feel free to watch the television,”
Nino simply nodded as he watched Satoshi enter the kitchen. Instead of watching television as recommended by Satoshi, Nino decided to look at the photos on the shelf. There were only five photos on it. He suddenly thought of something. Did Satoshi have a girlfriend? They didn’t talk about relationships while in the car. Hmm, perhaps if Satoshi had a girlfriend, there would be a picture of her here. Hehe, let’s see.
Well, as expected, there were pictures of Satoshi and his parents. Two of them actually. It appeared to be a picture of Satoshi's graduation and christmas. Next, it was a picture of Satoshi and Sakurai, somewhere abroad.
When Nino looked at the next two pictures, he almost gasped, too surprised by what he saw. Of all the people he could think of, he never thought that he would see pictures of him in Satoshi’s house. He knew the first picture because he had the same one. It was a picture of the two of them when they were kids, perhaps around six years old. They took the picture when they went to the zoo together. Satoshi had insisted that his parents brought Nino along to the zoo and reluctantly, they agreed. He smiled to himself thinking of how cute the kid Satoshi was. Of course, the adult Satoshi was also cute.
The last one was a photo of them at the bus station. It was taken before Nino left for his hometown. Looking at their pictures together, Nino wondered if there was a meaning behind it. Well, perhaps Satoshi appreciated their friendship. Nino didn’t want to overthink.
He quickly moved to the couch when he heard footsteps from the kitchen. He didn’t want Satoshi to know he was looking at them. It would be a topic for another day.
“Kazunari, the food is ready,” announced Satoshi as he put the plates on the counter. “Let’s eat. I’m sure you’re hungry,”
Nino was about to head to the table when the doorbell rang.
“Are you expecting someone?”
He asked. Satoshi looked confused as he shook his head. Without saying anything, he hastened towards the door. He didn’t immediately open it. Instead, he looked through the peephole to see who was at the door. Noticing the troubled look on Satoshi’s face made Nino wonder who the guest was.
Without telling Nino who it was, Satoshi opened the door. There were three ladies at the door and Nino recognized one of them. It was Satoshi’s mother. Weird. Why would Satoshi look unhappy to see his mother?
“Satoshi!”said his mother, kissing the man’s forehead. “You haven’t come home for a while. Are you eating well? Of course, you’re not. You must be busy at work. I brought…”
Satoshi’s mother stopped her babbling when she stepped inside and saw Nino. She seemed confused at first. But, Nino could see the look of recognition on her face once she recovered from the shock of seeing Nino.
“You’re Kazunari,” said the woman. Nino was surprised that she still remembered his name. “What are you doing here?”
Nino didn’t know how to answer. Thankfully, Satoshi came to his rescue. Within seconds, he was by Nino’s side and held his hand.
“Yes, mama. This is Kazunari and hmm…” Satoshi paused for a second as he turned to look at Nino. “... and… I’m dating him,”
A/N: The story is going in a different direction from what I initially planned.