HANA YORI DANGO: HEY! SAY! JUMP chapter 6
Akiko dressed herself in her Yukata. She had to be dressed traditionally for her ice cream store part-time job. According to her boss, it’s different. And somehow it had attracted more customers. So she tied her hair up and made her way to the living room where her younger twin siblings were silently doing their homework. “Otousan and Okahsan have gone to work again…” she sighed eyeing her two lovely brothers quietly doing their work without complaints. Keeping in mind that she had to buy them some ice cream on her way home, she kissed them both on their heads and left home. The brothers were annoyed at being kissed by “Onesan” but they did not fuss. Akiko made her way down the road reflecting over her life. Otousan was a fish monger. And Okahsan was in the sewing business, meaning she was a tailor. They could barely make ends meet yet they wanted so much for Akiko to go to Eitoku. Akiko had denied many times, but they insisted so she agreed. Akiko herself had to do many jobs to earn money. She wanted her brothers to get a good education as well. “What a life….but in like it I guess.” She said smiling to herself as she entered the ice cream store. The other girls were already standing at the counter. “HAYAKU AKIKO SAN!!!” Riko, a friend of Akiko’s said pushing her inside. Akiko did her job. She was happy to sell ice cream. Chocolate or vanilla, perhaps cookie crunch or even Caramel cream. People loved ice cream. It made them happy. But some of this imported ice cream was quite expensive. Akiko stared as the door of the ice cream store opened. To her surprise, Morimoto Ryutaro walked in. She hid herself under the counter to Riko’s surprise. Begging Riko not to let her go, she watched carefully as Ryotaro approached the counter. “KONICHIWA! What can I get you? Perhaps one of those Haagen-Dazs.” Riko said offering him one of the most expensive ice cream brands in the store. She obviously knew he went to Eitoku from his JUMP attire “Choose your flavor” she said smiling. Surprisingly, Ryutaro shook his head. “No thank you, Il just have a pop sickle…”. Akiko got such a shock she bumped her head against the counter. “What was that?!?” Ryutaro asked backing off. “Oh nothing just a girl…here is you pop sickle” Riko smiled handing the ice cream to a very astonished Ryutaro. “Itai…” muttered Akiko massaging her head. Why would Ryutaro buy that??? Pop sickle is what Akiko would naturally buy for her younger siblings. It was something in her budget. Since when did a JUMP member cut down his expenses? With that, Akiko got up from behind the counter and caught a glimpse of Ryutaro leaving the store and getting into a white limousine outside. “Well he certainly dose not cut down expenses on transport….” She said getting back to work. As Riko was cleaning the counter and Akiko managing the cashier, another boy walked in. Akiko looked up and saw another JUMP staring around the store. Shocked she went back under the table. “What’s going on…TODAY”s THEIR official ICE CREAM DAY OR SOMETHING!” she muttered getting back under the counter. Riko stared. “Your going to get fired for that…KONICHIWA!! “She said happily to the boy in black leather. “What would you like…?”
“Ill have the most expensive ice cream in the store……Hisa Akiko…” Inoo muttered smiling. Riko looked startled as Akiko hit her head once more on the counter.”Itai!” she said coming out from under. “YOU!” she said coming out.
“Have ice cream with me….like a date…..” he said as Akiko’s jaw dropped open.”No thank you…I’m working!” she replied. Inoo made a puppy face. “Oh come on……please….”
“NO!” she said annoyed. Inoo smiled...”You’re blushing…..”
Akiko looked up at him then in the mirror. Indeed her face was flushing red. “Oh….I’m just …well you ask me on a date out of the blue…why wouldn’t I??”
Inoo grinned cheekily…”So naïve….how nice…”
“Oh well since Hisa Akiko is unavailable…just get me a Caramel cream please…” he said to Akiko who stomped her way to the ice cream freezer. “What do you want…a cone or cup?”
“Your hand…” Inoo whispered to her.
“INOO KEI!!! IL STRANGLE YOU!!!” Akiko replied ready to murder him now flushing crimson.
“Okay, okay... a cup will do fine…., don’t get so emotional…” he replied taking his ice cream….in a cup. Akiko busied over the payments and when they were done she looked up at him. “Arigatou for choosing our store…Good bye…” Akiko said and turned away. Inoo smiled and whilst eating the ice cream made his way to the door. “Ne Hisa…do you feel like someone is stalking you?”
Hisa turned around. She had been feeling weird for quite some time now. And some odd black car kept stopping under her window…what was that…how did Inoo know?
“You know something? Because, I have been feeling odd lately…like someone is watching. But there’s another feeling. Like someone else. I dunno….”
Inoo stared…”You watch too many movies….” Akiko looked at him furiously. “You’re the one who asked, SAYONARA!” and she went back to the counter as Inoo left smiling with ice cream covering his lips. As he left the shop he stared at someone hiding in the bushes. “Looks like you’re not the only one following her…..Takaki kun…”
Takaki came out. He had a serious expression on his face. He snatched Inoo’s ice cream and dig in himself. “OOI!!Well okay I don’t mind sharing” Inoo said and walked down the road with Takaki. Inoo eventually took back his half eaten ice cream. “May I ask why are you stalking her?”
Takaki looked up at the sky. “She hit YABU. I don’t know how he can forgive her so easily…” he muttered wiping ice cream off his mouth. Inoo stared. “You holding a grudge against her or something?”
“Yes, I guess. I hate her for taking us on. That’s all. Why is she so…different?” Takaki muttered as Inoo threw his empty cup into a rubbish bin. “Dunno, seems like a normal girl to me…”
Takaki nodded quietly. “Oh and what’s this about another person following Hisa?”
“Yeah, dunno. She said it’s awkward. She feels like there is someone following her or something. But she likes it.” Inoo said putting his hands in his jeans. Takaki stared at the sky. She is no rich girl. She is no celebrity. Who in the world could be following her?
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It was dark when Akiko left the ice cream store. She walked up the road on the dark Saturday evening. The wind was nice. For a brief moment, she looked to see if no one was around. Then she opened up her arms to enjoy the soft breeze. So soft it felt nice. Her cheeks grew pink as the chilly night breeze blew on her cheeks. A white car stopped behind her. The window slid down. Yuto stared out at Hisa. His pearly eyes reflecting the night sky. He stared at her enjoying the breeze. He had this strong urge to go and enjoy it with her. “Demo….” He wondered. “Chauffeur, go on home without me. Ill walk home” The driver looked at him surprised but had no choice but to obey his master’s orders. Yuto closed the car door silently. Then he rushed to Hisa’s side and replicated her hands. He opened them wide and enjoyed the night breeze. It felt wonderful. Who knew something so beautiful could be felt by just wind. Then he turned to Hisa who was still enjoying the wind. He could barely breathe. The wind blew in his eyes as he held the urge to close his arms around her. He moved closer silently and without thinking ………..wrapped his arms around a shocked Hisa. For someone who knew that Nakajima Yuto would wrap his arms around her, she would scream with delight. But for a girl like Hisa standing childishly with her eyes closed on a dark street, it is rather unexpected. Hisa shrieked “ROBBER!”
Before Yuto could defend himself he saw’ Hisa’s backpack heading straight for him. ‘Itai!” he let out massaging his nose. Hisa did not stop. She made a run for it but Yuto grabbed her hand. “It’s me…HISA! Its me YUTO!!” he said holding the poor girl closely to him. Hisa stopped moving as she saw Yuto there. But being tightly held so close did not calm her down. “Ne…Nakajima san…..what are you doing?” she said quietly watching her reflection in his eyes. “Nothing sorry I’m sorry that was rude of me” he said apologetically letting go. “And…Please call me Yuto…Onegai” He said smiling. Akiko nodded quietly as his hands slipped of her shoulders and back into his jeans pockets. Hisa stared at him quietly. There was an awkward pause between them. Yuto decide to break it. “The wind is nice…I mean I saw…nothing nothing…just the wind very nice ne??”
Akiko nodded. ‘Yes I like it very much”
Yuto smiled. “Yeah, I realize now.”
Akiko looked at her watch.”EH? Past dinner…Nakaji….I mean Yuto kun….I have to rush home…”
Yuto smiled. He liked the Kun added at the back...”Hai, please allow me to walk you home?” he added enthusiastically.
Akiko smiled as Yuto bowed. She nodded ’Yorishiku Onegaishimas”
As Yuto and Akiko awkwardly made their way up the street, a gang of Yakuza’s happened to be passing by from the street behind. As they walked away, Chinen Yuri, who was leading them…stopped and stared as he recognized Yuto and Akiko. He just stared at those two walking away. Chinen stood at the front. He stared silently at Yuto. “Waka…” one of the men behind him whispered. “Should we go home now?”
Chinen nodded still staring at Yuto. His eyes flashed as Yuto and Akiko went out of sight. And with that he left along with the ‘big bull dozer’ like men behind him.
Akiko was rather shy to have Yuto see her house. The house was a sweet little wooden house in the middle of an oval garden. There were circular stairs on each side. She smiled awkwardly as they arrived, thinking of what Yuto would say. Yuto smiled as he saw the house…”Wow…This is pretty cool…its ancient!” Yuto exclaimed excitedly as Hisa rolled her eyes with a smile. “It was my ancestors. The whole neighborhood is really old. It’s our family heritage. I lived here my whole life.” She said moving up the stairs. Yuto stared at her go up. “Ne…Hisa can I ask you something?”
Hisa turned around…” Urm...Yeah sure…”
Yuto looked a bit reluctant. Then he spilled out “When I come next time…can I try those cup noodles…I mean do they exist?”
Akiko roared into laughter. Yuto looked confused. “Kawai ne Yuto kun, sure ill make them for you and yes they exist”
Yuto blushed embarrassed. “Oyasumi…Akiko”
Hisa smiled”Oyasumi”
With that Yuto waved good bye and happily strode down the road.
“He has a sweet smile..” Hisa thought to herself. A cold wind blew. She covered herself. “That feeling, someone is here….” She said looking around. She felt cold to her spine. The cold weather was no good. Worried she looked around and spotted her stalker. She stared at the black car. The window was down. The boy eyeing her….with keen intensity…that bored expression…Yamada Ryosuke?
Yamada stared as Hisa and his eyes met. He just looked back, sitting coolly in his car... Hisa looked at Ryosuke’s face. Why was he staring at her like that?
Ryosuke turned away and said to his driver…”Go… …”
The car slowly moved away as Ryosuke avoided Hisa’s anxious gaze. He slowly shut the window and the car went out of sight. Akiko stared after the car. “What’s going on….?” She muttered rubbing her arms.
With these confused thoughts she walked back into her house as she heard her mother call for her that dark night.