[Complete] Invisible Chains- Chapter 9
Right now I'm working on an unfinished fanfic that I had planned to post a long time ago. Due to the lack of motivation and ideas of how to finish it, it's been sitting in my external hard drive for a while. I had planned to make it cute and filled with tons of fluff. (●´∀｀●) Hopefully I'll be able to finish it...
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Chapter 9
I rested my arm on the armrest as I stared out blankly through the windshield. Music traveled throughout the inside of the car, as we remained silent ever since we left Imai-san’s farm. I glanced over beside me to see Aiba-san fully concentrating on his driving. We haven’t said a word to each other ever since we both got in the car. I was afraid that if I spoke out suddenly, it would effect his concentration. I bit my lower lip and pulled out my cell phone to check my messages.
I looked at my inbox to see there was a few messages from the company concerning about some minor financial problems. I sighed under my breath. Even I’m on vacation I still have to worry about work. I had planned to visit some restaurants and shopping malls over the next few days but I’ll probably stop by at the office to check on things.
I decided to text back to the employees that I would settle their problems when I visit the company. So they have to wait until then. After I send the group message out, I sighed again when I noticed Aiba-san was taking small glances at me as he tried to keep his eyes on the road. I furrowed my eyebrows at him and then Aiba-san spoke. “What happened?” I guess he suspected something was wrong and asked me out of concern. Or it could be a way to start a conversation with me? Either way, I was reluctant to answer his question.
I folded my arms and rested my head against the headrest, making me more comfortable in my seat. “Just work. That’s all.” I said and slowly our silence continued. By the time we reached the turn for Tokyo, it was already 5 in the evening.
Gurgle~ Gurgle~ Slowly a sound emerged loudly from my stomach. I held onto my stomach and adjusted my self to the side so Aiba-san wouldn’t be able to hear. Then I remembered the okami-san had packed some watermelons for me. I reached over to the back to grab the bag and I opened the container to see lots of sliced watermelons. I began to wonder why would the okami-san pack so many for me. Even though I like them, this amount was too much. Then my eyes slowly trailed over to Aiba-san. Then I looked at the watermelons and then back at him. Did the okami-san pack for the two of us? My cheeks became flushed and I wanted to put away the watermelons when my stomach growled again, making Aiba-san turn his head to me.
“It’s okay if you want to eat in the car. You can’t really help that you’re hungry. We should have stopped at that rest stop a few minutes ago.” Aiba-san said worriedly and he had a regretful expression on his face. Why was he making such a face when it’s just my stomach? Heat rose from my cheeks and I cautiously and hesitantly ate the watermelon slices. “Do… Do you want some?” I asked, embarrassed and felt bad that he also hadn’t anything to eat since we left, and couldn’t eat as easily like I could. “If you don’t mind. Here, ah.” Aiba-san said and looked back and forth from the road and me as he held his mouth opened for me. My jaw dropped and I was shocked and surprised by his actions. He wants me to feed him? Seriously?
I sighed and then picked up the biggest slice before I placed it in his mouth. Once he took a bite, the watermelon juice squirted out and started drip all over his pants. Aiba-san panicked and he placed one hand on the steering wheel while the other hand was holding the watermelon slice. I widened my eyes and was shocked at the results. I was careful not to disturb his concentration and look at what I did. I’m so stupid; I could have gotten us in an accident.
I quickly pulled out my handkerchief and started to wipe his pants when Aiba-san panicked again. “Ah. It’s fine Asuka-chan.” He shook his head and handed me the watermelon to hold. “Gomenasai.” I said and bowed to him. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and it was light enough that it looks like he had an accident. Flustered and apologetic, I asked, “Do you have any tissues?” As his eyes remained fixed on the road, Aiba-san tossed his head in a direction. “There should be some tissues in the back.” I nodded my head and reached my hand over to the back to feel, as I couldn’t see very well, for a tissue box.
Suddenly I felt something soft and grabbed it. I pulled it in front of me to see it was my handkerchief. I widened my eyes and almost had forgotten that I had let him borrow it. “This…” I muttered and Aiba glanced at what I was looking at. “Oh, yeah. It’s been in my car and I had planned to give it to you when I had some free time. You can take it back now.” Aiba-san said and he looked embarrassed and his cheeks turned red.
As I looked at it, I began to closely examine the handkerchief. The handkerchief still had a faint detergent smell and it was ironed neatly since the creases were sharply folded. All in all, it looked like it was handle with delicate care and love.
However I refocused my mind, the handkerchief wasn’t the thing I was looking for. I reached out my hand again and felt for a tissue box but I couldn’t feel anything else. I sighed and knew that the only choice I had left was to use my handkerchief to clean off Aiba-san’s pants. I began patting down his pants with the handkerchief and Aiba-san quickly glanced down at what I was doing. “That’s your…” He muttered and I neatly placed the handkerchief on top of his pants. “Well you need it more than I do right now. It seems we often bump into each other so I’m not worried that you’ll steal it from me.” I said, which forced Aiba-san to laugh awkwardly.
Then his stomach growled. I grimaced and remembered that I kept 2 cream breads from yesterday. “Here.” I said as I avoided eye contact with him and shoved a cream bread to his chest. Aiba pulled his head back and took a look at it before he said surprisingly. “Ah… Ah. Arigato.”
He unwrapped the wrapping and with one hand, he held the bread to take a bite out of it while the other hand remained on the steering wheel. Then my stomach started to growl again. Heat rose from my cheeks and my face flushed with embarrassment. Oh no, not this again.
“I know a sushi restaurant that we could go to. We’re really close to it.” Aiba said before he shoved the last bite of his cream bread in his mouth. Does this mean… He’s taking me out for dinner?
“I... I don’t think…” I stuttered. I was flustered and had troubled trying say no to him in a nice way. “I mean, it’s nice that you offer but-“ I sighed and felt like even if I made the effort to decline his offer, he would still ignore me. “Never mind.” I muttered and lowered my head.
“Hm?” Aiba-san asked, confused and never understood what I was feeling. “It’s nothing. Just talking to myself. A little habit of mine.” I said with a sigh. I lowered my gaze and started to wonder what was going in that brain of his. Then from my corner of my eyes, I almost missed it but there was a suddenly sad expression on his face. I widened my eyes and opened my mouth to ask him about his true intentions. Is he tagging along with me until the end of the day because of something or someone?
My gaze dropped again. I decided that it wouldn’t be the best if I pry into his feelings when I knew that he would avoid answering my question and it might hurt his feelings.
After a few minutes of silence in the car, Aiba-san turned into a small street somewhere in metropolis area of Tokyo. I furrowed my eyebrows when I recognized the street and the shops nearby. Wait, don’t tell me that I know this sushi restaurant too.
“The closest parking area is here but the walk is not too far.” He said and parked in a paid parking spot before turning off the engine. As I lost myself in my own thoughts, Aiba-san had gotten out of his car and began to stretch. After driving for a few hours, I’m surprised he never asked me to take over. Well then again, does he know I drive too?
“Are you coming out?” He asked. His hands were on his car as he bent his head to look at me from where he stood. I had a feeling that he wanted me to tag along but I was uncomfortable. I nervously stepped out of the car as my feet were tingling to walk in the other direction. I tried to fight back the butterflies in my stomach. Then I closed the car door shut.
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Chapter 9
I rested my arm on the armrest as I stared out blankly through the windshield. Music traveled throughout the inside of the car, as we remained silent ever since we left Imai-san’s farm. I glanced over beside me to see Aiba-san fully concentrating on his driving. We haven’t said a word to each other ever since we both got in the car. I was afraid that if I spoke out suddenly, it would effect his concentration. I bit my lower lip and pulled out my cell phone to check my messages.
I looked at my inbox to see there was a few messages from the company concerning about some minor financial problems. I sighed under my breath. Even I’m on vacation I still have to worry about work. I had planned to visit some restaurants and shopping malls over the next few days but I’ll probably stop by at the office to check on things.
I decided to text back to the employees that I would settle their problems when I visit the company. So they have to wait until then. After I send the group message out, I sighed again when I noticed Aiba-san was taking small glances at me as he tried to keep his eyes on the road. I furrowed my eyebrows at him and then Aiba-san spoke. “What happened?” I guess he suspected something was wrong and asked me out of concern. Or it could be a way to start a conversation with me? Either way, I was reluctant to answer his question.
I folded my arms and rested my head against the headrest, making me more comfortable in my seat. “Just work. That’s all.” I said and slowly our silence continued. By the time we reached the turn for Tokyo, it was already 5 in the evening.
Gurgle~ Gurgle~ Slowly a sound emerged loudly from my stomach. I held onto my stomach and adjusted my self to the side so Aiba-san wouldn’t be able to hear. Then I remembered the okami-san had packed some watermelons for me. I reached over to the back to grab the bag and I opened the container to see lots of sliced watermelons. I began to wonder why would the okami-san pack so many for me. Even though I like them, this amount was too much. Then my eyes slowly trailed over to Aiba-san. Then I looked at the watermelons and then back at him. Did the okami-san pack for the two of us? My cheeks became flushed and I wanted to put away the watermelons when my stomach growled again, making Aiba-san turn his head to me.
“It’s okay if you want to eat in the car. You can’t really help that you’re hungry. We should have stopped at that rest stop a few minutes ago.” Aiba-san said worriedly and he had a regretful expression on his face. Why was he making such a face when it’s just my stomach? Heat rose from my cheeks and I cautiously and hesitantly ate the watermelon slices. “Do… Do you want some?” I asked, embarrassed and felt bad that he also hadn’t anything to eat since we left, and couldn’t eat as easily like I could. “If you don’t mind. Here, ah.” Aiba-san said and looked back and forth from the road and me as he held his mouth opened for me. My jaw dropped and I was shocked and surprised by his actions. He wants me to feed him? Seriously?
I sighed and then picked up the biggest slice before I placed it in his mouth. Once he took a bite, the watermelon juice squirted out and started drip all over his pants. Aiba-san panicked and he placed one hand on the steering wheel while the other hand was holding the watermelon slice. I widened my eyes and was shocked at the results. I was careful not to disturb his concentration and look at what I did. I’m so stupid; I could have gotten us in an accident.
I quickly pulled out my handkerchief and started to wipe his pants when Aiba-san panicked again. “Ah. It’s fine Asuka-chan.” He shook his head and handed me the watermelon to hold. “Gomenasai.” I said and bowed to him. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and it was light enough that it looks like he had an accident. Flustered and apologetic, I asked, “Do you have any tissues?” As his eyes remained fixed on the road, Aiba-san tossed his head in a direction. “There should be some tissues in the back.” I nodded my head and reached my hand over to the back to feel, as I couldn’t see very well, for a tissue box.
Suddenly I felt something soft and grabbed it. I pulled it in front of me to see it was my handkerchief. I widened my eyes and almost had forgotten that I had let him borrow it. “This…” I muttered and Aiba glanced at what I was looking at. “Oh, yeah. It’s been in my car and I had planned to give it to you when I had some free time. You can take it back now.” Aiba-san said and he looked embarrassed and his cheeks turned red.
As I looked at it, I began to closely examine the handkerchief. The handkerchief still had a faint detergent smell and it was ironed neatly since the creases were sharply folded. All in all, it looked like it was handle with delicate care and love.
However I refocused my mind, the handkerchief wasn’t the thing I was looking for. I reached out my hand again and felt for a tissue box but I couldn’t feel anything else. I sighed and knew that the only choice I had left was to use my handkerchief to clean off Aiba-san’s pants. I began patting down his pants with the handkerchief and Aiba-san quickly glanced down at what I was doing. “That’s your…” He muttered and I neatly placed the handkerchief on top of his pants. “Well you need it more than I do right now. It seems we often bump into each other so I’m not worried that you’ll steal it from me.” I said, which forced Aiba-san to laugh awkwardly.
Then his stomach growled. I grimaced and remembered that I kept 2 cream breads from yesterday. “Here.” I said as I avoided eye contact with him and shoved a cream bread to his chest. Aiba pulled his head back and took a look at it before he said surprisingly. “Ah… Ah. Arigato.”
He unwrapped the wrapping and with one hand, he held the bread to take a bite out of it while the other hand remained on the steering wheel. Then my stomach started to growl again. Heat rose from my cheeks and my face flushed with embarrassment. Oh no, not this again.
“I know a sushi restaurant that we could go to. We’re really close to it.” Aiba said before he shoved the last bite of his cream bread in his mouth. Does this mean… He’s taking me out for dinner?
“I... I don’t think…” I stuttered. I was flustered and had troubled trying say no to him in a nice way. “I mean, it’s nice that you offer but-“ I sighed and felt like even if I made the effort to decline his offer, he would still ignore me. “Never mind.” I muttered and lowered my head.
“Hm?” Aiba-san asked, confused and never understood what I was feeling. “It’s nothing. Just talking to myself. A little habit of mine.” I said with a sigh. I lowered my gaze and started to wonder what was going in that brain of his. Then from my corner of my eyes, I almost missed it but there was a suddenly sad expression on his face. I widened my eyes and opened my mouth to ask him about his true intentions. Is he tagging along with me until the end of the day because of something or someone?
My gaze dropped again. I decided that it wouldn’t be the best if I pry into his feelings when I knew that he would avoid answering my question and it might hurt his feelings.
After a few minutes of silence in the car, Aiba-san turned into a small street somewhere in metropolis area of Tokyo. I furrowed my eyebrows when I recognized the street and the shops nearby. Wait, don’t tell me that I know this sushi restaurant too.
“The closest parking area is here but the walk is not too far.” He said and parked in a paid parking spot before turning off the engine. As I lost myself in my own thoughts, Aiba-san had gotten out of his car and began to stretch. After driving for a few hours, I’m surprised he never asked me to take over. Well then again, does he know I drive too?
“Are you coming out?” He asked. His hands were on his car as he bent his head to look at me from where he stood. I had a feeling that he wanted me to tag along but I was uncomfortable. I nervously stepped out of the car as my feet were tingling to walk in the other direction. I tried to fight back the butterflies in my stomach. Then I closed the car door shut.