Cold Feet: ch.2
It was the second night that I had cried myself to sleep. I slept in my own room down the hall from Nino’s, but I’m sure he could hear my sniffling as I tried to sleep. When morning came I awoke and rolled out of my soft and comforting bed. My soft footsteps were all that could be heard in that giant and empty house of ours. Nino-kun was still asleep in his room and normally would arise soon and get ready for work. I on the other hand woke up early enough to make him something to eat before he rushed out of the door.
I made my way over to the refrigerator, opening it and looking at what little groceries we had. After giving up on the fridge I moved to the counter and pulled out some bread to put in the toaster. I stared into space as I became lost in my thoughts about Ohno-kun once again.
“What a beautiful and caring wife you are,” Nino whispered in my ear as he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
I jumped from his sudden embrace before turning around and pushing him away slightly. He frowned slightly at me before letting out one of his usual sighs. I couldn’t bring myself to look him in the eyes as I turned my attention back to the toaster, wishing the toast to hurry up.
“So you went to Satoshi-kun’s right?” Nino asked bluntly as he leaned on the island in the middle of the kitchen.
I felt my face start to burn before I answered, “You know the answer to that yourself. I don’t know why you are trying to feign ignorance.”
“I feign ignorance because I don’t want to accept the fact that the woman I’m to marry is continuing to see her old love. I want you to bluntly tell me that you are cheating on me that you’re going behind my back,” Nino coldly shot back at me.
I turned around to him quickly and snapped, “I love Satoshi-kun very much!”
“But once you loved me too didn’t you?!” Nino snapped back at me with that sharp tongue of his.
I bit my lip as I cursed him under my breath. He let out another sigh as the toast finally popped up. I grabbed the pieces of toast, placing them quickly onto a plate before shoving the plate at Nino. He took the plate and placed it down in front of him as I tried to walk past him quickly.
Nino took a bite of the toast, his eyes looking down onto the plate. His heart ached at the pain Akira afflicted on him every time she reminded him that she was in love with his best friend. Akira-chan, Aiba-kun, Sho-kun, Jun-kun, Satoshi-kun, and he were a close knit of friends since their middle school years at a prestige school for wealthy families. Everyone was the son of some major company in Japan, but everyone was quite different. Somehow they all came together thanks to Akira and her old way of including others. Now they had all known each other for almost ten years now.
“Nino-kun…I like you…” the voice repeated over and over in Nino’s memories. It made him smile every time he felt down for he knew that if she had said it once, surely he could convince her to say it again.
=======
“Noriko, Yori, Mizumi, can I tell you something?” I asked as I just poked at the food in front of me.
The three other women took their attention from their food and looked at their friend with concern.
“Is something the matter Akira-chan?” Mizumi asked in her usual kind tone.
“Do I need to beat someone up?” Yori chimed in like her usual jokester self.
“Surely something’s wrong since you didn’t even touch your prized meat,” Noriko pointed out.
I smiled slightly at my wonderful friends before I continued, “Do you guys really think that Nino-kun and I suit each other?”
The three women were taken aback by the question. They exchanged looks before they spoke up one by one.
“What are you worried about? Afraid you’ll chicken out or something?” Noriko questioned her before adding, “Oh, and where is Rin-chan? She always goes out to eat with us for lunch.”
Yori answered her, “Rin-chan told us that she had to make a quick trip back to the states to get something for Akira and Nino’s marriage.”
“Must be nice to have family in the states…anyways, I think you two suit each other very well. I’m sure you guys are just nervous, that’s all,” Mizumi tried to reassure her friend.
I looked and smiled at Mizumi, but I felt traitorous to her as well. I had found out that Mizumi had liked Ohno-kun in secret for awhile now, but I didn’t have the courage to tell her that Ohno-kun was my lover. I really cared for Mizumi and didn’t want to hurt her like I did Nino. Noriko was currently Sho’s girlfriend, Yori was Aiba’s girlfriend, and Mizumi was single. We all had gotten to know each other while I was attending college.
“So have you heard from Ohno-kun lately?” Mizumi asked me in an attempt to change the subject.
I perked up as I answered, “I talked to him the other day, but he seems to be acting differently lately.”
“You know, Mizu-chan, you need to hurry up and move things along on your end! Everyone here has snatched up one of the most valuable men, but you. You should totally ask him out for dinner or something!” Noriko tried to encourage her friend.
Mizumi smiled shyly as she shook her head and answered, “Impossible! Even if I call him, I don’t think I could do it alone!”
I smiled gently at Mizumi, seeing her face flushed, as Yori suggested, “If you’re nervous about being alone with him then make it a double-date!”
“Double-date?” Mizumi looked up with a smile on her face as she looked from one face to another.
Yori and Noriko exchanged looks before saying in unison, “With Akira!”
I choked on the fork full of my meat, swallowing it quickly before managing to say, “Nino, me, Ohno, and Mizumi?! On a double-date?!”
I looked at Mizumi and couldn’t deny my precious friend. I nodded my head as the girls excitedly spoke amongst themselves about how awesome the date was going to be. I excused myself from the group after they had finished their lunch and drove my car to Ohno’s apartment. Once I arrived I knocked on his door just twice before he came and opened the door quickly. I dropped my purse on the kitchen counter nearby, ignoring out normal routine of hugging and kissing when we met. I walked over to the couch and laid down, letting out a sigh as I stretched out.
Ohno came over and sat next to me, stroking my head as he asked, “What’s wrong?”
I looked up at him as I answered, “Mizumi wants to go on a double-date with you, me, and Nino-kun. I couldn’t say no so I said I told her I would ask if you wanted to go.”
Ohno smiled at me as he answered, “Since you asked so nicely I’ll go.”
I quickly sat up as I snapped, “You’ll go?!”
“Is there something wrong with me going?” Ohno-kun asked in confusion.
“N-No, I just didn’t think you’d go so easily…” I admitted as I looked away.
Ohno cupped my face as he faced me his way. We looked into each other’s eyes, looking into those familiar eyes before leaning in to kiss. It was a soft and gentle kiss as I snaked my hands towards Ohno’s face, but stopped suddenly. I pulled away from Ohno and looked down at my feet. Ohno was confused by my actions as he reached out to make sure I was ok.
“Please don’t,” I told him before he could lay his hand on my shoulder.
I felt so horrible. I had just asked him to go on a date with one of my closest friends and yet kissed him not even a minute later. I felt like the enemy of all women, the lowest of the low. Why was I hurting herself, why was I hurting my lover, why was I hurting my friends? Just as I felt so alone I felt the warm and loving embrace of Ohno’s arms around me. I looked up into those caring eyes as he smiled at me and reassured me. I didn’t struggle, I felt like it would be rude to shake off his sympathy.
“Akira, I’d do anything for you, even if it means loving someone else for your sake,” Ohno whispered into my ear.
“You don’t know how happy that makes me…Mizumi-chan will be a good girl for you…” I whispered back before turning to face him.
We wrapped our arms around each other tightly as we stared into each other’s eyes. I finally spoke, “I think after today we should probably stop seeing each other as much…”
Ohno nodded his head in agreement before knocking me over, looking down at my pained expression. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my lips before briefly pulling away. I wrapped my arms around his neck before pulling him in for another kiss. He used one arm to prop himself up as he used his long fingers to trace along the sides of my torso, for what would be the last time…