"Miu! Oh, good you've just finished."

Ota said as he rushed in the suite from the door way. I stare at him. I've just finished taking a shower and is just about to turn on the blow dryer. He's been coming back later and later lately, most of the time he's at his studio.

Guess something inspired his art?

Instructed to sit down in front of him, I do so as Ota takes the blow dryer and start combing through my hair. He really likes drying my hair....It's become his habit.

"You have soft hair...Koro..." he mumbled. I turn to him, "huh? Koro?"

His expression was lonely for an instant before pretending to be angry, "why'd you turn around? Face front, Miu!" he said as he held my head back again.

"Hey...who is this woman you're always talking about..?" I attentively ask. I felt his fingers stopping and I turn around again, "and you're always like this when you do."

He was staring at me seriously and I show the same expression.

"...pfft! Hahaha!" He suddenly started laughing naturally, not forced. "y-you...!"

Blinking, I watch him laugh. He wiped away tears of laughter as he turned the blow dryer to 'max', and the noise covered whatever he said after.

***

Happy Monday, the beginning of another week. (note the sarcasm here)

I enter the school gate, and spot Beau nearby with a flawk of girls around him asking for numbers and such. There it is again....That feeling, what the hell is this?

It was the same uncomfortable feeling from my last 'dinner date'. Like guilt, only more sour. I unconsciously started frowning and staring off into distance.

Just then, fingers were snapped right in front of my face. I blink and meet eyes with Beau. Up close and standing up straight, he's a head taller than me.

"Hey!" I say and instinctively push out a hand against his chest. I froze when I did...oh my god...such tight muscles....I felt it in those two times he caught me, as well. My face heats up uncontrollably.

"Okay, okay. I won't do it again." he laughed it off before realizing I'm blushing 20 shades of red. What is this? I've seen many jocks before. Why is this guy making my heart hammer?! This is so confusing!

"Why are you so flustered?" he showed a mischievous smile and took yet another step, closer to me. I covered my face with an arm and stepped back. His usual tender smile returned almost immediately: "I'm just kidding! Don't worry!"

He left.... Well that was awkward. The lumpiest I've ever been. What happened to my smooth skills? I was being too sensitive...does he feel tense around me?

After the last class of the morning, I sigh and get up from my seat. I really need something to do to get my mind off that guy.... I thought as I walk out the door, revealing the usual crowd. Uh...for some reason I don't really feel like dealing with this today. But I really need a distraction.

Beau is messing with my mind...! He's a freak weirdo alien!

I agreed with smiles to the first guy who asked me to lunch.

Seriously. Of all restaurants, he picked this one? Well, KFC is nice once in a long time. Whoever this guy is--I still don't bother to ask for his name--he started talking about himself. It would've been interesting if he had an interesting life, but sadly he did not. So. Boooooorrrriing.

Dipping french fries into the ketchup, I occasionally glance up at him while focusing on the food as always.

Beau's PoV

Just as I was caught up with a bunch of girls at the school gate, I spot Misaki just standing nearby staring off at something. I follow her gaze and spot Katashi from the band instrument department, we used to be in the same class, both studying the trombone.

(Yeah, he didn't notice she was just staring off into space ^_^)

"...Yume-san?" a small voice from beside called out and I realize all the girls around me had shocked expressions on their faces.

"Um...you just had a really scary face while you glared at Misaki-chan and Katashi-kun over there." another girl said. They glanced at each other, seeming to be confirming something.

"So the rumours are right, you and her are dating." they said dejectedly and all scattered away. Rumours? Misaki and I?

My gaze fell to her. It frustrates me when she's still staring at Katashi, who was talking to a teacher at the door of the building. I jog over to her and used the fastest way to catch her attention without thinking.

She looked up at me, her eyes big and questioning. "Hey!" she exclaimed and held up a hand against my chest, but not violently. It was in a very cute...childish...girly...you-name-it way.

"Okay, I won't do it again!" I laughed before I realize she's getting redder in the face by the second as she stared at my chest. I teased her, but instead of fighting back like she usually does, she blushed even harder and started to look uncomfortable. Oh, crap. The thought ran through my mind as I try to save the situation by laughing it off.

Ended up awkward. I feel like banging my head on the wall.

At lunch, I light jog all the way to the dramatic arts department, I know where Misaki's last class is.

"Yo man, wait up!" Ryou and Yuuta ran to follow up to my pace. I just really wanna see her, I hope she isn't mad at me.

"Sure!" I made it just in time to see no other than Katashi asking her to lunch and she agreed without a pause. Sounding a bit too desperate for her usual behaviour. What...?

I knew it...she was looking at him before too...she's crushing on him.... I hear murmurs around me, but they're all faint. They probably belonged to two worried Ryou and Yuuta, for I have stopped dead in my tracks suddenly.

The whole time in the cafeteria, I growled and stuffed food into my mouth like a wolf.

"Umm...Beau? Don't you think you're eating too much?" Yuuta asked. I shook my head.

Then, a girl walked up to our table and asked if she could sit here. Ryou was about to reject politely since this is always only us three's table. Words flew out of my mouth without going through my brain: "No, you can't." I say calmly but firmly. I've never spoke like that to a girl before. She seemed startled and hurt before turning away.

"Dude, you just said that to the hottest girl next class." Yuuta said with pity. Ryou nudged him hard and he shut up.

What's happening to me? I'm screwing up. Big time. That girl was a victim.... My whole life I've been controlling my emotions so well, why is it all leaking out now?

Misaki's PoV

"Miu, I want you to come with me to somewhere today." Ota said as he combed my hair. Yeah, combing my hair has become his daily routine, as well. It's Tuesday afternoon, just half an hour after school ended.

"Where?" I ask while putting on lip gloss.

"My mentor's house. He passed away, but now his son and grandson are living there." he said with traces of sadness in his voice, "I know them and they know me. I haven't been there in a while, I should go for a visit at the place."

Oh yeah, I've read it on the news of Ota Kisaki before.

(I have no idea if in the original game his mentor had a son, I'm just adding this in. He probably didn't, I forgot.)

"Here it is."

I see a large shrine in front of me. It's gorgeously beautiful, there was a huge garden behind it. I've read before that Ota's mentor took the tree Ota painted on when he was a kid here in his yard. It even had Ota's signature on it.

Ota rings the doorbell, I realize and walk towards him.

And guess who opened the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Published: February, 2015

Edited: May 21, 2016