Chapter 26: A fated meeting
Going out to play with other kids was a luxury for me. Mom would take me out whenever she was free since dad could not walk during the day. I still remember the remarks those kids gave me.
"Why would we play with you? Your eyes look weird."
"I am happy I don't have eyes like you."
"You look ugly with them."
"You will never have any friends with those weird eyes."
"I think they look really beautiful."
The last comment made me stop looking down in shame and my eyes fell on the person who said that. He had messy black hair and baby blue eyes. Before all this, he was just another boy who was part of the big group but that day when I actually noticed him for the first time, I just thought one thing.
He is so handsome.
He walked over to me and leaned forward looking into my eyes. The three-year-old me could not understand what was going on and I panicked and pushed him away without holding back making him fall down on his back.
"Kazuki! Are you alright?"
"Kazuki-kun, does it hurt anywhere?"
"This is all the fault of that weird-eyed gorilla. You were not doing anything to her but she just pushed you away."
"Yeah, it is her fault."
While they were spouting insults and remarks at me, the boy just sat up straight and looked at the scene while tilting his head thinking what just happened.
He looked so cute!!
"Guys, why are you shouting at her?" he asked the kids.
"She pushed you and you got hurt. As your friend, we will not let this happen," a girl said.
"But is not her fault but mine," he said innocently looking at them and then stood up. "I got too close to her without permission so is she pushed me away. I kind of deserved it, hehe."
While rubbing the back of his head he started laughing lightly. Everyone looked at him as if he had some screws loose in his head while seeing him laugh, I was just captivated by the look.
He walked over to me and then bowed down.
"I am so sorry for getting too close to you," he said while not looking up. "Your eyes were just so pretty that I got drawn in them."
Pretty
The word echoed in my head many times. It was the first time someone ever called me that and it made me happy. It also made me sad that I had pushed him away and hurt him.
"Don't say that," I said waving my hands before me. "I was the one who pushed you and you got hurt. I am sorry."
"No, I am sorry."
"No, I am."
"No, I am."
This little repetition of words was being sent back and forth between us and in the end, he suggested something.
"How about you tell me your name and I tell you my?" he said while smiling and I nodded. "My name is Shiba Kazuki, will you be my friend?"
He extended his hand and smiled at me closing his eyes and showing his teeth. I stared at the hand for some time, and slowly held it.
"I...am Tsubaki Ai," I said in a meek voice. "I will love to be your friend Shiba-kun."
Hearing me, his smile got even bigger. "Kazuki-kun is enough since we are friends. Let's go and play now Ai-chan."
I nod my head and he pulled me along with him. His friends looked a bit hesitant but they ended up agreeing to what he said. His hand was really warm and I did not want to let go of it. It felt nice to hold.
I asked if I could hold his hand longer and he nodded. "Your hand is really cold Ai-chan so you need to warm it up. Sure, I will hold it for as long as you want."
We played tag, hide and seek, and even built a sandcastle in the sandpit and the entire time, Kazu-kun held my hand. He did not look uncomfortable or annoyed by it but he would often comment just how soft and nice my hands were.
That day, I was so indulged in playing that we went to a different part of the playground and since it was really big, mom was really worried about me. When she found me, I and Kazu-kun were sitting under a tree holding hands since I wanted to. The other kids had already gone home and I did not want to go back yet.
Actually, I did not want to let go of his hand.
Seeing us, she ran towards me and I saw her eyes being a little wet. She picked me up and hugged me close to her which was when I finally let go of Kazu-kun's hand much to my disappointment. By that time his parents also came and got him away.
"We will play tomorrow Ai-chan. Bye, bye," he said walking away and waving at me with a big smile on his face even though he was in the middle of being scolded for being out for so long.
"Who was he?" mom asked me after seeing Kazu-kun go away.
"He is my friend, Kazuki-kun," I replied not knowing that there was a tint of red on my face.
Mom chuckled a little and then we went back home. I even told dad about him and he was really happy that I finally had a friend though a little sad that it was a boy. He can be really overprotective sometimes.
As time passed, I would come and play with Kazu-kun more and we became really good friends. Our parents also grew closer to that point that one-time mom even invited him and his family to our house to have dinner. Dad made the best meal he ever had and we all enjoyed it a lot.
While our moms were already good friends, our dads were not that friendly with each other. I could see an imaginary spark of electricity between the two while they tried to keep a straight face. To Kazu-kun, it did not really matter because he was just enjoying the food.
"It is so good!" He shouted in pure glee shaking his legs back and forth.
"Why thank you Kazuki. If you want I can give you the recipe to this dish," dad said grinning proudly.
"Um...but I don't know how to cook. I can easily get my fingers cut with a knife or my hand burn with the gas stove," Kazu-kun said innocently.
"No worries, I will teach you how to do that, you will make a nice specimen," he said still grinning and I saw Kazu-kun's father narrowing his eye.
Me and Kazu-kun who and no idea what was happening the enjoyed the meal and then went to my room to play. To say that I was nervous was an understatement. I felt like I can just faint because of how fast my heart was beating and how breathless I was. It was the first time I would have a boy in my room and not to forget that it was going to be Kazu-kun.
I looked back at him and he was just innocently looking around and admiring our house. It was pretty big for a house and he was just captivated by it. His eyes were sparkling and he looked so cute like this.
"Here we are," I said to him opening the door to my room.
Without any hesitation, he just entered the room and looked around.
"It's really big and nice," he said in amazement.
"N-No, it is nothing much. I just like taking care of my things."
It was a lie. I never liked to clean my room but because Kazu-kun was coming here I had cleaned my own room for the first time. Normally it is just dad who did this but it was a very special occasion so I cannot let anything go wrong. Though dad never leaves a speck of dust in a corner when he cleans.
I sat down on the bed and he sat down next to me. My head was facing down and I was fidgeting with my fingers. I looked at him and he was still looking around. He is more interested in the room than me!
"Kazu-kun," I said getting his attention and he looked at me raising his eyebrow. "O-Oh, I-I am so sorry. I ju-"
"It is so unfair that only you get to call me like that," he said pouting.
"Eh?"
"If you are going to call me Kazu-kun then I will also be dropping the honorifics when calling you, Ai. Is it fine?" he said smiling at me while closing his eyes.
"R-really? I can call you that?" I asked him really surprised by his answer.
"What is wrong with that? You are my best friend so you call me anything you want. Isn't that how it is supposed to be, Ai?" he asked me while poking my cheek with his warm hand.
Before I could say anything, he held my hand and pulled in a warm hug. He was so warm and it felt so nice feeling this. It was just how I felt when mom hugged me. Nice and warm. Wait, he is hugging me!!
"K-Kazu-kun?" I stuttered feeling embarrassed.
"You are really cold Ai. I thought it would be easy to warm you up like this," he said. "I heard that it was actually really bad for your body and I think it is called hypobermia or something like that."
"I-I see."
I slowly wrapped my arms around him and we just sat there like that. Soon, the time came for him to go home and we broke the hug. I was a bit sad that they had to go away but his house was also far from our home. Before going, he waved at me and I waved back, and slowly their silhouette disappeared in the night.
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