An Unheard Voice - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

"TOOOOOOOOOO..." I hear something from a distance, like screaming fading in. Akito and I turn where we hear it. "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" Tsukasa slams open the door, scaring everyone.
"T-Tenma?!" Akito says, not expecting him. It scared the both of us.
"HAHAHA! Hi, Toya!"
"Tsukasa! What are you doing here? But I'm happy to see you!" I get excited to see Tsukasa. He's my idol.
"I came here to hand out invites to our party! We're going to throw a christmas one, as part of the 'party people' groupchat. It's my turn now!" He puts a box full of papers on our desks, and it makes a thud! sound, showing us his phone.
"Is that An's contact?" Akito asks, unamused. An laughs awkwardly, sinking into her seat.
"Anywho, we're also doing a meet up after school today! It's almost winter break, so we want everyone invited to be there! Actually, everyone in the school is invited, it's just if they want to come. Anyone who wants to come, grab one!" Tsukasa yells, and it stays silent for a few moments. "Really, Nene?!"
We all look at Kusanagi, who seems to be hiding in her textbook. "I- I don't know him."
"What?! You're still invited, anyways." He slips it into her book, and as she's about to throw it out, he stops her. "I want all of Toya's new friends here! Please, Nene!"
She pauses for a moment, and sighs. "I guess I'll go.." Kusanagi mumbles, and Akito also stops himself from tearing it.
"Yay!" An cheers, jumping onto her.
"Well, I'll leave a few here for anyone who still wants to go. If you change your mind, you always know my classroom! Also, meet us there after school!" He runs out, as the teachers run after him.
"Tenma! We know you used the school printer!!"
"I don't know how you can stand such a chaotic guy.." Akito looks in disapproval of him getting chased. I smile.
After school, all four of us went to his class. Kusanagi looks forced, Akito is just coming to protect me, while An and I are happy to go.
"Welcome!" Tsukasa says, opening the door before we even touched the handle.
"How did you know we were here?" Akito asks, nervous. It's nice to see Akito like this once in a while.
"Well, you could say we kept an 'eye' on you. Nene, we told you to meet us here 20 minutes ago..." Kamishiro eyed his drone, and looked at Kusanagi with an awkward smile. She shrugged, and smiled back.
"Hi, Nene!!" Otori waves, grinning ear to ear, next to Saki, Ichika, and her friends Shiho and Honami. Wait, she mentioned 'girlfriends', so I'm assuming that's them.
"KOHANE!!" An squeals, almost knocking her out of her chair. They kiss, and An hugs the life out of her.
"Haruka, why couldn't Airi and Shizuku come?" Hanasato asks Kiritani.
"They're both out of town, so they can't celebrate with us." Kiritani replies.
"Oh, Li'l bro!" Akiyama waves, and looks at me. "OH MY GOD, IT'S TOYA!!! PLEASE, MODEL FOR MY CHRISTMAS OUTFI-" Ena immediately smacks their head. "Sorry. Pardon me."
"Too bad Kanade and Mafuyu couldn't make it. Say, Kamishiro, could you accompany me and bring the papers to them?" Ena says.
Kamishiro grins, taking out a box. We all sit around, and Akito sits next to me.
"Thank you all for attending, everyone. And our beloved host, my star over here." Kamishiro smirks at Tsukasa, who blushes. "And Emu Otori, who came up with the lovely idea!" Otori waves.
"Now, if everyone would please grab a paper from the box. If you get your own name, just put it back and get another one. Whoever you get is who you'll be handing a gift to! I'll go first." Kamishiro grabs a slip, which was folded. "Who's next?"
"I'll go." Ena says. After the box went around to Akiyama, after them Tsukasa, Otori, Kusanagi, and so on. I was the last to go. Kamishiro checked the other two to see if it wasn't for the ones not here.
"There's two for Yoisaki and Asahina. Now, if everyone will unfold their slip on 1, 2- 3!"
Everyone unfolded it, and checked inside. Some people groaned, and others laughed. I did mine last, and saw it was.. Akito.
"This one could have been my chance to impress Toya and convince him to model for me!" Akiyama bangs their head on the table.
"Darn, I have to get something for the raccoon over there." Akito mumbles to me, looking at Ena's direction. I smile at him, hiding the note. "It's fine, you don't have to tell me who you got. As long as they didn't make a move on you, I don't really care who you associate with." He mutters, softly laughing. I blush.
"Okay, I'll be heading out with Shinonome-san now. Goodbye! I'll see some of you in theatre club for our last rehearsal before break! Have a good weekend, everyone! Bye bye, Tsukasa-kun~!" He waves, and Tsukasa is as red as a tomato, frozen stiff as everyone leaves.
"I'll probably just get her a stuffed animal or something she could use for her insta. She's crazy about social media. Maybe some CDs of her favorite band?" Akito thinks, walking me to my house. What should I get him? I don't know anything he likes..
"See you on Monday, Toya. I'm gonna go to the convenience store real quick." Akito says goodbye, and I wave back.
I open the door, and see my mother.
"Toya! Welcome home, dear!" She hugs me. "Hold on. I sense something." My mother freezes, and checks my bag.
"I KNEW IT!! ANOTHER INVITE!" She exclaims like she solved some sort of big case. "Toya sure is a ladies man, hmm?" I stare at her with a blank face.
"Actually, Tsukasa gave me it."
"Oh, yeah, Tsuka- WAIT, TSUKASA TENMA?!" She dropped the envelope, startling me with her yelling. Oh, and smudge over there. We got a cat recently. I like it. "Sorry, smudge.. Toya! You reunited with Tsukasa again?!"
"Yeah, on halloween." I reply, petting smudge. .. I named him.
"HALLO- And you didn't tell me?! Toya, that was two months ago! I'm hurt!" She cries, sobbing in her arms on the table. I go up to her, guilty. She looks up with tears in her eyes already, but I'm like my dad. He doesn't cry. I take smudge's paw and place it on her head, and she realizes something.
"Wait, they must be here! In live- this area! I can't speak!" She rambles, excited. My mother trembles with excitement, too. She starts mixing words together, but I have seen it enough to understand. "That mean- AUGH, your Akito is near! STORE! Convenience!! AAHH!" She puts on her coat and slippers, dashing out. 'My Akito'..? I blush, flustered in confusion.
I wait outside, and it doesn't take long to see my mother dragging Akito by his shirt.
"I'm so sorry about this." I apologize, and he laughs.
"It's fine, I just didn't expect it. Don't be sorry." He reassures me, and I glare at my mother.
"Don't look at me like that! It was for a good cause." She grins, and goes to Akito to ask him to call Tsukasa. I sit on the steps in front of our house, and smudge walks out.
I actually took a liking to this cat really quick. My mother didn't let me adopt them all, so I just got this one. It reminds me of Akito in a way. It wasn't very welcome to the other cats, but it didn't seem to mind. When my mother wanted to play with it, the cat turned away. But I tried, even though I was afraid it would scratch me. It was more calmer with me, which surprised the person handing him to us. So we kept it. Mother said I needed a 'friend' when she's busy.
She recommended this one because of its ginger color, almost like Akito's hair. This one doesn't like my father a lot, but is comfortable with me and my mother. Father is allergic, anyways. It's fine since he's never here.
Smudge rubs his head on my shirt, going into my lap. I pet him, and smile.
"Oh? You got a cat, Toya?" Akito notices, and leaves my mother, who struggles with her phone. I nod.
"Woah, he's almost the color of my hair." He laughs, petting him. The cat just ignores him, and continues rubbing up against my chest. Me and Akito stare at it, but I'm feeling a weird aura somewhere.
"Oh, why don't.. do you--" I mutter, and look up to make eye contact with him and see him paying close attention to what I'm saying. I blush, not being able to continue finishing my sentence. Wait, was I going to invite him to stay over-?! Toya, what are you thinking?!?
"Oh! I'm sorry Akito for dragging you all the way here at this time, it's dangerous to walk out when it's dark! How would you like to stay over?" My mother smiles. She should have been aware of daylight savings time before she had done all of this.
I stare at her, shaking my head. Is she crazy?! How could anyone trust someone that easily?! I have a- is it normal to let your crush stay at your house?? He's probably so uncomfortable and never talk to me agai-
"If it's fine with you, sure! I'd like to be in a nice place again." He thanks her, and picks up his bag. I feel like Akito could get tricked one day. My mother looks at me, and wiggles her eyebrows. I pick up smudge and walk inside, flustered.
"Thank you for the food, Ms. Aoyagi. Your cooking looks twice as good as last time." Akito compliments the food, and my mother smiles. Dinner with Akito... Just like when we first met.
"Toya? Are you okay?" My mother asks, because I was zoning out. I nod, and begin eating.
"So~ do you guys have a girlfriend yet?" My mother hums while taking our plates, and I choke on my water. What's up with her wanting to be young again this way?!
"No, actually." Akito answers. I try holding in my coughing as he pats my back. Although I feel relieved for some reason.
"I assumed you did! So, is there anyone you like? Huh, Toya~? Maybe Akitooo~??" She whispers the last part, elbowing me. My face heats up even more.
"Y.. yes..?" I mutter, flustered, putting my palm on my face out of embarrassment.
"Hack-" Akito chokes on his own water, and my mother looks at me, Akito, and then me. She gasps out of realization, and I shush her. She squeals, shaking her hands around. She's really like An and Saki.
Me and Akito are alone in my room now, awkward. My mother insisted we spend some time without her. I don't know what she's getting at. I'm stress petting smudge, who doesn't seem to mind.
"S-So, uh.. um.." Akito awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "How good are you on the piano?"
"I've been practicing since I was 4."
"4?! Really?!" He says, amazed. I nod. "Can you play something? Is it okay with you?"
"I mean, I don't really like playing it now but I can since it's you." I smile. I put smudge down, and sit on the bench. I haven't touched this in a while. What should I play? "I'm sorry if I mess up.."
"It's okay, I'll be happy with whatever you play me." He grins, causing me to blush.
I have a song I think he'd like. I begin playing, and everything comes back to me already. This was the song that made me happy back then. Nothing could impress my father. I mean heck, I could play Clair De Lune at age 7! Although.. Tsukasa was able to play Für Elise at 8, so.. But what was I doing wrong?
I could never do anything right. I would usually get smacked by a stick for one slight mistake, I think I mentioned that before? My mother noticed I hadn't touched the piano when my father was on a trip once. I usually practice before he comes back home. So she taught me.. Liebestraum. Love Dream.
I got so lost in thought I've already finished. Akito smiles, and claps.
"That was the best performance I've ever listened to."
My face lights up, and I thank him.
"What was it called?" He asks, coming to stand next to me. But he's so close to my face, looking right into my eyes. I move my eyes away, blushing. Toya, why would you play this for him?! You dug your own grave!
".. L-"
"Boys! I made cookies!" My mother barges through the door once again, and I push him away, flustered. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I~?" She gives me an evil grin, and I freeze.
"I- No, n-not at all." Akito gets embarrassed as well, and turns his head away. We're both flustered messes, and my mother giggles.
"Alright, I'll leave the cookies here." She smiles, closing the door. "Ah, youth."
The silence is very loud. Nobody says anything until Akito breaks it by clearing his throat.
"S-So, uh... I'll just ask another day, haha.." He shoves a cookie in his mouth, and I lightly laugh.
We just went over stuff about school, while smudge was in my lap. I feel like that's his favorite place. It's fine with me.
While I try to explain more into detail of the subjects he's not the best at, I see him looking at smudge intensely. I don't get why, though. Does he want to be pet too? He does it to me, and smudge focuses better while being pet, so..
I put my hand on his head, who snaps out of it.
"Oh, I-I'm sorry. I forgot the warning." I apologize, taking my hand off. He sits still for a while, and I'm afraid I made him uncomfortable. Akito sits next to me with my back against the wall, and puts his head on my shoulder. He picks up my hand again, placing it back on his head.
"I don't mind." He mumbles, and I can see his ears are red. He really is like smudge.
"I'll go to sleep on the couch. Goodnight, Toya." Akito picks up the pillow my mother handed him, and a blanket. I shake my head, objecting. It's our fault he's here. I pat next to my bed, moving smudge out of the way.
"H.. Huh?" His cheeks turn red, and I pat again, moving over. I won't take 'no' for an answer, I'll feel guilty.
"Toya... That's.. your bed." He says, chuckling. I go red, and stand up. "Huh?"
I try pushing him to the bed, but it's like trying to push a door that says pull. I pant in exhaustion, and he bursts out laughing.
"Your stubbornness is adorable. Alright, I'll stay there. But just until you fall asleep, okay? I don't want to accidentally.. crush you in your sleep." He jokes, but honestly I'd be the one crushing him. I'm not heavy, I'm just.. taller. Wait did he say adora-
I nod, blushing. We're now on the bed, keeping some distance. I'm wide awake, even with the lights off. I look over to Akito, who is fast asleep. I see how him and An are friends, I guess.
Well, this will be fine. As long as I don't move around too much, I'll be fine. Right when I think that he scoots closer. Time to officially panic. Just before he goes any closer, smudge goes in the middle, laying down. I sigh in relief, going to sleep.
It was the next morning, and I felt something close to me. I remembered Akito was next to me, but.. our faces were close so I was blushing hard. He's so.. beautiful when he's asleep.
I stare at him, adoring his fluffy hair. His bedhead is so cute.. I hesitate to put my hand on his hair, and he wakes up. I throw smudge at his face, and they both get alarmed.
After Akito ate, he went out. He mentioned Ena would be worried. Me and my mother wave goodbye, and she smirks.
"Nice to see my future son in law." She giggles, and I grow red.
It was now the day before break, and Akito was walking me back home before we don't see each other until Christmas for the party. An was also joining, because Azusawa was visiting her grandmother out of town.
"Wow!! Your house is so huge! How much do you think the people in school would pay for your Address?!" An says, and Akito takes her bag. "Hey!"
"This is confiscated until we're far from his house. You better not memorize it either, because I'll scoop your eyes out." He menacingly says, and An awkwardly laughs, behind me.
"Haha, uh.. anyways, do you both have a gift for Secret Santa? I got Ichika, so I'm not sure what she likes. I asked her girlfriends, and Honami mentioned she loves Hatsune Miku, so a poster. Shiho said she could use new headphones, and Saki agreed with Miku so recommended a Miku phone charm. How overwhelming. SO I JUST GOT HER ALL OF IT!!" She cackles, and I smile.
"I got Ena her dumb eye shadow she refuses to buy because of the price. I've worked a lot of overtime.. And a stuffed animal, it was in my budget."
"What about you, Toya?" An asks, but we arrive at my house before I answer.
"Toya! Welcome home!" My mother says, stuck in the Christmas lights. We all help her out, and she giggles. "Sorry!"
"ARE YOU TOYA'S OLDER SISTER?!" An squeals, all happy. We all stare at her, and she apologizes.
"Yup! Eternally 18!" She winks, and An squeals. My ears hurt.
"That's my mother." I sigh, and An stares at her.
"YOU HAD TOYA AT 6?!" She shrieks, and Akito smacks her head.
"That's not even the right math. It'd be 2, dumbass." Akito rolls his eyes.
After all that, they leave. I wave goodbye, and freeze. I still don't have a gift for Akito. My mother notices me trembling, and she's practically a mind reader when it comes to me.
"Get ready, Toya! We're going shopping!!" She says, making a super hero pose. And trips on an inflatable.
What does he like..?