Osaka Rain || N. Yuta [Completed (✓)]

十二

Spring Snow
春の雪

"It's getting late. I should go home now," Sei said, standing up. "You could stay over tonight," Mrs. Nakamoto offered, causing Haruna to perk up. "Yes! Please stay! I will show you my idol collections." She bounced on her spot.

"I really shouldn't. Mom won't approve," she politely refused. "Okay, dear. Let me get your clothes from Yuta's bedroom." Yuta stared at Sei, getting reminded of her mother by the mention of her. A huge overwhelming cloud of guilt engulfed him for messing with her the whole time.

"Here, Sei-chan." Yuta snatched the paper bag of Sei's clothes from his mother's hand. "I will walk her home," he headed out, putting on his shoes. The three of them glanced at each other.

"Thank you for today," Sei expressed her gratitude for their hospitality before rushing out after Yuta. She was having a hard time to catch up with him because of his unnecessarily long legs. "Can you walk a bit slower?"

Yuta abruptly halted, causing Sei to bump her face into his broad back. "Ugh," she groaned. He let out a chuckle, turning around afterwards. "Why is that funny? You are being too mean today."

"I am sorry," Yuta apologised, gently ruffling her dark brown hair. Her cheeks heated up—Again! She immediately raised her hand to fix her tousled hair. A low grumble left his lips. "It was fine that way."

Yuta was having a hard time to look away from her as well. It was the first time for him to see a girl in his own clothes and the fact that she looked so  endearing in it, did not help at all.

"No, it wasn't," Sei cried out.

"Then I am sorry," Yuta apologized again, making her look at him. "I am also sorry for another thing." She waited for him to continue to speak.

"For acting as a jerk to you, the whole day." Sei did not know Yuta would be the first one to apologize when she was at fault as well. "I should apologize too," she softly spoke.

Yuta flashed a soft smile. "No, you were right. I got to know a few things about you. So it's only fair that you should be knowing about me, too." He rubbed the back of his nape.

"Actually I never thought of talking about myself. It's not like I purposely tried to act mysterious like a main lead of some shoujo manga (romance comic book)", Sei laughed at that. "So you can ask me anything you want to."

Sei pondered for a couple of seconds before saying, "Then I have two questions for you," she stretched out her thumb and index finger while the rest of them were folded and pointed the two of her stretched out fingers towards him like a finger gun.

Yuta let out a snicker at her little action. "Shoot," he mocked. "The Japanese novels in the study of your house—are those yours?"

"Yeah mostly," Yuta nodded, "I quite like to read," he added afterwards as an extra information about himself. "Then Haru No Yuki (Spring Snow) by Yukio Mishima, is that yours, too?" Sei perked up while talking about the book from which she picked up the theory of rain.

"No, uh—that one is probably my nee-san's—Momo-nee. She is the oldest among us."

"The second question is about her. Why is she not living with you in Osaka? It's fine if you don't want to answer though." Sei started walking again getting followed by Yuta who soon picked up her pace to walk beside her.

"It's nothing private, anyway. She has big dreams and she thinks being in Osaka is going to hold her back. So she got herself admitted into the best school of Japan in Tokyo and there she is living with our aunt," Yuta glanced at Sei who was listening to him with awe.

"She wants to go to abroad for higher studies," he added. "She sounds like such an incredible person." Yuta hummed in response. "The coolest aneki (姉貴) in the whole world."

"Can I ask you for something?"

"Is that a trick question?" A breathy chuckle left her lips as she said, "No."

"Then okay."

"Spring Snow—can you give it a read?" Yuta raised his shoulders before dropping them. "I don't know. It doesn't really sound my type."

"What is your type? Soccer books?"

Yuta squinted his eyes before looking at her. "Very funny," he sarcastically said, getting a nonchalant shrug out of her. "Also I will return your clothes tomorrow, after washing it," she lowered her voice while muttering the last part.

"You can keep it," Yuta pulled the hood up to cover her head. "It looks better on you, anyway."