Pearled Oysters Volume 2

Side story: Confessions

My body felt completely numb even though I knew I had just gotten hit by a stopping car. Ume lay a little ways away and I could tell that she had landed on her leg and her wrist in a bad way. Then I saw the slightest bit of a twitch. That was all it took. I didn't care about what might be hurt on myself or if my scars had opened up. As soon as I knew she was still living, I pulled myself up and ran over to her as fast as my shattered body to carry me.

I saw Natsu before he got to the front gate of our small apartment building. He was pacing nervously. It was the most adorable thing I had ever seen him do. Such a far cry from the impressively cool things he had done for me in the past. I went to the common room to let my folks know, and returned to my room to finish getting ready. I couldn't deny that I was nervous, but I knew I had to get through this. Tonight was an important step. I needed to try to move forward and out of the spiral that had been that day. Haru's revelation in the hospital had began a slow preparation for today. I could still feel the warmth of her in my arms from back then. And from the times since. We had agreed, regardless of how it looked to everyone else, we'd stop holding back. We wouldn't cross certain lines and we didn't expect things to go back to how they had been before the accident. She had something to tell me, and I had to make a decision. We had agreed that tonight would be the deadline. She would have to handle whatever she had to before midnight, and so did I. I just had to hope it all worked out.

She felt like nothing in my arms, or maybe it was more accurate to say I felt nothing in my arms. I didn't stop to worry about how I was walking around or what might happen to my body. All that mattered was Ume. She couldn't walk on that leg, and we couldn't stay there. So despite my embarrassment and nervousness at even approaching such a place, I carried her into a nearby love hotel. I didn't even wait to be acknowledged. As soon as I entered the place I just started yelling.
"We need a room! There was an accident, and we both were hit by a car. Please call Mr Yakamoto's restaurant and tell them we're here and need to be taken to the hospital. I can't afford an ambulance and we need some place to wait and clean up!"
The person in charge rushed out from their office with a key in hand and motioned towards an elevator.
"Room 605 is available and should be freshly stocked."
"Thank you! How much?"
At my question they looked at Ume and then up to look me in the face.
"You're part of that group that runs with Yakamoto's boy?"
"Yes..."
Before I could ask anything, they pressed the key into my hand with a gentle smile.
"On the house, as thanks for what you kids do for all of us here. Now stop wasting time! She looks like she's in pain and I can't believe you're actually alive much less moving. My niece will bring up more bandages and such. Leave getting you help to me. You just get up to that room and take care of those injuries."
With that, they pushed me into the elevator and pressed the button for the sixth floor. Just as the doors were closing, I felt Ume shift in my arms.

I shifted uneasily as I stood just around the corner from our apartment's entrance. Mom and Dad wanted to meet Natsu because he was the first boy I ever had over. So I hung back and waited for the right time to step in. It still was nerve racking to have him actually here. I felt my heart skip at the the bell, and then my pulse raced as I listened to the latches unlock and the door open.
"Um, thank you for having me over, Tanaka-san. I'm a friend of your daughter."
"Welcome. I must say I'm actually surprised to have you at our door."
"Our Ume has never invited a boy over. We were starting to wonder if she was actually—"
As soon as I knew where they were going. I had to stop her. Natsu didn't need that the only people who have been to my house before was Hayami once before she started getting piercings, and of course Haru was almost a permanent resident. Especially now, though my parents weren't aware of that either. So I decided to sacrifice letting him know I had talked with my folks about him instead of having hear about how often Haru was here.
"Mom, Dad...this is Natsu-kun."
"Oh! This is that boy who pushed you out of the way of that car! The one you stayed with until in the hospital until he woke up."
"Yes, Mom. This is that boy."
Like I've ever talked about any other boy in a positive way...
"Thank you for looking after our Ume."
"Uh, it's my... uh... pleasure."
As Dad and Natsu exchanged awkward pleasantries, Mom leaned over to nudge me and talk just a little quieter.
"You didn't tell me he was so cute and delicately featured."
"Mom!"
She shrugged off my revulsion at her comment.
"Well... when we heard about how you survived and what he did, could you blame me for thinking of someone with more muscle? He looks like a child."
"He's another first year in my class at school. He is a child compared to you. And he has plenty of muscle!"
I winced as I realised how she was going to take my comment, and decided to do my best to pull him away from my insanely curious parents. Just as I got there, Dad asked a rather basic question but even I couldn't say I knew the answer.
"What's you're family name, young man?"
"Oh... uh... Ryujimura, sir."
Something about his answer didn't feel like that was all there was to it, and so I decided to jump in and try to spare him the interrogation.
"Dad, stop pestering him! At least let him inside the door and to take off his shoes before you try to cross examine him."
"I'm fine."
"See Ume, the boy isn't afraid of answering a few simple questions."
I glared at my dad. If I let him, he'd try to get everything he needed to run a background check on Natsu. I didn't want tonight to be ruined because my parents were nosy about the boy.
"He's my guest tonight. He's here to see me and to have dinner with us. So could you wait until we're eating to ask him all you're questions. I don't want you scaring him off."
"Sounds like someone's a bit protective."
"It's a father's right to know about the people their daughter brings into the house."
I sighed in exhaustion. Mother was already planning our wedding and judging him based on the fact he was shorter and slighter than me, and Dad was trying to build a potential case file for his job to look into. I had to stop this so we could just enjoy the evening and I could take care of what I needed to.
"Not now, Dad, please!"
"Really, Ume. I'm fine. Just not used to a place this nice except for Mari and Ku's new place."
"Wait, Natsu-kun. Really?! This place?!"
"Yeah... I mean, maybe I'm not the best judge because I live by myself since my folks threw me out. But this feels like a nice home."
I felt my heart twist. I hadn't known. Immediately my parents changed their stance and all but pushed him inside.
"I think Ume right, we should let him in and get dinner ready."
"Ume, why don't you show your friend around while you're father and I get the table set?"
As she said this, Mother quickly and carefully shut the front door.