Paradox

17: White Day

| | Yay! 17 Is already up! I hope you enjoy this one! I'm working on 18 already.

| | Dedicated to ms_aileencheng just because :3

17: White Day

They weren’t able to bring along everything since it wasn’t going to fit in the taxi. For instance, Sonya’s guitar and her canvas stand. So she agreed to just come back for the rest tomorrow.

Homes whizzed past. A small, strange doll of purple and pink grinned and bobbed its head on the center of the dashboard. It was just too creepy for his taste. Why didn’t the driver choose something cuter like a fortune cat? Or some other Hello Kitty figurine? He sighed, immediately regretting the action as he wrinkled his nose at the sickly floral scent invading his nostrils.

He stole a glance at the girl beside him and found her glazed eyes staring out the window, which was all too Sonya. He had wanted to ask her what she said to shut Sasako’s griping mouth, but she seemed distant the moment they got into the taxicab. A sigh ushered from his lips. It was only then that the all-too-happy voice squealing from the radio registered in his prickling ears. Judging by the grimace on Sonya’s face, she hated the music too. The constant chirping of the singer made him want to ask the driver to change the frequency but decided against it when he recognized the houses they were passing. In a short while they would be arriving in his place.

A furious rhythm started thrumming inside his chest when his thoughts drifted to his apartment. Sonya called his name and was pulled out his trance before he had time to digest his feelings.

“This is the place, right?”

Etsuo blinked his eyes at Sonya. He nodded. Shifting in his seat, he reached into his pocket for his wallet to pay for the fare, waving off Sonya’s hand when she tried to offer her share.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Sonya frowned when they were at Etsuo’s door.

“Well, you’re doing my laundry anyway, right?” Etsuo grinned, carrying two medium-sized boxes with bags hanging on both shoulders.

“Yeah, yeah.” Sonya rolled her eyes and hauled in another box and two more bags. Etsuo closed the door for her as soon as he had everything set on the floor.

“Well,” Etsuo held out his arms outwards and twisted on his waist and then faced Sonya. “Okaeri.”

Sonya took off her shoes and set down her stuff on the floor to take in her surroundings. It wasn’t anything she expected. There was nothing really extraordinary with the apartment. In fact, Sonya thought it was very common. But what struck her was how incredibly neat everything was, considering Etsuo was a guy. Then again, Sonya never got inside his old house to have any point of comparison.

“This is the living room and the dining room,” Etsuo gestured to the small low table surrounded by two large throw pillows and a few other small ones. “Come on, I’ll show you around my enormous house.”

Etsuo opened a door close to the kitchen, showing him a small room with a dryer and a small washing machine inside. “This is where you wash my clothes. As you can see I have the most sophisticated appliances,” he grinned happily. “And this,” Etsuo said as he closed the first door and moved on to the one beside it. “Is the luxury toilet and bath.”

Sonya laughed and nodded, taking note of her surroundings, surprised that she was acclimating a whole lot quicker than she expected. She felt a small shiver when Etsuo took her hand and pulled her across the room, heading for the stairs.

She reminded herself what she came here for.

Upstairs, she was shown into a very small room Etsuo had turned into some sort of art room.