lend me your ears | bokuto kotaro

8 ' yakitori

15 minutes later, Hoshino walked around the plaza, looking left and right for Bokuto. She took a seat in one of the benches nearby as she waited and unlocked her phone to message him.

BOKUTO_Kotaro: I'm here!!

Nanao06: oh, where?

"Hoshi-chan!" Bokuto exclaimed for afar, rushing towards her. However, turning off her hearing aids remained a habit and she didn't notice.

"Hoshi-chan," he repeated and tapped on her shoulder as soon as she reached her.

She immediately looked up at the tall man towering over her and her brows momentarily raised upon seeing him. Bokuto in casual clothes was a strange sight; he had a gray tee tucked in his pants, along with a thin jacket. She quickly fiddled with her ears to listen.

"Did I keep you waiting, Hoshi-chan? Sorry," Hoshino finally heard his voice.

"No, not at all," she answered and quickly stood up, "Should we head over to the art store now? I know the best place for it.

"Wait, can we get yakitori first? I didn't eat breakfast yet," he requested and pointed at a nearby stall.

"You haven't eaten anything yet, Bokuto-san? It's 10AM already," she gasped, surprised.

"I overslept so I rushed here," he explained with a frown. "Please?" he repeated, she couldn't say no now.

"Okay," she obliged and nodded.

"Thanks! The yakitori there is really good, you're gonna love it," he added and lead the way to the stall.

"Okay, okay," she mumbled as she followed. It was a small stall but even from a small distance, the enticing smell of grilled meat reached her. It made her crave for some too.

"How many will you get?" he asked while staring at the grill. The sound of meat getting grilled was music to his ears and he fished out his wallet from his jacket pocket.

"Just one will do, Bokuto-san," she answered and grabbed her small purse as well.

"Four please!" Bokuto told the man his orders. "Hoshi-chan, you should take a seat already," he told her with a softer tone.

She'd do as she was told but before anything, she didn't want to make him pay for hers. "Bokuto-san, here," she said, a bill on her hand.

"Nah, I got it," he rejected the money with a proud smile. He was giving her a thumbs up as well, perhaps a habit he picked up from her. He gradually learned that Hoshino was 70% body language, 20% murmurs, and 10% reserved for actual speaking.

"No, I insist, it's just 150 yen," she persisted and handed him her money, "Please?"

"Alright, alright."

The food didn't take much time to be served, much to Bokuto's delight. He was starving.

"Itadakimasu!"

"How is it?" Bokuto asked immediately, just as she took a bite, "It's really good, right?" he asked as he munched on his own, "I'm not picky when it comes to food, but this is like, really good!"

"Yes, you have a nice taste, Bokuto-san," she complimented him, rather than the food itself.

"I know!" he chuckled as he finished a stick, then munched on the others.

"Is one stick really enough for you, Hoshi-chan? You should get more if you want. You're almost done with yours," he pointed out. He didn't really mind talking and eating at the same time.

"Two sticks are too much, one is a little lacking. But I had breakfast so I'm okay," she answered with a faint shying smile.

"Want to share this? Like, half for ya?" he offered, still savoring each bite of the meat.

"Is this an indirect kiss?" she almost blurted out. She didn't even have to say such embarrassing thing, her cheeks reddened in no time.

"N-no, it's okay! I'm full!"

"Mkay, if you shay sho," he said in a muffled voice, finishing his last stick.

Moments later, after finally having a full stomach, Bokuto and Hoshino head to the art store, with Hoshino leading the way this time.

"This is your hobby, right?" he asked and looked around the colorful store. It was full of stationery and various tools Bokuto had just seen for the first time.

"Yes," she answered as she reread her list of materials. "But how come you never wear jewelry, Hoshi-chan?" he continued asking, he was hungry for answers.

"Ah, flashy things don't suit me. I just enjoy making them." Her tone was getting sadder and pessimistic with every syllable, which she hoped he didn't notice. Which of course, was a mistake.

"I think jewelry will look good on you," his compliments were coming out naturally as he truly meant them. "Wait, is it the other way around, you look good in jewelry? Eh," he confused himself.

"You think so, Bokuto-san?" she asked while they walked to the paint section of the store.

"Yeah, why wouldn't it look nice?" he asked her in return, his voice sounding a little more serious.

"Wait, Bokuto-san, can we have separate purchases? I think I'm going to buy paint for myself too," she suddenly changed the topic as soon as she spotted the perfect shade of red.

"Oh, sure, of course." He nodded and looked at the paint, wondering what was so special in the short tube of red.

"Woah, you paint too?" he gasped and glanced at her. Hoshino smiling was also a rare sight and he was caught off guard. He couldn't help but stare.

"I've been planning to recreate one of my old works but I hesitated for some reason. I think I might do it tomorrow, or you know what? Maybe even tonight," she began blabbering, again, to his surprise.

"And what are you working on, Hoshi-chan?"

"Icarus and the Sun, or some sort of metaphor. Have you heard of that story, Bokuto-san?" she asked. Her smile was growing wider and a sparkle of excitement beamed through her deep amber eyes.