What does 'love' mean to you?

The house was still as dull as ever. The tatami mat that spread across two rooms lay dormant, and one singular bulb hung from the ceiling, no trophies, no accomplishments. The minimalistic lifestyle Futoshi loved reared its head once more."The house still looks so bare. Don't you care to breathe some life into this pitiful excuse of a home? If you could even call it that. " Futoshi cast his eyes upward at her snarky question. He wasn't one to bother with trivial things like that, so he didn't. Plain and simple. 

Reina walked into the barren room, which she had criticized so much. She lowered herself before crossing her legs at the table in front of her. "Even though you diss my house so much, you're the first person to make themselves comfortable!" This girl! She's impossible to deal with. First, she calls me a perv and gets me to join a club that I don't even know why it exists. Then she constantly berates and hurls insults at me! All the while I'm the one trying to keep whatever peace we have left! Contrary to his thoughts, Futoshi invited Reina round his house twice now. He should've already seen this coming. 

"Yeah, well, I need to talk to you anyway! That's the only reason I'm around here again." Reina closed her eyes, dropping her head onto the table that was under her. She couldn't be asked to deal with his talkback. Futoshi's nose wrinkled at her attempt at deflecting. What could Reina want with me? As he pondered on what her motives were, Reina was beginning to get restless. Her fingers fidgeted; she ran her hands through her Sakura-hued hair. She pressed her fist against the table till they knocked. Anything to keep her busy. 

Not one word was uttered.

Reina shifted her tongue. From her Point of view, Futoshi was just standing there seemingly in a daze as he pondered on what might be. "Hey! You gonna get to cooking or what, I'm getting hungry over here." As if it were its time to come in, Reina's stomach gurgled right on cue, signalling to Futoshi that what she was saying wasn't a sham. Futoshi turned before taking one step at a time towards the kitchen located behind him. 

Contrary to the rest of his house, Futoshi's kitchen had a whole different vibe. In fact, it wouldn't be ridiculous to say it looked like it came from a whole other home. The tatami mat, which was spread across two rooms, ended there. In its stead stood some brown wood, with a little rug atop it.   

As he reached for a pan in the top-right cupboard, he grimaced. Reina wasn't one to openly admit she wanted to talk, so the thought failed to leave his mind. She was always hurling insults his way, and now she wants to talk? What could there possibly be to talk about? Last time I checked... We were always at each other's throats. I've never really had an issue with her abrasive behaviour, I'll admit. It seems this hatred had always been one-sided, so why talk now?  The move was straight out of left field. It was like she just played a move that forced Futoshi to think. 

If left up to him, he probably would have thought she had some ulterior motive-that's what it seemed like anyway. Even if she said it in her usual deflective way, he couldn't help but think that there was more to it. Like a puzzle that had a few pieces missing, that's the best way to describe it. "Reina, what do you want!" Futoshi shouted as a wry grin tugged at the corners of his lips. He liked cooking for people, and Reina was no exception. 

"What we had last time! And you better be quick!" Reina, who had her hands covering her stomach, shouted back at Futoshi's question. He wasn't good at much, but cooking was like the ace up his sleeve. Reina could tell that the last time she had his cooking. Reina's gaze met Futoshi's back before her eyes narrowed. Watching the way he wielded the ingredients, with so little effort, must have ticked her off and yet, there was a sparkle that lit up in her eye. One of admiration.

Just then, Reina shook her head. "That guy is one huge idiot, ain't he?" Reina's gaze was sharp like a dagger. To Futoshi, this was nothing more than the norm. To Reina, what did she feel? She'd never tell him. 

"Reina, it's ready!" Those words broke Reina out of her daze. In return, she wet her lips at the sight that was before her. Futoshi's signature omelot that had sent her to heaven last time had returned. It was like a gift sent from God to Reina. Could there be anything better? The answer was no, or that's what Reina would've answered anyway.  She was too occupied with what would grace her taste buds next, then agreeing, though.  

Futoshi laid both plates in front of each end before taking a seat. He and Reina pushed their hands together in unison before both of them opened their mouths. "Thank you for the food." The way they said it, it was as if they were copying each other.  They got the others' movement down to a T, or to be blunt, they copied each other's moves exactly.    

No one said a word after that. The room was clouded in silence.

Ok, what is seriously up with her?  First, she says she wants to talk, and now she chooses to eat in silence. Way to keep me on the edge of my seat!  Seeing her, just sits there quietly. Futoshi had to be the one to bring it up; if he didn't, the chance might slip from his fingers. He let out a sigh before casting his gaze upward. "What's wrong? What did you want to tell me? You're not acting yourself." In response to this, Reina's gaze softened as it met eye to eye with Futoshi. In this moment, the usual Reina had gone. In its wake lay the truth. 

"You wanted to know why I wanted this club to be formed, right?" For once, her tone wasn't abrasive or overbearing. It bore a certain softness to it that was fragile.  It almost felt comforting amid her usual angry nature. 

"---"

Futoshi clenched his fist. Not because he was scared by the change in tone, but because the weight in the room had shifted. After all, they could barely have a proper conversation without starting a war with each other, so to have her have this comforting aura around her made his skin crawl. " Yeah, after all... You did kinda force me to join." 

Reina's gaze narrowed as she caught her breath at the answer he had given. Sure, she might've forced him to join, but there was more to it than that...much more. 

"Truth is, Futoshi...I made this club because I've never experienced it—someone who sees me and is speechless. I've never seen anything like it.  So, I thought that if I couldn't understand what it means to love, I'd watch it unfold from the sidelines. Laugh all you want, but it's true."

Futoshi's gaze softened at the vulnerable answer she gave. It was too pure to be Reina's reason. It had to be. Even so, he didn't push against it.

"I wouldn't laugh at that, you should know me better than that, by now." 

Disregarding what he said for now, Reina continued. "Watching Nakamura-kun and Ojino-senpai makes you wonder, huh? If that's what it's like to love another person, I'd like to experience it someday."

Reina forced a smile as she gazed at Futoshi. No one spoke a word; the Silence spoke for itself.

"Even though I probably never will... People like me don't get that privilege, do they?"