Chapter 14

Ayame’s POV

It's Saturday! All I wanted was to sleep in and forget about the miserable meeting with Okamoto. I was angry because Shimada arranged it behind my back, when I didn't look my best. The amount of money I lent when we met for the first time was not much, so I didn't mind not getting it back, but still I couldn't contact him with that video. I was watching it all the time, trying so hard not to start having a crush on Okamoto Daichi. There was no trace of sending a message, so why did he mention it? It was weighing on my mind all the time.

I was just too scared that the alcohol was the factor he was saying all the nice words. I didn't want to go through being heartbroken. That's why I was so engaged in living the romances through books, mangas and anime. My own heart was safe that way, but it also made me want the perfect romantic relationship in real life. With Okamoto it was not. Our second meeting didn't happen on my terms, bad hair day, period stomach ache and exam which didn't go well, everything just not to see maybe the love of my life. I want to fall in love once and my first love to be also my last one. I didn't know what to do.

Still I was feeling so sleepy, so I decided if I was already at Ryouta's place I could drink a coffee. I was thinking about what happened last night, when I left making sure the twins were asleep. I wanted to check if they were fine a bit later but fell asleep in the meantime. Yeah, I am the captain so why is Katsuo the one who is bossing around! I picked up the phone without looking at who the caller was, sure it was Shimada who forgot the number of the apartment, so I just told him and ended the call.

The twins woke up in the meantime and as soon as they saw me, they kneeled before me and started to beg for forgiveness. Did I hear the knocking?

“We are so sorry, captain. You didn't lie to us,” Sakura was using her puppy eyes on me. Caffeine didn't start to work yet, so I needed a moment to realize what they were talking about.

“Let us join the crew, we like that brother in law,” added Shima.

“Who? Me?” Another voice joined the conversation, face hidden behind the huge bouquet of flowers.

“No, not you!” The twins shouted in synchronization. The hand holding the bouquet dropped and I screamed seeing who was the guest and tried to hide, which caused myself to be burned from a coffee.

“Are you hurt?” Okamoto wanted to rush to me, when I was cooling down my arms.

“No, stay where you are.”

“Oh, that's him,” commented Shima loudly, his sister hit him.

“How do you know me?”

“Well, we might see some video and send it to someone, because we were so angry with Ayame thinking she lied to us,” Sakura explained looking at the floor.

I knew she was barely holding herself and almost cried, Shima’s eyes were already like glass. The moment later both of them were tearing up, apologizing to me, begging me to let them join the crew. I panicked. I didn't know how to soothe them or what to do with Okamoto, who was still standing in the same spot, confused and waiting for me to decide what to do.

All I needed more was Katsuo showing up and watching the scene smiling goofily.

“How lively. I like it,” he announced, patted Daichi on the shoulder comfortingly and focused on something else, but stopped next to me to whisper. “Take them, but don't forget I joined the crew first, captain.”

Ryouta’s POV

I woke up because of all the noise happening behind the wall. The headache was killing me, so I gave myself a moment before checking out what it was all about. I had a dim recollection of the previous evening, that I was talking nonsense and something about Katsuo breaking up with me. He is not here, so…

Not only my head, but also my heart were in pain. Sadness started to overwhelm me, I reached desperately for my phone, ready to call him, but ended it before the first signal. I got what I deserved. My eyes seemed puffed and I tried to remember if I was crying so much, that not even a single tear left for the morning. Water! I needed it desperately, and I could check right away what’s going on. Seemed like a better option than sulking into misery of being heartbroken, at least for the moment.

I opened the door and took a few steps just to regret it seconds later. The twins were crying, Ayame panicking, actually crying too, a confused stranger standing in an entrance with a bouquet. The flowers are really nice. It just made my headache worse and fortunately no one noticed me yet. Should I deal with all of this chaos? Definitely yes. Do I want to? Absolutely not. I changed my mind, I will go through heartbreak faster and went back to my room, hiding under the blanket.

Someone came in my room, I didn't even bother to see who, I was sure there was not a person I wanted the most to be there. This person sat next to me and carefully checked if I was still sleeping.

“Good morning sunshine. How are you feeling?” I was sure that it's just my mind playing with me, and Katsuo wasn't there for real.

“Terrible,” I whispered, closing my eyes tighter.

“I brought you something to help you deal with a hangover.” Why his hand on my head felt so real. “Is something else the matter?”

“Breaking up.”

“You insisted on me breaking up with you, but I don't remember doing something so ridiculous after all you have done.”

My imagination was telling me that a smile was on his face. I had to break this illusion, so I turned around rapidly and bumped into someone's head. To my surprise it was Katsuo and my heart immediately jumped out of joy and embarrassment at what he could talk about later. He was massaging the place I hit him, but it didn't make any impact for his jollity.

“Why do you look like you can't believe I am here?”

“I was sure we were over,” I answered sadly.

“You won't get rid of me so easily.”

Katsuo gave me something to feel better. I drank it right away, just to buy some time, because there was one thing which could torture me for the rest of my life.

“What did I do yesterday? I barely remember anything.”

“And you drew the wrong conclusion.” He was thinking for a moment before explaining the rest. “You apologized and forgot about me saying that my feelings weren't there from the very beginning. I admit I was hurt, but I already forgave you, so let's just move our first day together to the day of our first date.”

“I am so relieved,” I smiled happily and took his hand in mine. “I thought that I did something worse.”

“Oh I haven't finished yet.” The malicious smile was on his face and I gasped. “You were dramatic and clingy, you also confessed, but I will give you a chance to do it properly.” My cheeks were burning, I couldn't look Katsuo in the eye. “And when I got you here, you didn't let me go and kept me hostage all night in your arms.”

“All night?”

“All night, really tightly.” He said slowly, getting closer to me, I was afraid I couldn't blush harder.

“Something else?” I was a bit scared of an answer.

“I will keep it a secret for now. Get some rest now.”

He left quickly before I got over the shock and had a chance to react somehow. But I was happy and that's what mattered to me.