Girl and Boy

After that kiss and confession, our relationship became a little awkward. We met every day. We sat in silence most of the time. I didn't know what to say or ask him. After a week I decided to break the ice, "My birthday is coming soon. I want to invite you to my place for lunch or dinner. Will you come?"      

        Natsuki looked happy, "Yeah, sure. I would love to. When is it?"

       "It's next Thursday". He counted the dates. 29 May? He asked. Hm-hn, I nodded.        

      "That's a cute date", he said. 

   "Umm… there's nothing such as a cute date", I laughed. He tried to convince me that there was.         

         "What are you having for dinner today?", I asked since I knew he went home late and it was already dinner time. He took out an onigiri from his bag. The same kind he had given me the first time we spoke. 

      "My dinner. I don't like eating anyways", he said happily. I was shocked. His dinner was one onigiri. His mother was neglecting him a lot.       

 "Did you try talking to your mother about all this?", I interrogated. 

         "Let's not talk about it", he said. I respected his boundaries. "Instead", he continued, "I'll tell you about my nii-san".         

I had managed to break the ice. I was ready to hear anything. 

          "Nii-san is my cousin from my mother's side. He was cool and handsome and was the only one I ever felt love for. I didn't like his mom much. Remember I told you, the one who named me? She was unkind to me, just like my mother. But her son, my nii-san, was the best person in the world. He used to take care of me and play with me when I was a kid. He taught me a lot of stuff. He gave me his toys to play cause he knew I didn't have them. But–" I was invested. I wanted to know more.      

           "When he started high school… ahh wait– was it junior high? No. No, it was high school. He suddenly started ignoring me. I tried asking him what was going on but he didn't trust me enough. I was devastated. The only one that I love was ignoring me. What was I supposed to do? So I started taking part in sports and the rest is history" 

       What do you mean the rest is history? I thought. "Do you talk to him now?", I asked.      

    "Ehh, well yeah, since we live close by but not like we used to and besides he has a girlfriend", he told me. I was happy to know more about his life bit by bit. 

       "Now, you don't have to search for him. You have me", I assured him. He laughed, You are not my nii-san.       

          I walked him halfway home. There was a vending machine where toys were sold. When I was about to click on the toy car, Natsuki hugged me from behind and I accidentally pressed on the teddy bear instead. It came out. A small yellow teddy bear holding a heart. 

        "For you", I gave it to him anyway. He smiled. An entire type of different face. I had never seen that expression on him. He held the tiny teddy bear gently, "Thank you, Haruki-san. I like it a lot". He hugged me and I hugged him back. He ran home and I stood there looking at his back until he turned into a speck.          

             The next day was Saturday and I had to go with my Mom for a checkup. I got ready on time so did my mom and we were off. At the hospital, waited for her outside the checkup room. People thought I was her husband and it was funny. When we left, I told Mom that people thought I was her husband, we were laughing cheerfully when someone grabbed my shoulder, "Haru-chan", I turned back to see who it was. I couldn't remember this face but I would never forget that voice. I saw everything that had ever happened between me and him flash before my eyes. I couldn't speak. 

      Mom nudged me. I looked at her. "Aki-senpai", I said. I didn't want Mom to find out about anything.        

"What are you doing here, Haru-chan?", he asked, "Is that your wife or girlfriend or...?" 

        "No. She's —", I was interrupted by my mom, "We're getting late Haru-chan".      

  "I came here with my girlfriend", informed Akira. 

     "It was nice meeting you after so many years. I gotta go", I got in the car. Mom drove swiftly. During the car ride, I waited for mom to ask me questions but she didn't.     

     We got home and I got the table ready for lunch. During lunch, my mom started asking me questions. 

      "What happened to you today?", she inquired.          

"I don't know, Mom", I replied. Mom wasn't satisfied with my reply. She asked me the same question again. When I answered the same way she questioned me again. This time I replied to her diffprotecterently, "Aki-senpai was… bad to me during my high school days. I didn't want him to find out that you are my Mom. I want to you". Mom gently hugged me. 

     "Did I ever make you feel like you couldn't trust me, son?", she said.    

    "No. I was a coward that's all", I said under my breath. I didn't speak to anyone that day. No dinner. No movie. I stayed in my bed. I didn't go to meet Natsuki. 

              The next two days were the same. My parents called me down many times but I refused to go. At last, I was too hungry to act spoiled. I went down for dinner. My parents didn't mention anything at dinner.      

   I checked my phone and saw many messages from Natsuki. I ran out immediately to the tree where we usually met. 

       "Natsu-kun, sorry to keep you waiting", I bowed down.        

"Hn. It's okay. I'm sure you were busy", he said, preparing to leave. I didn't stop him.

        "Dinner. Thursday. Don't forget", I shouted. I'm sure he heard it. 
       I turned twenty-one and I didn't feel anything out of place. I was excited to tell my parents about Natsuki. I was ready to come out of the closet. I wondered whether or not Natsuki came out to her family, but I never dared to ask. His family was complicated.            

  I finished all the preparations before Mom and Dad arrived. It was my birthday but I wanted to surprise them. They surprised me instead with a customized birthday cake of Anime characters. I was extremely happy that I could make my parents smile just by doing a simple thing like living. 

         Natsuki was running late. I called and texted him a lot of times but he neither picked up nor replied. He was mad at me I was sure but I didn't want to leave my family. I told my parents that I'd like them to meet a special friend and they were happy and excited.           

While we were almost ready for dinner, the doorbell rang. I stood up but my dad insisted he would get the door. I let him. 

       "Perfect timing, child. Get in", I heard my dad say from the entrance. I was enjoying the day until I saw Natsuki enter the dining room.       

  On seeing me he wished, "Happy birthday, Haruki-san". I said a low "Thank you". He was clad in a white collared shirt, a long pink skirt, and a black sweater vest. What was he trying to pull? 

            "I am Nakamura Natsuki. Third year of high school and Haruki-san's friend"           

             "You're a beautiful and strong girl", complimented my mother. "I see you train every day". I couldn't say a word.

       "Thank you. You are so kind. Yes, with my friends", said Natsuki, smiling. She handed me a present. I took it and said Thank you. We had dinner.       

            "So she is the one you were talking about?", asked Dad. I nodded. I. couldn't digest any food. I was too shocked. Why was Natsuki crossdressing? Why wasn't he correcting them calling him a girl? Was he a boy or... A girl?