Prelude to our next step

I was scrolling on my phone thinking about what Akari said to me.

—Where did she want me to take me? Is the first time she does, not that I have complained tho… Dammit, now I have a problem sleeping…

It was around 1:00AM, the only light in my room was the weak one in my phone screen.

I was thinking about what happened in these months, Akari already got better, and all the problems that we had were resolved. I keep thinking about what she wants from me tomorrow.

-Does she already have a job? No, she would message me about or give me a call, she is going to keep me in suspense, and she didn’t send me another message after that… not that I reply something that could lead to that too, Aaah! This sucks, Is not use to think about it, I’ll try to sleep-

I left my phone and closed my eyes, thinking about different scenarios that make me lose myself in my own thoughts until I fall asleep. I woke up the next morning, yawning and scratching my head. I went to the bathroom and cleaned my face and brushed my teeths.

—So cold…

I returned to my room and saw the calendar, December 24.

—Is it already this late?...

A moment of realization was going through my mind, I started to search in my closet and I took out a box already wrapped.

—How I didn’t notice before? She wants to give me a present, a good thing I prepared for this before. I need to look good…

I went to the bathroom again and saw my hair being messy, I enter to bathe myself and get out, I began to dress with a black pant and shoes, a white t-shirt and a black jacket with white fur, I wear around my neck a black scarf and white gloves.

I sit down in my room and look at the clock, 9:00 AM.

—Am I an idiot? Calm down a little, Yukki… she will tell me when she wants to meet…

I took off all my clothes and put something to be more comfy around the house, I went downstairs and saw my mom cooking.

—Hello, mom.

—Hi.

—You’re preparing breakfast earlier than before.

—Well, your father has vacations beginning now, and he eats a lot earlier than us. Speaking of him, can you go wake him up?

—Sure.

I stood up from the chair and went to my parent’s room.

—Dad…

I was whispering, I got close to him and moved him a bit.

—Dad!...

He woke up and saw me with an angry expression.

—Eek!

—What?

—Breakfast is ready, dad.

—Really? Oh…

My dad was looking everywhere,his eyes were colored a bit red. He could look menacing, but that’s just how he looks.

I smiled and he stroked my hair.

—I will go in a minute, thanks.

—That’s not true, you say that but you always go to sleep again.

—Haha, I’m fine now, go eat.

—Huh.

I leave the room and sit down in the chair again, my brother and my sister are already in there. My dad took a couple of minutes to be at the table with us, once he sat down, my mother did too and we gave thanks for the food.

—So, are you going to have a date with Himeno-san? —Hanabi said to me.

—Uhm, what makes you think that?—I was grabbing fish with my chopsticks.

—It’s 24, you need to have a date with her.

—Come to think of —my dad swallowed the rice and started talking—. This Miss Himeno, where are you going to bring her here?

—Huh?! No way, why would I do that?

—Why not? —Hiroki punched me in the arm with her mouth full of fish and rice—. I want to know what person makes my little bro so anxious.

—Hey! Don’t speak with your mouth full, Hiro! —my mom scold Hiroki

—Sorry —Hiro swallowed his food and kept eating.

—Akari-chan had nothing to do here, all that we do is either outside or in her house.

—Huh… but you keep that protection.

—I SAY THAT NOT, DAD

My brother started to laugh really hard with food in his mouth, but a few seconds later he started to choke with her food, we gave him water and looked at him until he finally recovered himself, we laughed all together and continued eating in a warm mood.

After eating, I went upstairs and started playing games on my computer. My friends were messaging me about what they did on the day, and what they had bought. It was already 2:00PM, I lost track of the time until I received a direct message from my phone.

“About today’s plan, what If we meet at the station at 5:00PM?”

“Sure, I would like to”
“Alright! See you there then”

I put on my clothes that I prepared in the morning again to save my progress, I was sitting in my bed and moving my leg looking directly at the time. I was smiling and looking at my phone.

—What’s with you? —My sister was looking at me with a strange face.

—Hana, what? I don’t have anything

—You know, you have been hanging out with Himeno-san a lot of times, what made you so nervous this time?

—The thing is that, Akari-chan asks me to hang out, I feel really happy, but at the same time I feel strange, but not in a bad way, I really can’t tell what it is.

My sister started laughing and looked at me.

—That’s what happened to the other counterpart, you are always planning and you know where to go, that you feel strange to leave all that to another person.

—I guess you’re right… Akari-chan is incredible, a lot has happened in these months.

—Yeah, I guess you’re right, I remember how anxious I felt when she didn’t answer me, I never want to experience that again.

—I don’t want to see her in that state again either. When I was in front of her house and she collapsed, I felt like I was about to lose something dear to me, I stopped to feel anything. I just hurry up and do whatever's in my power.

—I know, when you arrived at home that day you were crying and even trembling, it was like if you just watched one of the scariest and saddest movies of all time.

—Haha, looking back, that was hilarious, thank you, Hana.

—Uhm? For what?

—For telling me what to do, you give me courage and make me go back to reality when I didn’t want to see things.

—I didn’t do that much, you’re giving me too much credit.

—Heh, maybe, but you have grown, Hana.

—I know —my sister was swinging her legs sitting in my bed.

I laughed and looked at my phone that was vibrating, it was Osuke-san.

—Hi, what happened, Osuke-san?

—Oh, I forgot to tell you about something, can you come to the store for a bit?

—Uhm, yeah, sure.

Osuke-san hung up and I stood up.

—It was my boss, I need to go,

—Take care.

I left the house and arrived at the coffee shop, I entered and headed directly to the employee's room.

—Osuke-san?

—Ah, Ryoma-kun, I didn’t bother you, right?

—No, don’t worry. What happened?

—Oh, it’s nothing big, we have a lot of workers now and since a lot of them are new, I think I can stop giving you that much work, and since I don’t think I would require your help, what do you say? You want some vacations?

—Vacations?! Uhm, yeah sure!

—Ok, you’re lucky, kid, you have half a month, come back to January, here, this is the pay for this week.

Osuke-san hand to me an envelope with money inside.

—Thank you, Osuke-san.

—This is work, Ryoma-kun, there’s nothing to thank me about, now go and have fun, I see you are very well-dressed, are you going out with Him-

—See you later, Osuke-san

—Ah! Ryoma-kun! It was a joke! You brat!

I left work and there was one hour left to meet Himeno-san.

—If I hurry up, I can make it.

I took a taxi to the station and I was touching my leg with my finger, looking at the window.

When I arrived it was only 5 minutes before the hour we agreed to meet, I sigh in relief and start walking normally, and then I saw her.

Akari-chan was wearing black again, she had gloves and a French cap, a long dress that reached up to her knees, long socks, and shoes with short heels, on top of that, she was wearing a white jacket that was reaching her hips, it was open and the buttons were black.

I approached her, smiled and waved my hand.

—Akari-chan!

—Uh? Ah! Yukki-kun!

She started running towards me and she hugged me.

—You look good.

—I’m glad. You look good too

—Thank you… So where are we going?

—You will see

Akari-chan smiled at me and took me from my hand and dragged me into the train.