Sato, flustered, flung his fingers back as he blushed. "Hey, wha-what was that for?" he asked.
Hikari's face turned red. "I couldn't let the curry go to waste," she mumbled.
Sato tried to regain his composure, clearing his throat. "If you don't mind, I'll be going now."
Hikari quickly got up, holding his arm. "Please don't go yet, I mean, you just got here." Sato blushed as his arm was pulled between her chest. He swallowed hard. "I still have to help my mom out at our restaurant."
Hikari looked confused. "What restaurant?"
Sato sighed. "We run a small restaurant attached to our house. That's how my mom makes her living, so I need to help her out."
Hikari's eyes lit up. "No way! A restaurant? Can I come?"
Sato immediately declined, shaking his head. "No, no, no, no. The last time a mafia came to our restaurant, all the customers basically flew out. I'm not trying to recreate that scene."
Hikari looked sad. "Fine, I won't come to your restaurant."
Sato looked at her with suspicion. "No, seriously, my mom's gonna flip if you do. Please promise me you won't come."
Hikari promised. "Okay, okay, I promise. But can I at least get your contact? So we can be in touch 24/7?" she asked with a bright smile.
Sato took a terrified step back. (24/7? That's like everyday. I can't say no, I've already come this far. I should just take it and go.) "Fine, but not 24/7. I might not be on my phone all the time," he said, pulling out his phone. Hikari pulled out hers as well.
"Great! I'll make sure to call you every night and talk to you until you sleep," Hikari chirped.
Sato looked at her, pleading, "Please don't."
They shared their contact information. Just then, they heard a tray drop in front of the kitchen door. They saw Kenji, Hikari's personal butler, spying on them.
Hikari frowned. "Kenji, I thought I said no spying."
Kenji immediately stepped in and bowed. "I'm sorry, my princess, but your safety comes first. I couldn't rest knowing you're walking around unprotected with a guy. Plus, if you must, we don't want to go through an abortion, so I brought condoms." Kenji lifted a packet.
Sato blushed furiously. "No need for that! I was just about to leave, right, Hikari? Mind showing me the way out?" He walked past Kenji, trying not to meet the butler's clearly angry stare.
Hikari followed him, then glared back at Kenji. "Great, now he's gone! And go drop that in my room!" Hikari stormed out of the kitchen, following Sato.
As they walked, Sato asked, "Will they have to tie me up again to take me back?"
Hikari nodded. "Yeah, but I'm next to you, you don't have to worry."
Sato sighed in frustration. "Do you know how uncomfortable those ropes are? And I think your bodyguards are purposely using itchy ropes!"
Hikari giggled, then looked at him. "So, do you think I'll ever see you again?" she asked with a blush.
Sato acted like he was thinking about it. "Well, you see, I'm really busy, so I wouldn't have time to come back here. Plus, I'm still dealing with school and stuff at the restaurant too."
Hikari looked sad. "Oh yeah, school? Seems nice."
Sato looked at her in confusion. "You're acting like you haven't been to school before." He said it as a joke, not expecting her soft answer.
"I haven't," Hikari admitted.
Sato took a moment to process this. "You must be joking. You've never, ever gone to school?"
Hikari answered softly, "Yeah, my dad said it's for my own safety, so I remained indoors. But I got homeschooled by one of his mafia teammates. I think his name was Jiro—don't know, it's been like two years now."
Sato asked, "Don't you want to go to school?"
Hikari looked a bit sad. "To be honest, not really. I mean, people always run from me, thinking I'm gonna hurt them, no matter how many times I say it's good to stay around. They always still avoid me. And plus, now I have a target on my back, so I don't think I'll be leaving the house anytime soon."
Sato considered her words. "But if you go to school, don't you think that's the last place other mafia gangs looking for you would suspect you're in? I mean, they'd either think you're underground, in a new country, or locked at home. But going to school at a time like this... no one would sense that. And try going to a school where not many people know about your dad, so they wouldn't run from you."
Realization dawned on Hikari's face. "You're right! Thank you so much for that!"
Sato looked confused. "Umm, sure, I guess."
Finally, they arrived outside. Hikari approached Ren and Ryo. "Hey guys, he wants to head out now, so you have to drive us back."
Ren's face broke into a smile. "Finally! I was waiting to tie you up!"
Hikari immediately interjected, "No, no, he's not getting tied up! He doesn't like that, so stop it!"
Her bodyguards looked shocked. "What? We can't let him know where we live, we..."
But Hikari cut them off. "I trust him, okay?"
Sato tried to intervene. "No, it's okay, I don't mind..." But Hikari and her bodyguards were too busy arguing to notice him.
"You know if the boss finds out that he knows where we live, he's coming for his head," Ren warned.
Hikari stamped her foot. "Daddy isn't gonna do anything to him! I'll tell him to keep his arms off him! Now stop arguing with me and take him baaacccck!" she yelled.
Ren and Ryo covered their ears in exasperation. "Fine, just get in," Ryo muttered. He added under his breath, "Freaking bastard." Sato clearly heard him. (Ouch, Sato thought.)
Sato and Hikari entered the car, and they drove off. Minutes later, they arrived at the train station. Sato got out, looking at Hikari. "You really didn't have to take me all the way here."
Hikari smiled. "Nonsense, of course we had to! Just make sure we always stay in touch!" She waved her phone at him.
Sato forced a smile.
Ren warned him, "If you tell a single soul the path to our house, I'll beat you so bad you won't remember your name."
Sato shivered slightly and asked, "What house?"
Ren nodded. "Good."
Hikari pouted. "Hey, stop threatening him! Let's go!" Ren drove them away.
Sato sighed heavily, watching them disappear. (I'm so glad it's over, he thought.) A picture of Hikari flashed through his mind. (What is wrong with me? I have to concentrate!) He stared up at the train roof. "She was nice, soft, and sweet, nothing like how I pictured her. Either way, she's part of the Mafia, so being with her would do a number on me." He blushed. "Not like I want to be with her, ahhhh!" Sato banged his head on the train pole so hard he had a nosebleed. Everyone stared at him, wondering if he was okay, but Sato just stared at the floor, trying to clear his head.
Minutes later, he got off the train and went home, climbing the stairs. His mom asked, "Honey, where have you been all day? You look bad, what happened?"
Sato continued walking upstairs. "It's nothing. I was at Kaito's place. I just wanna lay down for a sec, I'll be with you." He went to his room and laid down. His phone started ringing. It was Kaito, but he didn't want to talk to anyone right now. He turned his phone off, dropped it, and went to sleep.
Meanwhile, Hikari was already in her room, looking at Sato's contact in her phone. (Should I call him? No, I'm just gonna wait a bit. I mean, he must be helping his mom by now. I wonder how she looks, Sato's mom?)
Hikari then thought of what Sato said about going to school and called Sakura.
Sakura answered. "Oh, hey, Sakura! Yeah, I'm thinking about going to school again. Wanna come with me?"
Sakura's voice came over the phone. "That's great! But would they allow you?"
Hikari smiled. "Sure, I have a good reason for them."
"Okay then, I'm in! Which school do you want to go to?" Sakura asked.
Hikari smiled, then answered, "Midorioka Academy."