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Chapter Text
Kousaku has always been a fan of the winter. It usually doesn't get too cold in Kyushu, but it's a lot more bearable than the rest of the year. He can wear heavier clothes, which he vastly prefers over more summery options, and often just wanders, enjoying the weather and the sights around town. This is especially the case during breaks, when he has little to do but sit around home and read manga or, if the two of them are particularly bored, head to the new-ish arcade with Daisuke.
When the arcade is closed, he and Daisuke sometimes go hang out at a favorite spot of theirs atop a hill near the school. It has a pretty nice view, and serves as a quiet area for the two of the,. Occasionally they'll sit and play cards or something. Usually, however, they just sit, chat about girls, and, more often than not, make stupid bets.
"I'm tellin' ya, man. Nomura was flirting with me! I bet you 500 yen something'll happen with her in the first week we're back in school. She complimented my hair! I told ya that growing it out was the right call!"
This is one of those sometimes.
"I never said it wasn't," Kousaku sighs, "I just don't think it's why every girl you ask turns you down."
Daisuke turns to look at him, brow furrowing in confusion. "The hell's that supposed to mean?", he asks.
"I'm just saying, maybe you shouldn't keep asking your crushes out a week after you notice them. Get to know one of them first or somethin'", Kousaku answers with a shrug.
Daisuke just stares at him. Then he breaks into a laugh.
Kousaku frowns at the sudden outburst. "What?"
Daisuke stops laughing, but continues grinning, "It's just... remember Hishikawa, from last year? You had the biggest crush on her, and then you weren't even man enough to ask 'er out! And here you are, callin' me out for being, I'll admit, a bit of a skirt chaser, but you won't even give it a shot!"
That... that wasn't right! He's asked out plenty of girls. There was... uh...
Uh oh.
"W-well", Kousaku stammers, "unlike you, I don't find some constant need for a girlfriend, y'know? Sure, it would be nice, but..."
"...you're in no rush." Daisuke finishes, a tone of exhaustion in his voice.
"Exactly! It's not like I've been chickening out or anything, I'm just being... uhh... decisive! You wanna be careful about this sorta thing, make sure she's the right girl, get a feel for whether you think she'll say yes, all that."
"..."
"..."
"...you're kidding me."
"...eh?"
".....anyways, did ya do the math assignment yet? I forgot to start it!"
By the time the Kousaku checks his watch and the two boys decide to head home, it's already quite dark outside. It isn't particularly late, yet, but Kousaku's mom had told him to get back home early. Apparently, they're going to have a special guest coming tonight.
"I'm home!" he calls out, closing the door behind him.
"Kousaku, come help me finish dinner! Our guest is set to arrive here within the half-hour and I need you to make the salad before he does."
"Okay, mom! Just let me put my stuff in my room real quick."
He yanks off his shoes and runs upstairs to his room, quickly pulling off his jacket and throwing it over his chair while grabbing the sweater he usually wears around the house off his bed. He takes a quick glimpse at his mirror to make sure he looks presentable, and then hurries back downstairs.
"Hi, mom." he finally says as he enters the kitchen, kissing her on the cheek and hurriedly grabbing the ingredients for their usual salad, as well as a knife and cutting board, and getting to work. "Who is this guest, anyways?"
Harue Sakamoto is a tall, youthful woman with short, curly hair. Kousaku's father used to talk a lot about how it was what drew his attention when they met. She was dressed comfortably, but nicely, in a fairly typical day dress perfect for working at home. If one looked closely, they could see some faint, dark circles under her eyes from long days working on her next manuscript, but they didn't subtract from her generally welcoming expression and demeanor, nor from her subtle beauty.
"Hello, dear." she begins, "We're not exactly being visited by a guest, per se. He's the son of an old friend of your father and myself, and he'll be staying with us for the foreseeable future. I'm not entirely clear on the details, myself, if I'm being perfectly honest. Ibari asked this of me on very short notice but it seemed rather urgent that he come stay with us... and all the way from Tokyo, too..."
Tokyo? That's a far place to suddenly move out here from. Oh! I need to grab a bowl for this...
He turns around to head for the cabinet, reaching for the items in question. "So, do you know anything about our new housemate, mom? Besides that he's the son of some friend of yours up in Tokyo."
"Well," she says, "his name's Hibari Oozora and he's in your year. He'll be going to your school while he's here, actually."
"Really?"
"Yes. You better be nice to him, Kousaku. God knows you need more friends than just Daisuke."
"Mom!"
"Anyways, go set the table. He should be here any minu-"
A loud knocking on the front door cuts her off.
"Oh! That must be him!" Mom exclaims. "Go get the door, I'll finish getting the food ready."
Kousaku quickly finishes emptying the cut vegetables into the salad bowl, and walked over to the door. I wonder what kinda guy Hibari will be? He unlocks it and turns the knob, pulling the door open.
His eyes are immediately drawn to the two strands of braided hair on the sides of her face. Each one had three red-orange beads, matching the distinctive color of the lipstick on her cute, pursed lips. Her long, dark eyelashes and brown eyes sat about level to his own and stood out against her bright, blond hair, the aforementioned braids reaching just past her very visible and attractive collarbone. Her grey sweater swooped low, just wide enough to reveal a sliver of a black bra-strap, but high enough to cover any cleavage, and was tucked into her cream colored pants. They were cuffed on the bottom, exposing bright crimson socks that screamed for his attention.
She looks at him and smiles, almost bright as the sun, and it takes nearly everything in Kousaku for his heart to not stop right then and there. He can feel the flush creeping up his neck, especially when he noticed the slight blush on her cheeks. Was that part of her makeup? How is she so pretty?
"Hello." she says, "Is this the household of Harue Sakamoto? I was told this is her address. I just arrived by cab from the train station."
"Um. Uh. Umm-" he tries to form a coherent response, but his brain has slowed to a halt, too occupied with thoughts of cute and girl. "Uhhh..."
She eyes him expectantly, waiting. Kousaku takes a deep breath to collect himself.
"Sorry. Ah, yes, this is the Sakamoto household. I'm Kousaku, Harue's my mother. And you are?"
"Hibari Oozora, third daughter of Ibari Oozora."
This is Hibari Oozora? But, she's supposed to be a guy!
The sound of approaching footsteps echoes down the hall. "Hibari-kun, is that you?" Kousaku's mother called out. She turns the corner and sees the young woman standing just outside the door. "Oh! Sorry, I thought you were a guest we're expecting. Are you looking for a particular house on this block, miss?"
"Uh, mom? She's Hibari Oozora."
The girl in question smiles at the older woman and bows. "It is nice to meet you, Mrs. Sakamoto. My father has spoken much about you."
His mother's contains her surprise entirely between her eyebrows. After a brief pause, she speaks. "Oh, hello, dear. I'm sorry we didn't know it was you. I suppose I may have misheard, but I could've sworn your father had said you were his son when I spoke with him..."
Kousaku's unsure whether he's seeing things, but the girl's smile seemingly turns more strained, though no less vibrant. She explains, "My father occasionally gets things like that mixed up. He's loath to admit it, but I think he's still a little bitter about having four daughters and no son." Her smile perks up a bit at the edges, as if she just said some strange joke.
His mother smiles in kind. "Well, please do come in. I don't want to keep you out in the cold. Kousaku, help her with her bags, please." she said, turning back towards the kitchen.
Only then does Kousaku notice the guitar case she's holding. As if reading his mind, the girl speaks up, "It's a bass. I'll hold this, but I'd appreciate your help with my luggage." She points at the fairly large luggage behind her, then winks at him and walks into the house.
Once again, it takes almost everything in Kousaku for his heart to not stop right then and there.