Little Hearts in Your Heart

Chapters 7. Between Come and Go

Still in golden week. Late April and early May, students are still on holiday.

Miki went into a salon. I smiled at the officer who greeted him.

“I'm Shiragawa,” said friendly employee, introduce yourself and ask Miki to sit down. He touched Miki's hair.

“Arai Miki,” Miki puts on a stiff smile.

“You cut what model, Miki-chan?” shiragawa said she played Miki's hair.

“Ah, Shiragawa-san, know the model for schoolgirls, can you cut it like that?” miki said, unsure of what he said.

“Oh? Why would you change, your hairstyle is suitable. Your friends must be jealous of your long black hair, Miki-chan?”

“Eh? The guys? I want a model that makes me look younger, Shiragawa-san.”

“Like, elementary school boy?”

“No. Like high school.”

“Isn't Miki-chan a student?”

Miki touched his face. He smiled knot. “Thank you. But, can you just set it up then? Or maybe make a bangs?” he said he touched his long hair. He usually just pigtails his very unkempt hair.

“What did you say, Shiragawa-san?” the voice of a man made Miki turn around. Reki was sitting next to him, observing the employees at work. Miki almost forgot, if all day he had been accompanied by his cousin's sister around looking for school supplies. “Do not joke. She was supposed to graduate four years ago, but now just got back to school.”

“Really? And you.. You're her sister?”

“Not.” Reki stood up, grabbed Miki's hand, “dia my boyfriend.”

Miki grunts, “awas kau.”

*

Miki looked at the clock in her hand. Almost four o'clock, not every holiday, his teaching hours were changed in the afternoon. But now, he's still on the road. He could not bring his groceries to Kaori's house, let alone Reki who had to be kept in his apartment. He wanted to cheat again well, Miki thought considering his cousin's sister was happy to read the draft of the script. Fortunately he had changed his laptop password, he could calm down.

Miki arrived at exactly four o'clock after running at high speed. While still adjusting his breath he opened the door and walked down the path. Pressing the bell on the door.

Door opens.

“Well, Kaori, I’m sorry for my being late. Eh..” Miki fell silent, observing the male version of Kaori. “Sorry, I thought earlier,” Miki

immediately change his language, realize he was speaking another language, “I mean, sorry.”

The man in front of him laughed. “So, you’re my little sister’s teacher. I’m Kenichi Akagi, her brother,” she said in English. Miki immediately understood, this man must be Kaori's brother living abroad.

“Ah, what is Kaori at home?” ask Miki in English, this guy probably doesn't know Japanese

“Come in,” said Kenichi and asked Miki to follow him. “I think your aura is not Japanese.”

“My family moves around a lot, but my dad is Japanese, so you could say I'm also a native, actually.”

“Oh, so it seems. Mom said that teacher Kaori was coming, so I was actually waiting for her. It's possible that the teacher will come quickly,” said Ken chuckling.

Miki laughed, broken. Is this guy insinuating me. “I had business earlier,” muttered Miki, following the man before her stepping up the stairs.

Ken knocked on Kaori's room door. “Kaori,” the sentence followed by a slamming sound, I don't know what's going on in there.

The door opened, the head with the messy hair of a beautiful girl named Kaori was seen. “Miki-neesan, come in,” said and pulled Miki's hand and closed the door. Miki then looked at Kaori who opened the door again. “Oniichan does not disturb sensei, right?”

Kenichi shrugs his shoulders. “Can I?” she said smile, sweet.

She speaks Japanese, Miki thought, sneering.

“If you stay, you can. But if it's going to go, get away from my place,” Kaori said and slammed the door in front of Kenichi's face.

“What does Miki-neesan cut hair?”

Miki touched her hair. What is still visible, even though he has pigmented it as usual. He then nodded.

“Oh, but why is it still tied. I've never seen you with your hair down. Ohiya, sensei, I will learn this time,” Kaori looks excited.

Miki frowned. “What's wrong with you?” ask her and pull out her English notebook. “This is my note, I think it can help,” Miki said and opened the page of the book in colorful ink.

“You are serious, want to teach in this holiday.”

“What's wrong with you, Akagi-san? You said you wanted to study and now you say it's a holiday. I've taken out my book, so now let's start,” Miki put on a formal stance.

Kaori silence. “Miki-neesan knows, I'm angry.”

“First time, because you're curious, we're not learning. Even if you're angry, you have to keep learning. If you say it in front of your teacher.”.

“You will be told to go around the school grounds,” Kaori continued and laughed. “Already expected, I have to meet you to make me smile.”

“I'm not a clown. So let's study, before the end of the month, and your mother asks what you've learned and you can't say anything. I see your brother speaks fluently English.” Miki stopped, seeing Kaori's expression change. “So you're mad because of your brother?”

“Eh? Why do you know?” kaori's back is vertical.

“Miki-neesan has the heart,” says Kaori crossed hands in front of the chest. “At least you should ask, why? What was? Or tell me, I'll hear it.”

“If you want to tell a story, tell a quick story. I'll hear it, after that we have to learn.”

“Oniichan was just coming last week and next week she will be back in New York. We haven't even had fun yet. Oniichan may not think of me as his sister.”

“Then, what do you want?”

“I want to ask him to stay.”

“Why don't you tell him. He won't know if you don't say it.”

“I can't. I'm shy. I don't want him spying on me spoiled. What else I always yelled at him. So...”

Miki's eyebrows shot up.

“So, Miki-neesan tell Oniichan, yes?”

Miki grunting. “What does it have to do with me?” after saying so, Miki kept quiet, seeing the sad face of the girl before him. “I understand. But, I have no right to interfere in your family affairs.” Miki propped up her chin, to be honest she did not understand something like this. Same with Kaori, he is also the youngest but he never separated far with two brothers. So, what does he do if his brother goes abroad? Will he be angry?

“Miki-neesan?” Kaori broke Miki's daydream. “So?”

“We learn first, after this I will think about it again.”

“Ah?” Kaori looked still uninspired, but she nodded, slowly. And started to notice Miki speaking.

And fifty minutes passed. Miki stopped when her throat hurt. Usually Shiho would bring snacks or drinks, but he didn't see them today.

“What we finished today?” ask Kaori.

Miki nodded. “I'll come again Wednesday later.”

“Can you help me with another lesson?” asked Kaori with her chin that had been stuck to the table.

“Your mother paid me to teach you English.”

“Sensei, do you want more payment?”

“Not so. I have to teach you English until you are fluent, if I teach you another lesson, your time of learning the language will be reduced.”.

“I understand. Let's just say you helped me. I can't ask a busy oniichan.”

“Ah, I know. Alright,” murmured Miki. “I'm not sure I can help a lot, I haven't studied for a long time.”

Kaori smiled. “You are good. So... have decided what you will tell oniichan.”

“Eh?” Miki scratched her head. This kid still remembers it. “Wait a minute,” Miki then took her book, wrote a few sentences in English.

“What did Miki-neesan write? Didn't we finish studying?”

“This,” said Miki took off a piece of paper and gave Kaori. “You said you were ashamed to talk to your sister. So you memorize this and tell him.”

“But I don't understand what this is.”

“That's it, you won't be ashamed anymore. You can even scream like that. But, remember what it will answer, and if you don't understand, you can tell me and I'll interpret it.”

“Eh, same if I'm oral exam.”

Miki laughing. “What else do you want? I can't talk to people I don't know.”

“I understand,” Kaori said and read the alphabet writing on the paper.

*

I don't know how a brother feels about a sister, but I know clearly how a sister always misses her brother. Maybe you think, sister can't think mature and angry at the little things. I understand how it feels for someone to leave a loved one behind, even if they want to

always back. But, you need to know that when you come or go the most turbulent heart is the person you go to and the person you leave behind. I just want you to know, between coming and going, you have to

save a million memories and promises to stay connected. This is a differentiator, for me and for Kaori. Miki of Kaori for Kenichi.

“Miki-neesan, Oniichan says, do you wanna follow us? Let’s hang out together."

“Ah, tell him..”.

There are people who come and go, as a spice in life. But it doesn't give a taste in between. I won't make memories from you, Kenichi-san. Mickey.