Memory Lane [Already Busukan]

4 - Shigaku

***

"Yahu-chan! Aitakatta~!" It would be that the middle-aged man slammed into Kurumi's embrace had there not been a young man who quickly stretched out next to her arms to hold her in front of the body. "He must have wanted to take his cake order," said the stranger, then sighing in annoyance at his shameless father's behavior in front of the store employees.

"Then get it in the back, Jiro." The young man named Jiro turned around and disappeared behind another room. A few minutes ago Kurumi got a call from her mother to pick up a sponge order at the end-of-the-way cake shop.

"Kurumi, how are you? It's been a long time since you've been to our store." Kurumi still remembered this old man. Friendly and cheerful uncle. "I'm good, ji-san. Are uncle and family healthy?"

"Mochiron! Jiro is really looking forward to your presence. You left not to tell him."

Kurumi grimaced awkwardly, not knowing what to say about this topic. "Sorry," he-squeer. Mr. Hiroyuki chuckled. "Haha! Daijoubu, daijoubu. You must have a reason."

Seeing Jiro come out of another room, Kurumi seemed to see a similar picture. It was a flash, but Kurumi could already figure it out. "Hiroyuki Jiro," he said and Jiro was stunned at a glance. "We haven't seen each other in a long time, have we?" kurumi continued to review the smile.

***

As planned last week, Kurumi and several other children are now in the karaoke room. Two of them were men named Yoshio and Kiga. Their singing seemed to be frenzied, to the point of not caring how fake their voices were.

Meanwhile Rui is seen sitting chatting with Naomi. According to what she heard from Risa, Naomi is one of the hundreds of fans closest to Rui. They even rumored to be dating. Regardless of the news of the bird, in fact Naomi had been rejected by Rui.

Two hours later they came out and split up in front of the karaoke building. "Kurumi, matte!" rui and Kurumi turned around. He ran up to her who had not gone far. "What's up, Rui-san?"

"We're going home together." Rui gave a plain nudge. "What's your house in this area?" Kurumi asked as they walked along. But Rui did not feel astonished to hear his question. Remember that? The girl is amnesiac. "No, I live in Urayasu."

At that moment Kurumi realized two women were whispering while looking at them. Kurumi could hear it even though it was a bit vague as they passed. "Isn't that Rui's model? Is that her boyfriend?"

Kurumi looked down, looking at the still damp streets. "Nee, Kuromi. You know I miss you so much?" Again, Rui's outspoken style of speech made Kurumi suddenly stunned. "You playing me? What were we so close to?"

Rui looked at the night sky, thinking. "Mm, we used to take a shower together." Rui's words jolted away making Kurumi choke on her own saliva.

"Don't brag! You must always tease all girls like that!" Redden Kurumi's cheeks. "No really. I only like Kurumi one time," Rui replied so lightly. At the same time Kurumi lowered her head and her bangs dangled the view, while her right hand was raised to the face.

"Eh? Ku-chan crying?"

Kurumi's head moved shakes. "My eyes glitter. Ouch!"

"Don't use your hands. Here I help you blow it." Rui held Kurumi's hand, the other hand pulled the girl's jaw to look up. Slowly but surely the young actor's face approached. Kurumi blinked a few times. "Thank you" he said.

***

Opening the shoe locker, a bundle of paper and garbage fell from it. While taking special shoes indoors, it was not good luck to say hello to Kurumi this morning when she knew the white footwear had been crossed out an abstract line of colorful markers.

"Don't approach our prince!" Such is the writing on the paper.

Kurumi's confused. Why would anyone pick it up? Did he make a mistake with someone? When Rione looked new to come and open her locker, then circled Kurumi who was still dumbstruck down.

"Wear mine." Kurumi's consciousness returned to the surface when a pair of colored shoes were thrown under her feet. Then he raised his face, the man who had helped him on the roof was now looming in front.

Seeing no response, unexpectedly, Rione lightly lifted Kurumi's body to stand on her shoes. Then Rione crouched down and said, "take your foot up." The young man painstakingly put Kurumi's white sock-clad foot into his shoe. Rione was silent for a moment observing. "Well, the shoes are oversized" he commented later.

***

Sunday is my birthday. Will you celebrate it with me? - handsome hick Rui.

Kurumi read the stealthy incoming message in the middle of the teacher's explanation. Soon she's terrible something: where did you get my number? Then dial the send icon.

Just a second ago, the phone vibrated again and attached a reply: you don't need to know. An emoticon sticks out its tongue. Helaan breath escaped from Kurumi's mouth. Not intending to reply again, he stored the electronic items into the desk drawer as the class president handed out test papers to each table.

The daily exam was completed last week. And today is the submission of the test results. As soon as she received her paper, Kurumi immediately closed the paper on the table.

Time passed normally, listening to the teachers' advice on their exam results. Re-discussions and lessons keep rolling until the break bell is heard.

The appearance of someone from the other direction jerks the two as Kurumi exits the classroom and they barely collide. "Sorry," whispered Kurumi bowed listlessly. "Are you having a problem with your test scores?" Kurumi looked up at the voice of a man's question. Instantly her eyelids faintly recognized Ren's friendly face again greeting his gaze again. "Ren.." she whispered.

"You can see for yourself." Kurumi turned down. The hair on the side of the face hid a shameful romance as his right hand carrying the exam paper was shown.

"I can teach you." Ren's words raised Kurumi's face again to look at her in disbelief. "So you really want to teach me?" kurumi asked to make sure that her hearing was not wrong.

"Night, I'll go to your house." The clapping of the head of the girl as Ren pulled a step past her, continuing his journey in the corridor. While Kurumi who got such treatment just fell silent while staring blankly at the exam paper sheet that had moved into her hands again.

***

"In a few weeks the final exam. Risa, how much is your Japanese history worth?" Put bread in the mouth. "86." Risa answered short while turning the comic page. They are now sitting face to face in a wooden chair connected to the table of a school garden.

"Ohiya, speaking of rankings, remember not the six most handsome guys I've ever told you about?"

Nodding. "Yes. Who are they?"

"They are not only handsome but also intelligent and always enter the general ranking every time the exam! As if no one could shift their name from the top five." Passion full of passion. "Last year the sixth rank was obtained by Rione in the middle of the semester. But this year Jiro who was at a level above it, is now rolling in place of Rione. Ranked fourth is held by Shion, he is famous for being smart in Japanese history lessons with the highest marks. Rui comes in third, but she and Shion often switch places. You can guess the rest, right?" Kurumi who was still silently listening shook her head. "I haven't had half a year at this school. In fact, in four months we'll be in third grade. So who are the next two?"

Risa continued, "I'm not sure if you'd be surprised or not. But your rigid best friend has always been second to a thousand students in this school, and young master Mikazuki has never dropped from the number one since last year. All of its value was not once under a hundred. It's not a secret anymore."

Kurumi. It was unexpected that he became close friends with their kind of person. "I can't say anything" he whispered.

Risa just came out of the toilet room and washed her hands under the sink faucet. "You're very familiar with the new boy, aren't you?" Before passing from the large mirror was a cynical gaze Naomi aimed at the girl beside them who was none other than Risa.

"Do we have to fight him too?" Shinoya asked as they walked in the corridor not crowded. "All the girls close to Rui will be enemies of her fans." Pride is created on Naomi's tyrannical face.

***

"Ah, Ken, let's stop by at Hot Burger yuk! I am hungry and lazy to cook. I'm sure mom hasn't come home yet."

"As far as you go."

The fast food restaurant was located in the direction of the way home, and not far from the stop where they went down. Orange silhouettes have painted nabastalas over their heads as they exited restaurants carrying food parcels in each hand.

"Nee, Ken. What do you think of that Ren?" Kurumi suddenly asked. "You're close friends with him, right?" The man looked stunned as Kurumi turned her head to look at him. Was he just watching me? thought Kurumi. Yeah, without her expecting her gaze caught red-handed.

"Are you having a problem?" Kentaro did not intend to answer. Except throwing questions. For a moment Kurumi was silent. "Ren knows my test scores and tomorrow he'll come to my house to teach me math."

"Why didn't you ask for my help? Ren's house is far away."

Kurumi gasps. "really? I didn't know that. Then how should I?"

"You better not deal with him." That's not the answer he wanted. It even made Kurumi's forehead shrivel full of questions. "Whatchu mean? Is he dangerous?"

"Are you interested in knowing something about Ren?" The question instantly stunned Kurumi in silence. "Oh? Ah no, it's not something that matters." Smiling at his face, he noticed Kentaro's bead that didn't say much.

***

The sound of the phone from the nightstand is enough to wake Kurumi into deep sleep. He reached for his rectangular object then attached to the auricle with his eyes still closed.

"Moshi-moshi."

"Kuuu-chan!!!! Are you ready? I'll pick you up now," a cheerful burst of voices across the line. In another place, Rui was walking casually while holding a cell phone in her ear. Then his free hand next to her, swung up. "A further ten minutes I'll be there" he said, looking at the wrist watch.

"Eeeh??!!! Ta-ta-but I-just woke up. Alright." Kurumi rushed to reveal the blanket and ran to the bathroom.

What Kurumi knew clearly was that Rui was a young artist who had not been in the entertainment world for too long. In short a newcomer artist. But his talent and physicality may have made him known to some people, especially teenage girls, where now they make a crowd in front of his house. Not much, a total of five girls were petting Rui.

At first he was confused by this crowd, but there were no ants without sugar. That's how Kurumi translated the scene this afternoon. He was still silent waiting at the fence until Rui in the middle of the siege realized his existence.

At the same time his petals blinked when he caught one of the girls among them. Naomi and Shinoya. They are compact wearing sepaha skirts and open shoulder model clothes. The boots covered his feet. Ah, Kurumi just remembered that they are Rui fans.

"You guys, it's yes. I'm going with my friend." Rui's words brought the gazes of the five flirtatious girls to a back that instantly froze Kurumi's body. Not only became the center of their attention that made him gasp awkwardly, but also the sharp eyes that looked at him cynically behind the beautiful makeup of their faces.

"All right, we go" said one of them, then dispersed. Meanwhile Rui approached and removed the girl's bag from her shoulder. "Let's go." Without saying much, Kurumi simply followed Rui's steps and let her carry her bag.

"I didn't know it was your birthday today. And I haven't prepared anything for you."

"You don't have to bother giving me a gift. Being able to walk alone with you is enough for me."

"But what about your fans? They must be thinking that doesn't affect me."

"They've been with me a lot. Don't worry, they won't bother you as long as I explain that you're my best friend."

After walking for a few minutes, Kurumi now knew her destination as Rui lined up in line in front of the ticketing counter while she was asked to wait. It looks like the queue is longer than on a normal day. Naturally, today is the weekend. The crowd of visitors to the shopping center building doubled.

"Here, I bought it for you," Rui said as she offered a can of cold drink. "Thank you. How much's it cost?" Kurumi accepts and is bowed to put her hand in a bag that has been tucked in front of her body to look for a wallet. "No need. I treated you all day," said Rui, stopping Kurumi's hand movements that were about to pull out her purse, then she looked up. "You're serious?" tanyanya.

"Save your money. Let's go inside." Rui precedes. With a moment of staring at the back of the man's field, Kurumi immediately reinserted her wallet and closed her bag. Following Rui's steps until they step into the dark room and sit in the cinema chair.

Two hours later they were at the cafe for lunch. Talk about the movie they just saw. Then walk to the zoo until they forget time, even the sun has sunk in the western horizon when they are on their way home.

"Thank you for being with me all day, Ku-chan! Ne's eyes!" Waving their hands and they parted. Kurumi turned around inside the house.

"Good, yeah. You're the first person who's made me wait so long."

A heavy voice greeted Kurumi's arrival when she had just closed the door of her house. The stunned Kurumi straightened her gaze to the source of the sound. A figure of a man seemed to be leaning against the wall, his hands were closed.

"Ren.." Kurumi whispered.

Ren, the OSIS chairman actually came to his house without even contacting him first. After all, since when was he in his house? And how did it get into the house? What did he do with his mother? Unfortunately Kurumi was unable to raise all those questions to this person. And he sat sweetly listening to Ren's explanation of the allogarithmic formulas.

"Well! So that's how?!! It looks easier." I'm glad Kurumi's face saw Ren's graffiti in the book.

"As long as you remember the formula from me," said Ren who sat down beside him.

"Now it's almost late at night. Tomorrow night I'll be here again. Prepare yourself," Ren said as he got up but at the same time Kurumi could feel her head being gently touched by the man's palm in her last sentence.

"Eh Ren? Are you going home yet?" reprimand madam Shimizu when she sees the young man coming down the stairs. "Yes, okaasan," said Ren kindly.

"Send my regards to your mother, yes."

"I'll tell you. Have a good rest." He bowed a glance then passed to the door with Kurumi tailed.

"Thank you. I'm sorry to bother you," he said, bringing Ren to the door.

"It doesn't matter if it's you." The man's smile and shady eyes were somehow Kurumi liked him. And she commented a smile as she walked to her room back.

***