61 Chapter Seventeen: One Step Away

It wasn't until after dinner that Kanako finally went home. The rain had passed, leaving her a dry path, and after how long she had stayed, it turned out that her uniform had dried too, so she just changed and gave the clothes she borrowed back to Haruna. For a moment at the door, the two girls stood in front of each other. "T-Thanks for having me..." Kanako said awkwardly. "Yeah, sure..." Haruna muttered back. As it had turned out, Haruna's parents had come home while they were sleeping and when they woke up, their positions had been pointed out to them.

That was part of what had led to making the current air awkward, but it wasn't as if there was much more to say, so Kanako simply opted to leave and not ask why Haruna had asked her to stay for longer. Once she was out the door, Haruna turned around and leaned up against it. "Geez..." she sighed, not knowing what else to say about what had just happened. "It's nice to see you two getting along so well," Haruna's mom suddenly said as she walked over to the entryway. "Although..." "What?" Haruna asked. "...Don't you think you two are a little old to be holding hands like you were?"

It was a question that Haruna hadn't expected. "Um..." she let out, unsure of how to answer. "I've heard from a couple of other parents that some of the kids at school say you two are always doing that. Going to school, coming home, in between classes... Isn't that a bit much? It's fine that you're close again, but I don't think it needs to be to that degree."

Receiving a sudden lecture, Haruna remained quiet for a second. "...Who cares?" she finally said. "Huh?" her mom let out. "It's what we want to do, so that's what we do. Why should it matter what other people are saying?" Haruna asked with a hint of irritation. "There's no need to get mad about it. I'm just wondering if it's for the best. I would hate it if other kids made fun of you for it. I'm just looking out for your well-being dear," Haruna's mother explained. However, that explanation only further annoyed Haruna. She wanted to offer some sort of retort, but considering there was no actual malice behind her mother's words, it was hard to come up with one. Instead, Haruna just let out a "Tch, whatever," before breezing past her and marching up the stairs to her room.

Flopping down on her bed, Haruna huffed. "Concerned for my well-being huh?" she muttered. Truthfully, it wasn't as if students were just ignoring Haruna and Kanako holding hands. There was a whole rumor mill circulating, trying to figure out what the deal was between them. But, there also seemed to be this unspoken rule not to ask directly. Haruna didn't really get why, but she was grateful for it nonetheless. After all, there was really no good way to explain what exactly was going on. "It'd be nice if mom did what they did..." Haruna thought.

While her irritation rose, it became quickly replaced by another feeling. Taking a second to think, Haruna found her mind flooded with embarrassment as she was reminded of how she had acted toward Kanako. "Oh my Goddd, I can't believe I did that!" she screamed internally. "Seriously, what the hell is wrong with me?! I mean, sure, I wanted to spend a little more time together, but why'd I have to ask like THAT?! Ughhhh!"

*****

When Kanako got home, she went to the kitchen to make tea. It wasn't a long process, and once it was complete, she took her cup and sat down at the kitchen table. There was something specific that Kanako wanted to think about. "Why did she lie?" she wondered. Knowing full well that Haruna actually liked storms and rain, Kanako had been extremely perplexed by Haruna agreeing with her that the reason for her to stay was due to the weather. "Or... maybe the better question was why did she really want me to stay in the first place?"

To see Haruna with such a pleading look on her face had been a sight Kanako had never expected to see. Her eyes had practically begged Kanako to stay with her. "Why did she look like that?" Kanako wondered. "Why was it so important to her that I stay?" So many questions and no answers. All Kanako could do was ponder.

*****

The next day, Kanako awoke to the sound of something sizzling in the kitchen. Curious to find out what the cause was, she made her way downstairs where soon enough, she found her mother standing in front of the stove. "Oh, good morning sweetheart," she said. "M-Morning mom," Kanako said, a little confused. With breakfast already set on the table, she had no idea what her mother could be making. Seeing her daughter's questioning look, she smiled. "I'm getting ready for tonight," she said. "Tonight?" Kanako repeated. "Mhm, I told you didn't I?" Kanako's mom said. "Told me what?" she asked. "That we're having a get-together tonight," her mother said.

"Get-together?" Kanako repeated still confused. "I thought I mentioned this last week?" her mom said. "S-Sorry, maybe I didn't hear you. I was busy with mid-terms," Kanako said. "Hm, okay. Well anyways, it'll be us and the Miyashitas tonight!" her mother said happily. "Miya...shitas?" Kanako said, taking a moment to process. "Akio-kun will be here tonight?!" Her mother laughed. "That's right. I'm sure you're excited. After all, you're so head-over-heels for him." Kanako blushed heavily at the comment. She couldn't deny it, and with even Akio knowing, it was pointless to try.

"Hey, wait a minute," Kanako said, suddenly realizing something. "What about the Endos?" "Oh, right. They said they had prior engagements I think. Although, I did tell them that Haruna-chan is more than welcome if she wants to join us," Kanako's mother explained. "Now, why don't you help me out? I need the living room cleaned up and afterwards I'll have you help with some more of this cooking."

*****

"You're going out again?" Haruna asked after being told where her parents were going. "Yes dear. We have a work function to attend, so I'm afraid you're on your own tonight. Oh, but feel free to go next door. I'm sure they'll have food," Haruna's mother said. "I can't just bum food off of our neighbors..." Haruna muttered. "No, they're having a dinner tonight, so there'll be plenty," her father said. "Man, I really hate that we can't be there. It's been so long since we could all get together." "We?" Haruna repeated. "Yeah, us, the Nakatomis and the Miyashitas," her father said plainly.

"Miyashitas..." Haruna thought in her head. "That means... Miyashita-kun will be there." Knowing that made her decision easy. "I'll go over to Kanako's tonight then," Haruna said. "Alright! Hey, be sure to bring back some of the food okay?" her father said. "Um, sure?" Haruna said, doubting she'd remember to do so.

It wasn't too long after that conversation that her parents left. Once they were gone, Haruna went back upstairs and began digging through her closet. She knew that a dinner next-door wasn't really a fancy occasion, but she still wanted to try to make an impression on Kanako. "Who knows?" she thought. "After yesterday, this might be a good chance to get some momentum." She had missed her first wave to ride on, but now presented with a second, Haruna had no intention of letting it slip away.

Continuing to toss out article after article, Haruna eventually found one piece that made her stop. "When did I get this?" she wondered aloud. In her hands was a black blouse with a bit of lace interwoven in two separate bands. "Did Chiyo give me this? It doesn't look familiar." But, that was as far as Haruna questioned it. Deciding to try it on, along with a pair of jeans, she took a look in the mirror. "Does this work?" she asked the glass in front of her. "I think it looks fine, but I'm not really sure..." Haruna sighed. "If only I had any sort of fashion sense."

As luck would have it though, she did have two friends with that sense she was missing. But with one of those friendships being rocky, Haruna went with the other one. Taking a picture of herself and sending it, it was only minutes later when she got a response. "Yep. Looks great Haru-chi," Jasmine's text read. Haruna let out a breath in relief. "I don't know what I would've done if she had said it was bad." Satisfied after getting a gal's approval, Haruna finished getting ready before heading out the door.

*****

"Hello!" a boisterous voice called when the front door of the Nakatomi residence was opened. "So glad you could make it!" Kanako's mother said. Standing in front of her were Akio and his parents. "Hm? Where are your other two kids?" she asked. "Oh, Natsuki had some homework to do, and Taichi is having his first sleepover," Akio's mom explained.

Once let inside, the two families formed one group, the intermingling in full effect. "Hey Kana-chan," Akio said when he saw the girl. "O-Oh, hi Akio-kun," she said shyly. "You look nice," he said, complimenting Kanako's outfit of a simple, light blue party dress. "T-Thank you..." she said, blushing. "We told her she didn't need to get dressed up, but she insisted," her mother chimed in. "I'm sure she wanted to look good just for you Akio-kun." "M-M-Mom!" Kanako exclaimed. "What, it's not like it's a secret," her mother pointed out. In response, Akio only laughed.

Still having a bit of time left until everything was ready, everybody engaged in conversation. However, as most parties go, it didn't take long for the parents and children to separate, and soon enough, Akio and Kanako were left alone.

"So Kana-chan," the boy began. "I don't think I ever got the chance to ask you about your mid-terms." "Urk..." Kanako let out. Akio laughed. "That bad huh?" he commented. "Personally, I'm not too worried." "You've always been smarter than me Akio-kun..." "That's not true. You got better grades than me in... first grade?" "That was so long ago!" Kanako said in dismay, pouting a bit. "I guess you just need to study more," Akio said with a smile.

The two of them had ended up sitting at the kitchen table, as the moms had gone into the kitchen and the dads had claimed the couch. "Hey, how much longer?" Kanako's dad called. "Only a few more minutes dear," Kanako's mom said back. "I'm surprised it wasn't all done already. We've been at it for hours," Kanako said. "Hours?" Akio repeated. Kanako nodded. 'Mom decided to be ambitious and try a recipe that takes at least 6 hours to do... it was a mess."

While Kanako's mother was certainly no slouch in the kitchen, she wasn't exactly the best either. Her own daughter was already better than her, but knowing that, she wanted to make full use of it. That was why Kanako had to help earlier. But despite her efforts, her mother had still failed multiple times throughout the process, causing the cooking to take much longer than necessary. Kanako sighed at remembering all the problems she had dealt with. "Well, at least she seems to enjoy it," Akio said after hearing the story. Kanako smiled. "Y-Yeah. My mom always finds a way to make the most of things."

Then, just as a lull of silence came about, there was a ring from the doorbell. "Kanako, could you get that?" her mother asked. With a nod, Kanako got up from her seat and went to see who had arrived. When she opened the door, she was a bit surprised. "H-Haruna?" she said. "Hey, Kanako," Haruna said with a sheepish smile. "It's okay that I came right?" "O-Oh, um, y-yes, it is," Kanako stuttered out. She was still self-conscious from the day before, though she didn't quite understand why.

As Haruna walked in, Kanako took note of what she was wearing. "Pretty..." she thought. Noticing she was being stared at, Haruna nervously shifted in her stance a little. "W-What? Does it...look weird?" "N-No! It, um, it looks..." Too hesitant to say the word 'pretty,' Kanako tried something else. "It looks cool..." "Cool?" Haruna repeated with a raise of one eyebrow. "Y...Yeah..." Kanako said, averting her eyes as she felt the heat in her cheeks rise. "Cool, huh," Haruna thought to herself. "I kinda wish she would've said it was cute." Regardless, a compliment was a compliment, so she accepted it happily nonetheless.

For as quickly as she had gained that happiness though, it took only mere seconds to dash it away. "Oh, good, you made it Haruna-chan," a boy's voice said. Coming into the entryway was Akio. Haruna knew he was going to be there, but she still scowled a bit at him. Kanako, sensing the building tension, began to feel uneasy. "Um, uh... mmm...." she muttered, letting out small noises to show her nervousness. To her surprise however, Haruna and Akio continued to act civil.

"Kanako, can you come help me for a minute?" her mother suddenly called. "O-Okay!" she said back, though she was concerned about leaving her two friends alone. "Don't look so worried Kana-chan. It's not like we're going to trade blows or something in your house," Akio joked. Kanako then looked at Haruna, who gave her a nod. Satisfied enough, Kanako left the area.

"You know, I really am glad you're here Haruna-chan. It's great we can all be together like the old days," Akio said pleasantly. "Tch. Like I wouldn't be here. You knew there was no way I'd leave you alone with Kanako," Haruna spat. "True. Honestly, I would've been more surprised if you hadn't shown up. Maybe even disappointed," Akio said. "Who cares?" Haruna said as she went to walk past him. "Hey, Haruna-chan," Akio said, stopping her. "I mean it. I'm happy the three of us are together right now." Pausing, Akio took that opportunity to face her. "But," he continued. "That doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you."

"What do you mean-" Haruna began to ask, but she was cut off. "Okay everyone, time for dinner!" Kanako's mom announced. "Well, looks like it's time to eat," Akio said, walking away. Haruna glared at his back. "What does he mean he won't take it easy on me?" she wondered. "Does he really think it's been easy for me to this point?"

Making her way into the common area, Haruna made her greetings to both sets of parents present, along with offering apologies that her own couldn't attend. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure it's just killing your dad that he can't be here!" Kanako's dad said with a hearty laugh. With that exchange complete, everyone present began to take their seats. Ultimately, Akio, Kanako and Haruna ended up sitting in that order in a row.

"Thanks for the food!" everyone said simultaneously, and with that, the dinner began. Bowls and plates were passed around as people took what they wanted. "Everything looks delicious!" Akio's mom said. "Yeah I agree. This looks great!" Akio's father added. "I just hope it all tastes good," Kanako's mom said. "T-The person who made the food should sound a little more confident," Kanako commented. "So should the person saying something like that," Haruna tacked on.

For a while, it was quiet other than the sounds of forks and chopsticks scraping on dishes. When people began to slow down on their eating, it didn't take much longer for the conversation to pick back up. "So how's school for all of you?" Akio's father asked. "I-It's fine,��� Kanako said. "Pretty normal I guess," Haruna shrugged. "I hear you all just had mid-terms. Here's hoping you all passed!" he said loudly. "I'm going to hate you if you just jinxed us," Akio muttered.

As the conversations continued, pairs began to develop and an unusual one was Kanako with Akio's mother. "We haven't seen each other in a while have we?" she said kindly. "N-No. Sorry about that. It's just..." Kanako said. "It's okay, you don't have to explain. I know it's probably pretty awkward for you to come over. After all, it can be hard to spend time alone with the boy you like." Kanako looked down, feeling a mix of shyness and embarrassment. Akio's mom continued. "So, have you made any progress with my son?" That question sent Kanako's face rocketing back up, her eyes wide. "E-Ehhhh?!" she exclaimed. "P-P-Progress?! I-I-I-" she stuttered, unable to form a full sentence. "Come on mom, don't tease her like that," Akio said with a small laugh. "Sorry Kana-chan. Your reactions are just so cute!" she said. "G-Geez..." Kanako let out.

"Oh, but speaking of crushes, how about you Haruna-chan?" Akio's mother asked. Upon hearing the question, Haruna nearly choked on the water she had been drinking. "A-Are you okay?!" Kanako said in a panic. "*cough* Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Just swallowed wrong," Haruna said hoarsely. "Oh my, I didn't expect that to startle you so much," Akio's mom said. "Although, it shouldn't be much of a secret either, should it? Don't you like Akio too?"

That question froze Haruna. "What do I say to that?" she wondered. "If I say no, they might ask who it is that I like. But if I say yes, it'll end the conversation faster..." As she weighed the options, Haruna couldn't shake the nasty feeling saying 'yes' would give her. "If I said yes... I'd just be lying." It wasn't so much the lying that bothered her, as much as it was that Haruna felt like she'd be betraying her own heart if she did. So, taking a deep breath and then letting it out, Haruna spoke.

"No, I don't."

She said so resolutely, so much so to the point that no one else at the table could refute it. Even Akio looked mildly surprised. He of course knew who Haruna actually had feelings for, but he hadn't expected her to openly admit she no longer had a crush on him.

"Really?" Akio's mother said, nearly shocked herself before returning to normal. "I wonder who could've stolen you away from my dear boy?" "She was never mine to begin with mom..." Akio sighed. "Well, this party sure has gotten lively!" Kanako's mom said happily. "Alright, who's ready for seconds?" At her question, several answers came, and so began the second round of eating for a few. However, as more plates went around, there was one individual who sat perfectly still.

"Hey, Kanako, you alright?" Haruna asked. Sitting next to her was a girl that remained stiff as a board. She could hardly even hear the words Haruna had spoken, let alone process them. Only one thought raced through her brain as she turned it over and over again. "Haruna... doesn't like Akio-kun?"

It was a totally jolt to the system. For years, Kanako had been in love with Akio. Thanks to that, she couldn't say she had never noticed the way Haruna had acted around him either. It was obvious that she at least thought of him as more than a friend. However, Kanako had never paid it much mind, choosing to focus on her own feelings instead. Even when she found out for sure that Haruna was in love with the same boy she was, Kanako wasn't bothered by it. If anything, she felt a weird kinship form between her and Haruna. Even if they were fighting and apart, there was always those feelings to connect them.

Now, that connection had been lost. Openly and to everyone, Haruna had just admitted she no longer had feelings for Akio. So then who was it? Kanako never saw anyone else around Haruna other than the usual suspects, and they were all girls. "Maybe someone from her club?" she thought, but then realized that was unlikely either. The boy's side of the Snowboarding Club practiced separately from the girls. "Then who? Who? Who? Who?"

The revelation of Haruna liking someone else sent Kanako into a panic. Really, she wasn't even sure herself why it affected her so. Perhaps it was just because she now no longer knew who Haruna liked. Or maybe it was because something else no longer made sense.

If Haruna didn't like Akio romantically anymore, then what was the point of what had been going on? Did she still have feelings for him when they had made their deal? If she hadn't, then why even agree to something like that? If she did still have those feelings, then when did she lose them? The only time that Kanako could think of was when she and Haruna were pretending to be in a relationship...

For most people, only one small step would be left to complete this thought. There was a natural conclusion here, an obvious one. However, this conclusion was one that Kanako was still unable to process. It wasn't that it was impossible for her or she was refusing to do so. If anything, it was simply due to a lack of concrete evidence before her. With nothing but her own speculation to go off of, it felt absolutely ridiculous to assume that Haruna now had feelings for not Akio, but for her instead.

"Kanako," Haruna voice said, snapping her back from her reeling. "Are you sure you're okay? You didn't get sick all of a sudden did you?" she asked. Moving her hand, Haruna placed it on Kanako's forehead, sliding it upwards. Then she did the same thing to her own forehead, before placing the two of them together. "Hmm, I guess you don't feel hot," Haruna mumbled.

Kanako's conscious mind was currently incapable of processing that last step needed. However, just because she couldn't understand it with her head, didn't mean her heart followed suit. Being so close to Haruna, the beats in her chest sped up tremendously. Her face became doused in a burning heat of red and her eyes widened for the second time that night.

"Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-!" she sputtered. "I-I-I-I-I'm f-fine! N-Not sick at all!" Haruna backed away as Kanako flailed. "S-See? I still have an appetite and everything!" she said as she began shoveling food into her mouth. "O...kay?" Haruna said, baffled by her sudden change in behavior. Subtly next to the two girls and watching the whole scene unfold, Akio smirked a little. "Almost there," he thought.

*****

When dinner was finished, everyone resumed their own conversations until it started getting late. While the adults said their goodbyes, Haruna, Kanako and Akio stood near the doorway as they waited to leave. "This was fun. We should do this more often," Akio said. "Let's not," Haruna said sharply. For a moment, there was silence. Then, "Hey, Kana-chan," Akio said suddenly. Kanako looked at him. "You want to go on a date with me tomorrow?"

"W...What the hell?!" Haruna yelled. "What do you say?" Akio said to Kanako, ignoring the other girl. "S-Sure... I'd love to!" she said, beaming. "Great! I'll come get you around 11," Akio said. "Are you serious?!" Haruna shouted, finally getting Akio's attention. "What's the problem?" he asked smugly. "What's the problem?!" Haruna repeated. "You-" "What?" Akio said, cutting her off and wearing a sly look. "You admitted tonight that you don't have any feelings for me, so why should it bother you so much if Kana-chan and I go on a date tomorrow?" "I-You-! Ugh!" Haruna yelled. She knew she was cornered. The only way out would be to confess her feelings for Kanako on the spot, and there was no way that was going to happen. Akio knew that too, and was taking full advantage of it. While Kanako fidgeted about tomorrow, Akio leaned in toward Haruna. "I told you didn't you? That I wasn't going to go easy on you." Haruna could only grit her teeth in response.

"Alright, let's hit the road!" Akio's father said as he got closer to the door. "We had a lovely time," Akio's mother said with a bow. "Feel free to come back over whenever," Kanako's father said. Then, as the Miyashitas were walking out the door, Akio turned and smiled at Kanako. "See you tomorrow." And with that last word, they left.

"Well, I guess I'll leave too. I'll see you at school Kanako," Haruna said, but as she spoke, her words went unheard. Kanako was still bobbing back and forth with excitement. "Oi, Kanako," Haruna said sternly, getting the girl's attention. "W-What?" she said. "I'm going home," Haruna said, a little annoyed by Kanako's mood. "Oh, okay," she said. As Haruna began walking toward the door, she stopped. "Hey," she said. Kanako looked at Haruna's back. She had planned on standing still, but changed her mind. Turning to face Kanako instead, Haruna wore a small smile. "I forgot to mention... you looked pretty cute in that dress tonight."

Kanako did nothing at first. It was only when those words set in that she reacted. "C-C-C-Cute?!" she repeated in her highest of high voices. Haruna let out a little laugh at her reaction. "Yeah, cute," she said. "Goodnight Kanako." Turning back around and opening the door, Haruna left.

While Haruna felt satisfied that she had managed to land a small blow against Akio in the war for Kanako's heart, the girl in question was left with nothing but confusion. She continued to stand in the entryway, trying to understand what was going on inside her. It seemed like no matter how hard she tried, her heart wouldn't slow. Each beat thudded against her in rapid succession, pounding away thanks to those parting words. Left with that feeling and a slew of others, Kanako kept thinking about one question:

"What's... going on with me?"

End of Chapter Seventeen.