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maddiesmt-morphina · 5 years

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7 minutes in heaven - Chapter 11: About absences and flowers

##FIRST OF ALL, Don't kill me before reading the final notes.##

Erina had forgotten how enjoyable it was to spend time with her best friend and her cousin. Her laughter flowed easily as tension seamed to fade away from her body. The girls spent the afternoon plotting the best way to respond to Soma's bold message and encouraging Erina to invite him out on a date. The blonde was in the middle of a laughing contest with her cousin when they were interrupted by knocks on her door.

Erina got up to answer and ran up against one of the security guards assigned to Alice.

"Forgive me for the disruption, Erina-sama. But Mr. Kurokiba asked me, and I must say, very insistently, that I should deliver this tea to Miss Alice."

Erina turned away and looked at Alice with arched eyebrows.

"Seriously, Alice?"

"Oh my! Is tea time already?" The girl ran to collect what had been left to her. Feeling the comfort of the boy's presence in his actions.

"And Miss Arato, he also asked me to give you this."

"Hm? A note?"

It wasn't long before Hisako discovered that the note was actually an extremely detailed list full of things that Alice liked to do during the day. A schedule full of pampering and whimsy that she would perform without even blinking. Even because, Kurokiba had signed with trembling letters and possibly broken the pen in the process, since she could see the ink stain leaked.

"Kurokiba is very detailed, isn't he?"

"Hm ... I don't know what you're talking about. He only pays a lot of attention on his chores"

"He pays a lot of attention on you, doesn't He, Alice?" Erina can't help to notice.

"But of course! He is my aide".

"Sure"

"And this wouldn't be happening if you hadn't made this stupid dare, Hisoko!" Alice stopped halfway from taste her tea. She looked at her cousin's best friend and smiled wickedly. "But why we're talking about me? We need to talk about what Hisoko will wear! After all, you'll meet Hayama in what? two hours from now?"

"Oh my God! I completely forgot!"

"Hisako, did he give you any clue where he was going to take you?"

"Not exactly. But he mentioned that we would cook together again so I suppose he's thinking of something like that"

Alice rested her cup on the saucer and shot a critical look in the girl's direction. "This is not romantic at all. I expected more from Hayama"

Arato was extremely nervous about the comment. Her cheeks exploded in several shades of red and she could not make a decent response.

"No ... romance ... what? ... no ...I mean...what?"

Erina looked at her suspiciously. She had never seen her friend blush like that.

"I think what Hisako means is that the meeting between them doesn't have that purpose."

The girl who couldn't speak only shook her head several times. Her heart trying to regain its normal rhythm and a grateful smile began to form on her lips.

"However, this is no excuse for not getting dressed up for the event, isn't it, Hisako?"

"I ... I ... I suppose so, Erina-sama"

"Then let's begin this makeover!"

"MAKEOVER? Miss Alice, I don't think ..."

"Mou Hisoko! You're really want to go on a date with one of the hottest guy in Totsuki with this leggings and that hoodie of yours ?!

Alice felt the force of the two girls' gaze pierce her with curiosity and embarrassment.

"What is this all about? Where did you get that, Alice?"

"Oh my dear cousin, the list goes out every six months in the school newspaper. Just look at the gossip section.

"Ah, of course, the insignificant part"

"I wouldn't say that, because your beloved Yukihira is always in the top 10"

"WHAT?"

"Ah, but you don't wanna know about that ... it's very insignificant"

"ALICE!"

"Hm ... I think I've read this list once ... and if I remember correctly, Kurokiba was also on the list, wasn't he, Miss Alice?

"Of course he was. He always is. He is my aide! I didn't expect less."

"You seem proud of it, Miss Alice."

"Of course I do. Ryo's achievements are my achievements as well."

"But doesn't that worry you, Alice?"

"And why should I?"

"Well, having admirers of Ryo around shouldn't be easy. And he may well get interested in one of them"

"He would never do that."

"You never know, Alice."

"What do you want with this, Erina? Are you curious how to deal with Yukihira fans?"

"As if! I still think it's a miracle he's on that dumb list"

Alice even opened her mouth to retaliate, but the sound of an incoming message made the girls shut up and quickly check their phones.

Erina felt her lung fail. It seemed that the oxygen had been erased form earth.

Alice practically jumped off the bed, chasing the cell phone in her jeans pockets.

But it was Hisako who blushed as she found out that she had received a message from an unknown number.

UNKNOWN [4:20 p.m]

Arato, I hope you don't mind that I got your number with Kurokiba. I just wanted to confirm our date today. I'll be at the mansion at the appointed time.

Erina was still learning how to breathe again when she heard a startled sigh from her friend. Alice, who was clearly disappointed, also noticed the girl's behavior change.

"Has something happened, Hisako?"

"No Erina-sama, it's just Hayama confirming our date"

"And will you answer?"

"Oh yes, sure..."

"Tell him you can't wait for him to take you in his arms and ..."

"ALICE!"

"Miss Alice!" Don't misunderstand things! There is nothing between us"

"YET"

Hisako just rolled her eyes as Erina and Alice re-entered into a discussion about some subject that the girl honestly didn't pay attention to.

Arato Hisako [ 4:21 p.m]

Don't worry Hayama. I'll be waiting at the agreed time. If you don't mind, I'll also save your number i case we need to talk. Is there something specific that I should get ready for? Dress code perhaps?

Hayama Akira [4:22 p.m]

Nothing specific. Casual maybe. Be sure to bring a jacket. Maybe it gets chilly later

Arato Hisako [4:22 p.m]

Duly noted.

Hisako could spend the whole day looking at her cell phone screen and sighing unconsciously if it weren't for Alice's voice pulling her out of her peaceful moment.

"Hey, Hisoko! Did you find out where he's going to take you?"

"No. But he mentioned something about being casual"

"So casual it will be!"

The girls then headed to Hisako's room. Where they were helping the girl to dress up.

Erina felt light headed. Maybe she needed to spend time with them to forget the tightness in her chest. The one she felt every time she remembered him. She still hadn't reply the message. She already knew what to say ... she just lacked courage to do so.

It wasn't long before Hisako came out of the bathroom with her coral pantacourt adorned with white flowers on the bars, a white slim but not transparent blouse, and a jeans jacket on her shoulders. The color of the look mixed with the colors of the girl's hair and eyes formed a cheerful but elegant palette of colors. Her shoes weren't high but they were enough to shape her legs.

"WOW Hisoko! I won't blame Hayama if he turns out speechless! You are hot!

"Miss Alice!"

"She's not wrong, Hisako. But I wouldn't choose such vulgar words. You look beautiful."

"Thank you, Erina-sama." the girl blushed deeply.

The ringing of the mansion's bell announced Hayama's arrival.

Hisako took a deep breath and after another glance in the mirror the secretary went off to her arranged date.

Hayama was ready for everything. He had checked the weather, knew exactly where to take the girl who would accompany him out on this date, quickly searched the memory for the step-by-step schedule he had planned and thought nothing would get him off the track. It was then that the door opened and he felt lost. At that moment, Hayama discovered that he was ready for almost everything, except for the sight of Hisako perfectly tidied up in front of him.

Hisako's rosy eyes stared at the floor, her cheeks seemed to compete with the tonality of her hair and judging by the time he stared at her, she also seemed to be well aware of his presence. Hayama woke up from his own reverie when he heard her sweet voice asking if everything was all right.

"Ahh yes .. forgive me Arato is just that you ..." He looked into her eyes and felt his cheeks burn. She was beautiful and he was going to comment about it, but he chose to keep his opinions to himself. It was too early to rush that way anyway "Nevermind, shall we?"

She just smiled and walked with him. They talked about everything and nothing on the way to the place. Superficial subjects, own likes, complex themes. Akira was fascinated by Hisako's knowledge and her altruistic personality intrigued him. The truth is that throughout his whole life, Hayama had learned only the worst of people. Living on the outskirts of India, the boy became accustomed to seeing only two kinds of people: the pure evil and the indifferent. He was invisible in the eyes of the last and main target of the first, until he met Jun and then he came to consider the existence of a third type of person: gentle people. Coexistence with colleagues also made him wonder that that kind of people wasn't as rare as he thought it was. But never, at any moment in his life, Hayama came across with a person like Hisako. And that made her a new and rare type of person: the purely good one.

The thought made him smile. Discovering new types of people made him believe that the world that had hurt him so much had been left behind.

Her smile came off easily and he found himself wanting to be the motive behind it.

It wasn't long before they reached the garden at the back of Professor Shiomi's lab.

Hisako froze as she watched the totally tidy environment for a picnic. The checkered tablecloth that covered the floor and promised to protect them from the dampness of the earth and the grass, the basket full with fruit and types of breads, tea cups, a small teapot, and some kitchen utensils like spatulas and frying pans. Beside it was a small heap of wood. The promise of a bonfire that would soon protect them from the chill of the night.

"Hayama ..." She was surprised, but she couldn't control the small laugh as she realized that he had taken the promise, that they would cook again seriously. "You weren't joking when you said we would cook again"

He looked at her seriously. And she almost regretted what she said, were it not for the little curl of his lips, claiming that she had enjoyed the comment.

"I don't make promises I don't intend to keep, Arato"

His voice was heavy and calm enough for the girl to be able to fix her gaze for a long time on his lips. The boy offered her his hand and they both sat in the area destined for them.

The room was quiet. Nor did it seem that the two people who inhabited it had almost destroyed it a few hours ago.

"How it must be going Hisako and Hayama's date?" Alice asked aloud, not even taking her eyes off the fashion magazine she was flipping through.

"I think ..." Erina, who was reading an article about a new gastronomic technique, was interrupted by the gentle melody that now enveloped the room.

"Who else is playing the piano at this hour?"

Slowly, the notes began to make sense in the memory of one of them. And Erina watched her cousin drop the magazine as if it was on fire.

Alice swallowed hard when she recognized the piece that had so cradled her in the past.

"It's Ryo," she said with a sigh.

"What? How can you be so sure of that?"

"I know ... because this is my song." The voice seemed to be choked up, and it didn't resemble the strong, determined, and often stubborn girl she was.

" No, it is not. This is "Amore" from Ryuichi Sakamoto"

Alice just closed her eyes, shook her head in negative, and smiled at her cousin's innocence.

"When ..." She bit her lip. She didn't know if she should really share such personal memory with anyone else. She looked again into her cousin's purple eyes too curious to deviate from hers and resolved that she wouldn't deprive her of any detail of her life. She scratched her throat and continued, "When I was ten, I got really obsessed with learning ballet and to keep me company, Ryo always went to the balet classes with me. Despite hating dance he for some reason never complained about having to attend classes with me. During the disastrous 6 months of my attempt to learn ballet, Ryo never missed a single day. He was always on the side of the pianist who accompanied the teacher. And the day I gave my first pirouette he was there ... and that was the song the pianist was playing. I know because I got addicted to this song. It became my victory hymn that day."

The blonde watched the cousin's hands clench under the bed sheets.

"I think..." Alice let a small smile decorate her face and the tears hung at the edge of her gaze. "No. I'm sure. I'm sure he's trying to talk to me now. He's playing for me."

Erina felt her chest inflate. She was really thrilled with the story. And even more to witness a moment of vulnerability of her cousin. Something she thought didn't even exist.

"I don't get it Erina!" Alice's voice seemed to break through the sobs and the tears that now became frequent. "Why I miss him so much? Why did his absence hurts me so much?"

"Oh Alice ..."

Erina didn't know exactly what to do, but when she saw her cousin fall apart in a painful cry in front of her, she followed her instinct and hugged her tightly, letting the girl soak her sweater with salty tears as they listened to the painful melody reach her summit in a clear statement of affection and resilience.

Hisako had already lost count of how many French toasts they had made. She also couldn't remember the last time she'd had fun and learned so much. Hayama always surprised her, either by adding cardamom to the jasmine tea she prepared, or by teaching her the right way to grind black pepper, or even the simple act of looking into her eyes without ever leaving them.

She lost the track of time, he didn't. And when his watch signaled that the show would begin soon, he stood up and, again, offered her his hand. Hisako accepted willingly and noticed that this time he didn't seem to want to let her go. And so, hand in hand, they headed for the most hidden interior of the garden. Amidst several exotic plants, there was one that stood out and they stood right in front of it. It looked like a flower, still in its bud state.

"It must begin at any moment now"

Hisako didn't have time to ask, soon enougth a delicate scent began to spread through the place. The girl turned her attention to the plant and stared, astonished, as the flower that was once a bud, blossoming right in front of her eyes. The moon's rays made the white petals appear to shine, and gradually the flower revealed its beauty in a hypnotic and elegant dance. The fragrance became more and more evident and when the flower finally bloomed completely, Hisako couldn't help but notice the size of it. It bordered almost a foot, easily. She had never seen anything like it. It was the most exotic and beautiful thing she had ever seen. Well, actually, the second since the first one was currently holding her hand with a care never before felt by her.

"Hylocereus undatus, also known as the Night-blooming cereus, is a plant native from America. We received this species a few months ago. The fruit is extremely tasty, but what fascinate me the most is its flower"

"She's ... really magical."

"She reminds me of you.

"Hm?"

"The Night-Blooming only blossoms at night, and remains so until the first rays of the sun. She doesn't seem to want to compete with the other flowers. I suppose she knows that because she is extremely fragrant, larger than normal and more beautiful, she ends up threatening the existence of other flowers. What bird wouldn't want the pollen of this majestic creature? I think that's why she picks herself up in the morning. It gives space and leaves the opportuinity to bloom for those whose don't have half its beauty. And in the dead of night, when there is nobody to see it, it blooms. Beautiful, lonely, unique."

Hisako swallowed and shook the boy's hand. Tears filled her eyes. At last she understood what he meant by all that. After he belittle her a the autumn elections without even knowing her, after judging her by her altruistic personality, now he finally seemed to recognize her for what she really was. And in the end she just murmured as she smiled and met his eyes.

"Thank you"

#FINAL NOTES#

After 398420 years, here I am! I'm not going to apologize this time because I think you're tired of listening to my apologies ... hahahaha ... the truth is that somethings happened ... end of the year, travel, schedules, I kind of got married (Actually my boyfriend moved in) ...these things ... and also I'm a bit crushed by the manga (it's been 1 MONTH since the last time we saw Erina! THAT ABSURD TSUKUDA!) and this has me a little messed up at the time of writing ... (and also because I discovered a new shippe and now I can't get out of this life of reading todomomo (my hero academia) fanfics ... SOMEBODY SAVE ME!). But finally ... don't worry ... I don't plan to abandon this fic ... I already have some chapters planned and I really hope to post soon enougth ... meanwhile we're praying for Tsukuda to have mercy and toast us with better chapters in the future ... so I can get good chapter writing .. hahaha .. That's it people ! Thank you all for supporting me and for keep reading this. I wish everyone an amazing 2019 and don't forget to tell me what you think of fic! Reviews are always welcome!

See you guys next time!

p.s: I know that we didn't have much sorina in this chap but I needed to give a space to those beautiful shippes that are RyoAli and Akisako to shine .. I promise to make it up to you Sorina shippers and Takumegu shippers.

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