Chapter.39: The Night In Kiyoto

Koutetsu made breakfast for everyone, Itsuki stopped chasing her sister earlier after she tripped almost flashing Koutetsu when the shirt flung upward when she hit the ground. She was at the table feeling embarrassed, while her sister and Rumi were sitting eating pancakes. Koutetsu couldn't sit since the table was small so he ate on the counter instead.

"Onii-Sama these are great! Like Momma's cooking."

"Think so? I'm not good at ramen like she is or sukiyaki but I'm trying."

Rumi's face sparkled from eating the delicious breakfast in front of her. Her cuteness was overloading everyone present.

"Thank you, Onii-Sama." The innocent smile she gave, Itsuki was red from how cute Rumi looked, and Kaede was fawning over her. Koutetsu himself couldn't help it, he was holding his face being overwhelmed by her.

'Aw, I got lucky. She's very adorable and kind. She's much nicer than the woman in my life.'

He pictured everyone from Itsuki to Megumi and how they either were intimidating to him or tried to kill him.

"What are doing today?" Itsuki asked.

"Well since Mana's not here yet I might as well look up other houses in my price range to rent once my lease is up. That and get this one some stuff for the house too. Ugh, money's going to be tight this year."

"If you need help I can always chip in like I did for clothes."

"No thanks."

Itsuki's mouth gaped at how quick he was to say no.

"You helped enough. Besides, if I keep leaning on you I'll be a bad big brother to Rumi if can't provide for her like I should."

Itsuki felt what he was saying. Koutetsu had to help take care of Rumi now. It's a new experience for him so he must want to be a great role model for her.

Koutetsu's and Itsuki's phones were ringing at the same time. Both looked confused, they checked the alerts, it was the mass email Hiro sent out for his family's resort home. Kaede read the message as well, she was excited when the message stated a family package was allowed for the students who wanted to bring a friend, relatives, or partners with them.

"Nee-Chan we should go, your school doesn't start till the tenth. We can celebrate New Year as well there."

"Kaede, we celebrate with family every year. You don't think our moms would feel hurt if we left them behind. Plus it's the 31st in the morning, how will we get to Kyoto that quick."

Kaede looked at the Phone again, Itsuki missed the details on the invite.

"Yagami-San's family has made arrangements for us to take a bullet train at twelve-thirty in the afternoon, it's a two-hour ride there. We can be there in time for the party and festivities. Let's do it, it be great for Rumi too and you can go on a date with Kou Nii-Chan."

Itsuki and Koutetsu both got flustered at the comment. Even Rumi chimed in.

"Hehe Onii-Sama and Itsuki Onee-Chan going out. I want to see it."

Itsuki's whole face was red now, Koutetsu felt hugely embarrassed he was getting set up by the two there. He couldn't even argue as much as he wanted to cause of Rumi's cuteness attacking him.

"Ugh, well I can't win this one. Rumi wash up and repack your suitcase and I'll pack my duffel bag too. Itsuki you should hurry home and pack up as well before Kaede pesters you to death about it." Itsuki wanted to say something but Kaede was excited and hugged her before a word could be said. Rumi was giggling happy she was going to spend more time with Koutetsu on a vacation.

Itsuki and Kaede left immediately for home to change, Koutetsu packed his duffel bag and helped Rumi pick the right clothes for her to wear to the resort. He promised to buy her a swimsuit there once they arrived since she didn't have one packed.

Koutetsu called a ride for him and Rumi to drive to the train station, Rumi was snuggled up next to him on the way there. He kept looking at her thinking if this was what Mana felt when he was that age. It made him better in a way like he earned a tender moment to have even after the mistakes he made.

The ride stopped at the designated area, Koutetsu held the sleeping Rumi in one arm while holding her bag in the other. The email had the tickets already in it for the passengers to use, getting through the checkpoints was the easiest part. The hard part was when everyone from the class who made it including some of the staff was there seeing him holding Rumi as he walked up.

Once again to his annoyance, everyone surrounded him to gush over Rumi.

"She's so cute!"

"Hayashi-San she looks like a cute doll in your arms."

"Where did you get her? Is she your relative?"

Koutetsu felt suffocated by the people around him. He expected this since he was the same way when he watched his anime in his previous life. But now that he was experiencing it, he felt like a fool from those past actions.

"What's the commotion over here? You all should be getting aboard the train."

Everyone turned to see where the voice came from. Barnaby and Megumi were there to help chaperone everyone onboard the train.

"Oy Hayashi, what you do this time? Trying to add more to your harem by using a little kid."

'I swear that old man is as bad as Tatsuya when it comes to pushing my damn buttons.'

Megumi examined Koutetsu and Rumi, even she felt like this was an odd situation.

"Uh, Koutetsu, did you have a secret love child you didn't tell me about she does have a different hair color than you?"

"Shut up! I'm barely sixteen now how would I birthed a six-year-old this early, and by the way thanks for not telling me a happy birthday yesterday you sadomasochist glutton."

Megumi popped a vein on her forehead, she was irritated at the attitude displayed at her.

"Huh, you wanna go another round! You got lucky last time but I'll break your head right here and now."

"Yea! Bring it I'll rip out your guts!"

The two butted heads, with them trying to show strength by using their foreheads to shove the other. Rumi woke up in confusion, the sight of her awake and looking at everyone didn't help Koutetsu out in diffusing the situation. Rumi looked at Megumi with her innocent eyes. Megumi couldn't take her eyes off her.

"Hi, pretty lady." She said to Megumi.

Megumi couldn't help it, she snatched Rumi from Koutetsu, she was smothering her acting like a giddy schoolgirl.

"Oh! She's too precious, we're Have you been hiding this little cutie? Don't worry sweetie, Onee-Sama will take you on the trip."

Everyone was flabbergasted looking at Megumi's actions. Koutetsu was grinding his teeth in higher annoyance at her. He slammed his fist on her head giving Megumi a large welp on it, he grabbed Rumi again heading to the train, stomping his feet along the way.

"Onii-Sama, what was that about?"

"Don't bother asking. That was just an idiot glutton, don't ever grow up to be like her."

Koutetsu was on the train with Rumi heading to Kiyoto. He was listening to music while she was watching anime on his tablet he let her use. The door to their compartment opened, and Ryuji and Tatsuya walked inside.

"Oh, hey, so you made it as well."

"Tch, here I thought I sot with some cute girls. Huh, who's that?"

Tatsuya and Ryuji looked at Rumi, she looked by waving at them with her smile. Tatsuya and Ryuji both blushed at her, they sat down immediately to ask questions.

"Ahem, so who are you little one?" Ryuji asked.

"Ello, I'm Hayashi Rumi. Nice to meet you."

Ryuji caught a small nosebleed from her talking to him.

"Oho, big bad Ryuji getting worked up over a little kid. Hehe so even you can be sensitive at times." Tatsuya once again joked about messing with Ryuji.

"Shut up!"

Ryuji put Tatsuya in a headlock, trying to choke him out. Tatsuya tried to tap out but Ryuji wouldn't let go. Rumi laughed at them both, and the two of them immediately went back to sitting normal embarrassed at their actions.

A trolly cart came to the compartment to deliver food, everyone got their free share, Koutetsu had to pay a little extra to keep up with his metabolism.

"Eh, Onii-Sama eats a lot." Koutetsu stared at her with his fork in his mouth. She was giggling at his display of eating.

"Hehe, that's cause your big brother's a Prime Caliber, he has to eat a lot to be big and strong."

Rumi's eyes lit up, she wanted to eat like that since breakfast at the house. She tried to eat more but her stomach wouldn't allow it.

"Don't push yourself kiddo, Koutetsu here is a special case. You should stay a sweet kid not some hopeless romantic like him."

Koutetsu's eyes darted at Ryuji, he used a small bit of flame to heat Ryuji's fork to burn his tongue.

Ryuji growled at Koutetsu in anger, Rumi laughed, calming them down enough to finish off his food. The three played cards during the ride, Rumi fell asleep again next to Koutetsu, Ryuji, and Tatsuya snickered at Koutetsu as his 'brotherly love' display.

If it wasn't for Rumi he would have walloped them both on the head for the teasing.

The train stopped stopped earlier than expected. Everyone got off in their assigned groups, Ryuji and Tatsuya were with Koutetsu and Rumi along with Kaori who didn't show up yet. She was marked as late by the teacher, but not absent since she gave a heads-up notice she was taking a different train there.

The ride to the resort was also short, everyone had time to get there to their rooms to unpack and wind down. The students and staff immediately began to have fun, from the beach shores, games, theater, and even the hot springs bath. The Yagami family spared no expense in the years to make the resort special for their guests.

Itsuki looked for Koutetsu, he was in the training room doing his daily workouts while Rumi was playing games with the other kids the students came with.

"Hey Koutetsu do you want to visit the hot springs bath real quick?"

"Hmm? Are you sure? We still have time before nightfall when the fireworks show will go off. We can go to it before the show starts?"

"I have plans with some friends later on, besides there's no one else to bother us this time we should go to the mixed bath so we can talk more."

Koutetsu almost dropped the barbell from the bench press on him from hearing that. Itsuki was about to help him, but he signaled he was fine.

"Itsuki, I'm not sure if that's a good idea. I mean, people may get the wrong idea if it's us alone."

Don't worry about it. I could care less what others think, I just want to spend time with you. It's alright isn't it?"

Koutetsu could see she was looking serious about it. She did want to spend time with him and they were on vacation. Koutetsu said yes, he'd meet her there in an hour.

He finished his workout and headed to the mixed bath, the Yagami family worked hard over the years to make a great hot springs bath for the customers. Koutetsu got out of his clothes and wrapped the towel around him, the hot water in the bath relaxed his body more than it had been in years.

'Aw, this is paradise, too bad I can't drink legally, a good beer and meat skewer would be perfect for this.'

He was completely relaxed to the point he almost went to sleep, he didn't notice the footsteps walking up behind him. The feet stopped moving, they slid silently behind Koutetsu as the body slowly got behind him enough for the arms to wrap around the top of his body.

Koutetsu thought it was Itsuki, but since he had the washcloth on his face he didn't see who it was right away.

"Told you, sneaking up on me is a bad idea, guess I'll have to punish you too for that."

He tried being playful since acting rude would most likely cause Ituski to freeze the water. Koutetsu grabbed the legs to tickle her, but the legs weren't Itsuki's, they were smooth but felt stronger. Koutetsu took off the wash to see who it was behind him. It wasn't Itsuki, it was Kaori.

His face turned red seeing her wrapped in a towel, he tried to get up but she held him down.

"Don't leave, I just want to talk."

He could hear it in her voice she was honest, and with her here he finally had a chance to talk to her.

"Why haven't you contacted me back? Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you. You left so suddenly, you haven't responded back at all even when I tried so many times. My head's a mess as it but seeing you look broken that day you left, you have any idea what I did to me." His fists clenched hard under the water.

Because his head was pointed down, he didn't see the look of sadness in Kaori's eyes from the guilt she felt. Her grip tightened, and small tears fell on his head, he wasn't angry anymore, he was worried again for her.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I wish I could stay this way with you all the time. But I can't. We can't choose our families or the crosses to bear from them. This may be the last time I'll see you again. So, can this be a good memory for me, just one good memory to last forever?"

Koutetsu was hurting in his heart. Those emotions of despair and hopelessness, how can anyone not relate to those once they experienced them before? He felt it was the right time, Koutetsu had to try it again, he couldn't be free in his head or soul unless he knew the truth. He took Kaori's arms off him, she thought he was still mad at her for ghosting him. Koutetsu turned to look at her in the eyes, he could see in those violet-colored eyes the sadness in them mixed with the feelings of apology. His hands grabbed her face, she was taken off guard for a bit, and she didn't even try and move.

Koutetsu leaned in closer, his eyes closing as well, Kaori felt happiness in the moment.

Koutetsu kissed her, not just a peck on the cheek as he did with Itsuki, this time he gave an honest, passionate kiss to her. Lips interlocking, he didn't hesitate or feel emptiness, this one felt real.

Kaori's eyes teared up, she slowly closed them wrapping her arms around him. She let go for a moment to embrace him, her tears of joy couldn't stop.

"Don't leave me again. Please, I don't care what situation you're in or who is hurting you. But I'm not letting you go, I promise."

Kaori could feel the warmth in his words. She couldn't lift her head off his chest from how much she wanted the moment to last. Her eyes opened halfway, reality kicked in now. It was a good moment, one she would cherish forever, but even dreams had to end soon. Nothing could stop reality from kicking in.

"I'm sorry." Kaori hit a pressure point in his neck to put him to sleep. She carefully sat him back in a position like he was before, she gave him one last hug before leaving. Kaori got up to leave, she looked one more time at Koutetsu, before disappearing into the shadows. Even if she didn't see it, even with him being unconscious, his soul felt it, it made him give one single tear down his face. The pain he may never see again. It was worse than his trauma.