Chapter.30: Koutetsu and Rina

Rina used the shower to get all the food and sauces off her from Erika's outburst. The shampoo and multiple showering gels felt great on her. Koutetsu was smart to buy them for Mana ahead of time they proved helpful at the moment for Rina to use.

Koutetsu was able to wash her undergarments first, her clothes though were dry clean only so he had to get a tank top and a pair of shorts for her to wear from his clothes. They were big on her but at least the shorts would fit at least being compression type.

"Oy, Rina I got some clothes for you to wear when you're done. I'll leave them by the door for you to get."

Rina was finishing up her shower when she heard Koutetsu talk. She dried off and put on the clothes he gave her.

Rina was nervous, she was alone with Koutetsu now, and she wanted the moment to last a bit longer. Rina looked in the drawer of the sink, there was a pair of scissors in it. She used them to trim the top a bit to show more of her cleavage and navel area. She cut the shorts as well in the style of hot pants that exposed the ends of her buttocks a bit more.

'Sorry Itsuki, but I have to try at least to see.'

Koutetsu was eating a pork cutlet while flipping through the channels on his TV.

He was wondering how he was able to get people to like him so much. He wasn't really charming, and he still was naive to people's feelings.

Even with that, he was grateful. He was making friends who cared enough to spend time with him. He looked at Akane's altar, he was thinking back on how she convinced him to go back after he gave up in the Spirit World. Koutetsu looked at that moment with warmth. He still felt her light in his hands and heart when she was able to move on to paradise.

"Merry Christmas Mom. Thank you, for convincing me to take another step forward." Koutetsu had happy images of Akane run through his mind, it made his eyes tear up, causing him to wipe them after the memories were done.

"I'm done," Rina announced. Koutetsu looked in her direction, he gasped, dropping the cutlet from his mouth from seeing her coming out in the clothes she was wearing. It wasn't what he had given her earlier, so it caught him off guard. He almost choked on the pieces of the cutlet still in his mouth till he was finally able to swallow it down.

"Uh, you ok Koutetsu?"

"*cough cough* Yes I'm fine. But Rina, what happened to the clothes I gave you?"

"Hmm, oh, they felt too baggy on me so I fixed them up a bit is that ok." Rina was bad at lying right now, even Koutetsu wasn't that naive. He sighed at the lame excuse but let her have it her way.

"It's ok, come have a seat I turned the heater on the kotatsu so you'll warm quicker before you go home."

Rina made her way to the table, she drank the warm cocoa enjoying more of the sweets that were left.

Koutetsu looked her way, he couldn't help but look at her appearance. Her skin looked smooth, her hair was silk and shiny, and she looked very pretty. Koutetsu had never seen her that way earlier, they talked a lot during work, and when they hung out it was with friends. This was actually the first time they hung out by themselves.

Maybe this time it was because he wasn't distracted with work or training, or it was because the only person he spent alone time with was Itsuki, so he never saw others in a way he could have.

Rina looked to see him stare at her. She blushed as he turned to look away.

"Ah ha, I'll put something on, we should finish with a good movie before heading home right." He was saying stuttering from his embarrassed look.

He flipped through the channels till he saw 'Die Hard' on.

'Sweet, I love this movie. It was the first American film Akane showed me before Mana lectured her on showing an action film to a young kid.'

Rina looked at Koutetsu, she saw how he looked like he was witnessing nostalgia when it was on.

"You like this movie?"

"You bet. I watched it with Akane when I was a kid. She thought it be great for a boy to watch. She was funny like that." Rina could see the love in his eyes for that memory. She thought this was a chance to make the memory better for him.

"Yippee Ki-yay, Mother." She stopped at that not wanting to cuss.

Koutetsu looked at her surprisement. Kaori even closed her hands together in a gun gesture.

"You know Die Hard?"

"I do, does it bother you?"

"Not even, I'm just surprised. You're into a lot of runway documentaries or idol TV from what you usually watch at the cafe, I'm just surprised you like an action film like this."

Rina's eyes went sullen, she felt somewhat insulted by the stereotype he had on her.

"Koutetsu, just because I'm a fashion major doesn't mean I can't like action films or horror movies." She said sounding despondent.

Koutetsu felt that sting. He missed the mark bad on her there. Rina forgave him, she took one of the cutlets as payback, Koutetsu didn't even try to stop her because he knew he messed up. The two laughed it off, they talked about the movie and even quoted lines while it was playing.

Rina also talked about horror movies she liked even admitting she loved fighting games at arcades when she was young.

Koutetsu couldn't believe this side of her. She wasn't lying because he would have known from the smallest details he asked to check her honesty. He was having fun, he was enjoying his time with her, Koutetsu looked at the time on his phone, it was already one in the morning. There weren't any available rides to pick Rina up this late.

'Crap, we were having so much fun I should have checked the time. Can't let her walk home in that, that's asking for some creep to mess with her. And I can't use my bike either with the outfit she has on, argh what a drag I should have paid better attention to the time.'

"You ok?" Rina asked looking at his grunted expression.

Koutetsu broke out of thought to look at Rina, he shook his head to snap himself back to normal.

"Uh haha, yea I'm fine. Just was in deep thought. Anyway, it's late and there are no available rides right now. If you're ok with it. You can sleep in Mana's room for tonight."

Rina was frozen for a moment, she then turned red. This was unbelievable for her, she wanted extra time, but staying over, was a better deal than before.

"Are you sure? I can't inconvenience you like that."

"Oh, it's fine. You're a precious friend to me. I'm not gonna throw you out after what you did for me today. It meant a lot to me and so do you."

Rina's heart fluttered. He told her she meant a lot to him. Her eyes watered because that was the happiest moment for her. That somebody wanted her.

Rina pulled out the present for Koutetsu, she gave it to him with a sincere smile.

"Merry Christmas Koutetsu."

Koutetsu wasn't expecting the gift. He had no money to buy a present and Rina got him one. He had sullen eyes feeling bad he didn't get her one. He took the gift from her and opened it. Koutetsu saw the silver necklace inside, he liked it, it was his style.

"The lady at the shop said if you put something precious inside it, it'll keep it safe for you. You can open up the head and put the ribbon in there so you won't lose it anymore."

Koutetsu was torn when he heard the explanation. He cherished the ribbon Itsuki gave him, but even he had to admit he had too many close calls losing it.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything about the ribbon. You don't have to wear it if you don't want to."

Koutetsu looked at Rina's face. He wasn't about to hurt her feelings. He opened up the feline head and put the ribbon inside, he then wore the necklace, Rina saw him wear it, and she couldn't believe he had really done it.

"Isn't it important to you? Are you sure you didn't mind?"

"Like I said earlier. You're just as important to me as Itsuki's ribbon is. I can wear both knowing how they were from kind friends who thought about me. Thank you, Rina."

Rina was overjoyed. He liked the gift, and she felt happy he considered her that way.

"I'm sorry, I don't have a present for you. I spent all that money on the stuff for Mana. I'm sorry." He said bowing his head.

Rina smiled and told him it was ok. Just letting her stay was enough.

He was satisfied that she was happy with that. Koutetsu called it a night, he showed Rina the room to sleep in, and he bid her good night as he closed his door.

Koutetsu lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling. He reflected on the day he had, and he couldn't help but joy at everyone thinking of him and his well-being. He grabbed the necklace looking at it carefully. Rina must have put thought into it, he felt bad he wouldn't be wearing the ribbon on his neck anymore, but he felt that keeping it safe was great too.

'Ah, man what a day, The only thing that can top this off is if Mana was coming home on my birthday. Oh, she did say she had a surprise for me. Maybe it's a birthday gift. Well, best to just sleep on it. Man, Christmas sure is good sometimes.'

Koutetsu began to try and sleep, Megumi taught him how to do image training while resting so he could train and sleep well at the same time. The image training allowed him to practice fighting against any opponent as long he remembered everything about them down to the smallest detail. It wasn't perfect but it helped in his development.

In the other room, Rina was still awake. She lay on her side, her face buried in the pillow, she couldn't sleep after all that.

Rina got out the bed, she carefully walked on the tips of her toes to Koutetsu's room, Carefully opening the door to not disturb him.

She saw Koutetsu asleep on his bed, he looked peaceful sleeping, like a cherub to her.

Rina tiptoed over to the bed, she made careful steps to get on it without waking Koutetsu. Rina was able to get on the bed, lying next to him. She stared hard at his face, admiring every inch of it. She breathed heavily, her hand caressing his hair down to his face and then his lips. She picked herself up enough that her upper body was over his, her face staring directly in front of Koutetsu's.

She slowly lowered her head to the point where her lips were close to his.

Rina stopped, she remembered what Koutetsu told her earlier.

"You're just as important to me as Itsuki's ribbon is. I can wear both knowing how they were from kind friends who thought about me. Thank you, Rina"

Rina stopped herself from going any further. She felt incredibly shameful. She was taking advantage of Koutetsu after he was good to her earlier. Rina got off the bed and headed to her room, she took a look at Koutetsu one more time, and the feelings of regret hit her, she wanted him to like her, it felt wrong to sneak about using tactics like that.

'Sweet dreams Koutetsu.' Rina went back to her room, leaving Koutetsu alone to sleep peacefully for the night.

She lay back on the bed gripping the pillow tight to get over what she did.