Sunday arrived and just after the darkness spread Aiko made her way down to the bottom of the garden. She'd already scoped out the fencing area to find the best place to climb.
Beyond the fence was a small woodland; where it led, Aiko had no idea, but Baji was familiar with the layout and had already texted to say he was waiting.
The fence must have been ten to twelve feet high, but Aiko had always been nimble from gymnastics training as a child, and with the extra dojo sessions scaling the fencing was easy work.
"She's over here," a voice called, and a smiling face emerged from behind a tree confirming who Aiko already knew it was.
"Chifuyu," she called back, rushing over and wrapping her arms around him. "I've missed you."
Chifuyu chuckled as she scruffled her head against his. She really had missed him in the same way you might miss a younger brother.
"I think you've got your arms wrapped around the wrong boy." Baji's deep voice came up behind her as his arms slid around her and lifted her into them.
Aiko wriggled herself free before turning to face him and pushing herself back into him. "God, I've missed you," she said. "So much."
"Me too," Baji said and snuggled his face into her neck before planting a dozen kisses along her face.
"So that's what it means to be showered with kisses," Aiko laughed.
Baji laughed with her. "Come," he said, taking her hand and leading her away from the school's yard. "I've got a surprise for you."
Aiko followed Baji down to the roadway where their bikes waited.
"Yay," she cheered, which made Baji laugh again. "I'm not gonna lie," she continued. "I've missed your bike. almost as much as I've missed you."
"Maybe you can take me for another ride later," he said as he climbed on.
Aiko climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around him with a whisper of I've missed you into his back as she rested her head against him.
It was a quiet ride along country roads that separated woodland behind the school's land from vast fields.
Baji was in his usual spirits, humming as he drove until he called back to Aiko, "Close your eyes," he said. "I have a few surprises for you tonight."
Aiko closed her eyes as a smile lit up her face. She was already sure she knew what the first surprise would be on account of having to close her eyes.
Baji ordered her to keep her eyes closed shortly before pulling over. Then he put a hand over her eyes and helped her down from the bike and down a small hill.
"No peeping," he said into her ear as he walked behind her until he came to a stop. "1, 2 ..."
"Happy Birthday," Emma and Yui shouted.
"I knew you guys would be here," Aiko said as she rushed over to grab them both into a hug and after the longest hug turned to the rest of the group which consisted of Daichi, Mikey, Draken, Mitsuya, Hakkai, Smiley and Angry.
Mikey gave a small wave from the centre of the group who were all sitting on a blanket spread with food. "Happy birthday, Aiko-chan," he said, with his usual smile.
It had been a long time since she'd had a birthday party, let alone a surprise one. "Thanks a lot, guys."
This could go down as one of Aiko's best surprises ever and she was sure it would be her best birthday party ever. Aiko took her seat next to Baji and they passed around food and drinks and told stories.
Angry and Smiley's stories were some of the funniest, especially when they paired up on telling them. Despite his appearance, Angry had the mildest outlook on things, whereas Smiley was just as energetic and carefree as he looked. Their contrasting personalities meant the culprits of their stories would either have deserved a good beating or were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time depending on who was talking at the time.
Draken and Mitsuya also teamed up on a lot of stories. Some of when they met and from when the gang was first formed up till recent days. Each story touched on how the bond was formed between the two as well as the other captains and their indisputably loved commander.
"Who took the last taiyaki?" Mikey moaned after they had been talking for the best part of an hour.
"Sorry," Aiko said, waving the taiyaki in front of her. "Here, you can have it."
"Like hell," Baji said, pushing Aiko's hand away as Mikey reached out for it. "This is her party."
"Besides," Smiley said, his grin bigger than usual. "Mikey was eating them while we were waiting."
"Why are you so greedy?" Baji said and threw an empty paper cup at Mikey.
"What?" Mikey shouted, jumping to his feet and throwing the cup back at Baji. "How'd you expect me to wait so long and not eat?"
"More like how'd I expect you not to act like such a spoilt baby?" Baji shouted, also jumping to his feet a moment before lurching forward and tackling Mikey.
The two boys rolled along the grass as they fought, the dominance of the scuffle moving quickly between Baji and Mikey with Mikey finally pinning Baji down for a short time before Baji pushed him off and jumped back up to stand up.
Aiko looked around the other boys wondering who was intending to stop them from fighting but none seemed bothered about what was happening.
"Don't worry about it," Smiley offered when Aiko looked at him as he laughed. "They do this a lot."
"What if one of them gets hurt?" Aiko asked.
"One of them always gets hurt," Emma said.
"Usually Baji," Mitsuya added.
"And then he sits around in a mood for a while before Mikey somehow manages to cheer him up," Emma continued.
"Great," Aiko said, the worry not lifted the slightest as she watched the two boys continue to throw each other down.
"Okay, okay," Mikey eventually said, holding his hands up in front of him. "because it's Aiko's birthday. I'll let you win."
"Let me win?" Baji shouted and ran forward to grab hold of Mikey again, but Mikey was already running and laughing. Baji gave chase but a few minutes until giving up and returning to sit by Aiko with a deep frown on his face.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" he said roughly, not even looking in her direction.
Oh, right, Aiko thought. Now he's going to sit in a mood for a while.
On realising Baji was no longer chasing him Mikey went back to sit down, crossed-legged opposite Baji with a satisfied grin on his face.
I don't have a while to wait, Aiko thought as she watched Baji's frown deepen in reaction to Mikey's smugness. Aiko leaned over and pushed Baji's hair aside and then kissed him gently on his ear. "Thanks for saving my taiyaki for me."
Baji turned his gaze to Aiko, his frown softening as a small smile appeared on his face. He nodded and added, "You know he didn't let me win, right?"
"I know," she whispered before giving a. quick, nervous glance to Mikey who simply smiled.
"I saw that," Baji said, but his mood had already become more relaxed. He turned to Chifuyu and suggested it was his turn to fight one of the other boys.
Angry opted out, saying that he didn't fight for fun, but Smiley was up for it and joined Chifuyu on the grass to wrestle.
"Why do you guys like fighting so much?" Aiko asked when Chifuyu and Smiley returned, laughing despite Chifuyu's bruised cheek.
"Because we've got too much energy," Draken said. "We need to burn it somehow."
"Why don't you just race or something?"
Smiley let out a semi-high laugh. "Racing is nowhere near similar to fighting."
"Sure it is," Emma said. "You can burn tons of energy."
"It's not as much fun though," Chifuyu added to the argument.
"But it's safer," Yui said.
"But it's not as much fun," Smiley repeated Chifuyu's statement.
"You girls should try it," Chifuyu added.
"Girl's wrestling competition," Smiley laughed.
Aiko shared a glance with Emma and they both shook their heads as Chifuyu and Smiley got into a discussion about hosting a women's wrestling competition while Baji watched them both with a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Shouldn't we douse them down with water first?" Baji finally added. "I'm sure their shirts should be wet. That's how they always are in the magazines."
"What magazines?" Emma asked.
"Magazines where you see that kind of stuff."
"Hey," Aiko said, "What kind of magazines have you been reading?"
"I don't read them," Baji said before bursting into a small laugh. "I just look at the pictures."
Aiko hit Baji in the shoulder with the back of her hand. "Baji."
"Hey," he said, unable to control his laughter. "I'm joking. I'm joking. I've just seen them. Anyway, all boys look at those kinds of magazines."
"I don't," Draken said, with a disappointed shake of his head.
"Me neither," added Mitsuya.
Aiko looked at Mikey who gave a shrug and a shy smile. "I bet Daichi looks at them too."
"No, I don't," Daichi responded quickly.
"I bet you do," Chifuyu teased.
"No, I don't."
"Yeah, he does," Smiley said with another high laugh. "Look at his cheeks."
Sure enough, Daichi's cheeks had reddened, but he simply looked at Aiko and shook his head confidently.
"Look, this is gross. Let's just talk about something else," Aiko said. Baji and Daichi looking at dirty magazines wasn't something that she wanted to think about.
"So, no girls' wrestling?" Baji asked.
"Stop it," Aiko said, hitting him again in the shoulder.
"I'm joking," he laughed. "There's no way I'd have you in a wet t-shirt around these dirty magazine readers anyway."
"Oh God," Emma moaned. "Hit him again, please."
"Nope," Baji laughed as he rolled out of the way and up onto his feet. Baji's smile spread widely across his face as coaxed Aiko to chase him, which she did only to catch him a lot easier than she expected to.
"I thought you didn't like violence," Baji said, wrapping his arms around her and preventing her from hitting him.
Aiko didn't struggle against him. Instead, she just pressed her head into his shoulder and allowed him to hold her, letting out a short breath of air as she relaxed into his arms. "I like this," she said, finally feeling at home after two months of loneliness.
Before joining Tateyami's school she had felt lonely for every second that she'd spent back in Japan until she'd met Baji. And even before returning to Japan, although she'd had friends and family to share her time with, none of them had held her heart the way he did.
Baji turned from where the others sat and led Aiko by her hand along the field, talking lightly about things that had happened since she'd left and ending it with, "It's basically been crap without you around."
"Hmm," she let out. "The sentiment's sweet, but I'm sure you just don't want me to feel like I've missed anything."
"Ahh, you think you know me, ey?" he said, sitting down and gesturing for her to sit next to him.
"Yeah, I think I do."
"So, what do you think your second surprise is?"
Aiko narrowed her eyes and looked into his. It must be a birthday present, right? she thought before suggesting that to him.
Baji's face dropped for a moment before his smile returned fuller than before. "That was an easy guess ... since it's a birthday party."
"You got me a present?" she said, clapping her hands together playfully.
"Don't put the pressure on," he said shyly as he reached into his pocket. "I told you ... I'm not good with gifts, but I saw this and I thought of you."
Aiko took the gift and stroked her hand along the top of the wrapping. "I don't care what it is, it's already my best gift ever," she said and leaned forward to kiss him before unwrapping the present.
Aiko's mouth dropped when she finally pulled it out. It was a shiny, silver hairpin, the head of which was adorned with a crescent moon and stars. She held the pin up to allow the three chained tassels to fall loose, each tassel had two jewelled stars attached. "It's beautiful".
"Yeh? I wasn't sure if it was too simple, but I used to always see it in the jewellery shop and that night when I saw you in the yukata, I kept thinking how beautiful it'd look on you."
"You got it from a jewellery shop?"
"Yeah, of course. And I didn't steal it before you ask." Baji crawled around to the back of Aiko and started combing her hair with his fingers and then wrapping it up into a bun, tying it down with a hairband he pulled from his pocket. He put out his hand to Aiko who handed him the pin and then he placed it in the side of the bun. "Nice," Baji said after crawling back around beside her.
"So, what do you think my final surprise is?" he asked.
Aiko didn't have a clue, unless it involved something rude which, considering the magazine revelation as well as his fairly unpredictable nature, it very well could.
"Yep. I knew it. You don't know me as well as you think you do," he said and started unbuttoning his Toman shirt.
"Baji," she said, still caught in her last thought. "What are you doing?"
"What?" he laughed. "It's not like you haven't seen me topless before."
What kind of surprise is this supposed to be? She thought as her heart beat wildly. Aiko looked back to where the others were sitting. They were merely silhouettes in the distance so they couldn't possibly see what he was doing. But still!
"Hey," Baji called. His shirt was off, now revealing that he had been wearing a white shirt underneath. He finished tying his hair back into his man bun and then pinned a badge onto the chest of the shirt.
"What is this?" she asked, a little disappointed that he wasn't doing some kind of striptease though she didn't know what she would have done if he were.
"Okay, you probably can't see in the dark, but it says Baji Keisuke. Intern at HM & M."
Aiko stared at the badge trying her best to make out the Wording. She could see the logo of her father's company. Why does Baji have it? Is this some kind of joke?
"I called the number your dad gave me and we've talked a few times. He set up this special internship for me. My mom was over the moon when I told her about it."
"Wait," Aiko said, holding her hands up in front of her. "Are you working for my dad now?"
"Kinda."
Aiko continued to stare, too stunned for words.
"Do you remember your dad gave me his card and said 'If you wish to be true to your feelings, you should rethink the direction of your life'?" he said doing his best impersonation of her father with the quote.
"So you went to work for him?" she said with a hint of accusation.
Baji's brow furrowed from confusion. "You don't sound as happy as I thought you would."
"I'm not happy. He doesn't do things for anyone else's sake, he's just trying to find a way to control you."
"And I'm just trying to find a way for us to be together."
Aiko let out a breath of frustration. It was true. Apart from running away and trying to find a way to survive on her own, she was out of options.
"Sometimes we have to play along to get the result we want. So, if I have to go into his office every Sunday for the next three months, and then attend some extra tuition groups he's set up then fine. You never know, we might even end up being in the same tutor group."
Aiko allowed Baji's hopeful smile to draw her in and smiled along with him. He always managed to find a silver lining somewhere.
"You think he'll let us see each other if you do these things he's set up."
"Yep, because I have his word, and 'a man never goes back on his word'," he said, again imitating her father.
Aiko laughed that time, almost feeling hopeful.
Why would he do all of this? she wondered. Why would he bother sending me away only to help Baji? Her father had been known in the past for running work or study programs that helped the 'less advantaged' city kids. Was this just some kind of media scheme?
But Baji seemed hopeful, and if he was she would be.
Besides, you never know, she continued in her internal rant. Maybe her father did mean his words and he planned to allow her to see Baji. Maybe she'd had him all wrong from the beginning and he really did want what was best for her, even if his version of best was a little selfish.
And Baji, she thought as she moved in closer to him and rested her head against his arm. He's willing to go through all of that for me. Maybe we really will have a future together.