Hated by You ☆ | Riki Nishimura

第31章

Star Jewel

Niki was putting on his black puffed jacket and shoes in the vestibule of his house. He usually forgets the house key, but today he apparently glanced it accidentally and grapped it from the pin. He might not even need it today, because his mom is home. But just in case.

"Where are you going?" Reina asked as she heard his moving in the hall.

"I'm going out with Yuma." He answered honestly.

"Yuma? Who is he?" Her mother inquired eagerly.

"He's my friend."

"Finally someone else than Eiji and Rio. I think they are not that decent." His mother admitted, while hissing as she though about Eiji and Rio again.

"Mom! You can't say that! They're still my friends!" Niki snapped wearily and in little disapproval.

"Alright, sorry. Have a good night." She wished and walked back to the living room.

-

Niki met Yuma in downtown and they started exploring the boutiques and shops together. Yuma actually came to find Christmas presents for his parents and friends, and asked Niki to company him. Of course he would have invited Hitomi and Mina, but they were the friends he was gonna buy presents for. 

The boys found a jewel shop and Yuma got an amazing idea to buy necklaces for Hitomi and Mina. They entered the shop. There wasn't a lot of people at the moment and it was quiet. The shop was small, but it was full of jewelrys for sale and antique paintings, that were on the walls as decorations. The jewels glistened from their glass boxes as the bright ceiling light reflected them. 

Niki felt like he was going to go blind at any moment. Yuma seemed to not have been bothered by the light adjustment and rushed to explore the selfes. Niki followed Yuma as he meandered from stand to another.

 Yuma abruptly stopped and because Niki was slouching right behind him, he bumped into him accidentally. "Aren't these pretty?" Yuma pointed at the necklaces that he spotted in the self and asked Niki's opinion. 

"I guess, yeah." Niki answered, not really even paying attention. They were the most basic necklaces at the store, but very affordable. There were different jewles to the same necklace, but otherwise they were just metal strings.

 Yuma seemed to look at the jewelrys and choosing which ones to pick for the girls. Niki observed the jewelrys for this once. There were a heart, a crescent, a star and a spade. 

Niki suddenly remembered what Hitomi said the other day about his ceiling, "Why? I think they're pretty. I like them." And he remembered how her own room looked like, especially the star patterned walls.

"Take the star one for Hitomi. It'd look good on her." Niki said. Yuma looked at him confused, but at the same time he knew they've gotten a lot closer recently. He still smirked to himself.

"Alright, then I'll take the heart for Mina." Yuma chose. They went to pay for them at the cash register. The cashier offered to wrap them already, and to that Yuma agreed, which would save his own time. 

It was getting really dark, as they were at the centre after school, and at this time of year, the darkness comes really early. After shopping they got a bit hungry and agreed to go to a cafe to drink and eat something. 

Niki and Yuma took off their jackets and sat on a table at the cafe, that they chose from the few options. The waiter came and asked for their orders. They both ordered hot chocolates and croissants. 

"So," Yuma started and crossed his arms on the table. "are you really close with Hitomi? You talk about her like you know her really well." He asked with a little smirk.

"Ash, what are you talking about? I'm not even that close with her." Niki belitted. 

"You seem to know some of her preferences and..   Well, come on, I see the way you look at her. Do you perhaps like her?" Yuma curiously inquired. Niki became confused and disbelieving for a moment and was about to deny Yuma's question, but then he quieted down and thought for a brief moment. 

"What if I did? Like your best friend? Would that be a problem?" Niki asked thoughtfully. Yuma felt his own jaw dropping. Niki is so outspoken, he says exactly what's on his mind, but Yuma has gotten used to it in his company. 

"No.." Yuma said without almost even moving his lips and shaking his head slowly with widened eyes. He stared Niki for a while quietly and surprised. Niki raised his head and noticed Yuma's intensive stare. Then a relieved and flirty smile appeared on Yuma's face. 

"You like Hitomi! I knew it!" Yuma shouted loudly and some other customers turned to look at their direction. He rose from his seat and was about to dance or something, but Niki pulled him rapidly back down to his seat by his arm. 

"Aush, keep it quiet bro. Somebody could misunderstand!" Niki whispered clamorously, so it wasn't really a whisper anymore. "I didn't say I like her!?"

"But you do." Yuma claimed eagerly.

"Look, I don't even know myself yet. So, don't shout about it." Niki said irritably. Yuma pretended to be offended by Niki's harsh tone and went quiet for a moment while sulking, but then the same smile formed on his lips and he began to sing quietly, "Hitomi and Niki, a love so true. Off to the booth just me and you.."

"I'll kill you, if you don't shut up now." Niki threatened, but Yuma didn't take it seriously and continued, "Niki's heart is a flutter, Hitomi on his mind. Yuma's help, they love to find.."

"Aish, seriously this kid.." Niki huffed, leaned on the chair and ignored Yuma's whatever lyrics.

-

The last day of school this semester. All the exams were now over and Hitomi felt that the burden she has been carrying for a while finally disappeared. They didn't study much anymore and it was a chill day. Hitomi was sitting in the classroom chatting with Mina. Other students shared gifts with each other, but Hitomi had not even thought about gifts for her friends. Same for Mina, she hadn't either, so it was alright.

"Mm.. Don't you feel uncomfortable?" Mina asked peculiarly.

"Why?" Hitomi asked in confusion. They've been talking about 30 minutes now. What was she talking about? Mina nodded her head slightly towards the back of the class and said, "He's staring at you all the time."

Because, the girls sat face to face and Mina had turned 180° to face Hitomi, she could see the other students at the back, but Hitomi only saw Mina and the blackboard. Hitomi turned around and yes, Mina was right. Niki was staring at her, but when their eyes met he didn't turn his gaze away from her, just kept looking at her.

Hitomi furrowed her eyebrows and mouthed, "What are you staring at?" She didn't know if he could read lips and probably couldn't, because he just shrugged and then turned to his friends. Hitomi turned to Mina as well and then shrugged too.

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