Hifumi x Hailey: Chapter 2
Kyoto on a budget (Hifumi and Hailey)
-"Yo, Hay! Wait up!"
The bell signalling the end of the last class for the day rang a couple seconds before, and everyone was getting ready to leave, some have already rushed out. But Hifumi stopped Hailey from going with her clique. She waved off the rest of her friends, so she could talk with him alone.
-"'Hay'? Could you stop with this stupid nickname?"
-"You don't like it?"
-"Yeah, surely being compared to dead grass will make a girl feel good about herself."
-"What?"
-"'Hay'? Considering how much time you spend with Sunman's kid; I'd expect you to speak English."
-"Ohhh... Now I get it. Yeah, I should work on my it. So, what would you like to be called?"
-"You can call me 'Chang-sama'."
-"'Hay' it is then."
-"Well, in that case, I think I'm going to call you 'Babo-kun'."
-"I don't even know what that means..."
-"'Babo' is Korean for an 'idiot'. Fits perfectly, don't you think?"
-"An idiot who likes dead grass. I guess it works. So, are you free this weekend?"
-"Yes. Are you done with your detention?"
-"Yeah. Bobby helped cover for me, so I only had to stay after class for two weeks. Had to repair the railing and write ten essays on 'responsible quirk usage', but now that that's over, I can finally make good on our promise. You free this Saturday?"
-"I can be."
-"Good. Save your afternoon then. I'll come pick you up. Where do you live? Ya know, let's just exchange contact info, your friends are probably getting impatient."
After a bit of extra teasing about the fact Hifumi was still using a flip phone, the two exchanged their numbers. He went to meet with Bobby, and she went to her clique. The pair had to prepare for their date, and their friends had to help them.
-"Yeah, I'm here. Thanks for talking with the guard. I guess I don't fit in with your usual guests... Yeah, nearly there. Getting out of the elevator right now."
Hifumi rang the doorbell and after a moment the large doors leading to Hailey's penthouse opened. The girl stood there in a light green kimono and a thick black obi with golden decorations. Her dark hair contrasted with her pale skin and a white bow used to tie it.
-"At least you're punctual, Babo-kun."
Hifumi didn't answer, he just stood there frozen with his mouth half-open, the phone still in his hand.
-"What's wrong? You've never seen a penthouse before?"
-"Hm? No, no. I mean, in movies yes. But it's just that... I didn't expect you to be dressed like that."
-"Well, you said we're going to do something 'traditionally Japanese', so I thought it will fit. Eddie helped me pick it. You don't like it?"
-"No, no. It's just that, I will need to adjust our plans a bit. I've thought we might bike today, and it's not something that you could ride in."
-"Well, I can change..."
-"No! You look way too good in that! I already have an idea, just let me make some arrangements."
Turning away for a moment to make a call, Hifumi didn't see the blush trying to fight its way through Hailey's makeup.
-"Alright, I've got us set, but we'll need to wait about 20 minutes."
-"Why don't you come inside then?"
-"Thanks, Hay."
Hifumi desperately tried to keep himself from staring at her, so instead he focused on the spacious interior. It practically reeked of luxury.
-"Whoah, it's just like in the movies. This room alone is bigger than my place."
-"That's kinda sad. You want something to drink?"
-"Sure."
-"You want soda, green tea, oolong or what?"
-"Green tea is fine, thanks."
-"Here, have some cookies with it."
-"Oh, those are great. You're really good at baking!"
-"I bought them. I don't bake."
-"Oh well... I'd love to taste your handmade cookies one day..."
They sat there for a moment in an awkward silence.
-"So, you want a tour of my place?"
-"Sure."
Hifumi trailed a few steps behind her as she showed him around. He felt a bit out of place, but he still tried to compliment the unfamiliar interior design as best he could. Right on time, when she has shown him the last room, his phone rang.
-"Yeah? Oh, thanks, bro! We'll be right there!"
He hung up.
-"Your ride is here, let's go."
She raised an eyebrow at the use of the term 'your' rather than 'our', but didn't question it further, as she'd find out what that was about in a moment anyway. They went downstairs. On the street, locked to a streetlamp, stood a tandem bike. Next to it a rickshaw was parked, a teenage boy with shortly cropped hair stood in front of it.
-"Oh, there you are, Hifumi. I've got you one, like you asked. Just drop it off later at my place. And don't drift with it like we did last time! I don't need another lecture from my old man."
-"Thanks a lot, Ken! Let me just unlock the bike."
-"So, that's the girl?"
-"Ah right. Ken, Hailey. Hailey, Ken."
-"Nice to meet you."
The boy extended his hand for a handshake. After a moment of hesitation, Hailey accepted it and nodded.
-"Thanks again, Ken. I'll pick up the bike when I drop off the rickshaw."
-"Yeah, sure. Just have fun with your girl. See ya!"
-"I'm not 'his gi-'"
-"Yeah, I sure will! See ya, Ken."
-"So, you go around telling your friends I'm 'your girl'?"
-"You can call me 'your man' to yours. Now hop on."
-"As if!"
Her face red, she quickly took a seat in the rickshaw and buried her face in her sleeves, so he wouldn't see it.
-"Are you cold? Here, have my jacket. I prefer to run without it anyway."
-"It's not that cold..."
-"Well, it will still help you warm up, and that will be good for where we're going."
-"So, where is it we're going?"
-"You'll see."
-"And how long until we get there?"
-"Should be like an hour maybe, less if I hurry."
-"Why even a rickshaw? I guess it's still better than a tandem bike, but I can just call my driver."
-"What, you don't like it? I thought you'd be into looking down on me."
-"I guess it is a perk of it. Still, it's a bit windy."
-"You'll live. And this way it's just the two of us. Anyway, let's go."
Hailey didn't answer. Holding tightly to his jacket, she just looked at Hifumi's back muscles tense under his shirt as he pulled her chariot.
-"So, Gion, huh? You're taking me to see geisha? I doubt you could afford to hire one, so was the plan just riding around on that bike and looking at them passing by?"
-"You can look right now if you want, but no, I've got something more planned."
-"Oh, I'm looking forward to it, then."
-"Nearly there. We just gotta go through the back here."
-"Oh, is that an okiya?"
-"Yup. I guess I can tell you now. We're going dancing."
-"Here?"
-"Yeah. Kazu-nee has a friend that is a geisha. Met her a couple times. I've asked if she could show us some moves."
-"'Kazu-nee'? You've got a sister?"
-"Three in fact. You should meet them someday. Oh look, Mika-san is here already. Yo, Mika-san! We're here!"
-"Hifumi-kun, you're late. Also, I did ask you to refer to me by my geimei here."
-"Ah, right, sorry about both, Sonomi-san. We had a bit of a delay."
-"You could have called at least. So, this is the girl you want me to teach to dance today."
-"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sonomi-san. My name is Hailey."
-"Likewise. So how much do you know about what we're going to do today?"
-"Hifumi only told me that we're going dancing."
-"Could have expected that. The boy once rambled at me for half an hour about some anime about demon lords, but you can't count on him when it comes to paying proper respect to the art of dance."
-"Sonomi-san! That was years ago!"
-"And you don't seem to have grown up since then. Anyway, Hailey-chan, let me be the one that will introduce you to what we're going to do today. I'm a certified instructor of the Inoue school of kyo-mai and that's what I'll be teaching you today. Do you have any experience in dance?"
-"I think the closest one to nihon-buyo would be Salpuri. I've taken some classes in it as a kid."
-"Yes, there are some similarities. Hopefully, it will translate well. We use a fan instead of a scarf, but you should still be better at it than he is. I half expect him to try to swing it like a sword again."
-"Sonomi-san! I won't do that today!"
During the class, Hifumi kept his promise, and yet, his performance was definitely subpar. He constantly got distracted by Hailey's graceful movements, and missed his steps. Despite quickly catching on with the technical details, the girl wasn't without fault either. Even if she tried to hide it, every time he was faced away from her, she kept stealing glances at the boy's powerful if imprecise dance. Sonomi just watched it with a mixture of irritation at her instructions being wasted, and bemusement at the youthfulness of the scene unfolding before her.
-"I sure am hungry after all that. I bet you're too, Hay. Next stop: dinner."
-"Something traditionally Japanese again?"
-"Nah, not really. Ramen."
-"Ramen? At least, I hope it's not an instant one. That would be the new low of date meals, Babo-kun."
-"Hey, instant ramen is pretty good! But no, we're going to my uncle's place."
-"Your uncle owns a ramen shop? I hope it's not one of those dirty, dingy ones."
-"It is a bit dingy, but those are actually the best! Ya know that 'it's what's on the inside that matters' line, right? Well, the same thing applies here. If you can keep the shop running while it looks like that, it means the food's gotta be great."
-"Are you sure we can't go somewhere else? I'll pay-"
-"No! I invited you, so let me handle the plans today. Trust me, it's gonna be good, you just gotta give it a chance. And you don't have to worry about it being dirty. I've cleaned the place spotless this morning."
-"Ugh, fine…"
The shop was tiny, its skewed sign barely visible from the street. Inside there were only five seats available at the bar and none of them were occupied. Behind it, in a tiny kitchen, stood a balding middle-aged man smoking a cigarette and using an empty can as an ashtray.
-"Uncle Hiroshi, we're here!"
-"Yeah, yeah. I can see that. Sit your ass down. I'll make you something in a moment."
-"This is Hailey."
-"I've guessed as much."
-"Nice to meet you, sir."
-"Yeah, yeah... Hifumi, you've seen the state the sign is in. Go grab a hammer and fix it."
-"But, Uncle, I-"
-"No 'buts', move it."
-"Fine…"
-"… Yeah, he's gonna be gone for a while. So, 'Hailey' was it? Tell me something about yourself."
-"Uhm… I'm Hailey, I'm from Korea, and I'm Hifumi's classmate."
-"Mhm, anything else? The kid is a friendly sort, so he brought people here before. Other girls too. Some of them looked at him like you do, but it's the first time I see him return that look. I want to know what is it about you that attracted him."
-"Look at him how?"
-"Eh, kids… You probably already know, so I ain't gonna explain. But back to my question. Tell me more about yourself."
-"Well… I'm a recommendation student and my family is quite a big deal…"
-"Nah, that ain't it. He ain't the type a kid that'd go for that. Pretty face is probably not enough either. There's gotta be something more."
-"How am I supposed to know then?! He just grabbed me one day, and we started talking, and it kind of went from there!"
-"Fair enough. And what is it you like about him?"
-"I-"
-"Hey, uncle, I'm done with the sign. Should hold for a while. Is the food ready?"
-"Yeah, yeah. Here you go."
-"… That looks oily…"
-"Just try it, Hay."
-"… It's… It's actually pretty good…"
-"Told ya!"
-"The sun is starting to set. You've got anything more planned for today, Babo-kun?"
-"Just one more thing."
-"I guess, once again, you'll tell me only once we get there?"
-"Bin-bon. A hundred points for Hay."
-"Great. What do I win with those?"
-"A chance to talk with me while we go there."
-"I was expecting something bigger, but fine. What are we going to talk about?"
-"One of your favourite subjects: you. So, what's your family like?"
-"'Rich, influential, powerful and changing Korea for the better.' You can google them."
-"Nah, I meant like. Ya got any siblings and the like? You already know I have sisters."
-"A younger brother. My parent's favourite."
-"Oh, cool! Your family is also an older sister, or in my case 'sisters', and a younger brother. See, we have something in common."
-"Do your parents also plan to use your sisters as tools to further your family goals and let you succeed everything?"
-"… That sounds like a dick move... Well, to be fair, there ain't really much to succeed in my case. We just try to support each other anyway we can. 'We ain't got much, but at least we've got each other.' Maybe it's easier that way. I guess the rich families have their own kinds of problems."
-"Yeah, we do…"
-"By the way, 'Hailey' doesn't sound very Korean."
-"It's my English name. We often have two. One English and one Korean."
-"Oh, what's the Korean one, then?"
-"Wouldn't you like to know?"
-"You ain't gonna tell me?"
-"I haven't decided yet. Ask me at the end of the date. If I liked it, then I'll tell you."
-"Well. I sure hope you'll like the last part then. We're nearly there."
-"What? A temple? You want to pray for it to go well?"
-"Nah, I already did that. There is a good view from up there of what I wanted to show you."
-"Another rooftop lecture?"
-"Don't worry. This one is much easier to stand on, so there's no risk of falling."
-"So how are we going to get there? Are you going to blink us up there? Am I going to have to take in the views by myself again?"
-"I'm gonna blink you up, but then I'm gonna return, and go there normally. So, you ready?"
Hailey nodded. He wrapped his hands around her, and after a second, they were transported on the roof of a nearby temple.
-"It took you less time than before"
-"I know you better now, so it was easier. Here, you can sit on this blanket, I'll be right back."
Seems he had the place prepared beforehand. A large blanket was set up for comfortable sitting. Nearby, a rope was tied. He dropped down one end of it, disappeared, and then climbed back up using it.
-"So, quite a view, eh? It's a great spot to watch Okuribi, so I'll take you back here in August."
-"That's some long-term planning on your part. Are you sure I'll still want to hang out with you by then?"
-"I'll just have to put in the effort to make it so."
-"You better work hard then, Babo-kun. I'm not easy to keep interested."
-"Nothing worth it comes easy. I enjoy a challenge."
-"So, what is it you wanted to show me?"
-"It's gonna start in a couple minutes probably, when the sun fully sets. You see that building over there. It's gonna be above it."
-"What do we do until then?"
-"Chatting. How are you doing lately?"
-"Alright, I guess… Ippon's class is a bit tough for me."
-"I'll take it over Rosethorn's any day. We can practice together some day. I'll show you a trick or two. In return, you can tutor me in languages."
-"Sure."
-"I've seen you opening up a bit to the rest of the class."
-"Me? Associating with peasants? Who dared spread those vile rumours?"
-"I can't reveal my sources. Just know that I'm proud of you. I think it's not easy for you to open up. After what you've told me about your family, I'm not surprised. Just know that you can always come to me for help."
-"Who says I need it?"
-"You'll have it even when you don't. We'll make you friends with everyone in the class yet. We're all allies chasing the same dream, after all."
-"… You're bouncing between sappy and cliché. Tell me, do you really believe in all that?"
-"I sure do. If I didn't believe it was possible, I wouldn't say it. I love a challenge, but only those that can be accomplished if one puts in enough effort. And don't worry. You may have rubbed some of them the wrong way, but if you work on it, they'll come around. After all, who doesn't like a good redemption arc?"
-"… I'll think about it…"
-"Oh look, it's starting!"
With a bang, the night sky filled with bright lights. Fireworks went into the sky one after another. A symphony of colours and shapes. But Hifumi only watched a reflection of them in Hailey's eyes. Instead of looking at them directly, he was focused on her reactions.
The show started to slow down, and with a smile on her face, the girl turned towards the boy. They started to lean towards each other… One trembling hand seeking another under the cover of the night…
-"HIFUMI! IS THAT YOU AGAIN?! YOU LITTLE BRAT! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU NOT TO CLIMB UP THERE?!"
-"Oh shoot, it's the priest! I thought he'll be out today."
-"I guess us getting interrupted like that is a tradition at this point."
-"Third time might be the charm."
-"GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!"
-"Hold on tight, Hay. I'll get you out, then come back and run to you normally."
-"Won't you get in extra trouble for that?"
-"Probably. But you won't. I'll just have to do some work around the temple to make up for it. That's how it usually goes."
-"You bring many girls up here?"
-"TAKEDA HIFUMI, I SAID GET DOWN FROM THERE!"
-"Besides Fuji-nee, you're the first one. Anyway, you better hold on."
He grabbed Hailey and closed his eyes.
-"I think I've lost him, but we better hurry anyway. It's dark and I know these streets better, so I'll lead you."
Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her by her hand and started to quickly lead her through the tight back alleys. After the initial surprise, she tightened her grip on his. They walked close to each other, but in the dim light, neither noticed the blush on the other's face.
-"We're nearly there. We can probably slow down a bit. So, how did you like the date?"
She moved in a little bit closer and whispered quietly.
-"Soomin."
-"What?"
-"Soomin. That's my Korean name."
-"It sounds pretty. Suits you."
-"Thanks."
-"Can I call you 'Soo-han' then?"
-"Oh, you even stuck an honorific in there. It's not 'sama' but it will do."
-"So, what about me? Will you keep calling me 'Babo-kun'?"
-"Nope."
-"What then?"
-"Just 'Babo'."
-"So now I don't even get an honorific?"
-"Nope. But instead, you get a permission to hang out with me more."
-"A fair deal, Hay."
-"You're back with that?"
-"I am an idiot who likes dead grass, after all..."
She leaned closer and twisted her hand a bit. Their fingers intertwined.
-"I like you too."