Tamadai University was also one of the campuses participating in this event. The campus reps, including Yui, were led by their Student Council President Nakago to the backstage to get ready. Again, Yui brought Chichiri along as part of the service deal. She could feel all eyes on her, not only from the opposing teams, but also from her own teammates. She couldn’t blame them though. She would’ve reacted the same way as they did if she found out her dream prince had personally belonged to someone.
Not that she was saying that Nakago belonged to her. Ever since that fateful day when Chichiri pulled off his stunt at campus, Nakago had slowly opened up to her. He would ask for Yui’s class schedule and pick her up in his motorcycle at the designated time, even though he knew she lived off-campus just a walking distance away from the university grounds. She had persuaded him to not treat her so nice as it might arouse the campus fans’ wrath, but he didn’t seem to care. She had her share of being intimidated, harassed and bullied by them with either words, graffiti on her locker, dead animals in her bag or even violence, but after Nakago, as President of Student Council, issued the Anti-Ragging Act, no one dared to touch her, though she still got unfriendly glares from time to time.
“Alright, minna-san. We’re all settled here,” Nakago turned towards his fellow reps. “You can all prepare yourselves right here. You’ll be the fourth one to present. I’ll be sitting at the seats that are designated for us. Once you’re done debating, please move towards where I’m seated. I hope you can find me though in that thick mob. I didn’t expect this big a crowd today.”
“Don’t worry, Nakago senpai,” Soi, one of Yui’s teammates, said flirtingly.
Nakago smiled good-naturedly, then moved near Yui and took custody of Chichiri, whispering, “Ganbatte, Yui-san.”
“Ha…Hai,” Yui replied nerously before watching Nakago leave to take his seat. She was immediately approached by her teammates Soi and Tomo.
“You’re lucky you have Nakago senpai’s act to protect you, or you’d be even worse off as it is. You would’ve been forced to bail out of this competition altogether,” Soi said venomously.
“By the way, how did you do it, huh?” Tomo chided in. “Blackmail? Sex? Black magic? Voodoo? Or just a mixture of everything in between?”
“Ie…Anno…” Yui was rendered speechless. Those were the same questions asked by other Nakago fans before Nakago issued the act. She was saved from interrogation by the call of the MC to get ready on line for the draw of topics they need to debate. Yui’s group got the topic on the existence of the supernatural and they were the opposing team, so they had to put their differences aside for the time being and discuss on what to debate during the competition.
The event took almost the entire day. Topics upon topics had been discussed and slowly, more and more campuses have been eliminated. In the end, the remaining campuses were Tamadai University and Hanabiri Sekai University. They were debating on the topic of possibilities of life outside the solar system and turned out to be a rather heated discussion. It seemed as if most of the topics were rather controversial and out of this world, let alone being educational. Perhaps they were trying to do something outside the box than the usual ‘Advertisement is bad for youngsters’ kind of debates. Nevertheless, Yui couldn’t have been able to pull it off if she hadn’t had Nakago in sight, watching her with Chichiri on his lap and giving her encouraging looks.
Luck was not on Tamadai University’s side though. The state champion title went to the opposing team from Hanabiri Sekai University and they could only settle for 1st runner up. Soi burst into tears because she felt as if she had let down Nakago instead of the campus. It took him almost about half an hour to assure her that it wasn’t her fault and another half an hour to quickly slink away from the crowd with Yui to the most inconspicuous place they could find.
“Phew! Yokatta,” Nakago sighed in relief as he checked if the coast was clear. “Ikiteru ne. Being famous does have its drawbacks.”
“Too bad we didn’t win though,” Yui said as she took Chichiri from his hands. “I thought we put up a real good fight or something.”
“You did put up a good fight. Lady Luck is just not too keen on leaning on our side, that’s all.”
“Sodeska,” Yui nodded in agreement. “So, uh, now that the show’s over, what are you gonna do? We’re pretty much free to go home on our own now.”
“I was thinking about taking you out for a late dinner. Yokodekida, Yui-san. You deserve it.”
“Ho…Honto ni? Anno…don’t you think the others would want to be fed too…?”
“I want to have dinner with you only. Why do you think I pry myself away from those girls?”
Yui almost fainted at those words that came out of Nakago’s mouth. Nakago wanting to hang out with her only and not others? This was like a dream come true. In fact, it seemed almost too good to be true. Yui felt like crying over all this, but instead she lowered her head and asked, “Doushite? Why do you keep treating me so nice? I’m not the only girl in the world.”
“Why do you keep asking me the same question? Isn’t it obvious to you already?”
“I just don’t want to get you in trouble with the fans…”
“Like you did? You have the act, right? Why are you so worried about?”
“I just…” Yui couldn’t control her tears anymore. “I just don’t think I deserve it. I’m just a nobody…”
“You were a somebody as soon as you made yourself known to me as our campus’s best debater. You were a somebody to me as soon as I knew you existed. You’re more than a somebody. You’re my koibito.”
Yui looked up sharply, unable to believe her ears. Nakago made another one of his killer smiles and took Yui in his arms, holding her close to his chest. She could feel the slow beating of his heart and blushed, her tears and Chichiri—who had slunk out of her arms in time before becoming a neko sandwich—no longer an issue.
“I know it’s a bit sudden and that maybe I should’ve said it earlier when I had the chance,” Yui heard Nakago’s deep voice rumble at his chest. “But I was scared like you, I could tell, and I was too self-conscious back then, what with my popularity and all, so I’m asking you now. Will you…will you be my koibito?”
Yui went all weak as she tried to gain support by hugging Nakago back. Those were the exact words she had longed to ask Nakago, but she didn’t expect it to be the other way round. She buried her face in Nakago’s chest and nodded.
“You accept my proposal?”
Another nod.
“I’d like to hear it from you.”
“Hai…I accept…”
“So are we still in for dinner?”
“Hai!”
This time Yui was laughing.
--:--
Yui and Nakago soon became an official couple. There were dozens of protests and threats from Nakago’s fans about their union but seeing he had made up his mind, they had no choice but to back away. Yui wanted to return Chichiri and pay the rent, but Chichiri had a feeling that he wasn’t done yet. He wanted to make sure that Yui made the right choice in picking Nakago as her koibito, so Tasuki decided to let her have him for a few more days at a discounted rate.One day, as Yui and Nakago went out on their date, Chichiri suddenly ran off, disappearing to goodness knws where. They spent almost an hour or searching before finding him sitting in front of a rather fancy gate. Inside, there was a middle-aged couple arguing with each other at the front door, making a scene. Nakago stopped at his tracks, not daring to go any closer. Yui was surprised.
“Nandeska, Nakago?”
“Let’s just get the neko and leave,” Nakago said with an uneasy look on his face.
“Doushite? You know those people?”
“Let’s just say…it’s not the best time to be confronting them. Let’s just take Chichiri and go. Hayaku.”
As they both moved closer to the gate to pick Chichiri up, they could hear the couple arguing about alumni, trying to bargain—more like yelling—their way through it. Two half-dressed men came up to the front door to see what the ruckus was about, annoying the arguing man with their presence. The woman had a smug look on her face as she folded her arms across her chest, her breasts almost protruding out of her lingerie. She looked sideways and saw Nakago picking Chichiri up in his arms and barked, “What are you doing here, you lousy good-for-nothing?”
“Okasan…” Nakago muttered grudgingly. Yui was surprised. That sexy middle-aged woman was Nakago’s mother? Then who’s that man arguing with her? Who were the other two men inside the house?
“Don’t you ‘okasan’ me, you bakayero!” his mother snapped at him, glaring at him with a vengeance. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be arguing with your otosan here about our life support money!”
“You mean your life support money,” Nakago replied. “I have no part in this.”
“Oh yes, you do! Who do you think pays your school fees and expenses living outside if it weren’t for me, huh?”
“That would be me.”
“Don’t get smart with me, boy! If you…”
“Iku yo, Yui,” Nakago said as he took Yui’s shoulder and turned their backs on the people at the house. Before they were earshot away, they could hear Nakago’s father sneering.
“Both slutty and knee-high with lovers. He certainly didn’t get that from me.”
Nakago took Yui as far away from the house as possible, leaving the couple to argue among themselves. They walked all the way to a recreational park and sat on a nearby bench slightly apart from each other, the atmosphere rather awkward. Nakago released Chichiri and let him go play at the park fountain. The silence between them felt rather uncomfortable and so thick you could cut it with a knife. No one knew who should start or how they should start first. Yui glanced at Chichiri chasing after a butterfly and sighed quietly.
“Gomenasai…” Nakago suddenly voiced out.
“When were you going to tell me about them?” Yui asked sadly. She couldn’t blame him for not telling her about his estranged family, not after seeing them like this in person, but she thought she should’ve at least be warned about them.
“Soon. But not that soon. They’re not the world’s greatest okasan and otosan in the world, you know.”
“It’s about time you tell me about your life’s history though.”
“True. I owe you that much,” Nakago said. He took a deep breath and sat back, ready to begin his story, “As you can see, my okasan works as a hooker in one of those red district areas and my otosan is just some simple manager at a fast food restaurant. They were young back then, and when she found out she had me, my otosan was obliged to marry her and take care of me. I’m not even sure if I really am his son because I don’t exactly look very much like him, but he loved me, so I couldn’t complain.
“My otosan’s idea of marriage is the usual ‘live life together forever’, but my okasan isn’t ready to give up her rambunctious night lifestyle. Otosan tried to compromise at first, but in the end, he couldn’t stand sharing her with other men, so he divorced her and left me with her. I had to watch every night as she brings home different kinds of men and hear those terribly distasteful sounds they make in the bedroom. Okasan accidentally got pregnant by one of her clients but she didn’t want to go through the pain of childbirth again, so she aborted my would-be brother or sister. I was angry at her for that because I felt so alone and needed a sibling that would keep me company. We lived off fairly from otosan’s life support money, but it could only hold us up for so long.
“I had to take up tons of odd jobs since I was in elementary school to make ends meet, since okasan slept through the day and partied through the night. I worked real hard to excel myself both academically and physically because I didn’t want to end up like my neglecting otosan and my slutty okasan. No one knew about my past or my true family background. Everything they see in me was perfect. I had a lot of fans but not much friends. I never told them much about myself and I never allowed anyone to visit my home for fear of them to find out I’m not so perfect after all. I was afraid that I would lose my reputation and the attention I’ve worked so hard for. There were many times I wanted to reveal myself and not pretend anymore, but fear held me back. It tortures me to be someone outside in public and someone else back home. When I got the offer letter to study in Tamadai University, I took the chance and moved out immediately. I was able to release myself a little and live the life I wanted because I know I don’t have to go back to that house anymore. The scholarship was enough to cover my fees and the money I earned from my odd jobs managed to keep me well-fed and surviving.
“So you see why I never mentioned anything about my family? You see now why I never take you to my home? Now that you know everything about me, I’m sure you’d leave me…”
“Do…Doushite? Why do you say that?” Yui asked, surprised.
“Because…Because I’m an itsuwari, a fake,” Nakago replied, tears welling up in his eyes for the first time since he dated her. “Because I’m born from a hooker and an otosan whom I’m not sure is my biological otosan or not. Because I…”
Yui reached over and hugged him tight, hushing him and calming him down. She never thought that Nakago would have such a heavy burden on his shoulders. She had to admit, she was just like everyone else, thinking that he was the perfect bishounen, but as she dated him and got to know him better, she found out that Nakago was more than just a pretty boy. He was a man with a heart of gold and a mind far more mature than any other guys she had ever known. He was being himself, and that was all that mattered to her. His past can just piss off and disappear. What mattered most was now, and that she was with him, for better or for worse.
“Don’t worry, Nakago. I won’t leave you. You’ve been honest to me, and that’s what counts,” Yui whispered, then took his face to face hers and said, “I’m fine with itsuwari, just as long as you don’t lie about it. I don’t care about your past, Nakago. I love you for you, and nothing else.”
“Yu…Yui…” Nakago was at lost of words, surprised to find out that what he thought was wrong.
“Aishiteru, Nakago.”
“Aishiteru…”
When Nakago and Yui locked lips together, Chichiri knew that his work was finally complete, and that Tasuki is going to soon receive a big fat cheque for his account.
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