章 6: Chapter Six
Feeling his threat was enough, Daichi didn't mention anything else for the rest of the evening and, Aiko's dad remained unaware of any transgression having taken place for the time being. Aiko warmed and ate the food that had been prepared for her and then prepared herself for bed, remembering to take one of the phone handsets to her bedroom before saying goodnight to her father.
Once she was sure her father had settled himself for the night she picked up her phone, hoping that Baji wasn't an early sleeper. It only rang twice before being answered. Baji sounded wide awake and in full spirits and the sound of boys laughing in the background suggested he was still out with his friends.
The sound of his deep, thick voice sent a series of reactions through her body resulting in a slightly dazed feeling.
"Hi Baji, er ... It's Aiko."
"Hey, I didn't think you'd call so soon. Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, sorry. I was checking if the number was right."
There was short pause before he spoke again. "You thought I may have written my number incorrectly?"
God, that was stupid! "No, sorry. I er ... just wanted to call and say thank you. Thanks for everything tonight, I had a great time. Probably the best since I don't know when."
Baji chuckled. "I think you said that the night we met also."
Why does he call me out on everything I say, she wondered, impressed by the fact that he seemed to pay so much attention. "Yes, it was. But tonight was better so both statements were true."
"Right," Baji said with a small laugh. "Well, I'm glad you had a nice time. I did too."
Aiko inhaled deeply and for a moment almost forgot how to let the air back out.
"Did your friends say anything about you returning to the library?" Baji asked.
"Kind of. Daichi wasn't too happy when he realised I had been with you."
"Yeah?" he said, his interest sparking somewhat. "If you need him taken care of, you can let me know."
"No, no. Please don't. He's not all bad, besides it'd probably get me into a lot of trouble."
"Fine. As long as you're okay with him," he said with the sound of slight disappointment.
"Yeah. Thanks for the offer though."
"No problem."
Aiko sat on the edge of her bed and curled her hair around her finger as she tried to think of something to talk about. Baji was very easy to speak to and was talkative enough to reciprocate a conversation, but somehow she felt tongue-tied around him, never quite sure if he would be interested in what she had to say. Especially at that moment, with the sound of his friends in the background having a lot more fun than she could offer him.
"Well, I guess I'll let you go. I hope to see you again soon," she said, although she wished she could have stayed on the phone for the whole night.
Aiko let out a small sigh, uttered goodbye and prepared to end the call.
"Aiko," Baji said suddenly. "You know you can call anytime, right? I just wasn't expecting you to call tonight. That's all."
"Thanks. I will," she said, as her face was engulfed under the hugest smile possible.
"Great, I'll see you soon."
* * *
The next few days went by as usual - school, study group, the weekend at home, except for a Sunday study group and then the same thing again starting on Monday.
It could have been a boring, suffocating week if it wasn't for that small phone call she made each night to Baji. It was getting easier for her to find words to say to him as she realised, he enjoyed talking about anything that she would bring. She would tell him about her day, and he would ask questions about some of the things she mentioned, laughing at times and making random jokes. He found the story about when she was unintentionally cornered by Junichiro in the school library particularly funny.
Junichiro hadn't spoken to her again after that night when Baji had warned him, proving himself as the big coward that she thought he was. He even avoided looking at her and, if they were ever in the same vicinity, he usually made haste to exit as soon as possible. One day in the library Aiko had been looking for a book to reference in a project she was working on, something that Junichiro must have been doing too until they noticed that they had both ended up in the cosy, lower part of the library which was often used as a meet up for students who wanted to get a little more intimate than the public areas would allow. On noticing that the situation looked a little suspicious and most likely with Baji's threat still fresh in his mind, Junichiro had practically run from the library leaving his book selection sitting on the bookshelf. Aiko had silently thanked Baji that day, if it hadn't been for his threat Junichiro would certainly had taken advantage of the situation.
As well as finding out the workings of Aiko's days, Baji would also talk about his day, or mostly his evenings. Sunday had been a busy evening for him and some other members of Toman who were challenged to a fight. Baji spoke about both the challenge and the fight with so much excitement that you could have easily mistaken him for speaking about a night out at the concert of a favourite pop star or something similar.
Wednesday soon came and Aiko almost skipped from the school with the excitement of seeing Baji again, and just as she had hoped, there he was sitting at the corner on his bicycle with Chifuyu.
"Don't you dare," Daichi said as Aiko raised a hand to wave.
"Can't I just say hello?"
"Why do you need to say hello?"
"Daichi, they're my friends. I'm just going to say hello, okay?"
Daichi's eyes narrowed but he didn't contest. Instead, he walked beside her as she went to speak with Baji.
She had intended a short greeting and quick check that they were both okay, but Chifuyu had other ideas as he handed her a Taiyaki.
"We thought you might be hungry," he said.
"Yeah, I am a little," she replied, taking the Taiyaki and biting into it. "Thanks."
"Aiko, we should go," Daichi said.
"Just one minute, can I just finish the snack they bought for me?"
"No. We should go now," he said, grabbing hold of Aiko's wrist to bring her with him.
Baji's arm jerked forward at speed and he grabbed hold of Daichi's wrist. "Let her go."
Oh no, Aiko thought as she remembered Baji's offer to 'take care of Daichi'.
"It's okay," she said quickly and raised her free hand in front of Baji. "I ... I probably should go anyway."
But Baji didn't seem to be listening, he was locked in a stare with Daichi who, although his eyes were widened slightly, possibly from nerves, was just staring back just as hard.
"Let ... her ... go," Baji said again, pronouncing each word deliberately.
"Daichi, it's fine. I'm ready," Aiko added. She wasn't sure if Daichi released her arm due to Baji's threat or her plea as he had made it appear, but either way, she was glad of it.
Baji took the arm that Daichi had grabbed into his hand and raised the cuff of her sleeve slightly. "Don't ever let anyone touch you unless you want them to. Okay?" he said as he gently rubbed her wrist.
Aiko's heart flipped and then skipped a few beats as she stared up at Baji, her face filling with heat as the blood rushed to it. Is he just trying to annoy Daichi with that comment, or is there another meaning to that? she wondered considering the fact that he was now the one who was touching her, but regardless she simply said. "Okay, I won't."
"Are you ready to go into the library?" he asked.
Aiko shook her head but answered. "I should go."
"Fine," he said with a soft smile on his lips. "I'll see you next time then."
Aiko watched as the boys mounted their bikes and rode off and then, without addressing Daichi, turned back to walk towards the library.
What followed was the quietest study session she had ever attended. Daichi searched through his books aggressively and wrote his notes even more so, while Yui and Ichika simply got down to their revision in silence, both tuned into the tension and neither asked what had happened. He didn't speak at all until the end of the session when he asked Yui and Ichika to go ahead and let the driver know they will be right out.
Oh boy, Aiko said internally, knowing more or less what was coming next.
"I've made up my mind, Aiko," he said, coming straight to the point. "Call that boy and tell him you can't be friends anymore, or the next time I see you talk to him I'm calling your dad."
"Why? He was only trying to protect me."
"You don't need protection from me!" he said, his voice raised slightly. "He's the delinquent. I was protecting you."
"Baji's not a bad person. He's really nice ..."
"Look," he said, cutting her short. "I don't care for whatever crush you think you have on him, and I'm trying to fight thinking about how far this thing between the two of you has gone, so I don't want to know anything. All I'm saying is, tell him the friendship is over, or I call your dad. That's it," and with that, he turned to leave the library.
Aiko couldn't make the call that night, nor the night after. She longed so much to hear Baji's voice at the end of the line, but how could she tell him that they couldn't see each other anymore.
By the third night, she built up the courage to call him.
"Hey, what's up?" His voice came cheerfully down the phone as usual.
"Hey." The word stuck in her throat a little but she managed to get it out.
"Is everything okay?"
Her heart swelled as tears filled her eyes and again her words caught in her throat. "No."
"Did I get you in trouble?" he asked with such a softness she couldn't help but smile.
"Kind of. Well, not yet, but Daichi said that ..."
Baji waited, without further questioning as Aiko tried to regain her breath.
"If I don't tell you that I can't speak with you anymore then he'll tell my dad. If he sees me talking to you or finds out in any way, he'll call my dad straight away."
"How bad would that be? It doesn't seem as though your dad hits you or anything."
Aiko laughed. Again Baji had managed to break through her sadness. "No, probably not, although he does look like he wants to sometimes. But he's unpredictable, he'd probably send me away or enrol me into a boarding school or anything to not have to deal with me."
"Wow, that's pretty harsh."
"Yeah, he's tried before."
"So, what are you gonna do?"
Once again the tears erupted and Aiko sobbed quietly into the phone. "I don't want to get sent away."
"Yeah, that would suck. I thought you didn't like it here though."
"I don't," she admitted. "But I ... I like you ... and I don't want to not be able to see you again."
"Hmmm," he said softly as if contemplating her words. "Same."
Aiko let out a giggle at the word 'same'.
"I can't tell if you're laughing or crying, Aiko," Baji said after a small pause.
"Both, I guess."
"Hmmm," he said again. "Look, just memorise my number and if the worst ever happens, and your dad sends you away. You can call me. I'll come and get you."
Aiko laughed outright that time. "Baji, this is serious. Why do you always play?"
"I'm being serious. If you call me, I'll come. Anytime."
"Oh. What if he sends me to a boarding school in America or somewhere far like that?"
"Any time, any place. I'll come and get you. I promise."
"That's a big promise to make." There's no way he would go to so much effort for me, she told herself.
"I'll do anything to help out a friend," he said, answering her silent complaint.
"Thanks," Aiko whispered, and suddenly felt a lot more hopeful than she had prior to the phone call.
Baji was incredibly easy to speak to now that she had gotten to know him, and when he wasn't joking around, or angry about something, he was one of the most thoughtful and insightful people she had known.
After some further discussion, they decided that Baji would disappear for a week or two while Aiko worked on Daichi. She had no idea what could be done to change Daichi's standpoint, although Baji was sure she just needed to turn him down hard enough for him to give up on any possibilities of her ever being his, which Baji was sure was what the whole fuss was about.
* * *
Baji didn't show up the following Wednesday or the Wednesday after that, but Daichi's attitude didn't lessen in the slightest with a daily reminder that he wouldn't back down on his threat if Baji decided to show up at some point. By the third Wednesday, Aiko's patience had worn thin.
"Can you please stop going on about Baji? You seem more obsessed with him than I am!" Aiko said as she marched towards the library. Yui and Ichika had, sensing the tense atmosphere again, decided to walk ahead.
"Obsessed? Why the hell are you so obsessed with him?" Daichi asked.
"That would be all you heard in that, wouldn't it?"
Daichi reached out and grabbed Aiko's arm. "What's so good about him, huh? I'm always with you and I can take care of you."
"You're with me because my dad tells you to be, and what makes you think I need taking care of?" Aiko said, trying to pull her arm free.
Daichi grabbed hold of her other arm and steadied her in front of him. "Come on, Aiko. Forget about Baji and give me a chance. I can make you happy."
"Make me happy?" Aiko repeated, before Baji's words about Daichi wanting more than friendship replayed in her mind. "Oh my God! Baji was right."
"Right about what?"
"This is all about you, not me. You're jealous because I like Baji."
"You have no right to like him," Daichi said, his voice rising.
"I have the right to like who I want. Now let me go," Aiko pulled again which resulted in Daichi only holding on tighter. An effort that was quickly lost as another person grabbed hold of both of their arms and pulled her free.
It took more than a few seconds for Aiko to realise it was Baji who had intervened, and in those few seconds, Daichi had already been hit and was stumbling backwards.
No, this can't happen, Aiko thought as Baji grabbed hold of Daichi and threw two more blows into his face.
"Baji, stop," Aiko said, grabbing at Baji's arm. Almost by instinct he threw Daichi to the ground and swung his elbow back into Aiko's face sending her flying back onto the ground also.
Aiko sat for a moment, too dazed to realise fully what had happened, and watched as Baji kneeled over Daichi grabbing him up by his collar.
"Aiko-chan, are you okay?" Chifuyu said, kneeling beside her.
"Please stop him," she pleaded as she grabbed his arm to pull herself back up.
Chifuyu watched as she steadied herself and then ran over to Baji calling his name. It took him a few more hits before he responded, turning first to Chifuyu and then back to look at Aiko, his mouth dropping after completely focusing on Aiko's face.
Aiko only then realised then the warm liquid dripping from her nose to her mouth. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and pressed it against her nose. Owww, she thought as the pain hit.
"Aiko, I ..." Baji started, but his words were suddenly muffled by a loud groan from Daichi who was still lying on the ground.
Aiko's eyes fell to take in Daichi as he lay there rolling with his arm over his face. "Daichi," she called as she rushed over to kneel beside him.
Daichi's face was bloody too with swelling in some places. Aiko helped him to pull himself to a sitting position and asked if he was okay, to which he simply groaned and pushed her hands away from him.
"Baji?" she said with the silent reprimand that lay behind her eyes painfully clear. Daichi was being unfair, but surely he hadn't done anything that would provoke such a violent response.
Baji didn't respond, instead, his gaze burnt into her through his narrowed eyelids for a while before he simply turned and walked away.
"Chifuyu?" she asked, to which Chifuyu simply replied with a shake of his head and then he too turned and followed behind Baji.
Daichi pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and began dabbing it along his face. "I hope you're happy, Aiko."
"Of course, I'm not. I didn't want this to happen."
"Yeah, well it did. So, what do you do now?" he asked.
She knew what answer he wanted, but it was an answer she couldn't give. However, after Baji's actions that day all other solutions seemed even further away than before.
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