Comes up Roses

Chapter 13: Piggyback

Masae,

The boss told me to write this. He said that it was to fix some self esteem problem you have– he said your mom or maybe a sister gave it to you? I don't think you have a sister but who can ever understand what the boss is talking about anyways?

It doesn't seem like you have a self esteem problem. You're always looking at people like you're judging everything they do. You talk to people like you're better than them. If Kyoya told me that you have a superiority complex, the only thing that would surprise me is that he got close enough to figure that out. But whatever. Maybe you're hiding under a facade or something. Who am I to tell you who you are?

So I have to write you a love letter to you to fix some self esteem problem that some sister gave you. But here's the problem: I don't know you all that well. You never talk to me. You were so busy with your nose in the air or in that stupid notebook that you didn't even bother to try and talk to me when I joined the club.

I love you, or whatever. I'm sure you have a great personality and you're obviously pretty and that's all you need in this world. Don't let that sister get you down.

Love, your secret admirer.

🌧🌧🌧

Hikaru stood at an intersection in Karuizawa, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for his brother to come back. He'd been gone for a worryingly long time. An irritatingly long time, more like. Did Kaoru not know how humid Karuizawa got? His clothes were sticking to his back, his body sheening with a thin layer of sweat. Hikaru checked his designer watch, looked at the gray-clouded sky, and looked back at the watch. He'd been standing out here for nearly twenty minutes.

When someone finally approached him, it wasn't Kaoru.

Their repressed little secretary was trying not to look too put-out to see him as she walked over. She was dressed nicely, not that that was any different than usual, in a little ruffled sundress. Belatedly, Hikaru remembered that Kaoru had invited her out yesterday.

"You're not Kaoru," she said, voice betraying her disappointment. Hikaru didn't understand the sudden interest in his brother, but he had to say it pissed him off coming from her.

Hikaru scowled. "Neither are you. Funny though, I'm surprised you can even tell us apart."

"He wants us to get along," she said.

"So this is some kind of setup?"

"Yeah, I think so." She looked at the ground, gaze roving over her Oxfords as she huffed a little.

Hikaru sighed heavily. Fuck his life. "Well, there's no reason for us to do it. I don't like you and you don't like me and I don't really care to change that. Kaoru isn't watching, so we can just not."

Masae pursed her lips. "If that's what you want."

"Good." Hikaru shuffled his feet a little, not really sure what to say. "Well. Bye."

He turned and left and she went in the other direction. It was awkward, but what did Hikaru care what she thought of him? She already hated his guts and he felt the same, so why not add a little more tension onto that?

Hikaru was hungry, and he didn't want it to be a total waste of a trip, so he wandered around until he found a cafe that looked promising enough. And a good thing too, because it was starting to drizzle outside.

Clearly everyone else in Karuizawa had had the same thought as him. The little cafe was packed to the brim with customers, so many that some people had to stand against the wall with their coffee.