Chapter Thirteen

A Sweet Promise

The days continued as Fuyuka and Asahi gradually got more and more used to calling each other by their first names. They’d faced several hurdles—at first, they stumbled over their words, their voices cracked more often than not, and they even backtracked multiple times to using surnames. It hadn’t been a smooth process, but it finally seemed that they were accustomed to it.

There was no particular change to their daily routine, however. Fuyuka assisted Asahi with his studies; in exchange, he taught her how to cook. The only noticeable difference was in Fuyuka’s demeanor—Asahi could sense her ice-cold attitude beginning to melt away.

“This is where the quadratic formula must be implemented to derive our answer. First, you need to substitute for alpha, and then... are you listening to what I’m saying, Asahi?”

“O-Oh, yeah. Sorry. Just spaced out a bit.”

“Please pull yourself together; it’s vital that you focus on this. The final exams are practically knocking on the door,” she rebuked.

“Yeah, you’re right...”

Fuyuka had changed the strategy of the studying sessions in accordance with the rapidly approaching exams. She had compiled a bundle of short quizzes and other notes she had taken, and it had really paid off—he was making impressive progress on his studies as a result. It was clear he understood the responsibility placed upon him. Fuyuka had gone to a notable amount of trouble to provide all this supplementary material for him, not to mention the time and effort she took each day to teach said materials to him. That was why he was so determined to give his all. Recently, however, he’d been unfocused with his studies... and for good reason.

“I’m positive that this problem will appear on the exam. This third one, too—on the next page...”

Fuyuka was sitting right next to Asahi and pointing out the questions that she expected would turn up on the upcoming exams. Unfortunately, her earnest explanations went in one ear and out the other. His mind was too occupied with how close they were to each other, especially considering how they used to sit face-to-face not long ago. Their shoulders brushed against each other each time someone would go to flip a page, and he could clearly make out the fragrant scent of her perfume. Although he usually wasn’t the type to get overwhelmed by such minute details, he felt that it was slowly chipping away at his sanity.

“Let’s stop here for the day,” she abruptly concluded.

“Already? It’s kinda early, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Your head’s in the clouds, Asahi. I doubt you can concentrate any longer,” she clarified as she pouted in obvious displeasure. He couldn’t come back with a retort—”The Ice Queen” had hit the mark once again.

“I’m sorry, I really am. You’re putting in this much effort for me, and here I am, getting all distracted...” he apologized.

“There’s no need to apologize. Our sessions give me the perfect opportunity to review the material, as well,” she assured him, her mouth curled up into a faint smile. This gentle expression of joy had long ceased being a rare sight to behold. Ever since they had started calling each other by their first names, she began to smile more than ever before; she had even grown more talkative. Although her speech was still just as stiff and formal, Asahi could sense that the distance had closed between them.

“Well then, I guess I’ll take my leave. Good night.”

“Bye. See you tomorrow. Same time, same place, right?” he asked as he escorted her to the door.

“Of course. Please ensure you’re able to fully concentrate by then,” she said with a smirk. This was yet another new side of her that he had never seen before. Her recent demeanor made her usual distant attitude seem like nothing more than a fever dream. He was certain this was a new facet to their friendship. Such were the musings Asahi dwelled upon as he returned to the living room. His cellphone, left neglected on the counter, vibrated, breaking him out of his reverie. Someone must have sent him a message.

Probably from Hinami or Chiaki, he thought to himself as he checked the notification. His expression soured as he saw who had sent it. It was from Toko Kagami—his mother.

*

It was the night before finals. Fuyuka and Asahi had finished eating their dinner in a hurry so they could get to studying as soon as possible. Their sessions were always meticulously planned out, and tonight was no different. Their objective was to thoroughly pore over the exam material.

They both were aware it would do more harm than good if they tried to desperately cram new information, so they opted on quizzing each other instead. One would give the other a problem to solve and vice-versa—that way, they would make up for the gaps in each other’s knowledge. Things were proceeding smoothly until a sharp snapping sound disrupted their concentration.

“Are you kidding me right now?” Asahi grumbled. He heaved a sigh as he pressed the top of his mechanical pencil. It appeared to be broken, as there were no clicking sounds and no lead being fed through the pencil. Taking it apart and assembling it again yielded similar results.

“You use that one quite a bit, I’ve noticed,” Fuyuka noted.

“I do. Never expected it to give out on me the night before the exam, though. I’m pretty sure I have a spare, at least... I can always buy a new one later anyways,” he said as he grabbed a cheap-looking replacement from his pencil case.

“Is that a different type?” she asked.

“Yeah. The one I broke was on the heftier side. I figured it would last longer, but guess not.”

“I see.”

That mechanical pencil had been Asahi’s favorite—it was of high quality and boasted an elegant design which had certainly warranted its expensive price tag. It had also been quite durable, as Asahi had been using it since middle school. He was confident he hadn’t treated it poorly, so the only natural conclusion was that it had simply reached the end of its lifespan.

With that out of the way, Asahi shifted his attention to his studies. Fuyuka, however, still appeared to be troubled. “Is something the matter, Asahi? Are you tired?”

“What makes you say that?” he asked.

“You’re sighing more than you normally would...”

Asashi didn’t feel particularly drained. On the contrary, he felt excellent—both mentally and physically. He had never noticed until Fuyuka pointed it out, but it seemed that he sighed frequently on a daily basis.

“Shall we take a break?” she continued.

“Nah, it’s all good. I’m not tired at all. I guess it’s just become a habit of mine.”

“I think a break would do us good either way. There’s no need to work yourself to the bone,” she declared with determination, leaving no room for discussion. She proceeded to stand up and head toward the kitchen. When she finally returned, she held two cups in her hands.

“Would you care for a drink?” she asked.

“Yeah, I could use some coffee. Sorry to trouble you,” he apologized.

“It’s no trouble at all,” she assured him as she walked back into the kitchen. “Please make yourself comfortable.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but, like I said, I’m not actually tired or anything,” he insisted as he watched her brew the coffee. She appeared to know what she was doing, so Asahi decided to laze around on the sofa for a while. He continued to sigh heavily, although he did so on purpose. It wasn’t that he was fatigued—he was simply fed up with the heavy workload and formidable pile of questions they still needed to go through.

“Sorry for making you wait,” she said as she brought him a steaming-hot cup of coffee.

“Thanks a bunch,” Asahi said. He blew on it before taking a sip. The unique bitterness of coffee spread along his tongue, followed by a creeping tinge of sweetness. It was the same familiar taste he always enjoyed. “That hits the spot.”

“I’m glad you like it. You add a spoonful of sugar and just a small splash of milk to it usually, correct?” she noted.

“Yeah. I see somebody did their homework.”

“I’ve seen you prepare your coffee like that before, so I ended up learning how to make it myself...”

“Your memory is freakishly good. I wonder why it’s not the same—” he quickly cut himself off. He was about to say, with cooking. Judging by Fuyuka’s progressively sulking expression, this was a prudent choice on his end. “... I mean! You’re really good at making coffee,” he frantically added as he scrambled to change the conversation.

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem as though he was successful. Fuyuka eyed him suspiciously and said, “I feel like you were about to say something entirely different...”

“Me? Nah, you’re imagining things. Why would I—”

“I knew it. It was something rude, wasn’t it? I won’t get angry with you... Just be honest with me.”

“That’s what they all say before all hell breaks loose!” he exclaimed. Now I’m positive she’ll freak out if I tell her... I’ve gotta resist, no matter how relentless she is!

As if conveniently timed, his phone came to his rescue. The electric ringtone began to echo throughout the room.

“I believe that would be your phone,” Fuyuka pointed out.

“Looks like someone’s calling me. Could you excuse me for a sec?”

“Of course. Take your time,” she assured him. At the same time, though, she stared at him with the piercing gaze of a predator that had lost the chance to lunge at its prey.

Asahi feared for his well-being, so he left in a hurry and rushed for another room with the phone in his hand. He leaned against the door and checked the caller’s ID, and another sigh escaped him.

*

“That was rather quick... I’m assuming it was your mother?” Fuyuka asked.

“Guess I was too loud, huh? Yeah, it was.”

“You could have taken your time if you wanted...”

“Nah, it’s okay. It wasn’t really a big deal,” he assured her with a shrug. The call between Asahi and his mother hadn’t lasted long. When he’d returned to the living room, he was met with a somewhat-dejected Fuyuka. It seemed that she was particularly conflicted after she’d heard their discussion.

Now that I think about it... Fuyuka always looks sad whenever her family’s mentioned, he recalled. He suspected that she had issues with her family based on the way she talked about them and her solitary living situation, but they were nothing but mere assumptions.

Can’t say I’m not interested in her past, but I don’t exactly want to make her feel uncomfortable either, he thought. This was Asahi’s particular way of being considerate toward Fuyuka. He didn’t believe that it was necessary to press her when she would rather not talk about it. Although their friendship had brought them closer, they still had a considerable ways to go. One day, when she felt comfortable enough around him, he hoped that she would open up. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to leave her looking so depressed.

“I’m being serious!” he insisted. “She just called to tell me to reply to the message she sent yesterday.”

“A message?”

“Yeah, here. Take a look,” he said as he whipped his phone out and handed it to her. There wasn’t anything he’d feel embarrassed to show other people so he figured it was okay if Fuyuka saw it.

“I’ve secured a reservation for you for Christmas Eve. Why don’t you drop by the restaurant and bring a date?” it read. The text had been the main perpetrator behind Asahi’s bleak mood the day before.

“‘The restaurant’? Is it the same one you told me about before?” she said as she looked over the message with curiosity.

“That’s the one. It’s called ‘Soleil Levant,’ if you’ve ever heard of it.”

“Soleil... Levant...?” she asked in apparent surprise.

“Oh, so you’ve heard of it?”

“Heard of it? Wasn’t that the restaurant that recently acquired its third Michelin star?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Your parents must be extremely talented...”

It wasn’t the first time somebody had praised Asahi’s parents—he recalled Chiaki and Hinami echoing similar sentiments in the past. In all honesty, it had never truly felt real to him. Even though the person he was just on the phone with was renowned as a top-notch patissier, it was still his mother at the end of the day—not to mention a woman who was incredibly difficult to please.

“Now that you mention it... was this the reason why you began living on your own?” Fuyuka asked.

“Bingo. They’ve been super busy ever since they received that third star.”

“I’m sure it was quite an inconvenient time to receive one—particularly for you.”

“My dad was crying and smiling at the same time when we first heard the news.”

Asahi vividly recalled how overjoyed his father had been when they had first heard about it. Still, he had also felt heartbroken that he would be forced to live away from his son. Asahi would’ve preferred if his father had picked one or the other—elation or sadness—instead of the bizarre, contorted expression he’d worn, but it seemed that the many intricacies of being a father eluded Asahi for the time being.

“You must have a fantastic father,” she marveled with a small smile. Her eyes darted back to the phone before she added, “I’d suggest replying to that message as quickly as possible. You’ve already settled on an answer, haven’t you?

“You’re right. I’ll tell her I’m going to pass n—“

“You’re not going to accept?”

“You’ve been awfully excited for a while now. What’s going on?” he asked cautiously.

“W-Well, it’s not everyday that you receive an invitation to dine at a three Michelin star restaurant! I can’t believe you’re planning on turning it down...” she protested.

“I get what you’re saying, but it’s really awkward for me to show up at my parents’ restaurant. I don’t have anyone to invite either,” he explained. He, regrettably, didn’t have a girlfriend to spend Christmas Eve with. If last year—and the one before—were any indication, Chiaki and Hinami would spend it practically stuck to each other. Asahi always enjoyed the festivities with his family, a fact that his mother was all too aware of. Every year around this time, she would send the exact same message, word for word, to her ever-lonely son. And, every year, it never failed to dampen Asahi’s spirits.

Can’t exactly ask Fuyuka to go with me either... he thought to himself. The implications of going out at night on Christmas Eve were already there, and his mother’s demand to bring a “date” only added fuel to the fire. There was no doubt that Fuyuka would be conscious of such a fact. Asking her to accompany him could very well jeopardize the friendship they’d spent so much time building. That was why Asahi was dead-set on rejecting his mother’s incredibly unwelcome offer.

However, it seemed that Fuyuka was there to present him with a new choice he would have never considered. “Why don’t I accompany you?” she offered as her shoulders quivered.

“You? Go with me?” he asked in surprise.

“Of course. Who else but you?” she responded. Her reply was clear-cut, but it didn’t do much to dispel Asahi’s confusion. “Is that a ‘no’? I guess that’s to be expected, seeing as I don’t fall under the category of a ‘date’...”

“I think we should put that to the side for now,” he hastily said, still dumbfounded by Fuyuka's sudden proposal. When he stared into her upturned eyes, however, he made up his mind once and for all. “You know what? Let’s do this thing. If you’re still up for it, that is.”

“O-Of course! With pleasure!” she exclaimed, her eyes aglow with joy.

Seeing her so enlivened made Asahi feel all warm and fuzzy inside. His contentment soon turned to embarrassment when he recalled the contents of his mother’s message, however. It appeared as though Fuyuka shared the same sentiment, as she quickly reverted to her typical composed demeanor and hung her head in complete silence.

Crap, it’s gotten awkward now... I gotta think of something else to say, he panicked. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind, and he continued, “Oh yeah. Are you even free on the 24th? Rumor is you’re pretty popular among the guys. Didn’t a bunch of them ask you out already?”

“They did, but I’ve politely rejected every single one,” she answered.

“I see. Guess I should’ve seen that one coming,” he said as he mentally offered a quick prayer for the fallen soldiers.

He concluded that his unsuccessful peers had approached her in order to get on good terms with her before the extended holiday started. Time was of the essence for them—they had little time to secure dates before finals and holidays, so they would often go all-out right prior to exams. This year’s prime target was apparently the elusive and untouchable “Ice Queen.”

Her popularity had clearly increased even more, if such a thing was possible, after her stellar performance during the sports festival. That, in addition to rumors about her icy nature thawing, served as the confidence booster some guys were seeking. Even those who would have never dreamed of asking her out beforehand had approached her. He’d heard about it from Chiaki—an irritating smirk plastered on his face—on multiple occasions.

While it was true that the harsh, frigid aura that surrounded her had lightened somewhat, she was still locking her heart away from others. In Asahi’s eyes, it was hard to believe that the very same Fuyuka was so willing to spend Christmas Eve with him. It seemed that there would be throngs of heartbroken boys for the foreseeable future.

“I’m quite excited for Christmas Eve,” she said with an innocent smile, her cheeks tinged with a faint trace of red. Asahi knew that they were only going out as friends, and nothing more. Still, his heart couldn’t help but pound with anticipation at the prospect of spending the holiday with Fuyuka.

“We gotta focus on passing the exams first,” he said in an attempt to waive off the ticklish feeling of embarrassment. I’ll drink some coffee to calm myself down, he mused as he downed his cup in a single gulp. Somehow, the mere thought that Fuyuka was the one who had prepared it for him in particular made the coffee taste just that little bit sweeter than usual.