Chapter 71: Get the party started

"I see you weren't going for the same approach as the dance," I laugh, as Ros zipped me into the soft yellow dress she made.

"Well, it probably wouldn't be a good look if your boyfriend was gocking at you like he did, in front of your Mom and our grandparents."

"Probably not," I laugh.

The dress is simple, but lovely. One shoulder with a full skirt dropping just above my knees, easy to move in. My golden owl still sits around my neck, with gold bangles and gold hoop earrings added.

Simple, but clearly. I'm the birthday girl.

"What time is everyone coming?"

"You got about 40 minutes or so," Ros shrugs, "Now out of my room so I can get dressed."

She shoos me away and I go. I head down the hall towards my room, but stop outside of KJ's open door. I lean in his doorway as he stands in the center of his floor, headphones on, head bobbing, eyes on phone. He's locked in, carefully he created the playlist for this evening, I'm sure.

I step into his room and grab a pen off his desk, and chucked it at him. The pen clopping him on the shoulder, causing his to look up and smile while taking his headphones down.

"There are nicer ways to get my attention you know?"

"I know," I shrug, sitting on top of his desk.

He slide his phone into his pocket and walked over to his bed. As he sat down he asked, "So, is Aimi coming tonight?"

"I invited her. If she shows or not, that's on her… you okay with that?"

He bent down tying his shoes, "If she shows, I'll be civil." He stood up and walked over towards me, "For you cousin," he walked towards his door saying, "Now get out of my room. Gotta finish setting up downstairs." Before I even get the chance to ask, he says, "The last time I saw your boyfriend he was heading towards the old people wing with my Dad and Grandpa."

"What were they talking about?"

"Might be able yo find out if you're quiet enough, Grandpa and Birdy boy are both pretty loud. Now come on."

I hop down off of his desk and walk with KJ, until he turns down the stairs and I keep going. The only time I'm in this part of the house is when I'm going into Aunty's studio. But I pass the studio and go down towards her's and Uncle Kaoru's bedroom, where the door was open and male laughter poured out.

I hear Bokuto's voice, light as he laughs in English, "Trust me, it was a few guys I wanted to punch in the face, like the captain. Ugh, the second we got off the plane he was all, this you? Talking about if we were actually together. Like he stood a chance or something."  They all laugh for a bit, before Bokuto went on, "He actually turned out to be pretty cool, but… I don't know. I wonder sometimes, why me? You know, I am she could of had some rich Ouran kid or… or?"

"A black guy," I heard my grandfather laugh.

"I was going to say, an American," Bokuto laughs. I stay close to the door, not daring to peek in. Just listen.

Grandpa's low voice says to him, "Listen son, I don't know what she like you so much. But I like you, and that's more important."

"He's not wrong," Uncle Kaoru huffed.

Grandpa went on with a chuckle, "Look, I just gotta know my girls will be taken care of. If their partners fail to prote t them, then it's still on me. And I'm getting old. You, your strong, you're a protector. A smart one too. Got enough since that not every problem has to be solved with your fist, but if it ever came down to it. I doubt you'd hesitate to show them what they asking for.

My grandbaby safe with you. And that's good enough for me."

"Sir, I promise, I won't let anyone hurt her."

"I know you won't." 

Silence fell over the group, and I wonder if I should break it. But Bokuto's came in, low, questioning. "So, was Zara's Dad strong enough to protect your girls, or…? … I mean, he just never seems to come up. Like, today is Z's birthday and I'm not even sure if he called her."

Grandpa spoke, "If he was man enough to do it, he sure didn't show it. The boy had my daughter taking care of him like he was one of her kids. And just like a kid, he forgot about his old toys, the second he got some shiny new toys."

"But Mira and Zara are so great, and they're his daughters. No offense Mr. Hintachiin, but we had some many talks where I felt like I should be talking to her dad. Not her uncle… but…To be honest, we've had a few talks where I felt like I should have been talking to my dad and not some man I just met this year."

"Hey, no offense is taken," Uncle Kaoru said gently, "I am here to be whoever for anyone that needs it. At least anyone important."

"What's the deal with your father?"

When Bokuto doesn't answer Grandpa in a timely manner, Uncle Kaoru answers for him, "Abusive drunk from what I gathered, the slightest bit racist too… What? I can't lie to my father in law."

"What he think of my grandbaby?"

I heard Bokuto sigh, "That girl's like her are just play things. Nothing to take seriously. But the man's a dumb drunk, he doesn't know anything about l-" he stops, with the l sound slipping his tongue, before he switches to, "Healthy relationships."

I hear both my grandfather and uncle Kaoru chuckle, as my heart dropped. He really does care. Enough to be this open with my uncle and my grandpa. Enough to care what they think of him.

I shouldn't intrude. I shouldn't have been here, but when I turn to go back. I jump at the sight of Aunty Bri, and throw a hand over my mouth to hold in the gasp.

She giggled a little and patted me on the head. Right. I'm still in the minor leagues here. Uncle Kaoru will tell her everything. And Grandpa will tell Grandma everything. She doesn't have to snoop.

She walks past me and leans into the door frame, "Evening gentlemen."

They all greet her back in their own way. Mrs. H, daughter, wife. "Kaoru, your parents are in. They just arrived."

He laughed, "Why are telling me, you're their favorite?"

"Now now, come on. Oh and Dad, Mama's been looking for you, she's in the kitchen. And Bokuto, I think Zara's been looking for you, I saw her by the stairs."

Oh, that's my que, I'm supposed to be by the stairs. I turn and hurry towards them, dipping around the corner before I can be seen.

I rush to the stairs and leaned over the railing, acting as though I wasn't just running. One day, I'll tell him of the eavesdropping and we'll laugh.

One day.

It's strange to think about how manys days I'll have with Bokuto. But, it's stranger to think of any day without him in my life.

The lot of them start walking my way, and I smile when I see them. When I see him. No need to pretend that im smiling to add false innocence to my spying. This is truly a sight to see. Bokuto smiling and laughing with my family, as they walk towards me.

He finally looks forward and sees me, grinning, "Hey Baby Bird," and jogging a few steps to get to me sooner than the rest, "You look beautiful Z."

"Thanks," I smile up to him, actually looking at him now. His hair is actually down, black and white strands falling all around his golden eyes.

He leaned across the stair rail beside me, in blue dress pants and I white button up. Nothing too formal. No tie, the top few buttons undone, showing a golden link chain around his neck, that I know is not his. Must have borrowed it from KJ, to go along with his golden owl cufflinks.

He looked, good, but I felt strange saying that in front of my grandpa, so I just asked, "Where were you?"

"Talking with the elders," He chuckled as the rest approached.

Uncle Kaoru laughed, "Hey, who you calling elder?"

Grandpa, the actual elder just laughed as they started down the stairs with aunt Bri.

Bokuto went on, "They wanted to know more about our time at the university."

"About which part of our time there?"

He nods a little saying, "Probably the part you're wondering about. They mostly wanted to know how I handled things. Because according to your grandfather, you are not allowed to date a punk. But he respects how things were dealt with."

"You seem to be getting along with the men in my family," I chuckle.

He gives a shrug, "Well we have a few things in common."

"And what's that?" I ask, looking down as servants move about the house putting together a few last things.

"Well, they love you and they want to make sure you're safe," he says.

And I look to him, a smug smile on my face, "And what about you?"

He laughs a little, looking away, "Well I… really care about you and I want to make sure you're safe." He says carefully, with a smile. He dances around the word, wondering if he should use it. If he can use it. He dances closer to the word than I do.

He's so much more open than me. And he feels that. That's why he questions, why him. Because, I haven't told him.

I should. I wonder why I haven't, he's always been so easy to talk to. Still, it's easy to say, "Have I ever told you why I like you?"

"Because… I have a killer spike and I look good with my shirt off?" He guessed jokingly.

"Well no," I laughed, "At first, it was your confidence. Like, to you anything could he accomplished. I never met somebody so sure of things. Like, you barely even knew me and was convinced that I'd be great."

"And now look at you," he smiled twisting around so his back leaned to rail.

"Yeah and this wouldn't have happened without you. You are so freaking contagious."

"Contagious?" He questioned.

"Yes! It's like everything you feel leaks out of you and latches onto me. I was never that confident about my playing. Now I'm being called cocky on the daily. Which, isn't a bad thing to me. Without it, I'd still be limiting my swings and jumping lower.

Then, you were so easy to talk to. It was annoying at first."

"Annoying?" He laughed.

"Yep, cause I would get around you and just word vomit. I was so sure you'd think I Was some weirdo and would never talk to me again."

He laughed more saying, "If anyone was a weirdo, it was me. I mean I took you on a first date with an owl and a bag of bugs."

"Yeah, because somehow you trusted me." I shrugged a little smiling, "And then I saw you with your shirt off and that helped."

He smiled nodding, "I knew that sealed the deal."

"I don't think so," I shake my head laughing, "No, I'm pretty sure it was the night of the sleepover that sealed the deal. You actually showed me that you'd be there whenever I needed you, and you meant that. Then you found me and I was this disgusting mess and still, you wanted me. It just felt like, you'd never let anything happen to me and I liked that…It felt different, like… I've always had someone to get revenge for me, but not anyone whose main goal was to stop the problem from even happening. You get what I'm saying?"

"Obviously, I mean. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you if I can stand it. Especially now that I know you have an army of people coming for me if I do," he laughed, "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Well, I don't think I have told you before. Just wanted you to know why I chose you."

"You were listening weren't you?" Bokuto laughed.

"Maybe a little," He laughed more and I went on smiling, "I was just going to go get you. Then I heard you all laughing and I didn't want to interrupt your guy talk with them and-"

"Baby Bird, it's fine," He laughed, "And thank you. You're the best thing that's happened to me in a while."

"Until nationals happen," I chuckle., just as the doorbell rings.

He stands up straight now, as servants rush to open the door. "Ah, I think you might take the cake over nationals too."

Hr holds and hand out to me, as I stand, stunned. I wasn't sure of anything would come over nationals for him. Let alone me.

When I don't move, he smiles deeper, leaning closer to take my hand in his, "Come on, Baby Bird."

He let him guide me towards the stairs and step down beside him. As the door opens, I lean closer to Bokuto and give him a quick kiss on the cheek before the team starts to walk in.

The boys walking in, eyes all over with all of their mouths dropped to the floor. Well all but Akasshi, him and Aimi who's eyes stay to the floor.

Before they notice us, Bokuto steals a kiss on the lips and whispers, "We'll talk later."

Something tells me he doesn't mean, talk, later. Which makes me wish this party was over already, but it's just getting started.

"Hey guy," Bokuto smiled and waved as we started down the stairs, "You guys gotta try Z's grandma's cooking. It's the best."