Chapter 9: Shopping with the Rich

"Hey Love, I'm outside." My aunt told me through the phone.

"Alright," I said, hanging up the phone, grabbing my mini backpack and heading for the door.

I slipped my shoes on and went outside to see an unexpected sight. Though I suppose I should have expected it. Two of the nosiest people in my life. Of course they would find a way to meet.

My aunt Bri sat on the hood of a Black SUV, with Akaashi and Bokuto leaning against it. Akaashi just as chill as always, but Bokuto grinning ear to ear.

Aunt Bri saw me first, waving, "Zara hey."

I shook my head as I approached, "I see you met Akaashi and Bokuto."

"Oh yeah," She nodded, "The setter who can adjust to anything and spiker with crazy power and accuracy."

Both boys smiled proudly as she said it. Flattering them with the knowledge she's learned from me. Even years later, a host is still a host.

Bokuto's wide grin suddenly shifted to his pouting face as he asked, "Can I go shopping with you and your aunt?"

I looked to Akaashi. The two of them we're supposed to be hanging out today. But he just said as cool as always, "He'll stay like this all day if you say no. Before your aunt got here he was pouting that he wanted to go shopping with a rich kid. I thought he was delusional but..."

Both I and my aunt huffed. But she said before me, "Zara's not rich. At least not technically. Me, I'm rich, my children are rich. My niece here, is just selectively spoiled."

Bokuto still pouted, and Akaashi said, "Please just say yes."

I looked to Aunt Bri. She shrugged, "They can come. I don't care."

I let out a huff, yanking open the passenger door, "Fine, get in."

Everyone hopped in. Bokuto and Aunt Bri, a little more cheerful than needed. Aunt Bri drove. Driving her own car always made her feel more normal. Especially when it came to family trips.

"Where's Rosalind? And the twins?" I asked about my cousins. Rosalind, who's the same age as me was sure to come if she knew there was going to be a shopping trip. I was kinda banking on that, because I have no idea what I want to put in my room.

"They're all in the states, visiting family before the break is up. Your cousin Kaoru called last night actually, he's at your place spending some time with your brother, likely getting into trouble."

I let out a chuckle, "Sounds about right." The youngest always thinks they can get away with anything.

"No way, you have a little brother?" Bokuto asked, still so excited for some reason.

"Um, yeah. And a big sister too. Already in college in the states."

"You going back to America for college?" Askaashi asked.

With a shrug I said, "Haven't really thought about it yet."

Aunt Bri can send me anywhere in the world for college, I have my pick of the litter. But so many options makes the choice even harder. Not that Aunt Bri pushing me about it. At least not yet.

"Well," She said, "The only thing she needs to be thinking about right now is what she needs for her room and for school. So, what are we looking for?"

I shrugged again, "Um... stuff?"

"Stuff like?"

"Ooo, a desk and a place to sit," Bokuto said, "When I was in there, there was nowhere to sit, but the bed and the floor. Oh, and a rug too. A soft one to stretch out on."

"Great idea Bokuto," She said kindly, but that sharp side eye she gave me wasn't nearly as kind. I keep her updated on what's been going on, she knows Bokuto exists, and sorta mentors me. She did not know that he was in my room. Twice. Kinda left that detail out. But her eyes quickly turned kind again as they flicked to the mirror, "Maybe we should get another seat too, in case you two want to work on homework together. Zara told me you're in the same class."

"Yeah," Bokuto nodded excitedly.

"I thought I was supposed to be designing my room?" I threw out. Not that I would mind Aunt Bri doing the whole thing.

"Well you're not giving me much to go off here, Mi amor."

"Mi amor?" Akaashi said questionably.

"Spanish for My Love."

"I've always called her Love, since the first time we met. It was something about those wide brown eyes, so warm, yet so dark, like they were sucking in everything she saw. Those eyes just seemed to accept everything they took in, at when I first saw her, all though eyes had taken in was love. So full of it, just a pool of it built in her eyes. From then on she was my Love, in any language I chose to use."

Aunt Bri is full of emberriousing stories just like any other aunt. But that one is not one of them. At least not to me. I love to hear her tell me about that moment, that I will never remember. A moment so pure and full of love. It was all I knew then. Then it radiated off of me. But now, I guess my dark eyes have taken in so much of the world, the love doesn't ring as strong as it once did. Not that I can see anyways.

"I know what you mean," said Bokuto softly, "Her eyes do take in everything. At first, when she comes from practicing with her team, she seems so gloomy. She smiles, but you can see it in her eyes, the negativity. But by the time she's done practicing with us, they shine like a kid on Christmas."

They do? How would he know? How often has he looked? Am I really that easy to read? Or is it just him.

I felt the warm touch of my aunt's hand on mine. She smiled to me, assuringly, nodding and saying softly back to Bokuto, "Yeah." She understood every word. And suddenly. She's not the only person in the world that knows me so deeply. Someone else has cracked the code. Another human being on our island of understanding. I was so sure no one could come here, I never even saw a boat arrive.

I had always clung to my Aunt Bri. No one seemed to get me like her. People were more easy to avoid than to try and tolerate. And I was always, weird. The music I chose, the shows I watched, the way I wore my hair. Even volleyball. Everyone thinking I wanted to just show out in booty shorts, asking why I didn't do basketball instead. I'm tall, I can jump high, and I'm Black. I'm supposed to like basketball, but no. I never liked the things I was supposed to like. I've been anyone's stereotype. And because of that I was different. No one understood. And no one tried to understand. Except Aunty Bri. She tried, and even things she didn't understand, she just accepted it. Accepted me. No questions asked. That's why I wanted to come live with her the second I could. I could be myself here. There were no lingering expectations. I can like BTS and K-pop. I can watch Anime and read manga. I don't have to know how to twerk and I can wear my hair in afro puffs without being asked to straighten it. Though here, there are more people asking to touch my hair than at home. And I can like volleyball.

All of these things made me an outcast in my own community at home. Now the only thing that makes me an outcast here, is the color of my skin. And it's surprising that, that's a lesser pain.

I felt my aunt's hand leave mine as she parked the SUV, saying, "Alright, let's start with the big stuff."

I looked out the window and saw that we had pulled into a furniture shop. She was out of the car and heading for the door before any of us could even get our seatbelts off. A woman on a mission as always.

I shook my head saying, "Come on to the rest," hurrying after her.

She stood right in front of the door on the inside, looking around sharply, mapping out her route as she muttered to herself, "Okay, so we need a desk, a rug, some seating. A bookcase," She said pointing a finger back to me, "Yes a bookcase for your manga collection. It's still back at the house, we'll have to grab that. What else? A TV? Do you need a TV? You said Mr. Ito practically lives in front of the TV. And you know you love to watch movies." She turned to Bokuto and Akaashi saying, "We used to have movie night about once a week back at the house. Zara always picks the best movies, such plot twists. Uh, love it."

"Aunt Bri, you're doing it again."

She stopped, bringing her palm to her forehead. She took a deep breath before admitting, "Always talking a mile a minute. Sorry gentleman, it's the business woman in me. Though get Zara here going and she does it too."

"Not that much," I smile, crossing my arms as I looked around like she did.

"Oh yeah. Let those girls get you going just one time, you'll go from skyscraper to motor mouth. Shocked you haven't gotten Big Mac yet. Perhaps these kids are getting more original."

"Why is it you seem so okay with this bullying," Akaashi asked in a serious tone.

Both me and my aunt sort of laughed. Knowing her story oh too well. "Those Ouran brats dressed up as the KKK and threatened to kill me back when I was in high school."

Bokuto gasped loudly, but we still chuckled as I said, "She's actually the reason you learn about the KKK in Tokyo now."

"It was scary as hell, I'll give them that. But I was never alone, so to me, I felt untouchable." She smiled at the memory, but her eyes turned cold for just a flick of a moment, before they warmed again saying, "And my Love has Bokuto right next door. And I get the feeling you won't like anything happen to her. Right?"

"You have my word," I looked over to Bokuto, smiling. As confident as always.

"Great, remind me to get your phone number before we part today."

"Aunty!" I muttered.

She began talking fast again, "What? What if I can't get ahold of you and you're not home. 9 times out of 10, you'll be with Bokuto. You're on the same practice schedule, in the same class, you walk to and from school together, and he lives 3 meters away. Plus Mrs. Ito is long winded, slow talking, and doesn't know how to text so. Bokuto it is, or if you're more comfortable with me taking his mom's number, then I'll do that."

"Fine, his mom's number." I said. She does have a point. No arguing with that.

"Good, Bokuto, give me your mother's phone number before we part. Now, let's go take a look at some rugs."

We walked over to the run section, for me to stare at a bunch of rugs with Aunt Bri whispering to me, "Which one speaks to you."

I look at the array of different colored, and texted rugs asking, "What does that even mean."

"It's your space love. I want you to be happy in it. So pick something that makes you-" She paused taking my hand saying, "Actually, let me narrow this down for you." She drug me down the aisle until we got to a section that brightened my everything. She smiled deeply saying, "The color yellow always made you smile. You've always adored it. Like the sunlight itself."

I looked at all the yellows, looking them up and down. Trying to decide, when I heard Bokuto say cheerfully, "Hey this one is soft." I looked over to him rubbing a plush rug, it's golden color drew me in. So familiar, so warm. Like the sun itself. I could never stay out of the sun as a kid. Part of the reason I'm so dark now. But there was something else to this color that drew me in. I walked over placing a hand on it. It was thick and soft. Already, I could feel myself spreading out on this rug after a long day of practice, letting myself sink into the thick plush. I was Bokuto and I sitting down here, working on some school project together. It was warm and welcoming, just like him.

"I like this one." I called out.

Aunt Bri came to my side, petting the rug as well. She looked it up and down saying, "Nice size, soft, thick." She looked up at Bokuto, "Bokuto, sorta matches your eyes doesn't it."

His smile rose and his eyes shined, "Oh yeah!"

Dang it. That was the familiar thing that drew me in. And Aunt Bri knew it. She smiled smugly at me before whistling. Seconds later a man came running around the corner, stopping a few feet away from us. He bowed low saying, "Yes Ma'am?"

"Have someone prepare this rug for the truck please, and be prepared for more. The vision is starting to come together."

"Yes Ma'am," he said, before running off to get a store employee to help him.

Aunt Bri turned, heading down a new aisle saying, "Come along Akaashi, Bokuto."

Somehow without even looking, she noticed that the two boys were frozen, looking back at the man who left just as quickly as he came.

"Was he following us this whole time?" Akaashi asked.

"Yes, he works for me. Him and a few others are around to wait in lines, load things up and deliver them to the Ito home. All the other stuff about shopping is such a waste of time. I just go in, point to what I want and my men will handle the rest."

"So this is shopping with rich people," Bokuto said, sounding astonished as he sped to catch up with us.

"This is the start of it Bokuto," Aunt Bri smiled, "I hope you enjoy the experience."

We left that shop with Aunt Bri's vision in mind. Warm toned wood, meaning that my bed frame and dresser must be replaced as well to match the new desk/bookcase and nightstand. And of course a new mattress because a big girl like me should have a full size bed, not a twin. A couple of golden curtain rods for the two windows in my room. A flat screen TV with a mount. A desk chair, and two white bean bag chairs. She almost got three but Akaashi assured her that he won't be over that often. Bokuto on the other hand, was excited to have a personal seat in my room. At least, I won't wake up with him laying in my bed anymore.

Outside, she took out a piece of paper sketching a rectangle. A model of my room. One of the men following us around the store stood over her shoulder as she sketched on the hood of the SUV saying quickly as she sketched, "You're going to place the bed here, daybed style. Rug slightly tucked underneath, make sure it's centered in the room, it should take up most of the floor space. Mount the TV to this wall opposite the bed, near the door. Desser beneath the TV. The desk will be over there. And bedside table, duh, by the bedside. Please hang the curtain rods, and I believe Zara and her friends can handle the rest from there. Once you are complete, you are free to go home." She reached into her purse pulling out some money handing it over to the man along with the model she just sketched out, "Make sure you and your crew enjoy a nice lunch. Have a nice day."

He nodded and she turned to get into the SUV calling to us, "Hurry along now. Let's go."

Akaashi and Bokuto both rushed into the car. I chuckled, taking my time to get in. Knowing my aunt I said to them, "She can be a little intense sometimes."

They just stared at the back of her head as she threw the car in gear saying, "Yeah yeah, now let's get you a new blanket and some decor. Then anything else you need. Anything you can think of now?"

I snapped my finger remembering, "Yeah. Some new headphones please. The kind that goes over the head. My earbuds keep falling out my ears when I'm running."

"Got it."

We went to a few other locations getting needs and wants, though Aunt Bri sees every want as a need. As we were walking down the street back to the car, she stopped at a vender selling bikes. "Ooo, Zara, do you want a bike."

"I don't need a bike." I said, trying not to add up how much money she's spent on me today already.

"I didn't ask that," She said as she looked over a few cruisers, "I asked if you wanted a bike. You know, then you can ride to school or to go hangout with friends or whatever."

"I walk to school with Bokuto."

She smiled, smiled as if she knew she had cracked it. She looked up from the bikes, not at me, but at Bokuto, "Hey Bokuto, do you have a bike?"

"No," he admitted looking at them in awe.

"A bike would be handy uh, on days when you're late for school and stuff."

"Oh yeah, would differently beat running to school in a full uniform." He chuckled as if he had done that a few times.

Aunt Bri smiled more saying, "How about I get you a bike Bokuto. You can pick anyone you want."

"Really?" Bokuto smiled.

"Oh yeah," she nodded, "And you know. I could get Zara one, and you guys can ride to school together sometimes."

"Yeah," Bokuto nodded excitedly, "There were actually a few places I wanted to show Baby Bird, but it's a little far to walk. But-"

He was cut off by Aunty Bri gasping, "Oh how great! Perfect, why don't you pick one out for Baby Bird here as well, Akaashi would-"

"I don't want a bike," He said bluntly.

Aunty Bri smiled saying, "Alright then, we'll go look at some pins across the street."

She whistles again, sending one of her men to Bokuto's side so he could pay for the bikes and wheel them away to some truck he has parked somewhere. She took my hand pulling me across the street with her to a stand full of colorful pins and knick-knacks. "To decorate your school bag," She said, "Since you guys are all supposed to have the same bag or whatever. Go ahead. Pick a couple."

"Must you always win?"

"No," she said, still smiling, "But, I think I made your friend happy. Should be a win for the both of us right?"

"Could you just not be a host," I suggested, "For like a day or so."

"Sorry love. Your uncle Suoh is contagious." She looked to me smiling, "Speaking of your uncle Suoh, your friend Bokuto and his mood swings."

My eyes widened at the realization, "No." I said, trying to hide a smile.

"But doesn't he?"

"Aunty Bri."

"I mean, you even told me about his emo fits. If he starts shredding paper for a hamster home then."

"Aunt Bri, stop it." I laughed. I didn't even think about it until now. Now I won't be able to get it out of my head. Bokuto and his Tamaki moments. Dang it Aunty Bri. Stop trying to make this a crossover.

"His friend's a little like Koyoya too."

I plucked a couple of pins and handed them to vindor, deciding to ignore that comment. "How is Unch Suoh?"

"As happy as ever. A little pouty because you left his school, but he'll get over it. You weren't happy there. And happiness is one thing Tamika wishes for everyone. No matter where it takes them." She looked over her shoulder back to Bokuto and Akaashi, and I did the same. Watching Bokuto pounder over the bikes, asking Akaashi questions that he didn't seem to care about.

I smiled at the foolery of him.

"I think you can be happy here. With him around it's a little hard not to be," She chuckled as well, "I like him. And you do too."

"Aunt Bri, don't." I gruned, "I came to this school to play volleyball. Not for boys."

"And I sent you to this school to have fun. Don't get caught up in the details. You have one more year of high school Mi Amor. What stories do you want to tell to your lovely niece someday? Just moving to Japan to move from one school of boredom to the next school of boredom."

"Sounds interesting enough." I muttered, as we walked back to the boys.

She shook her head saying, "You've had more fun here in two weeks than you have in two years at Ouran. Do you think that would be true without him?"

She didn't give me time to answer. We both knew the answer anyway. The one I didn't want to give.

She just went on saying, "Come along boys, let's get you fed so you can help Zara get her room situated."