*UNEDITED*
The entire journey there, Hino learned more things about the girl. After leaving the shop, Hino gradually felt more comfortable asking her more questions. From talking to her, she does not seem like such a bad person. So Hino does not understand where all those crazy rumors came from. A lot of people have referred to her as a cold goddess but he could not see it. She seems to be the cheerful type.
"Yuhi, I'm ho-" Sumire sentence fell short.
Yuhi pulled the girl into his arms. "Welcome back."
Hino could not miss the tender expression on Yuhis face as he casually wrapped his arms around her waist. Yuhi bent down and kissed the girl's lips. "Welcome back kiss."
Sumire laughed. "Mmm. Don't be silly, we have a guest."
At that comment Hino watched as Yuhi looked over at him. "President."
He raised the bag. "I ran into her."
"Ah! I will get the rest of the food ready." Sumire said as she took the bag. "Please make yourself comfortable." With those words said she swiftly disappeared down the hall.
Yuhi looked at him with a complicated look on his face. "So?"
"I guess she helped me out."
It was not a lie but for some reason Hino could not bring himself to tell the full story. Thankfully Yuhi did not say anymore and invited him inside.
........
Hino did not mean to wander into the kitchen, but he naturally found himself there.
At first he pretended that he was getting a drink. But it seems like the girl saw right through him and asked him to help.
"Then Hino-san, could you cut up the vegetables for me?"
He nodded and turned to the chopping board. Hino rolled his sleeves up and picked up the knife. He cut the vegetables swiftly while making some small talk with the girl.
"What are you making?"
"Yuhi prepared nearly everything, but I wanted to make a few side dishes."
It does not seem like she is pretending, she actually knows how to cook. At first Hino thought she was pretending. Loads of girls have played a similar trick with Yuhi before to get into his home only to end up sleeping with him.
That was why he thought Ibuki Sumire would be the same. Based on what he learned about her along the way, Hino felt that she was different but he still could not be too sure.
It is easy for girls to act and pretend, unlike men they do this without batting an eyelid. It is easier for them to lie.
"Ibuki, did you come to Tokyo for Yuhi?"
Sumire paused and she slowly nodded her head. "I suppose it was something like that. But at the same time it wasnt. I wanted a place where I could escape, where I could run away. A place where I could forget everything." She trailed off. "Did you investigate me?"
"A little."
"Since you did, I guess I could say this. I associated everything in that town with Tsueno Mamoru, the air, the sky, the grass, and the buildings. The only way for me to get better was to go somewhere else, a place far from there. It did not have to be Tokyo. It would have been better for me to go abroad. But, abroad there is no Yuhi." She laughed. "Actually, I found it. A small note from him when he sent me that book. A small piece of paper that said come to me. He did not say he would help me, but just those words made me happy."
Hino recalled a conversation he had with Yuhi not too long back. Hino noticed that Yuhi kept sending random copies of his favourite books in the mail. So, it seems like he sent those to her.
"It did not have to be Tokyo. But Yuhi gave me hope. If it is this person then maybe things would be okay again."
"I see."
"Hino-san, you're very protective over Yuhi right? You see him as family."
This girl, it seems like she did a bit of digging around too. Interesting, she isnt a simple girl after all. "Yeah, I owe him a lot."
"Then I guess that makes us similar." Sumire trailed off. "If it werent for that person, then I would have left this world a long time ago."
Hino did not reply right away, since the word suicidal appeared in his head. With the way things are now, Ibuki would not do that. But he should watch out just in case. Yuhi is indeed the best person to handle her, but Yuhi has his own emotional burdens. If it becomes too much for him, then he ought to step up and lighten the load.
So Ibuki Sumire did come here to Tokyo for Yuhi. Hino figured as much after he finished investigating her. But it seems like she does not have any bad intentions like he thought originally. Maybe if it is this girl then she could change Yuhi.
His thoughts broke off when he saw the girl looking at him. Hino wondered if Sumire knew how close she suddenly got. "I thought this before but Hino-san, you dont look like you're older than me. You look my age."
Should he take that as a compliment or not? Hino sighed. "Well I don't dress as maturely as Sano. I find suits and things stifling."
"Hmmm, but I wonder what it is, something that makes you look younger.."
Why is this girl so curious about this? He does not understand her at all. "Your very handsome, I think I understand why those girls in the company have hearts in their eyes whenever they see you."
Uhh, what on earth? Hino looked at the girl dumbfounded. What is with her so suddenly? Or rather why did she pay attention to something like that. He investigated her, so he knew that the girl did not have a good personality. A playful personality is it? Hino was not good with people like this, he did not know how to deal with someone who is serious one second and teasing the next.
"Your red."
Damn.
How on earth does Yuhi deal with her?
Sumire backed away and laughed. "I didn't think you would get embarrassed. I see, so your that type of person."
What on earth did she get from that? What type of person? He let his guard down there. Hino did not think she would do something like that. So this is the famous hard to handle personality. She can easily trap men like this though.