71 Kumo's Love Advice

(Kumo's POV)

It's Saturday. I didn't have school today. Usually, on this day, I spend my time with my father to cooks or watching movies at the cinema. But, right now my father's on his business trip with Mr.Han for two days.

My grandpa told me that I should sleep over in the estate with Sister Hikari.

Of course, I couldn't say no! Besides, I can play with Sister Hikari and the mistress. I could also play with the new member of the house! Yes, Chibi Ringo!

I didn't know his real name yet. But, I'll know sooner or later.

It seems they were in mistress parent's house. So I didn't see them today.

When I arrived at the estate, it wasn't Sister Hikari who usually greets me. But the freak! Brother Hikaru!

"Oy, Chibi," he called.

"Who's Chibi?!" I shouted at him annoyingly.

"You. What do you want?"

I looked at Brother Hikaru, no, this freak, with a frown face. "You mean, what do 'you' want?"

"No, seriously I'm asking you, what do you want? I have my wages today. Let me treat you somewhere."

Eh? Why he's acting nice suddenly?

He must have something he wants from me.

But if it's a free meal, I'm in!

Before we went to the city, I ask permission first to my grandpa and Brother Akira. They let me and Brother Akira suggested that Brother Hikaru use the car.

What? He can drive?

"You have a driving license? How old are you?" I asked.

"Older than you of course."

"I'm serious." I pouted at his statement.

"((10 X 3)-20)+5=?? That's my age."

"5?"

"..." This dumb girl.

"So how can you have a driving license? Wasn't it supposed to be 18 years old for a person to legal driving?"

"If you have little money, anything could happen."

"..."

He took me to a ramen shop downtown the city which is quite famous among tourist and local. There was a lot of people lining in front of the shop. Because the shop was not a reservation type of shop, so we line up with other customers.

Hmm...It's quite awkward for both of us.

I was bored because we didn't say anything to each other. I looked at my purple dress and it was slightly drenched by the sweat. We've been standing below the sun. It was 12:01 PM apparently.

Today he wore his gray shirt and brown short pants and brown hat. His hair was brushed to his side. I was a little annoyed by his not attentiveness.

Can you see a little girl beside you were suffering from the heat? He was playing on his phone without looking, ignoring me.

I have my smartphone too, but now I'm not in the mood to play it. So I was distracting myself and random chatting with the old lady in front of me. Suddenly there was a hat land in my head.

Hm?

What? He cares right now? It's too late, I don't want to say 'thank you' to you!

Brother Hikaru looked at me amusingly. What's so amusing?

After thirty minutes of waiting, we were greeted by the ramen's aroma.

"いらしゃいませ! (Irasshaimase-Welcome)!" Someone greets us and gave us a menu. We took a seat in some nearby stools which were empty. The smells of freshly manmade ramen really enticing my hunger.

I order one big bowl ramen with chicken mushroom. When the ramen bowl came to my sight, my eyes began to sparkle. I looked at the golden color broth and the crispy chicken. Yes!

Slurp! Huaaa! Tasty!

Brother Hikaru looked at me with teasing, "You ate the ramen. Now you must listen to what I'm saying."

I drop my noodles and turned my head to him. "What?"

"I heard you are a good listener. Hikari and Big Sis seem to trust you so much. Even though you're only 10 years old."

"What?"

"We'll talk later. Finish your ramen first."

He focuses on eating his ramen while I stared at him disbelief.

"What?"

...

...

He took me to Kema Sakuranomiya Park. Why we were here? I'm also asking that question.

We strode along the river and there was a lot of Sakura's tree in the view. Ah, I remember that these two weeks a lot of people come to a picnic because of a flower-viewing. It's always popular every year.

I wonder if mistress planning to have a picnic together? I mean, the sakura flower was really beautiful!

An annoying face disturbs my admiring sight.

"Oy!" (Hikaru)

"Huh?" (Kumo)

"I'm calling you."

"Ah, what is it?"

"Do you think I need to move on?"

"..."

I didn't really pay attention to what he's saying. But, he continued his story, while I sat beside him. His rumbling talks mostly about this girl who he likes. For example, he says like this:

"I saw her again yesterday..."

"I don't know why I always think about her. She became prettier..."

"Her hair's now long..."

"When she passed me, she acts as if nothing happened between us. Wasn't she cruel?"

"I know she always called me a kid, but I've grown taller than her! I acknowledge her whole self. Can she see my sincerity that I like her?"

"I was worried about her all months since I saw her that new year..."

"Is she still doing that job? I couldn't ask her..."

Job? I don't know what job he's talking about. But the sound from his tone, probably a bad job. But I'm going to keep silent for now.

"I felt torture when I see her, I always tried to avoid her. But I always keep bumping at her, Is this fate? I don't know...I don't know what I'm doing..."

"I don't know how I feel anymore. It's complicated. Hey Chibi, what do you think I should do?"

"..." (Kumo)

The hell I know! and don't call me chibi!

"Who am I kidding? Why did I tell my problem this to you? You are just 10 years old girl."

That's what I'm asking?! Why you tell this to 10 years old girl?!

I even didn't know about this 'love' yet you ask me?!

I'm just a 10 years old girl for God sake!

I try to calm down the lava inside me before going to burst any moment. I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath. Exhaling for a moment and stood up from the bench.

I walked and stood up in front of him and brought my two hands and put on my waist. My face is not in the good mood at all. My brain began to work about this 'love' that I knew. At least I grasp his point from his 'talking'.

"You should give up," I said the matter factly.

"What?"

"You. Should. Give. Up. Why? Because you are a wimp. You didn't even have the courage to ask her out yet you already back down. Did you say you already told her about your feeling? And she rejects you? That's only confessing your feeling, not officially stated that you two should be dating. She must be thinking that you are not that serious. Now, you are sad and you are going to sit around doing nothing? Do you think she will wait for you? No. Girls more complicated than it looks, try to think in her shoes. Why she's become like that? Why she's acting like that to you? Do you have something that makes her mad? Try to talk to her, nicely, without 'forcing'. When I heard your story you mostly 'forcing' your feeling to her. Listen, a girl will be freak out if the boy she didn't like trying to 'force' their feeling and keep bothering her."

I pointed the word 'Force'.

"So, what should I do?" he asked curiously.

"Become her friend. Let her trust you enough. Respect her. Don't bother her every day. I don't know about this bad job you talk about her. But try to persuade her slowly until she finally opens her heart. Not everything is done in instant. If you give up that means your feeling is just that level. You don't like, no, love her enough."

"But...What if it doesn't work and we just stay as a friend forever?"

"Well, that is if you can reach that 'friend' status first. You can think more ways to win her heart after that. But, If she rejects you all the time and if the time she stated that she has someone she truly likes, you should give up. Sometimes to let go of your precious loved one is one of an act of love. You should know that her happiness is your happiness."

"Yes!"

"For now, just try to talk to her."

"Okay. Do you have more advice?"

"Hmm, yeah! Place and timing! Don't forget. It's always important. The mood also is important! Don't talk to her if she's in bad mood. Try to talk to her when she's in normal condition or alone. Don't talk something important if there are her friends. She will be embarrassed about it"

"Okay!" He nodded understanding to my words, but then he realized something. He looked at me curiously, "By the way, how did you know about all of this? For 10 years old you are really experiencing with a relationship. Do you...have boyfriend perhaps?"

I flinched and my eyes began wondering around a circle, "...Hohoho. Of course, nowadays, the elementary student began dating too, you know!" I lied.

"So young..." He looked at me seriously, "Be careful, you are still young, but I think you should break up with your boyfriend. It's really a dangerous state for kids like you. Now, a lot of boys is a wolf in sheep clothing." He said it with 'a matter factly' looks too.

"..."

You are the one who is still a kid! And I don't want to hear it from you! You are the one who is a wolf!

In reality, I don't have a boyfriend at all. I know this 'advice' he talks about were actually from my dad's old book.

'How to win woman's heart!' It was a book he bought when he tried to court my mother back in the old days.

Thank you dad's old book!

I don't know if it's work. But, I'll just see the result later sometime in the future.

I could see his determined eyes with fire. Was this the cold face Brother Hikaru? The annoying Brother Hikaru?

I was actually very surprised by his actions right now. I couldn't believe he had that helpless side of him. It turns out he's an ordinary human too. His images in my mind became slightly better.

Just a slight.

Since he became one of the directors of mistress company, in such a young age. He became more mature and cold or should I say calm? He wasn't like the smug and rude boy who came the first time to the estate. Now, he became nicer and polite to the others.

Is he started to change because of love?

Well, to me he's still as smugly and rude as ever.

But because of today, should I treat him better starting from now?

He said with his eyes looking at me amusingly, "I wasn't expecting you to help me or anything. I just wanted someone to listen to me. I couldn't believe a chibi like you have that big advice in those brain of yours! Hahaha! Honestly, I already know the answer because I'm smart. Big Sis also said a few things to me. But of course, there's new advice that I got from you too. For that, I'm thankful. Thanks, Chibi!"

"..." (Kumo)

"..." (Chibi Kumo)

So why on earth you bother asking me?! Why were you so hype asking me an advice a moments ago?

I take it back! He's still the same!

I will treat him horribly! Grr...