chapter 33



The bell rang minutes ago to signal that it’s already time to go home.

“I’ll go ahead of you! And bring my bento box home too.” Miki shouted to Hitomi before going out of their room.

“Mou!!! You’re really mean!!!” Hitomi shouted back even though she knew that her sister didn’t hear it.

Miki immediately went outside their school gate. She was searching her phone on her bag that’s why she bumped into someone.

“WOULD YOU WATCH WHERE YOU GOING?!” Miki shouted but was stopped when she noticed the person she bumped into.

“Well, you’re the one who’s not looking. It’s your fault.” Ayumi replied.

“You could have stepped aside so as to avoid hitting me… just like everybody else here.”

“And who do you think you are? Why would I do that?” Ayumi was annoyed by the girl’s attitude.

“It’s because..”

“I’m sorry for being late! Our prof…. Ehh? Miki? What are you doing here?” Rika was surprised to see her best friend talking with Miki.

“She bumped into me..” Ayumi replied.

“Yeah… It’s my fault actually… I’m sorry for bothering you.... I’ll be going now! Take care!” Miki ran off after bowing to Ayumi and Rika. Both of them were surprised.

“What was that? She was angry before for bumping into me… and then she suddenly changed her mood…” Ayumi said.

“Well, she’s an unpredictable person… She’s the bully I’m telling you earlier, Yoshizawa Miki.” Rika answered back.

“Yoshizawa? The captain of the futsal team?”

“She’s the sub-captain. Her younger sister’s the captain. I guess Hitomi’s a better player than her.” Rika replied nonchalantly. “Hey, let’s go have some fun!” Rika pulled Ayumi’s hand to the direction of the mall. They looked around in the different shops and took a picture from the Purikura machine. Ayumi went to see Masae after she left Rika’s school and asked her if she could spend some time with them. Rika and Ayumi met up with Masae on a restaurant. Rika couldn’t let her eyes off Masae’s hair.

“Why does your school allow you with that hairdo?” Rika asked.

“Well, I guess our school’s not that strict in implementing the school rules. I’m not the only one with this kind of hair.” Masae replied after taking a bite out of her strawberry flavored waffles.

“…. I would like to go to your school. Our school’s boring. All students comply with our school policies… That’s why I decided to go here than to attend our foundation week.”

“Wow, you’re rebelling from the school now? I never thought that you would do that…” Rika exclaimed.

“Well, from my point of view, Ayumi might have done that because you’re no longer there to check about her studies. I remember back in elementary, Ayumi has no initiative to study in class. That’s why maybe she befriended you because you’re smart.”

“Bingo! You’re right… That was my initial purpose… But my friendship with Rika was sincere from the start.” Ayumi replied. Masae had been her classmate in elementary since grade 1. Ayumi joined the futsal varsity team when she was in grade 4 and met Rika. She loved futsal as much as Rika do so, they went along well, and treated each other as a best friend. That’s how their friendship really started.

It’s quite late when they went to Rika’s house. Her parents were happy to see Rika’s old friend. As usual, Rika’s father kept saying silly jokes on Ayumi. After dinner was over, Rika gave Ayumi some clothes so that Ayumi could change before sleeping.

………..
“How’s school lately?” Dr. Yusaku Yoshizawa, Hitomi and Miki’s father is a well-known plastic surgeon. He came home from abroad this morning and this is the first time after 5 months that the family was eating together.

“Hmm, nothing much… terror teachers, new faces, new subjects… the usual…”

“Onee-san has been glaring all the time to the new students… Most of them were afraid of her…” Hitomi told their father while masticating the beef casserole that their mother cooked for them.

“Hey, it’s my problem, not yours so just butt off…”

“Miki, is that the correct way to talk to your younger sister?” Mrs. Yoshizawa asked. Hitomi put her tongue out to Miki but that didn’t escape the eyes of their mother. “Hitomi, stop that… we’re in the middle of our dinner here. Please respect the food..”

“They still haven’t changed a bit…” Dr. Yoshizawa said to himself. Hitomi and Miki became silent for the rest of their dinner. Mr. Yoshizawa took Miki in his study room to talk to her. Hitomi went to the balcony to get some fresh air. She was thinking about Rika. She suddenly blushed at the thought and she felt that her heart was beating real fast.

“What was that? What’s this feeling?”

“Hey sis, what are you doing here? You’ll catch a cold…” Miki put her sweater on Hitomi and sat beside her on the edge of their balcony.

“Nothing… Just thinking about things…”

“… Wow, are you thinking about algebra? That must be really difficult for you to be thinking about something for the past…” Miki looked at her wristwatch “20 minutes..”

“EHH?!? Uso… Am I thinking that long?”

“Duh… I saw you went here before I went inside dad’s study… and we chatted for at least 20 minutes… What’s troubling you? You can tell it to me..”

“Nothing… It doesn’t concern you…” Hitomi stood up and went to the opposite side of the balcony; her back was now facing Miki.

“Oh yeah? Last time you said that, you had a huge bruise on your stomach… and some scratch on your left arm… Now, tell me what is bothering you this time?” Miki’s voice is serious.

“Well, it’s… just that…”

“The two of you… You have a class tomorrow right? You should sleep now!” Mrs. Saki Yoshizawa’s voice could be heard from the kitchen. She was a famous chef before in a five star hotel before she met their father. Every morning, she checks their restaurant in a mall near their school but even though their restaurant was near, they just eat their lunch in school.

“Hey, do you want to sleep in my room?”