Disclaimer: I do not own "Say I Love You" (Sukitte ii na yo), make no money for writing this, blah blah. But Kura - she's all mine.


- Say You Will -

Never had she felt such in inexplicable pain, such deep emotional turmoil, when faced with the seemingly simplistic task of taking care of her younger sister.

Ever.

But she did now.

"Kuraaaaa!"

That was the seventh consecutive time her name had been called.

And to make it worse, Kura was already coming up the hall. Whether to help, or to perhaps punch her sister, she wasn't entirely sure yet.

"Kuraaaaa!"

Rather than shout back a reply, Kura stormed up the hall and swung open the bedroom door as an answer.

"Yeah?" she asked through gritted teeth.

A young girl, who looked to be thirteen but had the mind of an eight year-old, lifted her head ever so slightly off her pillow.

"It's too hot." she whined.

Kura tried to remain angry at Akari, yet her sister's large, blue eyes eventually caused all resolve to crumble. She knew she'd only grumble about it later, yet Kura elected to ignore common sense anyway.

"You could always just pull the covers off." she sighed.

"Why? You're the one who's meant to be looking after me." Akari argued.

"You're in middle-school. I think you could do this much yourself."

Kura threw back the doona, before leaning back and placing an authoritative hand on her hip. "Happy?" she asked rhetorically.

But Akari shook her head. "I'm bored."

Kura was praying with all her might for some miracle to happen. Something. Anything. She'd rather see herself spiral into the pits of hell than try to keep Akari – with her short attention span – entertained.

The doorbell rang.

"Well, I really should get that." Kura called back, already racing down the hall.

"KURAAAA!" was all she got in return.

It was with a large grin that Kura reached the door. She ran her fingers through her black hair, attempting to tame her long curls, but giving up given she was in to state to even manage to look presentable.

She opened the door. "Daichi?"

"Hey, Kura." he replied, flashing his teeth in a grin.

"Hey." she echoed breathlessly. "Oh, right. Come in."

Kura stood to the side, allowing the brunette man access to her rather small house; and it was small even in comparison to Daichi Kurosawa's own apartment.

"I thought you might like some company." he explained, glancing back. "And a haircut."

"Ha. Ha." Kura shot back, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm kidding-"

"Yeah, I got that." Kura muttered under her breath.

"-you're easily the most beautiful woman I know."

Much to her horror, Kura flushed scarlet. And then, to worsen this horror, she noticed a blanket-cocooned figure behind Daichi.

The front door slammed closed. "Akari Chiyo Suzuki, you get back to bed right now."

"You're not my mum." Akari yawned, completely apathetic to her sister's anger.

"I know. I'm your sister, I'm seven years older than you and our parents are paying me to look after you. And I say you should rest."

Daichi moved forward and slung his arm around Kura, dragging her forward. "Don't be so cold, Kura-chan." he scolded playfully.

"Don't be so patronizing, Dai-kun." she retorted.

"Daichi, will you play with me?" Akari interjected.

"Sure." He agreed with a nonchalant shrug. "What do you want to do?"

"'Snap'. Nagi told me you play it with her. Now it's my turn."

Kura mentally groaned, yet was pulled along to the loungeroom table with Daichi's arm still around her. As Akari rummaged around in the cabinet drawers for a set of playing cards, Kura accepted the seat on the ground beside Daichi.

"Hey, Kura, do you want to come around tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Well, to my parents place. They want to meet you."

Kura considered this, before her eyes narrowed in on Daichi. "Meet me why?" she asked, pinning him with her cold, blue gaze.

He smiled, almost throwing her off. "Because you're my girlfriend."

"Told you so!" Akari called. "Oh, I found them!"

She scrambled back towards the coffee table, her violet blanket falling of her head as she did so. In her hand, and then later slammed to the table, she triumphantly held a pack of cards.

Kura crossed her arms, huffed, and fell sideways against Daichi's – her boyfriend – arm. "Fine." she confirmed.

All three knew, no matter how well she tried to disguise it, that she was very greatly pleased at how the events of the day had so far unfolded.

"One, one, two, two, three, three..." Akari began to count out the cards, two piles for the two players.

"Good. You'll get to meet Yamato, and maybe his girlfriend, Mei." Daichi enthused. He could imagine Kura and Mei getting along fine, although it could go either way with his brother, depending upon how Yamato acted.

"Mhm."

"It's about time as well. I've already met all your family." he continued, recalling his visit to Kura's mum at the cemetery, and meeting her dad who – Kura claimed – wasn't too good at being a dad. "You know, if you're tired you can just sleep on me. I don't mind."

"I'm not." Kura insisted as she yawned.

He chuckled and moved to pick up his half of the cards Akari had dealt.

"Now shuffle." ordered the young girl, already doing so.

"Got it." Daichi replied.

Kura moved away, watching the pair intently. She always wondered why they got along so well. In Daichi's case, she assumed that his experience with his own younger sister, Nagi, was what aided him. But as for Akari; she was resistant to any and all bonding Kura attempted, and enjoyed running her elder sister ragged.

Sometimes, Kura felt as if Akari compared to her to their mum, and that the single thing they had left in common was their father.

And, perhaps, that they both adored Daichi.

Kura, who really wasn't tired, took up her boyfriend's offer and stretched herself out along the floor, with her head against his thigh. She could even admit that it was comfortable, resting like that.

With her eyes closed, Kura missed the smile a handsome brunette shot her.

"So, when are you two getting married?" Akari asked, cutting through the emotional atmosphere like a blunt knife.

While some might have thought the girl impertinent, Daichi just took it all in stride.

"Soon." he said.


His chin-stubble tickled.

But it didn't, and never would, deter Kura from kissing him.

"I thought you were walking me home." She pointed out.

She and Daichi stood at the threshold of his home, having just spent three hours and forty-six minutes in the company of Nagi and his parents. All of whom loved Kura for her ability to save Nagi's dessert from burning.

"I thought you were walking me home." he replied honestly.

Kura hit his shoulder with her head, softly, yet remained smiling. "If that's what you really want, you'll have to bring it up with Akari and make sure my dad knows."

"Okay then. What's the number?"

Kura merely turned away and marched out of the driveway. Given it was summer, the days were both longer and warmer, leaving Daichi to enjoy the perks of the season's clothing.

"Ah, come on, Kura!" he pleaded, running over to her.

And then almost running into her. Kura had stopped short, leaving Daichi to run right into her and have to wrap his arms around her to steady them both.

"Yamato?" he asked, a little dazed.

And it was indeed. Beside his brother stood a short-haired girl, dressed in a blue, summer dress.

"And Mei. It's good to see you again." Daichi continued.

"This is your brother?" Kura murmured, sounding sceptical.

"This," Daichi finally let Kura go, "is Kura. My girlfriend."

"It's nice to finally meet you!" Yamato declared, stepping forward and proffering a hand.

Kura eyed it, him, before shaking. "Same."

Yamato turned to Mei, nudging her forward with his elbow. "Ah, h-hello." she stammered.

This, of course, won a grin from Kura. "Hey. Looks like you landed yourself an idiot as well."

Mei smiled hesitantly, as if unsure how to handle it. Luckily for her, Daichi took control of the situation.

"Don't listen to Kura. She suffers from a superiority complex." he added.

"Oh, yeah. Keep talking; you know how I just love hanging out with people who insult me." Kura snapped.

"Yeah, yeah." Daichi relented, fearing to spoil his chances at having Kura come over to his house.

"It's really great to meet you, Kura, but I have to get Mei home. Sorry for leaving so quickly." Yamato announced.

"It's fine." Daichi assured. "We were just going anyway."

"But going where?" Kura breathed, teasing the brunette behind her.

"To my house." he whispered in reply.

Kura's response was swift in coming. "Not without approval."

"You two seem really happy together." Yamato observed with a faint smile.

Kura's steely gaze pinned him down. "We're not."she denied, her tone icy cold. "We're really, really not."

"I am." Daichi counteracted.

His hand moved to rest in Kura's messy curls, and he gently tapped a phone against her fringe.

Her phone.

"Damnit." Kura muttered, and Daichi began to walk away. "Get back here you thieving idiot!"

It was probably one of Daichi's more excellent decisions that he began to run. Kura followed in swift pursuit, and being the faster of the two, caught up to Daichi with ease. He may have had longer legs – far longer, which was something Kura greatly appreciated – yet Kura's highschool years on the track team had not gone to waste.

"Come on Daichi!" Kura whined, loud enough for Yamato and Mei to hear.

Yamato, sensing the end of their conversation, called out a farewell. "Hope I get to see you two soon!"

He was ignored, with Daichi now being wholly focused on his aggravated girlfriend. "Not until you agree to come over." he said, retort directed at Kura.

Kura grabbed his arm and attempted to yank him down. "Never." she hissed, though her heart wasn't really in it.

"Come on, Kura!" he insisted.

"NO!" she cried, defiant to the very end.

But as predictable as she was, Kura still managed to find a way to surprise Daichi. And this time it was when she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling the two together.

Giving up.

That was not something Kura did.

Stricken with guilt, Daichi couldn't get the word out fast enough. "Sorry."

Kura lifted her head from his shoulder, looking up at him. "Oh my God. You're too honest and good to be real.' she muttered, awed. "Don't you have a dark side?"

His smile flickered into life as he dropped his arms. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he teased.

"Maybe…" Kura sighed.

But as she slipped away, Daichi was left to suffer another shock. "...but not tonight!"

And in her hand, she held her phone.


And there it is. Another one-shot.

More evidence about my dreadful ability to focus on a single chapter that is so close to being finished.

Oh well - hope you enjoy the fruits of my procrastination.