Miyo looked at the summer house. Squinted at it, actually, under the hot and sweltering sun that beat madly on her skin. The taste of summer was in there mouths.
It was in all of their mouths, actually. Her big brother, Takeshi, had won the Nationals with his tennis team, and as a farewell to all the third years that were leaving Seigaku, they all were going to a beach and a big summer house to stay for an entire three weeks. She shook her head. Lord. She could hardly wait.
Last year she had been here too for other regulars, but she particularly remembered a boy, someone awkward but friendly, as in hi-I'm-normal-you-can-trust-me-friendly. He was actually a brother of her brother's teammate, Fuji, but to tell them apart was no trouble. Shusuke was a bit scary, and Yuuta always was playing the straight man in the tennis world. They were impossibly different. You could hardly tell that they were related.
This time she was wondering what he looked like, if he was on better terms with his brother, or if... So many questions. Her father quietly turned the key and her mom, the loud, noisy one called out, "We're here!" enthusiastically. Her brother rolled his eyes and Miyo brought in her younger twin sisters. Instantly they began running around and exploring their new habitat.
"Ah! The Momoshiro family. Come in!" and Fuji (the older one) smiled, eyes closed. He obviously was the one in charge, the one who got his parents to get this big place to their selves.
"Yo, Fuji!" Momo greeted him. "Nice place."
"You think so too? Mind you, it's not going to get so roomy after every regular brings about three people... You guys get two rooms. Take your pick."
"Really?" Now her mother entered the conversation. "Thank you so, so, much!"
"No problem." He tapped on the banister impatiently, which was rare notion for him. "Yuuta! Come out and meet these people."
"Aniki, I'm in the middle of something." There was a muffled voice from down the hall. Instantly Miyo's heart were beating so hard and she said in a flash, "I'll go get him." Her mother dragged her suitcase instead and nodded, and her father was engrossed in a discussion with Fuji's father about hardware. Nobody had noticed.
She knocked on the door twice and waited for the "Come in" phrase.
"Is that you, aniki-- oh, it's you." he said, closing the door behind her. "How have you been?"
"Good," she said, a bit nervous. "What about you?"
"Good. I'm thinking of transferring into Shusuke's high school when I get out of St. Rudolph's. It's kind of far to commute from home." He smoothed out his hands, a habit of his when he was talking.
"Have you told him about this?"
"No." He drank his tea, swallowed, and set his cup down. "It's better if you keep it a secret. I made him promise that he wouldn't install bugs around our room, but if he breaks it, I hope he pretends that he never heard. But you never know..." he furrowed his brow. Miyo loved it when he was in his thoughtful stage. It was at least, something that his older brother couldn't do better than he did, behaving rationally.
They were best friends. They could've been more than friends if she had been in his school.
"How is your brother? Last time..." she left the sentence enticingly open.
"...he was an obstacle. This time, not anymore." And he told her about the match when Mizuki had taught him a special move.
"So let me get this straight. Your brother let him beat him by five games, and then totally annihilated him? Wow. No wonder there are so many fangirls in school."
He got a hurt look in his eye. "I wish you wouldn't talk about him like that."
"Sorry."
"It's O.K. I know you didn't mean it."
I did mean it though, she thought privately. You're cute when you're like an injured animal.
If you had to describe Miyo, you would get: capricious, finicky, and perhaps alluring. She was not your average person. People considered her lucky if you were her constant friend because she was always considering this; then that; then never picking her mind.
A knock penetrated the door and Shusuke walked in, a bundle of clothes in his hand. He winked at Yuuta, and then deposited them into a nearby laundry basket.
"Ah, Yuuta-kun, would you pick that up for her?" A bathing suit, situated between him and her was colored blue. "That's for you, Miyo-chan."
"Really? It's so pretty!" The swimsuit had a pattern of daisies. Shusuke smiled and said, "Well, Yuuta-kun, I'm sure you'll like seeing her in her swimsuit-clad glory."
Yuuta was annoyed. "Aniki, if you talk about her like that when you already have someone..."
"No need for that, just saying," Fuji said in a breezy voice. "We're going to the beach at one. Remember to use your sunscreen!"
And he was gone, just like that.
"He has someone?" Miyo asked, curious.
"Nope. I just said that to spite him." Yuuta replied. "But I'm sure he's gone out with someone before. I never paid attention."
"I'd want to know that. I'd want to know everything about her. How special can she be if Fuji is a heartthrob in school? Is she a beauty? Can she play tennis?"
She was walking on ice, but it was very strong ice. She had remembered a conversation a year ago, before she had met Fuji Yuuta, and she had a best friend that was a boy. Eventually she fell in love with him but he had said simply that he wanted to remain friends. She was trying valiantly to not let that happen with Yuuta.
"...You do know that I'm not listening to you, right?"
"No."
"..."
"What? I mean, I was just curious!"
He got that hurt look in his eye again, and Miyo wondered if she had gone too far.
"Why are you crying?" he asked.
"I'm not crying--" she touched her eyes to make sure, but alas--"oh. I was just remembering something."
"Remembering what?" He looked concerned. Not wanting to make him feel sorrier, Miyo decided to get to the point. "Yuuta, we can't be friends anymore."
"Why not?" he said, jerking his hand to wipe her tears away, but she pushed it back. "Geez, was it something that I said? I'm sorry if I ever offended you."
"No. Stop." she said firmly. "This was the reason why I came here. I don't want to make myself anymore attached to something I can't have." She looked away, a roaring sun blaring its silent noise to all who would hear. She was spoiling it, and instantly a wash of shame overcame her. "Don't talk to me ever again."
Author's Note: Confused? Me too. Because the way the story's going, it probably is going to confuse the audience, but that is where the open-mindness comes in. If you're blissfully loving the plot, you can slightly imagine it as RyoSaku. Or not. :D
Please review because THEN I WOULD KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO WRITE THIS.
