Disclaimer: I do not own Wallflower or anything else mentioned in this story.
Many thanks to my beta reader, Hidden Guardian! Go read her stories! After mine, though….
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Sunako was alone in her room. Something was wrong. She did not even feel like watching a horror movie. I don't understand, she thought mournfully. Why am I so upset about the test? She had beaten Kyohei in another math test, but for some reason the thought brought no joy. She had only beaten him by a few points, and he was not even upset by it. She sighed and got up from her bed. It was time to make dinner, and if she did not start soon she was certain that Kyohei would break down the door to her room and drag her to the kitchen.
Pulling back her hair with quick, precise movements, she set to work. It was a fried shrimp night, Kyohei's favorite. Why do I care that it is his favorite? she wondered morosely. I would have prepared it anyway.
Soon the delicious smell of frying shrimp filled the house and drew the boys from their rooms. Yuki offered to set the table, and she smiled at him gratefully. It was nice to have someone help out every now and then. Mostly, the four boys never noticed their clean, neatly folded laundry or dust-free rooms. However, lately they had been offering to help more and more. While she appreciated the gesture, the boys were more adept at making messes than cleaning them up.
The boys were sitting at the table when she came out loaded down with food. Kyohei sniffed appreciatively; he had been smelling the shrimp for some time but now it was on its way to his plate. He gave Sunako a grateful smile and was surprised when her cheeks turned faintly red. What's up with that? he wondered, but then turned his attention to his food.
"Sure you won't eat with us?" he asked Sunako. The other boys dropped their food in shock. Still, he persisted. "Why don't you ever eat with us? We don't bite."
"I'd rather eat by myself," she murmured, and turned to go, but he grabbed her wrist.
"Alone in your room? That can't be much fun," he said, but released her wrist when her nose began to drip red.
"I…I…," she stammered, then fled to her room, leaving four stunned boys in her wake.
"You'd better go after her," Ranmaru told Kyohei sternly. Quite the ladies' man, he always knew what to do in situations such as these.
"What did I do?!" Kyohei demanded defensively.
"You touched her," Ranmaru began, counting off Kyohei's offenses on his fingers. "You invited her to eat with us, and you never said thank you."
Kyohei frowned. "But—"
"No." Ranmaru interrupted. "Go apologize. Now."
"Fine," Kyohei sighed.
As he walked down the hallway toward her room, he still could not understand why she was so upset. All he had done was treat her—normally. That was it. She could not be treated like normal girls. She would never be one. Not that that was a bad thing. He rather liked her the way she was. Besides, what would he do if he couldn't torment her? She was a lot of fun to tease.
He stopped in front of her door and took a deep breath. He raised his hand to knock but paused when he heard sounds of sniffling through the door. Was she—could she be crying?
Quietly he opened the door. Her back was to it, so she did not notice. He saw the photo album in her lap and thought he was close to understanding.
"Are you all right?" he asked softly. Her head jerked, and the album slid off her lap and landed on the floor. Quickly she brushed away her tears.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, and though her voice only quivered a bit, it was her despondent tone that cut straight to his heart. No one should ever sound like that, he thought to himself.
"What's wrong?" he repeated. "I came to, uh… to apologize for my behavior at dinner."
"Please leave me alone," she whispered and looked down.
"I didn't mean to interrupt," Kyohei murmured.
"Get out," she repeated. Her voice took on some strength.
"But—"
"Now!" she screamed, and flew at him. Before he knew what was happening he was outside her room feeling the breeze as her door slammed shut in his face.
What's wrong with her tonight? he wondered. He was worried about her. It was a strange sensation, the tightening feeling in his chest when he thought of her wet eyes and tear-stained face.
His stomach growled.