It was cold and raining in Akihabara. The drops created a staccato of splashes and splooshes on the street. Few people were out walking, and even fewer were driving, as the slick roads made it perilous. The lights of the shopping city were bright and cut through the light fog throughout the city streets. Spring was upon Japan, and it was hitting beautifully, as the Cherry Blossom leaves fluttered alongside the rain and sat in puddles that lined the streets.
Ruri Gokuo, or Kuroneko to her friends, noticed this as she and her best friend, Kirino Kousaka, walked down to Toranoana Akiba, a major doujin-shi store. She sighed as she checked her watch. It was 17:00, and it was going to get dark soon. She looked to the sky and saw the stars peeking from behind the rain clouds. She adjusted her black jacket and threw her hood on and watched her best friend walk ahead with an umbrella. 'Yeah, that's a good friend alright.' She sighed again and trudged along the walk, relentlessly giddy about seeing some new work from her favorite fan-authors. Ruri was black haired, had lightly tinted cheeks, red contacts, wore a single rose in her hair, and was of average height. She was eighteen now, but her passion for manga and anime didn't falter. She still had all her cosplays and light novels from her adolescence, and wore the cosplays regularly. Kirino was seventeen, a year younger than she was, yet quite taller. She had light brunette hair and rosy cheeks, blue eyes, and hair pins. She too kept her anime related material, but also continued to show signs of maturity, as she spent some days rejecting boys and girls alike, as well as playing sports and furthering her career.
Ruri nibbled a pocky stick as she entered Toranoana and watched as Kirino walked up to a Stardust Witch Meruru section. Her eyes gleamed as she approached a display case. "Found a figure you don't have?" Ruri said.
Kirino spun around and pointed at a figure of Meruru. "This one is of her Apocalypse outfit in a color palette swap!" She held her hands to her chest and grinned, her cheeks showing pink.
"Why are you blushing?" She stood there for a second. "Why even ask that question?"
"I AM?" Kirino appeared shocked and shook her head, trying to regain her composure. "HAVE I STOPPED?"
Ruri smiled. "Well, you have stopped blushing so much, but now everyone in the store is staring."
Kirino immediately began to blush again. "...Make them stop..."
Ruri turned to the crowd of confused and displaced customers. "If you don't stop, I'm afraid I'll have to tell the store keeper that you're staring at underage women." She then flipped her hair aside. "Or would you rather explain to police why a couple of underage girls kicked your ass?"
As customers began to return to their own activities, Kirino settled and let out her breath. "Thanks."
Ruri drew another pocky. "I'm sure you'd do the same for me."
Kirino giggled. "Maybe not something so extreme, but something similar."
"Kuroneko does NOTHING but the extreme." She exclaimed, adjusting her hair rose. She then turned to the shelves of Doujin.
Kirino laughed. "Well, do you think Kyousuke would like this?"
Ruri stopped thumbing through the fan manga and looked at Kirino from the corner of her eye. "What do you mean? He's studying at UCLA."
"He's coming back home." Kirino looked at the figurine. "He'll stay and study here for a year while he decides what he wants to do for a living."
Ruri nodded and began to nervously play with her fingers. "Should I get him something too?"
Kirino smiled. "I don't see why not." She looked up from the figurine. "Its not like you're professing your love to him with this gift." She turned to Ruri, smiling. "Right, Kuroneko?"
Ruri's eyes grew wide with fear and she began to blush. "Not at all!"
"Now you're blushing."
Ruri, acknowledging this, began to breathe in and out in deep breaths. "Kirino, you're my best friend. That's your territory."
Kirino frowned. "You say that like there's hope for my brother and I."
"Who knows."
The two stood in awkward silence as customers entered and exited the warm shop. The rain had not let up and it was getting darker, meaning they'd have trouble getting home. Ruri motioned to Kirino to leave, and she walked to the counter. She paid for a few doujins and a Maschera pen, then walked outside. Kirino followed behind a minute later, a new Meruru figurine and a doujin in her bag. They walked from the shop to the subway. They both lived in Chiba, so it would be a nice ride home for the both of them.
The rain began to let up as the girls walked down the street to the subway station. Kirino still held her umbrella to herself as Ruri walked shortly behind, the hood of the jacket being her only protection from the light drizzle overhead.
"You wanna come by my place and watch Sword Art Online?" Kirino exclaimed. "Kirito and Asuna are supposed to confess tonight!" She grinned and played with her fingers. "I've shipped them since day one!"
Ruri grimaced. "I never really liked that pairing."
"EHHHH?" Kirino gasped. "I was sure EVERYONE loved KiriSuna!"
"Kirito and Leafa are a much better pairing." She smiled to herself. "She's so supportive."
Kirino shook her head. "I'll chalk that up to the cold."
"Chalk it up to whatever you like, that's my opinion."
They walked into the subway station to Chiba, bought their tickets, and boarded the train. They sat right next to each other, as there were a few shady men on the train and Ruri always carried a pocket knife. As the train rolled along, a question grew in Kirino's mind. She ran her fingers through her soft golden hair, licked her lips a bit, and sighed. "Do you still have feelings for Kyousuke?"
Ruri looked out of her window and watched the last few drops of rain splash against her window. "Of course not, Kirino." She lied, eating another pocky stick. "Do you?"
Kirino blushed. "Well, we can't be together legally, I know that..."
Ruri held her breath.
"But, I still love him..."
Ruri cringed, her fears realized. "How will you break it to him?"
Kirino looked down in sadness. "I'm not sure, Kuroneko. I'm not sure at all." A soft Meruru ringtone came from Kirino's purse. She jolted from surprise and flipped open her phone.
"Who is it?" Ruri asked.
"SHHHH!" Kirino hushed. She answered the phone and smiled. "Onii-chan?" She beamed, her eyes filling with tears. "You're back already?" "No, I'm not crying!" "Fine, I'll try to stop."
Ruri smiled and waved at the phone. "Tell him I said hello."
"Kuroneko said hi as well!" Kirino nodded. "He's home and he's going to watch Sword Art Online with us, right Kyousuke?"
Ruri giggled. "You know he's home all of ten minutes, and you're already asking him to watch anime?"
The train came to a stop and Kirino smiled. "Of course."
[] 30 Minutes Later []
Kirino busted through her front door, kicking her shoes aside, mud splattering across the tile. "MOM! DAD! KYOUSUKE!" She charged into her living room.
Ruri followed close behind, stepping out of her shoes daintily and tip-toeing over the mud tracked in. "I've never seen her this messy." She shook out her hair and hung up her jacket to reveal her red tee-shirt. Sighing, she moved into the living room.
"OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!" Kirino tackled Kyousuke into a chair, hugging him. "I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU'RE HOME!" Ruri looked to see their parents, stunned.
Kyousuke was an average sized young man, around 19 years old. He was slender and fit, and had dark blue eyes. He too enjoyed manga and anime, but not nearly as much as Ruri or Kirino. However, he was smarter when it came to problem solving, something he'd been doing since his childhood. He hugged her back, his smile wide and laughing. "Hey there, Kirino." He ruffled her hair. "How've you been?"
Kirino laughed some more. "Yeah, I'm fine." She stood and beamed at him, and her parents still stunned.
Ruri locked eyes with Kyosuke as soon as he looked in her direction. "Welcome home, senpai."
Kyousuke's parents immediately shifted from Kirino to Ruri. "Kuroneko..." He whispered.
Kirino looked at the two and grew a fierce jealousy in her heart. 'Six minutes and she's already making him drool like she's Pavlov.' "Well, hey, why don't I get us some drinks!" She darted her eyes to Ruri. "Kuroneko, would you mind helping?"
Ruri shook herself. "Yes, I'll be right there." She did not break eye contact with Kyousuke as she walked to the kitchen. "What're you getting out?"
Kirino grinned. "Iced tea."
Kyousuke perked up. "Did someone say iced tea?" He walked into the kitchen and grinned. "I missed that specific brand of tea." He ran his fingers along the back of his neck.
Ruri nodded and pushed her hair back. "Interesting." She said, her eyes once again locking with Kyousuke's. "Tell me." She took a glass of tea from Kirino's set up. "Did the drinks over there," She sipped her tea. "Taste as good as the ones over here?" She set her cup down and cast a seductive grin.
Kyousuke gulped and took a glass from Kirino. "I don't think so." He grew nervous and walked to the couch. His parents still had not ceased to stare at Ruri.
Kirino, impatient, brought her parents some tea and sat down next to Kyousuke. "So, tell us about UCLA!"
Kyousuke was to begin, but Ruri excused herself before he could start. He nodded, and she stepped outside, the rain now no where to be found. However, the stars shown particularly well and she looked up into the night sky. She smiled and thought about how things might have gone, how much she missed Kyousuke, and just how much she really loved him. Ruri just stared at the moon.
"Oh, my love, my darling
I've hungered, for your touch
A long, lonely time
Time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me"
She sang this song, and then proceeded inside the Kousaka home to hear about America and what Kyousuke had been up to.
A lone gust of wing carried a few scattered Cherry Blossom leaves along the wind, down the street.
