KWMS (c) Fujiwara Hiro
Pre-High School
of open-houses, sisterly bonding, and teasing
[Morning]
The chilling air caresses their skins, forming goose bumps on sensitive flesh. As hazel eyes roam about the sparse, spacious rooms – from the elegantly lacquered wooden floors to the velvety red of the heavy curtains – their 'tour guide' continued to introduce his school. Misaki was gawking at the luxuries Miyabigaoka presented for her students, yet wariness glimmers from her eyes with every twitch she sees a reflected Igarashi-san makes.
Along the lines of 'sound-proofed room', the former Student Council President ushered their guide out with an indifferent smile. He remained unaffected by his earlier impoliteness in interrupting another.
"How do you find Miyabigaoka?" He queried, eyeing the reflections of the Ayuzawa sisters, landing on the figure of the taller female.
A pained smile was dredged up onto the elder's face. "The school really takes care of its student body." Misaki voices out. Awkward silence lingered in the cool room as Misaki reluctantly tried to word her compliments for the school and questioning her boyfriend's time spent here.
Suzuna wonders if she ought to help out and break the awkwardness, or bluntly state her indifference to Miyabigaoka. She settled on neither. "Onee-chan, Igarashi-kaicho," the brunette addressed, only to be interrupted once more by the latter himself.
"Call me nii-sama, Suzuna-chan."
"I'll be taking a bathroom break." Suzuna fled. The awkwardness has no doubt been driven up another level, and her sister would be flying into a rage as soon as her figure is out the door. She gladly acquiesces to her sister's request. Don't expect me to be back soon was implied.
Ah, I've ditched my sister.
The guilty thought was dashed when Suzuna remembered –
Misaki is more than capable of taking care of herself.
-x-
[Noon]
The sight of a blushing, almost stiffly robotic Misaki greets her as she opens the door. Usui was trailing behind her, smile lazy and eyes soft. Suzuna congratulates herself a job well done, although she had played no part in pushing the couple together.
Maybe indirectly, Suzuna comforts herself.
-x-
[Evening]
"...chances of rain showers are high. To our viewers, please remember to bring an umbrella when you go out! Onto Kyoto next,…"
The brunette takes the final bite out of the apple bunny. One hand was stabbing another chunk of apple bunny and the other was resting lightly on the remote control. There was nothing of interest, to an almost high-school girl like herself, on the television. Seven o'clock dramas followed after the news.
Hazel eyes strayed to the source of pen-on-paper scratching. "Onee-chan, the weather report said that it'll rain tomorrow."
No response – not even a nod or twitch of acknowledgement. Her sister must really be focused on her work; even though university lectures had not started yet. She took a nibble out of the crunchy apple slice. Perhaps Misaki is working on Maid Latte's accounts instead?
Taking a huge mouthful out of her apple this time round, Suzuna switched the TV off and joined her sister with an inviting plate of bunny apple slices. The brunette wondered what topic she should broach – Usui? High-school? Miyabigaoka? The shady-looking Igarashi-san, just now? – to catch her sister's attention.
There was no need, Suzuna realises as she sits herself opposite her elder sister, when Misaki piled away the pieces of paper aside. She almost smiled; Suzuna loves spending time conversing with Misaki.
"Which school do you plan to go?" Her elder sister inquires, "Seika or Miyabigaoka? Perhaps other nearby schools?"
"Should I consider Miyabigaoka?"
"What would you achieve by going there, instead of other schools then, Suzuna-chan?"
"Hmm. Miyabigaoka is an elite school, it'll be easier to get into Universities… But there are lots of costs."
"How does these 'costs' hinder you from considering Miyabigaoka?"
There was a moment of silence – Suzuna contemplative, while Misaki was patient. Then the elder sister shattered the quiet.
"Sorry, silly question. Can these 'costs' be resolved?"
"Onee-chan, I think I should…confess something, regarding this issue, to you." The nod was approval enough. "I keep thinking that it will be easier if I go to Seika High… This…is a misconception, isn't it?"
Now that you know, since you already know, what would Suzuna-chan do? Hazel eyes almost the same shade of hers asks her. A beat or two passed – signalling time for both parties to collect their thoughts – before the elder Ayuzawa presented a shrug, signalling the end of the current topic.
Suzuna leaned back, and took a bite of the bunny apple. She had been caught up in their exchange of questions (purposeful questions uttered to make the other think) to remember the sweet treat. Her sister took one too, Suzuna sees this out of the corner of her eye.
"Onee-chan," the hum her elder sister utters was permission enough for her to continue, "What happened earlier, after I left Miyabigaoka?"
"Nothing much," Misaki replies easily, eyes looking at printed figures on white sheets of papers. "Why do you ask?"
"…Because you came back with Usui-san."
Abruptly, her elder sister raises her head from the papers. A bashful blush stains her expression. "S-Something happened." Misaki stutters, embarrassedly.
"But you mentioned that 'nothing much' happened just now?"
As the blush continues to deepen into a darker red, Suzuna giggled.
"Usui-san is good for you, nee-chan. You're easier to tease now."
As suddenly as she had started the conversation with her sister, Suzuna retreated just as fast. The metal plate – almost empty of apple bunnies now, save for the last one – was retrieved back from the dismal, wooden table she had placed it on when they had started their sisterly bonding previously.
"I take last-dips on the bunny apple~" The younger sister hummed cheerfully.
A/N:
(i) Revamped Chapter 1. I hope you like it much better now (longer). Reviews for pocky, as usual~ Unless you want freshly bakes cupcakes?
(ii) Pre-High School.
Morning: Suzuna and Misaki went to Miyabi's open-house. Although tour-guides were provided, Igarashi Tora tagged along. Tension already exist between Misa and Tora, which Suzuna senses and feel awkward about. Tora purposely worsens the situation by becoming overly friendly with Suzuna (call him 'onii-sama' part), whihc results in Misaki ushering Suzuna out as she teaches Tora his place.
Noon: Misa came back with Usui, which she grows embarrassed to. Suzuna congratulates herself for getting Misa and Usui together indirectly.
Evening: Sisterly bonding, talked about which schools to enter (by questioning one another); and teasing on Suzuna's part.