Saya: I wonder why I decide to write this…Oh well, I like this paring, even though I support KanbaxHimari and ShoumaxRingo. Anyway, enjoy you guys!
A Sense of Dislike
Shouma sighed for the fifth time, out of frustration. He couldn't concentrate on his homework, thanks to Kanba. The guy was the loudest unpacker in the world. Music blared out of the iPod. Whistling joined in as he arranged things. It was no wonder why Shouma almost snapped his pencil.
"Shou-kun! Kanba-kun! Dinner!"
"Phew!" The red head stood up, turning his iPod off. "I'm ready for some food." As he left the room, Shouma rolled his eyes and dropped his head onto the desk.
Why am I sharing a room with this? Shouldn't he be in the guest room?
Chiemi told him earlier that Kanba would be staying with them for one year for disclosed reasons. She thought it'd be great for Shouma to have a new friend in the process. He hoped those the year goes by fast.
Once he arrived at the table, dinner began. Delicious as always.
"Himari-chan helped out," said his mother. She and her daughter smiled brightly.
"Makes it even more delicious." Kenzan said happily.
"It is good," Kanba commented. Shouma merely ate in content, keeping silent.
"How was school?" Kenzan asked. His daughter beamed at the question.
"Hikari-chan and Hibari-chan are in my class."
"My, that sounds like fun!" Chiemi looked at Shouma. "Is Ringo-chan in your class Shou-kun?" Her son shook his head, and she sighed in disappointment.
"Oh, when will be my little boy bring home a girl?"
The blue-haired teen choked on a piece of meat. He pounded against his chest until he swallowed. Letting out relieved sighs, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It belonged to his dad.
"Chiemi, don't make Shouma feel pressured."
"Sorry, but it wouldn't hurt for him to socialize with girls at his age."
Both father and son looked at each other. That woman truly was a romantic.
"Kanba-kun," she called. "Did you ever date before?" The red-head finished his rice, swallowing it down, and nodded. Chiemi giggled as the three raised their eyebrows.
"About ten girls."
The Takakura family gasped in shock. Chiemi's smile returned and made a thumbs-up.
"What a popular young man you are!"
"You mean a playboy," Shouma said. His mom frowned at him.
"That's not nice, Shou-kun."
Kanba smirked, leaning back and saying, "Yeah, Shou-kun."
The way Kanba said his nickname sent chills up his spine. Done in a teasing manner too. He pouted, excusing himself to do homework. As the boy disappeared, Himari and Kenzan washed the plates while Chiemi pulled Kanba to the hallway.
"You can call me okaa-san if you want."
The red-head nodded.
"Can I ask you a favor?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Well…" Her eyes tore away from Kanba's gaze and went down.
Flashback
After school, three years ago.
At the principal's office.
What's wrong with my boy? Why is he…
"Shou-kun!"
The young mother bursted through the door. There in a chair, her son sat without turning around to look at her. As she kept approaching her son, white bandages appeared on his flawless olive-skinned face. His eyes were blood-shot. A black eye was found as well.
"Takakura-san, I'm sorry we had to meet under these circumstances," said the junior high school principal. He sat behind his large desk, observing the young mother. "Please have a seat. We need to discuss about your son's actions earlier today."
Chiemi pursed her lips. Hesitantly, she sat down and gripped her hands together. "What did my precious son ever do?"
"I'm afraid we cannot let Shouma attend here anymore."
Her eyes widened.
"What do you mean?"
"Your son started a fight."
"That's not enough reason to turn my son away," she snapped back. Her eyes narrowed, making the principal swallow extra saliva. Finally, her son spoke up.
"It's okay, okaa-san."
"Shou-kun…"
"After all, I'm…"
Chiemi snapped out of it and saw green eyes. A long sigh escaped her lips.
"Take care of Shou-kun, okay?" She smiled, patting on Kanba's shoulder, and walked away. The red-haired teen stared at the doorway she disappeared into. He scratched his head, walking upstairs to his new room. Opening the door, he found Shouma asleep at his desk.
What a hopeless guy…
Taking out a futon, Kanba spread it open and laid it on the ground. His arms hooked under Shouma's armpits, and the guy dragged him to the futon. Laying the blanket on him, Kanba watched Shouma sleeping.
What was his host mother mean by that favor? The blue-haired teen looked like he can managed on his own. Was it something from maternal instincts? Besides, he didn't do babysitting jobs. It wasn't his style. If Shouma was a girl, then it'd be a different story.
Shaking his head and ridding his thoughts, Kanba pulled out his futon from the closet. It spread out next to his host brother. The young man grabbed a change of clothing and went to the bathroom. In a T-shirt and pajama pants, he returned and went under the thick blanket. With last one glance at Shouma, his eyes returned to the ceiling and slowly closed to darkness.
It was 6:59 am. In a short fifteen minutes, Shouma dressed up, ate breakfast, and brushed his teeth. A new day, which was also the second day of school.
"I'm going on!" Shouma announced.
"Bye Shou-kun!" Chiemi waved at him and put it down when he was out of of her sight. Himari passed her, saying, "Bye okaa-san!"
"Take care Himari-chan!" A thought hit her. "Is Kanba-kun awake yet?"
The Takakura siblings hopped onto the train before the doors closed. It was hardly crowded. The teens sat in the empty seats.
"Made it!" Shouma panted.
"I thought we were going to miss it," said Himari. She smiled at her brother. "What do you think of Kan-chan?" Shouma raised an eyebrow.
"'Kan-chan?'"
"I asked if I could call him that. He said it was fine."
"I see."
"But don't worry. Sho-chan is number one in my heart," she said sweetly. Shouma put on a goofy grin and hugged his little sister. She returned it with equal warmth. The train arrived at their stop, and they casually walked to school.
"Himari-chan! Shouma-kun!"
Both siblings turned around and saw someone running towards them.
"Oginome-san!"
"Ringo-chan!"
The girl panted for air in front of the siblings. She smiled, but frowned at Shouma.
"What is it?"
"You're in Tabuki-san's class!" Ringo yelled. She turned and covered her eyes to produce waterfalls of (fake) tears. Himari went to comfort her. Shouma let out a chuckle at his weird friend's behavior. He wasn't mocking Ringo in the least. It was the fact he was used to her obvious crush for over the years he and Himari knew her.
The trio headed towards their respective homerooms. His bag carelessly dropped on top of his desk. Before he sat down, a chill ran up his spine.
"I'm going to kill you…"
Shouma turned around and saw Kanba, panting as if he ran a marathon. Sweat ran down his face as several red bangs clung to his forehead. Green eyes narrowed as they glared at the blue-haired teen, whose eyes shifted towards the front. The bell rung, much to Shouma's joy. The redhead let out a short sigh and sat down in a crabby mood.
Kanba twirled his pencil, going over the events up to that point. He woke up late, changed as fast as he could, skipped breakfast, missed the train, ran towards school, and narrowly missed the teacher closing the gate. A horrible way to start the day. How uncool. What will the female population think of him?
That host brother was not getting on his good side.
On a piece of torn paper, Kanba wrote messily, folded, and tossed it on Shouma's desk. He watched as the guy noticed it and slumped his shoulders. The blue-haired teen read the message and frowned. He wrote on the other side of the paper and tossed it back to Kanba.
I tried to wake you up. It was your fault your obnoxious snoring blocking your hearing.
Kanba swore he felt his eyebrow twitch. Then, a tiny ball of paper appeared next to his fingers. It came from Shouma. Probably another insult. Rolling his eyes, he opened it and his expectations betrayed him.
I'll share my lunch with you. Probably don't have any money with you. Next time, we can all go together. Sorry.
No paper was torn after the short conversation.
Saya: Hope you enjoyed the second chapter. Let me know if I need to progress thing or not. Thank you again!