A/N:

My sister actually liked this one. She agrees with me that there's too many romance-based fics and not enough family-centered ones. Sure, this has just a splash of romance, but she liked how the last chapter focused on Miki and Yukari as if though they really were acting like real siblings. And admittedly, my sister and I have a relationship like that, except I tend to have the same kind of responses that Miki has while my sis can act more like Yukari. |3 I guess I'm grateful to know that I have a balanced relationship with my sis. I guess we're one of those one in a million cases, then, wouldn't you agree Anon? XD

SF-A2 miki was strolling down the sidewalk, enjoying the intoxicating scent of incoming rain after a day's work of recordings. Her good mood, however, wouldn't last long. Already she saw Yukari and Iroha waving at her from AHS's front entrance.

"Hey Miki!" Iroha's voice boomed. "You'll never guess what just happened!"

Miki stared at them, albeit startled, since Yukari was beaming while Iroha was bouncing with delight. "What?" she called, wincing as a random stranger shot them a dark look. Obviously, they were pretty irritated with the noise.

Yukari sped up to Miki, her long lavender bangs swinging wildly about her face. "Oh, Miki! Gu—"

Iroha cut her off. "Hey! You said I could tell her!"

Yukari looked dejected. "You're right. I did say that. Go ahead, Iroha."

"Thank you!" she chimed and looked at Miki and paused for effect. She seemed to swell with excitement and couldn't contain the news any longer. "Gumo called your phone a moment ago! You're so stupid sometimes Miki, you usually have your phone with you, but the one day you don't—"

"Get on with it!" Miki impatiently snapped.

Iroha heaved a dramatic sigh that almost made Miki want to attack her. In her opinion, Iroha seriously needed to stop hanging around Lui so much. Or at least stop completely. Which wasn't a bad idea in itself. . .

"Gumo said that he wants to talk to you."

Miki blinked. She wondered whether this was some sort of insane, horrible prank that only her sisters were able to come up with. But even as she considered this possibility, Iroha was already skipping toward the Company and Yukari bounced on the spot.

"Are you sure?"Miki cautiously asked.

Yukari bugged her eyes at her older sister. "Of course I'm sure, Mii-chan! You're such a dork, sometimes."

Miki narrowed her eyes in mock fury. "Who are you calling a dork, Energizer?"

Kiyoteru appeared on the driveway, Luka behind him. "Miki! I thought I heard your dulcet tones."

Miki, too busy tickling Yukari, did not immediately reply. Only when Yuki came running out of the car puffing madly on her sports whistle did the sisters call it a truce.

"Sorry, Kiyo," she said apologetically. "My temper kinda ran wild for a minute, there. And have you started re-reading your Harry Potter books again?"

Kiyoteru chuckled and Luka winked at Yukari. "Yes I have, and now, someone mentioned a phone call from Gumo? Is it true or is it just a figment of Kari's vivid imagination?"

Yukari rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "No, Teru! He really did call. You can check Mii-chan's phone for proof."

Miki glanced at Luka, who jabbed a thumb at the house. "Go."

Feeling relieved to escape from the pandemonium outside, Miki hurried into the kitchen and raided the fridge before snatching a bowl full of dark cherries. Then, with a sense of mounting excitement, she clambered up the stairs to her and Yukari's shared bedroom. Yukari had left Miki's phone on her bed and nearly dropped the bowl onto the floor as she scrambled across to get it.

Once the phone was in her hand, she hesitated. She sincerely hoped that nothing was wrong, that Gumo wasn't hurt or that he and his siblings weren't in mortal peril or anything like that.

"Hello?"

she heard his voice from the other end of the line, and grinned. There was nothing better than hearing from a good friend.

"Hey! This is Miki, by the way."

"This is so weird," Gumo responded in a way of greeting. "It feels like a million years since we last talked."

"I know!" Miki allowed herself to dwell on thoughts of summer at the Pitchloids home in Shikoku. "Crazy, huh?"

"Nope, just you." Even when speaking on the phone, Miki could detect the amusement in Gumo's voice.

"Not funny," she growled, even though it was. "Enough with the small talk. Why'd you call earlier?"

"Oh, well, I was sort of wondering if I could ever visit you guys. I mean, I know it's been forever since Uwajima, and I thought—"

Miki rolled her eyes. "Of course you can visit, Gumo! You don't have to be so polite about asking. Did you tell Gumo and others at Internet, first?"

Gumo sounded remorseful. "Yes, I did, but I didn't want to impose—"

Again, Miki interrupted him. "You're such a kid sometimes."

"Yeah? And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Forget it," Miki bit back a laugh, picturing Gumo's exasperated expression. "By the way, how's Mikuo, Meito and the others?"

Gumo assured Miki that Mikuo and the bunch were fantastic as always, and that they were currently on tour with Teto and a few other UTAUloids for fun. Gumo also admitted that he was a bit lonely when the others decided to do things like this whenever he'd tell them that he'd already set up plans for something else.

"But I'm expressing myself," he said, happily. "And in the end, that's what it matters."

Miki smiled to herself. "I'm really happy for you, Gumo. And I can relate to feeling sort of lonely sometimes." She thought of Akaito and grimaced. She would never admit to Gumo in a billion years that Akaito acted odd and flirtatious around her. Gumo would just laugh.

"Not fun, is it?"

"Nope."

"You know, Miki, I've said this before, but—I really, really wish you lived closer to Uwajima. It's hard to explain, but when you and your family aren't around, it just feels like something's missing. Like I'm walking around with no shoes on or something."

Miki snorted. "Come again?"

"I mean, well, lets see. . . What I mean to say is, I know you actually love math, so. . . What if one of your algebra word problems was missing a piece of information? You'd never be able to figure it out."

"Oh." Miki did know what he was talking about, though he had a funny way of saying it. "I know. And I'll definitely get Kiyo and Master to set up a time for you to visit. They wouldn't have it any other way."

"Thanks."

Bye, Gumo. See you soon?"

"Absolutely. Bye!"

"Hey—Gumo?" Miki had a sudden thought. "If you see Kaiko, tell her that I finally learned how to perfect that cherry vanilla ice cream recipe that she taught me last summer, will you?"

Gumo began to laugh, and Miki smiled. "Promise me!" she said between giggles.

Gumo agreed and then the line went silent. Miki pressed the end button on her phone and stretched. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

A/N:

Should I continue this or no?