The Freshman Diary of Tatewaki Kuno

By Red Dragonfly, aka Rebecca Lang

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Part 2

Intermission

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. . .

Someone knocked on the door.

Nabiki slammed the diary shut and flung it under her pillow.

"What?"

"Nabiki?" Kasumi's voice came through the door. "I brought some tea and cookies to help you with your studies."

"Oh… right." Nabiki hopped off the bed and flipped open her English book. "Yeah, come in."

Kasumi opened the door and cheerfully placed a tray of goodies on Nabiki's desk.

"So how is studying going?" She glanced at Nabiki's blank notebooks. "You don't seem to be making much progress."

"Well, I'll get to it eventually."

"College entrance exams are coming up," Kasumi reminded her gently.

"Not for another 8 months." Then, changing the subject, Nabiki added, "Ranma and Akane aren't back yet, are they?"

"Actually, Akane just called and said not to expect them home for dinner. Their trip has been extended. She didn't say why."

"Well, you know them; it's a fight, a kidnapping, a magic spell, or an impromptu visit to China."

"I did hear a crash, right before the phone line went dead," Kasumi said.

Nabiki shook her head. "It never changes with those two. I thought once they got together, they'd start putting their energy into something more productive... like running the dojo. Or maybe getting a job."

"Well, they're still young, after all," Kasumi said. "You can't expect them to settle down right away. It took them so long to admit their feelings to one another, and they still have a lot to learn. Give them some time."

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "They've already had a year spending every waking moment in each other's company. Honestly, what's left to find out?"

Kasumi just smiled.

Nabiki felt a chill creep up her spine. That smile was a little too knowing. Ironic, almost. It confirmed what Nabiki had long suspected: that beneath her older sister's fluffy appearance and mild remarks lay a whirling, perceptive mind. Kasumi knew a lot more than she let on.

Instinctively, Nabiki glanced at her bed. The pillows were heaped against the headboard in their usual messy stack. Not a sign of Kuno's diary—not a lump under the pillow or a red corner peeking out. There was no way Kasumi could know what she was up to.

Right?

Nabiki stretched. "Well," she said shortly. "Better get back to studying."

"That would be for the best," Kasumi said, with a nod. "Especially since you still have to prepare for your entrance exams."

Nabiki groaned. Yeah, like she wanted to think about that.

For the sake of show, Nabiki sat at her desk and gazed into her English book, until she heard the sound of the door shutting. Then, she leaned back in her chair and reached out with her arm. Nabiki's hand found its way under the pillows; she pushed them aside, until her fingers touched the pliable plastic of the cover. Nabiki grabbed Kuno's diary and pulled it onto her desk.

The happy sun and oblivious tulips blinked back at her. Nabiki frowned. There was really no point in reading it. She knew Tatewaki Kuno better than he knew himself, so nothing in his diary could possibly surprise her. And yet, somehow she still felt drawn to his words. Her fingers drummed the cover impatiently, making the same patter-patter as the rain hitting the roof.

Was she really just procrastinating? Maybe.

Or maybe not. Nabiki picked up the diary.

She'd lost her page. Last she'd read it was summer, so she must be about midway through. Nabiki opened Kuno's diary to a random spot in the middle of the book. Her eyes darted over the clean, flowing calligraphy that swooped through the page.