Chapter Three

A Job

Rin believed that Miki was asleep when she sat up in bed so early in the morning that it was still dark out, but Miki had trained herself to stir each time someone entered her room at home and, as such, woke the moment Rin did. She decided to play with Rin, though, and pretended to be asleep as the girl gently stepped out of bed. Miki opened one eye slightly to watch the blonde girl gather some things from around the room.

"We made a deal, didn't we? Well, obviously, I'll be coming back, then."

With Rin's words in her head, Miki listened to the door open and shut as Rin disappeared into the night. She knew Rin would notice if she tried to follow, so she'd have to just trust the girl. She knew Rin would return.

That didn't stop her from sitting up restlessly, watching the door, listening to the creaking of the inn and jumping at each and every sound while she waited for Rin to return. It wasn't safe for a girl to be left alone. She'd been taught that since the day she was born, and she wasn't about to forget it anytime soon.

. . .

When Rin returned, Miki's eye colour had changed to a bright, tangerine orange. Half of her hair had become a yellow similar to Rin's own, only it looked obscenely unnatural, closer to a lemon's colour than the natural blonde of Rin's hair. Overall, with her bright orange eyes, half her head yellow and the other green, she was quite a laughable sight. Rin eyed her curiously, and Miki stated, "I needed a change."

Rin rolled her eyes. Spoiled little rich girl. Most people couldn't afford to dye their hair on a whim. Rin knew various girls who saved up their money solely to dye their hair an unnatural colour. Rin simultaneously found this fad intelligent and idiotic, the hair colours being very unappealing along with eye-catching. Were they really so desperate to have someone take interest in them, even were it to be in a negative light where she was made into a joke for looking so ridiculous? Rin figured that it might be important to some girls, but, to her, there was nothing worse that could ever happen to her. She never wanted to get married. Being locked down by a man was a horrible nightmare to her. She'd fought it her entire life. She'd gone so far as to cut her once-long blonde hair down to short locks. Perhaps these girls had been trained to think differently?

"Rin, one day, I'll make you my wife, okay?"

"That's no fun, though. I don't want to be married. Let's just be friends, forever!"

Those voices echoed in Rin. She pushed them away. She didn't want those terrible memories anymore. They meant nothing to her now. She had a life beyond that, those soulless promises made when she was young. "You could probably be married by now if you wished to be," Rin remarked, splashing the water Miki had carried into the room onto her face to wash away the sweat before Miki tainted it with her dye. She needed to stop thinking of those memories, and Miki was the easiest ditraction.

"What makes you think I want to be married?" Miki wondered, beginning to spread the yellow to the other side of her head.

"Why else would you work so hard for the latest fashion?" Rin questioned. "It can't be fun to re-dye your hair over and over again."

"On the contrast," Miki laughed. "I find it quite enjoyable."

"I feel as though a sheltered life must be very boring if that entertains you," Rin stated, unimpressed.

"You're so mean," laughed Miki, smiling at the girl. "For your information, the life of a rich girl is much more difficult than that of a poor girl."

"Is that so?" Rin asked, her tone mocking.

"Of course," Miki stated haughtily, her eyes narrowing at the challenge in Rin's gaze. "Rich girls constantly have to deal with the attentions of males. They pay much less attention to those who are poor."

Rin, having no wish to ever get married, could understand this point of view; however, having lived as a 'poor girl' for the beginning of her life, she couldn't help but find her opinion a little biassed, just as Miki's was. "Well, in any case, I'd like to get going, so could you hurry it up?"

"You're such a sourpuss," Miki sighed. "I'm going as fast as I can." She cast Rin a sidelong glance and a flirtatious smile. "Perhaps you'd like to help me?"

Rin rolled her eyes and bowed like a knight would to his princess, taking Miki's hand gently in her and staring seriously into her eyes, before informing her that, "Nothing would make me less happy."

Miki, her cheeks flushed and her heartbeat racing treacherously, pouted, not liking getting a taste of her own flirtatious medicine. "Then you'll have to wait."

Rin smirked and sat back on the bed, putting her hands behind her head as she stared at the ceiling, waiting for Miki to finish making herself over once again.

. . .

"Thank you, that's very kind of you," Miki said, bowing her head politely to the man who handed the fruits over to her, landing two extra oranges for the pair. Rin passed over the money, begrudgingly due to her discontent in Miki's less-than-subtle flirtations used to win over the merchant. Turning away, Rin caught the blurred object that came into her line of vision. She glanced down at the orange, now in her hands. "Breakfast."

"Is this what you meant by buying meals?" Rin wondered.

"Maybe," Miki said, smiling coyly at Rin. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Not particularly, but I doubt you'll be able to do that for every meal of the day, especially if we're working in the same town often."

"What do we do, anyway?" Miki wondered, grabbing Rin's hand and pulling the girl along with her as, carrying the tangy fruit in her teeth, she proceeded to climb up a mountain of hay bales, sitting on the top and gazing around herself at the people below.

Rin tossed the orange to her partner, who held it while the blonde climbed upward, and took a seat beside her at the top of the pile, putting them rather high above the crowds walking around outside, opening their stalls for the day. She wasn't sure why she'd followed, or why Miki had climbed up in the first place, but she'd done it, anyway. "It's not what we do; it's was I do."

"Okay, what do I do?" Miki replied, grinning impishly at Rin.

"You get us food, and I do my job," Rin replied coolly.

"And your job is . . . ?" Miki left her question open, peeling her orange while she waited to Rin to answer it. Juice squirted out of the brightly-coloured fruit as her nail punctured it. She scowled at her sticky fingers, fearing brushing them off on her tunic for fear of dirtying them further.

Rin had already easily peeled the fruits and had a piece in her mouth already. As she chewed, she stated, "That's of no importance to you."

Miki pouted but let it slide for a moment. She leaned toward Rin, causing the girl to look at her rather than the crowd. The cherry-haired girl opened her mouth and stared at Rin expectantly. When Rin looked at her with a disdainful and quizzical expression, she closed her mouth and stated, "Share. I'm hungry."

"You have your own," the blonde said.

Miki pouted and withdrew, returning to peeling the citrus fruit. She stuck up her nose and, as the brat she was, said, "You're looking for a Miss Yukari Yuzuki."

Rin jumped, startled. She didn't know how Miki could've ever known that name. Miki was quite pleased with herself, and Rin's reaction had been enjoyable enough for her. That would satisfy her, for now, at least. So, before Rin could start her interrogation, Miki flicked out a photograph, the aforementioned woman's name scrawled on the bottom in what Miki could only guess was Rin's horrible handwriting. "You really should pay closer attention when we're together. We rich girls are taught a trick or two to help defend ourselves from you thieving little poor girls."

Rin snatched back the photo and sharply barked, "Excuse me for not expecting you to be a thieving pickpocket, your highness."

Miki smiled innocently. "So, what do you need her for?"

Rin scowled. "Saying something as crude as my intentions for her is indecent." Having finished off her orange which Miki still worked on the peel of her own, Rin leaped down from the haystack and looked up to the rich girl. "And please keep in mind that romance does not solely exist between man and woman."

Miki's cheeks burned red, wondering if she'd properly interpreted the implications behind Rin's words. Miki continued to work away at her orange as Rin departed, disappearing into the crowd without another word more. Miki smirked. Well, in any case, teasing Rin would be a lot more fun from now on.

Author's Note: The chapters are getting slightly longer as I go along. Soon, they'll be up to where I want them to be. I think. I definitely know where this story is going, so it'll be easy sailing from here on out! Reviews are appreciated!