A/N: By the way, I made some minor changes to the first few chapters, some in grammar and some in content. Read it over if you have time, please. ^-^
Okay, I totally stopped writing this for like three months. Then, yesterday, while I had no internet, I was looking through my folders and found that I'd writtem over half of this chapter. So...I kinda finished it in a rush. Then I just uploaded it now before I left it off...forever xD. If anyone actually likes this story, I'll try my best to actually write it...but sometimes my brain just goes empty. Like, completely empty. So...don't expect much, kay? Well, start chapter!
Disclaimer: KK and KKC are...not mine. I'll bet Koge-Donbo works so much faster and more time-efficiently than I do...
"Class, we had an unexpected transfer this morning. Today, please welcome our new student. Be nice to him!" the teacher had just told us. I quirked an eyebrow before turning to the door as a boy walked in.
"Yo," he smiled, "The name's Tasuya Hayashi. Nice to meet you all." My eyes widened and I glanced over at Kazune-chan, Karin-chan and Tsumi-chan. Just as I thought, they were surprised as well. Erm...except for Tsumi-chan—she was smiling. Could he be the "friend" that she'd gone to pick up last night?
Our questions had to wait until lunch, though, even if I thought we'd have known everything once the transfer was announced. The morning crawled by and I barely managed to survive the suspense. I was so curious about Hayashi-kun and Tsumi-chan's relationship. As the bell finally rang, signalling lunchtime, all three of us (guess who?) darted out the door like rockets before the teacher even finished the lesson. Seeing us run out, a lot of the other students also followed our example. I'm not sure what the teacher did after that because I was already with Kazune-chan and Karin-chan, trying to find Tsumi-chan.
"Ah, I see her!" exclaimed Karin-chan. Sure enough, there she was; and sure enough, Hayashi-kun was right there with her. She greeted us without a word on the matter while looking for a seat in the busy cafeteria.
After sitting down, they chatted amongst themselves. Karin-chan didn't seem to be too curious, but wow, were Kazune-chan and I ever.
Finally, my patience exploded.
"Tsumi-chan, please. We've been dying to know! What exactly is your relation to Hayashi-kun?" I pleaded. Well, I'm sure it didn't look like I was pleading, but I was. I definitely was.
"Oh," her eyes lit up. "So THAT'S what you guys were thinking about! I knew there was something on your minds, and wondered, 'what's their problem today?' I thought you were going to scold me for not calling you last night or something."
Kazune-chan sighed, and I let him talk instead of asking the questions that were steadily piling up in my mind.
"Yeah, that too. You should've called." he scolded disapprovingly. "We were really worried. But besides that, Himeka's absolutely right. Why do you and Hayashi have the same last names?"
Tsumi-chan smiled. Hayashi-kun smirked.
"Of course, Kazune-baka, it's because we're cousins!" she replied. Hayashi-kun nodded in agreement.
"Cousins? Like Kazune-chan and I?" I confirmed. They nodded immediately, which led to my next question...sort of. "Why weren't we ever told?" Hayashi-kun laughed. I have no idea what's so funny, so I asked, "Hayashi-kun, what is so funny?" Narrowing my eyes at him, I frowned. I was not particularly thrilled at Tsumi-chan for keeping such an important part of her life secret from us for so long.
"First of all, don't call me 'Hayashi-kun'; it sounds strange, like we're foreign or something. Himeka-san, right? Karin-san and Kazune-san? Tsumiko's told me all about you guys. Just call me Tasuya, with or without honorific."
With that, I could tell right away that I was going to get along with Haya—erm, I mean—Tasuya-kun. Nodding, I smiled at him.
"Alright then, Tasuya-kun it is. Then, you can call me Himeka, if you wish." I offered. "So? Why didn't Tsumi-chan ever tell us that she had a cousin?" Again, they snickered.
"I wanted to surprise you guys, duh. Sheesh, you could've at least figured that part out!" Tsumi-chan joked. I shook my head at her in disbelief.
Afternoon classes soon began, but I sat in class as if I were looking through the teacher, through the blackboard, and to the other side of the wall. When the last bell rang, signalling the end of the day, everyone rushed outside. It was the start of a new weekend. And a long one, at that.
"Ne, Kazune-kun, can we go on a vacation this weekend? There's a holiday on Monday!" Karin-chan chirped. Kazune-chan looked exasperated, but actually, she had a point. It would be nice to relax a bit. All eyes were on him as we waited for an answer, which took...about two seconds.
"Karin! Who are you to even say the word 'vacation'!? If you have time to be thinking about that, then think about your homework for ONCE IN YOUR LIFE!" The three of us watched as Karin-chan unleashed her retort and the two started, yet again, their daily argument. I gave a weak smile.
Suddenly, I felt something close in on me, and then someone's voice.
"Are they always like this?"
Out of surprise, I whirled around, only to come dangerously close to a certain Tasuya-kun.
I blinked...
...and blushed, quickly jerking my head backwards and repositioning myself into a more...appropriate stance before answering his question.
"Hehe...you could say that...It's kind of a daily thing, y'know?" I replied. He nodded, a playful grin on his face. From behind Tasuya-kun, I could see Tsumi-chan with also a grin on her face, but it was a teasing grin. Ugh, she probably saw my little surprised face back there.
Sighing, I walked up to Kazune-chan and Karin-chan and patted their backs. While smiling a great smile, I pushed them towards each other.
"Now, now, everything's alright. Kazune-chan, why don't we go on that vacation, it sounds like fun. Besides, Tasuya-kun should get to go somewhere in Japan, right?" I indicated at him. Tasuya-kun's eyes widened for about a second, and I thought I saw an awed expression on his face, but soon he smiled and gave me a thumbs-up.
"Sure would, Kazune-san!"
Grumbling, Kazune-chan muttered a "women are..." phrase, but agreed to our little plan. So, tomorrow, we were going to karaoke! I love singing, I really do. And, I must admit, I'm pretty good.
Once home, Kazune-kun locked himself in his office again, like every other afternoon, while Karin-chan went up to her room to...yup, you guessed it—procrastinate on homework. Tsumi-chan wanted to talk to Tasuya-kun about something, but he said he wanted a moment with me first. That really surprised me.
When Tsumi-chan had gone upstairs, I asked, "Tasuya-kun, is something the matter?" He laughed and I blushed slightly. "W-what is it? Is it something I said?"
"Himeka-san is amazing, I've never met anyone who could do that before!" he exclaimed. But do what? What did he mean?
"Huh? Do what?" he laughed again.
"You stopped that argument so skilfully...it was like magic. You know, Kazune-san and Karin-san." Ohhhh...so that's what he meant... I chuckled.
"Tasuya-kun, you're very funny." I told him. "They get into arguments every day! Tsumi-chan always enjoys watching them, but soon enough, someone has to stop them. Besides, I did think that you would like to walk around Japan a bit..."
"Himeka-san is so thoughtful. Thank you." He smiled and I suddenly looked down at the floor. Did you know that Tasuya-kun has a very nice smile? But that wasn't the time to think about it! Tasuya-kun would think of me strangely if I didn't reply!
"Umm..." I looked at him and smiled. "Oh no...Thank you, Tasuya-kun, for your nice comment!" Hopefully I looked as convincingly calm as every other time in my life...
"Alright, well, I'm going up to see what Tsumiko wants. Good night, Himeka-san. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!" I only nodded as he went up the stairs, heading for Tsumi-chan's room. As soon as Tasuya-kun was out of sight, I dashed up the stairs after him and slipped into my room, where Karin-chan was already sound asleep.
Well, we all decided to get a good night's rest, so everyone had gone to sleep right after dinner. Kazune-kun decided to let Tasuya-kun spend the night in Karin-chan's room, since he was too tired to find a spare. As a result, Karin-chan spent the night in mine.
I snickered after hearing Karin-chan cry out Kazune-chan's name. It went something like this: "Kazune-kun! Help...help me! Kazune-kun...idiot..."
After that last part, tears slid down Karin-chan's face. I kind of felt sorry for her, though I was more relieved. She definitely liked Kazune-chan—that I can confirm. Either she knows it, and had been denying it to us, or she's not denying it to us and didn't know it. Maybe she's even denying it to herself?
Of course, I would never tell anyone. That would be cruel.
...Or would I...?
End Note: And...there you go. Chapter for of "Dream in this Chocolate Realm". Not so long, but whatever. LOL. Anyway, review (please, whether you like it or not. I welcome any type of review, even flames! ...Soo...review...)!
-Meika