Chapter Seven: Happiness
As per my usual routine, I headed to the Reference Room, with Sunohara tagging along as per his usual routine.
"Welcome Tomoya-san, Sunohara-san," Yukine greeted with a bow.
"Thanks, Yuki-chan," I greeted with a smile, causing her to blush.
"YUKI-CHAN?!" Sunohara bellowed. "WHEN DID YOU TWO GET THAT CLOSE?!"
I replied by planting my elbow in his stomach.
Yukine giggled at our antics. "You two get along so well, don't you?"
"You have an interesting definition of 'getting along'," I remarked with a chuckle as I settled into my usual spot.
Several seconds later, Sunohara climbed into his usual seat. "Seriously though, something seems different about you two."
"Maybe something is," Yukine replied mysteriously over her shoulder as she prepared the coffee.
I could have sworn I saw puffs of steam coming from the idiot's nose. "What is it?! Tell me! Okazaki, you're sitting there with a stupid grin and she's glowing!"
I heard a 'squeak' from the prep area, and I looked to see Yukine trying to cover her blushing face; before I could stop myself I turned and punched Sunohara in the jaw, sending him to the floor again.
He was on his feet in an instant. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!"
"I'm sorry, man!" I yelled back, only half as loudly. "It was reflex, I swear!"
"How is punching a reflex?!" he countered, noticeably settling down as he returned to his seat. "You're acting like I attacked your…" he saw Yukine, face still buried in her hands. "Ah, I see…" He started chuckling. "Heh heh…So that's how it is…heh heh…"
"What's wrong with you?" I asked, thoroughly confused.
His chuckling started to take on an ominous tone. "Heh heh heh…heh heh…heh heh heh heh…heh heh heh…" A line of drool started trickling from the corner of his mouth.
I shoved him out of his chair. "Stop it, you idiot; you're creeping me out."
"Heh heh heh heh heh heh…" he giggled manically, sitting on the floor. Suddenly he shot to his feet again. "OKAZAKI, YOU BASTAAAARD!" He ran from the room, leaving a trail of drool and the door wide open.
Yukine and I looked at each other, then the door. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked.
"I…hm. I'm not sure," I replied. "The last time he called me that was after you came by my classroom to ask about what lunch to make."
"Poor boy," she said sympathetically as she picked up a towel. "He must have been very upset."
"I guess," I mused. "As far as I know, he's been by himself since…yeah, since last Thursday."
"Do you two normally hang out after school?" she asked as she pushed the towel around the floor with her foot, cleaning up Sunohara's…mess.
I shrugged. "I wouldn't call it that." As I shut the door I realized that in spite of all of our time together I didn't really know much about Sunohara. "I guess our 'friendship' is because of convenience more than anything."
She shook her head, causing her lovely brown curtain to sway. "I don't understand."
I sighed with a small smile. "Back when we were first-years, Koumura-sensei introduced us to each other; I figured that it was to give us a reason to come to school. I don't know much about his family – in fact, I learned that he has a younger sister just in the last week – and, as far as I know, he doesn't know much about mine."
"That's too bad," she said as she placed a steaming mug before me.
"It's fine," I replied matter-of-factly. "We're not friends for any of the usual reasons, so I really didn't expect it to last. Oh, and thanks for the coffee," I said, briefly raising my mug.
"You're welcome."
"Listen, uh…" I looked down at my hands as they gripped my mug as though it was a hand warmer. "I've been giving a lot of thought to your parents' offer, and…"
"And?" She almost sounded hopeful.
I nodded, more to myself than anything. "After our time on Saturday, I'd like to move some of my things into the spare room, if that's okay."
I heard a gasp and looked up to see Yukine with her hands against her cheeks and tears brimming in her eyes. "Really?" she breathed.
I smiled self-consciously. "Y-Yeah. I think it's past time I got my act together, but I can't do anything while Dad and I are still…" I waved my hands around," …bouncing off each other like this."
"O-Okay," she stammered. "I-I'll let Daddy know, okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. And make sure to thank your parents again for me, will you?"
"I will," she promised. She reached out hesitantly, and I smiled and also reached out, giving her delicate hand a gentle squeeze.
When I got back to class Sunohara was already asleep as his desk. I felt a twinge of guilt as I saw a red mark on his face, right where I'd punched him. I plopped down into my seat and allowed a smile to creep across my face as I thought about the upcoming Saturday.
"Okazaki-kun…?
"Yeah?" I looked up to see Fujibayashi standing by my desk. "What's up?"
Of course she was her usual shy, timid self. "You…seem happy."
"I'm sorry," I said. "Am I breaking the rules?" I forced my face into a scowl. "Is that better?"
"No! No, that's not it…" she squeaked, her face starting to color.
"Oh, I see; how about this?" I shifted my scowl to a sad face. "Seems like the students here would look more like this."
"O-Okazaki-kun…" She was clearly trying not to laugh this time. "A-Are you trying to be funny?"
"Trying?" I asked, now trying to imitate an ape's expression. "Naw, I was just thinking of joining the weightlifting club."
"I-I don't think…" Fujibayashi was losing control of her giggles. "I d-don't think *giggle* they have any apes in that club."
"You don't think so?" I finally relaxed my face. "I'm sorry; what was your question again?"
"Well…" What a shame; she was reverting to her timid self again. "I-I was saying that you seemed happy."
"That's 'cause I am."
"Oh." She seemed genuinely surprised. "That's…that's good…right?"
I nodded thoughtfully; apparently I wasn't done teasing the younger twin. "I dunno…what do you think?"
She burst into a fit of giggles. Finally! I had broken through. "Okazaki-kun…you're so funny!"
"Thank you, thank you," I said, bowing the best I could while still in my seat. "Unfortunately, the show must come to an end; class is about to start," I finished, pointing at the clock.
"Oh! Goodness, of course!" she chirped, then quickly bowed. "I'm happy to see you doing well, Okazaki-kun."
"Thanks, Fujibayashi," I said before she headed back to her seat, still giggling.
I felt her gaze on me several times during class but tried to ignore it; I had learning to do, after all.
