STARTING SONG: none

My external speakers are broken. I have headphones, but they're uncomfortable after extended use. Technology sucks.

Sadly, to the best of my knowledge, there's no such thing as a Wooly plushie. Unless, of course, someone made it themselves, in which case gimme.

CHAPTER NINE

I was helping Konata-neechan make dinner last night and accidentally burned my arm. It's not bad enough for me to go to the hospital, but it hurts.

"Stop picking at it," Mr. Izumi suggests. "It won't make matters any better."

"But it hurts!"

"Well, it's a burn. Burns hurt."

It's hard to argue that sort of logic, so I sigh and turn my attention to the Wooly plushie Yutaka-neechan gave me. I'm so bored!


"You're bored?" Konata-neechan asks. I nod. "Well, I was going to go get some new games today. Want to tag along?" I nod again. "All right. Let's go."


Wow, this is even worse then lying around in the Izumi's house playing with a bunny-sheep doll. I yawn widely and leaf through a manga magazine. I honestly don't understand why Konata-neechan likes this stuff so much. It's pointless and silly, and full of- Wait, what?

I flip back a couple of pages and look closer. What are they doing to that girl? It looks gross, but she seems to be really enjoying it.

"Um, that's not for children," a clerk embarrassed-looking clerk says suddenly, scaring the living daylights out of me.

"Huh?" I ask, looking up, startled. The clerk reaches out and takes the magazine. She picks another one off the shelf and hands it to me.

"This one is more suited to your age group."

"Oh, um... Thank you."

"What's up?"

I jump again, and look over. Konata-neechan is standing nearby, her arms loaded down with manga and video games. "Nothing," I answer defensively, then open the magazine the clerk handed me.

"Hmmmm?" Konata-neechan says, peering closer. She spots the magazine the clerk is holding and laughs. "Shou-chan, you naughty boy," she says teasingly.

"What? I didn't know what it was!" I snap. She just laughs.


I end up buying the magazine the clerk gave me more to get Konata-neechan to shut up about the other one than any real interest, but it's quickly forgotten when we leave the store and she hands me a DS and a copy of the first Rune Factory game. "Thank you so much!" I say, genuinely happy.

"The gameplay's not at good as in Frontier," Konata-neechan warns, "but I thought you might like it, anyway."

"I do! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"If we look around a little bit more, we might be able to find Two and Three," Konata-neechan suggests.

"I'm fine with the one, thanks."

"Ah, you're no fun."


After tossing the useless magazine on the table, I settle on the couch to play my new game. A few hours later, I'm rather annoyed to be summoned to dinner. "Can't I just starve myself until I finish?" I whine.

"If only," Konata-neechan says wistfully. "Come and eat."

"Okay..."

I take my seat at the table and pick at the food on my plate.

"Is something wrong?" Konata-neechan asks.

"Peas," I say, glaring at the items in question.

"You shouldn't be picky," Mr. Izumi says half-teasingly.

"I'm usually not, but... Peas are my nemesis." The others at the table laugh, and I slump in my seat again, averting my gaze. "I'm not kidding," I mutter. "I really can't eat peas."

"Pick them out," Konata-neechan suggests.

I comb through my food, attempting to do just that. However, after a minute or two I stop. "I feel sick," I say, pushing the plate away. "Can I be excused?"

Without waiting for an answer, I get up and head into the living room.


I offer to do the dishes in exchange for skipping out on dinner, then head into Mr. Izumi's office to see if Suzaku is online for a chat. He is.


TENMA SUZAKU: hey wats up?

chessmaster: Nothing much. How's Nunnally?

TENMA SUZAKU: shes fine shes watcing a movie rite nao

chessmaster: What's she watching?

TENMA SUZAKU: twilite

chessmaster: ... I don't want my sister watching that crap.

TENMA SUZAKU: she lieks it

TENMA SUZAKU: wat r u doin?

chessmaster: I don't care if she likes it. I don't want her watching it. It'll rot her brain.

TENMA SUZAKU: r u haveing fun were u r?

chessmaster: I'm chatting with you.

chessmaster: I guess.

TENMA SUZAKU: its just a sily movie

chessmaster: It's stupid. I don't like my sister watching stupid things.

TENMA SUZAKU: watever. wat r u doing other than taking to me?

chessmaster: Not much. I'm with a bunch of otaku, so I've been playing a lot of video games. Most of them are boring, but I managed to find one I like.

TENMA SUZAKU: r u going 2 scool?

TENMA SUZAKU: wat game?

chessmaster: Rune Factory, and yes. Would you please let my reply before you say something else?

TENMA SUZAKU: sory. wats rune factory abowt?

chessmaster: Farming and fighting monsters. It's sounds stupid, but it's really fun.

TENMA SUZAKU: it sounds boring

chessmaster: I know, but it isn't.

TENMA SUZAKU: ok wat scool r u going 2?

chessmaster: I can't answer that, stupid.

TENMA SUZAKU: o ya. sory

chessmaster: It's fine. And "sorry" has two 'R's.

TENMA SUZAKU: i no that :(

chessmaster: Then why are you spelling it wrong?

TENMA SUZAKU: cuz wat did u have 4 diner?

chessmaster: "Dinner". A diner is a type of restaurant. And I skipped dinner.

TENMA SUZAKU: why?

chessmaster: Because there were too many peas.

TENMA SUZAKU: u shuldnt b piky

TENMA SUZAKU: rnt you hungry?

chessmaster: I know, and no. My stomach is still a little queasy from all those peas.

TENMA SUZAKU: y do u hate peas so much?

chessmaster: Well, according to my mother, I USED to like them, but I ate them once when I was sick, and ended up throwing them up. Since then, I haven't been able to stand them. I was only two at the time, so I don't remember it myself.

TENMA SUZAKU: ooooooh. thats gross

chessmaster: Told you.

chessmaster: Well, I have to go now. Good night.

TENMA SUZAKU: u shud try them again u mite like them

TENMA SUZAKU: o good nite


Everyone who reads this far receives a DVD box set of Ai Yori Aoshi.

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