Thursday morning, July 23 – Le Dauphin Hotel

"I think I want to be a high school teacher when I grow up." Yukiko said as she sipped her coffee. This comment generated several giggles from the people in the living room of the penthouse. Yuri was once again laying on the divan and Ryuuji was massaging out the stiffness in her back and shoulders. Yasuko, Ami, and Yukiko were watching the handsome young man oil and massage his half dressed teacher as if it were a normal thing. Well, for the time being, it was a normal thing. This was his fifth massage to help Yuri survive the exercise regimen that Yasuko was putting her through. Judging from the moans coming from the divan, it was helping a lot.

"It's not always like this, you know." Yuri tried to protest.

"It can be," Ami teased, "maybe Ryuuji should start giving you a massage every day at lunch… across the teachers desk perhaps?"

"AMI!" Yuri blushed furiously, "Don't even joke about that!" Her demand was lost in the room full of laughter.

"I will have an actual massage table in the room by the time you return this evening." Yukiko told Ryuuji and Ami.

Yuri wondered if that might change her situation at all. From the very first time that she was prepared for Ryuuji to massage her, Yamada-san made sure that she was stripped to the waist. It was true that she was already lying face down on the divan when he came in and a robe was placed over her when she got up, so she never revealed her chest to Ryuuji, but she still felt awful for needing her student to touch her bare skin like that. Initially, she had tried to protest. She even begged to be able to wear her brassiere or a swim suit top, but Yamada-san would not allow it. Yamada-san had her own ideas of etiquette and ethics. According to Yamada-san, his skills as a masseuse were quite good, so she had insisted that Yuri allow him to give her a massage as a professional since he was giving her that level of service. And to Yamada-san's way of thinking, to insist on wearing a top during her massage would be a slap in the face to Ryuuji. It would be as direct an insult as telling him that he was a pervert and she did not trust him.

In fact, Yuri did trust him. Yuri's concern was that she didn't know if she could trust herself. Each time he massaged her pain away, she felt more comfortable letting him touch her. Each time Yamada-san arrived to prepare Yuri for her massage, she was a little more excited, a little more willing, a little less anxious. She didn't feel like she was falling for Ryuuji… yet. But, oh gods would it be nice to find a man like him that was closer to her age! Tall and strong, caring and thoughtful, smart and able to make her pain go away with a touch of his hands. Yuri moaned as Ryuuji's fingers continued to rub away the pain and she daydreamed about an older version of that wonderful boy. She peripherally heard some of the talk the rest of them were having, but it was so hard to concentrate when he was making her feel so good.

The conversation covered their plans for the day and for the rest of the week. It turned out not to be a very complex schedule. Until they got to the shooting break on Sunday, everyone was keeping to the same activities. Ami and Ryuuji would continue going to the studio every day and return around the same time. Yuri and Yasuko would be exercising and mostly keeping to the hotel. Of course, Yuri groaned when she resignedly acknowledged her schedule. Everyone gave a good natured laugh at her expense but praised her for having the willpower to keep up with Yasuko.

After they finished breakfast, Yasuko and Yuri went up to the rooftop garden to rest for a bit before they started on their second exercise run of the day. Ryuuji was in the kitchen with one of the hotel employees cleaning up the dishes. Under the apron, he was dressed for his role as Ami's manager and ready to leave when she was. He had just put the last plate away and checked the time to make sure they wouldn't be late when Yukiko and Ami showed up.

"All right, spill." Ami told Ryuuji.

"Eh?" Ryuuji tried to sound innocent.

"We both noticed you acting cagey when we were talking about what we have planned for the rest of the week." Yukiko said, "You're up to something. And don't say its just your face! We can both tell the difference."

"Okay," Ryuuji knew he was caught and gave them both a lopsided grin, "what gave me away?"

"The way your eyes darted. And, you were a little too quick to laugh." Ami said.

"And the fact that you packed three bento boxes today." Yukiko added.

"Four." Ryuuji corrected her as he started walking toward the service elevator.

"Four?" both Yukiko and Ami asked.

"You're not going to go all nuts with rage if you find out I'm being nice to some of the other models, are you?" Ryuuji asked Ami while pressing the elevator call button.

"How nice?" Ami pouted for a moment. But when the elevator doors opened, she stepped through and laughed, "No I won't be all jealous! I don't have self confidence issues like… some people." Ami tried to hide the gaffe that she almost blurted Taiga's name out. Ryuuji didn't seem to notice, but Yukiko's eyes narrowed a bit when she detected the brief pause.

"Just-friends nice," Ryuuji reassured Ami while the elevator dropped toward the ground floor.

"Oh?" Ami used a mock-sympathy voice and asked Ryuuji, "Is poor Ryuuji getting all lonely while I'm in the closed shoot sessions?" The elevator doors opened and they all stepped out into the service foyer before Ryuuji replied.

"… Yes." Ryuuji was going to give a different answer but she just handed him an excuse that would require no further explanation… or argument. Ami was walking behind Ryuuji with Yukiko, so she couldn't see that the expression on his face was not one of pain, but of relief.

"Oh!" Ami blushed as she realized her error. She had just poked fun at him for something that deserved her most sincere thanks. Of course he was lonely. When she was involved in a closed shoot, he could be waiting for her for several hours. Waiting out in the hallways of an unfamiliar building with nothing to do and no-one to talk to. For her. Ami blushed but could say nothing.

"As long as it's just that," Yukiko seemed satisfied, "after all, I don't need the debut of my hotel to be in the midst of a nasty lovers quarrel." Her lighthearted comment made both Ami and Ryuuji blush.

"We're off!" the two turned and headed toward the studio still blushing.

Ryuuji was thinking about his plan when he noticed that Ami was not in front or even beside him as they walked. Looking about, he saw that she was several steps behind him. Her head was lowered and her shoulders slightly slumped. He turned around and stopped in front of her.

Ami was concerned. She knew this modeling gig would be a grind for her but she didn't really think about how boring it would be for Ryuuji. When she decided to include Ryuuji and Yasuko on this trip, it was mostly so she could keep an eye on Ryuuji and make sure he didn't slip back into depression. She never imagined that he would recover enough to actually be useful. And truly, she didn't have a plan for what to do with the two of them when she was working. So far, she had counted on Ryuuji to come up with things to keep his mom and now even their sensei busy, but she had not considered the boredom that he must be facing while he patiently waited for her. The guilt was hardening like a knot in her soul. Again, she thought of herself but couldn't be bothered to think of someone else. Not even someone she… loved. Trying not to cry, she closed her eyes and walked right into him. She stumbled back and would have fallen if he had not grasped her by the shoulders to steady her. Opening her eyes and looking up to his face, she saw his goofy lopsided grin as he looked back at her.

"Hey," he knocked lightly on her head with his knuckles, "what's going on in there?"

"I'm okay..." she started to say but the look that he gave her smacked of total disbelief, "...okay… I was worried that you are getting bored with me." She looked away to try and hide the blush she felt coming on.

"Bored with you?" Ryuuji laughed and, taking her chin in his big hand, turned her face to look at him, "I don't think it's possible to be around you and be bored at the same time."

"What?" Ami would have taken that comment as some kind of sarcasm or fake compliment if it had come from anyone else. But Ryuuji said it… and Ryuuji doesn't play around with other peoples feelings like… other people do… like she does.

"You make everything more interesting. More exciting." Ryuuji bit his lip and admitted, "Honestly, I'm worried about being too boring for you."

"Kawashima Ami?" a woman's voice said from behind her, "Is this man bothering you?"

"No no!" Ami spun around to see one of the studio assistants holding a clipboard and looking nervous. No, nervous wasn't the word. She looked scared to death. "He's my boyfriend… and my manager."

Ryuuji saw the woman's reaction too and remembered that he had not put on his mirror shades yet. While Ami was explaining the situation, he retrieved the wayfarers and put them on. He also took the identification badge out and put that on as well. By the time he was ready for introductions, the woman had already taken Ami by the hand and was running into the building with her. He was about to chase after them when Ami yelled back to him.

"The shoot is starting early! I'll meet you in the lobby at noon!" Ami disappeared through the revolving doors.

Another closed shoot. Ryuuji sighed. He looked at his watch and realized he had plenty of time to put his own plan into action...

.

Thursday morning, July 23 – Studio Café

Over the past several days, Ryuuji had found plenty of time to do some people watching. Yukiko's' gift of the mirror-shades helped out tremendously with that. He could sit in a corner of the lobby, the café, or any of the other common areas and observe people without anyone knowing they were the one being observed. And, although his face made many people uncomfortable, if he didn't do anything to draw attention to himself, most of the time no-one even knew he was there.

He wasn't trying to watch everyone though. There were four models that he was interested in. They were four of the models that had not reacted well to seeing Ami trying to restart her career. Two of the models were already marked off his list. One had a very busy shoot schedule and simply wouldn't be available to observe. The other would only be involved in this event for the first two days, then she would be leaving for an international event in a place called Cardiff Castle. Ryuuji couldn't figure out why that name seemed familiar and yet didn't sound like the names of any of the castles in the main of Japan. He wondered if it was something in Okinawa?

With those two off the list, he was able to concentrate on the two remaining models and discovered that they were both struggling with their careers. At this event, where every model seemed to be busy most of every day, these two seemed to have quite a bit of free time every day. While watching them, he remembered the stalker that had scared Ami and he hoped that he wouldn't be causing them any trouble, but there were things he had to find out. For Ami's sake, he had to know.

Looking at the circled name on his small notepad, he knew she would be arriving soon to have her morning coffee at the café on the building's first floor. It didn't take long to get there after seeing Ami off and Ryuuji didn't have long to wait. He had just bought two coffee's and sat down at a table with a good view of the entrance when she came in. Standing a little taller than Ami, she had purple eyes and long black hair in a ponytail that ran down her back. As she walked into the café, he called out to her.

"Kurosawa Hisako," Ryuuji stood and pulled out a chair for her, "Please join me for coffee and breakfast."

"I don't know you." she said simply. Ryuuji was impressed that she didn't seem to be afraid of him, then again… she was a model so…

"We were introduced the other day." Ryuuji opened the bento with the breakfast he had prepared and offered it to her, "Takasu Ryuuji. I am the manager of… another model."

"Are you trying to recruit me?" She tried to sound indifferent, but Ryuuji could see the interest in the breakfast he was offering."

"No." Ryuuji thought about it, "well, yes. But not as a model. I need your help with something."

"I'll bet." she said dismissively. She was about to walk away but the lure of the breakfast was too much. Sitting down and reaching for the breakfast box she said, "Give me that. I'll hear you out but no promises."

"Thank you." Ryuuji passed her some chopsticks and took his own seat. He gave her a chance to try a few of the items in the box before speaking. "I am new to this business and I don't know who to trust."

"Hmpf," Hisako snorted, "that's easy. Don't trust anyone."

"That doesn't work for me." Ryuuji told her, "I'm pretty sure I can trust you."

"Only if you're an idiot." she jeered, "No-one trusts me."

"You're not the first person to call me an idiot, so I think I'll take my chances with you." Ryuuji tried humor to throw her off her bad mood.

"What makes you think that you can trust me?" she laughed at his gullibility.

"The other day when I was being introduced around, I noticed that there were people that smiled and acted all friendly but I could tell they made… my client nervous. Then there were people that didn't hide their feelings." Ryuuji said.

"I was one of those?" Hisako asked.

"Yes." Ryuuji answered.

"So, your client is someone I don't like..." Hisako frowned, "unfortunately, that doesn't narrow it down much for me." She was about to demand that he tell her who his client was when he spoke.

"Kawashima Ami." Ryuuji said. He watched her eyes open wide in fear.

"No!" She stopped eating and looked down at the remaining food, "Is this food poisoned?"

"What?" Ryuuji was shocked that she would even suggest that, "No, of course not!"

"Is this revenge?" she looked up at Ryuuji with a paled expression, "are you going to beat me up?"

"WHAT?" Ryuuji had gone from shocked to stunned.

"Wait..." Hisako seemed surprised too, "You really don't know who I am? Kawashima-san hasn't told you about me"

"No," Ryuuji tried to keep everything calm, "like I said, I'm new at this."

"Maybe she hasn't known you long enough." Hisako suggested.

"I've known her over a year." Ryuuji rebutted.

"Maybe she doesn't know you well enough?" Hisako asked.

"I'm her boyfriend." he answered.

"WHAT?" Hisako seemed shocked at this statement.

"No, it's true." Ryuuji assured her, "I know it's hard to believe that she would be going out with a face like this..."

"It's not that. I think you're quite handsome." Hisako blushed when she realized what she had just said, "I just thought that Kawashima wasn't into guys..."

"WHAT?" Ryuuji was starting to wonder if they were talking about the same person.

"I mean… she teased them and flirted with them, but she was never interested in..." Her voice faded out and it looked like she was figuring something out. "Boyfriend… Then this is revenge?" She looked positively terrified as she asked, "What are you going to do to me?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Ryuuji dropped his head into his hands and told her, "Look, I know Ami used to be pretty abrasive but I never thought she would do something that would make someone this scared of her."

"What?" Hisako almost choked, "You really don't know who I am do you?"

"No." Ryuuji was about to tell her not to bother. It didn't look like this was anything that he could fix after all.

"Kawashima-san didn't do anything to me. I did something to her." Her words made Ryuuji look up from his hands at the same time that Hisako looked down at the table, "I'm the reason she dropped out of modeling."

"Um..." Ryuuji was about to tell her that she was mistaken, but he wanted to make sure he understood everything first, "I haven't heard this story. Could you tell me what this is about?"

"I guess it's cause you're new… Everyone in the industry knows. That's why no-one trusts me." she was still looking down, but it looked like she wasn't as frightened as she had been. "And, no-one likes me." Ryuuji reached across the table and gently took her left hand. She looked up in shock but he appeared sincere and not dangerous at all.

"Tell me." he asked of her.

"Kawashima-san and I were competing for this really important shoot. I knew she was going to get the job so I showed up early on the day of the shoot and told them she wasn't coming. I got the job but she never worked again." Looking back down at the table, Hisako finished, "She just disappeared with some stupid story about getting serious with high school classes."

"People don't actually believe that, do they?" Ryuuji couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Of course not!" Hisako completely misunderstood Ryuuji's question and told him, "Who is going to believe that the daughter of a star is going to give up on a promising career to go to high school?"

"No, that's not what I mean." Ryuuji explained, "People actually think she gave up on modeling because you tricked her out of a job?"

"Well… yeah." Hisako looked back up at Ryuuji and blinked, "It's the truth."

"No, it's not." Ryuuji grinned as he realized that maybe he could fix this. Unfortunately, his smile could be a bit unnerving, so Hisako was a little shaken by his predatory look when he smiled and said, "It couldn't be further from the truth."

"Yes it is!" Hisako said defiantly, "That's why nobody trusts me! That's why everyone hates me!"

"Stop it!" Ryuuji said sternly to get the panicking girl's attention, "Listen to what I am telling you and you will know."

"Um… okay." Hisako was still somewhat frightened but Ryuuji's order seemed to have more concern than malevolence in it. She wanted to run, but at the same time she wanted to listen to what he had to say. Besides… he was still holding her hand.

"I am a high school student." Ryuuji could see that she didn't believe him so he pulled out his wallet and showed her his student ID.

Her eyes went wide as she compared the picture and the face.

"Kawashima Ami has been a student with me for over a year." Ryuuji told her, "She left modeling to get away from a stalker."

"No," Hisako shook her head, "that was just a rumor..."

"It's true." Ryuuji confirmed, "I saw him. I watched Ami finally get so upset with him that she conquered her fear and confronted him."

"What..." Hisako was stunned, "what did she do to him?"

"She didn't do that much to him," Ryuuji smiled as he recalled the fond memory, "but she broke his camera into about a thousand pieces."

"Then it wasn't me… I didn't..." Hisako stuttered as she felt over a year of repressed guilt and self-loathing about to wash away in a rain of tears. Ryuuji could see that she was about to cry and he moved quickly to the chair next to hers.

"Hey," he told her, "you had nothing to do with her leaving the modeling scene for a while." He wiped away some tears from her cheeks with a napkin. Then he told her, "You did lie about her to get that job, but I'm pretty sure she would forgive you for that."

Good going Ryuuji. He told himself, You made a girl cry again.

.

Ami finished the shoot a little early and headed down to the lobby. Ryuuji's reply to her text said that he was waiting for her on the red couches. There was a section of the lobby where there were a bunch of long red fabric covered couches in a maze. Many of the models and staff would grab a quick nap there on some of the longer shoots. It wasn't strange that he would be there but it did make her wonder again if he was getting bored. When Ami got to the red couch maze, she saw Ryuuji sitting on the couch with a black haired girl lying down with her head in his lap. His hand was on her head and it looked like he was comforting her while she slept.

Now she wished he was bored. She was starting to get upset when she remembered the conversation from this morning. Suddenly, this became a test for her. She had to prove that she wasn't the type to lurch into rage and stupid assumptions. She had to trust Ryuuji that he knew what he was doing.

I can do this. She cheered to herself.

No problem. Her inner voice said.

Damn this is hard. She admitted.

"Hey Ryuuji," she was surprised that she had as much control of her voice as she did, "You want to eat lunch here?"

"If you don't mind?" Ryuuji asked innocently and said, "I am a little stuck at the moment."

"I can see that," bending over to get a better view of the black haired sleeping beauty whose head was on her boyfriends lap, she asked, "Kurosawa Hisako, isn't it?"

"Yes," Ryuuji reminded her, "you introduced us the other day."

"She doesn't like me." Ami stated as she stood back up.

"That was all a misunderstanding." Ryuuji dismissed, "it's true that she needs to apologize to you about something she feels terribly guilty about, but I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"I don't like her." Ami tested the words.

"Yes you do." Ryuuji said with cheer, if not with a smile.

"I do?" Ami replied in a faux-surprise voice.

"Yes," Ryuuji said with certainty, "and you will accept her apology and forgive her. After she thanks you for your forgiveness, you will invite her to dinner tonight, at the hotel."

"I will?" the faux-surprise voice was gone and this sounded more like a challenge.

"Yes." Ryuuji looked at Ami expectantly. Ami pursed her lips and set her jaw as she rolled all this over in her mind.

"And why would I do this?" she asked.

"Because that is the kind of wonderful, loving, and caring person that I believe the real Kawashima Ami is."

"Um..." Ami opened her mouth to protest but Ryuuji wasn't finished.

"She wasn't always like this, but that's how I see her now." Ryuuji looked into Ami's eyes and blushed a bit as he said, "I'm pretty sure that's why I fell in love with her."

Ami's mouth snapped shut. She turned around and sat down on the couch next to Ryuuji – on the other side of him from Hisako. Arms folded and pouting, it took her a few minutes before she was able to reply.

"You don't play fair." Ami quietly complained.

"I learned from the best." Ryuuji chuckled.

"Yeah," Ami grinned, "I keep forgetting that you're smarter than you look."

"Ouch," Ryuuji faked a wounding blow from her then grinned as he asked her, "This is killing you isn't it?"

"Yes!" Ami said through clenched teeth and an obviously faked smile. Quietly, she added, "I'm really not sure what I should do. I mean… O know I said I'm not the jealous type, but that's when I thought you might be having an innocent chat with someone I might actually like..."

"Ami, do you trust me?" Ryuuji asked her.

"Yes." Ami's answer came to her lips so quickly because she did trust him. She trusted him so deeply, so thoroughly it scared her. She had never trusted anyone like this before. At an early age she had learned that everyone had agendas and motives for every act of kindness and friendship. Everyone she had ever known had been like that… except a precious few. And Ryuuji was one of them.

"Good," Ryuuji said in almost a whisper, "lots of people are watching us now. Think of this as an acting audition. Your part right now is to be the caring girlfriend that sees nothing wrong with this. She hasn't a care in the world because she knows with absolute certainty that not only would her boyfriend never do anything to hurt her, he would only ever be looking out for her best interests even if she caught him in the most questionable circumstances."

"This role..." Ami smirked, "she sounds like an idiot."

"Oh no," Ryuuji corrected, "she is intelligent and beautiful. She doesn't go around trusting everyone like this. She is very selective."

"Is he worthy of this trust?" Ami asked with raised eyebrow.

"If he wasn't," Ryuuji riposted, "that would make her an idiot, wouldn't it?"

"So," Ami's demeanor instantly changed to a care free girl sitting next to her boyfriend without a worry on the horizon, "what's for lunch?"

Ryuuji was amazed. She was perfect. He knew she was struggling with this but she played her part flawlessly. She didn't go over the top and she didn't slip up even after Hisako woke up and started her own panicking. Ryuuji's role was done now and he played the background character as he watched the events unfold.

Hisako apologized.

Ami accepted graciously.

Hisako looked relieved and desperately wanted to catch up with Ami, but it was time for her shoot and she had to run.

Ami invited her to dinner and promised to catch up then.

A stunned, happy, and grateful Hisako accepted the invitation, then ran off to to her shoot.

After Hisako left, Ami turned to Ryuuji and smiled again.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up." she said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Ryuuji asked.

"One thing I learned from you…" Ami caught herself from saying and Taiga, before she continued, "last year. It's better to be me. The fake me is just… depressing."
"So," Ryuuji suggested, "make it real."

"Huh?" Ami didn't understand the suggestion.

"You just acted like you forgave her and that you could be friends." He suggested, "Why not try it out for real?"

"You mean," Ami said dubiously, "really forgive her and actually try to be friends with someone that has hated me for a year and has publicly badmouthed me?"

"Yes," Ryuuji said simply.

"I don't know if I can do that." Ami said honestly.

"Why not," Ryuuji offered, "I did."

"When did you ever..." Ami started to ask but realized the answer. She thought of how many friends he now had. And so many others that may not be his friends but respected him now. But not too long ago they all thought he was a delinquent. They thought he was violent. They were as guilty of spreading the rumors as they were of believing them. Ryuuji forgave them all. "All right, I'll give it a shot." She said noncommittally, "Who knows, this might be fun."

.

Thursday afternoon, July 23 – Le Dauphin Hotel

"Koigakubo-san," Yukiko called out to the teacher as she was climbing into the hot tub, "I believe you are moving much better now."

"I am," Yuri said delightedly, "and I think it's all thanks to this wonderful hot bath!"

"And the exercise machines you set up for us!" Yasuko gushed, "They are wonderful! We are able to get more done with less pain."

"Thank you for those complements, but let's not forget Takasu-sama's hands." Yukiko chimed in, "From the results I have seen, his massage must be all but magical."

"Oh no," Yasuko giggled, "it is quite magical."

"I was thinking that if I'm doing this well, I shouldn't need Takasu-kun to..." Yuri noticed that Yukiko was glaring at her. She turned to Yasuko for support but her onee-chan was glaring at her too. She sank a little lower into the hot water and said, "Um… never mind. I'll be quiet now."

"Oh yes," Yukiko said to both of them, "I came to tell you that you will be having a guest for dinner tonight. Apparently Kawashima-san is inviting one of her model colleagues to join her this evening."

"Oh how fun!" Yasuko cheered, "You will be joining us too won't you, Yukiko-san?"

"I don't think that would be..." Yukiko tried to protest but Yasuko insisted.

"You simply must!" Yasuko said, "You're going to be Ami-chan's friend, right? Well if she is having her friends for dinner, you should be there too!"

"Well, when you put it like that, I suppose I must." Yukiko smiled as she gave in to the energetic blond. She knew she had a hard time saying no to that woman. Her simple loyalty and devotion to her son and her friends was something to be cherished. On that day when Ryuuji had asked her to be a friend to someone in his group, she would have picked Yasuko if it had been up to her.

"Onee-san," Yuri could see the melancholy wistfulness in the young hotel manager's eyes, "wasn't there something else you wanted to ask Yamada-san?"

"Huh?" Yasuko looked confused for a moment but lit up like a light bulb when she remembered. She stepped up out of the bath next to Yukiko and took her hands, "Would you like to start working out with us?"

"What?" Yukiko was shocked at this request. Were they suggesting this because she was starting to look fat? She asked, "Why?"

"Because silly," Yasuko laughed her infectious laugh, "That's what friends do!"

"Friends?" Yukiko's eyes opened wide with disbelief and happiness.

"Oh yeah," Yuri had an idea, "You should come on the shopping trip with us next Thursday too!"

"And the sightseeing trip on Sunday!" Yasuko added.

"Onee-chan," Yuri chided, "she lives in Tokyo. Sightseeing here would be boring to her."

"No," Yukiko said excitedly, "no it wouldn't! I would love to join you!"

"Yay!" Yasuko cheered and hugged the surprised manager.

"Um… just out of curiosity though," Yukiko asked, "will I have to call you onee-chan?"

"Nobody has to call her that." Yuri said, "Ami-chan and I do it because it makes us feel good."

"And it makes me feel good," Yasuko added, "my little sisters are so cute!"

"I see," Yukiko bit her lip and told them, "it's just that I do have two older sisters and… they have never been nice to me."

"Well..." Yasuko looked into Yukiko's ice blue eyes, "you can call me Yasuko, or Takasu-chan, or whatever you like. But if you want to call me onee-chan, you can count on me to be the big sister that is never mean to you."

"Except when she is making you work out." Yuri mumbled.

"HEY!" Yasuko yelled.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Yuri laughed.

"I've always wanted an onee-chan that would be nice to me." Yukiko's eyes were damp as she contrasted her adversarial and ruthlessly competitive family with this one. She hugged Yasuko back and felt Yuri hug her too.

"Welcome to the family, Yuki-chan." Yasuko said as she patted the dark brown hair of her new friend.