Orenji Neko 10- Culture Festival Preparations
"We've passed all the sanitation inspections…so we have permission to sell Onigiri at the festival. Now we must decide what flavors of Onigiri to make."
"Lucky Kashiki. She gets to stand up there with the prince."
"She is on the student council with him…" I glare at the girls and they shut up. Tohru stands up.
"I know! Why don't we have three flavored Onigiri?! It's fun to have three tastes in one Onigiri."
"I like that. It's cute."
"Eh? We shouldn't do that, Sohma-kun. What would happen if someone got chicken, kelp, and plum?"
"Ew. That's disgusting!"
"What's really disgusting is your blatant jealousy." Uo-chan leans on an iron pipe that she put on the girls' desk. They freak out.
"She brought an iron pipe to school! It's got bloodstains on it!" I sigh.
"This is more trouble than it's worth. Yuki-kun, I told you we should pass out paper and take a poll…it would be much quieter…"
"True…but it's too late to do anything about it now…" I nod slightly.
"How about we have battle Onigiri?"
"Battle?!"
"A one-on-one match. Weapons are allowed, but no killing…deliberate bloodshed or trying to cut off someone's arm."
"No." Everyone in the room speaks at the same time and Kyo continues like we didn't say anything.
"Defending your honor and your right to eat Onigiri in one glorious fight!" I sigh and touch my forehead. "What?! You wanted an idea and I gave you one!"
"What about a surprise ingredient?" Everyone looks at me. "Like you can pick three and get one free, but we'll put a mystery filling in the fourth ones so people will be surprised."
"And make the filling really weird." I nod.
"Exactly."
"That's perfect!" The guys go crazy over it and my eyes twitch angrily.
"Eh?! That's it? You just agree…?"
"What the…?! Why are you all going crazy over her stupid idea?"
"It's not that we're crazy about it…"
"Your idea is just too weird. Who would want an Onigiri so much that they'd fight a death-match for it?"
"Don't pout, Kyon-kyon." Oh.
"Yuki-kun, we have to go to the student council meeting…"
"I'm the only one that needs to go. Can you take care of seeing who brings what?" I nod.
"Sure thing."
"Wait! There's something I want to ask you!"
"Yuki, right here…"
"Yea, yea."
"Yuki-kun I have a question." I roll my eyes and start making a list on the chalkboard. The room fills with the sounds of cats and I look back, shocked. Cats are crawling all over Kyo. Yuki and Tohru are standing perfectly still, in shock as well.
"Ah! Cats!"
"What the?!"
"What?!" Kyo gets up, still covered in cats, and heads for the door.
"Kyo…Kyo-kun…!?"
"I don't care anymore!"
"Wait, Kyon-kyon! What's with the cats?!"
"Don't break the door down…" He kicks the door down and I roll my eyes.
"What was that…?"
"I have no idea…"
"What attracted the cats?"
"That's strange…"
"Don't worry about it. You're pretty strange yourself. Still, he really does have a short temper, doesn't he?"
"Indeed, he acts like a bad little boy."
"Quick, Yuki-kun. Get out while they're distracted." Yuki disappears through the door and I turn back to the chalkboard. "Okay everyone! We're going to decide what everyone will bring to the festival! We'll be using the two ideas for flavors. A three flavored Onigiri and surprise Onigiri."
"Eh?! That's not fair! Honda is your friend!"
"Favoritism!" I sigh and scrape my nails down the board.
"Urusei! Now. We'll need a lot of Onigiri…"
"You're up early, Tohru-chan."
"Good morning, Kashi-chan! You want to help me with the onigiri?" I nod.
"Sure." I help with the onigiri and notice the time.
"Oh crap! I'm going to be late!"
"Eh?"
"Yuki-kun! You'd better have already left!"
"Kashi-chan, what's up?"
"Student council meeting. I didn't have to go to many meetings before, but with the vice-president out sick and not on the council anymore, I have to take her place." I hurry to the door and put on my shoes. "See you later!" I grab my bag and hurry down the path. I get to the school and go to the meeting room just in time.
"Hey. The frame is shaky."
"Hey, it's not like we're building a house, Cat-lover."
"Yea, Cat-lover."
"It's fine as long as it doesn't break, Cat-lover."
"Why the hell do you keep calling me Cat-lover?! Are you making fun of me?!" I sigh and go back to folding napkins.
"Seriously, can they be any more annoying?"
"Oh, we know. You talk tough, but underneath, you're a nice guy who loves animals."
"Oh, speaking of animals. You were looking for a job right, Kashi-chan?"
"Yea."
"I have a friend that works at the shelter. He said that they're looking for a part-timer for the evening shift."
"Cool. I'll go by there after school and ask."
"Damn, he comes back and it gets all noisy. With his personality, I'd love to see him cut loose at a party."
"He came back without much of a fight. That's unusual…"
"Because Sohma-kun is Sohma-kun and Kyo-kun is Kyo-kun."
"Huh?" I roll my eyes.
"Yea, Kyo is Kyo. Kyo is a pain in the ass."
"If this keeps up, Orenji'll have a fan club too before long."
"That's very possible."
"Yuki-kun." All five of us look back at the upperclassmen.
"Sempai…"
"Actually, we have a present for you, Yuki-kun. We all pitched in and bought this, hoping you'd wear it at the festival. Ta-da! A costume especially for Yuki-kun!" They pull a fancy dress around in front of them and it gets very quiet.
"Kashiki-san." Oh great. I turn around and gasp at the crowd of guys. Since when have I been popular with guys? Eep.
"Yes? Do you need some help with the stand?"
"No, actually…"
"Just give it to her already."
"We were hoping that you'd wear this to the festival." They pull out a guy's suit and I glare at them.
"Hell no." I turn around and start arranging napkins angrily. "They're still here. Uo-chan, where's that pipe?" She pulls it out and I take it from her as I stand up and face them.
"Don't get so pissed, Kashi-chan. You'd be cute in a guy's suit." I grip the pipe angrily and pat my free hand with it.
"You have until I get to five to have that thing out of my sight and be back working before I start swinging. Ichi. Ni." They back up. "San. Shi."
"Agh!" They hurry away and I sit down.
"You should do it. The Prince is going along with the girls."
"It's not like he's not pissed too."
"Hey, you guys got really close lately huh? You and the prince aren't dating are you?" I glare at Uo-chan.
"I am still armed. I suggest you refrain from saying things like that, Uo-chan."
"Right. Sorry. Just…put the pipe down and everything will be fine…"
"You're pretty scared, Uotani-san. That's strange."
"Heh, you weren't in a gang with her for two years. She's more dangerous than the Red Butterfly." I lower the pipe and look at the floor. All four of us are sullen for a moment at the mention of the Red Butterfly. That was Kyoko-san's alias when she was in a gang.
"Anyways! Kashi-chan, you would be cute in that suit. Maybe you should apologize to the guys?"
"Yea! Who knew they liked you that much?! They were nervous."
"Probably because they knew how she might, and did, respond."
"But you're about as popular with the guys as the Prince is with the girls. I really am surprised that none of the four of you are…"
"Uo-chan…"
"Yes, it's not a good idea to continue with this subject. Particularly when Mina-chan is putting out such violent waves."
"It's strange. It's not very often anymore that you're set off, Kashi-chan. Tension at home or something?"
"There's always tension at the house. Between Sohma-kun and Kyo-kun fighting all the time and then Kyo-kun has a knack for pissing Kashi-chan off." I stand up and turn.
"I'm going to get some fresh air." I leave the classroom and get ambushed by third years.
