Chapter 25- August 16, 2011
Yusuke glanced over as the second car came driving up. He wondered how they had done… Especially since they had Hikaru with them. The car pulled to a stop and a moment later the car's occupants began to climb up.
The twins sprang out and spun around. "FREEDOM!" Mai yelled out.
"Shin. Mai…" Hoshimi called after them and then sighed.
"Hey." Midori waved, making Yusuke jump. "Come on in. We've already got our stuff unpacked and our rooms set up. Yusuke why don't you help them bring in their bags."
Yusuke rolled his eyes but headed over to where Kaname was already unpacking.
"Thanks!" Midori called out.
Yusuke flushed slightly and grabbed a bag. Kaname grinned and Yusuke flushed even redder. "Shut up." He muttered under his breath as he loaded up a couple bags and headed back inside.
Tsubaki and Azusa were playing a game of ping pong while everyone else was standing or sitting and talking.
"Come on Yusuke show me where to put these bags down." Kaname walked up behind Yusuke, followed by Ukyo and Masaomi.
"Right." Yusuke nodded and started walking. The layout was simple; a big living room area with a pingpong table and couches, then there were two bedrooms. One larger one, which was for the boys, and one smaller one for the girls and younger twins.
"Which ones are Hoshimi's, Wataru's and the twins?" Yusuke asked.
"Right here." Masaomi said. "And the one you are holding."
"Okay. They go over here and the rest go in that room." Yusuke gestured and opened the door. He set the bags down next to Midori's. He walked back out to the living room and found the twins and Wataru pulled out a big piece of paper and some straws. "What's going on?"
"We're going to have a ping pong competition!" Wataru and Mai said together.
"What?" Yusuke frowned and glanced over at Midori who was laughing.
"We can't go to the beach since it's so late, so we decided to play some games and have some fun." Hoshimi explained. "The kids are really excited."
"Let's make it interesting." Tsubaki grinned. "Winner gets one wish from anyone in the family!"
Everyone went silent and looked at each other.
"I like that idea!" Mai grinned. "I'm going to win and have my wish."
"And what is your wish?" Hoshimi asked her daughter.
"You'll find out after." Mai giggled.
"Alright." Hoshimi shook her head. "If everyone wants to..."
"Let's do it." Yusuke and Kaname said at the same time.
"Um… How are we going to do this?" Louis asked.
"We'll draw sticks to see who is playing first." Shin held up a fist of straws. "I colored on each of the straws so that there are two straws for each color. So we'll decide who plays who with the straws."
Yusuke watched as Wataru, Kaname, Subaru, Masaomi, Tsubaki, Azusa, Natsume, and Midori walked over and drew a straw. Yusuke took a deep breath and then walked over and took one. REd. He looked around the room to see who he would be playing against. He made eye contact with Kaname and frowned. Great….
"OKAY!" Shin called out. "First up is Wataru and Mai!"
The two younger kids grabbed their paddles and started to play. Yusuke glanced around and walked over to sit by Midori. "So… who will you be playing?'
"Masaomi… Any idea how good a player he is?" Midori asked watching the match.
"No idea." Yusuke sighed.
"GO MAI!" Shin called out.
"Good luck you both." Hoshimi called.
In the end Mai won just barely and she started to jump up and down excitedly. She did hug Wataru and tell him he was good.
"Okay Yusuke and Kaname you're up next." Hoshimi said, pointing to the paper. "Good luck."
"Good luck." Midori lightly shoved at his shoulder.
Yusuke smiled and got up.
"Wish me my luck my dear." Kaname bowed to Hoshimi.
"Come on." Yusuke rolled his eyes and picked up a paddle. He watched as Kaname came over and they started to play. The two went back and forth; taking turns scoring. Yusuke glanced over to see Midori watching. She was clapping for him. She was cheering him on!
"Looks like I've got a fan." Yusuke grinned. "Too bad for you. You've got no fans."
Kaname glanced over at where Hoshimi was talking with Ukyo and Masaomi. This was the moment. Yusuke swung with all of his might and took the winning point.
"Good job." Kaname walked over and patted Yusuke's shoulder. "You'd better win for me."
Yusuke nodded and walked over to Midori. "What do you think?" Yusuke asked.
"Not bad." Midori lightly patted him on the shoulder. "But you're still going to lose to me."
Yusuke smiled. He at least felt like he had won a little. Midori had cheered for him. The next couple matches followed as Natsume vs Subaru with Natsume winning, Masaomi vs Midori with Midori winning and Tsubaki vs Azusa with Tsubaki winning.
"Okay next round!" Mai yelled. "Tsubaki vs Midori. Natsume vs Yusuke. I'll play the winner."
"I'm not going to go down easily." Tsubaki grinned.
"You've got this Midori." Yusuke patted her on the back. "Go beat that brother of mine."
"Oh I plan to." Midori walked up and the match began.
Yusuke sat at the edge of his seat as Midori and Tsubaki started to play.
"You know you're real cute when you're concentrating." Tsubaki said and with that comment and a flustered Midori Tsubaki scored. "Oh I really can't wait to win. I've got a great wish."
"Come on Midori!" Yusuke yelled. "You can beat this guy."
"You really are cute." Kaname sat next to Yusuke and lightly patted him on the back. "YOu're really cute dear little brother. Trying so hard for your crush."
"And what about you?" Yusuke frowned.
"Oh?" Kaname raised an eyebrow.
"You're not going to try with Hoshimi?"
"Oh I plan on trying stuff." Kaname chuckled. "But not when so many are around." He winked.
Yusuke shook his head. "You know I don't think she likes you that way." Yusuke looked over to see Midori slam a point on Tsubaki. She grinned. Apparently that had been the winning point. "Way to go!" Yusuke cheered.
"Okay! Aunt Midori and me!" Mai ran up and grabbed her paddle. Winner plays Yusuke."
Yusuke smiled. "Good luck." He called over to Midori.
She smiled and then the game began. It really wasn't fair. Mai was good, but Midori was better. Probably because of years of experience.
"I guess I'm up." Yusuke stood up. "I feel bad for you." Kaname chuckled. "You can win and get a wish, or you can let her win and earn some brownie points."
Yusuke froze and looked at Midori who was waiting for him. "Oh boy." He whispered. He walked up and Midori spun her paddle.
"Alright, you vs me." She smirked. "Winner takes all."
"Ready." Yusuke took a deep gulp.
"Give me it your all or I'll be ticked off."
Yusuke froze and then took a deep breath and steadied himself. "Ready." He picked up the paddle and Midori served. They began to hit back and forth. Just like the other games it was first to five, or at least first to score two more points than the other person.
Yusuke gave it his all. I'm going to win. And when I do I'm going to wish for Midori to go on a date with me. Just the two of us… Yusuke gasped as he barely missed it and Midori scored a point. Darn it I let my mind wander!
"Not bad." Midori smiled. And soon they were at it again. Yusuke lightened up and soon they were both swinging with all their might and hitting back and forth ferociously. Before long Yusuke had lost track of time and was leaning over breathing heavily.
"W-Wh-What's the s-score?" Yusuke gasped.
"Aunt Midori has 10, you've got 9." Mai said peeking over at him. "Why don't you just give up now?"
"Nope." Yusuke stood back up and pulled out the ball. "Okay Midori here it comes." Yusuke got into position.
"Right." Midori was looking a little winded as well. She took a deep breath and then grinned. "Okay let's go."
Yusuke nodded and hit the ball with all his might. I'm going to win. I've got to win! Midori swung with all her might and the ball spun, hitting the edge of the table. "NO!" Yusuke dove for it, sliding across the floor. He hit the ball barely and turned to look back. He had missed the table… by inches.
"AND THE WINNER IS AUNT MIDORI!" Mai jumped up yelling loudly.
"GO AUNT MIDORI!" Shin cried out.
"Congrats." Hoshimi clapped.
"Man!" Yusuke rolled over onto his back and gasped. "So close!"
"Not bad." Midori held out her hand to him. "That was a really close call."
"I guess you get the wish." Yusuke took her hand and she pulled him up. "So what is it?"
"Simple." Midori smiled and turned to glare at Kaname and Tsubaki. "No funny business this trip. No trying to sneak any peaks, no suggestive comments! You boys be gentlemen! Got it!"
Yusuke stared at her and then started laughing. "Midori you're amazing."
"You too!" She jabbed a finger at his chest, and he noticed that she was blushing. "No comments about our bathing suits above all else got it!"
Yusuke froze. Bathing suits…. Now he wondered what she would be wearing. "R-Right…" Not outloud.
"Alright." Masaomi clapped. "Let's clean up and then we can go eat. How about that?"
"FOOD!" Wataru and the twins yelled together.
"First we need to clean up." Hoshimi stood up. "Come on."
"Hey Midori…." Yusuke stopped her before she could walk off. "Let's have a rematch some time. Just the two of us."
"Sure." Midori smiled. "But just so you know it will end the same way." She smirked and then headed over to help her sister.
Yusuke just took a couple calming breaths. "Wow…" He whispered.
"Man… I had some really good comments in mind." Tsubaki muttered. "But I can't go against Midori's dear wish."
"Oh I'm sure we can find some ways around it." Kaname chuckled. "Let's talk about it and put our boy minds together." Kaname wrapped his arms around his brother's shoulders. "I bet we can figure it all out!"
Yusuke flushed. "I don't want to work with you! I bet Midori would hate me even more for it."
"Yusuke's probably right. You're more trouble than your worth Kaname." Tsubaki slipped out. "You're really not worth it."
"Come on!" Kaname winned.
"And that's why you're probably not going to get Hoshimi." Yusuke chuckled and slipped out as well. "Let's go help."