We pick up from where we left off at the end of Episode 24, Season 1.

You can't be serious Ai.

But she was. Her uncanny change was too jarring to not be. He did not want to be pushed to a corner like this, and out of nowhere—but now he is anyway. Ai kept staring at him, wordlessly coercing him with her expectation.

Choose, she said.

"…"

Ai was valuable. But did Kanako have to go for her sake? This might still work out. "Alright," he conceded. "I'm coming."

"Huh?" she gasped.

Ai was startled, abruptly reverting to her usual anxious self. It didn't quite work out as she thought it would. At the back of her mind she had hoped he'd just launch them both into some long-winded argument that would serve as a further outlet for her stormy emotions. Not this simple acceptance. She never quite hoped her silly desire for him to come and live with her would be so quickly granted.

So this is what she got for being overtaken by her feelings, her honest feelings. There was a strict boundary between appearances and one's true intents, sometimes even with close friends, not to mention anybody outside the family. Now that she has thoughtlessly violated this rule, she must pay for it.

"Uh… um…"

"Wait, what is it this time?"

"Eh? Uh…"

"Were you just kidding me, after all?"

No, she wasn't. Thoughtlessly or no, she has given him her word, and now she must deliver. She sighed in defeat. "O-OK. Come with me tonight."

"You know," he said scratching his head, "if you're not really up to it, I won't call you out. I'm not that grumpy."

But Onee-chan was. The honor of one's word was something their family took very seriously and she didn't want to break yet another rule. "No, it's alright," she said softly. "Please wait for me till three. You can wander around the park in the meantime."

That settled it. He sent Grandma an e-mail saying he'll be at the Student President's dorm.

#1. The Sisters

Yoshiyuki accompanied Ai on the last bus trip of the day. For the whole of the ride there was a tense silence between them and she was looking out the window in deep thought. He tried to brace himself for what might transpire once they meet with Arisa.

Arriving at the dorm's front yard, the air got even heavier, no thanks to Ai's grave demeanor. Nagging doubt bordering on fear seized him; if the most dignified daughter of the most honored clan had been peeked upon by an unkempt misfit as he… What am I thinking?! he reprimanded himself.

Then again, how can this child, who had once been ordered away from Aquasports' side at the Student Council office, actually "make" an absolute despot reconsider her judgment?

It did not take very long for them to see the President. As soon as they closed the door behind them footsteps tapped ominously down the stairs. Arisa stood on the landing, above the ground floor where they stood, towering over them and making her imposing posture quite a bit more menacing.

"Do you really not care to listen to me?!" she thundered at Ai.

This is it. She must now perform as promised before Yoshiyuki. The obligation to keep her word gave her a sort of backing in the face of the President's rigid opposition. "I am only speaking for him, Madam, seeing that you would not let him."

"And you would? After he dishonored our name?"

"I believe the Kubo are renowned for their graciousness. This elevates them more in the eyes of the public."

Her eyes narrowed. "Ai. We choose who to be gracious plebeian is a wayward—"

"Then tell it to Minase-san. Every time you speak ill of him, you downplay our esteemed neighbor. I…" She was somewhat surprised at herself speaking up like this. "I completely trust Minase-san's judgment in taking him in, just as everybody else does."

"It is only because she is a…" Arisa thought it better to back down a bit. No use wrangling in front of this… creature. "You have an hour to return that boy to Minase-san."

At this point Ai, mirroring her sister, knew better than to lengthen the discussion. There might be a better opening next time.

She sadly led Yoshiyuki by the hand outside and lent him another bicycle. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I'll talk to her again."

"I told you I won't push you. It's alright."

"No, Yoshiyuki-kun. She shouldn't be like this. She's so stubborn. Nobody wants to get within an inch of her. It's not right." She was certainly flinching from Arisa's force, but, speaking as one who had the enjoyment of friends, he couldn't help but pity her also.

After he has left, she remained out in the yard to collect her thoughts. She then proceeded back into the house, to Arisa's study, where she found her leaning back on her swivel chair facing away from her with an expression that made her look like she had a headache.

"Onee-chan."

"You just called me 'Madam,' " she replied, a bit hurt. "You should keep that up."

"Why exactly can't you forgive Yoshiyuki? Is it not obvious he didn't mean it?"

"The fact remains. He desecrated us. Whether or not he meant it does not change what really happened."

"But you shamed him. Isn't that equally desecrating to him?"

"Only a family like the Kubo can be desecrated. You know that.

"You know that. Right?"

Ai set her jaw tightly. This is going to be an uphill drive. "He hasn't done anything to me."

"For now, maybe." She swung round and stared her in the eye. "You should know better, Ai."

She returned the look and even hardened it. "All I know is that I had a wonderful time with them. Where am I going to have friends now? Am I to be alone for the rest of high school?"

"If need be, yes. But you have the Drama Club, do you not? They will replace those two perverts in no time."

"Kan-chan had been living with us for years now. Will you just dispose of people who have been part of our lives all along?"

"Who was it who pushed Riho away in the first place?

Ai gasped softly. How…? Did Arisa's Peace troops tip her off on the two of them? But she can't help it. Would things have turned out differently if she omitted any mention of Kanako's parents? "Then the both of us are guilty. You were the one who first put the pressure on all of us."

Arisa stood up. She once again seemed to tower over her little sister. She was once again signaling an end to the discussion. "Don't lump me in with you, Ai," she said coldly. "I was only protecting you. You know it. In the end, we only have each other to trust. You know it."

"…"

She sat down. "Make your own dinner tonight. I have to be extra-early at the Student Office tomorrow."

Instead of cooking, however, Ai just stood outside by the door as an evening rain fell. A few frogs croaked here and there. She had really nothing much to say to Arisa right now, and for a good while she agonized over the discussion they had back at the study, seeing herself reflected in a puddle by the lamplight. But she must make up her mind.

She did, and at around four the next morning, she packed an extra bag with clothes and toiletries. She left while it was dark, not to show up for breakfast. Well, Arisa did tell her to look after her own dinner, right?

Aquasports held their weekly meeting that afternoon. They were now composed of the three second-years, and herself. Kanako could have been here, too, but she wasn't showing up lately, perhaps tiring of the awkwardness whenever they ran into each other. So now she felt off being the only underclassman. If these three wanted to gang up on her now, she wouldn't stand a chance.

"Kubo-san!" said Anju opening the discussion.

"Hai!" She was startled to find herself first in the agenda. Has she done anything serious?

"Kubo-san. Ehem." Anju made a dramatic flourish. This must be super important. "Please accept…" Drumroll… "…the Vice-Presidency!" Cue confetti from the other two.

Ai was dumbfounded. "Eh?'

Anju fell over. "Is that all you can say?" she mumbled in frustration.

"Arisa-senpai wants you to be second-in-charge," smiled Shuka. "You will be the Drama Club's face towards the freshmen! We support you all the way!"

Ai was now visibly disturbed. "O…Onee-chan…?"

"Uhm!" affirmed Rikako. "We're grateful for your family's support. I'm sure the Drama Club will go a long, long way with you at our back."

Ai balked at this blatant attempt to bait her with a position in the club. She was finding it hard to pick words. "I-I… I think I'm not really… I think I'm not ready. I'm too young."

"Shuka was perplexed. "Well, Arisa-senpai believes in you." Giggle. "Don't worry. We believe in you, too. It does not matter to us if you're the President's sister. You look very capable and…"

She abruptly stood up knocking her chair down. "Excuse me," she said lamely, "I-I need to go to the toilet." And she hastily left.

She would not return to the club for that day.

Later after school, Ai hurried down the stairs and out the school gate. She yelped when she saw Anju standing there at the street just outside. "Hi, Ai-chan," she smiled brightly.

"Uh… Oh. Is there anything?'

"Nuh-uh. I just wanted to walk home with you, is all."

But she knew it wasn't all. "I take the bus."

"Hm? I guess the bus stop's still over that way."

Tch. Did Arisa catch wind of her plan and had Anju track her down? "Uh-huh," she said weakly. "Let's go."

A drizzle began to fall as they walked so Anju opened her umbrella. "Come in," she invited. Ai wanted to refuse, but remembered she left her umbrella at the dorm. Of all things. She let herself in grudgingly. Anju giggled. "You smell really nice."

She only looked away. Why is she being extra-friendly with her? "I mean it," Anju insisted. "I think you are very nice to hang out with. It's only you who don't talk much, and even more so after Kanako-chan disappeared. Even before, I think. I'm a bit worried about you two."

None of your business, she wanted to say, but she decided on a smoother tack. "We were fast friends even before we enrolled at Nankaisei. I deeply worry there won't be another like her, so I think—"

"That's why we must get her back! Say, let's get Shuka-shan and Rika-chan together, and let's all convince Kanako-san to return!"

She's being dense. "I want to sort myself out before so I can see what happened between her and me."

"We're all in this! We're a club. Let's all solve our problems together, OK?"

Not taking it anymore, she decided to be blunt. "What do you think of Yoshiyuki-kun?"

"Eh…?"

"You think he's a bad influence on me?"

Anju sobered up. She can get straight to the point now. "It's not that. It's… It's just that he's a little… a little strong on you, you know what I mean? You're a sheltered girl and all, and he's rowdy and boyish and stuff."

"Did Onee-chan tell you to make me back away from him?"

"…"

"I see. I suppose the discussion is over now."

"Wait, can't we just go on peacefully with the club? It is only one thing that your sister wants. We only have to get that row between you two out of the way, and everything will be fine."

So you only want us "out of the way." I see… "If my sister has your back, I'm sure I won't be much of a loss; you can easily get three or even four additional people who'd want to curry favor with her." Just like you, she added in her head. "Please excuse me. I must go now." She hurriedly went on ahead to the bus stop.

"Onee-chan?"

Eleven-year-old Ai crept out of bed. She was already alone; Arisa must have gone on downstairs, as she usually did of late, after the school term has begun. But it was dark in the room. Ai was anxious to find that no one will be there to accompany her out of bed so she scrambled to the window where she drew the heavy curtains aside—and was promptly blinded by the abrupt burst of sunlight.

After a moment's squinting, she made out a driveway below, and a car, not quite a limousine, but larger than most, and in it went her father, into the front seat with the family driver, and into the back seat went her mother… and her elder sister.

Kubo Arisa was going to graduate junior high at an all-girls' school in Numazu. Today she was set to lead the graduates and deliver a speech—as one who has finished with the highest honors and a model daughter of the prominent Kubo clan. In contrast, Ai was being homeschooled, and was yet to enter the wider world of that same school this coming year, early, as her tutor had boasted. She did understand, in a distant sense, that where Onee-chan was going was important, but… did she have to leave her in bed so soon?

"Onee-chan…"

But no one was to hear her now. The family butler and a senior governess were to look after her today and oversee her final preparations with her academic tutor.

"Onee-chan," she once asked, "shall we never ever be in the same school?"

"But we did. Isn't one year enough? And we share the same home. And we were both tutored in here."

"That was way, way before! Now you're never home."

Arisa only smiled indulgently. For some reason she liked the sound of her little sister pleading after her, following her around like a cute little duckling. Ai, for her part, loved seeing Arisa smile in whatever form… and whenever she did that it was mostly a smile at her. But these smiles didn't stop Onee-chan from being busy, and absent; indeed, she was frequently coming home late most of the past year, being a graduating student at the head of her class.

At the same time Uncle Kaito came visiting every other week. He was a jolly, roundish man who was a cousin of her father's. He was still quite handsome though he was single for so long and about the same age as Dad. The two were great card-playing chums, and loud, boisterous laughter would sometimes echo from the sitting-room next to the private spa whenever he was around, annoying her mother many a night.

Ai, every time she spied on their hearty sessions from the parlor door, would gaze in fascination, not without some longing and even envy. Papa could be so amiable after all… but only to grown-ups? Does she have to grow up, too, to be so well-liked? To be sure, she'd have to attain to her sister's status first.

The overwhelmingly spicy aroma of Grandma's cooking produced such a reaction in Kanako that unnerved Yoshiyuki quite a bit. "Uwaaaa…" she breathed in a trembling moan. "This is going to be fabulous, isn't it, Yoshiyuki-kun?"

"Don't talk to me in that voice. It sounds like you're creeping up on me with a knife."

But Kanako was oblivious to being spurned, lost in her dreamworld of aromas and delicacies. It even looked like there were star-shaped bubbles and sparkles floating all around her. "I can go to bed full now just from that smell."

"Alright," smiled Grandma as she came in with the stew, "if you say so. Yoshiyuki and I will finish this for you."

"Eh?! No fair! I also want to know how it feels in the mouth—oh so exquisite!"

As they settled down, Kanako kept up the entranced mood and was completely given over to slurping the stew as slowly and purposefully as she could, not wanting to miss a single shade of flavor. Yoshiyuki couldn't take such a display and didn't even begin to eat properly. "Chill down," he said irritably. "Are you drunk?"

Kanako took another spoonful and promptly went ecstatic, touching her cheeks and uttering a highly pleased sigh. You could almost see those star-shaped bubbles again floating in her vicinity. "Kanako-chan really appreciates my cooking," said Grandma in approval. "Yoshiyuki, I wish you would be more vocal in your opinions about my meals."

"But I finish everything in my plate," he mumbled. "Shouldn't that be enough?"

The doorbell rang and Kanako instantly jumped up. "I'll get it!" And she sailed, arms spread wide living the time of her life, to the door. Her head was still floating in the clouds when she opened it, and saw the lovely redhead maiden surrounded by sparkles in the air all about. Everything sure sparkles when one is in an extremely happy state.

"Hello! Welcome—

"…eh?"

Her head dropped back to earth in a heavy thud with the realization.

"Oh…"

Kanako and Ai sat on opposite ends of the long sofa, half-facing away from each other. Grandma was at a loss as to what needs to be done with them. Perhaps getting them to talk would be a start.

"Say, Kanako-san," she said handing some pyjamas to her, "give this to our guest, please. I must get the tub warm." And then she left…

…to hide behind the doorway and watch if her effort was working. Yoshiyuki stood behind her. Seriously, Granny? It's not that simple.

She kept staring intently at the two. She waited for a couple of minutes, with no exchange forthcoming from the girls. Still she kept up that intent expecting gaze as if that had the sheer willpower to induce the two into interacting… Finally, Kanako began to stir, and Grandma was so into it her face slowly crept out from behind the doorway. Kanako kept fidgeting in her seat and… sneezed.

Grandma fell over.

She rushed over and sat in between them She took the pyjamas from Kanako and handed them over to Ai. "Hello," she mimicked in a faux girl-voice. "Have some of these. They'll keep the bedbugs out!" And impersonating Ai, "Thank you, sweetie! Let's be friends again tomorrow. Yipee!"

Grandma limped back to the kitchen where stood a blank-faced Yoshiyuki. "Oh dear," she sighed. "I guess we'll have to wait for the professor. Maybe she's got something up her sleeve. Yoshiyuki, please get me my towel."

Later that night Ai ended up sleeping on the sofa rather than take the tension around Kanako in her room.

Professor Albright returned just before lunch the following morning, having met with a school board member and stayed over at their house.

She was equally perplexed at what to do with the both of them. "It's such a pity," she said glumly. "And the two of you are so cute together."

Kanako blushed a bit and tried to stifle a smile, but Ai looked a little irritated.

"Then I guess we'll just have to wait it out, said Grandma. "Hopefully, they'll at least get used to each other in the long run."

"Uh-huh. But I'd rather not draw it out so long. Anything can happen in a long time. Meanwhile, why don't we have a delectable dinner to fuel ideas?"

Yoshiyuki's head hung. "Of course," Grandma chuckled uneasily. "I got croquettes today, would you like that?"

"Oh!" cheered Mrs. Albright like a child, much to the girls' astonishment. "Let's get down to it!"

Ai was stunned by the unkempt manner in which the professor went about her lunch, eating as though she hadn't for days, a foot up on her chair, spoiling her looks but not quite ruining it. "She's quite a beast, isn't she?" Kanako thought aloud.

"Eh?" said Ai looking at her.

"Uh… N-Nothing…"

As the meal began to wind down, the professor pointed a bone at them as though lecturing. "You girls, we're having a little tour of the airfield tomorrow. You be up and about early, OK?"

The light shone in their eyes at the same time. Grandma was pleased. Yes, it does seem the professor's got a trick, after all.

Next Time! #2. The Sky of Dreams