"It's just like Grandma's," he kept telling himself.

He has a bit of a point there. If Granny didn't lug him around on helping her out from time to time, he wouldn't stand a chance dealing with the constant chores in this house. Arisa did say he was to clean his own room and the bath "twice a week," fair enough, but then there were countless unspoken tasks, such as helping out with the dishes and the endless dusting and mopping and weeding, because Arisa openly frowned on seeing anything unsightly and would tell on Ai from time to time, which she duly relayed to Yoshiyuki.

And every so often, she would not-so-softly mutter a "Masaka" or even a "Buu-buu" like she did at Anju back in the Council room, every time she was more displeased than usual.

Also unspoken were the numberless taboos of society which he didn't quite worry about back in his own home and out of the public eye, but which Arisa in this house ruthlessly buubuu-ed or glared or raised an eyebrow on, indoors. There was to be no private space for him anywhere while she was awake.

Often he wished he could just lock himself away in his upstairs room to avoid the multitude of landmines of faux pas and offenses that might blow up in his and Arisa's faces, but,

"Iya. Laziness will not be tolerated in this house."

Which was itself, of course, a major violation. Bummer.

One time he was charged with cleaning the entire dorm on his own for the weekend while Arisa fixed extra Council work, and the two girls went out for some shopping.

Surely, "entire" didn't include the girls' rooms, poking into which would draw even more buu-buu flak from Arisa-senpai, so he wasn't quite sure how much of the house he was to actually spruce up. Since Arisa as usual did not specify any place that needed attention, relying of course on unspoken cues, and because he'll probably not overhaul the whole thing until she returns, he decided he'd just pick off every single place where he knew Arisa was wont to go. That included the portion of the roof fronting the road which might catch her eye, just to be safe. It had ceramic tiles in between which sprouted dandelions and other garden eyesores.

He had just come down the ladder and was slumped down on the grass of the lawn under the shade of a rosewood tree. It was a hot day.

#4. Yellow First Love

Cicadas rang out in the scorching daytime as he let his breathing return to normal. After which he decided he had enough of the burning outdoors and sought the cooler shade of the lobby.

Inside, he went up to check, to do a last round of the second floor. The floors were waxed and squeaky clean. All the doors were locked. Arisa's own bedroom was further down the corridor and beside it was her personal study… which was unlocked.

Seriously? he thought. Was Arisa-senpai really forgetful enough to lock this door as she did the rest, or was it her own refined way of telling him to tidy up her place?

Letting himself in, he found a neat and orderly arrangement of everything. There were file shelves galore, and not many decorations, but the pieces he did see stood out in craftsmanship and detail, such as the reproduction of a Sung scroll painting. On a long table sat a beautifully finished koto. A fine bonsai on a dish of exquisite porcelain dominated one side of the oaken desk. An emerald chandelier graced the enameled ceiling. What was there to fix in a place like this? But he took no chances. There might be some imperfection here.

He checked every corner carefully, and then he saw a drawer at the back of the desk. It was still half-open, jammed full with thick folders and stuff. Sigh. He pulled it open and lay each hefty envelope and every stuffed folder on the carpeted floor. He finally eased out of the drawer a particularly long folder that had only barely fit in. Upon holding it up, a number of prints fell off.

He saw that they were large-sized photos of Arisa, but they have landed on top of each other so he couldn't see them clearly.

"Watashi, kininarimasu."

He picked them up and looked over each one. There were photos of her as a child, up to her early teens, and even a few high school ones: a star pupil, then a brass band leader, then a calligraphy champion, then a magazine model—wait, what? He stared at it more closely. It was an ad for a credit (or debit?) card in which she asks: "Wanna date me?"

Hmmm…

"There must be a video version of this."

OK…

And then there was a cosplay (?) of a… yellow… ranger…. Buster? Something? Ehem. Moving on…

Is that actually a penguin costume?

And there was a colorful full-body photo of her in a cute pose and a cute costume, framed by her name in Romaji, marked up in a corner with a greenish heart labeled "UR."

Before he knew it, he caught himself looking photos over and over, and when he realized the time he quickly gathered up everything and jammed it all in again, except he stuck in the folder with the photo prints last, jutting out more awkwardly than before.

Later at dinner they commenced the meal in customary silence, and Arisa looked pretty calm; she's probably satisfied with his work. She began instructing them on setting up a campaign for Aquasports' first kayaking tutorial. And then made a few queries on academics. Afterwards they continued the meal in silence, until they got to dessert.

"Ano…" said Arisa, "did you come into my study today, Ai?"

She was surprised. "Huh? Uh, no, it's off-limits, right?"

"Of course, but I forgot to lock it. I was hoping you would." She saw Kanako. "Did you… Were you looking for something in my drawer?"

"Nuh-uh. I was with Ai-chan the whole day. Ask him. You told him to do this week's cleaning."

Arisa's face visibly stiffened. She half-turned to Yoshiyuki, not looking at him, "Did you…?"

This is pretty awkward. "The door's open."

"…"

"I-I didn't mean to, it's really…"

"N-Nandemonai."

She quickly finished dessert and stood to go and hurriedly left the table Yoshiyuki followed suit on her heels. "I gotta poop."

Kanako was baffled, staring after them. "They're acting pretty weird tonight, zura."

"He must have found it," remarked Ai.

"Found what?"

Ai began to whisper in her ear. At the end of it, Kanako was struggling to suppress her laughter so much Ai thought she was going to vomit. "P-Please… E-Excuse me… I need to poop, too."

About an hour and a half later, the lights were out at the dormitory. The girls might still be awake with Ai's phone watching movies or surfing before Arisa's eight o' clock ceiling. But by now the Kyunins were officially done for the day. Only the sound of waves on the beach or of wind in the trees reigned everywhere outdoors.

Back at Grandma's house, she had been busy making flan, and now she has finished arranging the last trays in the fridge so she slumped at her chair in the office. She could fall asleep here as she usually did after finishing her nightly variety show, but it wasn't on schedule today so the TV was off. Why did she make so many? There was only herself in here now; Mrs. Albright had already left even before Yoshiyuki moved. Surely she can't consume it all, nor was there anyone else in she had in mind to give them to at the moment. Maybe she kept it away for Yoshiyuki. Regardless, it occupied her. It was at this point when there wasn't anything left to do that her grandson's absence began to make itself felt.

It wasn't that she had no one to talk to, she could still phone the professor, for instance, but… only Yoshiyuki could leave such a void in the house. It seemed like he had been living here for as long as she did. She trusted Miss Mori, sure, but maybe she could have proposed something a bit less radical?

Just then, her office phone rang. It was Yoshiyuki's number. She let out an audible sigh of relief.

"Ghostbusters," she answered.

"Oh," said Yoshiyuki. "I knew I shouldn't be calling the office line."

Laugh. "I'm surprised you'd call me this late in the night."

"You're always in there at this time of the night. Your favorite show, am I right?"

"But that's on weekdays. Really, the both of us should be snoozing right now."

"Then why aren't you?"

She took a moment to collect herself. "Granny?" went the other end.

"Uh, yes, son? You were saying?"

"Hah… Never mind."

"I'm a bit restless now. Sorry."

"I was asking why you can't sleep."

Well… How to put this? "You… You're everywhere in this house, dear. Just the other day I opened your wardrobe and I was honestly surprised there weren't any clothes. Sometimes I actually thought I saw you in your empty bed in the spare-room. No, rather, you are your bed, am I saying it right? You got a couple of jackets hanging in there, and they smell like you, no, they are you. I'm actually scared of going in there now. I'm even scared of being in this house sometimes. Gah. Guess I must be a wee bit too old. Imagine if you went away for good." Uneasy chuckle. "I wouldn't want to be at the receiving end of that."

"Granny, calm down, will 'ya? Just cut back on your tea or whatever." Sigh. "Alright, I'm sorry it took me this long to call. I'll keep you company three times a day, just tell the time I'd call. Maybe after eating or something."

"No, it's fine. Hearing your voice now will keep me on my feet for another week."

"Don't be silly, Gran."

"I was just saying it poetically, see? Have some humor."

"Can't you just visit? Even just at school?"

"Hmm. I'm expecting calls this week from clients in Shizuoka. Maybe Wednesday."

He spent the rest of the call detailing day-to-day stuff. Finally, he hung up and got out of bed to take a night bath. The girls must be all asleep now.

Opening the door, he was surprised to find a specially-wrapped box on the floor outside. He picked it up, smelled chocolates inside, and saw a note.

Thank you for your hard work today - - Ai.

The year was beginning to draw to a close. On some days fog rolled in from the sea in the evenings. Mostly, however, there was high wind and the sea was becoming a little tricky to deal with so at around the end that month the last ferry out of the Kyunins for the year set sail for Yokohama or Shimizu.

And the Aquasports Club, the "Aqua" knocked out of them by the weather, was down to drawing up plans for next year. There wasn't much, really, many activities were simply rehashed so the talk mostly revolved around gimmicks, of which a mini-concert to be organized by Shuka was all they could come up with at the moment.

So in the end, they ended up consuming the rest of their club time on Monopoly. "Board games are watersports now, huh?" said Anju plaintively, resting her chin on the table.

"My turn!" said Shuka. "There!"

"Wah…" said Kanako in frustration. "You got Florida Avenue. I was on to it."

And the game went on. They were oblivious to the half-tempest shaking the branches of trees outside the window. "Alright," said Rikako. "An-chi. It's your turn now."

"I'm good. Let me nap over there with Ai-chan and Yoshiyuki."

"Iya," he immediately countered, not really asleep. "Arisa-senpai told us we three will make tonight's dinner so we must be at the dorm on time."

"Oh," said Shuka. "I'll be leaving early, too. Dad has sent me a package and it's arriving today. I can't wait to see if it has the tankobon I ordered."

"Well," added Rikako. "I had hoped to walk home with Shuka-chan."

"Moh…" grumbled Anju. "Y'all conspiring to make me clean the room all by my lonesome."

Yoshiyuki stretched and yawned, disturbing Ai's light nap and making her look around drowsily. "We're serious. In fact," he said getting to his feet, "We're going now."

Kanako rose as well. "I'm getting nowhere with this. You win, Shu-chan, Riri-chan."

Ai scrambled to get up. "Hey, wait up! Let me get my stuff."

The three first-years had a leisurely chat as they passed the school gate. The wind had died down some, but it was still blowing a few leaves about on the ground, and it was still a little colder than usual. About halfway to the bus stop Kanako noticed the still-bright afternoon. "Mind if we passed by the convenience store for a bit? The bus won't be here for another hour, zura."

Ai did not answer. That was a bit surprising; they had always passed the time someplace when whenever they were waiting for the bus. It was Yoshiyuki who replied for her. "Do we have enough pocket money left?"

Kanako gulped. She had given in to the double-choco at parfait at the cafeteria earlier today, so now there was only the bus money left. "Well," she reasoned, "we can just, say, look around."

"You're turning Otou-san into a shopping street. Go to Tokyo."

"Urrrgh. You're such a meanie, Yoshiyuki-kun."

"Kan-chan," interrupted Ai, "you can go on ahead."

"H-Huh?"

"Uh, please, cover for me in front of Onee-chan. I… I need you there."

"But why? Can't I go there?"

"I've saved up my allowance. I want to buy something in Izu Mite, and…"

Kanako was surprised. Ai didn't tell her about saving anything. But she hushed and nodded gravely. She had already cleared it up with her why she had hated the place, back at the airfield. But she wasn't quite ready to actually go there yet. Maybe if the club does. "OK. Will you be fine with Yoshiyuki-kun?"

"Hai," she whispered.

And then, Kanako looked at Yoshiyuki meaningfully. "Arisa-senpai let you watch over us. Please don't give her a reason to be mad at us again."

He only looked away. He wasn't really so sure about this. "We'll come after you shortly."

Kanako looked back at Ai. "Did you save enough for the van just in case?"

"Uh-uh," she hurriedly confirmed. "Don't worry about it."

He could only wince. That van rental will be sure to milk them dry if it were just the two of them students, the penalty for missing the bus. "I still have some left." He will have to call Grandma if things get rough.

Kanako then hastened down the path by herself. Ai took her time to watch her disappear, and then some, about fifteen minutes or so. And then, "Come," she said pulling him along by the hand.

They hurried down a route leading down to the coast. Now, Izu Mite's theme park in the Kyunins was close to the sea, as was the park in Uchiura, and it wasn't too far from the school, either, so it took Yoshiyuki a while to realize… they were actually going in a different direction, towards Granny's house. "Wait," he said, ""Are you going to stay at our place tonight? Arisa-senpai might call Granny out for breaking the deal."

"No, we're going back to the dorm, of course. I just want us to go somewhere before we head home."

Where could that be?

From school going to the direction of Grandma's he could only come up with two places of interest, the beach with the pier, and the airfield. Or maybe she just wants a seaside walk, for a change, after all those trees on the road up to the dorm day in and day out. The sunsets in the island were superb even in winter.

"Let's go fly again, Yoshiyuki."

"..."

Whut.

"I can't forget the feel of it. The view of it. I want to share it with you."

He let himself be pulled along the coast road for a while as his fumbled to take stock of her words. Was he hearing it right? At length, as the light of day began to fade, he spoke up. "The beach is still some ways ahead. If we spend the next hour there, we'd definitely be caught by nightfall. We might have to sleep over at Granny's, after all."

She halted, and eyed him angrily. "Weren't you listening?! We're going to the airport!"

"W-Whoa. Easy now. I didn't mean to…"

"I want to fly. Right now. I want you to see it. The sea gleaming in the sunset form the air! Let's see it together. It's our unforgettable moment… just for us.""

Now he's even more confused. "You do know the airfield's a wee bit further ahead than even the beach, right?"

"We'll get there if we hurry! Come on!"

"No! There's no way we're making it there before dark. You want to fly blind? And who's piloting?"

"Albright-sensei taught me to land, right? I know the controls now."

You're crazy. "And who'll man the winch if I fly with you?"

"We… We'll find someone. Anyone! Let's just make it happen." The desperation seeped in. "Please…"

They did not notice and advancing haze from out at sea. The sunset-colored sky was so brilliant they just took the remaining daylight for granted.

"Is there even a glider there right now?"

"Why must you hinder at every turn?!" she wailed. "We will fly and that's it!"

"You're being a stinking baby, you know that?"

"No…" She and her voice were trembling both. "You don't understand. Let me say it for you. I…"

The mist rolled in and bathed their corner of the world in a surreal yellowish glow. Ai's tear-misted eyes sparkled brightly, standing out from the haze. "I have been watching the whole time. I know, I misjudged you, too, the first time I saw you. But I have seen how kind you really are, and I hated it that that my sister mistreated you so. How could she do that? You are… you are the kindest person I have ever known."

She reached out to him, caught his lips in hers, and let them savor the warmth, while her hands caressed his beloved and dumbfounded face. She let go and stared into his eyes with an intense longing she can only reserve for where there's just the two of them. "I know now how it is to cherish someone. This feeling in me. Finally… Something I want to protect."

What in the world is going on? Those words… As he looked down on her quivering but well-formed figure, the unbelievable beauty of love suffusing her already lovely face… those words… before he knew it, they became his, as well. Something to protect… As a bright as a ruby, but delicate as frosted glass, altogether precious beyond description… someone to protect.

"I want to share my happiest moments with this man," she continued, squeezing his hand earnestly. "So please, let us fly. Please." The tears welled up and overwhelmed her. Now, all the pretty poetic words are gone. "I love you!" she shouted through the tears. "I love you! I love you..." She let herself weep very hoarsely without bothering to cover her face, coughing, sputtering. At length, she croaked, "Let's fly."

"Ai," he said taking her in his arms. This unbelievable girl. The fog has already made it clear—there was to be no flying. He was sure the airfield was blanketed completely by now. Not even her love itself could dispel the mist; a wholly innocent love: fumbling, casting about, falling on the grass like an infant, something to protect, and to do that he must protect her. "Ai, let's go home. It is cold out here."

"Iya!"

"Ai!"

"No! There's no better thing I can do for you! For us!"

"Yes there is! Let's be safe and sound. Eat dinner. Sleep tight."

Ai glared at him. "Why are you acting like her?! Are you all going to always tell me to lock myself up?"

"…"

Now the tears began to take a bitter turn. She buried herself in his chest and pounded at him with one fist. The struggle went on until the mist let up, enough for them to see the road in the dim lamplight.

Insert BGM:

WHITE FIRST LOVE

Lyrics: Aki Hata; Composition and Arrangement: Takuya Watanabe

He carried an exhausted Ai on his back and after much exertion, got to where the van was. He was himself so tired they slept on the trip back-to-back against the same pillow in the van.

They arrived at the dorm around eight. As soon as they came in they were met at the lobby by a distraught Kanako who told them Arisa was furious and demanded Ai report at once to her own bedroom while Yoshiyuki was to be locked up in his. She said she was afraid all three of them will be grounded for a week.

So Yoshiyuki spent a tense and sleepless night lying in bed with the lights on, staring at the ceiling. Those hours were in an unnerving isolation, without a clue on what was happening outside this enforced bubble; he felt he was already losing track of time. Arisa's bedroom was some distance from here, and with the way the rooms were built to be sealed off and with them being always shut, even if the sisters had a shouting match he would never know.

He switched off the lights in an effort to put himself to sleep; for a moment all it did was add to his disorientation, but he eventually foisted on himself a fitful slumber.

He was awakened rather abruptly about an hour (?) later by a knocking at the door. Groggily, he got up and turned the lights on. He dragged himself, to the door and there found Kanako with tea and biscuits. "Have you eaten dinner, Yoshiyuki? Sorry this is all I could manage, zura."

He ate in silence standing up by the door, collecting himself bit by bit, while Kanako looked on from the doorway. Soon enough, with the help of the tea, he was normalized. "How's Ai now?"

Her face fell. "Sleeping in her room. Arisa-senpai placed a lock on the main door downstairs. The keys are with her. She intends to make sure we're cooped up in here."

"Is she going to talk to us again?"

She shook her head sadly. "No clue, zura. She simply shuttered the house. And then locked herself in. I never heard a word from her since."

"But she did talk to Ai, right?"

Kanako made a face. "Ai-chu has a welt on her left cheek."

His heart sank. Arisa just slapped her own sister. How in the world did it come to this? "You told her we went off somewhere?"

"Um… Y-Yeah. Looked like she thought you were dating or something."

He huffed. "I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't want me for her and her clan, but slapping? That's…" He winced. "Am I really that dirty?"

"…"

"So I guess it's my fault again for seducing Ai. It's me she wants, I'll go to her."

"But if Arisa-senpai blamed you," she said gravely, "she would have yelled at you, right?"

"…"

Well, he certainly hasn't once seen Arisa's face ever since they arrived. Everything feels off. None of this has happened before; even the previous ban on him seemed preferable to this complete blackout, this total cluelessness.

"Can you ask her to let me talk to her, at least?"

She hesitated for a bit. "I'll try."

Morning. He woke up late. He didn't quite register it at first as no sunlight peeked through the window from the overcast sky, but when he picked up his watch, it said 8:18 A.M. Not that it mattered now; Kanako usually came around to knock on his door to make sure they'd get to school together. Not so today.

Silence reigned over the house. He wondered how things were already going outside his room. How was Kanako? How was Ai? What of Arisa-senpai? A certain apprehension began to come over him; he suddenly felt a lot safer inside this room not knowing anything. The air was so heavy he could hardly bring himself to stir from bed. For a moment he thought of calling Grandma, but he was hesitant even to touch the keypad. Arisa might have called her already, anyway, and he'd hate to hear of whatever trouble was heaped down on the old lady.

He spent about an hour more in this suspended time-space, until a soft tapping came at the door. Kanako? He finally got up.

She brought him a hearty spread of rice balls and omelette with some warm milk. "I came at six," she explained as he breakfasted by the door. "You must be asleep. At least I got to make some more onigiri while waiting."

"Is Ai still asleep?"

"Maybe. I just left her some cream soup at her doorstep. I hope she smells it. I'm getting really worried now."

"But you could peep through the keyhole, right?"

She thoughtfully played her spoon in her cup of tea. "A little. Looks like she's still in bed last I checked."

"You think she'll go out if I be the one to call her?"

"Can you even do it? I mean, Arisa-senpai's room isn't too far off from there."

"Oh wait. Did you ask her…?"

"I'm sorry. I was too scared." Just then, she recalled something. "I think I saw her study unlocked just now. There's a tiny gap in the door. If… If it's alright with you, I'll just go with you instead."

"No, it's OK. You've already done a lot. Just watch out for Ai for me."

He actually lingered on for at least another half-hour after Kanako left. He sat on his bed, not quite sure how to go about confronting the president. However, the urge was there, to have it over and done with. He made up his mind. He'll just say whatever he comes up with by the moment. Perhaps he'll just ask her to let him go back to Grandma.

He went out to the corridor and found it as silent and empty as his room. He could faintly hear his own soft footsteps as he made his way to Arisa's study. True enough, there was a gap in the door. He didn't think much of it when he first heard Kanako mention it, but seeing it himself, his pulse quickened. That door. It looks like it was left purposely open.

She was waiting for him.

He let himself in and closed the door behind him. The inside was lit only by the low illumination of a lamp on the table. The heavy curtains were drawn closed. Arisa herself sat behind the desk on her swivel chair, facing away from him to the left, a wan shadow in the half-darkness, pressing her temples as though she had a tremendous headache. It seemed to him she wasn't completely ready to meet with him just yet, probably busily editing the final touches of her tirade in her head. He's not letting her finish.

"Why did you hurt her?" he asked bluntly.

"..."

"Why did you have to do it?"

She threw him a sideways glance. "She's my sister, don't I have the right?"

Fair enough. But he could hit her from many angles. He approached the desk. "What do you plan to do to us now?"

She went limp and lay her hand on the desk as if tired of having to deal with him all the time.

"Answer me. I'm not prepared to be indefinitely jailed in somebody else's house."

"It is your fault," she said hoarsely.

"Of course," he said bitterly. "Anything else?"

"…"

"What will become of us now?"

"…"

"If you won't say it, I will. I'll pack up tonight. I'll quit school for a year. If you let her, Kanako-chan can return to us so you'll only have your sister to bother with."

"It is I who will decide what to do with the members of my own household."

For a moment he paused to take stock of the situation. But his notice only drifted back to the room. Why did she have to leave it in the dark like this? She's trying to intimidate him. It maddened him to think she can do absolutely anything she wants with any place in this house, and rub it in his face.

"Are you taking Ai back to Uchiura?"

"…"

"You want us to be far apart, am I right? Fine, then, take her back. Your family's over there, after all."

The hand on the desk clenched into a trembling fist.

"What's the matter? You don't like me dictating to you what to do with your own sister? I was just reading your mind, don't be so hard on me."

"You really have the nerve to presume that Uchiura will be better for her?"

"Where else can you take her? Do you have relatives elsewhere?"

She gritted her teeth.

"Or were you thinking to kick me out of this island? Sorry. You should know already. I have nowhere to return to. That only leaves Ai. And that only leaves Uchiura."

"…"

"Why don't you want her in Uchiura, then? Why are you always in her way? Grandmother watches over me but she never went out of her way to go as far as breathe my very air for me. Is this how it is with the Kubo?"

"You lowlife have no business speaking of the Kubo name," she said coldly.

"That's what you always say. But you also said, we are one house now, so what happens to your sister is my business, as well. At least let me know what will happen to her."

Heavy breathing…

"Why don't you want her back in Uchiura?

"You don't really, actually care about my sister. Nobody does. Not even Kanako can truly plumb the depths of my care for Ai. And most certainly not you.

"You think somehow being close to my sister makes her of any real importance to you?

"Only I can authentically look after and look out for my sister. And you…" She made a tiny sneer. "How's the taste of the lips of a first-year?"

"She told you."

Sneer.

"You made her."

"…"

"Did you?!"

She chuckled drily. "You children. I cannot bring myself to believe that Ai would, what was that? 'Trust' you?"

He knew it. It was that bush-hiding guy. "So you kept trailing us with your spies just to try and catch us? And you even had to bother me with 'looking after' your sister as a 'gentleman?' Really?"

Arisa stood up. Seated behind her desk she was somewhat in a shadow and it wasn't clear what she was wearing, but now as she stood and went right front of him he saw that she had an ankle-length furisode on, a traditional ladylike garment of many layers. He had seen kimono before, many times in fact, but this kimono was… Did she bother to put all of those layers on just to impress on him the pedigree of her blood? For he was impressed. The supple complexion glowing faintly in the lamplight, trailed by the long, long hair black as deepest night, gleaming as though in the moonlight. And there's also the train of flowing crimson silk of exquisite patterns in silver thread—as resplendent as of any princess, certainly as majestic as a product of the noble house of Kubo.

She slowly undid the garments. Underneath was… skin.

She let the raiment fall back enough to expose her fair shoulders, and the tip of her cleavage. Yoshiyuki's eyes widened. It was as she was emerging from a pool of fantastic water made of red satin.

"This is what you want."

His hands began to tremble.

"There is but you and me in here. I won't resist." Her eyes hardened. "I have been so careful to watch over Ai. Above all, just to ensure she won't be taken advantage of by anyone.

"You were the very first boy she ever got close to, and I had hoped you'd go away eventually." Her voice started to break and her eyes moistened and sparkled like diamonds. Kanako once told him that she compared Ai to a ruby, and Arisa to a diamond; he once thought it was because she was so hard, but looking into those eyes…

"But she actually brought you here. You were the only man ever to set foot in the house, you know that? I hated you for it."

Now, however, she couldn't hold back her sobbing.

"Please. Don't hurt my Ai."

Everything was coming on to him strongly and all at once. He was succumbing a massive confusion… of tears, of half-darkness, of choice of words, of skin…

His closed his eyes and breathed hard. Arisa's lips quaked in fearful anticipation. He must cut through the cacophony on his senses, and get back to what he really came for. He drew near and reached out to feel about for her. She swallowed, bracing herself. He touched her kimono—

Gasp—

He found the drooping sleeves and quickly put the garments back on her shoulders, much to her tearful disbelief. He found the strings and tied them in an awkward, ugly knot. He clearly did not have an inkling of how to put on a proper kimono. He pushed her away gently. All this he did eyes closed. "Senpai," he hissed, "please don't do this."

She was struck. S-Senpai…?

"My intentions are clean, Arisa-senpai. Please don't insult me."

Arisa's lips quivered violently and finally let go her hiccupping crying voice, and leaking tears, her defeated hands shaking fists at her side. These Kubo sisters do not like to cover their faces when they cry, do they?

After a while, they were still standing there face-to-face, but Arisa has calmed down somewhat, still hiccupping slightly, her cheeks stained by the trails the tears made. Yoshiyuki was waiting on her the whole time. "You were willing to bare absolutely everything a while ago, Arisa-senpai. So I suppose, you won't hide it from me now. The answers I want."

Next Time. #5. Reunion.