-Ayako POV-
"I'd know that disheveled hair anywhere, guess Tsubasa couldn't help you get ready." I groan as I hear a familiar voice, but don't raise my head. "Morning Ayako, it seems we are in the same class again this year." There is a slight pause as they wait for a response. "Ayako you there? You didn't fall asleep before homeroom even started on the first day did you?" Once again no response. "Oi Ayako…"
"Go awaaaaay, I don't want to be here." My small muffled voice finally escapes the crook of my arm.
A heavy sigh escapes the visitor. "This again? Come on Ayako sit up straight and talk to me, we haven't seen each other in ages." I sit up slowly, hunched over my desk and look up at the only person who forces me to talk to them, Shido Itsuka. "Yo." He waves hello.
"Ugh you again… what do you want?" I groan in obvious distress.
"Oh come on, is that anyway to talk to a friend?" Shido asks with a small laugh, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"Friend? You are my tormenter." I bemoan dramatically. "All I want to do is lay my head on my desk all day and hope the day ends sooner but you keep talking to and bugging me."
"Aren't you being a little over dramatic Ayako?" Shido asks in exasperation while taking his seat behind me.
I groan painfully and turn in my seat so I can look at him. "Oh Shido, I didn't see you come in. How have you been? Was the last part of your summer vacation enjoyable?" I ask, my voice monotone and my eyes flat and emotionless despite trying to act surprised.
He stares at me incredulously. "I have been talking to you for the last 5 minutes Ayako."
I tilt my head and stare at him blankly. "What are you talking about Shido? I've been asleep until just now. I was having a terrible dream though I can't quite remember what it was about."
"That's kind of harsh isn't it?" Shido asks wincing slightly at the statement. "Being my friend can't be that bad can it?"
"No, I would never say something so hurtful to my one and only friend Shido." I wave my hand in front of my face as if to fan away hiswords, but my voice is still monotone like before.
Shido lets out a sigh of defeat and hangs his head. "And here I thought we were really good friends… you even helped me study for finals." He puts his hand to his forehead in feign hurt and raises his voice slightly. "How cruel, you begged me to help you get out of the festival last year in exchange for helping me study for finals and now you treat me like some kind of criminal! You wound me!" He says dramatically as everyone in the room starts to look at our little back corner.
"W-What are you doing Shido calm down." I say, glancing around nervously as I try to wave him down
"I am deeply wounded! The fact that you would treat a friend in such a harsh uncaring manner. All that time we spent together meant nothing to you Ayako? Even after your sister went out of her way to make me comfortable at your place when I came over to be tutored by you?" He continues, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"Wah wah wah s-stop! I'm sorry, I'm sorry ok? Please just keep it down!" I panic as everyone's eyes settle on me. I turn to him and bow my head, clasping my hands together begging him. "I'll share Onee-sama's lunch with you so please just stoooop!"
"Haha I'm just teasing." He says laughing loudly and everyone turns back to what they were doing, the room once again filling with mindless chatter. I shrink back against the wall behind me and tuck my legs up against my chest and wrap my arms around them, hiding my face in my arms. "Now about that lunch… Um Ayako?"
"I-I was just messing with you a bit…" I sniff into my arms and press them more firmly against my face. "Y-Yet despite that y-you told everyone I was a mean person and also told them how smart I was… I don't want them to come and ask me questions now." I sniff again, wiping my tears away with my sleeves. "Y-You're even stealing my lunch that was made by my Onee-sama for meeeeee."
"Shido are you picking on Ayako?" Ai Yamabuki accuses Shido from her seat, seeing how obviously distressed I am.
"Geez you even made her cry?" Mai Hazakura asks on top of Ai's question before Shido can respond.
"That's so lame…" Mii Fujibakama finishes softly and Shido hangs his head in defeat.
"I-I'm sorry Ayako, you don't have to share your lunch with me I was just kidding, so don't cry ok?" Shido apologizes, trying to soothe me as I look up at him sniffing and teary eyed. "I'm sorry for making everyone look over at you so please forgive me."
"Promise you won't do it again?" I ask him in a small voice.
"I promise I promise, plus if I make you cry Tsubasa will have my head for it and you know it. Homeroom is about to start so let's just take a minute to relax ok?" Shido holds out a handkerchief for me to use. I take it gratefully and wipe my eyes.
"Sorry I didn't mean to cry like that, but everyone suddenly started staring at me." I sniff and hand the handkerchief back to him. "Guess I know I can't out joke you now." I smile shyly and get rewarded with one back.
"Sorry I guess I went a little overboard with my joke but no hard feelings." He says as he returns the smile.
I turn back to the front of the class as the door opens and everyone starts to cheer and roar 'Tama-chan!', causing me to duck my head timidly as the incredibly popular Miss Okamine walked onto the class. "Calm down everyone please calm down so we can get started." After a few minutes the class quiets down enough for her to keep talking. "I'm glad you are all excited to be in my class, I look forward to teaching you all a lot this year. So with that lets hit the books!"
I count the hours as the rest of the day passes without much interest, not that there is usually anything interesting without Onee-sama. I sneak off to the roof and enjoy the super yummy lunch that Onee-sama prepared for me. I take a quick selfie with my lunch, flashing a 'peace' sign with a wink and send it to Onee-sama to say thanks. I smile and hum happily to myself as I send the image to Onee-sama before clapping my flip phone closed and focusing on finishing this delicious food. I don't care what anyone says, Onee-sama is the BEST chief there is. I mean she can cook literally anything, even homemade pizza! I have never been to a restaurant that could even compare to her cooking, and she cooks whatever I like. I savor my food while entertaining thoughts about how Onee-sama would be the best cook in the world, but there is no way I would ever let that happen, because she is my Onee-sama. I close my bento with a snap and stretch, letting out a groan, my back popping nicely. Only a few more hours until I can come home and run into Onee-sama's arms!
"Oh there you are Ayako, I looked in your usual cubbies and hidey holes that you eat at and didn't find you, never would have guessed you would be on the roof." The door opens and Shido walks out onto the roof.
"Because I wanted to eat lunch in peace and quiet with Onee-sama's heavenly lunch that's why." I grumble as he walks closer. "I just wanted a change of scenery is all." I say louder as he approaches.
"I'm not deaf you know, I totally heard your first comment." Shido stares at me with an exasperated sigh. "If you didn't want to eat lunch together you could have said so you know."
"I did, over a hundred times last year and you always ignored me." My voice once again shifts to monotone as I stare at him with a blank face but break into a small smile and chuckle. "Hey Shido, wanna hit up the arcade tomorrow after school?"
"Why not today since we won't have any homework today?" He asks.
I scoff at him, shaking my head sadly. "Because the first day apart from Onee-sama is always the hardest. I can't wait to run home, open the door and be greeted by her smiling face with a 'welcome home' from her! Ahhhh a nice hug and head pat while she asks me how my day was, if I missed her, if I want to take a bath with…. If I want to take a bath first or second." I catch myself quickly and give a small little cough. "Lunch is just about over so let's get back to class and finish these dismal lessons so I can go home to Onee-sama." I get up and tuck my bento box into my bag and walk past Shido toward the door.
He sighs softly and turns to follow me. "Gosh you are way too much for me to handle."
"What does that even mean? Also only Onee-sama can handle me." I glare at him as he just stares back incredulously. "Now come on, I don't want Tama-chan to give us detention on the first day and Onee-sama to punish me for it."
I lead Shido back to class and pass the rest of the day half paying attention to the classes going on, counting the minutes till we are off. I fly out of my seat as soon as the bell rings and slip into the hallway before Tama-chan can even finish wishing us a good day. I pause briefly only to swap my shoes out before I hurry home, humming happily all the way. I follow my usual path home that I crafted after much research, the fastest way home with the fewest number of people possible, I smirk to myself, proud of all the research I put into this route as I skid to a stop in front of my house.
"Onee-sama I'm hooome!" I call out happily as I step into the door and step out of my shoes, but pause as there is no reply. "Onee-sama?" I start wandering through the house, peeking in each room as I go. I stop in the living room and furrow my brow in concentration. There is no way she is in danger, Onee-sama is the strongest person I know so I doubt she got kidnapped. No one robbed the place… did she go out shopping? I check the cupboard and fridge to find it fully stocked. Just then I hear my phone chirp and I pull it out of my bag and flip open my phone and smile happily as I see a message from Onee-sama there. I open it up and instantly my slime fades away as my eyes scan the message, 'Hey just a reminder I'm gonna be late I have to deal with a few extra things at college, I'll bring some food home with me so how about you go out with your friends after school and have a good time? Love you sis, don't get into trouble.'
I stare at the message for a moment and read it again, and then a third time before I stumble out of the kitchen and collapse on the couch. Onee-sama is at school! I can't believe I forgot! I have to wait for who knows how long until she comes home, and it's too late to hit Shido up for going out today so what am I gonna do. I instantly perk up and a perverted smile creeps across my face. I get up and dash through the house and throw open the door to Onee-sama's room and dive into her bed, hugging her pillow to my chest. "Ahhh Onee-sama's smell is so nice, this is bliss." I roll around on her bed and close my eyes, enjoying the softness of the mattress and the familiar relaxing scent of my sister. I yawn softly and snuggle the pillow close and slowly drift off to sleep.
I stir slightly as I hear something like a door closing and roll over in my sleep. I curl up around the pillow and try to drift off. Finally after several minutes I doze off fully again but I move a bit as I hear a door closer to me open. "There you are." I feel a warm hand rest of my shoulder. "Come on little one, this isn't your bed, and you haven't had anything to eat since lunch." I groan and try to squirm away. "Now now don't be like that Ayako, I thought you would be excited to see me after your first day of school, don't you want to give me a hug?"
I crack my eyes open against the light in the room and see a dark silhouette over me. I blink my eyes a few times until the figure becomes clear, revealing Tsubasa sitting on the bed leaning over. "Onee-sama!" I reach up and wrap my arms around her neck and she pulls me up into a sitting position and hugs me back. "Welcome home, I missed you." I smile as I squeeze her tightly, not letting her go and she indulges me by holding me back.
"You miss me even if I go shopping by myself for an hour you dork." She chuckles and lets go of me. "Come on dinner is here, and I want to hear about your first day back to school." I get up and follow close being Tsubasa as we make our way to the dining room table. Tsubasa dishes out the still warm food, putting a generous portion of gyoza onto my plate much to my delight before quickly spooning some vegetables on as well causing me to sigh sadly. "Oh don't make that face, they are good for you so make sure you eat all of it." She tells me sternly, seeing the look on my face. I stick my tongue out at her playfully before taking a large bite. "Good girl, now tell me how your first day back was." She says, neglecting her own food for the moment as she is much more interested in me.
I shrug my shoulders as I take another bite, taking my time to chew it properly before swallowing it. "It wasn't anything special. Everyone in my class was super excited because we got Tama-chan as our homeroom teacher, she's pretty nice but gets flustered pretty easily. I spent most of the day ignoring the teachers and daydreaming since no work was even talked about. To be honest it was really annoying since there was nothing to do. During lunch I decided to eat on the roof. Oh your food was delicious Onee-sama thank you for making it for me." I flash her a wide smile, the kind that I only show my Onee-sama.
"I'm glad you like it since that's what you're having tomorrow, with me getting home late I couldn't make you anything else so leftovers it is." She smiles back at me and thanks me for the praise.
"It's Onee-sama's cooking, there is no way I would ever not be satisfied by it." I finish the vegetables and start on the gyoza, nearly swooning in delight as the tasty flavors wash over my tongue, getting rid of the vegetable taste.
"I really am lucky to have the best little sister there is, so polite to me even though I know my cooking needs work. Not only that, you ate all your veggies with such gusto that I think you deserve more since you enjoyed them so much." She spoons another portion onto my plate as I nearly dropped my fork.
"U-Um Onee-sama, I really didn't want more of those, they aren't exactly my favorite." I tell her, looking at the greens in disgust but she "tuts" at my response.
"Geez you are such a picky eater, you even complain when I make vegetables for you. You need to eat these to grow up." She tells me sternly and I just roll my eyes.
"Onee-sama I am pretty sure we've been over this multiple times. I didn't change at all during those 30 years I was in a coma so why would eating these disgusting vegetables cause me to grow up when 30 years couldn't?" I ask her, using logic against her in hopes that she will take them back.
"We don't know that. Now that you are aren't in a coma anymore you need all the nourishment you can get, you don't wanna be a little short stack forever do you?" She teases with a cheeky smile.
"Y-You said there was nothing wrong with my height Onee-sama!" I sulk and slouch in my seat while staring at her reproachfully look before taking another bite of the veggies and scowling at their taste, but finish them again nevertheless.
"Of course there is nothing wrong, Ayako is the cutest little sister anyone could ever ask for and I'm the lucky one that got her. There is nothing I would ever change about you. Though sometimes I wish you weren't so brilliant, it gets you in trouble." Tsubasa declares making my heart skip a beat in happiness before she adds that last part.
"I use my smartphone to hack the school's computers and change my P.E. grade ONE TIME and I'm banned from having a nice phone ever again. We both know I don't NEED to go to P.E. class." I retort haughty.
"I'm not having this debate again Ayako, you know what you did was wrong so as punishment I took away the temptation completely. You should be happy that you still have a phone. Now finish up eating then I'll tuck you in, still got school tomorrow so you need plenty of sleep." Tsubasa turns her attention back to her food and while I finish cleaning my plate and put it in the sink.
"Thank you for dinner Onee-sama, I will see you tomorrow after school." I turn to leave the room but she catches my hand and pulls me back towards her.
"Hold on shortie, you aren't going to bed without me." I stare at her and my face starts to turn pink in embarrassment and excitement. "Come on I'll tuck you in." She gets up and pulls me from the room and leads me to my own bedroom and instructs me to get into my pajamas. I quickly shed my uniform which she collects to put into the laundry. She goes to my closet and rummages through it for a minute before pulling out another uniform and hanging it up so it's ready for me when I wake up. I slide into bed and she grabs the blankets and tugs it up to my chin. "Goodnight my sweet Ayako, have sweet dreams and I will see you in the morning."
"Night Onee-sama, sleep well." I smile and squirm in happiness as she bends over and gives me a kiss on the forehead. She flashes me one more smile before she flicks the lights off and closes the door, leaving me to sleep while she goes to finish eating and put the food away for tomorrow.
