Utagaibukai
Peach Girl Fanfiction by Yohko.

Chapter Nine: Home Sweet Home

"Oh, he's just a big baby. That's all really."
"Really? Is he okay?"
"Yes, he's fine. Seeing those kicks he got, he's pretty lucky nothing is broken. Only a bruise, it should heal within a few days. You said he got punched in the face?" Nurse Misao flipped through the papers she was holding, "no record of anything wrong with his face. Very lucky indeed." She looked to Momo and smiled, "he can go home now, I'll go get him."
"Thank you," Momo said, smiling faintly, and watched Nurse Misao leave. She sat down in a waiting room chair, a few chairs away from where Toji sat. A few moments of silence had passed as Toji moved to the chair beside her, slowly.
"How're you doing?" He asked quietly.
Momo was silent for a moment then spoke bitterly, "fine."
"Jesus Momo," Toji leaned back in his chair, "that's all you've said to me tonight!"
Momo didn't pay much attention to Toji's response. She stood up quickly and walked towards the double doors where Kairi had just walked out. His clothes were a little dirty and messy, and he held his left side with his right hand. Catching sight of Momo he smiled, "hey Momo."
"Oh my gosh, Kairi, I am so sorry..." Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she started to cry. "All this is because of me. You... you shouldn't have done anything."
Kairi became very serious and somewhat upset, "what kind of a friend would that make me, Momo?! You were in real trouble there and what was I suppose to do? Stand and watch?!" Kairi looked over Momo's shoulder and saw Toji standing within earshot. "No Momo, I'm not like that." He said, looking coldly at Toji. He turned back to Momo and smiled, "don't worry about me. It's nothing big, just a little bruise. Nothing a good hot bath won't cure."
Momo was still crying, staring at his chest since it was at eye level.
"Oh Momo," Kairi said slowly and quietly. Just then, Momo dashes right into his chest and started crying her eyes our. Kairi put his arm around her and rubbed her back gently. He locked in a cold stare with Toji, "come on, Momo. Let's take you home."
Toji narrowed his eyes at Kairi as they both turned away from him and walked out of the hospital waiting room entrance.

"Are you gonna be okay, Momo?" Kairi asked as they walked.
Momo sniffed in reply.
"Momo, I..." Kairi hesitated, thinking what to say. Should he mention Toji not helping? No, not now. He didn't think she could take that. "Just don't worry about it. No harm done, and I heard from Sae that those three guys were expelled from school. So, you won't run into them or anything. Besides, I doubt that they would want to come near you after that kick you pulled off." Kairi lightly chuckled, slowly turning back into a pumpkin.
"Kairi, could you not tell my mom about this?"
Kairi looked down at Momo a little surprised. She was staring at her shoes. He looked ahead of them and nodded his head slowly, "sure thing."

::At Momo's House::
"I don't want you to walk home by yourself!" Momo cried.
"Momo, take is easy. I live down the street!" Kairi laughed.
"I don't see whats so funny," Momo pouted.
Kairi smiled deviously and returned back to his usual obnoxious way, "Oh Momo, my sweet~! I never knew you cared so much~!"
Momo sweat dropped, not surprised the pumpkin was back, "then again."
Kairi leaned over, making kissing sounds.
"Butt head!" Momo slammed the door.
Kairi laughed as he turned around and made his way down the steps of the entrance to Momo's house. Momo turned from the door and leaned on it for a minute. She sighed heavily, cursing her looks for causing her trouble again.
Walking to her room, Momo tossed her clothes on the floor and changed into her pajamas, rather sluggish. Once she had brushed her teeth, Momo literally jumped into bed and pulled the covers over her head.
Kairi walked home while looking down at his feet. Minutes later, he arrived at his small, one floor house. Opening up the door, he started taking off her shoes. Only to be greeted by the pain of his life. Kiro Okayasu, little brother, ran to the front door.
"You're in big trouble~!" He chanted happily, stopping in front of Kairi. Although he hated it, Kairi had to admit that Kiro was the spitting image of himself when he was younger. Kiro was ten years old and the only way to tell him from Kairi's ten-year-old pictures was the scar on Kiro's upper right cheek he got when he was a little kid.
"And what, may I ask, are you doing up at this time, squirt?"
Kiro shot a raspberry at him, "I go to bed whenever I want to!"
"Like hell you do!" Kairi rolled up his sleeves and leaned over Kiro with his arms out.
"Ah!" Kiro turned and ran down the hall in terror. He ran into his room and closed the door behind him. Whenever Kairi did that he looked like a giant monster bearing his claws, which was usually followed by Kairi tackling him to the floor.
"Thought so," Kairi said under his breath and then started to walk into the kitchen.
"Hey Kairi," he was greeted by his father, sitting at the kitchen table, holding a newspaper. Akira Okayasu, a man in his late forties, sat in his pajamas reading the paper. He looked a lot like an older Kairi, but with a rounder face, glasses, and a little chubby.
"Why is everyone up at this time all of a sudden?" Kairi said, opening up the fridge.
"Just lucky I guess," Kairi's dad spoke, folding the paper and placing it on the table.
"Yeah, lucky." Kairi repeated while pulling out two sodas, passing one to his dad.
"So," Kairi's father rested his elbows on the table in an interrogative manner while sipping the soda, "are you going to tell me where you were? Or do I tell Kiro where you hid his talking Pikachu doll?"
"No!" Kairi exclaimed, "anything but that annoying yellow demon from hell and his stupid high pitch voice!"
Kairi's dad managed a few chuckles, "I was hoping you'd see it my way."
Kairi took a sip from his soda. Pulling a chair from the table and plopping down miserably. A surge of pain hit him, but he took it calmly so his dad wouldn't notice.
"Out with a girl, no doubt." His father sighed heavily.
"Guilty, as charged. Strike one for the house inspector." Kairi sipped his soda.
"Kairi, don't you ever get sick of being a player?"
Kairi shrugged, "I got a lot of love to give..."
Kairi's dad sighed and stoof up, putting the newspaper on the counter neatly.
"Dad," Kairi said just as his father was leaving the room.
His father turned around and looked at him, "yes, Kairi?"
Kairi looked at his soda can, and back at his dad, "good night."
"Good night, son." His dad walked out and down the hall to his bedroom.
Soon after the sound of a door closing, Kairi got up and finished his soda. He was going to tell his dad that he was out with Momo that night. The only girl he's liked for over a week. In fact, he liked Momo since Jr. High, just didn't think so because of all the other girls to choose from. Tossing the can in the recycling basket, Kairi made his way down the hallway to his room. A house to two men and one boy, surprisingly very clean and organized. Well, until you see Kairi and Kiro's room, that is.
Opening his door, Kairi turned on the light to his room and looked around. It was a mess, less to Kairi's care. He closed the door behind him and began taking off his shirt while walking towards his desk. He changed into gray, baggy, cotton pants; his usual pajamas. Walking out the door now and towards the bathroom, he saw it was occupied.
"Kiro, get your ass out of the bathroom!"
"Make me, tough guy!" Kiro yelled from within the bathroom.
"Okay," Kairi smiled deviously, "if you don't open this door, I'll call up Sakuya and tell her you still wet the bed!"
"You wouldn't!"
Kairi walked to his brother's room and picked up the phone, "I'm dialing Sakuya's house!" he punched in random numbers while yelling out the number. "It's ringing!"
Kiro swung open the door and grabbed the phone, "how did you know her number?!"
Kairi stuck out his tongue, "I remember a certain someone that kept chanting it over and over the minute he got it!"
"Damn you!" Kiro started to swing at Kairi, but Kairi easily pushed his head back with his palm. Leaving Kiro with nothing but air to punch at, "lemme go!"
"Make me, squirt!" Kairi chuckled amusingly.
"Go to bed!" Their dad yelled from his room.
Kiro and Kairi look at each other and then separated: Kiro to his room, Kairi to the bathroom, closing the doors behind them. Kairi messed up his hair, brushed his teeth, did a few more things before leaving the bathroom and walking to his room. Kiro was already there, sitting on his bed.
"How the hell does dad let you stay up this late?" Kairi started to walk to his bed.
"What's that?" Kiro pointed to the bruise on Kairi's side, exposed for the world since he wasn't wearing a shirt.
"A bruise, smart ass."
"From what?"
"None of your business, now go to bed!" Kairi got on the bed and started to push him off.
"Tell me, tell me, tell me!" Kiro fought back.
"Alright, that's it!" Kairi grabbed Kiro's legs, put him down on the bed, lifted his shirt, put his mouth on Kiro's stomach and blew, making those farting noises as Kiro laughed at the tickle torture.
"Stop! Stop!" Kiro cried for mercy between laughs.
"Are you going to leave my room?" Kairi said, smiling.
"Fine, whatever!" Kiro fought against Kairi's grip.
"Alright," Kairi let him go as he ran to the door.
"Oh yeah,?" Kiro turned around and extended his right hand, "I believe you said ten bucks for not telling dad whenever you got in a fight."
"What makes you think I was in a fight?" Kairi eyed him.
"I guess you're right," Kiro turned around, "I guess I'll just have to go tell dad that you're not a virgin after all..."
Kairi growled and got up from bed. He walked to his backpack, took out two five-dollar bills, and handed them to Kiro, "Now out!"
Kiro ran to his room happily as Kairi slammed the door and jumped into bed. He closed his eyes and just lay there for a few moments. With a heavy sigh, he opened his eyes. He pulled out a book he was reading and opened up to a page that held a small picture of Momo Adachi in her Jr. High Graduation dress. It was in their yearbook, small but pretty. Although it was a black and white picture, Kairi remembered the colors of her dress and everything else as if it were posted in his mind. The dress was long, puffy, and a beautiful peach color. Really matching her skin and hair color.
He drifted off to sleep, holding it in his hand after dropping the book.