(Day 1) On the Slopes
They finally arrived at the ski lodge and went inside to the check-in counter.
"All of the rooms are doubles so please pair up," the woman said.
Kiyota looked at Rika and began to move towards her, "Um…Rika-chan…"
She looked at him, "What?"
"I'll share a room with you."
"No," she stated.
"Why not? I promise I won't do anything. I'll be a perfect gentleman, which I am. Really," he said.
"Rika. I got the key to our room," Sendoh said.
.
Sakuragi's guntai snickered.
"Strike one," Youhei said laughing.
"Did he seriously think he'll get lucky?" Anozumi asked.
"He's not the only one," Sauichiro said pointing at Ryota and Hanamichi.
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Ryota lined up beside Ayako, "Aya-chan, you getting your room key?"
"Duh."
"You don't have a roommate do you?"
"No. Not yet."
'This is perfect. Aya-chan will surely ask me,' he thought and began laughing.
Ayako gave him an odd look.
"Here's your key m'am. You'll be residing in room 12. I hope you enjoy your stay here."
"Hai."
Ryota closed his eyes and willed her, 'Ask me. Ask me. Ask…'
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"So Haruko-chan who are you going to be sharing a room with?"
"I don't know. What about you, Hana-kun?"
"I don't know neither…" he said shyly.
"You can sleep with me!" Anozumi cried.
"I'll share a room with you," Hikoichi offered.
'You bakas! Shut up!'
"You got a lot of choices," Haruko said.
"Yes but…I was wondering would-"
"Haruko I got a room," Ayako said, "you're sleeping with me, right?"
"Of course you. You're the only girl left."
Hanamichi sighed, 'Nani? Why did Ayako have to come? Stupid female Gori. Probably helping Gori.'
.
Youhei and company laughed, "Strike 2 and 3."
"Do you really think they thought Rika, Ayako, and Haruko would sleep in the same room as them?" Sauichiro asked.
They looked at the three dejected guys and laughed, "Hell yeah!"
"There may be a triple dumping," Yuji said.
They began crackling evilly.
The pairings ended up being Rukawa and Miyuki, Sendoh and Rika, Ayako and Haruko, Ryota and Hanamichi, Jin and Kiyota, Youhei and Sauichiro, Yuji and Anozumi, and Kogure and Hikoichi.
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Rukawa was unpacking when his sister asked, "Haruko's pretty. Why don't you give her a chance?"
"Baka."
"Me or her?"
"Both."
"That doesn't explain why you don't like her."
"Because I don't."
"That's a really good reason," Miyuki said sarcastically, "so what kind of girls do you like? I'll keep an eye out for them. You do like girls, right? Or do you like guys?"
"I hate guys as much as I hate girls."
She laughed, "Right. You only care about Chibi Kaede. You should've brought him along, after all you like to sleep with it."
"What are you implying?" he asked, "you sleep with your turtle."
"No need to get offensive, I wasn't implying anything. Except you're in infatuated with Chibi Kaede. Which you are," she said, "and I did bring Yurdle here."
"Who's infatuated now?"
"Hey, it's expensive keeping him at an animal hotel. You phone Chibi Kaede to talk to him, and to hear him meow at you. So you're more crazed."
.
"Rika, I didn't know you got an admirer."
She didn't reply.
"He's an interesting guy. Funny too. So do you like him?"
She glared at him, "No."
"Why not?"
"Annoying," she said and added, "just like you. Good grief, he does remind me of you."
"First of all, I'm not annoying. Secondly, he's not annoying. He's very amusing and entertaining. Thirdly, I'm so much taller, darker and more handsome than him."
"Excuse me while I barf."
"Told you not to eat those cashews," Sendoh said with a smile.
"You're amused by odd things and queer people. Go figures you'll find him amusing."
"I'm amused by you. Are you a queer person or an odd thing?"
"You're asking for a beating," she muttered.
"Come on. Lets go and ski."
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Hikoichi took out his notebook and jotted down that Rukawa and Ayako were advance skiers, Jin, Kogure, Youhei and Kiyota skied before, and everyone else never skied before. Anozumi, Yuji and Miyuki decided to try out snowboarding, everyone else was skiing.
He stuffed his notebook into his parka and frowned, 'I don't know how to ski either. Maybe I can ask Ayako for some pointers…'
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"Rika-chan you don't know how to ski? Why don't I teach you? I'm a pro, you know."
"No, thanks."
"Really, it's not problem," Kiyota said, "as the matter of fact I insist on helping you."
Sendoh watch in amusement as the lovesick guys began their courting methods.
"Haruko-chan stay by me. I'll teach you how to ski."
"You know how to ski Hanamichi?" Ayako asked.
"Well, no, not exactly… This is my first time but I'm a tensai. Skiing should…no, is not a problem. Nyahahahaha…"
"Aya-chan, I don't know how to ski. Can you teach me?" Sendoh asked.
"No. Aya-chan is teaching me! Go ask Jin or Kiyota! And who do you think you are?! Only I can call her Aya-chan. You should call her Ayako-san."
"Anou…Miyagi I thought you knew how to-" Kogure began and got elbowed hard in the ribs.
Sendoh smiled, "You said you could ski. Why do you need Aya-chan's guidance?"
Ryota shot daggers at Sendoh which only made Sendoh want to annoy him more.
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Miyuki got to the top of the beginners hill and slowly began to go down, 'This is just like surfing. The only problem with that analogue is that I never surfed before…'
"Wee! This is fun!" Yuji said as he went down the hill in a straight line and hit the square power generator for the rope-tow.
Miyuki smiled, 'Baka.'
She turned to Anozumi who was trying really hard to keep his balance but failed miserably and rolled down the hill, crashing into Sauichiro and Youhei. They rolled down the hill gathering innocent skiers on the way to form a growing human snowball.
That got her laughing so hard, she had to clutch her aching stomach, 'These guys are hilarious. Reminds me of my otoutos.'
She lost her balance and went straight down the hill crashing into Sendoh.
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Rika looked at the tangled mess that was Sakuragi's guntai and shook her head, 'Ooook. that looks so wrong. Yet somewhat entertaining. Like they're playing twister.'
BANG!
"Ouchie. What where you're going. I know I'm attractive but still-"
"Ha! And here I was thinking you're a gentleman trying breaking my fall," Miyuki said.
"Aya-chan quick, we got to run away from Sendoh. You can teach me how to ski," Ryota said.
Rika frowned at the sight of Miyuki and her brother trying to stuff snow down each other's jacket, 'Good grief! Why the heck are they doing this? And in public, too. This is so gross.'
She spotted Rukawa speeding down the hill in his ski outfit, completed with goggles. She had to admit he looked very…professional, but that didn't change the fact he was annoying, lazy and a do'aho. He did one of those abrupt stops and sent snow spraying all over Hanamichi and Haruko.
"Teme kitsune!"
She looked at Haruko who seemed oblivious to the snow covering her from head to toe and was gaping at Rukawa.
'Good grief! What does she see in him? Terrible, icky taste.'
He pulled Miyuki up and glared at her brother, then at her, "Watch your brother."
"You watch your sister!" Rika retorted and turned to leave but tripped over her skis.
"Baka P.C."
"Do'aho S.C!"
.
"Will you please watch your actions? You're a girl."
"What so I'm suppose to stand there and let him stuff snow down my jacket?"
"No. You slap him."
She smiled, "I'll try to remember that. So you and Rika-chan are on nickname basis, eh? Why P.C? Is she really good with the computer?"
"No."
"So what's P.C and S.C? Perfect Chick, Super Cool?"
"Pork Chop."
"What's wrong with you? Rika's beautiful. How can you call her Pork Chop? What's S.C then? It can't be anything good either."
"Swine Child."
Miyuki laughed, "You two sure are interesting. Pork and swine, pigs. Go ski, already. I can practise on my own."
Rukawa eyed her and sighed, "Watch your behaviour."
"Hai."
Rukawa went over to the ski lift, 'She always makes me worry.'
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Sendoh frowned, 'Where the heck are the brakes?!'
He stabbed the two poles into the ground and fell over sliding to the bottom of the hill, 'Ok, this was harder than I thought. My butt's getting numb.'
A girl nearby began giggling. He gave her a smile.
"Beginners shouldn't have poles. It's a distraction and quite useless. And you should work on your skiing technique. You should use the snowplough method."
"Can you teach me, oh, skiing guru?"
She laughed as her brown eyes sparkled, "Well…ok."
"What's you name? I'm Sendoh Akira."
"Takasuka Naomi."
Sendoh couldn't help but notice she looked very exotic with her jet black her in that Cleopatra cut.
"You know it's impolite to stare."
"But you look sooooo very pretty," he said trying to stand up but was unsuccessful.
She laughed and offered him a hand, "So what university or college do you go to Sendoh Akira? I go to Kyoto University."
'She's a university student? An older woman?' he grinned.
End of Day 1 on the Slopes