Realization
Miyuki woke up and looked at the clock, '7? Why didn't Kaede wake me up to train with him?'
She brushed her teeth and frowned, 'Why don't I smell breakfast?'
"Hey, Kaede. Where's breakfast? That's part of you duty today," she said opening his door to see him still laying in bed.
She tugged on his hand, "Breakfast! Come on!"
"I'm not feeling well…" he groaned.
She made a face, "Eeeew, you breath stinks. Don't talk."
She touched his forehead, "Fever. Do you have a sore throat?"
He nodded.
"Over active mucous production?" she continued.
He looked at her.
"Ok…I'll assume that's a yes. I'll help you phone school and tell them you're sick," she said, "be right back."
She gathered up the stuff she needed dumped it onto Kaede's night stand, "I got you Advil, water, cough syrup, 3 boxes of Kleenex, cough drops, and bread. So you just stay in this room and rest. I'll feed Chibi Kaede. Oh, yeah, I got you garbage bags for those Kleenex. Actually you shouldn't drink so much water, you'll have to pee and that means getting up but you look half dead. Which isn't bad considering you usually look kind of dead anyways."
"Baka."
"Maybe you're not as sick as you claim. Anyways, rest. I got to go to school."
.
Rika nodded, "Miyuki."
"Hey Rika."
"Help me give this back to Rukawa?"
"His jacket? Now I know why Kaede's sick. He must've acted all gentlemanly and gave you his jacket for last night," Miyuki said laughing.
"He's sick?"
"Yep. He has to miss school today. Good thing tomorrow's Saturday. Don't look so worried. He's not going to die…at least I hope not," Miyuki said thoughtfully.
"Should I visit him?"
"Up to you," Miyuki said, "people that have colds should eat apples, right?"
"Oranges for vitamin C."
"I thought it was an apple a day keeps the doctor away," Miyuki said frowning, "oh, well. All we got at home are melons, grapes, and limes. Limes will do, they're a citrus fruit, like oranges."
'I better go see if he's ok,' Rika decided, 'or I'll feel guilty.'
"Miyuki…I'll come home with you today after school, ok?"
"Great! Wait for you at the gate."
.
Rika frowned, 'What should I say to that baka when I see him?'
"Rika-chan…"
She turned, "You?!"
"Can we talk? I want-"
She cut him off, "Nothing to talk about."
"Please let me explain," he plead.
She frowned, "There's nothing to explain."
"Two minutes. Just give me two minutes."
.
Miyuki sighed and dumped her bag onto the ground, 'What happened to Rika? I waited 30 minutes for her and she didn't show up. She should be ok…right?'
She picked up the phone and dialled Sendoh's number.
"Moshi-moshi?"
"Akira, is Rika home?"
"Yeah. She came back a while ago. Why?"
"What? She said she was going to come see Kaede, so I waited like half an hour for her," she said annoyed.
"I think she forgot. The guy she has a crush on in gr. 8 came and asked her out, so-"
"An ex-crush?! That's horrible. Just when Kaede and her are making progress. Who's this guy? Should I be worried?"
"I never seen him," Sendoh said sounding amused, "but I do know they're going out tomorrow."
"We got to check him out then."
"We?"
"You and me of course," Miyuki said determined, "you're going to agree, right?"
"I guess…"
"Great!"
.
Next Day:
Sendoh watch Rika toss clothes around in her room. He phoned Miyuki.
"Moshi-moshi?"
"Hey. It's me Akira. Rika's-"
"Ack. I forgot to tell you the plan's off for today. There's something I got to attend to. Gomen."
He felt disappointed, 'Why am I so disappointed? I didn't even like the idea of spying on my sister…'
"Sendoh?"
"Oh, I'm here. You don't have to apologize."
"I got to go. Bye," she said.
"Ok, bye" he said.
She hung up.
'What's her rush?' Sendoh wondered as the phone rang, "moshi-moshi?"
"Hey, Sendoh. It's me Kosh. Heard you're going to get your license soon. We devised a way to help you prepare for the exam."
"How?"
"Racing go-carts, and there's a new Initial D race car game out at the arcade."
Sendoh laughed, "That's you plan? You're on. But don't say I didn't warn you."
.
Rika didn't expect to see Shinnosuke again. She had a crush on this guy for the longest time and finally worked up the courage to ask him out two years ago because she was moving here to Kanagawa. He agreed and she was ecstatic, seeing how he was the first guy she truly admired and liked. But he stood her up, making her wait two hours for him at the theatre. Who would've guessed that he would show up now and apologize, asking her out. He told her yesterday he didn't show up because of a family emergency. She accepted his apology and agreed to go out with him.
She should fill exhilarated, but she felt no such thing. Not even the slightest thrill.
.
"Next time you decide to come give me a warning."
The man smiled, "Then it wouldn't be a surprise."
"I'm really surprised that you're buying this much stuff. I'm tired," Miyuki said, "it's not very gentlemanly to make a girl carry you bags for you."
He stuck out his arms, "Look at me. I'm up to my elbows in this stuff. People gave me lists of stuff to get and made me promise souvenirs. How about this? If you carry some more of my bags, I'll carry you."
"You're on," she said taking a handful of bags, "piggyback."
.
"You're not in the slightest bit ready for that exam are you?" Ikegami asked.
"Hey, it's not my fault," Sendoh protested, "I'm use to automatic, not manual gears."
"You were stuck in a corner during the go-cart race," Koshino pointed out.
"There was just something wrong with that car. Someone messed with the steering wheel."
"Uh-huh," Uekusa said.
"Wasn't it because you forgot to put it shift the gear to reverse when you were trying to back out?" Hikoichi asked.
Sendoh was going to reply but spotted Miyuki on the back of some blond guy and smiling, 'Who is that?!'
"Nothing to say Sen-"
"See you guys at the food court, ok? I got to say hi to a friend. See you later," he said running off.
"…"
.
Rika felt someone staring at her. She turned to Shinnosuke and found him staring at her. He smiled sheepishly and turned back to the screen.
Rika frowned and also turned back to the screen, 'Rukawa isn't that inattentive. When we were watching that movie two nights ago, he kept his attention on the screen the whole time. I should feel flattered that Shinnosuke's looking at me but… Why didn't that baka look at me Thursday night?! Maybe he fell asleep, or… Why am I thinking about him?! Got to focus on the movie…'
.
Sendoh pat Miyuki on the shoulder, "Hey."
"Sendoh?" she said sounding surprised, "down."
The guy released her legs and she smiled, "Didn't expect to see you here."
The blond with green eyes tapped Miyuki's shoulders and said, "Intro."
"Right. Sendoh this is my friend from the states, Jordan McKay, and this is Sendoh Akira. Akira is his first name so don't ask," she warned the guy.
Jordan eyed him and smiled holding out his hands, "Nice to meet you, Akira."
'He knows Japanese,' Sendoh thought taking his extended hand, "Likewise."
"But Mi how can you say I'm just your friend? We're sooooo much more. I'm living with you."
'He's living with her?!' he thought bewildered.
Miyuki retaliated in English, "You're a house guest."
"Precisely. Thus, I'm living with you. You can't deny it," he said and turned Miyuki to him, "tell me the truth now. Did you invite me to stay so you can sneak into my room at night and take advantage of me?"
"Oh, you know it," she said with a grin, "you saw right through my plan."
"Shall I leave the door open for you tonight?"
Sendoh was annoyed they were talking too fast but he understood enough or their conversation to be annoyed. He coughed not so subtly.
"Ooops. Sumimasen Sendoh. When I get excited and know the one I'm conversing with knows English, I tend to convert to it," Miyuki said apologetically, "we got to continue our shopping expedition. See you soon, ok?"
"Ok."
"Lets got. You got to continue carrying me," Miyuki said.
"Yes, Master," he said bending down and looked as Sendoh and added with a smiled, "she's so dominating, ne? Although I don't mind a girl being on me."
Sendoh decided he didn't like this guy's suggestive, dimpled smile.
"Walk," Miyuki commanded and waved to him.
He gave her a wave back.
"See you Akira," Jordan said.
He forced a smile, "Good-bye Jordan."
.
"Where do you want to go to eat lunch?" Shinnosuke asked.
Rika shrugged, "I don't care. Why don't you pick the place?"
"Ok. Lets go to…"
Rika spotted an ad for herbal tea, 'Herbal tea? Is this herbal tea a cold remedy as well? Oh, it is. And good for sore throats, too. Maybe I should buy it for Rukawa…"
"Rika…Rika!"
"Gomen. What did you say?"
"I said, lets go and eat at Earls. Unless you got any objections."
"No, no. it's fine," she said eyeing the ad.
.
"Did I go too far?"
"Too far?" Miyuki asked, "turn left.
"With my joking about us. Akira seems angry."
"Angry? Akira?! No way. Why would he be angry at you?"
Jordan glance back at her, "Mi, you mean you don't know? Guess you don't see it because you're in the middle of it."
"What are you talking about?"
"Never mind."
"Whatever. Turn left again."
"Hey, have you gained weight?" he joked.
.
Slurping sound came from Shinnosuke.
'Rukawa doesn't slurp. I wonder if that has to do with the fact that he's quiet. Or maybe he doesn't like the soup I've seen him drink. Hey, isn't chicken noodle soup another remedy for colds? Maybe I-'
"Rika?"
"Huh?"
"What are you thinking about? You seem to be deep in thought a lot today," he said.
She was thoughtful, 'But I've been thinking about that baka all day, non-stop. What's wrong with me?'
"Oh…sumimasen…"
"That's ok. It's just I'm worried about you…are you ok?"
"I'm fine," she said truthfully, 'it's Rukawa's who's sick.'
"Well…if you insist."
.
"What wrong with him?" Uozumi asked, "him daydreaming, that's normal. But him daydreaming without a smile, that's odd."
"Hey, Sendoh. Look over there. That hot girl over there is winking at you," Koshino said.
"Uh-huh," he said without looking up from his lemonade.
"Oh my god. This is serious," Koshino said.
"Let me try," Uekusa said, "look there's a guy streaking and giving out money!"
Everyone from around looked in the direction Uekusa pointed at but Sendoh only said, "That's nice."
"Sendoh-san, Coach and Uozumi-san just requested that you get kick off the team," Ikegami said.
"Ok…"
"Oh, no! Hot girl, naked guy giving out money, and basketball, but no response. Certified. The toxin in his hair gel has finally seeped through his thick scull and is now destroying his mind," Koshino said.
"He was fine earlier on," Hikoichi said, "until he met Miyuki-san and-"
"Miyuki? Where?" Sendoh asked looking around.
The others all exchanged looks and laughed.
"He has been poisoned by something much worst than hair gel or mindless TV shows," Koshino said.
"By a girl," Fukuda said.
"Serves him right," Koshino said.
"What are you guys talking about?" Sendoh asked.
"Oh you finally notice us, huh?" Koshino asked and pointed behind Sendoh, "hey, isn't that girl Miyuki?"
Sendoh turned.
Koshino laughed, "Hikoichi all the info you got on this Miyuki girl, ASAP."
.
Next Morning:
Sendoh woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. Without even realizing it he picked up the phone and dialled Miyuki's number.
"Hello.?"
"Hi. Is Miyuki there?"
"She's sleeping."
"She's usually awake by this time."
"Oh, I volunteered to play one-on-one with Kaede, since I couldn't sleep anyways. Time difference you know. You're Akira, right?"
"Yeah…"
"Care to have breakfast with me?"
.
"Where did Jordan go?" Miyuki asked.
"Out."
"Wow, you're all better," Miyuki said, "I'm a great nurse. So what is there to eat?"
"What do you want to eat?" he asked, "you didn't do anything that's considered nurse-like."
"Breakfast sausage!" she exclaimed, "sure I did. I brought you food, water, Kleenex and medicine, didn't I?"
"Food?! I had the same loaf of bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And 2 glass of water. No spoon for the cough syrup, either."
"Stop complaining. You're all better aren't you?" she asked as the door bell rang, "I'll get that. Go cook breakfast already."
.
Rukawa went into the kitchen and pulled out a package of sausage from the freezer. He dumped it into the microwave to defrost. He frowned at the empty salt and pepper shaker.
As he refilled the pepper shaker he accidentally inhaled some of the stuff and began sneezing.
Rika came in and said, "If you're sick, stay in bed."
"I'm-achoo-fine," he said sniffing.
"Who are you kidding? Go rest."
"Rika since you're here, you take care of the baka. I'm going to go out for a while," Miyuki said grinning.
"I'm not a…" he began as Miyuki elbowed him hard in the ribs causing him to cough, "…a baka."
"Look how sick you are," Rika said, "sneezing, sniffing, coughing. I'll take care of him until you came back."
.
"Sorry. I had trouble finding the place."
"It's ok," Sendoh said.
"I'm very glad you decided to come."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I had a feeling you didn't like me yesterday," Jordan said, "of course, Miyuki found that absurd. She thinks you like everyone."
"I don't dislike you."
"But you don't like me either. You think Mi and I make a good couple?" he asked with a smile.
"Sure," Sendoh forced.
"You think you and Mi make a better couple?" he asked.
'How should I answer that?'
"I do," he said grinning, "Mi and I are just friends. Very good friends, but friends nevertheless. I already got a girlfriend. Mi's single as of the moment. I advise you to court her now, or other guys will. Of course she won't accept you that easily…"
'They're not going out? They're not going out!' Sendoh smiled, "Thanks!"
"You don't have to thank me. You look much nicer when you smile genuinely."
.
"Here eat the macaroni," Rika told him, "and after that the aspirin and cough syrup."
"I'm. Fine," Rukawa persisted.
"Two days ago you were so sick you had to miss school."
He sighed and grabbed her hand and placed it on his forehead, "No fever. Fine."
"Fine, you don't have to take the aspirin but you still got to take the cough syrup. I heard you cough," she said feeling herself get hot and pulled away her hand, 'I hate the way he affects me. Hate it! Loathe it! But at the same time… Why is liking someone always this confusing?'
He sighed, "After I eat and vacuum."
"I'll vacuum for you."
"I got to wash my cat."
"What's wrong with you? I just want you to rest and drink the cough syrup," she said frustrated, "I'll wash your cat."
.
Rukawa thought about explaining to her again that he was all better but decided against it. She obviously set her mind to the fact that he's sick and why refuse a free maid, when all he had to do was drink one little spoon of cough syrup.
"Fine. I'll listen to you," he said and wondered if she would help him do his homework.
End of Realization