"Ren, where did you put your face towel?" asked Jun as she rummaged through her brother's things.

"I don't know! Just look for it in my bag!" yelled Ren, who was in the gym, working out.

Jun lifted one notebook up, and to her surprise, a red card fluttered down the floor. Curious, she read the card. A smile found itself to her pursed lips.

"So did you see it-" Ren entered his room just in time to see his sister put down the red card on the bed.

Jun blinked, then smiled. "I didn't, but I found something else."

The Tao felt colors rush to his face. "God no…"

Chapter 2: My Onee-san

It was Saturday, meaning, free day for her.

Meaning, Tamao would come over.

Meaning, her onii-chan would try once again and fail in asking Tamamura Tamao out.

She smiled as she heard her brother and her future sister-in-law doing some cooking sessions in the makeshift kitchen. She shifted from her seat by the gnarled roots of a nearby tree, adjusting her notepad as well. She was brainstorming some ideas for her ThumbeRena play project. She still had no concrete ideas unfortunately, because she kept on getting distracted by her brother's stammers, evidence of his want-to-but-can't-do frustration with Tamao nee-san.

"…so you have to wait until it becomes golden brown," Tamao was saying.

Pirika sat up and stole a glance at the scene. Horo Horo was hovering behind the girl's shoulders, busying himself in staring at Tamao's nape. She sighed.

"Smell the aroma," said the oblivious Tamao. "Mmm!"

"Mmm!" agreed Horo, who was taking in the fragrance of Tamao's hair.

Pirika slapped her hand on her forehead, muttering. She stood up, marched towards the two, then grabbed her brother's shirt. She dragged him away. "Excuse us for a while, Tamao," she said.

The pink-haired girl smiled, then turned her attention back at the food.

When they were out of earshot, Pirika slammed her note pad on her brother's head. "Onii-chan no baka!"

"What did I do now?" he cried, rubbing his head.

"Onii-chan, when are you planning to tell her your feelings?" she hissed.

"Er…I'm working on it…"

"No, you aren't!" She patted his shoulders. "Listen, onii-chan, if you really like her, if you really, really like her, make your move now. Trust me, girls like Tamao nee-chan are the kind of girls that men would want as a wife. While you still don't have a rival, grab your chance and court her!"

He messed her hair fondly. "I know that, Pirika. Don't worry, I'll do that." He flexed his muscles. "Watch your onii-chan work his magic and charms on her." He strode proudly towards the girl.

She cupped her hands, shining. Onii-chan, you can do it! Go, onii-chan!

"Tamao!" he called loudly.

She turned to him, smiling. "Yes Horo Horo?"

Horo suddenly froze, his heart caught off guard once again by her lovely, bewitching smile. "Ta…Tamao…"

"Hai?" she asked.

He began to sweat nervously. "Er…Tamao…"

Pirika wanted to bang her head on the tree, but decided not to; frustrations with brothers wasn't valid enough a reason to get her head injured.

"Tamao…"

"Horo Horo, what is it? Are you feeling ill?" she asked worriedly, touching his forehead. "Your face is all red!"

"It is?" he squeaked, blushing even more when her fingers touched his skin.

Pirika rolled her eyes, then marched away. And he wanted to become a shaman king? He couldn't even be brave enough to confess his feelings!

She then remembered what happened to her – when she became too brave by confessing her feelings too.

She shut her eyes. No, she wanted to forget it already!

But it was just like throwing Ryu out of Lyserg's room; the Wooden Sword wouldn't stop beating on the door, demanding to be let in.

Ren's memories were like that- no matter how hard she tries to shut him out, they kept on banging on her mind's doors, screaming to be noticed.

Especially now that he became her classmate.

She can't not notice him anymore.

"Why would a girl be staging a war against my little brother?" mused Jun aloud as she and Ren were driven around in the limousine by Pailong.

Ren crossed his arms. "Shut up. Why did you read something so private anyway?"

"You should have kept it in a safer place," she said, laughing. "And I remember that you asked me to be the one to look for your face towel because you can't get your butt out of the gym."

The Tao groaned. If he could only turn back the time, then he would be the one to rummage in his things. Then he wouldn't have to endure her merciless teasing. He silently vowed to be more industrious, and not to let other people do jobs that he was capable of doing.

"Oh come on, I'm your onee-san. You can tell me anything," she coaxed, jabbing him with her elbow. A conspiratorial smile was pasted on her pretty face. "I won't tell Father, you have my word."

"You won't get anything from me, I'm telling you," he said, sighing.

"Why are you keeping her a secret anyway?" she asked. "Is she that important to you?"

Ren shut his eyes and inhaled deeply. He counted up to ten, wanting not only to calm the surge of irritation rising within him, but also the strange feelings that the mere thought of the Ainu loudmouth was stirring within him.

After awhile, he opened his eyes. "No, onee-san. She means nothing to me."

"What took you so long to reply then?" asked Jun, eyes twinkling.

"Because I was choosing the best words that could deliver my message briefly but clearly," he said through gritted teeth. "OK, end of conversation."

Jun giggled, then winked at Pailong, who smiled back, amused.

"So where are we going anyway?" asked Ren after awhile.

"Actually, I'm picking up the outfit I bought especially for Pailong." She smiled at the bodyguard. "It's his birthday next week, and I'm giving it to him as an advance birthday gift."

Ren groaned. "And you're taking me along with you? What have I got to do with this trip then?"

Jun smiled. "I just want to spend more time with my little bro, that's all."

He looked surprised. "I'm always with you."

"I know, but I have a feeling that time will come when I will have to share that number one spot in your heart with some other girl soon," she laughed. "And so, while I still have your whole, undivided affection, I will make the best out of it and enjoy it."

His forehead creased. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing-" Jun suddenly was thrown forward, but Ren was able to hold her back before she hit herself on the front seat. The boy angrily turned to the driver. "Pailong, what the hell do you think are you doing?!!!"

"Master Ren, a girl suddenly crossed the road, and I had to avoid her," explained Pailong apologetically, pointing to a figure sitting on the road.

Ren's fists clenched. He got out of the car furiously.

Pirika clutched her chest, breathing panickedly. She nearly got ran over!

"Damn it, you again?!" yelled a familiar voice.

She looked up and faced the very furious face of Ren Tao. "What are you doing here?" she snapped.

"Idiot! Who do you think you are, crossing the road without looking at your left and right?" he yelled.

Her blood boiled. She stood up, suddenly forgetting that a four-wheeled one ton something vehicle nearly ran her over. "Well, excuuuuse me, Your Highness, but this road happens to be a public property. You have no right to interrogate me like that!"

He rubbed his face with his hands, looking very, very annoyed. "God, your brain is worse than an idle ice cream machine in Antarctica. Look, if you want to commit suicide, fine, do it. It will help lessen the population explosion problem we now have. But don't do it with the help of our car- we don't want to be the one to pay for your funeral bills."

Pirika's eyebrow shot up. "So that was your car that nearly ran me over!" she threw his limousine an uninterested look, then back at Ren. "Well Mister Wheels, just because you have posh cars doesn't mean you can go and drive them around irresponsibly. Instead of telling me to check my left and right, why don't you ask your driver to do the same too? Reorient him again with the left and the right…or is he as dumb as you?" She looked down at her nails, ignoring the slowly seething Ren. "People with minds like yours are a menace not only to pedestrians but to the entire human race."

"Damn you!" Ren clenched his fists. "If you weren't a girl, I could have long kicked your ass."

Pirika smiled sarcastically. "Then do it. Or will you wait for me to do it?" She eyed him mockingly. "It will be easy. Your brain is closer to your ass anyway."

"Why you-" Ren wanted to take his spear out but Bason suddenly appeared. "M-Master Ren, don't. Mistress Jun is here!"

"I_do_not_care, Bason! I'm going to show her how well I can kick-" Ren was interrupted by a slam on his head. Jun was standing beside him, frowning on her little brother.

"Ren Tao! How dare you talk so roughly to a beautiful young lady like her?" she said disapprovingly.

"L-Lady?!" spat the boy out. "Even if she's the last girl in the world, I will never call her a lady! I'll demand a recount!"

Another slam on his head made him shut up. Jun smiled down at the girl. "Hello! Have we met before?"

Pirika smiled. "I think we have. In the shaman fight, in Patch Village?"

Jun nodded. "You're Horo Horo's little sister." She held out her hand at the stunned girl. "I hope you still remember me. I'm Ren's elder sister."

The Ainu shyly accepted her hand. "J-Jun Tao?"

"Right." Jun turned to her brother again, scowling. "Ren, she's Horo Horo's younger sister. How dare you treat her like that!"

Ren groaned. "She's also a pest."

Pirika placed her hands on her hips. "Oh really? A pest, huh?" She turned to Jun. "Oh, I'm personally inviting you to our class play happening very soon. Ren Tao will be in it."

Jun's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Ren's eyes panicked. "Wait a minute-"

"Yes! As a matter of fact, he's the star! Our play is called-"

Ren managed to cover her mouth just in the nick of time. "A secret, onee-san."

Jun looked at him, amused. "Oh, alright." She turned to Pirika. "Nice meeting you again."

"Mrmph hrmph," replied the girl, then stomped on the boy's foot. This made him release his hold on her mouth. She glared at Ren. "Don't you ever do that again!"

"I'll just check on Pailong," she said before gracefully returning to the limousine.

Pirika's eyes followed Jun, then went back at Ren who was glaring at her. If looks could kill, her mouth was long foaming already.

"Thank your nice sister that she's here, or I could have stomped on something else in your body," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Thank her too because I could have sliced you to smithereens already if not for her presence," he shot back. He started to go back to the car. "Stop following me already, will you?"

Her eyes widened. The nerve! "I'm not following you, Lilliputian egomaniac! Maybe it's the other way around!"

"Why will I waste my time on you?" he asked, smirking. "You're not as special as you think."

She wanted to scream bloody hell. Her temples were close to explosion. She quickly calmed herself. Horo Horo taught her something golden, and she was going to use it now.

It takes forty-three muscles to frown and only three to raise a middle finger.

And Ren's reaction when she did so was delightful. A classic.

She turned her back on him triumphantly. She now found the inspiration she needed for ThumbeRena.

"Revenge is sweet," she said in evil glee.

tsuzuku