I have to start this off by saying thank you to a lot of people. I was kinda bitchy in my ending notes for the last chapter, and rather than tell me to slag off, you wrote and reviewed me so Id know that a few people actually like this series. Oh, but in answer to one review…Haruka's not going to cheat on Michiru with Minako…ever. It's just a running joke…maybe not to funny, but –shrugs- it's better than the flexible thing. … You'd have to have read some of my older stuff to get that.
Anyhoo… not really all that much to say about this chapter. My work hours have cut back somewhat (for now…), so I have a bit more writing time. Unfortunately, my schooling is still soaking up WAY too much time… ARG!!! Why oh why did I get the bright idea that since I'm a B.M.E.T. that getting a BA in electronics would be easy? Note to self: Buy shovel, beat self in head with it for being such an idiot….
Loves icy journey,
Chapter five (part 1): Obfuscate
By Michael Treiber
"So…" Minako's tall, beautiful sister asked, "Where have you been all day?"
Minako shrugged lightly.
"Nowhere. Just having some ice-cream with a friend."
"Well," Her sister said, sounding relieved, "As long as you weren't out chasing boys all afternoon. By the way, mom's going to be late, so I made dinner. It'll be ready in a few minutes."
As Kotori walked off toward the kitchen, Minako wandered into the living room, where her younger sister had her nose buried in a manga.
"Hey kid… whatcha reading?"
With her large blue eyes covered in huge wire frame glasses, and her tousled blond hair, Minako's slender younger sister just seemed to have waif written across her forehead.
"Oh, hi Minako." She folded her manga over so that Minako couldn't see the cover and tucked it between her thigh and the arm of the couch she was sitting on. "Nothing… just a manga."
It was obvious that the younger girl didn't want to discus it, so Minako let the issue slide.
Dinner went smoothly, and as soon as she had finished Minako retreated to her room. Her quick conversation with her older sister earlier had left her feeling almost…guilty? No, she hadn't been out chasing boys, but…
"She'd never understand." Minako muttered to herself. After all, both of her sisters were normal. She could picture the scene in her head… Her mother, surrounded by her friends, saying,
"Oh, you know my daughters are wonderful." And one of her snobbish friends perks up and says,
"But dear, we hear that your middle has… tendencies."
Minako sighed deeply as she sat on the edge of her bed and buried her face in her hands.
"She'd never understand."
Across town, Ami was struggling with her own emotional issues.
"I just don't understand." She muttered to herself. Minako had never shown the slightest interest in girls, and now…
It didn't make any sense. Not that Ami was opposed to Minako's sudden interest in females, if that's what made her happy. But it was Minako's more specific interests that bothered her.
"Why me?"
"Why you what, dear?" Her mother asked from the doorway of the living room Ami was sitting in.
The blue haired girl sighed and decided to seek some maternal advice.
"Mom, what would you do if someone were… trying to court you, but you didn't want anything to do with them?"
Shrugging, the older woman asked,
"I assume that this is someone who's feelings you would rather not hurt?" At her daughters nod, she continued. "Then just try and let them down easily. Tell them exactly how you feel… and why you feel that way."
"Hello?" Minako asked as she answered the phone.
"Minako, good… listen, I have a great idea!"
Minako was puzzled by the voice for a moment before it connected.
"Haruka? What are you talking about?"
The older girl's voice was just verging on excited.
"I have something here that there's no way Ami can refuse! Tickets to Michiru's next concert… you know, the one that was supposed to be sold out that she couldn't get any tickets for it?"
Minako couldn't help but feel a grin spread across her face as she listened to Haruka's plan.
Ami was still troubled as she dialed Minako's phone number. She didn't want the romantic attention from another girl, but she really had not desire to hurt the other's feelings.
"Hello?" Minako's voice answered after the first ring.
"Minako? Hi…it's Ami… "
"Oh, hey Ami!" Minako's cheerful voice rushed on, not allowing Ami to get in a word. "Listen… do you want to get together tomorrow? There's something I want to talk about."
Sighing, Ami's voice was heavy as she answered,
"Yeah… there are definitely some things we need to discuss…"
Ok, some of you already know this, but I'm going to say it anyway. I'm very sorry about the lack of updates, but I had a bit of a medical emergency in the form of a cyst, which caused a bone infection in my left hand. Two surgeries and a week of heavy antibiotics and painkillers later, the cyst is gone, but I've lost all sensation in my left thumb. That um… kind of took precedence over getting this chapter finished.
I'm going to try and get this series out as quickly as possible, but there might be further delays, such as if the cyst returns. This round of surgery was actually the second round… the first was an outpatient procedure that had me back at work the next day. This was a full operation, done in my hospitals same day surgery clinic (yeah… I work in a hospital). I was back home that night, but spent the first three days in bed.
The bandages come off on Thursday, and Ill find out if the sensation loss is permenant… but from what my doctor says, it sounds like its 80% likely that I suffered nerve damage to the left thumb, and so Ill never get full feeling back.
But really, I feel fine, and thanks to all the support email I got while I was down. BTW… two people wrote me emails that I was unable to respond to. While in a drug haze, I accidentally deleted two emails before replying to them. I've always had a policy of answering every email I get, and this is the first time I've fallen through.
So to two of you who wrote, and never got an answer… I am deeply sorry. I still want to hold the claim that I'll answer every email I get, but now you all know… sometimes events prevent this.