Chapter 2 – Sohma Yuri

"Ahh! GOMEN NASAI!!" A voice cried out.

I opened my right eye, squinting between my cupped hands and flowing hair. Ouch... The edge of the door had knocked the spot above my left eye. It throbbed painfully.

I raise my head a little. The girl in the bookshop was clasping her hands in front of her mouth, a look of absolute horror on her face.

She reached out a hand for me.

"GOMEN NASAI!! GOMEN NASAI!! I DIDN'T MEAN TO—"

"Ie," I mumbled, taking my hands away. I blinked my eyes a few times, the skin throbbing rythematiclly.

"Daijoubu, watashi was daijoubu des, " I assured her.

"Ie! There's a bruise coming up!" She pointed to my eye, frantic again.

"Ah? It'll go down in a few days." Gingerly touching the spot (it felt sticky), I smiled reassuringly at her. If any, she seemed even excited about it than me.

"Anou," she said when I turned to leave. "Sumimasen! But, it seems to be bleeding now. Would you like to come over to our-er!- house to dress it?" Brown eyes showed concern.

Eh? Bleeding? I blinked and reached up. Sure enough, a sticky substance stuck to my fingers.

I started to deny. This was nothing. Chasing Rin was more important.

"Honda-san!"

"Eh?" We both turned, surprised.

Sohma Yuki stood there in school uniform, his bag sling over his right shoulder. A look of equal surprise painted his face.

"Eh? Sohma-kun! Has the Student Council finished then?" The Honda girl exclaimed.

"Aa," Yuki said, nodding to her. He stepped forward and turned his questioning gaze to me.

"..Yuri-san? Are you back from the boarding school at Hokkaido?"

"Ee. It's the summer holidays. It's been a long time, Yuki-kun. I heard you left the Main House." I replied politely.

"Eh? Sohma-kun, you know her?" Honda-san asks.

"Ee," Yuki nodded. Dimly, I wondered how he knew this girl. "This is Sohma Yuri, Rin's twin sister.