Disclaimer: I own nothing…except for the plot.
That night, everything felt so carefree for everyone. Tamao and Horo Horo both found each other as they happily chattered away in the dinner table. The usual quiet Ren was having a fun sarcastic time with Horo Horo. Pirika was very happy today to see her brother back to normal and to see that smug smile on Ren's face. Today was just perfect!
As soon as dinner was over, the girls quickly cleared the table as they busied themselves because the boys decided it was a good time to restart their argument.
"Are you guys going to ever stop fighting?" Pirika asked, but she knew it was all in vain. It was impossible to have the two sit for at least five minutes without getting into an argument. But that was until she got a very sly idea. She excused herself from the chores and went outside to the snowy yard.
"Onii-chan! Ren-kun!" Pirika shouted at the top of her lungs in a singsong voice. She prepared herself as she gathered a few snowballs. Horo Horo quickly ran outside, worried about his sister, but foolishly fell into her trap as a couple of snowballs landed squarely on his face as soon as he stuck it through the doorway. Ren followed since Pirika did call his name as well. He went outside, only to lose Horo Horo. But as he stepped outside, he saw Horo Horo face down on the snow.
"Hey, dude-" Ren begun but was cut off because snow all of sudden made its way to his mouth. He heard a soft giggle and knew exactly what happened.
"PIRIKA-CHAN!" Ren shouted without having to wipe out the snow. He heard the door slam shut. Horo Horo got up and looked at the kitchen window. Ren smirked as he saw the girls waving teasingly at them. Horo Horo, being the dork he is, waved back. Ren went back to the door and slid it open, ready to take revenge on a certain blue-haired girl. He opened it just in time to see Pirika's retreating figure. Ren, the competitive one he is, raced through the house, hunting her down. Pirika ran straight into a bedroom as she shut the door to stall time. She searched the room frantically for a hiding place.
Ren flung the door open, madly searching for the girl after she ran into his room. He ran his yellow cat eyes through the room, hunting down his prey. He saw a lump in his blankets and a smirk played on his face. He slowly crept around his bed and sat down on his blankets.
"Hm…I wonder where Pirika-chan may be hiding?" Ren said sarcastically as he flung his blankets on the floor. There was Pirika, arms shielding her face as she readied herself for the worse. Ren remained sitting on her.
"Now, what kind of punishment?" Ren asked aloud. Fear sparked through Pirika's eyes. Ren bore his playful eyes on her.
"Are you…ticklish?" Ren suddenly said as his hands roamed to her sides. Pirika didn't answer him but feared the worse. She was terribly ticklish. She left out a loud giggle as he tickled her on the side.
"Hmm…this may be fun." He said as he enjoyed watching the girl pay for making a fool of himself. He got up and starting tickling her silly. Yells and screams, plus laughter, were heard throughout the house.
"Horo Horo, aren't you going to help Pirika-chan?" Tamao asked at the blue haired Ainu sitting at the kitchen casually. He flashed her a sly smile.
"Sure, let's go help." Horo Horo said as he led his girlfriend outside of Ren's bedroom and opened the door. There was Pirika squirming like crazy while Ren tickled her continuously.
"O-Onnniiiiiii-chan! HELP ME!" Pirika called out between her laughter as she saw her brother at the doorway. But unfortunately, he shook his head in a happy manner.
"WHY…hahaha…YOU, ahhhaha!" Pirika said breathlessly. Ren stopped so she could catch her breath. "TAMAO-CHAN, HELP!" Pirika called out to her friend as she saw Ren's hands approaching for another round of torture. Tamao took a step forward, but was stopped when Horo Horo wrapped his arms around her.
"Nope, sorry Pirika, but Tamao's mine!" Horo Horo said as he watched his sister laugh her head off.
"YOU'RE…hahahhaha, STOP REN-KUN…hahahha, ALL EVIL!" Pirika squealed.
"Okay, Ren-kun, I think that's enough torture for now." Horo Horo said. Ren stopped as Pirika composed herself.
"Okay, good night everyone!" Pirika said weakly and returned to her room. Everyone went back to their bedrooms and retreated for the night. Pirika breathed a sigh of relief. 'Today has been such an eventful day. Ren-kun has changed so much…' Pirika noticed as she glanced back when they were having the snowball fight in the field. 'This might be the start of a great friendship…' Pirika thought to herself before falling asleep with a smile on her face.
Ren lay in his bed with a rare smile on his face. He reflected upon today's events. What he found surprising was that the emptiness and sadness within him at the beginning of the day was gone. The heavy weight he felt on his shoulders the instant he saw her was taken away. Though he would only admit it to himself, he had lots of fun today. Pirika didn't change at all apparently, though the first few minutes were quite the opposite. 'I guess she's really over me.' Ren thought sadly to himself. He felt something bittersweet growing within. Sure, he has befriended Pirika under the bad impression from the last time they talked, but somehow, he wanted something more. The time when he wanted her to notice him, she doesn't. He scowls himself mentally for dropping the first chance he got. 'What a big mistake…' Ren thought as he turned over. He tried clearing his head of Pirika, knowing how impossible it is to be together. 'Cut it out Ren! You're lucky enough to deserve her friendship.' Ren shouted at himself. That's right, he didn't even deserve that after how unhappy he made her, yet she still treats him like a normal person. Little did he know. Pirika may have befriended him, but she still had a little spark left. All that is needed is some fanning.