Disclaimer: I don't own anything...except the story line!

The Rain Washes Away All Guilt

Chapter 7:Responsible Sister

Previously
-Ulrich leaned in close to Yumi's face until their lips met.
-"Will you go to the dance with me?"
-"HIROKI! WHAT DID YOU DO?"
-"I tried to make breakfast."
-"Hiroki...don't move. I'm gonna go get the door."
-"Hey, Ulrich. What's up?"

>"Come on Hiroki, let's go help your sister." Ulrich said to Hiroki.
"Aw, man." Hiroki said reluctantly going into the kitchen to help clean up his mess.

-----12:30pm Saturday-----
"Finally." Yumi said, exhausted. She walked into the living room, followed by Hiroki and Ulrich.

"Sorry." Hiroki retorted again. They all sat down, Hiroki on the recliner and Ulrich and Yumi on the couch.

"It's fine," Yumi said, forgiving her younger brother. After all, he was just trying to help. "Now I'm hungry though."

"Me, too." Ulrich replied.

"Me, three!" Hiroki chimed in.

"What do you-" Yumi started, before she was interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

"I'll get that." She got up and walked over to the telephone and picked it up.

"Hello...Oh hey there...he's right here," Yumi put the phone to her shoulder, "Hiroki, it's Max." Hiroki jumped up and took the phone from Yumi.

"Hey Max!...Yeah!" He walked into the next room. Yumi walked back over to the couch where she laid down, her head in Ulrich's lap.

"Little brothers..." Yumi said, exasperated and exhausted all at once.

"If they're anything like Odd...I know your pain." Ulrich replied with a slight smile.

He looked down at Yumi. She was looking out into the living room, towards the parlor, where Hiroki had taken the phone. Ulrich began to remove Yumi's hair from her face gently, and just gazed at her in all her beauty.

God, I don't deserve her. But you gave her to me. Why? She deserves so much better than me.

"So, what do you want for lunch?" Yumi asked Ulrich, finally looking up at him.

"I dunno. What do you want?"

"Peace and quiet."

"Good luck with that." Hiroki walked back in the room. He still had the phone with him, just pressed against his shoulder.

"Yumi..." Hiroki began

"What is it?" Yumi asked, knowing he wanted something.

"Max wants to know if I can go over to his house today."

"I have to go to the dance tonight, Hiroki." She responded. Ulrich smiled remembering.

"Max," Hiroki started into the receiver of the phone, "Yumi has a dance tonight...Yeah...I'll ask." He looked back to Yumi, "Max wanted to know if I could just sleep over."

"Let me talk to his mom real quick." Yumi took the receiver from Hiroki and sat up.

"Mrs. Russell...Yes ma'am...Well, he hasn't eaten lunch yet, so...yes, that would be a huge help...Thank you very much Mrs. Russell...alright...Just have him call me in the morning when they're ready, or whenever you're ready...Thanks again...You, too...Bye." Yumi pulled the phone from her ear and turned it off.

"So?" Hiroki asked, excited.

"She said you could go over whenever you're ready, so go pack up and we'll walk you over."

"YES!" Hiroki jumped up and down and ran to his room, enthusiastic.

Yumi got up, or rather tried.

She only failed when Ulrich pulled her back where she landed against his chest. He held her there. She wrapped her arms around him and they sat there, as if synchronizing their breathing. A couple minutes later they heard Hiroki stampeding down the stairs. They both rose up off the couch and waited for Hiroki to reach the living room, only a second later.

"You all ready?" Yumi asked her brother.

"Yep."

"Did you double check to make sure you had everything?"

"Yep."

"Toothbrush, too?"

"Uh huh!"

"Alright, let's go."

They walked out the door. Max's house wasn't that far from the Ishiyama residence, so they walked. Hiroki skipped ahead. Ulrich wrapped his arm around Yumi's waist while they walked.

"So, what do you want to do for lunch, now that Hiroki is eating with his friend." Ulrich asked Yumi.

"I don't know, what do you want?"

"Why don't we go out to the new pizza place? Odd applied for a job there, he says the food is excellent. Then again, he might not have tasted it seeing as he inhales his food." Yumi silently laughed at the thought.

"Sure." Yumi and Ulrich had agreed on the pizza parlor of Odd's chosing. Not that that really makes sense.

They arrived at Mrs. Russell's home, where Yumi walked Hiroki up to the door, so as to give Mrs. Russell her cell phone number in case of emergency. Ulrich waited by the gate in front of the house. Yumi rang the door bell and they could hear footsteps approaching.

"Hello there Yumi, Hiroki." Mrs. Russell, a young woman, smiled sweetly as she stepped aside for Hiroki to go in.

"Thank you again Mrs. Russell. Here's my cell phone number in case there's an emergency." Yumi told Mrs. Russell while she handed over a small piece of paper with her number written upon it.

"Alright. Thank you Yumi. It's good to know Hiroki has such a responsible sister."

Yumi smiled and replied, "Thank you. Well, give me a call in the morning and I'll come pick him up. See you tomorrow, ma'am." Mrs. Russell smiled and they waved to each other. Yumi returned to Ulrich by the gate.

"So, ready for lunch 'responsible sister'" Ulrich said as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind her and rested his head on her shoulder.