Today was a McDonalds day for the group. Or as Matsuri's friends called it, Mac-Donalds, or Mook-Donalds, usually a play on the funny name that sounded so English. Matsuri knew she had to study today but she always loathed to go home. That empty place. She looked over at Harumi as the four were walking towards the entrance of the restaurant. She seemed really bored today, and that got Matsuri down. She liked to inject a little excitement into Harumi's world. 'Let's see, what was the last thing I did?' she wondered. She had pulled on her skirt, tugged her hair, jabbed her in the side, tickled her stomach... Harumi was like a big, aggressive plush-toy, a monolithic figure who would revolt if you grabbed too much but affectionate if you grabbed just enough. She thought she was so serious but Matsuri knew better. 'She's just the type to get easily rattled', she thought.
Matsuri was so bored by her classes, today was the day she would pick a big fight with her dream-lover Harumi. Today was the day she would go too far and confuse every inner part of her. Today was the day she was going to do something outrageous to Harumi that she hadn't done before. She'd been slobbering at the chance to try it but was too afraid. Since Harumi had been in the clouds all day staring off into nowhere, Matsuri wasn't going to go home without some wanted attention.
The pink haired girl tiptoed and sneaked up behind Harumi for a few steps behind her, and slowly but surely reached her hand out. She took her index, thumb and middle finger and pinched Harumi on the butt, twisting as she did it.
The rage was almost apoplectic. Harumi expected to turn around and see a man but when she found out it was Matsuri she almost cried. She blushed deeply, and slapped Matsuri in the face. Matsuri was surprised and immediately felt ashamed. "What in the fuck, Matsuri!" Harumi had true rage in her eyes, and the stinging in Matsuri's face stung hard. "Sorry," said Matsuri. "What are you thinking about, we're not little kids, there are boundaries." Truly, Harumi had been awoken from the slumber of herself, but the way Matsuri had shocked her out of it felt unfair. The shock was still rising through her. Yuzu put her hand on her shoulder, "What did Matsuri do?" she asked.
"Nothing, let's go inside."
Matsuri stood outside the McDonalds, still feeling the shame and anger. 'I just want to know what's going on with you', she thought. She kicked herself, she really was a dumb brat sometimes and had gone over the line.
She walked inside the restaurant finally to follow everyone. She sat down on the edge of the opposite side of Harumi and Yuzu, and tried to be respectful and quiet, not feeling as sociable anymore.
"Maybe I just need some time alone," said Harumi, responding to something question Yuzu had said. Nene was looking happy with her two favorite sempais.
"Come on, Harumi!" said Yuzu. "I need you today! Don't be a spoilsport, alright?" Yuzu's sweet voice and callings always got to Harumi, Matsuri rolled her eyes. Harumi reconsidered, and apparently decided to stay "Alright," she said in a huff, avoiding eye contact with Matsuri. Yuzu smiled at her.
Their fries and cokes arrived, sitting in their favorite booth by the window with a good skyline. Nene started devouring the fries, having fun watching her favorite sempais and how their bodies interacted in close space. She was in her happy place right now. The sempai's boobs and hips were touching exquisitely. She dabbed a ton of fries in ketchup while the other three girls politely picked at one here or there.
"So, what's on your mind, Harumi?" asked Yuzu. Usually she was quiet and withdrawn after school, so Harumi didn't want to waste this opportunity.
"Uhhhh…. You guys, you don't have siblings, right?" Nene raised her little hand with ketchup still on her face, "I have a little sister! Her name is Midori!" Everyone stared at Nene for a bit, "I didn't know that," said Matsuri, Nene was always full of surprises. "We should come over and meet her some time!" said Yuzu. Everyone perked up at the information about Nene, "Nah, you guys would scare her. You're all mature sempais to her, except Matsuri. Well, maybe she'd like it. She usually draws little Pokémon after school so maybe she could draw you guys. Make some art for me."
"Sure," said Yuzu and Matsuri. Nene continued to have an excited look on her face and enjoyed the conversation. Mac-Donalds days were always the best, the grease, the sugary ketchup, the salt, crisp potatoes, it made her eyes gleam with calm and punch-drunk which would make studying much more difficult later, but she didn't care. Friends and fries were the best, how could she be so lucky?
"Well," started Harumi again, "It's just that my sister, you guys know Kayo, right?" Everyone nodded, except Nene. "She's a student council member who was technically Mei's sempai," said Yuzu. "Right, Kayo, with glasses and short hair," replied Nene.
"Right," chimed in Yuzu.
"Well…she and my sister are close. Really close. Actually…" She trailed off and looked uncomfortable. Yuzu put her arm around her shoulder. "C'mon." Harumi looked back from her lap in reply, she was trying to step out of her daze from her sister and then Matsuri. Matsuri herself looked very anxious to know what was going on and felt concerned. "My sister's working in Tokyo now and I guess her, and Kayo meet often, but apparently they went on a vacation together recently."
"Oh, that's cool!" said Yuzu. "Yeah, cool. But she also wrote a letter to my sister that I found this morning. You guys won't tell anyone, right?" Harumi implored. Everyone smiled back at her reassuringly. Matsuri was doing her best to act mature. Harumi let out a sigh, "It was a love letter. From Kayo. And it was very explicit." Everyone's minds were blown, and they fell into a melancholy. Harumi looked straight back at Matsuri, seeking deep within her eyes. Matsuri blushed and turned away.
"I don't know if my sister is a lesbian, or if this is a casual fling, but the letter was very passionate. Nene took for granted that at an all girls' school, it was usual, "How does that make you feel, Harumi?"
"I don't know," she put her head into her interlocked arms. "I feel like I don't know about anything anymore." She looked depressed. Matsuri felt like she wanted to hold her, and it felt terrible to her now knowing what she had done. Why was she such an idiot snob who would cause her friend pain?
"If you're not sure, Harumi, you should be careful," said Yuzu, "Don't accuse her of anything." Harumi looked at Yuzu in a mysterious way, confused how she could have been unclear, then looked away. "There's one other thing about the letter that I didn't mention." Everybody perked up, since additional information that might push the situation to a higher level seemed impossible and inevitable. What could it be after the revelation about the love letter? Everyone squeezed in to hear Harumi and she could barely breathe.
"There was a big red kiss with lipstick after the signature," blurted Harumi worryingly, embarrassed completely by the fact that she had told everyone, and they were all metaphorically slapping their faces now. Everyone grew awkward except for Nene, who was excited. It was assured, now: Harumi's sister and Kayo were in a relationship, and a Yuzu-Haru pairing was only a step away. They all fell back into their seats looking exhausted.
"What do you think about all of that, Harumi?" asked Matsuri. Harumi looked straight at Matsuri, raising her eyebrows and expecting her cynical response. To her surprise, Matsuri looked normal. Not knowing how to respond, Harumi coughed and answered, "I'm not sure, guys. I've never thought about my sister's love life and I don't want to get too deeply involved, either. I obviously wish I hadn't picked up the letter. I goofed for sure."
Matsuri furrowed her brows. Harumi was running from the question, but she didn't want to invade her personal space. "Are you going to ask her about it? Like, is she in love? Is she straight? Surely your sister should get a chance to respond."
"Of course not, I only saw the letter by chance when I was cleaning up her room for her this morning. If she's a… you know, a les—" she quickly looked over at Yuzu for a reason she couldn't sense. The depressed blonde had sunk deep into her seat and sat looking outside the window. "Yuzu—" but before she could finish, Matsuri had grabbed her wrist. Matsuri silently shook her head while glancing at Yuzu. Harumi felt exasperated. She didn't understand Yuzu's actions at all these days.
She turned around and finished her statement to Matsuri and Nene in general, "If she's a, you know, a L-E-Z, then..." Harumi wasn't sure why she was whispering but she was, "Then, I don't care. My parents could still try to force her into an arranged marriage at a shotgun wedding though." She looked back at Yuzu who was twirling her hair and looking out the window like she didn't care. There was something about this conversation Yuzu didn't like.
"I know what you mean, Harumi. Can't trust a L-E-Z." Harumi looked shocked, Matsuri was snickering and blushing, "That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean, Haru?" Matsuri said it in a cute way and touched Harumi's sleeve of her uniform, feeling the material. Harumi blushed and nervously looked away, then back at Yuzu who was still lost in some image outside.
"I'm really not sure what to think, guys. I've always looked up to my sister and sempai. I don't know what to think about this and I'm a still shocked. If I didn't have friends to tell it to like I didn't before Yuzu joined school, I would be in existential crisis mode right now."
Nene nodded happily, sipping her coke, "It's okay Harumi, we know how it is. Maybe your sister is experimenting or going through the motions to learn about relationships right now? She has spent all her time in an all girls' school, after all. Maybe she feels indebted to her friend for always being there for her?" The sudden psychology advice out of nowhere surprised Matsuri, who looked over at Nene with an arched eyebrow of newfound respect. Matsuri concentrated back on Harumi. "It's up to your sister, right? You'll have to have the conversation when she realizes you read that letter." Harumi almost spit out her soda, "What? When is she—" Matsuri gave her a sly look. Harumi sighed, "Yeah…I guess you're right." The discussion was ended.
Everyone started to gather their things and head off towards home. They shuffled to the front of the Mac-Donalds and filed out one after the other, Yuzu lazily tagging behind, caught in a doldrum. Harumi felt lost at that moment, like she might wander her way home. Matsuri noticed how pained Harumi look and immediately noticed an opening for her to make up to the tall girl. She bravely swung her arms through Harumi's arms held pocketed in her jacket and looked up at the face of her friend with a keen eye, "Don't let it get you down. I'll hang out with you tonight until you go home." Matsuri smiled up at Harumi with genuine affection. Harumi almost got angry but decided against it, she needed Matsuri right now.
Yuzu trailed off in her usual wasted was, "I'm going home guys, say hi to your sister for me, Harumi." Everyone arched their eyebrow at that statement, and just figured she wasn't paying much attention. Matsuri knew there was nothing she could do for the blonde right now. Yuzu waved back, oblivious to their reactions, and they waved back. She walked off towards the station.
Harumi felt tired, she was tired of her friend not being all the way there. It was like a zombie going through the motions. She suspected there was little she could do for her, suspecting that it was deeply personal and if Yuzu wanted to say what it was, she would.
"Hey, you wanna' get a shake?" asked Matsuri. Usually Harumi would say no to this request, but today was different, avoiding home was her chief objective. "OK, Matty," she smiled down at Matsuri, struggling not to do something to her for pinching her earlier. Nene spoke up dreamily, "I'm going to go home and study, guys. Catch you later, okay?" Harumi and Matsu smiled warmly at Nene as she waved to them and went in a separate direction.
"Silly girl," said Matsuri, as she turned down a street, arms interlocked with Harumi. "What?" replied Harumi. "All that talk about psychology and stuff. You should just talk to your sister."
"I'd be embarrassed to."
"You're always embarrassed. Matsuri cutely tugged on Harumi's arm as they sauntered off into the evening. From the back, they could almost have been a couple. The two strode off together to get a treat.
