A/N: Don't really know what to do with this one.

Chapter 6. Yoshino's Fight

It was all her fault! Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Shimazu Yoshino repeated for the nth time, her cheeks adorned with an adorable blush. She had locked herself inside her room, not wanting to go out. Her mother, used to her tantrums, leave her be. She really didn't want to see anyone right now, no one, not even her Onee-sama and cousin Hasekura Rei.

Especially not her.

In fact, she was blaming all of this to her.

And worse, the latter didn't even aware that she was being accused in causing this.

So what did the poor cousin Rei did to the irritated Yoshino?

Nothing really.

What was wrong with getting in and out of each other's room like it was their own? None.

What was wrong in using each other's things like it was their own? Certainly none.

They had been like that since they could remember. Rei was by her side since she was in her diapers. She was by Rei's side ever since she could walk towards her. They had been using each other's things as if they were their own. There were things that were difficult to tell who owned what.

So what really was Yoshino ranting about?

Was it because Rei had just given her another sweater made by her own talented hands?

No?

Was it because Rei just baked a very delicious cake that she couldn't get enough of it?

Of course not.

Or was it because just this morning, Rei came bragging in her room when she just woke up from her sleep and with her hair all in a tangled mess?

Nope. Wrong again. They were very comfortable with each other that it didn't matter if the other saw the other one with a drool or whatsoever. They could even change their clothes with the other's presence.

Change clothes you say?

There!

Got it the first time!

It was all because of that change thing.

So how did it happen?

Or rather, what happened?

This day, Rei went to take an entrance exam for college in another University, aside from Lillian University. Thus, Yoshino went home alone and a little lonely. Surely there were times that she felt suffocated and annoyed by Rei's constant presence, mostly because the latter always tried to stop her from doing things, always worrying over nothing, always trying to take care of her. However, when Rei wasn't with her, she was gloomy. She missed her worrying and all. She missed having someone to argue with. And she missed having someone to act sweet with.

This afternoon, right after she heard from her mother that Rei had arrived, she came bragging on the latter's room as she always did. She was excited to see her. She wanted to know how the exams went and how did she fare.

The sight that greeted her after she threw the door open was just normal, or rather that was how it was supposed to be.

What Yoshino saw, when she came in without knocking at the door, was Rei changing her clothes. Rei had taken off her top and her slacks, thus, leaving her on her under things. The latter smiled gently at her before continuing changing her clothes, not perturbed by her suddenly barging in while she was changing.

Yoshino smiled back. But her smile froze when Rei took off everything on her and thus, leaving her on her birth suit. She blushed deeply to her intense displeasure. She had seen Rei many times like that, too many times to even count, so what was the difference now?

What the hell was wrong with her?

Maybe it was because she noticed that Rei's breasts were a little fuller than the last time she saw them. Or that her waist was smaller and her hips were bigger. Or…

Embarrassed, she ran away from Rei's room without a word and locked herself to her own room.

Yoshino paced around her room restlessly.

'What is going on with me? What is going on? What? What? What?!'

She wanted to scream with frustration. She closed her eyes but Rei's nude image keep playing on her mind. When she opened her eyes, that same image was what she could see. That image was now burned in her mind, and might forever hunt her.

She jolted when she heard soft knocks from the door of her room followed by Rei's worried voice. The latter must have finished changing already and surely had come in her room in a hurry. She doubted if Rei had even rested for a second before coming here.

"Leave me alone!" She shouted, and then regretted it immediately. She shouldn't take this on her cousin. It wasn't Rei's fault really. It was just her making an issue of what she saw.

There was silence. She debated whether she should let Rei in or not. However, the softer part of her won. Worried, she opened the door and saw an equally worried Rei.

"Yoshino."

"Come in," she said quietly.

Rei gazed at her for a time until she felt uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan," she said repentantly.

"Yoshino, what was that all about?" Rei asked before placing a hand on her shoulder.

She flinched at the touch and when she looked up, she saw a hurt expression on Rei's face.

"No, that's not it, Rei-chan. I'm sorry."

"Then what it is?"

"I…I can't tell you," she said, looking down at the floor.

Rei was silent for a moment before she said in a sad tone, "I see."

When Rei turned to go out of her room, she stopped her by hugging her from behind.

"Please don't be mad at me, Rei-chan. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just that…it's something about me. I can't tell you, not yet. Please…"

Rei turned around and hugged her back.

"Okay. Promise me that you'll tell me when you're ready."

She nodded as she buried her head on Rei's shoulder. Never mind the tingling sensation that she felt. All that matter was that Rei wasn't mad at her. That other matter, she would take care of it later and will fight it with all the stubbornness that she had. For now, she would enjoy the comfort of Rei's hug.

A/N: Of course you already know that it's Rei's part in the story next time. I'm going to have an early rest this night for my big day tomorrow :) :)

Well, have a nice day!

---Arvendell---

05 February 2008