Harumi sighed again to himself as he changed to his outdoor shoes at his shoe locker. He closed the door and found himself leaning against it in his oncoming depression. Even though he had thought about it all day he still hadn't come up with a solution.

What should he get Akira for Christmas...? Harumi sighed again and was so stunning that he caused one of the underclassmen to pass out from happiness.

As he left the building he realized for the first time that he wasn't being followed (IE: guarded from the shadows by his three stockers) that day. "I wonder where those guys are...?"

Harumi shrugged and turned to leave, thinking, "Why am I worrying? It's not like those guys are my friends anyway..." He felt his depression worsen considerably as a pang of loneliness hit. "Dammit, now I'm wishing Akira and I could walk home together..."

Then he thought better of it and turned to go in the opposite direction, "Actually..."

***

Harumi walked along the crowded streets and looked in the windows of the fancily decorated shops looking in vain to find something that might jump out at him. He passed by a book store, then decided to double back. Akira liked to read, so maybe there was something good in there... It was worth a look at least.

*FlashBack*FlashBack*FlashBack*FlashBack*

Harumi was lying on the coach in the living room watching TV and eating crackers when Natsuru suggested it.

"Oy, Bro, let's have a contest."

Harumi turned his head towards the sound of his younger sister's voice, a cracker still in his mouth, "...Humm?"

Natsuru was leaning over his head grinning, "Whoever gets Akira the best Christmas present wins~"

Harumi finished his cracker while giving her the curious raised eyebrow look then, swallowing, "Hm...? Akira's a good kid. He'll probably like anything we give him as long as we pick it out with him in mind..."

Natsu, her hand on her hip, stuck her finger in his face, "That kind of logic is exactly why I'm proposing this contest"

Harumi, leaning back to keep her finger away, gave her a "are you high look". Natsu explained, "Akira was doubting himself before, am I right?"((Note: He didn't think he belonged in the family))

Harumi felt a pang somewhere in his stomic as he sort of got where she was going with this. He nodded.

Natsu continued, "Well, I think that this would be as good a time as ever to prove to him that we like him and while we're at it.." Natsu leaned in, an evil smile flitting across her lips, "We can settle which one of us know him better"

Harumi's competitive nature took the better of him and before he knew it he was on his feet, staring Natsuru dead in the eye "You're on!"

"I would also like to compete"

Natsuru and Harumi looked over to see that the youngest member of the household, Fuyuki, had arrived home from school and had been watching them. Having been experimenting with speaking her mind for about a month now, Fuyuki had gotten much better as of late at interacting with her peers, but she had also begun speaking even more at home. She looked from one sibling to the other without any sign of shyness, "I also want to do something for Aki-chan"

Then, to both Harumi's and Natsuru's shock, their parents popped up from behind the sofa, arm in arm. Mr. Sakamoto spoke first, "I think that's an excellent idea!" Mrs. Sakamoto followed up, "Yes! I think it's a wonderful idea to help Aki-chan in his time of need"

***
So, before he knew it, Harumi was in competition with the rest of his family to prove that he could get Akira the best Christmas present ever....
--

Whoo-who! Thank you James for posting on the FC story! :P

I've been thinking recently, maybe we should get an extra point for writing particularly long chapters? Like 1000 words or more... Just throwing that idea out there, because at this point in time it makes no difference as long as we exceed 100 words...

Sorry, that's what's been on my mind recently so that's what I have to say I guess.

My second semester's been going pretty well over here, but my homework load has increased significantly. How are you fairing?

-Mounkey