Chapter Three

Shinji's POV

I sighed as I stared down at the blue- haired girl laying on her bed. Who knew she was this much trouble? Wasn't she resourceful? The news had said not to be out in the sun too long. Exactly how stupid was this girl?

I wasn't going to give her any mercy when she woke up. She was going straight to the bathroom and scrubbing that nasty gunk she made, off. I had almost gotten sick myself when I saw what came out of her mouth.

"Mmmm." She groaned, turning a little, "Ugh, I feel horrible." "Hmph." I grunted, "You're finally awake." "Who said that?" She asked, sounding completely stupid. "Me, idiot." I said. She looked straight at me and said, "Mom?"

My eyes widened. "What are you talking about Stupid girl? I'm not your mom! I'm Shinji, remember?" I said. Then randomly, she took my face between her hands and pulled me towards her, giving me a light kiss on the cheek.

"Good night to you too mom." She sighed sleepily before curling up and going back to sleep.

My heart was thudding like madly. Who was she to kiss me like that?! And how could I possibly look like her mom! This girl really was an idiot.

I looked at my wrist watch. It wasn't very late, and I didn't have to work today. Which meant I could spend the rest of my day doing whatever I wanted to. What was I going to do? I could go over to Reiji's house. Just peek.

No!

If that woman was there I don't know what I'd do.

I'd just sit around and watch television. I hadn't been able to that for years. So I sat on the couch and flipped through the channels for anything good. As usual, there wasn't. Tell me again why I had this IQ sucking box in my room?

I settled for a cooking contest channel since it seemed like it was the only non- stupid show on at the moment.

When the show was half way done, the phone rang. I picked it up and mumbled, "Hello?" "Shinji!" The caller, I recognized as my brother, Reiji yelled. I jerked the phone away from me as far as possible. "Why is everyone so loud?" I asked to no one in particular.

"What?" I asked rudely.

"Shinji! I'm so glad it's you!" He said, "You move out three days ago, and you don't call or anything! I was so worried!" "Is there a particular reason you're calling at this time?" I asked him in a bored voice.

"Can't you at least visit? She's not here." He said, "You won't believe how much this place has changed since she moved here. It's all pink, and girly, and the whole place smells like citrus fruit. It's lost all it's manliness and I'm going crazy!" "Says the person that wears an apron all over the house." I muttered.

"She's not here, I told you!" He said, "I need to see if you're not starving!" "Why would I be starving?" I asked. "I've tasted you're cooking, Shinji, It's not the best." He reasoned. "Thank you." I said my voice dripping sarcasm.

"Why would you move out anyways?" Reiji asked, "I thought you already got over it. She's getting married, what's done is done." "So?" I snapped, "Who said I moved out because of that?" "Just visit!" He whined, "I miss you!"

"If I tell you I'll come visit, will you shut up?" I asked. "Sure." He answered enthusiastically, "Why not?"

I sighed, hung up and went out the door, but not before I got my back- pack.

As I was walking under the blazing sun, I kept telling myself, I needed a car. Although it'd take more than a year to get one. Since I was going to have to support myself and that brat of a girl.

Why had I let her live with me again? Because I had panicked over some tears. And now this was my punishment for not getting over my fear. Idiotic girl. She gets sick after two days of living together.

I unlocked the door (since Reiji had told me to keep the key, just in case) to my used- to- be house and stepped in.

The house had indeed changed and I pinched my nose from the disgusting smell swirling all over the place. "Ugh, what's that smell?" I asked. "It's citrus, as I've told you over the phone." Reiji said, coming into view, "I'm glad you're not starving." "It's only been three days, the effects would show until at least a week." I answered, dumping my bag on the floor.

"Now, come on!" Reiji said cheerfully, "The cookies I've baked are finished!" I closed my eyes and shook my head. Could he get any girlier?

I followed Reiji into the kitchen and looked around. "How could you let this happen?" I asked him, staring at the flowers in the vase in the middle of the table. "I don't get it," I said, "Her character's changed 360 degrees." Reiji patted my shoulder, "This is what happens when a woman's found her soul mate."

"You would know that, how?" I asked him. He shrugged, "I have my share of secrets." He said, probably trying to sound mysterious but failing miserably, "What about you? How's life without a roommate?"

The girl popped into my head.

"Better." I lied. Not.

"I'm impressed," Reiji said, "I was pretty certain that you would call between the last two hours since you were gone." The statement didn't strike me hard, but I couldn't help but say, "Better than you."

He ignored the statement and asked, "Met anyone lately?" I answered with a simple, "No." "How can you not have met anybody yet?" He asked, "You're seventeen!" "Yeah, and you're 23." I said.

"Yeah, but I've had a ton of girls in my life." He said. "I did not need to know that." I said. "You can tell me anything!" He urged, "I'm worried, I don't want my little brother dying alone!"

I rolled my eyes.

"And you won't?" I asked. "No, I won't." He answered, "Cookie?" He held up a plate of fresh cookies up to my nose.

I didn't have much of a sweet tooth and the smell was overpowering so I rejected. I even pushed his arm away, anything to get that smell away, it was so sweet it was making my insides churn.

Reiji sighed dejectedly, and turned away.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked out of nowhere. I panicked (without showing) after the words left my mouth, but it sure seemed to make Reiji feel better.

"You want to ask me something?" He asked incredulously, "Really?" "Yes, really, now shut up." I snapped. I was this far now, no point in stopping, besides, this had really been nagging me ever since it happened.

"Reiji," I asked, hesitating a little, to try to convince myself maybe if I let it all out it would stop bothering me, "do I look like a girl?" There had to be a reason that girl had mistaken me for her mom.

It sounded so stupid after I asked that I almost covered my mouth.

When I finally looked up at Reiji, he had an amused look on his faced where one of the corners of his mouth was raised up, as though he was trying to resist smiling. "What kind of stupid question is that? But, no, why?" He asked. I could hear the overflowing curiosity in his voice.

"No reason." I snapped, "Just… Forget I said anything."

Reiji put down his plate of cookies and sat next to me. "It's because someone mistook you for one, isn't it?" He asked, "It's because of the hair, I told you, you should cut it!" He picked up a strand of my hair, but I slapped his hand away.

"Be quiet." I said with a hint of menace in my voice. He was one to talk. He had hair so long that he had to tie it up. But according to him, he had an aura of manliness around him. Right.

"I'm ready to get out of here." I said as I stood up, "I'll call you more frequently so don't worry, and don't call me here unless it's an emergency."

As I headed toward where my backpack lay, I heard the door open. And soon I was face to face to the very person I was avoiding.

She had definitely changed since I last saw her.

Her blonde hair had grew out and she was wearing a dress. Something she would have rather died than seen in one.

She was slightly stunned for a moment, then regained her composure and shot a cheery smile at me.

"Shinji!" She cried, "It' been what, 3 years?"

Reiji rushed in, looking nervous as his gaze shifted to both of our faces. "Shirona!" He said, "You're extremely early." He had probably put some expression on "extremely" to show me that he really didn't know she'd return this early.

I didn't say anything. Instead, I pushed past her, toward the door. I wanted to get out of here. And fast.

"Did I say anything wrong?" I heard her ask as the door closed behind me.

I didn't know where I was going. I guess wherever my feet took me.

Before I knew it, I was at Amity Square.

I sat down on a nearby bench and watched as little kids played on the small playground not very far from where I was sitting.

What was Shirona doing here? Why would she be here? When she was young, she told everyone this was her most hated place. I would've expected her go to Celestic Town. Her hometown.

I guess, I was more focused on avoiding her that I didn't think about why she was here.

Well, this was what I got for trying to run away from my problems. Of course, I knew I'd have to face her soon.

It hadn't necessarily been love. Pretty close, I suppose, but not that feeling exactly. But, I had only been fourteen.

She'd probably known already, that I liked her like that. Then why would she just disappear instead of telling me head on that she didn't like me back.

She has some nerve to disappear and return three years later just to tell me she's getting married.

I sighed and leaned back until my head could go any further. This was going to be one nerve- racking year. I wouldn't be able to be relaxed for one day unless that girl was out of my house or until I got over Shirona.

Then I remembered something. Something that made my head snap forward. I ignored the huge crack it made beside the fact that it sent waves of pain down my neck.

I had left my backpack at my house, I realized.

Damn!

This was bad. If I went to go get it, I would have to meet her again. So, I should just let Reiji deliver it. But, if he did, he'd find out about Hikari.

This was bad. He'd never stop teasing me, even after she was gone.

"Damn." I swore under my breath and I started running toward the apartment. This just wasn't my day.

Or year.

This was proof that God didn't love me. Was I really that fun to tease. Was it a fun thing to torture me? Or was this just punishment for being mean to my neighbor when I was young?

I reached the apartment and raced to my room. Maybe, just maybe. Reiji decided not to come and instead just decided to stay at his house and just wait until Shirona was gone and would call me.

Or not.

I opened the door and saw the worst scene of my life.

Reiji and Hikari were having a drink together in the kitchen.

"Shinji!" Reiji cried in surprise when he spotted me. Hikari turned around and smiled, "You never told me you had a brother Shinji." She said.

"And you never told me you had a roommate." Reiji said, winking at me, "And a cute one at that." This comment almost caused me to hurl. I didn't want to know what his dirty mind was thinking right at this moment.

"Oh, Reiji." she giggled, "You're making me blush."

Yup.

God definitely hated me.

AN. A really long one coming up.

First. I'm just going to say, Reiji character was practically created by me. And I'm kind of relying on other fanfics of Reiji too. I created him a kind of motherly character. Poor Reiji. He needs to take all the responsibilities for a mother. Including the questions. That's why I put in the girl talk. But sometimes he slips into his "sibling love" aka being mean as shown by him saying "What kind of stupid question is that?" I didn't put much research into it. And Shirona. This story isn't really planned out, so I kind of just made something up on the spot. And the question Shinji asked. You could say that he was totally out of character, but I think all boys would be traumatized if a girl mistook them for her mom. I know I would be. I don't know who Shirona is usually paired up with so I need help on this part. No one has to tell me. I could just search. But I'm feeling unusually lazy. And sorry for the late update. Whenever I had time on the computer I didn't feel like writing and when I did, my brother was on. So I made this deal that if I got him a cup of water he would let me be on the computer for the whole day today (Rip off! But he was feeling kind that day.) And then I would've finished earlier, yet some friends came over. So….

And just saying. I really don't think you should be expecting the next chapter soon.

Kahmelion