Note from the author: Sorry some of the time/point of view breaks were confusing…I'm going to try something else to show the same thing! Thanks for reading!
Chapter 5
What's Your Favorite Type of Ice Cream?
The week following the first day of school was pretty uneventful. Miku started going to tennis practices to watch and cheer when she didn't have volleyball games or conditioning. Classes were still pretty easy, and English hadn't gotten any less complicated for Eiji, to Fuji's delight.
On Friday, after tennis practice, Miku approached Fuji and Eiji.
"Hey guys," she greeted them, smiling. "Can I ask you something?"
"Miku-chan, what is it?" Fuji asked.
"I was wondering if you guys wanted to come over tomorrow. You know, to talk and play with Mochi and stuff." suggested Miku.
"Hoi!" agreed Eiji excitedly.
"Sure, sounds fun," said Fuji. "Should we meet at the park by your house or your house?"
"Probably my house," Miku said. "Okay, see you tomorrow!"
"Bye!" both boys said, waving.
Miku walked away, happy that she'd have something fun to do tomorrow.
As soon as Miku was out of sight, Eiji asked, "So how do you two know each other again?"
"Since seventh grade, we've been in each other's classes," explained Fuji. "As time passed, we just got to be closer and good friends."
"Are you…" Eiji trailed off. This was going to be awkward.
"What?" Fuji asked suspiciously.
"Are you two…dating?" Eiji asked, finally. He had to know.
Fuji was quiet for a few seconds, looking at Eiji. Then he laughed. "No, why would you think that?"
"Well, you two just seem so close," Eiji said sheepishly.
"No, Eiji, we aren't dating at all," said Fuji. "Why do you ask?"
"Just…wondering," sighed Eiji. "I'm going to change. See you tomorrow."
'Weird,' thought Fuji. 'It'd be idiotic to follow, though.' So Fuji busied himself with his grip tape.
'That one looks like a hippo…and that's an airplane…' Miku thought. She was lying in the grass in her front yard, looking at the clouds until Eiji and Fuji arrived.
Miku felt her phone buzz in her front pocket. She looked at the message.
"Sorry, but I'm being detained at my house by my sister, Yumiko. I'll try to come over some other time. ^.^ -Fuji" it said.
Miku's heart sank a bit. He'd never cancelled before, and she had wanted to talk to him about something. She hoped Eiji didn't cancel too…
Miku sighed, and stretched her arms out to the sides.
"That one looks like a tennis ball," she said aloud.
"More like a bee. It's got those little feeler things on its head," someone said.
Miku sat up quickly and looked to her right.
"Eiji!" she said exasperatedly. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"Sorry. So…where are Fujiko and Mochi, nya?" he asked.
"Mochi's inside, probably sleeping. And Fuji cancelled," explained Miku halfheartedly.
"Fujiko-chan cancelled?" said Eiji, trying to process the information. This was almost as confusing as English class, for him. "That's weird. He almost never cancels."
"Yeah, I know," Miku agreed. "But anyway, I think we should just grab Mochi and walk to the park. Did you bring a tennis racket?"
"No…why, are we going to play a match?" Eiji asked.
"Believe me; it wouldn't be worth your while to play against me. Volleyball is my game. No, you'll see when we get to the park. Let's go get Mochi!
"Mochi! Go…get it!" Miku served a tennis ball through the park, and Mochi ran after it and brought it back.
"Your form looks pretty good, actually. Can I try?" Eiji asked. Miku nodded and tossed the racket and tennis ball to Eiji. He twirled the racket around his wrist a few times, and then served.
Miku and Eiji alternated serves for a while, until Mochi lost the tennis ball. So, Miku pulled a tug-of-war toy out of a bag.
"Mochi! Come here!" Miku called. Mochi grabbed on to the toy and started to pull. "Eiji, come help!"
Eiji grabbed the only spot on the toy that there was to hold on to without getting his hand bitten off- which was holding onto Miku's hands.
To Eiji's surprise, Mochi was actually really strong. She growled playfully and tugged on the toy. Eiji and Miku tugged back. Suddenly, Mochi let go and started chasing after a squirrel, which sent Miku and Eiji tumbling to the ground, laughing. They finally stopped rolling and lay next to each other, looking at the sky through the trees' leaves and branches.
"Eiji?"
"Yeah?"
"What's your favorite type of ice cream?"
"Um…probably rainbow sherbet. You?"
"Chocolate chip cookie dough."
They looked at each other, and then back to the sky.
Miku sat up quickly. "Where's Mochi?"
"Uh oh," Eiji said, looking around.
"Come on, we have to go look for her!" said Miku, grabbing Eiji's hand (subconsciously) and dragging him along.
"Mochiii!"
"You found Mochi, though, right?" came Fuji's voice over Miku's speaker phone.
"Yeah, we did," Miku answered. "She was over on the playground with some kids who were playing with her."
Fuji laughed. "She really does love people."
"Very much so," agreed Miku.
"So what did you guys do?" asked Fuji. "I need to know to see if I really missed out on anything."
"What, so you can go back in time and figure out a way to escape through your window?" Miku asked.
"I couldn't do that without impaling myself several times, because there are cactuses in the way, remember, and then breaking something from the fall. Sorry."
"You're so optimistic. Anyway, have you heard of something called the front door? It's the new fad. It's on the ground floor, and you yourself own one."
Fuji gasped. "Really?" he asked, sarcastically. Both of them laughed.
"Miku! Dinner time!" Miku heard her mom shout from downstairs.
"I have to go now," said Miku. "I'll see you Monday!"
"Bye!" said Fuji, and Miku hit the end call button on her phone. She really wished that he'd come; he was one of her best friends. But it was more than she could've possibly hoped for with Eiji.
'Thank the Lord for dogs,' Miku thought. 'They're cute, fun to play with, and they give you an excuse to spend time with people you like.'
"MIKU!"
"Coming, coming!" Miku yelled back.
'Mom may be deaf, but she sure can yell like a foghorn…' thought Miku, and ran down the stairs.