The previous chapter:
Okay, the fourth chapter isn't that interesting, but I need to make it so that at least you guys will know the "inner characteristics" of the older sister. smiles (I really hope my "sister" transforms like Yuri here…huhu…)
Here's the fifth chapter…-
--
Lunch that day; Reiko was eating lunch with her friends. On the other hand, as expected, Yuri is eating with Inui and Oishi. They are…, uuhh…, gathering data…?(except for Oishi that is…)
"What do you think Inui?" Yuri asked. "Will it be today?"
"Eighty-two percent…"
"Why, do you know what I'm talking about?"
"Probably."
"Uuhh…, guys, I better check on Eiji." Oishi, just partly, wants to leave he cannot 'G' what the other two are talking about.
"Wait, Oishi!"
"What is it Yuri-san?"
"About the other day, I heard you had a certain squabble with Kikumaru. Are you two okay now?"
"…We are… Thanks--"
"You better get to Kikumaru now or he'll be lonely!"
"Ahh…Ja, later then."
"Bye, bye!"
Oishi left. A few minutes later…
"What is it with those two?! Stalking at me like that! As if I can't see them! Don't they know that I am NOT a BLIND person!" Reiko thought as she twitches.
"Are you okay, Reiko-chan?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine! Really! I… I better go ahead, ja!"
"Okay… Let's do this again next ti—she left…very fast!"
Reiko hurriedly went out of the canteen.
"She noticed?"
"Of course she did! For your info, she's not blind! And she was trained to sense any enemy!"
"So, are we enemies in this story?"
"Do you want me to smack your head off your body?!"
"That… would be a negative…"
"If you're worried that that head of yours will be disconnected with the rest of your body, don't say things that you know that irritates me!"
"Okay, okay. I was just trying to cool you down 'cause you're getting so exited."
"Am I?"
"Tonikaku, will we follow her?"
"We'll give it time. She will nag at us because we're that close! I think it's okay for her that we will follow her, just not get in her way. And besides, I'm NOT DONE EATING MY LUNCH! Do you want me to experience hunger?!"
"… I paid for the food… I guess I have the right to let you stop eatin--"
"Come again…! Did I hear you right?"
"No, no, you heard me wrongly-"
"Now you're saying that I'm DEAF?!"
"…I accept… defeat…"
--
Oishi met Eiji at the hallway…
"Oishi-kun!" Eiji greeted with his usual smile.
"Hi, Eiji. You done eating lunch?"
"No. In fact I'm going to the canteen right now. Do you want to come?"
"Maybe next time 'cause I'm done eating. And I didn't make the assignment for the next class."
"Is that so? Okay, next time will do! Promise?"
"Promise!"
Then they separated ways.
--
Back to the canteen…
"Hey, it's Kikumau-kun." Yuri whispered to Inui.
"He's already 88 back to normal, basing from the way he smiles, the way he walks and his gestures…" Inui murmured while scribbling (again) on his notebook. "A fast recovery indeed." Then he suddenly asks Yuri something. "Why was Reiko-chan asking about Eiji's condition?"
Yuri was startled. "When did you it?! When?! Answer me!!"
"I can't tell you the details—I thought that I heard it wrongly, but it seems like it's true, because of your reaction that is..."
"Dude… It's a very (20x) bad habit! Bad boy Sadaharu! Tsk, tsk, tsk!
"Look who's talking! You too are niggling around!"
Yuri continued eating as if she didn't hear anything. "Were you talking to me?"
"Who else is in this table?! And I'm not yet crazy to talk with the air!"
"I really thought you were talking to the air…" she blurted a laugh and…you know what happens when you don't chew your food well…
"Water please!!" cough cough
"Here's some of my juice!"
"I'd rather die than drink that!"
"Okay…, die there."
"Pay my burial then!" cough cough
Afraid of paying Yuri's burial; afraid of being blamed if she dies; and afraid he can't sleep because Yuri's gonna haunt him each night for the rest of his life, Inui… gave her water. "I can't win against you that easily, can I?"
"There's even a possibility that you can never win against me!"
Inui ask a question out of the blue. "…Why do you care for Asuzumi-san that much?"
"…Because…she's…already like a sister to me…"
"Can I sit with you guys?" Inui and Yuri suddenly stopped and looked at the person who asked.
"Kikumaru-kun! Sure! Why not?"
"I might be disturbing you two."
Yuri blushed inwardly. "What the heck are you talking about?!"
"Hehe! Yuri-san! You're blushing!"
"No, I'm not! Quit it Kikumaru-kun!"
"I thought you were with Oishi." Inui interrupted.
"Umm, I just met him at the hallway just a little while ago. I asked him to come with me but he declined."
And Eiji started to eat.
"I heard that you were absent because of a tummy ache…" Yuri makes certain if she heard the right info.
"Yeah, I was. hehe."
"You know, you should watch what you're eating from now on!"
"I will. Thanks."
--
"So this is how the first year tennis prodigy practices…" This came to Reiko's mind while watching Ryoma practicing with the wall. Ryoma stopped for a second and looked at Reiko. "Is there something you want, sempai?"
"Nothing, nothing! I was just walking around and I saw you here, so I decided to watch."
"I'm sorry, I must be disturbing your practice. Carry on…" she tries to exit.
"Chottou sempai!"
"Eh?"
"You play tennis, right? What kind of player are you anyways?"
"I do…, I can say that…that… I'm a noob! Yeah, that's right!"
"She does look like one though." Ryoma thought.
"Why do you ask?"
"…"
"Okay , nevermind! See ya around, Echizen!" Then Reiko was out of sight and Ryoma continued his practice.
Eiji was already walking outside to get some fresh air.
"Jeez, are those two trying to piss me off? What's with them?"
+ flashback+
Yuri opened a topic. "Kikumaru-kun, have you thought of having a girlfriend?"
"Eh?" Eiji blushed.
"Who are you planning to court?"
"No…nobody!"
Inui started scanning his notebook. "According to what I've gathered, you have a crush on… Takahashi Naomi, a second year."
"Are you sure Inui?! OMG!" Yuri exclaimed.
"Umm…"
"You're having a misinterpretation! She's just my friend in the past!"
+end of flashback+
"Takahashi, Naomi…? Why…? Maybe…"
It was time for their paths to cross… Even they weren't ready for it, destiny had other plans for them. It may be heart-breaking, but it was their fate.