HOW THEY WISH IT WAS RAINING

-TheSilentReader-

CHAPTER 12: Eriko

Distractions from Boredom

Boring.

Youko was slightly agitated once more after she came into the room after she had a talk with her onee-sama. Well, it's much clear it seemed she missed something that she needed to be taken care of, but what can she do if she couldn't see the problem? Of course she's worried about having a petite soeur. Of course she was worried that her onee-sama was worried about her having one. The Red Rose family always has highly strung and fusspot members, and for a while that was interesting, but now it isn't.

The incumbent first years aren't even here yet. We are still first years, so why is she so occupied about that? Maybe Rosa Chinensis en bouton had told Youko something that made her like this. She always wanted to please people—no, not that actually, but she always wanted to please her onee-sama. But what I can say about that? She isn't like Sei who can do anything she wants, who has her onee-sama wrapped around her finger, but I guess Sei didn't know about that last part.

Telling her to relax won't even help, so why bother. She wouldn't even get it off her head if I told her to just stop fidgeting silently at a curved edge of the table. Even though she was as still as a statue, having this solemn pose with her entangled hands before her mouth, I knew she was very much burdened with her plans to execute the operation called Petite Soeur Hunting.

Another boring title. But I made it out of the blue, so there's no sense in thinking of a better name with something as normal as this. The members of the Yamayurikai recruit younger, bright students to join the council. Youko was probably thinking of her own criteria of selecting the best among the best. She is one, so it takes one to know one.

So, probably, with her as the future Rosa Chinensis (she is going to be, I just knew she wanted it that way), she can handle the worst of me and the worst of Sei, bless her.

But when Youko frets, I fret. There is something in the slight turbulence in Youko's gait that makes one fret more. Youko never frets; she makes sound solutions and takes immediate actions. It's like if something bothered Youko, it would be in the level of a national crisis or an upcoming apocalypse—something like that.

But, having something like that wouldn't make me bore to death.

And there is something in me that makes Youko entertain me out of my boredom.

"Petite soeur, I suppose?" I asked, knowing that she'd respond, because I just know what was in her mind.

"Yes. Onee-sama talked to me about this so early a time. I was so sure that we are to discuss this matter three weeks from now." She said, glumly, which didn't relieve me at all. Getting entertained by a troubled Youko is like counting a glass of sand particles. This would take forever. But at least she talked more openly than before.

Noted.

"We are still first years." I deadpanned.

"Who are going to be second years weeks from now." She said, looking at me, as if I needed attention and reminding from her, that . . . ah. That's what she's implying.

"If I were you, you'd worry more about Sei than me. I'm only bored, but she's bored and she doesn't care." I smiled as I protect my weakness to her, using Sei in my defense.

"You gave me another problem." She sighed again, then her eyes began to look through the pristine white tablecloth. I sighed as she buried deep into her world, leaving me bored once more. Nope, you are going to talk more, Youko.

"Look, if finding a petite soeur really bothers you, then I guess, I'll take the effort of finding one myself, once the next school year starts. It's going to be fun, Youko. Our onee-sama would enjoy our little contest." I said, challenging her. I know that my eyes were expressing it clearly.

Because she smirked back at me, her usual confidence radiating brightly once more. "Are you sure you are into it?"

I faked a yawn, "It's the least I can do, you know. So that you'll feel better at yourself."

She narrowed her eyes at me. I seemed to hit a funny nerve, but I didn't care.

Youko was smiling at me mischievously when as the welcoming ceremony commenced in the large auditorium. It seemed that all the freshmen are here for our disposal, but the rest of those upperclassmen who still have no sister are like us, having sharp eyes like vultures, scanning the rows of freshmen. I saw her looked at Sei and sighed, and as a very much detached sort of friend to both of them, they made me worried.

But there was one thing that caught my attention in my initial scan at the general section of first years: only one stood out the most, and I mean, literally. That patch of dark blond hair was stood out from most of black and browns and even yellows, but what I was looking at wasn't color, it was length. That person, whoever she was, had the shortest hair among them but also was the tallest in height.

That girl who passed by me and Sei when we were near the statue of Maria-sama.

I never noticed that I was drifting away again from my line in the seats assigned for second years until I heard someone snorted, "Finding something to occupy your wide forehead, are we?"

I sneered back at the smirking Sei, and made an expression that put her in her gloomy, bored moods again. I hoped that she read my face: we all have crosses to bear. I sympathize with her in times like this; I knew she's bored and dispassionate, and she had no one else to berate about it, so I guess, I seemed to be the most proper candidate for a responding soundboard. She didn't have anyone, sans her onee-sama, but Rosa Gigantea wasn't as doting and prying a mother as Rosa Chinensis. So, maybe, I am special in Sei in that way, no matter how ridiculous and utter nonsense that idea may be for the both of us. Well, at least, we understood boredom.

But damn Sei and her knack for interrupting my train of curousity over that freshman who was as tall as the Tokyo Tower over a sea of apartment complexes. I needed to know her name, and it seems that I needed Youko's help with this. She knew what I like, and I like my weakness so much that I hate it.

I wasn't paying attention to the speeches done by those who stood at the stage, but I knew that Youko was in resonance with my objectives, because her eyes were in full predatory stare at the representative of the freshmen. Ogasawara Sachiko, the vice-principal announced. Youko then looked at the freshman with small trace of pride, as if she was already her Onee-sama. God knows what machinations she'd do to get that girl. Oh, and God knows what she'll say when I have my eyes for that tall freshman whose name I haven't even know yet.

But Youko being Youko, she'll have a list of first year students by the end of the day. With that, I'll hunt that freshman down.

Apparently, my onee-sama beat Youko into it. She gave me a notebook that has list of names of first years. These lists were based on the preferences of the current Roses if they were second years, only names and descriptions such as club activities and physical appearance were there, not pictures. None of the them had the description of "tall" and "has short hair" or even "boyish appearance". The notebook is useless that way. Better give that to Youko.

But I think that Youko doesn't need that notebook anyway. She has her own procedure in getting what she wants.

It was a flat-out draw.

After the end of the Maria Ceremony, I rushed to the girl that was named Hasekura and found her at the Chrysanthemum class. It wasn't very hard to convince her, we just have to come up with terms that would make her agree to be my petite soeur. She won't be helping much in the mansion because of her club activities and her sickly cousin. But who cares about that, when I can be like Rosa Gigantea (for Sei)? Sei isn't near to a model petite soeur, but Rosa Gigantea is happy enough in the fact that they're seours. So, why not with Rei (she wrote the character of her name in the air, and saw an intermittent yellow string coiled to that finger and connected to my own)?

If she thought that we'll going to have lots of fun when we become soeurs, then say "yes". And she did, she can picture it out.

I took her to the Rose Mansion, and found Youko with another first year (oh, that princess) and concluded that our little race was a flat-out draw.

But what fun would I experience with the person who caught my eye because she is different among the first years.

"You are really tall."

I said to my new petite soeur when I found her very early in the mansion. I thought that it was the least thing she could do, not when she absent for her club activities in the afternoon. She was now preparing tea for Rosa Gigantea, Rosa Chinensis, and me.

I found myself in front of her, resting my hand on the counter near the tea she had prepared.

"Uhm, thank you, Eriko-sama."

"Onee-sama." I corrected, enjoying her blush and her nervousness.

"Onee-sama." She repeated.

I rested my hand on his head and dragged it to the level of my own. She really is tall. I asked, very focused on my little sister, "How many inches, do you think, is your height from mine?"

It seems that the tea she prepared was forgotten at the circular tray where she placed it, but it's all right. I wasn't thirsty for tea. I watched her became engrossed to my question, because I saw her lifted her long arms and used her fingers to roughly estimate the length from my lifted hand to my head. "Four to five inches, I guess." Rei said.

"Really?"

"Really."

"You are really tall." I said again.

"Indeed she is, Eriko-chan." A voice sprang out of the air and left the two of us jumping at that. I faded out the surroundings when I began to talk to Rei. I haven't even realized that the tea that she made was not only for me but for the two Roses. Or seven people, since Onee-sama, Youko and Sachiko-chan are already here. Sachiko was already on her way to prepare the second batch of tea, trying not to disturb us (why didn't she disturb us?). "Captain Obvious."

"I have made myself an idiot, haven't I?" I asked to no one and at the same time to the group.

"Well, you may leave Rei-chan for her to distribute the much awaited tea and put your arms down for your convenience." Rosa Gigantea teased.

Right. I should have. I left her at the counter for her to continue her task and then proceeded to my chair. Thank God, Sei isn't here to witness this. She would drill that embarrassing moment to me, which could last a year. And I would care for that, because it's my weakness she would have drilled on.

But, really, Rei is really tall.

"Onee-sama,"

I heard Rei's voice calling me out and I realized that I immediately jumped out of my seat and took steps to the counter just to see her face to face. I managed a "Yes, what is it?" for her, and with that she smiled and produced a big yellow pouch.

I am beginning to realize that I became too excited every time she's here.

"You said that you like chocolates. I made a chocolate cake and choco bonbons yesterday and I thought if you want some . . . ?" She said, a little bit timid.

"You bake?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes, Onee-sama."

"You play kendo and bake?"

Then I remembered that time in the library when she took out a cookbook but failed to borrow it out of the premises.

"Yes, Onee-sama." I think I'm creeping her out. "You don't want it then, Onee-sama?"

I often check the calendar, I am quite sure that February is so far, far ahead. I looked at her, challenging myself if my decision to choose her was really worth two years to get me out of my boredom. "Tell me, are the choco bonbons bitter?"

Rei's face began to look more serious, "Yes. You seemed to be more of a bitter chocolate type than milk-chocolate type."

I stared at her incredulously. "So there are types of that?"

"Yes, Onee-sama."

She seemed to want acknowledgement from me, if ever she made it right or failed. But I realized that my cheeks were already straining because I made my smile—grin stretched too much that I usually allow. "Can I kiss you as a thank-you for your efforts?"

"Where to?" Oooooooh! I wasn't even planning on doing that, but . . . but . . . she was actually considering it!

"On the cheeks of course. But only if I liked your home-made chocolates."

I pulled the string that fastened the pouch on her hand, dug two of my fingers into and out and tossed one into my mouth. The first sensation that my tongue tasted was bitter. The richness of pure chocolate spread on my mouth, and I need to slowly chew and melt it at the same time, to relish its exquisite taste.

Exquisite was a word I never used before. But now, this chocolate is worth of that term.

Wait, where does she get the ingredients?

She probably waited several minutes just to get an answer from me. I gulped, "I love it. How could you do such an exquisite thing? Can I kiss you now?"

"Uh, in here?" She pointed her index finger at the ground between us, but I ignored her and the surroundings anyway, but this chocolate is sooo good!

"Of course, here. Why would I delay my appreciation just because of the location? Picking a location is boring right now, and you making this—" I pointed out the pouch between us "—is what matters."

I did not realize that I lifted my head and kissed her on the cheek. By the time I drew back, Rei was already terribly blushing.

Then I heard a sound of a whistle somewhere who's neither from me nor from Rei.

The surroundings, again, were disturbing our solitary moment.

"I think it's because all of us are here witnessing a supposedly private moment, in a public room. But please, by all means, do continue. And I really miss you doing the inconceivable, Eriko."

My Onee-sama smiled at me, and I can literally see invisible hands from her hugging me fiercely, like a koala so emotionally attached to a particular branch of a tree. She was always amused of my antics—my unprecedented antics, so I understood her feelings.

But that was embarrassing.

"I don't care." I said, defensive.

Sei rolled her eyes.

"Rei, what short hair you have. Can I touch it?"

"Sure, Onee-sama."

.

"Rei, what strong arms you have. Can I touch them?"

"Okay, Onee-sama."

.

"Rei, what are you reading? Can I borrow that after you?"

"Sure, Onee-sama."

.

"Rei, tell me about that manga. Is it good?"

"Yes, Onee-sama. This shoujo manga is good."

.

"Rei, which pattern for jumpers do you prefer?"

"That one."

.

"Rei, I think I like this character."

"He's really evil, isn't he, Onee-sama?"

.

"Rei, you should teach me to make those chocolates."

"For whom, Onee-sama?"

"For my future boyfriend."

". . ."

"Are you jealous?"

"No, I'm just confused. Who's your future boyfriend, Onee-sama?"

"We'll meet him in the future, someday."

.

"Rei, could you tell me something about your cousin?"

"Oh, why not, Onee-sama."

"Maybe you could do something like that, for us, Youko. A performance."

"No thank you, Onee-sama; we prefer to be privy."

"Like, 'oh, Sachiko, you hair is so pretty and long'. And Sachiko-chan would be like, 'Oh, no, Onee-sama, yours is so dark and cropped and much prettier'."

"Rosa Gigantea, I think you should make Sei-chan look for a petite soeur? You are being left out. Granddaughters are such fun!"

"Rosa Chinensis, you are blunt as always."

"But may I ask: do you really have moments like this? Or Youko is as prissy as she could be, Sachiko-chan?"

"I leave you to your imaginations, Rosa Chinensis."

"Such showbiz answer! What if I use my authority as your Onee-sama to extract straight answers from you, Youko?"

"Then, we shall pick a location for us to talk privately about this, without other company, with my petite soeur's permission and presence, of course."

"You two are an indestructible team, you Sachiko-chan and Youko you."

"Killjoy."

"As if you weren't, Sei."

"Shut up."

I love public display of affection. In fact, I love demonstrating how I want to display my affection. And I want to see people displaying their affections in public. All the more making the world less boring and more interesting.

Thank goodness Rei is now affixed with my likes and dislikes as if they were carved on her shinai. She isn't uncomfortable by it, but I surprise her so many times that I wonder how she would ever anticipate my actions next time? Whenever I see her in the dojo, sparring with an opponent (unknown, doesn't matter) I always read in her form that she could read her opponent's future actions, but why couldn't she read mine whenever I offered a hug or a kiss or a tight squeeze of her hand as my token of appreciation?

I smile every time I surprise her with my sudden actions. I couldn't help it, not in anyway, because she always surprises me. It makes me want to hug or kiss her more, because she never bores me. If I could love my little sister that much, oh, I could. And I can be a very doting sister.

She asked me one time, when we were alone in a park in the premises of Lillian. "What do you really like, Onee-sama?" She watched me lying down on the grass from where she sat.

"Well, I like interesting things."

"Onee-sama, that is vague."

"Okay. I like . . . not normal, weird things."

"Um, like aliens and UFOs?"

Well, if I were to witness a UFO, I would very much put myself to under that thing's spotlight and suck me away, unlike most who would prefer to run to save their lives. I thought for a second, and answered, "That's close enough."

Then, she looked at her hands, thinking deeply. Oh, she must have been serious about this. I began to panic, as if I was seeing Youko distressed like that one time when Rosa Chinensis talked to her about petite soeurs. "Rei, I like things that are intriguing."

"Like what?" She asked, turning from her hands to my eyes, very interested.

I said the first thing on my mind, "You're intriguing."

"I interest you." She deadpanned, as if not believing in herself.

"Yes. Why would I pick a boring little sister? Of course, my petite sister should be very interesting." I reasoned dramatically, complementing her.

"I'm not that interesting," she muttered.

"Oh, don't be hard on yourself. I like you." I declared. I smiled at her just to make her look at me. She must have been thinking of making herself "more interesting" to my eyes, that's why she was asking me of what I like. She shouldn't be trying too hard, I like her just the way she is—just by being tall or even having a short hair. The disparity of her personality: the cooking, baking, stuff toys, shoujo manga and her short hair, kendo shinai and tall physique. Just by being masculine and feminine at the same time.

Even though I tend to be capricious, I am satisfied with Rei. I love her just the way she is.

"You'd do anything for me, right?" I wasn't really meaning it; it was just to tease her. But she looked at me and said seriously and with the conviction of a samurai:

"Anything."

I raised my upper body into a slouching position, and took the effort of kissing her again on her cheek. Again, she blushed, even though I have done this so many times to her.

She smiled, getting my reasons without me talking. Then, she said something that made my future life more promising than ever.

"I think my cousin would make you her eternal rival once you meet."

I'd love the challenge.

Youko looked at me one cool afternoon while we were at the Rose Mansion, sorting out documents that the Roses needed for the next meetings. We were alone once more, and by the time I gave her the rest of the clipped documents, she asked me if I want tea. I told her, "Tea is boring."

"How about milk coffee. . . with a kick?"

I raised a brow for that sudden suggestion, and while I leave her to her machinations of making a milk coffee with a kick, and suddenly wonder how would she do such a travesty when I knew—all the time since I met her—that she wouldn't put something on our drinks that is only legal at the age of twenty-one. Why was she resorting to such experiments?

After five minutes of doing just staring at the coffee she'd done, she flustered, "I can't do this."

"Of course you can't do this. You are Mizuno Youko." I rolled my eyes.

She narrowed her eyes at me, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't be daft. It isn't you. And it's upsetting."

"I guess you're right."

She looked once more at the cup, then gently buried her pinky finger into the liquid to taste the concoction. She winced as she sucked on her finger.

"Too much."

"I knew it—this is some rare sort of unplanned things that you planned to do."

"Ne, Eriko." She asked as she propped her elbow and rested a cheek on her palms. "How do you make your little sister really react to you? I mean, in a very amusing way, not just in an imposing way?"

She asked this so bluntly that I immediately realized why she was incredibly weird girl in front of me—something really disturbs me entirely when Youko is not being Youko and it's not the pleasant weakness that I liked, because Youko being not Youko is like the end of the world—she was thinking too much about her little sister.

Ogasawara Sachiko must be a pretty hard girl to manage.

Youko read my mind. "Oh, she's very obedient, serious with her roles and work and responsibilities. She never fails to do what I want her to do. But, she doesn't talk much about herself, you know?"

When Youko is anxious, there is an impending apocalypse.

"You mean, she doesn't open up."

"Yes."

"Have you asked her about herself?"

"I tried to be subtle about my questions, because being so direct must be very taxing to the interviewee. But she's does a good it's up to your imagination in every possible variant of the sentence." Youko even copied her little sister's expression it's so hard not to laugh at her. "When I first hear it, I liked it so much, but now—well, what do you think?" She reiterated.

"Ooooooh. Do you want to join forces?" I suggested. "Do something that would make her feel like I will do something for onee-sama so that she won't do it again."

Youko raised a brow.

"Like drinking that thing."

"Surely, she won't think highly anymore of me if I did that."

"Don't be too concerned. If she really is a good sister, she'd know why she did that, and not jump into conclusions."

We raised our cups. "On three."

One—two—three—!

My head just exploded with butterflies of crazy ideas for my quality time with Rei—that's what I felt after I drank it. Getting drunk in the afternoon—with just me and Youko—was such a good and fascinating idea to think of so many ideas for me and Rei to enjoy ourselves. I thought of shopping with her and buy her dresses. I thought of her to do some cosplay for me. Oh, that would come handy in the cultural festival.

"That's . . . that's a great idea, Eriko." Youko beamed. I actually voiced out what I was supposed to be thinking only. "Really, really great." She crooned.

"Let's write everything we thought and discussed!" She said.

"Sure, sure!" In my sub-par state of mind, I giddily agreed. Even though the other part of my head was thinking, Youko is so damned repressed even when drunk, we should do something wild . . . not write something, but why the heck did I agree to this, but whatever—

By the time everyone coming to the salon of the mansion, we already finished twenty pages of crazy ideas in impeccable handwriting. We realized we were still good at our penmanship even when slightly tipsy.

What contained in that pages, which we kept to ourselves (and was hidden until Sei was beginning to be okay) were all the things we want for Rei and Sachiko-chan to do for us. Youko was pretty happy as she read and reread it.

But that milk coffee with something never happened again in the confines of the Rose Mansion.

Sei read it when we were already Roses.

She said, "I think I want Yumi-chan to do all of this. And Sachiko-chan will so prevent her not to do it. Then, Rei-chan will be so concerned to do it because Sachiko-chan will complain to her non-stop about Yumi-chan being forced to do it. Then, all of them will to it."

We are already third years. We were more cunning. So, cunning it is. I even want to include Yoshino-chan to this. I asked, "Why not with Shimako?"

"You don't know her." Sei grinned. "She would do this without any complaint. And that is no fun."

Youko nodded. "I agree."

One of the things we put there did come true. In fact, many of them did happen.

I just saw Rei in a Canary Festival costume. I died when I saw Yoshino cringing as she tried not to witness Rei's performance. Then, Rei looked at me while dancing and suddenly winked.

THE END

A/N: If you read the 28th volume of MSGM, a section there revealed how Eriko met Rei in the former's point-of-view. I only loosely based this on that section, and I think this Eriko was a little bit OOC. I guess, she wouldn't be as crisp when it comes to her thoughts, but I want to assume she's like that. But that's Konno-sensei for you. Everything's OOC and not at the same time.

Please review! Little in this fandom has Eriko in the spotlight.

But I really wonder how did Sachiko and Youko met. Was it in the light novels? I read how Eriko and Rei met, but never about Sachiko and Youko's. Does anyone wonder about that? Were there fanfics about their meeting? Is there anyone who could enlighten me about this?