Chapter 24

Minako was quieter than usual, Eri thought as the teacher was passing back work. Something was definitely amiss. She threw a piece of paper, hoping to catch her attention. She flinched when she felt the crumpled ball of paper hit her face.

"Psssst, Maso-chan." Eri whispered. She looked over.

"What's wrong with you? Are you sick or something?"

Minako shook her head and said nothing else after.

She furrowed her brows and pouted. She always hated it whenever Minako acted up.

#

Once the bell rung she saw that Minako seemed to be fleeting. She sprinted and caught her by the wrist and cornered her in the hallway.

"What's up with you today?" she questioned. "If you're mad about detention yesterday don't blame me, you're the one who started the fight; but I confess I would've started if you hadn't."

Minako was silent for a few brief moments. Then she looked up at her with eyes that shone a gleam of sadness.

"Eri-san... if I did something bad, would you still love me?"

She gawked at her, dumbstruck. This didn't seem to be the same girl she had known for the past two years.

"Minako..." Eri let out, her voice fading at the end. She looked around, checking left and right, making sure that the coast was clear. She gripped the smaller girl's shoulders tightly and shoved her to the wall. Eri nuzzled her chin in the crook of Minako's neck.

"Minako, you idiot. I've said this before, don't make me say something so embarrassing again." she growled bitterly, but her body language said otherwise. She gently ran her fingers through Minako's soft black curls. Her arms tightly wrapped around her waist and Eri looked up at her, smiling.

"What did you do? Kill someone, steal, or maybe got into trouble with a gang?" She asked. Minako shook her head.

"No, it's just a rhetorical question." she assured. Eri chuckled and punched her in the shoulder playfully (although it still hurt).

"Dumbass, don't say something so upsetting then." she scolded.

"I'm sorry for making you worry." Minako apologized.

"Don't sweat it. Hey, how about after school I'll treat you to something to eat. I found this sushi place; the owner's really nice."

"Okay." Minako said obediently.

#

After school Eri dragged her to the resturaunt she told her about. There was a very tall dark skinned man passing out flyers, advertising in a welcoming tone that carried a heavy accent. Despite his hospitality people simply passed him by, not paying any attention to him.

"Ah, there's one of the owners! C'mon, let's go. Don't be scared of Simon; just because someone looks different doesn't mean they're scary." She coaxed. She didn't have to tell Minako, the girl who didn't even flinch to a dullahan, twice.

But before they could walk in some boys stopped them. It was the same group earlier that day. Eri griped.

"You shit again?"

"You two made a fool of us today. It's time for payback!"

"Fine by me! Let's go, Minako!" Eri said.

Minako charged with her sister, one step after she had already entered the battle. She knew she was fight reluctantly, because of what Shizuo had said to her. A few punches and blows were landed. Before the fight could actually get grizzly and bloody, a large figure suddenly appeared, and snatched all three boys by their shirts.

"Hey, fighting no good. You come, eat sushi instead!" Simon said.

"Let us go!" One of them shouted, squirming and kicking around. He shook them a little and then turned his direction to the two girls who had a few scratches and bruises that marred their skin.

"Ah Eri-san, you have new friend?" he asked nonchalantly. She smiled and nodded. "Very good! You boys, why you pick fight with little girls? Apologize to young ladies, look what you did to their faces. Girls are delicate, you should not be so rough or you'll get it." he scolded.

The boys looked scared. They complied with him.

"We're so sorry!" one apologized.

"We'll never bother you again!" another swore. The boys ran off with tails between their legs.

"Thanks Simon!" Eri acknowledged. The ginormous man looked down at her, shooting a stare like a scolding parent would give to a child.

"Eri-san, I thought I told you no more fighting. It no good for you."

She let out a sigh.

"Ah, Simon, you can be such a drag." She complained, and then pulled Minako to the front. "This is my new friend; Minako." she introduced. Minako looked up and then made a polite bow.

"It's nice to meet you." she said in a flat tone. He raised a brow at her.

"Minako? Where is your last name?" he inquired. She did not respond. Simon made a broad grin.

"Never mind that; come you must be hungry! Special discounts for you two, but only this time."

"Really Simon! Thanks!"

#

Eri and Minako sat at the sushi bar, little platters of sushi served to them by Simon's friend Dennis. Eri eagerly scarfed down her portion, but the other one simply poked at her food with her chopstick, dawdling. Suddenly she found an unagi forcibly stuffed in her mouth. She looked up behind the bar and saw that Simon had done it.

"Why do you not eat? You sick?" Simon asked.

"Not sick." she said, shaking her head.

"Then you eat, eating make you feel better. But don't overeat, or else you get chubby." he joked. Eri chuckled along.

"Won't be too hard for her; you're like stick Maso-chan. There are absolutely no curves to you at all."

Minako kept gawking at Simon, and then in a very faulting voice she inquired.

"Ty... russkiy?" (Are you Russian?)

Simon grinned benevolently.

"Da, ya russkiy. Otkuda ty znayesh' po-russki?" (Yes, I am Russian. How do you know Russian?) He replied. Minako tilted her head with puzzling eyes.

"Huh?"

Eri jabbed her side.

"Stupid, don't ask something in Russian if you can't even understand the reply!"

"Sorry, I only understood a few words." she said. Simon chuckled.

"I said I am, and I asked you how you know Russian."

"I was at the library and I found some books in the back. One of them was for learning Russian."

Eri gulped down some ice tea and beamed a smile.

"You're weird Maso-chan; no matter how normal you say you are, you sure are weird."

For a brief moment, Eri thought she saw that one in a million smile flash on Minako's expressionless mien. Again, she jolted as if she was about to have a mini seizure.

Minako finally began to eat. Simon was right; eating helped ease her mind just a little bit.