AN: sigh. this chapter sucks

Chapter 12

Tomo was feeling a bit better about things when she and Oishi parted ways that evening. She hurried home, hoping that her brothers weren't already home and hungry. She still had to prepare dinner after all. As she rushed home she reached into her bag to fish for her phone but when she looked at the display the battery was dead.

"Oh great," she muttered, hurrying along the sidewalk.

She reached her street and was able to make out 3 figures standing near the gate of her house. She hesitated a moment, but hurried along when she spotted Echizen's cap and Sakuno's signature braid.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, quickening her steps.

The three turned to her and waved back. She was right. Standing there was Ryoma, Sakuno, and Yuuta all dressed in street clothing.

"Hey!" she said again when she reached them. "What are you three doing out here?"

"We came to see you," Sakuno answered. "And where have you been? We've been waiting forever! You're still wearing your uniform. Are you just getting home?"

"Aa," Tomo sighed. "I just took a detour on the way home."

"Some detour," Ryoma scoffed. "We called but your phone was off."

"Oh shut up. My battery died," Tomo growled, opening her front gate. "You all coming in?"

The three followed her up to the door and into the house, removing their shoes as they stepped through the genkan.

"You ran away so quickly at school. We just wanted to make sure you were ok," Sakuno was saying as they followed Tomo into the kitchen.

"I'm better now… mostly just mad," Tomo growled, opening the refrigerator. She turned her head to Ryoma and sent him a glare. "You know your friend hasn't returned any of my calls."

"Hey, I have nothing to do with it," Ryoma replied. "What are you about to do now?"

"I'm about to start cooking dinner for my brothers… who should be home by now," Tomo said, her head halfway in the friedgrator.

"Ok! I can help," Sakuno beamed.

"I'm thirsty," Ryoma commented.

Tomo handed him a drink.

"Yuuta, you want a drink too?" Tomo asked, glancing in his direction. To her surprise he was leaning against the counter text messaging. "What! Yuuta you got a phone!"

Yuuta looked up at Tomo.

"Oh? Yeah, Aniki got it for me as an early graduation present," Yuuta replied. "He pays the bill."

"Aw! Your brother really spoils you!" Tomo exclaimed. "I wish I had an older brother."

Yuuta looked at her like she was crazy, as if to say, "no you don't."

"Are you two staying for dinner?" Tomo asked.

"Sure," Ryoma said.

"Ok, me and Sakuno will make curry rice."

"You two can wait in the living room, but when my brothers come home they'll just bother you," Tomo said.

"We can't stay in here with you?" Yuuta asked, looking up from his phone. He was still texting.

"You'll only get in the way," Tomo replied, not unlike a mother would.

Yuuta shook his head, "No we won't. I'll make the rice."

He pocketed his phone and rolled up his sleeves to show he meant business. So they got to work making curry. Yuuta made the rice as stated, but that didn't take long since Tomo had a rice cooker. He and Ryoma watched as the girls did the rest.

"So, where did you go anyway?" Ryoma asked as Tomo was adding the Chicken into the pot.

"Oh, I just went to think and you know who I saw?" Tomo asked.

"No, but I bet you're going to tell us," Ryoma replied.

"I saw Oishi-sempai!" Tomo exclaimed. "We had a good talk and it made me feel a lot better."

"Oishi-sempai…" Sakuno replied. "I haven't seen any of them in a while. Only Tezuka-sempai since he visits Ryoma-kun so much."

"Not THAT much," Ryoma said with a blush.

"Hehe," Sakuno giggled. "Don't be shy. I think it's cute!"

"Where the hell are those two!?" Tomo asked as she shut the burner off on the stove. "It's so late."

She walked out of the kitchen and went to check out the living room window for any signs of her brothers, but they still weren't out there. She returned to the kitchen with a sigh.

"Oh well, let's eat without them since it's ready," she said.

"Tomo-chan," Yuuta cut in. "Can I use your bathroom?"

"Sure," Tomo said. "It's right upstairs to the left."

"Thank you," Yuuta said, setting his phone down on the counter and heading off to the bathroom.

Tomo proceeded to get four plates from the cabinet and set them down on the counter.

"I'm surprised he didn't take the phone with him," Sakuno sighed.

Tomo looked at her friend and handed her a plate.

"What do you mean?" Tomo asked.

"He hasn't stopped texting all day," Sakuno said.

"I've noticed," Tomo replied. "But you can't blame him. He's been the only one without a phone for like ever!"

"It's not that he's texting that's bothering her," Ryoma said, walking over to the counter and getting a plate.

"What do you mean?" Tomo asked.

"Ryoma-kun…" Sakuno said with a mixed emotion in her voice. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"You're the one who brought it up," Ryoma replied with a shrug of his shoulders. He opened the rice cooker and got himself a helping before closing it back.

Tomo wondered what they were talking about. She knew Sakuno would tell her about it later but she wanted to know now! Her excitement got the best of her as she demanded to know what it was.

"Sakuno! Tell me! It's not fair Ryoma-kun knows first! We're best friends!" she whined.

"Aa, well--" Sakuno started, stammering a little. "I'd rather not say right now."

"Why not!? I wanna know!" Tomo's voice became louder as the appeal of the secret grew.

"Know what?" Yuuta asked, coming back in.

"Nothing," Sakuno said. "Tomo-chan's just being ridiculous."

Yuuta walked over to where he left his phone and picked it back up.

"Oh… he didn't reply yet," Yuuta said aloud, but to himself.

"Who didn't reply?" Tomo asked, boldly looking over Yuuta's shoulder.

Ryoma and Sakuno both looked at Tomo a bit surprised.

"Aa, Mizuki-san," Yuuta replied, stepping away from Tomo.

Just then his phone began vibrating and Yuuta immediately read the incoming text message. Sakuno fixed a plate of the curry and handed it to her preoccupied boyfriend.

"Yuuta you can eat in the living room," Tomo said.

"Ok, thanks," Yuuta said. He went out into the living room.

As soon as Yuuta was out of hearing Sakuno turned to Tomo with a hurt look on her face.

"Tomo-chan! Ever since he got that phone it's been horrible!"

"Sakuno," Ryoma said. "He's only had it for 2 days."

"Yes, two days and for the past two days all he's been doing is text messaging Mizuki. He'll be on the dorm phone with me and texting Mizuki the entire time and is distracted and never listens!"

"Then hold out from him until he starts paying attention to you," Ryoma replied with a shrug, piling his plate full of curry. "It works with Kunimitsu all the time."

"Ok, Ryoma-kun, TMI," Tomo giggled. She then turned to Sakuno, "But Ryoma kind of does have a point. Give him an ultimatum."

Sakuno sighed and stared at her own food in front of her.

"That wouldn't work, Tomo-chan. I just feel like maybe he really does like Mizuki-san more than he likes me so… I was thinking to break up with him on the way home tonight," Sakuno said.

Tomo gasped, "What! Sakuno you can't mean it!"

"Shh, you're too loud. Do you want him to hear you?" Ryoma said.

Tomo frowned, "Sorry. But seriously, don't you really like Yuuta-kun?"

"I don't know… I mean I thought I did but Saturday I started questioning his feelings for me and then I began to question my feelings for him," Sakuno admitted.

"Well sounds like you know what you're going to do then," Ryoma said before he walked out of the room to join Yuuta in the front.

It was Tomo's turn to talk now.

"Sakuno-chan, you're being hasty--"

Sakuno shook her head.

"Tomo-chan, you said it yourself. To Yuuta-kun, Mizuki's a god. You know how he wanted to try going to Todai for university? Well he changed his mind and took the exam to Mizuki-san's school and didn't tell me or his parents until afterwards…"

"They're friends," Tomo said.

"Why are you defending him?" Sakuno asked. "This relationship isn't going to work."

With those words said Sakuno picked up her plate and went to eat with Ryoma and Yuuta in the front. Tomo stood there alone in her kitchen wondering why was she trying so hard anyway? The signs were pointing to the fact that Yuuta had a far greater interest in Mizuki than Sakuno.

"We're home!"

Tomo snapped out of her thoughts. So, her brothers finally decided to come home. She'd have to give them a lecture for sure.

-to be continued-

AN: hey. this chapter sucked but it was bound to happen. ugh i'm not even in a good mood to explain this pitiful atrocity you see before you. just know it sucks and i'm sorry. Momo should be in the next chapter... although sometimes my stories go off course.. like it did just now with this chapter. whatever. -stabs story- thanks for reading. please review