Hehehe..Kekeke.. ^_^ Hello there dear readers! I have good news and bad news! ;) Bad news first.. heehee… I won't be around for a couple of days, since me and my family are going on a vacation.. . Buut the good news is, I will be publishing two chapters today! Yehey! Celebrate! *Woot Woot!* Hope this will be able to fill in my absence.. ^_^
Enjoy! :3
Chapter 17
"Moshi, Moshi?" I answered the phone with uneasiness as I patiently waited for a reply from the other line.
"…."
Nothing was heard. No reply at all. This made me even more uncomfortable. The aura of the room seemed pretty intense and I have no idea whatsoever who this 'Midorima' person is. I just really hope he isn't someone like that scissors-wielding psychopath. Another one of him and I'm outta here, one of him is really a pain to handle, let alone two.
"Hello?" I spoke again, waiting for a reply. But the other line kept being silent…. Hmmm is this just a prank call or something? Or maybe he just kept quiet because he doesn't recognize the voice…
"Hello?" I spoke one last time but it seems like the person from the other line has no intention on answering anytime soon. I just heaved a big and heavy sigh before pressing the phone against my ear again to bid farewell to the creepy caller.
"It seems that I can't hear you at the moment… please try to call again later—"without finishing my statement, someone from the other line interrupted me.
"S-sushi-kun?! Hello, sushi-kun? Is that you? You sound like a girl!Hahahaha!"
I flinched at the sharp and squeaky voice that suddenly came bolting up from the phone. This is how Midorima-kun sounds like? He sounds like a girl! But this voice sounds familiar… and Sushi-kun?! What a weird nickname!
"A-anyway Sushi-kun!~" The caller continued while obviously stifling their laughter. "Have you heard? Kasu-nii is in the hospital! Have you paid her a visit already? ~ Or are you just too chicken to check on her…"
Kasu-nii? Is she referring to me? Wait… the only person that calls me Kasu-nii is… It's Hito-nii! So does that mean that Hito-nii and this Midorima guy are friends?
"Hito-nii?! Is that you?!" I practically shouted at the phone in disbelief, causing Himuro-kun to stare at me in wonder.
"Hito-nii? Who's that?" Himuro-kun questioned me.
"U-uh.. it's my sister…"
"Nii? Isn't 'nii' for brothers?" Himuro asked yet another question.
"Uhm… well… let's just say… we prefer calling each other that... hehe... wait for a moment…." I replied him as a cold sweat fell from my forehead… geez… why did Hito-nii call for that creepy giant? She's not even using her own phone…
"K-kasu-niiii?" Hito-nii from the other line shrieked in surprise and as an effect, it made my ears ring. "Why is Sushi-kun's phone with you?!Wait! Don't tell me… that you and him… are~"
"I-it's not like that!" I immediately retorted. Knowing Hito-nii, that brain of hers really does have wild imaginations and I wouldn't want any misunderstandings to erupt between both of us again. "A-AND LOOK WHO'S TALKING! Isn't that phone your using not yours too?!"
"Eh? Oh yeah… hehehe well you know, I left my phone at my dorm so I decided to borrow—"
"O-oi! Hitomi! Give me my phone back!" A deep, irritated voice suddenly interrupted Hito-nii's statement. I'm
guessing this person is Midorima…
"No way Shin-chan! Just let me borrow for a momeeent!" Hito-nii whined. Pfft… as expected from Hito-nii… stealing things from other people….
"Ne, Kasu-chin~! Don't think I'm stealing! Cause I'm honestly just borrowing this!" She blurted out of the blue. She heard me? Maybe I was thinking aloud?
"Hitomi, give it back!" That same deep voice spoke again as the voice came closer to the phone… oohh… Hito-nii is in deep trouble now… I can sense anger in his voice already…
"[1] Iya desu! Shin-chan~ you're so scary when you're mad hahaha!~" Hito-nii remarked sarcastically. "Here Takao-kun! Catch!"
Oh dear… it seems like Hito-nii is enjoying herself… I heaved a big sigh for the umpteenth time that day… Poor Midorima-kun, he gets to play monkey in the middle... with Hito-nii as his opponent, I kinda feel bad for the guy…. And wait, shin-chan? That sounds awfully familiar, so Midorima is Shin-chan?
"Hello? Hello~? This is Kazunari Takao speaking, I'm pleased to be of acquaintance~!" A weird guy with a cheerful tone spoke out of the at the other line
"U-uh….Hi there Kazunari-kun…" I greeted back awkwardly at the stranger… Hito-nii has got so many weird friends…. "Uh… where exactly are you?"
"Us? We are at the—"
"TAKAO!" a voice filled with anger and annoyance butted in between his statement.
"Hehe~ Well it was nice talkin' to yah, hope we can talk again sometime~!" He continued. "Here Hi-chan! Take it!~"
Hi-chan? Kazunari-kun calls her Hi-chan?
"A-Arigatou Takao-kun~!" Hito-nii answered as she 'catched' the phone. "Etto… Kasu-nii? Are you still there?~"
"Uh.. yes I am…"
"Hehehe~ Good! Now listen carefully~! I won't repeat it since I have so little time left and I'm practically running for my life right now- OHMYGLOB HOW CAN YOU RUN THAT FAST SHIN-CHAN! STAY AWAY!—uh, anyway Kasu-chin, you're injured right? What hospital are you at? I want to visit you!~"
"U-uh please Hito-nii, there is no need, I won't be here long anyway… Just save yourself the hassle and just stay there in Tokyo…" I declined her offer, I wouldn't want her to spread extraterrestrial otaku viruses all over the hospital once she steps a foot in it. She is such an eccentric girl…
"O-oh really? Well if you say so… All right then! Just get well soon okay? And be careful!~" She replied cheerfully like there isn't any problem in the world. How optimistic…
I just can't help but smile at Hito-nii's statement, she just sounded too happy… well good for her, she's enjoying her life there…
"Okay,okay… you be careful too! I hope that that Midorima friend of yours forgive you for what you did!"
"Me? Hahaha well, I guess it's too late for that—"
"HITOMI!"
"AHHH! HE'S CATCHING UP!—buh-bye Kasu-nii! Gotta go!—"
"Where do you think you're going?!" A very agitated voice echoed through the other line… s-so… terrifying… I could feel the ominous aura seeping through the phone… The voice sounded ever so near the phone… I bet she's caught.
"Eep! He caught me! It's the end for me Kasu-nii! Live on!-"
"Huh? Wait!—"
And then she hung up.
Oh Hito-nii…. What have you gotten yourself into this time? I looked down at the phone stifling a small giggle. They are so funny… It's like a comedic strip of some sort.
"What are you laughing at?" Himuro-kun asked me as he started to approach me.
"Nothing… It's just my sister's idiocy that's all…"
"Oh… I see…" Himuro-kun replied as he took a seat on a chair right next to my bed. "You know I haven't seen your sister… what does she look like?"
"My sister? Oh, you wouldn't want to meet her, she'll just infect you with her 'Otaku Virus' and her [2] Megane complex. She's all gung-ho when you talk about anime."
"Oh come on… I bet she isn't that bad…"
"No trust me… she is…" I sweatdropped as I reminiscent over times when she got me in trouble all because of her addiction to anime…
"Putting that aside…" I started to change the topic; I wouldn't want to end up telling Himuro-kun all of my embarrassing moments due to Hito-nii's behavior. "What was that 'thing' you need to do before you left the room?"
Himuro-kun froze for a while before facing me with an obviously fake smile. "Oh, that? It's nothing that you should get involved with…"
"Aw, come on Himuro-kun, I know it has something to do with me! I could sense it!" I complained at him.
"Like I said… It's none of your business… And besides, you haven't even told me the real story behind your wounds… Would you mind telling me about it first?" He suggested with his ever so fake grins and calm façade. It's really clear that he is hiding something… He is just trying to change the topic. But oh well… I better just comply since I was the first who evaded a certain topic anyway.
"Okay, okay fine… I'll tell you. So it all began when I visited him…"
I told him everything… Every single thing… Even the part where me and that creepy giant were arguing. Now that I have reflected and thought about our fight back at his house, I can't just help but realize that it was nothing more than just a petty squabble. I can't believe that I reacted like that… over something so trivial… I'm such an idiot; I even can't believe I cried! And here I am saying that I hate that creepy giant's stinking guts, and yet… why did I cry when he said I can't see him anymore? When he said he hates me? Why did my chest burn so badly? Why did I feel weight take over my shoulders? It's so complicated. I guess this is what Hito-nii meant when she talks about the complexities of the human heart. I really should have listened to her creepy lectures about life and how to 'conquer' it the otaku way… wait… what am I thinking? It's so funny… it seems that Hito-nii appeared just at the right moment for me to realize that… way to go Hito-nii… Maybe, I should seek advice to Hito-nii; perhaps she could help me understand my own emotions.
After explaining every single thing to Himuro-kun, he just fell silent. He looked down at the floor like it's the most interesting thing in the world. He seems to be in deep thought, almost like he is so concentrated in something… I wonder what it is. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke up, forcing out a weak smile.
"So… you're saying that Akashi wants you two separated?" He muttered softly, just enough for me to hear. I just nodded in confirmation.
"And Atsushi just gave up? Like that?" He asked yet another question and once more I nodded in confirmation.
"[2] Aitsu… He's got everything and gives it up JUST LIKE THAT… and look at what he did to you…" Himuro-kun murmured with anger underlying his tone. A small scowl present on his features. Noticing his sudden change of emotions, it was my turn to ask a question.
"I-is something wrong Himuro-kun?"
Himuro-kun then raised his head and turn to look at me in the eyes, the scowl that was on his face was nowhere to be seen and instead, he drew a knowing smile, but it was obvious that it was nothing more than just a fake.
"N-no nothing at all…" he replied with such a low manner that it would be strange enough for me to not notice the unusual tone underlying his voice. Something smells fishy here, I just know it, but maybe for now I'll let it slide.
~Le time Skippu~
(A/N: this time skip will go as far as 3 days after Kasumi was discharged from the hospital, which means that it is already Friday, the day where the Inter-high preliminaries starts. )
"Uwaaaah! Kasumi-chan! It's been three days since you were absent! I was really worried about you!~" Sonozaki-senpai, the literature club's president, cooed at me while embracing me tightly, as if she wasn't going to let me go.
I couldn't help but draw a soft smile and hug her back at the process, but careful enough not to upset my injured arm. Everyone in the club approached me just as soon as I entered the room. We all exchanged greetings of welcome, some "how are you?" and "Are you alright?" here and there, words of encouragement and support and most of all, we exchanged the sweetest and genuine smiles, true smiles from the heart. And with all those simple actions, it was just enough to make my day- I was already happy. Three days is such a long time especially when you are locked up in your room, not doing anything for the whole day, so seeing their faces again delighted me in so many ways than one.
"T-thank you very much for the warm welcome guys, it really means much to me." I stated as I formally bowed in front of them, giving them a shot of my sincerest gaze. The room went quite for a fleeting moment, but it wasn't an awkward silence, it was a silence filled with serenity and before I knew it, everyone in the club room came running unto me and pulled me close once again into a group hug.
"No problem Kasumi-chan! We are one big family here in this club and no one should get left behind or forgotten!" Sonozaki-senpai exclaimed happily in between laughs. "Now enough chatter, let us get going! We don't want to be late!"
"Get going? Where to? Aren't we going to proceed doing club activities?" I asked in confusion, tilting my head to the side.
"Oh no, no… all club activities are on hold for today, the Headmaster himself announced so yesterday…" Sonozaki-senpai replied. "We are going to the school's gym! To support our basketball team, as you all know, today is the start of preliminaries and our school got chosen as the venue. We might as well support them!" Sonozaki-senpai announced as she pumped her fist up in the air.
"Support them? You just want to see Himuro-kun now don't you?" a girl with bright caramel-colored hair sneered at the corner, narrowing her eyes, giving the president a suspicious glance.
"H-himuro-kun? N-No way! Haha, besides, he is way too young for me…" She stuttered as she scratched the back of her head. "A-anyway, Ikimashou![3]"
She immediately dashed out of the room, dragging me and some of the club members along with her. Looking at her face, she seems to be flustered quite a bit. So does that mean she likes Himuro-kun? Ah, now that I have thought of it, her mother was the nurse of the hospital I was staying at. I see, so this was what Mrs. Sonozaki meant. Sonozaki-senpai is in-love with the school's ace. Wow, I never could have guessed.
~End of Chapter 17~
[1] Iya-desu means "never" or "I don't want to" in English.
[2] Megane complex comes from the word "megane" which means "glasses" in English. To put it like that, it means addiction to glasses-wearing characters.
[3] Aitsu means " that person" in English. (Please note that it is an informal way of referring to a person. To be polite, use "Ano hito"
So… minna… planning to move on to the more interesting part? Well… let me tell ya this.. ^_^ The next chapter contains the scene where Murasakibara makes his reappearance.. . Yes… Your most-awaited part… ;) Now, move on…read the next part! go! Shoo shoo! .