Hello! Chapter 2 is here and I think it's a bit rushed? I didn't know that it will reach 4k hahaha. It might be late but here it is.
Same day; Evening
Staring deep at the night sky, she could almost see billions of stars above her. Her eyes are sparkling from the light, watching them glistening. She closed her eyes for a moment to relax and listen to the sound of the grass which the air caused it to move. When the gentle breeze stopped her eyes started to open slowly, amethyst eyes are now gazing once again at the beautiful stars above her. About when she was satisfied, she turned around ready to go back home.
But she halted when she heard a crack sound. As she turned around, she saw nothing but only the trees that were ahead of her, she just shrugged it off thinking that it was only her imagination. But no, someone's presence is really nearby and she can actually feel it. She turned around again to make sure it wasn't her imaginations playing with her. She observed the trees far from her and someone's shadow is poking behind the tree, looks like it's staring at her.
Before she could speak, the shadow move from its place heading towards her. To Maki's instincts she ran before the creepy shadow could catch her. To her surprise, the shadow - that was actually a person - was also following her behind, she ran as fast as she could. But to her lack of running, she stopped for a moment to catch her breath, though the person was nearing her so she ran again. But the person made a noise that ordered her to stop again from her tracks. She looked back and the one she called 'creepy shadow' was lying on the ground caressing its knee, seems like the person tripped over.
Maki walked closely to see who was the person, her eyes widened.
"Rin?!"
The said girl whipped her head to see the shocking red head. "Ah, evening Maki-chan~" she smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of her neck.
Maki doesn't seemed to be amused, "What are you doing here? How did you get in? And more importantly you're still sore!" she helped the poor girl to stand up.
"I just wanted to see where your house is, and this is where I landed! I didn't know you were this rich Maki-chan!" Rin exclaimed eyes sparkling to Maki.
"W-We're not that r-rich! It's just my parents are working hard from the hospital" Maki twirled her hair, "And what do you mean landed? Did you fall from the sky?" Maki smirked wryly.
Rin thought for a moment, "Yeah, I did fell. I'm a Hoshizora after all!" she said.
To which Maki deadpanned.
"Just kidding Maki-chan but really, I fell from that tree" Rin pointed to a tree, where she fell earlier.
Maki was about to reply back, but someone interrupted.
"Maki~ dinner's ready you should go inside now or your-"
Rin stared at the black haired girl who stopped at her mid sentence, and the girl stared back at her. Maki face-palmed.
"Rin?!" Nico said shocked.
"Nico-chan!" Rin said smiling.
Nico walked near her, "What are you doing here?! Aren't you supposed to be in your house resting?! Look! Your wound is still fresh!"
"Actually, it was just a scrape earlier when she fell down from that tree" Maki pointed at the tree.
Nico glanced at the tree where Maki has been pointing, "Seriously?" she smirked.
"No"
"Anyways, you should go back home now, it's late night!" Nico shouted at the orange haired girl, pushing her back to where she came from earlier.
"Oh come on, Nico-chan! Atleast let me stay for a while?" Rin pleaded, giving Nico puppy eyes.
"Nico's right, Rin. Your sister might be worried if you stayed out late" Maki said still twirling her hair.
Rin bowed her head.
"Or maybe you can stay 'till you have finished eating?" someone's voice interrupted.
"Mama?"
"Nishikino-san!" Nico bowed.
Rin doesn't know what to do that Nico elbowed her to her side signaling that she should bow too.
Rin bowed, "G-Good evening mam!"
"Good evening also" Mrs. Nishikino said smiling, "please raise your heads, I see that Maki brought a friend?" she asked still smiling.
"I-I didn't bri-" Rin cut Maki's words.
"I'm Rin Hoshizora, nice to meet you mam!" Rin introduced, her excitement overwhelming her.
"Oh my, please drop the 'mam' thing dear," Maki's mother chuckled, "you surely an energetic girl, come in and join us at dinner, once done I'll get you to drive home safely, is that okay?"
"W-Wha? I thou-" Maki couldn't finish her words again.
"Sure do ma- I mean, Nishikino-san" Rin corrected and saluted.
Mrs. Nishikino giggled, "Very well then, let's go inside now" Maki's mother walked away from them and headed inside.
Once Mrs. Nishikino was out of their sight, Nico wacked Rin's head.
"Ow-!"
"What the heck are you thinking?!" Nico yelled.
"What? That really hurts Nico-chan!" Rin rubbed her head.
Maki sighed, "Well, atleast you've been given a chance"
Ayase residence;
Walking back and forth, Mrs. Ayase was panicking because Rin's not home yet. Even Mr. Ayase and Eli were worried, thinking that she might be kidnapped or something else.
"It's seven in the evening and she is still not home!" Mrs. Ayase panicked.
Mr. Ayase stood up to calm her wife, "There, you're just making it worse, calm down" he rubbed his wife's back to comfort her.
"How can I calm down?! It's late, and she's not yet home!" her wife argued back.
"Mom, please... I know Rin will be home soon" Eli tried to calm her mother, "I think she just went to a friend's house or maybe she just wante-" Eli was cut off by her mother's words.
"Her friends! That's right, I better call Sora's mother or Ryuu's perhaps" Mrs. Ayase headed to their phone and dial the numbers.
Eli and her father sighed.
"Do you think you know where she gone's off to?" Mr. Ayase asked, palming his hand on his cheek.
Eli thought for a moment, "I don't quite remember but, she was into her new friends earlier..."
"Her new friends? Tell me about it" her father said.
"Geez, those words doesn't really suits you dad, even if you're saying that you are still young" Eli smirked sarcastically.
"Wha-? I am aren't I? That's why I'm keeping my shape up to keep my composure of..." Mr. Ayase pause for a moment to find the term he was looking, "youngness..." he posed in a sexy way.
Eli facepalmed, "You look gay..." she said grinning.
"I am not! Haha, then explain to me why you are here right now, hm?" Mr. Ayase asked raising his one eyebrow.
"No, not that 'gay', I meant 'happy'..." Eli replied waving her right hand.
Her father blinked twice, "You're pretty smart, Elichika, where did you learned that?" he nodded his head.
"Where do you think I'm learning?" Eli shook her head, "besides, you're face doesn't really look like an old man... And also your childish behavior dad" she got up and headed to her room smirking sarcastically.
She left her father's mouth hanging, "Ah! You got me! She got me!" then he laughs hard.
Back to Nishikino residence;
"So, why is your body have bandages over it, dear?" Maki's mother decided to ask.
Rin stopped her hand, proceeding to eat,
"Uhh.." she looked at Maki. Though the latter avoided her eyes.
"I was..." Rin thought of what she'll say, "hit by uhh... bike?"
"A bike?" Mrs. Nishikino said confused, she looked at her daughter, to which Maki averted eyes. "Maki, honey, I remember that you want to learn bike right?"
Maki nodded nervously, while Rin looked at her slight worried.
Mrs. Nishikino stared at her curiously, Nico on the background holds a giggle and Rin also soon joins in with , Maki has a hard time facing with her mother. Silence filled the dining room.
'Did she found out?' she thought. 'Oh my god if mama knew I'm sure that I'm grounded!' her mind's screaming.
"Rin-chan..." Mrs. Nishikino broke the silence they were building. All the girls flinched.
Hearing her name called, she stood straight and responsed,
"Y-Yes?"
"You mentioned earlier that you like sports right?" Mrs. Nishikino said smiling.
"Yes?"
Maki's mother chuckled, "Then, can you teach our little princess how to bike?"
"Ugh, not again..." Maki muttered.
"Did you said something dear?" her mother asked.
"N-No, nothing!" Maki waved her hands, 'but good thing that she doesn't know' she sighed.
"Well?" Mrs. Nishikino looked back at Rin, waiting for an answer.
Rin thought, "Hmm, if Maki-chan's okay with it, then I'll gladly accept to teach her, Nishikino-san" she said smiling.
"Perfect, I won't be needing to hire any tutor for now" Mrs. Nishikino clapped her both hands.
Maki raised her right hand, "I didn't say I'm agreeing with it though"
"Nonsense, you agreed with it long time ago" her mother replied.
"Since when? I don't get it"
"The time when your teeth looks like a bunny" Nico who's been quiet decided to talk.
"What?"
"Oh! You're right Nico, that was the time when she begged she wants a bike!" Mrs. Nishikino agreed.
"I don't even remember that!" but Maki was ignored.
"Ehhh? Does that mean, Maki-chan's still a baby that time?" Rin sparkled her eyes.
"I'm not a baby!" still ignored.
"Not exactly, but I think that's the right term for it" Nico said,
"'cause, the time when we got to be friends with Honoka, she changed her attitude, more like... she became a tsun tsun" Nico smirked.
"Argh, why do I even bother?" Maki facepalmed and stood up walking away.
Finally, she was not ignored by her actions, "Where are you going, dear?" Mrs. Nishikino asked.
"I'm going out, just to relax... My mind's killing me!" then she ran off.
Hearing the door closed, it was quiet again.
"..."
"Well...?"
Rin chowed down her meal and thanked, "I'm going to follow her" she ran outside to catch up.
Mrs. Nishikino observed her from afar, there's something's bothering in her mind but she quickly brushed it away, thinking that it is too impossible.
Nico stood up from her seat as well and started to clean out the dishes.
"Nico..."
Nico turned to face Maki's mother.
"Yes, Nishikino-san?"
"Try to sneak up to them outside, but don't make some noise it'll throw suspicious to them, okay?" Mrs. Nishikino said.
"Okay? But why?" Nico asked confused.
Mrs. Nishikino stood from her seat and started to walk away but stopped,
"Just make sure that you report to me if anything weird happen" she continue to walk away.
That left Nico confused, but proceeded to wash the dishes.
Outside of Nishikino residence; Near the Garden
Rin gently paced down to find Maki, but something caught her eye and stopped from where she was running.
In the dark corner, she saw a box that was moving itself. Rin thought that was just her imagining things, but she was surprised when the box made a sound.
She walked near the box and looked carefully at the hole on top of it. When she finally saw what's inside, her face softened and gently smiled. Her hand reached the head of it and petted it slowly, she earned a purr for petting.
"I guess that you are homeless either huh?"
The cat responded her with a 'nya~'.
"Nya? Hmm..." she once again pet the cat still smiling. While she was doing that, she put herself into a weird conversation with the cat, saying 'nya nya' and 'nya nya nya' over and over, but she get the feeling that they could understand each other that's why she warmly smiled.
"I see that you like cats, huh"
Rin flinched, "A-Ah, well..." she turned around from the person she was looking for moments ago,
"To tell a little bit backstory of mine... I was... Uhh, they are my first friends...?" Rin continued half sure of what she's saying.
Maki just stared at her.
Rin stared back.
"..."
"..."
"Nyaa~" the cat purred catching their attention.
Rin whip her head first to the cat, and soon followed by Maki.
"You think you understand what it says?" Maki asked, confused why the cat is meowing at her and Rin.
"Stop calling him 'it', he's not a thing, nya!" Rin retorted.
Maki was dumbfounded and Rin widened her eyes, something weird came out from her mouth.
"N-Nya?" Maki snorted.
Rin feeling embarrassed, she cupped her hand to her face so that she can't be seen blushing from her embarrassment.
On the other hand, Maki can't hold her laugh anymore and so she burst out laughing.
"I-I didn't know that you have a side like this!" Maki continued to laugh.
Aaahhh! I want to die! Why now all of a sudden?! My old habit is returning, I better stop this from embarrassing myself! Rin thought to herself, her hands still on her face.
Maki felt that Rin was being quiet and unable to respond back.
She faked a cough,
"I- uhh... s-sorry..." she averted her eyes and started to twirl her hair.
With Rin, being heard what Maki said, she smiled and took off her hands on her face.
Well maybe Rin can show her a little story back then, and bring back Rin's old self? Maybe not that much Rin thought.
She chuckled, "It's okay Maki-chan! Let me tell you a little story, nya!" Rin smiled.
"Story? You mean, how you learned to speak like a cat?" Maki tried to be serious and tried not to laugh again, not used of hearing 'nya' in every end of Rin's sentence.
"Yeah nya!" Rin said.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously nya!" Rin nodded.
Ayase residence;
"You gotta go find her dad" Eli said, feeling tired about the commotion.
"What? You're involved in this too you know, you're the one who find her while I stop your mom for killing herself!" Her father yelled, hugging tightly her wife - who's been shouting - so she can't break out.
Eli stared at them for a moment and sighed,
"Okay, I'll go find her" she stepped out of their door way and started to search to her younger sister. She even heard her mom retorted to why her father had sent her out to find Rin.
She sighed again, 'Rin, you're really something that made mom worried that much' she chuckled to herself.
"You also made us a crazy family" she whispered herself smiling.
"Hey!"
Eli startled at the sudden voice. She looked around finding where the source of the voice was.
There she saw a purple haired girl squinting her brows, it looks like that she's mad on something.
"Why aren't you picking those?" the girl pointed down, things scattered on the ground.
Eli stunned, "E-Excuse me?"
"You heard me right? What kind of a gentleman are you?" the girl said starting to get really mad.
Eli couldn't say what she wants to say,
"W-What? Why would I do that?" she said stuttering. 'And I'm a girl also! The heck, are you blind?!' she internally screamed.
"Hmph! And I thought you'd notice" the girl started to pick up the things that are scattered on the ground.
Eli hesitated to help the girl, but she helped her anyways.
She sat down at the other girl's level of sitting,
"S-Sorry... If I've made you mad on something, I-I'm sorry" Eli stuttered, unsure of what she's saying.
The girl turned to face her and smiled, "You're a gentleman after all, don't worry I'll just forgive you for bumping into me without you noticing"
"U-Uhh, please refrain from saying things like that to me, I'm a girl, just helping you to pick these up",
'Bumping into her? I didn't even felt her skin touching to me!' she said in her mind
"... Then if I said that you are a 'gentlewoman', would that be okay?" the girl smirked.
"What? I'm not that old, I'm still young!" Eli yelled.
After putting away the things that they had been picking earlier, the other girl chuckled, finding the girl's retort cute, "I'm Nozomi Tojou" she extended her hand preparing for a shake hand.
Eli stared at it first, "E-Eli... Ayase" she then also extended her hand and shook hands with her.
The girl who's name was Nozomi smiled, "Judging by your looks, are you a foreigner? Or perhaps a half?"
"Just a quarter" Eli quickly replied, 'cause she needs to find Rin before her mother goes insane. "U-Um, this might be late to ask but-"
Nozomi gasped, "Are you inviting for a date now? Clever one" she smirked teasing her.
"What? No! No, I was going to ask if you saw a girl, with orange hair and had a lots of bandages over to herself, pass by?" Eli asked her.
Nozomi remained silent, thinking if she saw a girl with an orange hair, "Are you perhaps, friends with her?"
"She's my sister" Eli doesn't want this conversation to get long.
"Oh..." Nozomi paused, "I think she went to that Nishikino house" she pointed to a large building.
Eli widened her eyes before thanking her and started to run off.
Nozomi stayed silent observing her from afar,
'Till we meet again... Elichi'
Outside the Nishikino residence; near the garden
"I'm sorry..."
Rin snorted, "Heh, don't worry Maki-chan! I already have real friends now nya! Like you nya!" she happily said.
Maki looked at her in awe, if she were placed into her situation, maybe until now she's still crying over.
Though she chuckled to herself, "So you're keeping that old habit of yours?"
"Yeah nya, I think it's hard to keep it into myself these past years, this is also my first time to held a cat again in years..." Rin warmly smiled, petting the cat on her lap.
Maki was unable to reply back so the silence took over.
Rin keeps petting the cat's head, until they heard a doorbell sound, that startled them.
They went near the gate, "Who might be here in this kind of hour?" Maki said.
"I think it's my parents" Rin said.
"That could be" Maki replied.
Maki waited the moment when her mother spoke into their communication, asking who is it.
"I-I'm Eli Ayase, I'm picking up to a name of Rin Hoshizora?"
Maki and Rin looked at each other,
"Maybe not" they said in unision.
"Are you an aquitance?" Maki's mother replied.
"I'm her relative" Eli's voice is shaking, even though she's just here to pick up her younger sister.
Their communication cut off when the gates opened, Eli gulped to herself started to walk in.
Surprised, she was tackled into a hug that they fell down at the ground.
"Eli-nee-chan nya!" Rin loudly said.
"R-Rin!?" Eli tried to break out and was also glad that her sister is okay.
Maki glanced at them and smiled, seeing how closed they are, even though they are not blood-related.
"Rin, you need to go home now! Mom wants to talk to you, she was also trying to kill herself from frustration! Well, atleast I think that's the term for it" Eli scolded her, though she muttered her last sentence.
Rin who is being Rin fell from Eli's trap, "What?! Then let's go nya!" she pulled the older girl's arm to stand up and ready to run off.
Maki sighed., "She really does need to have a reminder..." she barely said between her breaths. Eli noticed her,
"Nishikino Maki right?" Eli asked, the said girl faced her and nodded. "Thank you for taking care of Rin, she still needs to be taught about other things" Eli smiled at her.
"Eli-nee-chan hurry nya! We need to stop mom or- oh and thanks Maki-chan, for letting me stay in your house for a while nya!" Rin bowed her head and was really goingvto run off.
"N-Nya?" Eli said confused. "I thought I was just imagining things when I heard that pun from your mouth earlier"
"I know right?" Maki said out of nowhere, she then blushed at her own statement.
"Now's not the time nya! We need to save mom now nya!" this time, Rin ran off towing Eli behind holding her hand.
"Bye Maki-chan!" Rin shouted far enough, Maki can see Rin's older sister waving at her.
When they were finally out of Maki's sight she sighed. Walking back inside their house was really tiring, because it'll be boring again.
"Nyaaa~"
Maki stopped her movement and looked around to find the cat. It was still inside the box popping out the head at the box hole.
Maki smiled when she remembered how Rin told her stories about the cats that was her first friends. She walked near to the feline and sat.
"Nyaaa~"
The cat purred again, but this time, Maki was petting his head.
"How did she even know that you're a boy?" she asked to the cat, who just responded with a meow. She giggled.
But something caught her eye inside the box. It was a paper, she took it out and unfold it.
To Maki-chan,
Hi Maki-chan! This is Rin's letter for you! I always make letters out for my new friends just like you! Why? Because, from the very start of our meeting I get very excited and wanting to continue on to have an amazing adventure with you even with Nico-chan and Honoka-chan, tell them also that I also wrote something for them but I will give it tomorrow. So with that said please continue to be my friend and all!
P.S. I know that you'll be leaving in a few days but I manage to have some time to talk with you!
-Rin Hoshizora :3
Maki stared at the paper for minutes. She felt her eyes got a little teared up.
"Why are you crying like a baby?" Maki was surprised to see Nico beside her.
"I-I'm not crying! A w-wind blew and I think my eye got the dust!" Maki tried to defend.
"Oh really? I never knew that you're easily moved by a peace of letter" Nico teased making the other girl flustered.
"Like I said, I-I'm not! And where the heck did you came from?!" Maki asked almost yelling.
"I was here and there all the time" Nico smiled.
Maki remained silent for a moment, "You mean... You were spying on us?!"
"Is that right?" Nico laughed. "I just needed some fresh air and spotted you two, and I was kind of curious how you two can hold a long conversation with each other earlier, so I sneakly followed what you two are up to" she smirked.
Maki tried to find the words she wants to say but a few only escaped.
"I-It's nothing j-just a normal conversation" Maki then twirled few strands of her hair feeling embarrassed.
Nico just smiled, "I wish you're not leaving, Maki..."
Maki turned to face her, "W-What do you mean? You're coming also right?" she looked worried.
"Your mother told me that I needed to stay here, just to keep the house open. She will let my family stay here until you come back"
"W-What?"
Nico chuckled, "You know, Rin will understand your situation, that's why I think she came here to just have a chat with you to get closer... And atleast remember her a little"
Maki remained silent, she can't find the words to respond to her and she thinks that her face is slightly turning red.
Walking back home;
It's more like running back home.
"We need to hurry nya!" Rin said while running. Slightly behind her is Eli, pacing with her speed.
Eli felt excitement inside her body, so besides slowing down she increased her speed to outwit her sister.
Rin noticed that Eli was running faster, her eyes lit on fire prepare to challenge her sister once again.
Loud footsteps can be heard along the street. They were running full speed like they don't want to lose to each other. Eli was leading their race, Rin was just an inch behind, she can't outwit her sister's speed because of her long legs.
Until Eli glanced back at her, "Hah! Losers will clean up the di-"
Rin widened her eyes and started laughing, but she kept running because she doesn't want to clean up their dishes back home. Eli? Well she just bumped her head into a pole and fell down, so that's Rin's cue to outwit her.
"See you back home Eli-nee-chan!" Rin yelled still laughing.
"Ha, ha, very funny" Eli hissed in pain. "I should've not glanced back at her, shit it hurts..." she mumbled the last words.
Eli heard someone giggled, a familiar one.
"You know, you shouldn't talk bad words or it will bring you disaster... I think" Nozomi giggled once again and gestured on Eli's situation.
"N-Nozomi?" Eli said, as she turned around to see the girl she just met earlier.
"Oh? So you're calling me by my first name now huh?" Nozomi teased.
Eli flustered, "I-I mean Toujou-san, what are you doing here? It's late in the evening"
Nozomi hummed, "It's okay Elichi, you can use it and same goes for you"
"E-Elichi?"
"What? You don't like it? We're friends after all, right?"
"N-No" Eli laugh nervously, "It's just... I was just a little surprise having called a new nickname beside my grandma" she scratched the back of her neck.
"Then I'm the second" Nozomi smiled, Eli blushed slightly. "I better go now it's my turn to help out, see ya Elichi!" Nozomi waved at her and jogged her way to her location.
Eli waved also her eyes following the girl, then she realized something.
"Shit! I need to-" Eli's words left unfinished 'cause something flew on her head.
"I told you shouldn't say things that are violent!" Nozomi yelled from a far laughing.
Eli groaned, she started to walk off and headed home.
I need an ice for now
I just inserted a NozoEli part... ;-; Welp, all pairings will be having side stories anyways. I dunno but maybe.
I'm also a bit confused of this result (^^ ;)