"Did you see?"
"Yeah… Do you think they're doing it?"
"Probably."
"No, but seriously, there's something going on… She just 'happened' to show up when he moved back home? Yeah right…"
"He's a lucky bastard, that's for sure. That girl's body is…"
Tap, tap, tap, tap! My index finger nail clicks against the kitchen counter in a stressful, repetitive motion. The rumors and gossip about Morino Ryoshi and Koi Amaterasu were circulating a heartbeat after the staff was dismissed from the meeting this afternoon outside the house. There's no place in the kitchen to escape the whispers and giggles. I grind my teeth and scowl into space, Jared's chocolate eyes watching me silently. A touch of pity lies in them that makes me want to punch something. Where's a gym bag when you need one…
Carol-san decided to skip dinner ("I'm putting on weight. Too much ramen."), so it's just me and Jared. Woo-hoo. I narrow my eyes in his direction. He redirects his look to his bowl of soup.
"Knock it off," I snarl. "I know what you're thinking."
"Jeez, sorry. I just feel bad for you." My temper flares.
"There is no reason for you to pity me, idiot! There's nothing going on between them." I huff, and cross my arms over my chest. My chest that is about four bra sizes smaller than Amaterasu's.
"Are you sure?" Jared asks carefully. "I heard… Well, I heard they're engaged."
"What?!" I howl furiously.
Every single pair of eyes in the kitchen lands on me.
I smile, teeth clenched, and jerk back around.
"That's not true," I growl at Jared, stabbing my noodles. Ryoshi wouldn't be with me—or, he wouldn't be trying to be with me—if there was some other girl he was promised to, or whatever. Which doesn't even make sense. Who the hell does arranged marriages these days? Nobody, right?
"If you say so." He shrugs, flipping his black hair nonchalantly.
I grunt and keep eating.
Amaterasu. A normal, pretty girl, like any other one. Not a threat. I mean, so he's got a childhood friend. Big deal! What's my problem anyways?
She's not a problem. He's my screw up. Not hers.
Hell. She's probably… perfectly… fine. First impressions are always wrong, right? Even if she is a little, squeaky twerp with huge boobs and hair that looks like she took a bath in Pepto Bismal!
"Uhhh… Sweetheart?"
"What?!"
"You started… growling."
I roll my eyes, and silently shove another bite into my mouth.
This doesn't change my—our—plans. We're still leaving the day after tomorrow. Amaterasu can jump in a lake.
"So do you think they'll rekindle that crush thing they had going on?" the voice of a pretty blonde maid echo from the corner of the room. My ears perk up.
Ugh, so I'm paranoid now? Great. They probably aren't even talking about—
"Morino-san and Koi-san? Who knows. They were so cute when they were little! I remember watching 'em run around—" John's voice replies.
The ramen rises in my stomach sickeningly. I push myself off from the bar.
"I'm going to bed," I mutter over my shoulder at Jared.
"Are you okay? You look a little—"
"I'm fine!" I snap. "Whatever."
"Okay…" Jared says slowly. "See you tomorrow then…"