Kuri stared as the door opened. But strangely, nothing happened.
Catherine Lipton, her mother, stood in the doorway, looking tired.
The light was on and Senku was sitting on the floor staring at her in shock, but she seemed not to notice him at all.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Catherine asked her daughter. "What are you doing with all these lights on?"
"I-I….um…" Kuri looked at Senku, then back at her mother. "Sorry mom. Goodnight."
She turned out the lights and got in bed.
"Hey! What about me?" Senku asked, immediately after her mother had left. "Where do I sleep?"
"Shh!" Kuri exclaimed. "Senku, you'll wake her up again. Although she may not be able to hear you…she can hear me."
Kuri got out an old sleeping bag from her closet and laid them out on the floor.
Senku got into his and just stared at the ceiling for a while. Could it really be so simple…?
Xxx
"Chrome!" Reiko yelled, banging on his door. "You need to get up! I'm not leaving you here by yourself."
The door opened, and he stood there in his military uniform. "I'm a grown man, Reiko. What's with you today?"
Reiko pulled back her hair as she answered him. "What's with me is I have a physical assessment today! I need to be in good shape and I'm a little stressed out cuz I don't think I've gotten any better since my last assessment."
"Oh, calm down," Chrome rolled his eyes. "You're blowing it out of proportion."
"I don't have time for your crap! Get in the car and be quiet!" Reiko yelled, drinking down the rest of my Diet Coke.
The ride in the car was a loud one. Reiko had her music turned up to full volume. Chrome learned quickly that his only escape was to figure out how to roll down the window and stick his head out.
"Whoa! Watch out!" he yelled. "Why are your turns so wide? You drive just like Senku!"
Reiko turned to him, eyes narrowed. "You gonna say he's a bad driver too? And by the way, you're one comment short from walking during a heat advisory. Translation: SHUT UP!"
After that, he gladly stuck his head back out the window and let her wildly drive in peace, with her booming dance music in the background.
They arrived at the school in one piece, without Reiko ripping Chrome to shreds. She parked the car, and they went inside.
"Sit out in the hallway," Reiko ordered.
"What?" Chrome said. "No way. I should come in. What if you drop a weight on your foot or s—"
There was the distinct sound of skin hitting skin as Reiko slapped him across the face.
"Look, Chrome," Reiko said. "I don't know if you've noticed, but you are not in your world anymore. You are not a sorcerer. No one but me can see or hear you. Unless you want me to throw you right back like a little fishie, behave."
He looked like he was in shock, so she felt a little bad. But he was being a pain.
Reiko turned and went back inside the room, taking the assessment. She was impressed with how much she had actually improved.
The hour passed quickly, and she returned to find Chrome waiting for her.
There was an awkward silence.
"Hey Chrome?" I said finally.
"Yes, Reiko?" he asked, stopping at the bottom of the stairs.
"I….uhm…I'm sorry, okay?" Reiko said, looking down at her tennis shoes.
"Reiko," he said sternly. "Look at me, Reiko."
She did as she was told. He looked a little mad.
"You remind me of someone else I know," he said. "She is about your age, and she likes to ignore what I say too. The difference is, she knows what lines not to cross. How to stay safe. Just because I'm not in my world, doesn't change the fact that I'm older than you, stronger than you, and smarter than you. I'm not trying to belittle you; it's just the truth. I only want to protect you."
"Why?" Reiko asked. By now we had reached the car, and I proceeded to unlock it. "I'm just the girl whose room you landed into. You aren't obligated to me."
Because, Chrome thought. You're my Ruri. I just know you're Ruri. Nothing has changed, except…you don't remember me. That's the odd part. But how do I answer you now?
He laughed a little. "I told you. You remind me of someone. Maybe I feel like I'm doing her a favor."
"Sure, whatever," Reiko said, and started the car.
Xxx
Meanwhile, Kuri sang along to the radio.
"Make it stop!" Senku yelled, hands over his ears. "It's not bad just so loooooooud!"
"I get it, already," Kuri said, turning down the radio. "Sorry. I just really like that song. It reminds me of a dream I had last night. Was kinda weird…"
She pulled into the gas station. "Now you can get one thing as a snack, but remember, I'm making us some lunch when we get home, okay."
Kuri was still getting used to having anime characters that no one else could see or hear hang out with her. But it was like talking on her headphones; as long as she kept her voice low, no problem.
Kuri knew she couldn't tell anyone. Not even Reiko. Her sister would try to be supportive…but would she even believe her?
Kuri shook her head. No. This is my problem, not hers. She would worry, a lot. She might even make herself sick again. I…don't want that.
"Kuri?" Senku waved a hand in front of her face. "Hello?"
Kuri snapped out of it. "We need to get going, science guy."
Senku deadpanned. "Was that a nickname."
Absolute zero smile. "Get in the car, Senku."
Xxx
Reiko stared at the TV. "Gah. Nothing on."
Chrome was reading her poetry book. "When did you write this one?"
"Which one?" She asked.
"'I Remember Everyone That Leaves,'" he replied. "It's really sad."
Reiko shrugged, scrunching her face up a little. "I woke up in the middle of the night…and I had tearstains on my cheeks. I felt like I missed someone terribly. But ya know, just a dream."
She went into the kitchen. "Hm…I wonder what Kuri's up to."
"Who's Kuri?" Chrome asked, following me.
"My sister," Reiko replied, laughing. "She's grounded again. I guess I should be mad…but I can see her tomorrow. We go to church together."
Suddenly Reiko heard yelling.
"Meh," she said. "I'll go shut up the neighbors."
Reiko went outside, walking down the hot sidewalk in bare feet.
"Can you guys settle down p—" She dropped the plastic cup I was holding.
Senku turned, stopping in his tracks. He had been taking the trash out, unnoticed, because it had reached the peak of stink, but no one else had seen him. Except her.
"R-Ruri...?" he choked out.
Images flashed in his brain all at once. A girl, choking, coughing…a panacea…a failed experiment…death…
He grabbed the mailbox for support, but collapsed on the grass anyway.
Chrome saw all that happened and looked at Reiko's back as she ran back inside. He ran over. "What happened to Senku? Did he run too much or something?"
He checked his friend's pulse, then breathed a sigh of relief. Senku was still alive.
"Who are you?" he asked the girl who had come out of the other side of the duplex they were currently living in. "You look sort of familiar."
Kuri flinched. "Senku? Are you okay?"
She forgot to keep a low profile. She shook him, and a look of pain passed over his face. It was the same look she had seen when he first saw her face.
However, he was still out cold.
"Chrome," Kuri said, easily recognizing him. "There's no time for me to explain anything, just…we gotta get him out of the heat or he could get heatstroke on top of everything. Where are you staying?"
Chrome pointed to Reiko's duplex. "With Reiko. I thought she was the only one who could see us."
Kuri smirked. "Me and Sis can do the impossible. I'll get her, be careful."
I ran in the house. Reiko was watching TV.
Kuri grabbed her arm. "IT'S TIME TO GET YOUR BUTT UP AND HELP ME!"
She yanked her outside.
"Dammit Sis," Reiko said, but there was no edge in her voice. She sounded genuinely worried. "I got him."
She helped pick up Senku and brought him in to Kuri's side of the duplex.
Kuri put a cool cloth on Senku's head, and turned the fan on. "Good thing no one's home yet."
"Thanks for telling me about all this, by the way," Reiko said in a sharp, sarcastic voice.
"You know why I couldn't," Kuri replied, in her 'that's so obvious' voice.
"You could have nine-one-one'd me!" Reiko yelled. "Don't ya think I wanna know? Or did you think I wouldn't believe you?"
Reiko had hit the nail on the head. She could tell from Kuri's stricken expression.
Damn, she thought. There you go again, Reiko. You and your damn mouth. She only did it cuz she was scared I'd get sick again.
"If you two girls are done," Chrome said. "I think he's coming to…"
"I should leave," Reiko said. "I made him black out in the first place. He might black out again…"
Chrome grabbed her arm. "You're staying. If you did make him pass out, you deserve to know why."
Reiko swallowed hard and nodded.
"Damn…" Senku muttered. "Hey Kuri, I think the heat's getting to me cuz I just saw…"
She was still there. Well…granted, he couldn't possibly be sure it was her. She was older…and all that…but maybe she saw it too…
"Hey, did you see the—" he stopped. He could tell from her face that she didn't remember or she was keeping it a secret. She looked scared.
And so did everyone else.
"How long was I out?" he asked.
"About ten minutes," the girl said. "I'll take you to a hospital if you want."
He shook his head. "I hate hospitals."
The girl stood. She had previously been sitting next to him on the bed, looking at him to make sure he was okay, but now she got up. "I better go, or your mom will come home, Kuri. Come on, Chrome."
But before leaving the room Kuri stopped her, and whispered something to her. Her face hardened, then relaxed.
"Hey, Senku?" she said.
"What?" he responded, confused by this point.
"I'm sorry for…whatever," she said.
And then they were gone again.