Keiko started polishing her
glasses with the hem of her shirt. she met
Otarus gaze steadily.
Otaru, can I tell you something?
sure Kie, I am your friend you know. Otaru replied,
looking at her
curiously.
Kei, wheres my tennis shirt? I have practice in five
minutes! Kei!
Kieko quickly shoved her glasses back on her face as Anji dashed
into the
room and looked frantically around, when Keiko didnt answer
he looked over
and saw Otaru. Anji automatically shut up. More out of being startled
than
being polite. When Keiko still didnt respond though, he
started up again.
Kei...Kei!. Cmon, have you seen my shirt, Im
gonna be late!
Anji I havent seen your stupid shirt! Keiko
was getting frustrated at
her brothers whining. If Id seen it, which I havent,
I would have told
you the first time you asked!
Kei youve got to have seen it, its in the drawer
we share
Anji! shut up! Ive told you about five times now that
I havent seen
your shirt! Anji was currently on his hands and knees looking
under every
piece of furniture in the room.
Got it! he cried triumphantly, pulling it out from
under his bed.
After quickly changing, he dashed out the door.
Gah, Anji seriously needs to start working on his people
skills Keiko
muttered.
Sempai Otaru said, waving his hand in front of her
face What were
you saying before Anji came in?
I think we should just forget it Otaru Keiko said
wearily. Lets
talk for a bit shall we? she suggested.
Ano, Kei, are you sure you didnt have to tell me anything?
Keiko
shook her head. ok then, you go first, what did you do before
you came
here? Keiko shifted into a more comfortable position. (cmon,
did you
really think Kieko would ever get around to telling Otaru shes
a girl in a fa
nfic? Thats just not what I do)
Well, before I came to The Unicorn Academy, I studied abroad
in Spain
for a few years. Then last summer I came back and found out that
Anji was
coming here, so I enrolled and I got in. Well, I wasnt sure
if that was a
good thing or a bad thing, eventually I decided it was a good
thing. But I
almost changed my mind when I was on the bus here. I got gum in
my hair and
Anji got a little testy with the head editor of the
paper. Anyway, I almost had a friend but then Anji almost beat
him up so he
and I could share a dorm room, I wouldve shared a room with
the head editor.
The whole he hasnt seen me for quite a while thing I guess
made Anji a
little protective. Anji was annoying that day. And then I ran
into you, or
more like got stepped on by you, in the showers. And youve
seen the result
firsthand. ( yes I know, those of you who have read TUA probably
dont want
to hear Kiekos history but thats how I wrote it ^.~
) And thats it, in
edited form of course. Keiko glanced at Otaru.Your
turn she chirruped at
him.
Well, you know the entire story about my girlfriend, how
we decided to
end it quietly. And that was last summer. Now if you want to hear
what
happened before that. Then just nod. Kieko nodded and Otaru
went on.
Kieko listened closely, getting every detail so she could remember
what not
to say or do or whatever around him so she didnt make him
too mad. ( I
didnt have any good ideas about Otaru, sorry.) He kept talking
as he got up
to lean against the windowsill. After he had finished, Kieko got
up and went
to stand next to him.
Well Otaru, your past is finally revealed. Kieko giggled
sounds like
a corny mystery doesnt it?
Yeah, it does Sempai. So, what do you say we go catch the
last hour of
tennis practice?
sounds good, Aika was asking about you last time Kieko
laughed as Otaru
visibly flinched. Cmon, my friends like you, that
doesnt happen often
I just wish they wouldnt pop up so suddenly, they
arent so bad if
they arent acting like Anji crazy hyenas Otaru grimaced,
then he started
heading out the door, Kieko went after him, wondering if she was
ever going
to get to tell Otaru she was a girl. Mentally cursing Anji, she
sped up to
catch up to Otaru, who had gotten ahead of her.
****
Anji, Anji, Anji, Anji! Yaaaaay Anji! Aika was contributing
to the
voices all around the court who were cheering for their schools
tennis
champion. When she finally stopped for breath she caught a glance
of Kieko
and that Otaru guy who always seemed to be with her. She waved
them over and
Naoki, rolling her eyes at Aikas enthusiasm, scooted over
to make room.
Kieko bounced over and immediately started jabbering with Naoki
about
everyone at The Phoenix School for girls. Aika latched onto Otaru
who looked
like he wanted to slip under the bleachers. Kieko grinned and
continued
talking to Naoki, who was currently jabbering about Staci and
Anji going out
nearly every night. Otaru was currently trying to get out of Aikas
vice
like grip, pretty unsuccessfully at that. Kieko grinned and turned
back to
Naoki.
And then Staci looked like she was a love struck puppy...
Kie-kun, are
you listening to me? Naoki said sharply when she noticed
Kieko wasnt
listening.
Huh? What Naoki? Go on... Kie once again went into
half-listening
mode again as she watched Anji return balls with a practiced ease.
Kie had
always thought that she had been born into the wrong family, all
the rest of
them were athletic and here she was nearly failing gym. Kieko
sighed and
turned her full attention to Naoki. A little too late, Naoki was
already
finished with whatever she had been talking about. Kieko excused
herself and
went to rescue Otaru from Aikas clutches. Otaru gave her
a look of such
obvious relief that she almost laughed out loud. He came over
to sit by
Kieko as soon as he could escape completely, Kieko moved over
a little bit to
give him some room, he would need his space after being a little
too close to
Aika for a little too long. Aika returned her attention to cheering
Anji,
the only time Kieko saw her more enthusiastic was at actual tournaments,
otherwise she just screamed half as loud and half as much. It
was surprising
how enthusiastic the rest of the school was at practice. Cheering
and
yelling, along with waving banners, that was multiplied tenfold
at the
tournaments. Kieko usually made it to Anjis games, usually.
Sometimes she
just couldnt drag herself out of bed in time. Well, Kieko
thought , at
least I try to get to them. Kie saw Anji miss a serve and could
practically
hear the consecutive sigh that went around the court. Youd
think that with
all the games and tournaments Anji had won for the school they
would be a
little more tolerant. Kieko glared angrily at the people in the
bleachers,
no one who caught it went without feeling guilty about it, what
kind of
relationship did fujishege have with Amuro anyway? Kieko hadnt
understood
the weird looks people were giving her and had only seen a few.
She didnt
think about it for more than thirty seconds. Otaru waved a hand
in front of
her face.
Sempai, do you want to go off campus for a while this afternoon?he
asked
Sure, why not, I want to see what new stuff that music place
has.
Kieko responded enthusiastically. Glad for a chance to get off
campus and
see something other than classrooms and dorms. At 12:30 Otaru,
Kieko, Anji,
and anybody else that went to TUA headed in to the lunchroom.
After Kieko
got her lunch she managed to push her way past the yelling, shoving,
food-throwing guys and find a seat. Otaru and Anji came to join
her after a
few minutes. Anji had decided to forgoe the jocks table for the
time being
to sit with his sister and Otaru. Thats a new experience
for this year,
sitting with my brother, Kieko had only tried to make Anji sit
with her once
and that hadnt been fun. It had been one of her first days
at TUA and Anji
and his friends had already resumed their seating habits, Kieko
had dragged
Anji over to her table and he had sulked all through the meal.
Kieko didnt
want to have that experience again, it had been kind of a hostile
time. But
Kieko and Anji were on good terms today, and that made Anji much
more
pleasant to sit with.
Kie, would you want to join drama club? Otaru asked
her. Youve been
so serious for the past few minutes we could give you the judges
part for
Twelve Angry Men (hey, it fit).
Otaru, Im not dramatic, if you want to call it that.
I just cant
force emotion. Kieko said, all the while wishing she were
slightly talented
so she wouldnt be thought of as a do-nothing delinquent
at The Unicorn
Academy. Maybe I should though, what exactly do you do in
drama club
Otaru? Kieko said, watching Anji do a double take at her
asking what a club
is doing instead of just saying she wouldnt join. Otaru
laughed at Anji and
told her.
Well, were doing a play called Twelve Angry Men right
now, and thats
a play in which Twelve jury members try to decide a verdict on
a case of a
boy killing his father, which he didnt. And all the evidence
seems to point
to a guilty verdict, but as they get farther along reviewing the
evidence
they see that the evidence isnt all correct, but some of
them just refuse to
change their minds. But eventually they decide that the boy isnt
guilty.
Were doing this play because it just has men in it, theres
only one womans
part and thats only for about five minutes. We could cast
you as juror 5 or
6, those parts dont have actors yet. Well, what do you say?
Can I think about that for a bit? Ill tell you later,
no promises
though Otaru. Kieko seriously considered it for a minute,
and thought about
it all through lunch. I wouldnt be thought of as a delinquent
do-nothing, I
would make some friends, Anji would get off my back, I would have
something
to do after school besides homework. I will, Ill tell Otaru
this afternoon.
Kieko finished her lunch, brought her tray up, and headed back
to the dorm.
She crashed into Jiro on the way to her room.
Hey Fujishege, watch where youre going all right.
Jiro grouched.
why dont you join a club or something? he grumbled
as he stalked down the
hallway.
Hey Jiro, Im gonna join a club so wipe that scowl
off your face
Kieko knew she was risking her health taunting Jiro like that
but it was just
too funny to see his face when she said Im gonna join a
club. Jiro stopped
scowling immediately and got a surprised look on his face.
You, are joining a club? Which one? Jiro blinked a
couple times and
shook his head. Ill believe it when I see it
Then youll see it. But when youll see it is
a surprise. Kieko
retaliated and continued on her way, leaving Jiro standing in
the hallway, a
utterly shocked look on his face. When she met up with Otaru she
told him
shed join drama club but theyd have to keep it really
quiet until they did
the plays first performance. Which they did. Seeing Keiko
take a bow as
Juror number 5 gave Jiro that quality that makes you laugh out
loud. the
perfect revenge. she thought to herself
End