~Kei-kuns Admirer!
Otaru stood up with much difficulty. He stared at Koji and Keiko. "Sempai--!"
Keikos aggressive face softened for a moment. "Sorry, Otaru." It hardened again. "But from where I come from, we just dont sit around and watch best friends get beat up."
Otaru blinked, and breathed in a gasp.
"You two question Jiros authority too often!" Koji shouted, "What you need is a good beating make you submissive to ordained leadership!"
"Thats not how it works!" Keiko shouted. "You ! Are you the one who always beats up Otaru?!"
"The past two years." Koji replied. "Before that, Tamura Shin was President. He had his own right-hand."
Keikos eyes widened, "So Jiro is behind this!!"
"Of course not. Jiro-kun doesnt have time to bother with such small matters." Otaru answered, glaring at Koji. "This is all Kojis doing. Dont blame Jiro-kun for any of this."
Keiko looked away from Otaru, and back to Koji. "Youre youre sick! Arent you taking your dedication to Jiro too far?!"
Koji smirked, and rose his fists. "Arent you going to fight me?"
Keiko noticed her raised fists were still shaking. She gulped. Ive got not choice Ive got to beat Koji! Or else she looked back to the beat up Otaru. or else Otaru could wind up in the hospital.
"No one deserves to be hurt like that!" Keikos voice was low and quiet. She turned back to Koji, a furious glare on her face, "And its not your place you deal with troublemakers!" she shouted.
"Stop stalling, coward!" Koji shouted back.
"Youre the coward!" Keiko shouted, tears stinging her eyes. She ran towards him. This is it! Dont miss! Dont miss! She squeezed her eyes shut, and threw her fist into his jaw-bone. Her knuckles flared up with pain, and her eyes snapped open.
"No!" Otaru shouted desperately.
Keiko looked up from her throbbing fist, and saw Jiro standing in front of her, restraining Koji.
Jiros face was turned to the side, pushed by the force behind Keikos punch.
Keiko felt a chill sweep over her. She lowered her fist.
"Jiro-kun! Jiro-kun!" Otaru began to run towards the council president when one of his injured knees locked, and he slouched to the floor.
"Otaru!" Keiko turned from Jiro, and ran to her best friends side. She held his shoulders, and pulled him up. "Are you okay?"
"Jiro-kun!" Otaru tried to get up.
"Dont! Otaru!" Keiko held him down, and they both looked to Jiro.
"What are you doing here?!" Keiko shouted across the hall. Her voice echoed through the shower stalls.
Jiro threw Koji against the wall. He rubbed his jawbone. "That is the last time I take a punch for you, Koji. Get out of my sight before I make it look like you and Otaru were doing the waltz."
"Y-yessir! Sorry, Jiro-kun!" Koji nervously bowed before bolting out of the showers.
Keiko kept her eyes on Jiro as she and Otaru stood.
Jiro stared at the wall Koji was just up against, and then lowered his head with a sigh. His shoulders relaxed, and he turned to Keiko and Otaru with a smile. "Please forgive me for having such an idiot as a friend."
" are you okay, Jiro-kun?" Otaru leaned against Keikos shoulder.
"Oh, yeah." Jiro rubbed his chin again, and looked to Keiko. "Fujishige, I hope that wasnt the only punch you were expecting to throw."
Keiko felt insulted. "And what if it was?!"
"Ive had my mom slap me harder than you punch." Jiro grinned crookedly. "You wouldve been beaten to a pulp in one minute flat."
Keiko grimaced, her face turning red.
"Sempai? Are you feeling feverish again?" Otaru blinked.
"See ya tomorrow." Jiro waved as he turned around.
"H-HA! DONT YOU KNOW?!" Keiko stammered. "FROM WHERE I COME FROM, FIGHTING IS SACRELIGION!!!" Keiko rose an arm, and stomped out her left foot, striking the pose of a flamenco dancer. "SPAIN IS THE COUNTRY OF LOVE!"
Otaru sweatdropped. "I thought that was France."
"Those French dont know anything." Keiko muttered quietly to Otaru, and struck her pose again. "Ole!"
"And thats how the fight went!" Keiko said as she towel-dried her wet hair on top of her bed.
"Are you sure you didnt get a blow to your head during the fight?" Anji flatly stared at her.
Keiko gave her brother a critical look. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, cmon ole!isnt that a bit stupid? Dontcha think?" Anji teased.
"It was your idea that I just got back from Spain." Keiko threw her towel over her desk chair to dry.
"It was just to strike up a conversation." Anji lay back on his bed.
Keiko combed out her hair. "Well, Im just playing the part." She stopped combing her hair. "You know maybe when I got back, I could join the drama club, since its obvious Im such a good actress. After everyone finds out, theyll be begging me to join, Im sure."
"I wasnt planning on revealing your identity. Ever." Anji replied. "When you leave, Id cover it up by saying you went back to Spain."
"What?!" Keikos eyes widened. "But what about Otaru?! I cant just disappear out of his life forever! Im his best friend!"
"Hes graduating this year, Kei. Hell be leaving anyway." Anji continued. "Besides, you dont actually think hed be pleased with the idea that his best bud was actually a girl, do you?"
Keiko paused, replying in silence. She lay down in her bed, and sighed.
Anji turned off the light. "Im sorry, Kei."
"Dont you just hate all the grunt work Tomahazu gives us?" Otaru went through the papers in his briefcase. "Its almost impossible to keep up with!"
"Mmh " Keiko stirred up her poached eggs, and looked up to Otaru, who was still looking through his briefcase. She remembered what Anji said last night. Ive known him for less than a week. It shouldnt be too hard to keep a safe distance from him.
Otaru closed his briefcase, and looked up to Keiko. "You look like youre about to fall asleep, Sempai."
Keiko snapped back to attention. "Oh! Im awake! Im awake!" Keiko smiled, and pointed to Otarus tray. "Your eggs are getting cold."
"Yeah, I like them like that." Otaru picked up a fork.
"Yuck! Cold eggs!?" Keiko scrunched her nose.
"Its one of my quirks, I guess " Otaru ate a piece. "By the way, loved your speech in the showers last night."
"Huh?" Keiko blinked.
"Its been awhile since Ive been able to call someone best friend. And so early in the year, nonetheless." Otaru seemed to beam beneath all of his scratches and bandages.
Keiko bashfully smiled. "Well, I dunno " she looked to a piece of toast in her hand, and scooped up a bit of the sloppy egg mess on her tray. "I guess I sounded really corny in there "
"The ole! was a bit much."
Keiko sunk in her chair. "I was joking around."
Otaru smiled, and didnt say anything.
"You dont believe me?"
"Not really."
Keiko folded her arms. "Some best friend. Wheres the trust?"
"Wheres the honesty?" Otaru replied, "Thats how you earn the trust."
Keiko glared at Otaru. "Why must you be so smart?"
"Dont you mean smart-mouthed?" Otaru asked with a smile.
"That too."
"Ive got to have SOMETHING going for me." Otaru ate some more of his egg. "Ive gotta be successful somewhere."
"Whats your idea of successful, Otaru?" Keiko asked, munching on her toast.
"Mm " Otaru spooned up some of the yolk spilling onto his tray. "I dont know. I cant really imagine what Id be doing "
"You dont have any dreams?" Keiko rested a chin on a fist.
"Oh, I guess " Otaru drifted off, fixing his eyes on his tray.
"Dont you ever wanna get married, and have kids?" Keiko brushed a crumb off of her mouth.
"Id love to." Otaru got quiet. "To be honest, I just dont picture it happening. I cant imagine it. You know what I mean?"
"I think." Keiko replied, sitting up. "I can imagine myself doing some things, but when it comes to, say, being a mathematician or chemist, I draw a blank."
"Mm-hmm. But you hate those things." Otaru polished off his eggs. "I want to get married."
"Itll happen, Otaru." Keiko drank some orange juice. "You just need to wait until college to meet a nice girl."
"Probably." Otaru stood, and got his briefcase.
"Let me get your tray." Keiko said, taking note to Otarus sprained knee from last night.
"Thanks." He said. "Now can we have a class today without any fights, or will I have to tie you to your desk?"
"Ill be good, I promise!" Keiko nervously smiled.
"Otaru! You look like crap!" Jiro laughed as he greeted Otaru in his usual manner.
"Youre a sight for sore eyes too, Jiro." Otaru wrote down his assignments.
Keiko smiled at this. Perhaps this was a bizarre relationship that is more common amongst boys she had to admit to herself, Jiro wasnt half the jerk she thought he was.
Class was extremely peaceful. Keiko was extremely anxious to see Staci, though. She hoped time would pass soon.
Luckily, it did. Keiko waited at the doorway of Senior class 2s room, and watched for Otaru.
Otaru blinked with surprise when he saw Keiko waiting for him at the doorway. "Well, hello!"
Keiko beamed, and adjusted her glasses. "Come to tennis practice with me today."
"What for?" Otaru had a blank face as Keiko took his left elbow and led him down the hallway.
"I never gave you a proper introduction to my friends." Keiko cheerfully said.
"The hyenas and the foreigner?"
"Thats them." Keiko said as they approached the courts.
Naoki and Aika were up on the benches, fawning over the sweaty Anji on the courts.
Naoki spotted Keiko, and waved to her, "Kei-chan!!"
"Naoki-chan! Aika-chan!" Keiko called back. Great, they remembered.
Aika turned around, and waved. "Up here!"
"Coming!" Keiko took Otarus arm. "Cmon!"
They walked up to the top benches, where the two girls were sitting. She slowed down to assist the limping Otaru. Her heart ached miserably for him.
Otaru saw it in her face. "Dont worry, I barely notice it anymore. Im kinda used to it, you know."
"You shouldnt be." She whispered, holding his arm a bit tighter. She quickly plastered a smile on. "Hey guys!"
Naoki gasped, looking at Otaru. "Gracious! What happened to your friend?!"
Keiko sweatdropped. "Well, uh "
"A long and gruesome story!" Otaru limped to a bench, and sat down, "Certainly not fit for such a delicate young ladys ears."
Naoki stood, and sat next to Otaru, holding her hands together. "You poor dear! Your face is all scratched!"
Keiko sat next to Aika, where Naoki previously sat. They both looked to Naoki and Otaru.
"I like the idea of them as a pair." Aika quietly said. "Maybe then shell forget about my Anji!"
Keiko grimaced. Oh, no! Aika doesnt know about Anjis date with Staci!! If she sees them leave together !
Aika noticed Keikos face. "Whats wrong? Ah--!" she gasped. "You must like him! Sorry! My bad!"
Keiko straightened up. "No, its not that! I just remembered, I need to see Staci!"
"Oh, well, she should be here soon, I guess." Aika went back to watching Anji. Her eyes moved to Keiko again. "You sure you dont like him?"
"Im sure!" Keiko huffed, and looked to Otaru and Naoki.
"Your bandage isnt on right! Let me fix it!" Naoki reached to Otarus chin.
"No, please. Dont--!" Otaru pushed Naokis hands down. "Dont touch my face, please!"
"But Im going to be a nurse!" Naoki insisted.
"Now, now, Naoki-chan!" Keiko walked over to the two.
"Save me, Sempai!" Otaru begged.
"Otarus had enough treatment, dont you think?" Keiko pulled Naoki up, and took her seat. "Aika-chans getting lonely!" she pointed over to the other bench.
Naoki looked over to Aika, who was grinning and waving. She turned back to Otaru and Keiko, bowed, and took her seat next to Aika.
"She didnt hurt you, did she?" Keiko put a hand on Otarus shoulder.
"Nah, just was touching me all over " Otaru squirmed.
"She wants to be a nurse real bad."
"I can tell." Otaru looked at the courts. "What was it you were saying about introductions?"
"Oh! Right!" Keiko stood, "Aika! Naoki!"
The two girls turned to her, their round eyes wide and curious. "Yes, Kei-chan?" Naoki said.
"I want you two to meet Chinen Otaru. Hes a senior." Keiko put a hand on his shoulder.
Otaru nodded. "Nice to meet you."
Aika and Naoki both beamed, and Otaru flatly glared at them as they giggled.
"Whats so funny?" Otaru droned below his breath.
"They probably think youre cute." Keiko teased with a crooked smile, and a squeeze of his shoulders.
Otaru furiously blushed, and Keiko walked over to Aika and Naoki.
"Otaru, meet Oda Aika and Ikegami Naoki. Theyre juniors at Phoenix School. Amuros sister is attending there." Keiko said.
"Nice to meet you." The two girls nodded timidly.
Keiko sat down next to Otaru again, "So, how is Amuro-san doing nowadays?" she discreetly winked at the two girls.
They both began to giggle again.
"What is wrong with them?!" Otaru hissed.
"Maybe something happened?" Keiko tried to cover up her friends peculiar behavior. Ditzes. "Ignore them." She turned to the courts.
Otaru looked at the girls a moment longer, and did the same.
"Does she like him?" Naoki whispered, trying to keep her giggles contained.
"She craves him." was Aikas reply.
The girls both grinned, and giggled.
Keiko searched the courts for Staci. Her search ended when she spotted a blonde in a red and navy girls uniform. "It cant be "
Otaru looked to Keiko. "Hmm?"
The blonde girl saw Anji on the courts, and paused for a moment. She then looked up to the benches, and began to scan them.
"Is that Rina-san?" Aika murmured.
"I think it is! What is she doing here?" Naoki replied.
Aika glared down at her. "It better not be to watch Anji!!"
Keiko stood, to Otarus surprise, and took a step towards Rina before being stopped by Otaru.
"Dont leave me alone with those two lunatics!" Otaru grabbed her arm.
Keiko replied. "Im sorry, but this is important business." She pulled away her arm, and turned to the two girls. "You two behave."
"We will!" they giggled.
Keiko sighed, and trotted down the steps.
"Rina-san?" Keiko stepped up to the unsuspecting Rina.
Rina gasped, and spun to face Keiko. Her blue eyes were wide. "Wh-who are you?" she breathed.
Keiko took off her glasses, revealing her feminine eyes. "Amuro-san."
Rina blinked for a moment, her face still struck with fear.
Keiko put her glasses back on.
Rinas brow furrowed. "I shouldve known the likes of your insane family would put this kind of burden on me!"
"It was my brothers idea." Keiko used a thumb to aim the blame at Anji.
"Of course. It wouldnt make sense for a do-nothing to come up with the idea. That requires motivation." Rina folded her arms.
"Something Im obviously lacking." Keiko folded her arms. "Look, Rina-san, did you come here to just insult me all day? I get that plenty from my brother, thank you."
"No, I came to deliver something for Staci." Rina held up a file. "Care to explain?"
"Why isnt Staci here?! Shes got a date with Anji after this!" Keiko shouted, and froze. She looked up to Aika on the benches.
Aika sat there, a furious glare on her face.
"Oh, great " Keiko groaned.
"I know nothing and care to know nothing about their personal affairs." Rina coldly replied. "My responsibility is to my school only."
"I know." Keiko sighed, and looked around the courts. "Rina-san, could we please discuss this somewhere else? Maybe off the grounds?"
"Thats fine with me." Rina held her arms. "This campus gives me chills, anyway."
"It could be the ghost !" Keiko teased, walking off of the courts.
"Dont be an idiot around me, please." Rina walked in front of Keiko. "I have a reputation to keep."
"Oh, of course!" Keiko gasped almost mockingly.
Rina shot Keiko a glare. "Your idiot brother may tolerate your antics, but Im a totally different specimen."
"Id say." Keiko snorted.
"And I can and will refuse handing over these documents to you Amuro-san!" Rina spun around, and pointed at her with a corner of the file. "Remember, I can make or break you."
"Man, youve gotten vicious, Rina-san." Keiko sweatdropped. "Whats happened to you?!"
Rinas face softened, and she lowered her file. Her eyes were downcast. "Mai happened."
Keiko blinked, shocked to see such a dramatic attitude adjustment.
Rina stirred the ice around in her glass of iced tea. "I didnt really expect to win the election last year."
"Then whyd you run?" Keiko ate a spoonful of parfait.
"Nakaijima-sama persuaded me." Rina looked outside the window they sat next to, watching the passersby. "She chose me for my pure heart and motivation."
"So whats the problem?" Keiko blinked.
"Toseki Mai wants to destroy me for beating her in the race." Rina replied, and picked up a spoon. "May I?"
"Sure." Keiko pushed the parfait across the table towards Rina.
Rina scooped up a bit. "And now Nakaijima-sama set me up to be editor, too ! Mais seeing red!"
"Or green." Keiko took another bite of parfait. "Probably both. So why not let Nakaijima handle it, if she loves you so much?"
"Shes got her hands full. Someones out to destroy her, too." Rina scooped up some of the strawberries. "You know the new Headmaster at TUA?"
"Obari? Oh, yeah. Hes a total babe." Keiko got that smitten look on her face again.
"Your spoons dripping." Rina ate her spoonful, and blinked.
Keiko gasped, and swallowed her spoonful. "Hes just so perfect! You should see him--!"
"Obviously, a bit too perfect." Rina set down her spoon. "Nakaijima-sama and Obari have a rivalry rooting back to as far back as Junior High."
"As though the school rivalry wasnt bad enough!" Keiko groaned, and slapped her forehead. "That explains his huge speech!"
"What huge speech?" Rina grew more attentive.
Keiko sighed, and took off her glasses to wipe them. "Obari gave this huge pep talk on the day of orientation. It caused the entire auditorium to go into a standing ovation."
Rinas eyes widened in fear as Keiko stated the next sentence:
"He said The Phoenix School wont know what hit them."
Rina slammed the table as she stood, causing the glasses to shake. Keiko quickly steadied them.
Rina stared at her hands, and her arms shook. "That that insane man !"
Meanwhile, outside, a girl with light brown hair passed by the window of the sweet shoppe. She donned a red vest, navy blouse, and a plaid skirt of both colors the uniform of The Phoenix School for Girls.
She backtracked a few steps, and stopped outside the window. She carefully examined the scene.
Is that Rina-san? She thought.
The blonde council president she studied spun around, a hurt expression written on her face.
The boy across from her stood, and walked up to her, resting a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
The eyes of the girl outside widened in shock. Whos that whos that with her?! A a boyfriend?! Rina-san?!
"Hmm interesting ironic, almost." Keiko muttered at her desk.
Anji looked up from his homework. "What is?"
Keiko sorted the papers in the file from Rina. "A lot of these articles, including the earliest one, were written by Toseki Mai."
"Mm more trouble that shes worth, huh?" Anji walked over to Keikos desk to look over her shoulder.
"Tell me about it. Whats her beef with the music hall, huh?"
Anji "hmm"-ed. "Maybe she did it to win votes."
"Its a long shot, dont you think?" Keiko looked up to her brother.
"Anything for an extra vote, I say." Anji looked down to his sister.
"Hmm." Keiko looked back down to her desk. "I guess."
"Mitsui-san! Good morning!" the light brown haired girl greeted Staci in the hallways of the Phoenix School the next morning.
Staci turned around to see who greeted her so cheerfully. "Toseki-san."
"Please, call me Mai-chan!" the girl (who was now identified as Toseki Mai) ran to Stacis side. "Do you know anything about an important date yesterday afternoon?"
Staci blinked. "I wouldnt consider my date with Anji important "
"Not your date! Im talking about--"
Staci gasped. "Was yesterday your birthday?! Oh, Mai-chan, forgive me! I totally forgot!"
"Its not my birthday!!!" Mai exclaimed, to which Staci cowered, and students in the hallway stopped to stare.
Mai realized the scene she was making, and nervously cleared her throat. "Im talking about Rina-san."
"Rina-san?" Staci blinked.
"Yes. With a guy from Unicorn Academy " Mai pointed to her eyes. "With real big glasses, and a ponytail. You know him?"
Staci shook her head. "I dont know about anyoh!" she gasped. Keiko-chan!
"What?! What?!" Mai asked. "You know something!"
Stacis eyes widened. "No, no! I just Im surprised that Rina-san would date someone from TUA, thats all " she nervously smiled, covering up for her two friends.
"Well, Rina-san has proven to be two-faced more than once." Mai waved a hand freely, rolling her eyes.
Staci tried to hide her frown at Mais loose tongue. "Uh, sorry, Mai-chan, but Ive gotta make it across campus in two minutes. Ive really gotta split."
"Oh, what a shame!" Mai smiled, and waved. "Later, then!" She lowered her arm. Stacis covering for Rina-san. Somethings brewing, and it might just ruin Rinas rep! Mai looked to the side in a thoughtful manner. Surely they wont mind me speeding up the process!
Keiko let out a huge yawn at the lunch table that afternoon.
Otaru watched her yawn with wide eyes. "Amazing!" he grinned.
Keiko closed her mouth, and opened one eye to look across to Otaru.
"Your mouth is HUGE!" Otaru said with awe.
Keiko gave him a glare.
"You could probably fit two whole burgers in there!!" Otaru lifted his hamburger, as though to prove a point.
Keiko lowered her voice. "Hey."
Otaru laughed. "Simply amazing! You never stop surprising me, Sempai!"
Keiko aggressively took a bite out of her hamburger. "Im just a bag chock-full of surprises, Otaru-chan."
"Sorry, sorry. I catch your drift. Shutting up." Otaru happily bit into his burger. "Consider it payback for yesterday."
Keiko blinked, as though to ask for an explanation.
"Leaving me with those two lunatics. How could you?" Otaru rested an elbow on the table.
"Whats wrong? Theyre cute enough, arent they?"
"That has nothing to do with it." Otaru sipped on his can of juice. "They wouldnt stop laughing and teasing. Ive never felt so uncomfortable in my life."
"Lightweight. What am I going to do with you?" Keiko sighed.
"I never asked you to set me up with anyone." Otaru muttered.
Keiko felt her blood begin to pump. "I WASNT TRYING TO SET YOU UP!!! Geez!" She sat back, and folded her arms. "Is everything a guy-girl thing with you, or what?!"
"No, its not that!" Otaru blushed, "I just dont like being there without you, thats all. Theyre just a bit weird."
"Me being there wont change that." Keiko replied, eating more of her hamburger.
"At least youre there for a buffer." Otaru replied.
"No way, not me." Keiko set down her hamburger. "Im not gonna play crutch for you. You gotta be strong."
Otaru replied with silence. " yes, but "
"No buts! Keiko smiled. "Cmon, Im here for ya! But not to hold you back! To push you forward! A push!" Keiko reached over, and gave Otaru a quick shove on the shoulder. "Got it?"
Otaru held his shoulder, and smiled. "I got it, I got it."
"Good." Keiko picked up her hamburger, and ate another bite. "So, what are we doing this weekend?"
Otaru looked at Keiko with a blank stare.
"Cmon, arent we doing anything tomorrow?" Keiko leaned forward on the table. "We survived our first week of school, we should celebrate!"
Otaru nervously smiled. "I was planning on taking a nap this weekend."
Keiko angrily sweatdropped. "Are you going to nap all weekend?"
Otaru lowered his stature a bit. "Sounds weird, doesnt it?"
It must take a lot of energy to be so genki Keiko thought, an eyebrow twitching. "A bit."
"Sorry. Maybe you can see if Amuro-kuns doing anything."
"As if theres any doubt." Keiko droned.
Otaru lowered his eyes. "Right, the tennis match "
Keiko leaned back on her chair. "Great! Ill be bored all weekend!"
"Sorry." Otaru grinned, clapped his hands together, and bowed his head.
Keiko ceased her whining, and glared across the table. "Youre mocking me."
"That I am!"
"Just wait, Ill get you back." Keiko threatened in a pouting manner.
"Dont be that way " Otaru smiled.
"Nope! Too late!" Keiko chimed. "The harms been done!"
The two laughed at eachother.
"Gonna nap all through Sunday?" Keiko asked.
"Not intending to." Otaru answered. "But it if turns out that way !"
"Now I know youre joking."
" Chinen nap-on-a-whim Otaru. Thats me!" Otaru stated proudly. "Im hoping to pick up something at the bookstore. Care to join me?"
"Sure!" Keiko grinned. "Sounds fun enough!"
"The two of us can make anything fun!" Otaru replied. "Of that, Im certain!"
"Aaaaannnjiiii ." Keiko snuck up on her brother in their dorm that evening after practice.
Anji was not amused with his sisters air-headed antics. "What now, Kei?" he didnt look up from his desk.
Keiko nuzzled her big brothers shoulder. "Im out of underwear."
Anji fell off of his desk chair. He snapped back up. "ALREADY?!"
Keiko got teary-eyed. "You threw out most of them while packing, and you ripped one, remember?!"
Anji sat back in his chair, and turned back to his desk. "What should I do ?" he muttered while in deep thought.
"Well, DUH " Keiko grabbed one of Anjis arms, and yanked him off of his desk chair. "Were going out to buy some!"
Anjis face was like a beet as he cowered behind the frame of his younger sister.
Keiko did her best to ignore her immature sibling, but even she was a little fidgety being in the lingerie section of the mall in her TUA boys uniform.
She could feel the eyes of disgusted and judgmental women burn in her back.
"S-stop making a scene, Anji !" Keiko nervously hissed (although, to be honest, it sounded more like a whine).
Anji gripped on the fabric of Keikos uniform, and buried his burning red face in the back of her shoulder. "My virgin eyes !"
Keiko was trying to control her embarrassment as she held an armful of flowery girls underpants. Her eyebrow twitched with frustration and her ears were burning.
"Stop clinging to me so I can move and buy these things so we can get out of here!" Keiko said through clenched teeth.
Anji dug his face further into Keikos shoulder, and answered with a pathetic whimper.
Keiko made an exasperated sigh, and began to walk to a checkout counter. Anji clung on, inching forward directly behind her.
The sales clerk was silent as she rang up the underwear.
Keiko and Anjis faces were both identically red now.
"Sign here, please " the woman held out a receipt and pen.
"Right." Keiko took the pen, and signed it "Keiko Amuro".
The woman looked at the receipt, and then up to Keiko. There was a pause.
Keiko sweatdropped.
"Do you have any proof of identity, maam?" the clerk asked.
Keiko felt the sudden urge to flash the clerk her painfully taped down bust and scream "Heres your freakin PROOF!", but no, no she couldnt do that. That would be rude. Terribly rude. And Keiko had manners!
Of course she did.
After the pause, Keiko nervously sweatdropped. "Is a library card good enough?"
"Of course." The clerk replied.
After the business transaction was completed, Anjis face returned to its normal color, and he (sadly) could speak again.
"It looked like you were about to deck that clerk back there."
Keiko held her bag casually, and walked out of the lingerie section." Did it? I did have some evil thought going through my head."
"Your face gives you away so easily, Kei." Anji held up an index finger, his green eyes wide. "You gotta watch that. Even with glasses, you could give yourself away."
"Right." Keiko sighed, eyeing a display of Springs latest fashions.
Anji noticed the longing look on Keikos face. "Move along!" he grabbed Keikos arm.
"Just a moment!" Keiko tugged her arm away a little too violently, and rammed it right into the side of a nearby girl.
The girl and Keiko both yelped, and Keiko dropped her bag.
"Sorry!" Keiko held the shoulders of the girl to steady her.
Anji slapped his forehead. She dropped the underwear! He dashed quickly out of view. Shes handling this one!
The girl looked up to Keiko, and her eyes widened. "Its you!"
Keiko blinked. Toseki Mai! Id recognize her anywhere! She scornfully thought.
"E-excuse me?" Keiko stammered. No way she recognizes me !
"I saw you the other day!" Mai gasped. She looked down to the bag and its contents on the floor, and got a flabbergasted look on her face. "Uh "
"Sh-shopping! For a friend!" Keiko covered. That was pathetic! She scolded herself. Mental note-make excuses for potential situations tonight!
"Ah. Rina-san is making her boyfriend do all her shopping for her. Im barely surprised." Mai folded her arms and rose her eyebrows.
Boyfriend?! "I dont know what youre talking about! Theres nothing between Rina and me." Keiko picked up her underwear and shoved it in her bag.
"Oh? Really?!" Mai smiled. He mustve rejected her! That mustve been what I saw! She recalled how hurt Rina looked, and how this boy tried to comfort her This couldnt be better! If I start dating him, itd make Rina SO INSANELY JEALOUS!!!
Mai suddenly latched herself onto Keikos arm.
Keiko grimaced. Wh-what is she doing?!
"Saaaay " Mai cutely batted her eyes. "What do you think of that?" she pointed up to the skirt and sweat set display Keiko was eyeing a moment ago.
"Snice." Keiko replied, trying to squirm out of Mais vice-like grip.
"Great! Lemme get it in my size!" she let go of Keiko. "And dont you move! I want to know what you think of it on me!" she winked, and ran to get the outfit.
Keiko furiously glared at the girl as she ran off. No way. I will NOT allow this! This is where I draw the line! This is the limit! This
Anji appeared out of nowhere, and gave Keiko a pat on the shoulder. "Now youre a hit with the ladies!"
"Whered you disappear to?!" Keiko scolded her brother. "Look at what Ive gotten into now!"
"Itll just help hide your identity!" Anji calmly replied.
Keiko fumed. "What about my INTEGRITY, genius?!"
"Im baaa-aaak!"
Both Amuros looked up to see Mai in the adorable, light blue outfit.
"Adorable, Mai-chan!" Anji applauded.
Keiko glared at Anji. Two-face.
"Why, thank you,!" Mai smiled, and turned to Keiko. "Whats your vote, stranger?"
Itd look better on me. Keiko scornfully thought. "Snice."
Mai grinned. "Youre a quiet one."
"This is Fujishige Kei, hes new here." Anji lied through his teeth.
"Nice to meet you." Keiko forced out her formalities.
"The pleasure is all mine, believe me!" Mai replied cheerfully. "Great. Ill wear this to your tennis match then, Amuro-kun."
Anjis eyes lit up. "Youll be there, too?!"
Mai winked. "Of course! Im looking forward to it tomorrow."
Anji grinned. "Great, me too!"
Keiko make a mental note to skip the game, at all costs. No way! Never in a million years will I be caught with a girl clinging on my arm like that!
"Well, Ill see you both later!" Mai winked.
Dang, she winks a lot. Keiko thought.
"Nice meeting you, Kei-kun!" Mai flashed Keiko a smiled before leaving.
Anji gave Keiko a sly smile as Keiko fumed.
"UUUUUGGGHHH!!!" Keiko groaned as she burst into the dorm room. "I am SO gonna PUKE!" She threw her bag of underwear onto her bed. "That girl has some serious issues!"
Anji followed Keiko into their dorm in complete silence.
"I have NEVER been SO revolted in my LIFE!" Keiko furiously rubbed her arm. "YUCK!!!"
Anji looked on the door with wide eyes. "Looks like you got a phone call."
"Perfect. Keep it up, Amuro-san."
Keiko had to keep a firm grip on the tiny table which held the telephone for the dorm to keep herself from falling. After telling Rina-san the entire story of what happened at the mall, that was the last thing she expected (or wanted!) to hear!
"B-but Rina-san!!!" Keiko whined.
"Its perfect cover up. If you can fool someone as tricky as Mai, youve got clear sailing ahead of you." Rinas reply was pretty devastating for Keiko, "Just dont screw it up."
Keiko heard the dial tone after that closing comment.
Keiko wanted to cry. "There must be some way to stop her !"
End Chapter Four