A story about four girls, an unfortunate incident
and some concert tickets and the strains placed upon them.
...Random usage of some Japanese...
Setting in Tokyo, Japan.
Chapter Four
‘Tadaimasu’ Hitomi slipped off her day-shoes and stepped neatly into some white slippers. She almost lost her balance in tiredness as she did so, and didn’t see the raven bob of her younger sister cross the hall in front of her.
‘Daijoubu desu-ka?’ Megumi regarded her sister worried. Megumi was lighter in character than her sister, a genius too no less and rarely seen without some form of literature in her arms. Today was no different as she clutched a bundle of textbooks and her pencil case close to her chest. She had obviously only just returned from her school judging by her clothing still being the regulation seifuku.
Hitomi had managed a weary smile back
‘Hai hai’ she replied.
To this Megumi responded with a cute shrug of the shoulders and a great beaming smile, then continued on her way to the kitchen. Hitomi followed her leaning exhausted on the doorframe.
‘Okaa-san wa doko-ka?’ she asked her sister.
Megumi peered into the fridge reaching for a can of lemonade and a glass.
‘She’s not home yet’ she replied ‘You were up early today. I heard you leave at 6’. Megumi stretched herself up closing the door to the fridge.
‘Water?’ she offered.
Hitomi took a step closer inside the room,
‘Arigatou gozaimasu’ she accepted the glass and sat opposite Megumi at the table.
Yeah’ she replied to Megumi’s earlier comment. She took a long sip of the water, cool and refreshing to clear her mind.
‘I went to get those tickets for L’Arc~en~Ciel’
‘Thought you might. So?’ Megumi enquired leaning closer.
‘Oh I got them’ Hitomi replied offhandedly. Megumi sat back eyeing her sister quizzically.
‘Then why so glum?’
‘I’m happy about the tickets’ Hitomi sighed into her glass ‘But…ah it doesn’t matter’ she waved Megumi away.
Her sister knew well enough not to push a matter so instead Megumi ducked her head beneath the table and it appeared by the bobbing raven hair that she was searching for something. Eventually she found what she was looking for and returning to her upright position gave Hitomi a great beaming smile. She laid her find on the table, a small wooden trinket upon which a kanji had been marked in black and tied to a piece of string. Megumi leaned across the circular table and offered it to her sister. As Hitomi examined the trinket, Megumi rose from her seat and strolled over to the long work counter with her empty glass.
‘What is it…’ Hitomi wondered peering at all sides of the wood.
‘It’s a good luck charm’ Megumi replied from her washing up. Hitomi smiled amused
‘Didn’t think you were into that kind of thing’ she laughed slightly as she joined her sister at the sink. Megumi took Hitomi’s glass turning to her with a warm smile.
‘Well it wasn’t my idea’ she conceded ‘But I was at the shrine with Seki. He wanted to see Akane’ she explained.
‘Akane is the miko ne?’ Hitomi leant back against the counter watching Megumi’s back.
‘Hai’ Megumi nodded. ‘I thought it might be fun to get a good luck charm’
‘Not that you need it’. Hitomi stretched herself pushing away from the black marble top.
‘Arigatou’ Megumi smiled drying her eyes on the towel. Walking past her sister she returned to the table to set out her books and paper in neat ordered piles, engrossing herself in her own little room.
‘Ja..i’ll be in my room’ Hitomi sighed making her way across the floorboards of the kitchen to the softer surface of a succession of white rugs which led up the stairs and her room.
Misaki sighed deeply, she stood before the small suburban house Hitomi lived in. Cautiously she approached the gate to the white-washed building beyond. She didn’t need to ring, Megumi had seen her brunette bob from the kitchen. She pushed away from the table and walked to the stairs to call Hitomi.
‘Oi’ she yelled trying to get her voice above the sound of Hyde’s vocals singing
# Lies and Truth mienakute kimi ga#
‘Oi’ she raised her voice a bit more. ‘Onee-chan’.
Hitomi had heard. The music immediately cut out and Hitomi’s head appeared over the upper banister rail.
‘Nani’ she replied abruptly.
Megumi noticed her steely gaze, she couldn’t help feel annoyed that Hitomi refused to tell her her problems when something was so obviously wrong.
‘Ano tomodachi wa…’ she indicated the door right as the bell rang. Hitomi nodded and jumped round the side of the stairs. Megumi returned with her own nod in recognition and duly returned to her work.
Hitomi opened the door to Misaki. In her mind she had hoped that Misaki would be a bit more sheepish given their day. But not everything could be blamed on Misaki, Ryoko bore the grudge and knowing Misaki she would have been very apologetic. Hitomi let Misaki know she was annoyed. No polite greeting, just an abrupt
‘Nani’
‘Konbanwa Hitomi-chan’ Misaki sang. ‘Daijoubu desu-ka? I thought we could go out somewhere, my treat as a thanks for those tickets.’
Hitomi couldn’t help wincing at the mention but outwardly she smiled at Misaki. At least the spritely girl made an effort.
‘Genki as usual?’ she teased with one raised eyebrow.
‘Mmm’ Misaki nodded forcefully. ‘Everyday deeeeeSU’. She grinned at her little joke.
Hitomi smiled. ‘Dakara…where are we going to go?’