Three
If there was anything she loved more, it was her daily leisurely bike ride
to school. She loved the cool wind blowing in her face, and the fresh smell
of the dew on the grass. She loved hearing everybody's "Good morning!"s, whether or not it was
said to her. Take note, though, that she's not some Brady Bunch wannabe, whom
you'll find happy every second of the day. As she said once, "I get my
crappy days, too." But, for some reason, early mornings never get on her
bad side.
But in not more than 15 minutes in the classroom, though, it becomes unpredictable...
"I cannot believe it. You're actually DONE?!"
Oh well, Midori thought wistfully, at least I had my 40 minutes of serenity.
"Well...yeah..."
"Mi-chan, you're such a genius."
But before Midori had time to respond, Yuko had already contradicted her.
"You are!" the cobalt-eyed girl exclaimed. "Yokaze-kun isn't any good in math, so if you're done, that means---"
"Oei oei, Miyagi, don't talk about my buddy that way," came a voice behind the group. Midori groaned inwardly. Even if she were born without eyes, she would know who it was. The annoying voice was unmistakable.
"No one's talking to you, Takashi," Asako tried. In spite of herself, Midori raised an eyebrow at Asako. The girl was learning to talk back!
"Ooooh, feisty. What're you going to do about it, though?"
Asako opened her mouth, then, after a second of apparent inward struggle, she closed it again. Midori sighed.
Close, but no cigar.
"Hah. Thought so," Takashi continued. "Girls shouldn't talk so much, anyways."
Neither should you, Midori thought, rolling her eyes.
"Yukibana," Takashi started, sitting on the chair beside the mentioned girl, "What's this with you spreading stuff about Yokaze?"
"I am not spreading anything about him," she replied coolly, not looking at him.
"If you mess with him again---"
"Give it a rest, Takashi,"came a vaguely familiar voice somewhere else in the room.
The voice was vaguely familiar, yes, but familiar nonetheless. Midori kept herself from looking at the owner of the voice lest she wanted to lose her edge in this battle. Hence, she ignored it, and finally turned around to look at her pitiful enemy, keeping her face as stoic as possible --- not that that required much effort.
"I am not messing with him. And besides, it doesn't seem to me that he needs your help. From where I'm standing, he can take care of himself more than you can for yourself, seeing that you always need your little group around with you everytime you pick your fights. They're practically your security blanket."
She distinctly saw Takashi's jaw clench. He stood up, glaring at her, and for a split-second, Midori wondered if she made the right move. The thought vanished, however, when he opened and closed his mouth a couple of times.
Midori was already the victor.
"I am gonna get you for that, you know," Takashi finally said, emphasizing each word.
"You do that." Midori replied nonchalantly, looking away from him.
"Math geek."
"Oh, shut up."
Takashi stomped off. If there was anything he hated, it was being ignored. And Midori knew it.
Well, good morning to you, too, she thought with a grin.
~~~
The days passed, and the Takashi-Yukibana duel went on (suffice it to say, Takashi was always the initiator, and Midori, the victor). And, during these fights, Midori came to get used to one thing: Rei never failed to try to tell them to stop. Not that the boys listen, but the tiny effort didn't pass unnoticed by the emerald-eyed girl. She initially found this odd --- her theory during the "messing with Yokaze" episode had been confirmed --- but she just supposed that Rei has finally decided to be a step nicer than he already was. However, it was on one hot day that Midori questioned her current opinion about Rei.
"OK..." Yuko drummed her pencil on her desk. "So it's settled, right?"
"Right."
"Mi-chan?"
"Huh?"
Yuko sighed. "Have you been listening at all about anything I said today?"
Midori cleared her throat. "Sorry...I was thinking."
"About what?" Asako asked, glaring at Yuko when she snorted.
Midori shrugged. "Nothing important. What were you saying, Yuko?"
"I was just making sure our plan's a go."
"Plan?"
Yuko's eyebrow rose. "About the dance."
"Oh, right. Yeah, it's a go."
"Good."
"So what'll you guys be wearing?" Asako asked them.
"I'm not sure yet."
"I think...I think I'm going to wear black."
"Mattaku, Yu-chan. You ALWAYS wear black."
"Yes, well, it's the perfect match for my hair."
"I'm wearing a pinkish dress this year," Asako mused. "I DO hope nobody wears a dress of the same shade as mine."
"Well," Midori finally said. "I hope it gets cooler this afternoon. Why's it abnormally hot today?"
"Y'know, the more you say that, it'll feel worse," Yuko told her.
"Maaa~! It is SOOOO hot!" Midori voiced out anyway, fanning herself. Asako couldn't help giggle.
"Aww... is the Green Snow Flower melting?" a mocking voice behind them spoke up.
Midori sighed, then turned around, raising her eyebrows. "And what do you want now, Takashi?" she asked icily, deliberately putting disgust in his name.
"C'mon, guys, lay off..." called Rei from his seat a few rows away.
"Would you like us to fan Your Majesty? O Queen of Ice?"
"I'd rather you don't." she replied. Truth be told, Midori would have liked the nickname if it didn't come from them.
"Hey, man!" Izuki, one of the other guys, said. "Maybe we SHOULD fan her! I think she's been melting, that's why she's so skinny!"
By that comment, Midori felt her blood go up to her head. She may be thinner than the other kids, yes, but she is SO not skinny.
"What, Yukibana? Tongue-tied?" Takashi asked, smirking.
Seeing their friend was indeed tongue-tied, the Two tried to help out.
"Hey, stop it already." Yuko said firmly. As athletic, sporty and seemingly boyish as she was, however, Yuko was never good at countering Takashi's comments.
"That's not nice," Asako said. If Midori wasn't racking her own brains for a counterattack, she would have fallen off her chair on Asako's remark. Takashi, though, spoke what Midori would've said if that was the case.
"Of course it's not nice, Hayao. Duh." Takashi said as mockingly cute as he could, as if he was speaking to a child. His friends laughed.
"C'mon, guys, fun's over." Rei told them, putting his hand on Takashi's shoulder. Takashi, of course, ignored him.
"Well, look who's not able to take care of herself now!" Takashi continued. "Getting your friends to fight your fights now, Yuki-onna?"
"Aren't snow women really skinny and pale?" Izuki pitched in again.
"Ne, Yukibana, you really ARE a snow woman, aren't you?" Ayukawa, another boy in the group, asked.
"Why don't you guys just shut up and let her be?" This time, Rei had stood between Midori and the guys, and his voice had a bit more edge.
"Aww, Yokaze, you're no fun." Takashi told him.
"I mean it." It was then that Midori looked at him. Rei had a really serious face, and he was looking straight at Takashi. If looks could kill, Takashi would probably be dead by now.
"Move it, Yokaze." Takashi said, also putting on a serious face.
Rei crossed his arms on his chest, making it clear that he had no intention of budging. The boys suddenly started a glaring competition. Fearing that they were going to get into a real fight, Midori stood up, thus breaking the "eye combat". Takashi looked at her for a split-second, then back at Rei, then back at her again. He smirked.
"Sure, buddy, whatever you say..." he said, though he was looking at Midori.
He then calmly turned and left, leaving Rei standing beside Midori. When they were out of earshot, Midori's face relaxed --- she realized then that she had been wearing a worried face. Rei just glanced at her, and wordlessly went back to his chair.
Midori herself fell into her seat.
What was that all about? she thought to herself. Was Yokaze-kun ready to fight his 'buddies' for...
...for me?
~~~
"Oh, honestly. Can the weather be more unpredictable?"
Midori covered herself with her blanket, making herself look like a white cocoon sitting at the desk. The night was cold, as opposed to the weather that morning. Midori frowned. If it had been cold that morning and hot tonight, then it probably would've been much better. At least Takashi et al won't tease her about melting. But then...maybe they'll tease her more about being the Snow Queen...
Midori propped her chin on her hand and looked up at the sky outside. Midori wondered why she, of all people, had to be the one Takashi picked on. It was like picking one star out of so many in space. With a sigh, Midori tore herself from her musings and went back to her book. Not more than five minutes later, there was a knock on her door.
When she opened it, Midori saw a woman who looked almost exactly like herself --- brown hair, green eyes and all --- except she was in her thirties.
"You have a visitor."
Midori glanced at her clock. It was 8:30 p.m.
"Who is it, Mom?"
"I don't know. He said he's your classmate. I told him to come in and have a seat, too, but he won't..."
"He?" Midori asked, stepping out of her room.
"Yes, he," her mother replied with a smirk. "Is there something I should know, Mi-chan?"
Midori raised her eyebrows at her, trying to look annoyed, but failing miserably. It amused her that her mother, even with the twenty-year difference, can be as much of a poking friend as the Two.
"Not that I know of, Mom."
Midori skipped down the stairs so as not to keep her visitor waiting. Whoever it was. Drawing in a breath, she opened the front door...
"Konban--"
...and saw Yokaze Rei.
"--wa..."
She blinked.
What the...? She tried to think of all the possible reasons why he came, but her mind drew a blank. Rei was there, in jeans and a green sweater... hands in his pockets... smiling at her... his hazelnut-colored hair blown by the wind... and looking...
looking...
Looking WHAT?! Midori questioned her own thoughts. She wondered why, after all those years she had known him, and her recent visit to his home, she was still not used to seeing him in civilian clothing. Heck, she wasn't used to seeing him outside the school at all. And he looked...
Cute.
Midori snapped out of her stupor as the door closed loudly behind her. At the same time, she coughed loudly and scolded herself for staring. If Rei had kept his eyes on her for a few more seconds (he had looked away when Midori coughed), he would have seen suspicious traces of pink on her cheeks.
"Hey," he finally said, breaking the silence.
"Hey."
"Konbanwa...I didn't bother you or anything, did I?" Rei asked, his eyes catching the book she was holding.
"No...but even if you did, there's nothing I could do about it now, is there?"
"I...suppose not..."
Silence.
"So...ummm..." he started again. His eyes started to dart from Midori to the pavement and back. "...Are you OK?"
"Huh?"
"I meant...Earlier today... y'know..."
Midori raised an eyebrow in confusion, then her mouth formed into a small "o", realizing that he meant the latest Takashi-Yukibana bout.
"Yeah, I'm fine...thank you."
"Oh...OK. I just thought maybe you..." he trailed off.
"I what?"
"I just thought you'd... y'know..."
"...No... I obviously don't."
"Y'know...Cry about it like girls do." he said slowly, finally looking at Midori again. She was about to bonk his head with her book, but then, she realized: girls her age usually did cry when guys tease them. As a matter of fact, the Two had always been amazed that she was even able to talk back at Takashi.
That being the case, Midori realized he was just being concerned.
That was sweet.
"I'm fine," she repeated with a smile.
"Oh...OK," he said, smiling slightly, too.
A pause.
"Is that all?" she asked. Not that she was shooing him away, but she wasn't about to stand out there all night.
"Well..." his eyes started darting everywhere again. "Yeah..."
"O~...K..." Midori said with an awkward grin. "I'm going in now... See you tomorrow?"
"OK..." he said, stepping back a couple of paces. To any keen observer's eyes, he looked pretty dejected.
Midori was a keen observer.
But she wasn't about to poke into anybody's brain when they didn't ask her to.
"Ja..." she said with a small wave, instead, then turned around to open the door.
"Wait!"
She turned her head to see that Rei had taken back those three paces he took. She cocked her head curiously.
"I...I..."
Midori turned to face him, waiting as patiently as she could.
And let me tell you something: She's not very patient.
"Well?" she finally asked.
"I..." he started, then he mumbled something.
"Say again?"
He then clenched his fists and spoke VERY fast.
"Iwantedtoaskyoutogowithmetothedancenextmonth!" he told the ground.
"..." was what Midori 'said'.
"HUH?!" was what rang out in her mind.
"I mean...I know it's WAY early, but I thought I could suggest that we go together before you made plans to go with your friends and stuff..." he said in one breath. Then, seeing the apologetic look on Midori's face, his tense shoulders slumped ever-so-slightly. "But...you already did..."
"Well...actually... yeah..."
Midori was torn. She felt sorry for the guy. He went all the way to her house at that time of the night to check if she was OK, and to ask her to the dance, after all, but she couldn't leave her friends, either. They had already decided (and Yuko just reconfirmed it that morning) to go together. No dates.
"Oh...Yeah, yeah, that's OK... I mean... It's OK..." he was saying, trailing off.
"I'll dance with you, though." Midori said with a smile. His face literally became brighter.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah..."
"Great! I mean....OK...great..."
"OK..."
"Yeah..." Rei's eyes started darting all over the place again, but this time he was smiling. "Yeah, well, I gotta go now..."
"OK...See you tomorrow at school, then."
"Right...Good night."
With a small bow, Rei took several steps backward. Midori nodded, then went inside. She leaned on the door once she closed it. Rei was being...nice. Too nice. It couldn't be that he was just...pulling her leg, making fun of her...could it? Midori shook her head to clear her brain.
No, she thought. He's nice to start with... He's a friend, isn't he?
"Ahem."
Midori looked up to see her mother leaning on the wall. She was smirking again.
"So...anything I should know, Mi-chan?"
"No, Mom, not that I know of."
"Really? So who was that?"
Midori paused, then smiled.
"A friend."