Four

"You gonna eat that?"

"No."

"Can I get some?"

"Sure."

"Left your appettite at home, Rei?" Kamui asked, looking back and forth his two best friends.

"Som'n' like that..." Rei answered, his head remaining bowed (as it had been for the past 10 minutes) as he worked on his history paper. Aiko stopped getting pasta from his untouched spaghetti plate. She and Kamui looked at each other worriedly.

"Nee, Rei-kun, thanks for the pasta."

"It's yours if you want."

Aiko pouted her lips, glanced at Kamui, then put her fork down.

"HEY!" Rei suddenly exclaimed when Aiko snatched his pen. "C'mon, Aiko, give that back!"

"Not until you eat."

Rei snorted.

"For your information, my mother's still alive."

Aiko ignored the remark. "It's good your grades are getting better the past month, Rei-kun, but... totally focusing on it and not eating isn't healthy."

"Easy for you to say. You can do well in your studies without studying..."

"That's not the point."

Rei just glared at Aiko. Aiko glared back.

"Oei, oei... Quit it, you two..." Kamui said after a second, breaking the eye contact.

"Yeah, Aiko, if he doesn't want to eat, then let him. We can't force him, y'know."

Aiko looked at the brown-haired boy beside her. His dark brown eyes seemed pleading and commanding at the same time. Aiko sighed.

"Fine, Oniichan, if you say so."

Rei gave the him a nod. "Thanks, Hikaru."

The 14-year-old Kazetenshi nodded back. "Sure. But that doesn't mean she's not right, either. You should eat."

"Yeah, maybe later. I don't have much of an appettite right now."

"You never have an appettite recently," Aiko pointed out, twirling her fork.

"Hey, guys, wanna hear a story?" Kamui suddenly asked.

They were at The Spazio, a café near Kobayakawa where the Group (Aiko, Kamui, Rei, Midori, Hikaru, and Sara, Kamui's sister) usually hung out after school. It was like an daily unspoken arrangement. After whatever academic or extracurricular activities they have, the Group automatically pass by The Spazio and wait for a few minutes, just in case someone else would show up. At five o'clock, the Group was already at their regular booth except for Sara, who was at gymnastics training, and Midori, who was...just across the street.

~~~

She nibbled at her fingernail nervously, fully conscious that her heart was pounding in her chest. And it made her even more nervous.

Midori turned her eyes from the pavement, and watched her friends having their everyday dose of healthy bickering. Rei was apparently NOT happy with Aiko for getting his pen, and Aiko looked like she was reprimanding him or something.

Rei eventually got the pen back, and Kamui was saying something... Everyone seemed to be listening to him pretty intently, when suddenly they laughed (except for Aiko, who rolled her eyes). Midori found herself wishing she was there laughing with them instead of hiding in the alley.

Get a grip. If you were there, they won't be laughing. Or at least, he won't.

Midori frowned. She knew Rei wasn't having the best day of his life, what with Maeda-sensei criticizing his English in a not-so-constructive way first thing in the morning... Thanks to Kamui, she saw Rei smile for the first time that day.

And here she was, standing several yards away, preparing herself to ruin it for him all over again.

It was simple, actually. Midori just had to act happy and ignore Rei completely, and she was sure Aiko was going to call her later and reprimand her for getting Rei angry. She hadn't personally seen that happen the past month (stoic and unfeeling doesn't count) but she took Aiko's word for it.

Midori took a deep breath, flexed her neck, squared her shoulders and conditioned herself for her act. It was simple, but it wasn't easy. It didn't help that she was this nervous everytime she did it. Then again, she had done this for a month now, and she wasn't about to let that go down the drain. Besides, she had the perfect alibi to be happy today.

She nodded to herself as she let go of her breath, then, flipping her hair for added confidence, she crossed the street with her head held high.

~~~

Hikaru looked up from his book when he felt someone stop beside him, and saw Midori standing there, smiling from ear to ear.

"Had a great day, Midori?"

"You have NO idea, Hikaru-kun," she replied. "Ai-chan, you are NEVER going to guess what happened!"

"Uh... You checked the geography exam results, and you got the highest score in our exams?"

Midori blinked, then laughed.

"Of course not! Whoever said I could top an exam? Kamui did, and you got one point less than his."

"Ha!" Aiko exclaimed as Kamui groaned. "I knew it! Show me the money!"

As Kamui fished his pockets for her winnings, Aiko noticed Rei shake his head.

"What's that about, Rei-kun?"

Rei shrugged. "Nothing. Just...the whole betting thing."

It was just a simple word, but Midori suddenly felt her chest tighten, an unwanted memory resurfacing again.

"Don't you get it yet, Yukibana? It was a BET."

Midori clenched her jaw, keeping herself in check. She wasn't going to react because she wasn't even supposed to hear Rei, right?

"What about 'the whole betting thing'?" Aiko asked back.

"You guys just bounce back and forth in the first and second places, anyway, so you don't really seem to win anything, if you look at it." Rei reasoned. "Don't you think it's a bit pointless?"

"Actually, my friend," Kamui replied, "that IS the point. We both win."

Rei rolled his eyes and went back to his work.

"Hey, who's in third?" Kamui asked before proceeding to drink his shake again.

"Someone else," Midori said, waving her hand dismissively. No one else but Hikaru noticed Rei flinch.

"Anyway, Aiko, I have another thing to tell you..." Midori continued, the smile returning to grace her face. "Guess who came up to me and talked to me on my way here."

"I...have no clue," Aiko said with a shrug.

"Aren't you going to guess at least once?"

"Uh...No?" Aiko asked with a mocking grin.

"You are no fun."

"Just tell us who it is if you're so excited about it," Hikaru said, turning to his book again.

"OK, OK...It was..." Midori started, then bit her lip in a giddy way.

"It was?" Aiko encouraged, getting curious herself.

But, Midori didn't really need encouraging.

"Matsuyama Aoi!" she blurted out. "He asked me out!"

Aiko's jaw practically hit the table.

Hikaru almost dropped his book.

The sound of Kamui trying to drink from an almost empty glass suddenly stopped.

And Rei's head shot up so quickly you'd think his neck would break.

"Matsuyama Aoi asked you out." Aiko clarified.

Midori nodded vigorously.

"Matsuyama Aoi," Kamui echoed. "THE Matsuyama Aoi? The sophomore in the basketball team?"

"The one that practically all the upperlass girls crush on?"

"The one that's my classmate?" Hikaru asked, incredulous.

Midori nodded to all the questions, smiling the whole time. "The one and only. He seems really nice... He IS nice, isn't he, Hikaru-kun?"

"Yeah... he's cool," Hikaru answered.

Midori laughed again. "Why did I even ask? He won't be popular unless he's cool, right?"

"A guy can be notorious," Kamui pitched in. "Not that I'm saying that Matsuyama is, though..."

"I hear he's very smart," Midori continued. "I think it runs in the family. Did you know his older brother got second place in some exclusive school?"

"It wasn't 'some exclusive school'," Hikaru told her. "It was St. Paul's."

"Really?" Aiko asked in wonder. "I always thought he got in because they're rich."

"Yeah, that, too. But he also got the scholarship. Him and some guy named..." Hikaru's eyebrows suddenly furrowed as he thought hard. "Wait, I know this... Uh... Hmmm...."

"Don't strain your brain trying to remember, Oniichan."

"I know this! That was the same year I went in Kobayakawa, and there were congratulations banners everywhere. It was Matsuyama Osamu and...and..."

WHAM!

Everyone jumped at the sound of Rei's heavy history book slamming shut. Midori blinked, her eyebrows knitting together. She watched him tensely gather his things on the table, his jaw set. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but she stopped herself before she did. Aiko didn't hold herself back, though.

"Rei-ku---"

"The second placer was Matsuyama Osamu, 93%. The top-notcher in that exam, who was also Matsuyama's best friend, was granted free tuition, full book allowance and pocket money. The guy's a total record-breaker. He's the first 15-year-old to take the exam, and his score was the highest in St. Paul's 25-year history," Rei paused as he began to carefully put his things in his bag. "He got 99.5%. He made one mistake. One freaking mistake."

"Whoa, man," Kamui suddenly said worriedly. He was beginning to think Rei was starting to look dangerous. "No need to get worked up over this, right?"

"Yeah, whatever," Rei answered stiffly. "The name of the blasted top-notcher, by the way, is Yokaze.

"Yokaze Tokiya."

The silence that followed drummed in Midori's ears, though it wasn't really quiet. The students around them were chatting happily, glasses and forks and spoons clinked, and Rei was making a racket out of trying to stuff his numerous pieces of paper in his bag.

But who was Yokaze Tokiya?

Suddenly, Midori remembered something Miki-san said the first time she went to their house.

"His brothers always barged in on him even if he's studying, anyway, so go right in."

Miki-san had said "brothers".

That meant Yokaze Tokiya was...

"Your older brother..." Midori involuntarily whispered as Rei stood up.

"The one and only," was his simple reply as he brushed past her.

And then he was out the door.

Silence ruled in the booth for several more seconds, until Aiko cleared her throat and emitted a broken "OK..."

"That was...interesting," Hikaru said. "I didn't know he had an older brother."

"He never mentioned him before," Midori whispered again.

"Well, they're obviously not in good terms with each other," Aiko commented. "Sad."

Then the Group was quiet again. Aiko quietly finished her spaghetti, and Kamui began to eat the pasta that Rei ordered but didn't even glance at. Hikaru went to continue reading. Midori just stared at the table.

This was how Toriyama Sara found them.

"Hey, guys..."

"Hey, sis."

"What's up?"

"Nothing much."

"Where's Rei-kun?"

"He left."

Sara blinked. "Where'd he go?"

"Home, probably."

"He doesn't usually go home early, doesn't he?"

"I guess."

Sara frowned. "Oniichan, do you think you can answer me in more than two words?"

At this, Kamui finally looked up at her, then made a show of looking thoughtful.

"Probably not."

Sara rolled her eyes at Kamui's grin. "Mattaku... What's with the long faces, anyway?"

She looked at each of her silent friends, waiting for any kind of response. Hikaru flipped a page.

"OK... You guys are totally scaring me..." Sara said after a few seconds. "Isn't anyone going to tell me? Because I'd rather not be around people who won't talk to me and act like zombies. Especially since I'm used to them being hilarious when they're together."

"There goes the 12-year-old who can talk like a 15-year-old," Hikaru said with a grin.

"Start talking or I'll act like a 17-year-old."

"Well..." Aiko finally said, pushing her plate away. "Today just wasn't Rei's best day ever."

Midori smiled bitterly at herself. Mission accomplished: directly or not, she had ruined Rei's day. And, in the process, she had butchered her own.

Yet another day has gone by.

~~~

The door slammed behind Rei. He took off his shoes and wordlessly went straight to his new reading room.

"Oniichan!"

"Not now, Kano," Rei replied in an even voice.

But Kano persisted. "Oniichan, guess what?"

"Not now, Kano," Rei repeated, going inside the room and closing the door behind him.

"But, Oniichan---" pushed Kano, going into the room. Clenching his fists, Rei wheeled around and faced his brother.

"I said, not NOW, Kano!" Rei exclaimed, making Kano freeze. "Can't a guy get a break around here?!"

Wide-eyed, Kano hesitated for a moment, then ran outside. In frustration, Rei slammed the door shut. He opened the window and collapsed in his bean bag. He heaved a sigh, trying to cool his head. Rei closed his eyes and breathed in as a refreshing breeze went in from outside. He groaned and rolled his eyes, though, when he heard the door open again.

"Kano, didn't I tell you to leave me alone?"

"So I heard," came a cool voice.

Rei stopped, then sunk even lower on his bean bag.

"Out, Tokiya," he said without turning to face the boy at the doorway.

"Unlike our little brother, I didn't come here just to be kicked out, Rei."

At this, Rei stood up. "Tokiya, I had a really rotten day, all right? I'd appreciate it if you didn't make it worse."

When Tokiya closed the door behind him, Rei threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Believe me," Tokiya said, brushing his black bangs from his forehead with a flick of his wrist, "I would very much like to leave you alone in your own little world. But I would rather you didn't involve Kano in your problems."

"It's not like I'm the only one doing that," Rei retorted.

"Yes, I did that when I went home sometimes, didn't I? And you were always there to reprimand me. Well, here I am returning the favor."

Rei narrowed his eyes. "Leave. Me. Alone. Tokiya. NOW."

The older boy didn't answer. But after a moment, he slightly turned for the door.

"Remember one thing, Rei: Kano looks up to you."

"Yeah, unbelievable, isn't it?"

"Shut up and listen. When Dad died, Kano lost his father... I'm not about to watch him lose a brother, too."

And with that, Tokiya left the room, leaving Rei with his thoughts.

~~~

Rei took a deep breath before turning the doorknob.

"Kano?" he called as he peeked in the room. His brother's blue room was still neat. Fortunately, Kano didn't go into a tantrum and wreck his quarters. Rei closed the door and walked in. Kano was nowhere to be seen. Rei sighed, then went to lie down on the floor beside the bed.

"Hey..."

The boy under the bed didn't answer.

"Hey, Kano, can I talk to you?"

"Me not Kano," came a muffled voice. "Me monster living in shadows of bed."

Rei smiled. Kano had a hilarious sense of humor without knowing it.

"Well, can I speak with you then, Great Monster Under Kano's Bed?"

"No. Me no speak with grumpy older brother who want break."

"Well, I'm not grumpy anymore, and I think I've had my break..." Rei tried.

Silence.

"Look, Kano..." Rei said with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for yelling at you, and slamming the door in your face, and for kicking you out of my room."

Still no response from the Monster Under Kano's Bed.

"Please, Kano? Forgive me?"

A pause.

"Only if you make me a paper crane."

Rei nodded. "Deal."

As Kano crawled out from under his bed, Rei went to get origami paper from his desk.

"What color?"

"Green."

"You got it."

Rei sat down again beside the bed, with Kano beside him, and started to make the crane.

"What were you going to tell me earlier, Kano?"

The smaller boy shifted in his seat. "Nothin'..."

"It doesn't look like it's nothing..."

"I don't think it's good to tell you now, Oniichan."

"Why?"

"Tokiya-oniisan told me so..."

"Waitwaitwait. Tokiya knows about it?"

"Yes."

"OK. Let's hear it."

"But---"

"Please, Kano?"

"I dunno..."

"I promise, I won't get angry."

Kano seemed to struggle with himself, then sighed heavily. "OK..."

"Thank you."

"On the way home, I saw Midori-oneesan walking outside your school. She didn't see me. She was talking with one of Tokiya-oniisan's friends."

"Really?"

Kano nodded. "After they finished, the guy ran past me. And then I saw him later talking with Oniisan and another one of their friends."

"I see..." Rei said as his hands mechanically finished the crane. "And what did Tokiya say about this?"

"When he got home after you did, I told him about it. He told me you won't like it if I told you..."

Rei handed the crane to Kano and ruffled his little brother's hair. "Don't worry, I'm not angry."

"You're not?"

"Well, not at you, I'm not."

"Oniichan, I like you a lot, but I like you better when you're not angry at anybody."

Kano put the crane down and tugged at Rei's sleeve. "Promise you won't get too angry?"

"I'll try." Rei said, then he grinned. "Promise you won't tell mom about this afternoon?"

Kano grinned as well. "I'll try."

Outside the room, the eldest of the three brothers pushed himself from his position the wall, a rare smile on his usually stoic face.

From the Author:
Oh. My. Goodness. Did I write Midori to be too mean? Stick with me here until the end of Part Two... I know this is quite confusing right now but, there IS an explanation, I swear. I've already outlined the episodes in detail until the end of Part Two, and I hope I can redeem Midori... It will be a problem if I don't...

ricebowl35, *huggle* thank you SO much for your ever-encouraging review! I admit, the sort of flame did shock me a bit, but, it's good to know what everyone thinks. Besides, the reviewer is entitled to her own opinion...

Clarifications about the Part One -> Part Two transition:
Part One, Chapter Seven. Midori had wanted to apologize, but remember that Rei kept snapping at her. Not exactly the best thing to happen for their first conversation after the dance, but who could blame him for that? She DID do all those stuff Rei said, but  then, you can't blame her, either. As far as she knew, Rei lied to her and tricked her into becoming his friend just so he can humiliate her. The episode at Rei's house didn't help any.

Part Two, Chapter 1. Rei had wanted to apologize, too, but Midori moved away, right? But that was two months before the start of classes. Besides, he wasn't prepared to face Midori that day, unlike that night when he went to their house. Remember, he just said "Hi", which was harmless. But because he mentioned her name, it came as an insult (see glossary for trivia on treatment of Japanese given names). Her reply wasn't filled with venom, either, unlike what it sounded to Rei. Things go downhill from there.

Hope those helped... Nyahaha... I hope you guys don't get too angry at Midori, either... Tell me if my writing is starting to deteriorate, ok?

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