A feeling came over me, a bad feeling. I’d done something wrong again, people were watching me.

These things… they come over me, these feelings, and I must do them… and they always seem to be bad decisions. The smile left my face and I felt bad for making Kodo-Ra embarrassed.

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"No, no, it’s not that you did anything wrong, and I don't feel bad, just a little awkward. It is sorta something that other people will give you a few weird looks."

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“Hai… It’s OK, you don’t have to lie to me, I know I did something wrong… I just don’t know what.”

Can’t be the dancing or playing, it must be undressing. About what Mai said yesterday… Hm, that. But why is it wrong when it’s lovely?

I shook my head and sighed and let him lead us in. Chi went ahead of me and spoke to a brown-haired girl I didn't know.

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"Hey, you might want to go see her and take up her offer of dry clothes and a hot bath”.

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I nodded at Rakuin, that felt like a very good idea. I accepted a warm towel from the girl who told me her name was Momoko. Chi did too. I went in the shower room to take off Chi’s pretty but very wet and probably ruined cardigan. I quickly towelled my hair then wrapped the large soft white towel around myself, right around my neck and holding it closed with my hands inside it much like I’d worn my blanket earlier I went back out.

He was still waiting there for me, bless him. I smiled feebly at him. He looked like he was about to speak when...

[edited to fit in Icchan's screaming! ]

Post last edited by natsuba on 05.18.2008, 11:01 AM.

As the three came onto the porch I took a step forward and-

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Hirata: "Here, take a towel and dry yourselves."

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"NA-CHAN!" Icchan shouted

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Post last edited by natsuba on 05.18.2008, 11:08 AM.

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"Hey. Did I cause that unhappy look? Sorry if mine and Na-chan's behaviour caused you any trouble. I... I didn't mean to do anything bad."

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Her clutching to me put another awkward moment into the reel. I couldn't help it but I felt the cheeks go red. Okay, time for this to come to an end.

Na-chan eventually headed for the bath.

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“Kodo-Ra, ah, hah, I’m going to take a bath,” a thought came, “If you want you can come sit outside and talk to me while I soak. Ah…. Unless you’d rather have breakfast that is…?”

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"Yeah. I guess you didn't. No harm in a little fun... so long as things don't get out of hand ne?" . "Look," . "I don't know if you realise, but... I don't Na-chan understands exactly what she's done wrong. She's not stupid, she knows she's done wrong, but I don't think she realises what. I just... it just didn't feel right for her to be encouraged like that OK? That's all it is."

---

I was still facing the other way when I heard some playful shouts from outside. After a moment or two, Na-chan went past, looking a little subdued. Then Kashikoi came along as well. Completely ignoring me. What were you expecting?

Na-chan came back suddenly, wearing a towel. And nothing else... I thought, going a bit red. Then Icchan exploded. Almost literally. Who are you, her dad?

Chi was speaking to Kazuo, who appeared remarkably unfazed by the whole nude scene. And she still won't talk to me.

Then I heard Na-chan asking Chi to join her for a bath. Oh. Now that I was standing their with very rosy cheeks, looking like a fool, I decided I was quite glad that nobody chose to talk to me. ...yet.

Turning over, still more asleep than awake, I shivered and snuggled under the covers. It was morning? A cold morning. Sunday...

I smiled underneath the covers and then flung them off, immediately regretting it. Quickly gathering my things I surpressed the urge to rush since there was a lot of time left and stepped outside and into the rain. Giving out a little yelp as it was cold, I turned my face up to let the rain dance on my face for a few seconds before running to the door where quite a few people were crowded. Looking back out, I thought, It's a pity it makes you sick...

I said good morning to everyone around me and ducked into the washroom after Momo-chan had conveniently provided me with hot towels. Soaking under hot water for a few minutes, I came out feeling refreshed and warm. I dried myself off and dressed before turning my attention to my hair. It was a terrible mess...it took another couple minutes to sort that out after which I stepped out in an orang-y red wrap around dress under a warm, cream sweater top. Once outside, I slipped on some wool socklets, hopping a little and bumping into someone who was standing off to the side and then in an attempt regain my balance, hopping some more and stepping on the same person's foot.

I straightened to find Hibiki-san in front of me and said, "Ooh, morning! Sorry about that! I didn't hurt you did I?"

I turned as I heard somebody coming in. A slightly disheveled figure of beauty had woken up. With my scarlet face, it was just as well that she didn't suddenly come and speak to me. After she vanished, I stood and said to myself, Why do the girls in this class have to be so pretty...?

Okay, I answered, maybe you're not gay after all.

By the time the figure of beauty returned, my face had returned to its normal hue. It didn't last long though, because then suddenly the figure of beauty stood on my toe. I winced, and went red again as she stood up straight and apologised.

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"Ooh, morning! Sorry about that! I didn't hurt you did I?"

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Rakuin answered my question about staying outside the bathroom.

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"Yeah sure, we may have a few things to talk about."

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I grinned at him, “Arigato! I’ll be right up, just want to… ah, there she is…!” I gave his shirt sleeve a final tug goodbye and went over to Chi and Kazuo who were talking. They seemed to finish as I approached, I only caught Kazuo’s last few words.

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"…that's all it is. OK?"

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Then when he and Chi had finished their conversation I asked him if he’d slept well.

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"Ohayo Na-chan," he replied "I did thanks, yeah, and you too I hope?"

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“Ooh, yes! I did! Arigato! I slept like a log, but my head got a bit cold, I had it stuck out the tent in the middle of the night watching the stars.”

“I was… ha, ha, I was imagining I was camping in a forest.”

“Ah! Like in Icchan’s spooky story!”

“Um, yeah... So yeah! I did sleep very well!”

His gaze went past me to the area by the back door. I guessed at once who he was looking at.

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"Er... what was Icchan shouting about?"

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I laughed in a rather squeaky embarrassed way, then realized I didn’t know why I was laughing. Or embarrassed. Or squeaking. Nerves I think, Icchan was scary when he shouted. “Ah, ano… um… I think he thought it wasn’t right to just wear a towel. But I need a bath, a good hot soak, suddenly I’m freezing! I was fine out there! In here it’s cold. I came out to go upstairs and got yelled at.”

“Ah…” I looked down at a point near his feet, under the towel I brought my hands up under my chin and gently bonked the knuckles together a time or two, it might have looked odd, the towel moving under my chin, “I did something wrong again…”

But you’re lovely. You don’t snap at me. I looked back up at him and smiled nicely.



Then I turned to Chi to tell her where I was going and asked her if she wanted to come. I felt a little fragile, a little too looked at, like I was in the staring crowds when I had one of my moments when I was out with mummy.

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"Clueless." she sighed, "Utterly clueless."

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I frowned at her, “Well you might be, but I thought I’d talked some sense into you back there! Ah, you’re so slow!”

“Dimwit!” I grinned.

You're joking a lot!

I am?

Hmm!

Ooh, is that good?

Hmm!

Heeee!

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"Sure I'll join you. If only to stop Icchan killing you."

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She laughed and took my hand and winked at Icchan. It was a pretty thing, that wink. I wanted to do one so I tried it too though mine might have looked too much like a sudden spasm of one shoulder. I still wasn’t in a winking mood.

You’re so relaxed.

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"It’s okay we'll get our towel-y selves out of sight quickly."

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I let her take me by the hand this time and we scampered up the stairs. Part way up I began to laugh, I have no idea why, nerves maybe but by the time we reached the top hall by the bathroom door where Rakuin was waiting I was laughing fit to burst, I could hardly stand up. Clutching on to her elbow we stopped outside the door.

“Ah, Kodo-Ra, please would you look after us? We need a really alert sentry! A strong noble guardian! There’s weird boys down there, Icchan is being shouty and scary, please make sure he doesn’t come up here!” I only just managed to get this out before I exploded into laughter again, bending at the knees almost double and leaning against the wall.

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"Hey," he replied with a small smile, "It's okay though. I'm fine."

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Waving a goodbye to Kazuo with my free hand, I used the other to lead Na-chan up the stairs.

Where she seemed to be having some sort of break down.

"Na-chan you crazy girl stop laughing!" I said, giggling myself "Your towel will fall down and i've seen enough of whats underneath it to last me a lifetime!"

We reached the top of the stairs and I let go of her hand, Seisaku was waiting at the top for us and I gave him a friendly grin and roll of the eyes towards the hysterical Na-chan. "Shes all yours, i'm going to go head in first."

I walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. For a second I lent against it, thinking of what I had just said.

This morning, the first person he talked to was Na-chan...and he came to give us the umbrellas, pausing to talk to her...and now he's waiting for her outside the bathroom.

Seisaku and Na-chan?

I could still hear laughter through the door and I couldnt help smiling. She deserves it. Treat her well Seisaku, or you'll have me to answer too.

I quickly stripped, undoing my hair from its ponytail and shaking it out like a dog. I rubbed at it with my towel a for a few minutes, lost in thought.



So now its Seisaku and Na-chan. Sadoru and Aoi. Hibiki and...Megumi I suppose. I sighed, and then rapped myself on the head. "I will have to go on a boy-hunt. Before all the rest of them get snapped up." I said softly to myself as I clambered into the bath. You shouldn't talk to yourself.

I dont care, this bath is gorgeous. So warm! Ooh...

I sat there, amusing myself by rubbing my hands with soap and then touching my thumb and index finger together, dipping them into water and blowing bubbles through them. It was something I was taught how to do when I was very young, 4 maybe 5. Theres something very pretty about bubbles, the way if you looked at them just right they seemed to reflect the colours of the rainbow.

Mmm, I wonder when Na-chan will finish sweet talking Seisaku and come in.

I couldnt help but giggle some more at the idea of Na-chan sweet talking somebody. That would be interesting.

Post last edited by Nausicaa_Cat on 05.21.2008, 12:29 PM.

I went up and checked the bathroom, making sure mom or dad had no plans to use it but mom was downstairs and dad had gone out for his early Sunday walk.

The place was tidy and clean, last night's girl session hadn't wrecked it so I got some fresh towels out and hung them on the rail and ran the bath checking the water was nice and hot.

Crazy girl, you'll be frozen.

As I stepped out and closed the door I found Rakki just coming up the stairs. I greeted him and assuming he was using the upstairs toilet because downstairs was occupied I pointed the door out to him. Then I went back down.

I'd only got as far as the end of the landing at the top of the stairs when up came two small bundles of towel wrapped madness. It was a good thing sis was at uni and not having her Sunday lie-in. She hates being disturbed.

I stood back into the corner and watched them bumble past, Na-chan bouncing off the walls with gales of laughter, Kashikoi trying to hold her up and guide her.

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"Na-chan you crazy girl stop laughing!" Kashikoi giggled, "Your towel will fall down and I've seen enough of what’s underneath it to last me a lifetime!"

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Post last edited by Saddletank on 05.19.2008, 05:12 AM.

I groaned. "Not you too. C'mon Sadoru, dry jokes from Jun is plentiful enough."

"Know what, one of these days, we gotta strap Na-chan to a chair and teach her the basic A-to-Zs of life, then I'm gonna drag Tanaka-san down and make her teach her from Z to A."

I looked at the toast, and decided to take up Jun's earlier offer of breakfast.

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"Oh I'm silly, of course it hurt; I basically stomped on you and first thing in the morning too."

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"It's alright really. Don't worry about it. I'm sure I'll live."

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I went up the stairs and waited for them, they eventually made there way up, I presumed there was some more conversations, which had me slightly worried since their had already been a few incidents.

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“Ah, Kodo-Ra, please would you look after us? We need a really alert sentry! A strong noble guardian! There’s weird boys down there, Icchan is being shouty and scary, please make sure he doesn’t come up here!”

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"So.... I guess I'll start with the obvious question... How did you sleep?"

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Na-chan's reply came out in the usual excited tumble; how she maintained such constant energy and liveliness was beyond me. 'Specially first thing in the morning. Don't you ever get tired?

She answered my question about Icchan, suddenly seeming quite jittery. I glanced quickly over at him. Baka, you've made her nervous.

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“Ah, ano… um… I think he thought it wasn’t right to just wear a towel. But I need a bath, a good hot soak, suddenly I’m freezing! I was fine out there! In here it’s cold. I came out to go upstairs and got yelled at.”

“Ah… I did something wrong again…”

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"Very well! It was great, I loved it! I always sleep with mummy, either in our house or if we go on vacation we share a room, and being away from home was so much fun! Do you remember that spooky story Icchan told? Ah, ha, ha! Gomen, I can't call him what you did, its a bit naughty to call him that... ah, well, where was I? Hm, yeah! I woke up in the middle of the night and lay with my head out of the tent and watched the stars for a long time, I pretended I was camping out in the forest miles from anywhere, it was lovely, I'd so love to do that for real one day and yeah, I slept great!"

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