Hana
From the corner of her eye, Hana saw Minako enter the convenience store. Not that she cared. Out of everyone here Minako really didn’t make any trouble. She even went out of her way to help Yamato. Hana was just more annoyed about her preparedness covering her ramen and not Hana’s. I mean honestly she didn’t eat that much, but she still needed to eat. Kicking butt burned calories! Falling didn’t. When she fell Hana felt so embarrassed. She was finally coming off cool!!! That all ended. Hana grateful that Minako came out of the store to help. Even more grateful that she dragged that big mouth Haru out with her. She got back into her plastic seat and started to talk with Yuri and Yamato.
“Hana-San, do you trip often?”
Yuri laughed. Yamato smiled at her.
“This must be the third time today.”
Hana glared at him.
“Baka.”
Yuri laughed, casually glancing at Haru through the store windows. Hana taking the chance to make a sly face and call her out.
“Neh, Yuri-San, do you like Haru-san?”
Yuri’s face turned bright red.
“Nani…uh. No…”
Yamato cracked up laughing.
“Don’t be shy Yuri. You loooove him.”
Yuri hit her brothers arm.
“No I don’t! It’s just… if we don’t find anyone else he said he’d marry me.”
Hana looked at her shocked. When she saw Yamato’s expression she understand. He must of said that when they were young kids. Hana turning to look at Haru. In all honesty he wasn’t bad looking. He had rubbed her the wrong way before, but he couldn’t of been that bad if Yuri liked him. She seemed decent enough. Hana watched the way he stood by Minako. He was leaning forward instead of away. He even seemed to be holding back a smile. Yuri catching her attention.
“Hana-San, are you interested in Haru-nii?”
Hana turned and shook her head violently.
“Iie! Definitely not. Never would be my type.”
Yuri nodded her head. Everyone could see her slight smile. Crap. This was just like the scene she read in a manga once. Yuri turned to Yamato smiling.
“Onii-chan, why don’t you go out with Hana?”
Hana stood up and hit the table top the same exact time Yamato did. Yuri cracking up laughing when she saw the two of them look at each other. Hana turning her head to look at Minako and Haru. She had a very bad feeling about this. Sitting down quickly she smiled at Yuri.
“Yuri-San, if I promise to neeeever like Haru, you have to find me a guy that’s my type.”
Yuri pinky swore with her. Hana had the sudden idea that if anything did happen she could help Minako ease into it. Hana’s stomach made a noise. Yamato cracking up laughing. She kicked him from under the table and he glared at her. The two of them starting to bicker. Yuri laughing, giving a side glance at an unusually comfortable Haru.
“Haru-san,”
With a small swig from her bottle she took a moment to really take in his appearance.
“Do you go to the same school as Akiyama-san, Hana-chan, and I?”
Wow how had she missed that uniform? But, she didn’t remember seeing him at the assembly. Unless…he was older? Baka-chan did seem to have some forced respect for him even if it was enforced by his Yuri-san.
“You got scolded by Hana-chan and you’re a Senpai!”
She laughed as she thought about how adamant Hana-chan had been.
“Well, that’s what you get for calling me a super Tsundere.”
Slight irritation colored her words as she pulled a gourmet packet of soy ramen out of her shopping bag. It might not be pork, but it was nice to change it up everyone in a while.
“And for calling Hana-chan a kawaii overdose.”
She tapped the packet against his forehead with a smile.
“Here, give this to Hana-chan and make peace before you get lectured…or she hurts herself again.”
“Hm, looks like they’re back to normal.”
It was nice to see the tension having faded.
“Try not to rile everything up again, Haru-san.”
She tapped him with the packet of ramen again.
“Oh! I forgot to grab something so I’ll meet you over there. The hot water is right next to the checkout counter.”
She gave him one last smile before going back into the store and rushing over to find the sakuma drops Oba-chan wanted. The desk clerk looked quite surprised to see her at the counter again.
“I forgot something.”
Minako admitted sheepishly while fishing out her money.
The clerk asked, glancing down all three of her fully stocked bags.
She followed the man’s gaze and immediately started calculating her route home.
“Maybe I should double bag it…”
The last thing she needed was for the bag to break! After reinforcing her bags, she rejoined the others.
“Did you guys want to eat in the park nearby? That way we aren’t taking over his store?”
And so that she could be closer to the station she had to take in order to get home?
“I’m not-“
he started to say before she ran off again. He looked down at the ramen in his hands. Was he really going to get this Chibi-chan some curry? Yes, yes he was. Because of that damn honeypot! He sighed and made his way outside to where everyone was. Yuri, Yamato and Chibi were laughing…. I guess she was cute. In that oh too stereotypical kind of way. He turned his attention back to Minako paying at the counter. A small smirk on his face. The damn honeypot. He heard his name being called. Turning to look at a smiling Yuri. He sighed.
“Yuri. Can’t stay calm for a minute, can you?”
She shook her head no and he walked over to her plastic chair. He knew she had a thing for him…. but he never did. She was like his younger sister. Haru turned to a bickering Hana and Yamato. They had barely noticed his arrival. Maybe they’d be a thing.
“Chibi. Here’s your ramen.”
Hana turned and smiled at him. It was too much. He turned away while she took it from him. Mentally laughing at Yuri’s look. Hana was not his type at all. Too fluffy. Hana continued to smile at him. She must of been expecting a response. He hadn’t been paying attention.
“Eto….”
She burst out laughing.
“Haru-San, I said thank you.”
Haru nodded his head and turned to see Minako walking out of the store. She was carrying way too many bags. He sighed.
“Give me the bags.”
Haru grabbing them from her hands before she could argue. He wasn’t actually a thug…. his grandfather taught him manners. Haru chose to ignore Yuri’s look to focus on Hana’s. The Chibi had this awful NEKO smile. Ugh. She even smiled kawaii. He looked down at Minako. There was a quiet air of self assurance. He liked that. Everything in place but nothing standing out too much. Plus, she was hot. He had to think about other things to avoid that fact in his head. Haru started to walk away towards the park.
“Baka! You have ramen in your hands.”
Hana looked at Minako.
“He took your groceries!”
Yuri burst out laughing and ran to catch up with Haru. Yamato dragging her by the arm towards him.
“He’s going to the park.”
Hana shook her head and awkwardly began to walk and eat her ramen at the same time. Casually glancing at what look liked a slightly stunned Minako. She couldn’t really tell. But she seemed a little phased. Which in the 24 hours she knew her… kind of rare. She turned away to look back at Haru and Yuri. She leaned in. He didn’t lean at all. She stood straight. He stood slouching. She smiled with everything. He seemed at rest. Hmmm. Yuri didn’t have a chance with him. I hope she wouldn’t react badly to the person he chose. That could make it awkward if they all stayed friends with each other. She realized Yamato still holding her arm. Hana pulled it away.
“I can walk straight.”
He looked at her laughing.
“Can you?”
Her face scrunched up in annoyance and walked faster to catch up with Yuri and Haru.
“Yuri! Baka-chan is being perverted!”
Yamato running forward creaking out.
“Stop lying to my sister!”
“Eh…”
Hana’s mention of the obvious made her wonder about the poor girl. Here Hana had almost lost her ramen, yet she was focused on someone else having lost their food…It was either a sign of true friendship in the making or a sheer lack of appreciation for ramen. Either would bring a tear to her eye. She almost chocked on her aloe water when Hana called out to Yuri. The look on Akiyama’s face was pure gold.
“Hey, you better not spill it! That’s gourmet ramen!”
Hana might be kawaii, but she definitely wasn’t ditzy- just a klutz. Glancing ahead to Haru and Yuri she realized she hadn’t even noticed when Yuri ran off. That girl probably knew Baka-chan and Hana-chan would get caught up in some shenanigans, and made an escape. Smart girl. Too bad there was almost no way around this cute middle schooler to get her grocery bags back! Once they reached the park Minako took the opportunity to run ahead in search of a nice spot near the trees.
“Hana-chan! Baka-chan! Yuri-san! Haru-san! Over here!”
She gingerly dropped her school bag in the grass and sprawled out in the sun.
“Sun bathing…”
She murmured softly with a happy sigh. Peeking one eye open she waited until Akiyama was close.
“So how did your club hunt go?”
The chaos had almost made her forget about his odd choices.
“Any luck with the ladies?”
Sitting upright she pulled out her preserved ramen and empties a small packet of pepper chips into the thermos.
“Oh! Hana-chan. I meant to ask, do you live on campus?”
She meant to ask Yuri about her day, but Yuri definitely seemed very consumed in whatever she was talking to Haru about.
