Chapter 10

"!"

"!"

"!"

"Come again?" Kusano asked, staring at Yuki without a single movement of his eyelid.

Yuki paled. "I said nothing, nii-chan." she quickly answered.

Kusano got up from his seat, storming through the house, while Yuki gave chase instantly, trying to call Kusano back. Kusano was too quick, and Koyama and Uchi stood there, stunned, while he burst the door open. He knew Yuki was not lying this time. He saw Ryo, pressing his lips against his imouto's forehead, and her imouto's hand on his shoulder. As soon as the door was open, the couple tore away immediately.

"N-nii-chan, knock before you enter!" Moriko stuttered over her words in sudden fright.

Kusano strode over Moriko, pushing Ryo away, even though he was older than he himself. "What's between the two of you?! I'm warning you, NO TOUCHING MY SISTER."

"Onii-chan!" Moriko grabbed the hem of Kusano's singlet, but Kusano brushed her hand off. "I don't see what's wrong!" Moriko argued.

Kusano abruptly turned to face her. "Ri-chan! You're too young! Do you know who you're with?!"

"Ryo-chan is not a bad person!"

"I'm firm on my 'no'! I've always been watching you grow, being with you, letting you have your way, but I don't want you to be bullied! You're always too quick to jump to conclusions and opinions!"

"Nii-chan, Ryo is not like that!"

"I said NO!"

Moriko burst out of the room, still in her pyjamas, slamming the main door behind her. Ryo gave chase.

Koyama looked at Kusano, who was still furious. He walked over. "Kusano, I think you should go gentler on your imouto..."

"What gentler?! She'll never learn that way! The days you were with her, changed her completely!"

"Moriko hasn't changed. She's still the same person. It's because you're overly protective towards her, she has closed herself in. Moriko loves you, Kusano! If she hated you, or didn't respect you, would she have run off in anger like that?" Koyama watched as Kusano stopped his rebuttal, and thought for a moment.

"But I don't want her to get hurt..."

"You don't trust Ryo-chan?"

"...it's Moriko I don't trust."

Kusano didn't explain further, but Koyama did not probe any further as well. Kusano needed his time to think. Koyama left the house with Uchi, to find Ryo stopping Moriko from running. "Ri-chan, wait!" Ryo shouted.

"Nii-chan doesn't trust me!"

"Don't run away from home because of anger in the moment?" Ryo persuaded, holding Moriko's arms.

"I'm not going back." Moriko said firmly, because of her stubborn character. "Do you hear?! I'm not going back!"

Koyama ran over to Moriko. "Ri-chan, calm down. You know Kusano is worried about you, that's why he flared his temper. Moriko knew it, but still, she was too angry over the matter that she decided not to turn back. Koyama sighed. "Ryo-chan, I think Moriko has to spend the time with you. Until she cools down. I guess Kusano needs his own time, too."

Koyama drove them back to the hotel, but the atmosphere in the warm, cheerful-feeling family car grew tense and the silence was deafening, as though any sound next would ignite a whole series of noises. Even Uchi's attempt to cheer Moriko after some time of silence did nothing to improve the situation.

--

"Change." Ryo simply ordered back at the hotel, when the two were alone. He gently threw his clothes to Moriko, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, but she didn't even bother to catch them. She stared at the white shirt that was too big for her, and the large black pants in her lap. She silently got up, closing the door of the bathroom behind her. Ryo stared at the door, suddenly not used to the silent Moriko. Kusano meant a lot to her.

Yet when Moriko was done, the door opened with a loud bang, and a pouting figure stood there. "You're supposed to be only a little taller than me, so why are your clothes so LARGE?!" she demanded, folding her arms, then pointed to the large neckline of the shirt. Ryo laughed at her. Her annoyance was a sign that she was a little better already.

--

Yuki crept cautiously into Kusano and Moriko's room, and Kusano was there, sitting on his bed with his arms folded. It was a rare sight that Kusano was this quiet, and his face was marked with seriousness. He did not even turn to look at Yuki when she had entered, but continued being in his own thoughts. Yuki walked over to Moriko's closet, intending to help bring some clothes and her schoolbag to her, since she knew her sister was hot-tempered as well, and would not come back for uite a few days. She was hoping Kusano did not notice anything.

But his voice startled her movements as she nearly dropped Moriko's clothes. "Bring more clothes for her. I think she won't come back so soon." Kusano said. His voice was surprisingly soft.

"Hai." Yuki answered, and continued packing, while Kusano regained his silence.

As she was heading out the door, Kusano caught up with her, instructing her to pass his words to Moriko. "Tell her that she shouldn't skip any meals. And oh, to tie her apron properly when she cooks, and make sure she doesn't skip school, or if she has any problems she can always look for her onii-chan-"

"Onii-chan, I know. I will tell her." Yuki assured, then went off.

--

There came a knock on Ryo's hotel room door, and Ryo answered the knock. He stood in surprise at Yuki's appearance. "Yuki-chan?" Moriko asked.

"Nee-chan, gomen!" Yuki said.

"... it's okay. Hiro nii-chan has to know some time anyway." Moriko said.

"Ano, nee-chan, here are your clothes and your schoolbag. You'll find an extra box of ichigo inside. Onii-chan left it there for you. He also reminds you to look for him when you need help. And... to tie your apron firmly round if you are cooking." Yuki said, handing her the bag of belongings. "Nii-chan knows your temper. He knows you won't come back that soon. He cares, Moriko nee-chan!"

"...oni-chan." Moriko whispered to herself.

"Gomene! If it wasn't for me!" Yuki said, looking at her feet.

"...Yuki-chan do you want to come in?"

"It's okay, I'm going home now." Yuki refused the offer, and Moriko saw her turn away, her hands brushing over her moist cheeks. Yuki was a good sister after all.

As the door closed, Moriko said in sudden joy, "And now I can change into my own clothes! And get rid of your oversized-"

"Yadda yo." Ryo said, his voice low. "I like you in my clothes." He pulled Moriko closer to him, looking down at her. Moriko returned the gaze uneasily, blushing uncontrollably. She covered Ryo's eyes as the oversized shirt slipped off a shoulder.

"It's too big." Moriko protested, pulling up the neckline.

Ryo laughed. "I didn't know Miss Forest was so conservative!" He received another slap on the arm. "Hey! Why do you love doing this?!"

Moriko stuck her tongue out at him, walking away. She put the box of ichigo into the mini fridge, while placing her other stuff in the corner of the room. She plopped down onto the bed, crossing her legs, turning the television on. Ryo sat beside her, watching TV with her for a moment, but quite suddenly, Moriko turned the TV off. "Ryo-chan..." she said quietly, turning to the figure beside her. Ryo only hurriedly put her into his arms, and the white shirt slipped down one side again.

"...your shirt is really huge." Moriko completed her sentence. "I mean," she corrected, "I'm worried."

"About Kusano?"

"More than that." Moriko admitted.

"Then tell me about it."

She blushed as Ryo's large, warm hand touched her bare left shoulder, and she tightened her arms around Ryo's body. "I don't dare to think of what might happen next." Moriko began. "Nii-chan was right. I am impulsive."

Yet, Ryo did not understand what Moriko meant. "...impulsive? Or are you saying you saw me wrongly?"

But Moriko never got to speaking her point. She simply ended the conversation with, "When that time comes, I'll apologise beforehand."

Ryo wanted no more secrets or second guesses, and started gently pushing Moriko away, but Moriko held on. "Yadda yo. Don't move away. I want to stay like this."

"?"

"...It's because you smell of strawberries."

He smiled.

Very slowly, Moriko fell aslee, her hands falling from her grip on Ryo's shirt. Ryo looked at the figure in his arms, slowly laying her down beside him. He pull the large shirt back over Moriko's exposed shoulder, whispering, "Oyasumi, Ri-chan."

--

"Oi, sleepyhead, wake up, it's time for school."

"A few more minutes, Nori nii-chan~" Moriko whined, pushing the hand away, and turning her back to her sleep-disturber.

"I am not your nii-chan! Now hurry up! Honestly, Ri-chan, you can be such a pig."

Moriko clenched her fists. "Nii-chan, you-" She abruptly got up, slamming the figure down, only to open her eyes to realise it were a topless Ryo she were pinning down. She watched his chest heave with his breathing, his hands having caught her arms in alarm. Yet, when she looked at Ryo's eyes, she realised his gaze was somewhere else. She followed it, and realised... they were beyond that huge opening of the neckline of her shirt! She freed a hand, attempting to slap Ryo, but he caught her wrist instead, bringing her down with him. Their lips were pressed together, and Moriko tried to mumble something, though her voice was muffled.

Ryo pushed her away momentarily, growling, "Shut up for a moment, woman." He pulled her back down again, while Moriko glared at him. She put a finger on his lips to stop the action.

"And for that I'm not letting you have your way." Moriko walked away on purpose. "And next time you kiss me, please don't put me on top, you sukebe!"

"How many times have you called me that already?" Ryo asked, laughing.

"You are one." She closed the bathroom door behind her.

As Moriko put on her shoes after breakfast, she saw Ryo put on his shoes as well, geared for going out. "Are? Going to the Jimusho?" she asked.

"Yup. K8." he explained simply. "Ah, sou desu, I think you'll probably be home earlier than me, so here's that spare little key..." He handed the key to Moriko.

"Hai."

"Yo, Ryo." Uchi greeted at the door, also heading for the Jimusho. "Ahhh~ I thought of going to shop a little with Ryo ne! Moriko-chan, want to come along??" Uchi asked excitedly, his adorable eyes shining at her with expectations.

"Ahh hai, I would like that too!" Moriko answered. "Ja, I'm off now, ne. See you two this evening?"

Uchi gave her a thumbs up.