one;
Reina rolled on to the right side of her bed and covered her head with a pillow.
“Oh God, make the roosters stop.” She whispered.
The sun’s rays are already hitting her, yet she won’t go up from bed. Today is her day-off and she needs some serious rest. Somehow, she’d been hearing rooster sounds at her room.
But that was pretty obvious who they were. This was the usual Waking-Reina-Up routine.
“Chuck-a-doodle-doo!” The roosters called.
Reina finally removed the pillow off her face, “You guys are not gonna stop til I’m up, huh?”
Kim winked. “Of course. “
“We won’t eat breakfast without you,” Tak added, holding a glass of water.
Realizing there’s no way to stop the kids from imitating irritating rooster sounds just to wake her up, she submissively gives in to the thought. “Ugh, a little help, please,” she told them.
Kim helped her get up from bed while Tak offered her the glass of water.
“Thank you,” she said.
After she’d drink the water, the three of them went to the kitchen.
“What’s for breakfast?” Reina would ask them every time. It was always them who prepare the food.
“Something with broccolis,” Kim grinned widely.
“What’s it?” Reina began to sit at one of the dining chairs. The dining table had three bowls on it, all with a small plate on top of it.
“Broccoli soup with mushrooms on top!” Tak exclaimed. He felt Kim’s hand hit him. “Oww, what was that for?!” He angrily said.
“We should let her guess, right? That was the plan!” Kim evil-glared her cousin. “Thanks for ruining it.” Kim pulled on a chair and sat on it.
Reina gave Kim a sharp look. “You shouldn’t have hit him!” She lectured her. “And it’s OK if he does that. There’s nothing to be angry about.” Reina turned to Tak, who was about to sit down, sticking out his tongue at Kim.
“And 15-year old kids aren’t allowed to stick their tongues out,” Reina bonked him, which made him winced. “I’m sorry,” Tak said.
Kim smirked. “Thank you very much.”
“Well, how about you? You can’t eat them,” Reina turned to her cousin, worried about his mushroom allergies.
Tak shrugged. “I’m having cereals for breakfast anyway.” He removed the small plate covering his bowl of cereals and milk. “Please don’t worry too much about me.”
Reina, too, removed the small plate covering her bowl. Her's and Kim's served broccoli soup with mushrooms on top of it, just like he had said, and one a bowl of cereals and milk for Tak.
“Look who’s having western breakfast in Japan,” Reina said.
As soon as they were about to start eating breakfast, a loud knock was heard from their door.
“Reina! Reina!” Rina and Risa called out.
The Niigaki twins lived in an apartment space next to them. They were Reina’s good neighbors turned friends. They were the ones who actually helped Reina out on their first stay at the apartment. The three of them worked at the nearby bar managed by Risa’s college friend, Michishige Sayumi.
As far as Reina knew, the twins are super hyper when they’re together. So maybe, she thought, they were here to go and act crazy with her.
“I’ll just open the door for my girlfriends,” Reina stood up from her seat and went straight to the apartment door. “You guys start eating or you’ll be late.”
Reina was halfway from opening the door when Rina and Risa jumped to her, which made the three of them fall down.
“What was that for?!” She exclaimed.
Risa’s face was glowing from excitement. “Oh my goodness you won’t believe this!” She was speaking in a long pace.
“Yes you really won’t believe this,” Rina agreed with a wide grin on her face. “Like, to-ta-lly won’t believe this!”
Reina got up from the fall, stretching her back. “You guys look like you’ve just had orga-“
Rina cut her out by covering her mouth. “You must not say those things in front of the kids.”
“Right right.” Risa seconded the thought.
“We’re not kids anymore.” Kim said.
“And we know what Reina-nee’s gonna say next.” Tad added. “It’s orgasm.”
Kim opened her mouth in disbelief. “I can’t believe you dare say that word in front of the food. You disgust me.”
The twins threw their hands on their hips, “I can’t believe Reina’s been a bad influence to them.” Risa said.
“OK I’ve seen enough of this.” Reina was finally losing her temper. “What’s the reason you guys are here anyway?”
“Sayumi’s getting married!” Rina blurted out.
“Can’t you believe it?” Risa said. “5 years with Jon and now she said ‘Yes!’”
“OH. MY. GOD” Reina was left speechless for a moment. She felt her head spin. She was obviously not expecting this kind of news. Not at this time of the day.
“OH. MY. GOD”
Rina pointed a finger at Reina’s shocked expression. “That was the same face we’re wearing after Sayumi made the announcement.”
“Yeah, totally.” Risa said. “And it left us speechless for a couple of seconds.” Risa turned to Rina, looking as if they knew what was on each other’s mind.
“3… 2… 1… “ They both said.
“OH MY GOD!! THAT WAS SO FREAKING AWESOME!!” Reina exploded. Soon enough the three of them held hands and jumped around like kids.
Now, Kim and Tak were staring at the grown-ups, thinking it must be Christmas. They exchanged looks.
“Now that was disgusting.” Tak pointed out at the grown-ups, which were still jumping around. “Adults acting like kids.”
“Hello, Kim-san! Hello Tak-kun!” Aika flashed her pearly whites to them.
Kim and Tak greeted Aika. “Hello Ms. President.”
Mitsui Aika was Fourth Year student council president, and Kim’s classmate. She was a good role model around the campus; always the topnotch, excels in sports, very friendly, and is really, really, really charming.
“Kim-san! Let’s go to our room together.” Lisa followed behind Aika.
Dubbed as the ABB, or Aika’s Best Buddy, Hamasaki Lisa was Fourth Year student council vice president. She and Aika were best friends since preschool.
“Oh sure I will.” Kim agreed. “OK you can take it from here,” she tapped Tak’s shoulder.
“Goodbye, Kim-nee!” Tak said.
“Goodbye, Tak-kun.” Kim waved goodbye to her cousin as they go on separate ways.
“Look at this!” Kanon showed her big strawberry ring to her friends.
“Wow! That is super cute!” Remii said, excitedly. The other girls nodded.
Ayaka, one of the girls, took out a Polaroid out from her bag. “C’mon let’s take a group pic!”
Yuuka jumped. “OK!”
“Umm, we’re missing one person.” Kon chewed on his gum, staring at nothing.
“Who?” Yuuka moved closer to him, checking out where he’s looking at. “Who are you looking at, Kon?” Her right cheek touched his.
Which made Kon blushed. But he doesn’t want her to notice. “Yu-yuuka-chan, please move your head a little farther.” He shoved her.
“Oooh~” Ayaka, Kanon, and Remii chorused. Kon glared at them.
“Stop that.” He said coolly, turning his head away from them.
Yuuka, who was clearly not getting the idea, gave them all a confusing look. “What was that?”
“Oh, nothing.” The three girls giggled. Yuuka pouted in return.
“That’s not fair!” She protested.
Kon ignored the girls and turned his head opposite them. He’s trying to stay cool but he felt his mind starting to explode. Sitting beside Yuuka somewhat makes him irritated… and nervous. Where the hell is Tak?
Not far from the place where they were hanging out, Kon can hear a familiar voice, shouting.
“Haha! Hey, Kon!” Tak ran and waved to him. His teeth were flashing a goofy kind of smile, which made him shiver. Sometimes he thought how he’d become friends with him.
Kon waved back and motioned to the girls. “He’s here. Now we can have a group photo.” He told Ayaka.
The four girls looked at Tak’s direction and waved at him.
“Taka-taka-taka-kun!” The girls called out.
“Hey, you guys.” Tak slowed until he comes to a stop. He held his chest and panted hard. “I think I’m gonna die right there.” He chuckled.
“Hey, you don’t just say that.” Kanon said in a bossy tone.
Tak laughed. “Come on, you know I can’t die yet.” He gave Kanon a wink.
Ooh, smooth moves. Kon was impressed by how composed Tak is with her. He patted his back and whispered to him, “You just had to teach me how to do that some time.”
Tak bursted out, laughing. “OK sure buddy!”
Reina was finally at peace, slouching at the sofa on the living room.
No kids.
No crazy twins.
Just herself inside her small apartment.
She gazed her eyes on her surroundings, imagining if their parents hadn’t died, they would have been living in a big house, and she would have a room as big as this apartment. She would never have to do a job at a bar. Bu she thought if just one of the things that had happened to her hadn’t happened at all, she wouldn’t come to realize he wasn’t what she needed in her life.
A while ago, Risa and Rina told her about Sayu and Jon getting married. She was so happy for Sayumi. In fact, she was happy and jealous at the same time.
Although she didn’t know Jon much like Rina and Risa does, she can say that the guy really cares for Sayu very much. She knew that he loves Sayu very much that he had to propose to her in front of so many people, as what Risa had told her. He wasn’t afraid to express the joy he feels when he’s with her… unlike him.
Sometimes, she hated herself for being Tanaka Reina. She can’t even unlove an immature guy.
Well, what can I do? She thought.
She reached for the remote and turned on the TV.
All the high school students paid full attention as Oshima Kotougakkou Principal Takahashi Ai spoke in the megaphones.
“… as we welcome this day as your official first day of classes.”
The teachers clapped their hands.
“And if all of you haven’t noticed yet, we’re having ourselves a new teacher from overseas.”
Various whispers can be heard from the students. Kon continued to chew on his gum. “Overseas, huh?” He told himself.
Tak heard him. “This guy must be really fluent in Japanese.” He said as he leaned towards Kon.
Kon nodded in return.
“And for today I will gladly introduce him to everyone.” Principal Ai’s voice was loud and clear. “Everyone, please welcome your new teacher, Arts Professor Ariel.”
The teachers clapped while the students all greeted him. “Good morning, Professor Ariel!” They all bowed their heads as a sign of respect.
The new teacher lowered his head in return. Principal Ai gave him the megaphone. “I’m Arts Professor Ariel, “ he said over the phones. “And I will also be homeroom teacher of Third Year Section B.”
2nd Chapter here ->