[ 3 - Ai ]
"Good Morning!" Risa greeted when he saw Erina getting out of her room while rubbing her eyes tiredly.
Erina blinked her eyes speedily, hoping that would clear her vision. She was shocked to hear a voice other than her sister to greet her morning. And when she did, there she saw Risa, sat upright on the wooden chair, knee to knee and ankle to ankle, smiling awkwardly at Erina. Erina hurriedly arranged her messy hair, pulling the locks near to her neck and returned the greet. "Good Morning. . . " Erina returned rather shyly.
A moment of awkward silence remained in the room, as Erina continued staring at Risa, and Risa, with his hands on his knees, staring at his hands.
"Are you okay?" Erina concerned as she noted the Risa's strange behaviour.
Risa nodded his head before continuing. "Can I ask you a question?" Risa asked politely. Erina nodded her head lightly, allowing Risa to ask the question he had wanted to. "Can I ask. . . Where's the washroom?" That was asked in a rather low and soft voice.
'It's getting a little urgent over here. . .' Risa continued in his mind.
"It's at the first right turn after the exit." Erina informed. Risa stood up in a rush after receiving the response he wanted and sprinted straight to the instructed direction.
"Thank you!" Risa managed to utter before he disappeared in the hut. Within seconds, he returned back to the hut, with an astonished expression painted on his face. "The . . . washroom . . . no flush system?" Risa stuttered in shock.
Erina looked from her right, then to her left before turning her attention back to Risa, giving Risa a gentle nod on the head. "Ai-nee is still trying to save the money to upgrade the water system of the washroom." Erina replied honesty.
"But - how - it's so unhy - " Risa wanted to reason, but failed to as he felt his bladder was going to burst in any moments. With that, he raced back into the washroom.
While Risa was in the bathroom, Erina made her way to the kitchen and washed some strawberries up, putting them into a bowl. With the bowl in wrapped between her arm and her chest, Erina returned to the living, just as the same time Risa returned back from the washroom. Erina picked up one and began munching on it before offering the bowl to Risa. "Would you like to have a piece?" Erina asked politely.
"Is this the strawberry?" Risa asked as she peeked into the contents of the bowl. Erina nodded her head, resulting in Risa, shaking her head hurriedly at the sight of the red fruit. "No thanks." Risa rejected the offer.
"Penguin, are you feeling better already?" Erina concerned.
"I am. . . though I feel a little hump on the back of my head. . . " That sentence had made Erina wanting to hide her face inside the bowl. She had absolutely understood how that hump and came about. It's no certain that she can tell the penguin how he had acquired that bump. "I guess I had gotten that when I fainted on the ground yesterday afternoon."Risa suggested by himself. "Thank you for your concern anyway, . . .. Erina. . . Am I right? Is that your name? Since I heard your sister calling you by that name."
"That's right, Penguin. That's my name. To be precise, it's Ikuta Erina" Erina chirped.
"Wait, did you just call me penguin?" Risa interrupted, giving Erina an unbelievable expression on his bean sized face.
"Isn't that your name? That's what you had told Ai-nee when she had asked you for your name. . . " Erina asked innocently, blinking her eyes a couple of time.
"I - " Risa wanted to tell her that was not his name. But he too had knew that he was not supposed to reveal his real name, as that would reveal his identity, not mattering the fact that he was already out of the Land of Penguin. At current, he could think of a better name for himself too. "Yah, that's my name." In embarrassment, Risa rubbed the back of his head, only to press on the bump, causing him to hiss lightly in pain.
Erina burst out into giggles at the action and reaction, bringing Risa into a rather awkward laughing as well. Though that, it did not last. The honest laughter of Erina had managed to make the awkwardness disappear.
"So, how old are you?" Risa asked curiously, in between his short laughter.
"I'm fourteen."
"Fourteen? So young? What about your sister?" Risa continued questioning, hoping Erina would fill up the empty spaces of his bag of curiosity about Ai.
"Ikuta Ai, twenty five years old." Erina answered without hesitation.
'Ai? Such a sweet name? But her actions are nowhere as near as her name is. . . ' Risa reflected playfully in his mind. "25 years old? That's 11 years old difference!" Risa amused.
Erina nodded her head slowly. "That's why Ai-nee is like a second mother to me. . . " Erina continued shyly and quietly, before popping another piece of strawberry into her mouth. "You looked nicer in this set of clothing. . . " Erina continued.
Risa looked down at the set of clothes before replying. "Really?" Risa asked in a doubt tone. "Your sister told me that they were from your neighbour." Risa continued.
"Eh?" Erina stopped the incoming strawberry in the air and stared at Risa with a confusion expression. "Neighbour?"
Risa nodded her head in response and tilted his head, not understanding the confusion Erina was experiencing.
"We don't have any neighbours over here . . ." Erina explained. "We are the only family staying within the 100 metres perimetre."
"Hmmm?" It was Risa's turn to be shock.
'You mean that was a lie again? Why would she even want to try to hide that. . . Hmmm. . . Indeed she's an interesting women. She's indeed the special one in a million I had ever met. . . If only I have not had the arrange marriage. . . ' ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ah~~" Ai winced in pain as she turned about in her bed. She struggled to get her eyes open as the striking daylight from the sun shone into the room. "What time is it already?"Ai moaned tiredly to herself, finding the light in the room was way too bright for her intended waking time. She reached for the alarm clock and checked the time. Her eyes went wide open at the time. "This late already?" Ai exclaimed. She climbed off the bed, wincing at the aching muscles. "I'm supposed to return back to the mountain to retrieve the soils. . ." Ai continued mumbling to herself. "Erina, why didn't you -" Ai pulled her room door open as she shouted out for her younger sister.
"What are you still doing here?" Ai demanded as she pointed her index finger at the sitting figure on the chair the moment the door was wide opened. "Didn't I told you that I want you to be out of my sight when morning comes? What are you still doing here?" Ai repeated, still pointing. The sudden vigorous caused her to pull her aching muscle. Though that, she did not allow the inflicted pain to show on her face.
"Ai-nee, you are up!" Erina squeaked happily as she gotten up from the seat beside Risa and ran towards her sister at the door.
"Why didn't you wake me up? There's a huge load of work that has to be done today." Ai reprimanded lightly, hitting Erina's forehead softly and lovingly.
"I knew that Ai-nee is tired from yesterday. . . That's was why I did not wanted to disturb you from your sleep." Erina replied honestly, still munching on her bowl of strawberries. She too had offered Ai the bowl, from which Ai took a piece and bit into it. "Isn't it sweet?"
Ai nodded her head. She turned her attention back to Risa. "So what are you still doing here? Looking for more beating? Didn't I made myself very clear last night?" Ai rattled towards Risa.
"I - I - " Risa stuttered, obviously still frighten about the violence tendency strawberry lady before her.
"Ai-nee, let him stay with us." Erina suggested suddenly, obviously unable to read the current atmosphere in the room.
"Eh?" Ai turned around in awe, surprised at the suggestion made by Erina.
"Penguin has no place to go. . . Isn't that so sad? Let him stay with us, Ai-nee. . . He can help us with the farming work too as well. It's always tough when it's just the both of us, especially during the harvest. Would it be better to have an extra pair of hands to help us out in the fields?" Erina reasoned as she gave Ai her 'infamous' puppy eyes - something that her sister could never ever be able to resist.
"If that's what you wanted, he can stay, but he shall stay in the toilet." Ai joked, though from her tone, only Erina could tell that she was joking. The other party in the room took the joke seriously.
"Eh-" Risa choked. "The - the toilet?" The horrible experience back in the toilet was turning Risa's stomach upside down, causing a sudden paleness to come upon Risa's face. "Are you serious?"
Ai rolled her eyes at the stupidness of the penguin. "Let's go, Erina. We need to get to the mountains." Ai ignored Risa's question and brushed past him into the kitchen, where packed a bag of strawberries with her before pulling Erina with her.
"Why are you still standing there in daze, Penguin? Come along!" Erina called out, trailing behind Ai.
"Now? But I'm -" Before Risa could finish his sentence, a growl from his stomach finished it for him. "Hungry. . . " Risa trailed silently after, only to realise that he was the only one left standing in the room. Both Ai and Erina were almost out of sight away from the wooden hut.
"Wait - wait for me. . . " Risa shouted after the disappearing figure as he picked off his feet from the ground and began chasing after the sisters.
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"Are you a man?" A kick on Risa's backside caused him to fall forward, landing on the soft ground face first. Risa was squatting down on the ground, fanning himself with the bamboo made shovel while he rested. "What are you doing? Skiving?" Ai continued, rather mercilessly, still angry with the penguin about what had happened yesterday. The red faced Risa from last night still irked Ai, for the fact that Risa had seem her total naked body. While Ai had changed Risa yesterday, she did not change his undergarments. So, they are not yet even. That's what Ai had concluded after spending an hour before sleep thinking about the incident. Furthermore, Ai is a lady. That made her more determined about the conclusion she made the night before. "Look at Erina, she's just a girl, yet she had gathered more as compared what you had did." Ai mocked Risa as she crossed her arms, trying to hide the fact that her back was aching as she had exerted too much strength while performing the kick.
"I'm tired." Risa whined, rather unmanly. He was not used in working, especially in such a weather. But who could blame him. He is a wealthy prince, born with a golden spoon. Studying and preparation for the throne ascension were what his life is about. Fencing and horse riding are the only sports he had done from time to time. What he was doing right now, was way off for him. Risa dusted the few pecks of sand off his forehead. "And I'm hungry too." Risa pouted as he turned around, coming into a eye contact with Ai. "I had not eaten a single thing since yesterday afternoon. From where would I have the energy and strength to do these strenuous work? " Risa continued reasoning.
"There!" Ai untied the bag she had prepared this morning from her trousers and threw it to Risa. "Eat this if you are hungry. But that don't make a good reason why you are skiving. If you are going to stay, you are going to work." Ai stated.
Risa stared blankly at the contents of the bag. Within seconds, he returned the bag back to Ai. "You can have this back." He shivered at the sight of the strawberries. With that, he returned back to his corner, where he began to start his work again. "Weirdo. . . " Risa muttered under his breath as he shovelled the soil into the basket.
"Weirdo." Ai muttered the same word while picking out a strawberry, eating it in just a single bit. With that, Ai bent down and prepared to carry her filled basket, only to be stop by Erina.
"I will carry this for you, Ai-nee" Erina offered with a smile.
"I can do this on my own, Erina." Ai smiled genuinely back at Erina.
"Ai-nee's muscles must be aching from carrying Penguin back home yesterday, isn't that so? You shouldn't be stretching them too much again . . . " With that, Erina carried Ai's basket on her shoulders while hugging onto hers and headed towards the direction of the strawberry field.
'She carried me back? Didn't she mentioned that she dragged me home on my back?' -----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Do you have any other food other than strawberries and maple syrup?" Risa asked, earning himself a stare from Ai.
"There are in the fridge. But you have to cook them yourself. I won't cook for you." Ai replied.
"I - I don't know how to cook." Risa replied honestly, with Ai staring at Risa unbelievingly.
"You can't cook?" Ai raised her voice slightly. "I bet you must be a rich brat who had been spoiled since birth." Ai stated. With that, Ai trolled into the kitchen, with Risa following behind Ai at some distance away.
Risa watched Ai prepared the ingredients for the dinner. "Are you cooking fried rice tonight?" Risa asked curiously. Ai nodded almost unnoticeably. "With what? No strawberries please." Risa begged.
Ai did not respond to Risa's request. Instead, she brought the ingredients with her to the stove and began to hit up the pan. When the pan was hot enough, Ai added adequate amount of olive oil in the pan.
"You are using olive oil to fried the rice?" Risa uttered in shock. Ai turned around, silencing Risa. "Eh? You are adding lettuce into the fried rice? Who on earth adds lettuce in fried rice? Are you sure you can cook?" Risa commented again. Ai shot a stare at Risa, causing him to pull an imaginary zip on his lips. As Ai continues, Risa watched in silence. Though there were many times he had wanted to remark on Ai rather weird sense in cooking, the fear of Ai's violence made him to remain silent. His butt was still hurting from the kick in the afternoon.
"No, Not that!" Risa exclaimed when Ai was about to add maple syrup into the rice mix. Ai smirked playfully at Risa. She taunted Risa a little as she poured a cap portion of maple syrup slowly into the almost done fried rice.
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"This is surprisingly nice." Risa cheered as Erina stared at Risa, who had finished the plate of fried rice to a shiny plate.
"I told you so, Penguin, Ai-nee is a good cook." Erina flaunted.
"That's only when she don't put strawberries in it." Risa added in quickly. "The maple syrup was a surprising mix. I always thought it can only be eaten with pancakes."
"Ai-nee is such a genius, isn't that so?" Erina giggled happily.
'Not a genius, it's just a weirdo. . . An interesting weirdo. . . ' That was what Risa had in his mind in response to the sentence made by Erina.
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"Your Majesty, Kanon is here for your service." Kanon greeted as he kneeled before the King, paying his respect.
"You may rise, Kanon."
"Thank you Your Majesty."
"I had decided to put you on a secret mission with General Yoshizawa." The King spoke, directing Kanon's attention to the General standing at the corner of the room. Hitomi nodded his head slightly in acknowledge. "To search for the Lady Takahashi."
"Eh?" Kanon uttered in surprise. "Isn't Lady Takahashi the women Prince Gaki is going to marry? Why do we have to search for her?" Kanon asked curiously.
"You don't have to know the reason why, but you will have to bring Lady Takahashi back before Risa is back from his adventure trip."
"I understood." Kanon bowed as he obeyed.
"May I ask what's the full name of Lady Takahashi ? That would help a lot in the search for her, Your Majesty." Hitomi raised.
"From what I had heard from General Takahashi back 24 years ago, it was Takahashi Ai, I believe."
YAY! It's an update!! Finally had the time to finish up this chapter. . It had been hanging out there half finish for most of the week :S hehehe
@ rndmnwierd : Yes abusive Ai is totally <3 hehehe Ai was kind in nature. . so
hmmmmm. about that. . . i can safely say that gaki is able to lie his way through
HEHEH
@ arisa03 : hahahaha. she left his undergarments on when she changed him
HEHE stubborn Ai is just so Ai (love) So. . hehehehe Well, in this story, i'm just gonna to make prince gaki to hate strawberry . . .and that explains his reaction to strawberry. . whereas for maple syrup, it's just something that don't match with the food eaten with. :S HEHEHEHEH
@
ai_risa risa_ai : hahahah. what would happen if prince gaki gives ai a kiss? (A smack on the head. . .something he's trying to avoid :X ) HAHAHAH
Heheh, de wa, until the next chapter then!
Next chapter, there will the appearance of the final important character of the story (someone who's name had been mentioned a couple of times.)
So, look out!
HEHEHE