Closer to You
_____________________________
Outside Yossi's room stood Rika with her hair wet after her shower with a mug of hot cocoa, while placing her ear on the door and listened for any noise. It was the first time Yossi had come back straight away after school. She felt guilty for submitting the painting that Yossi gave her to pass up as her own, and now Yossi was struggling with her assignment while she got to relax. Suddenly the door swung open as Yossi stepped out. Rika jumped back out of shock and ended up spilling the hot cocoa on her hand, causing her to feel a burning sensation while at the same time dropping the mug on to the ground. Yossi stood there looking dumbfounded watching Rika blowing her hand frantically. Coming to her senses, Yossi quickly took Rika's hand and dragged her to the toilet. Yossi placed Rika's red hand into the sink under the running water at the same time gently caressed the other's hand.
"For a straight A student, you sure are stupid.. Don't you know your supposed to cool it with water? Blowing on it won't help."
Rika didn't say a word but looked painfully at her hand.
*****
"Eririn.. what do you think?
Kawaii deshou?"
Michishige Sayumi, Eri's best friend in school questioned her as she tilted her head to one side in a cute manner showing her new earrings. Eri gave a slight laugh before answering her friend assuring her that it was cute.
"So who bought it for you this time?"
"hmm? Oh, well I don't know his name... but it came with this letter"
Sayu took an envelop out of her bag and flashed it to Eri, hoping Eri would probe on to see what was written in it. Unfortunately all Eri did was gave a slight nod and went back to eating her bento, she was used to this already. Sayu had so many admirers in school that Eri had completely lost count on how many free gifts Sayu received from various guys, and Eri also knew that Sayu always had a different excuse to somehow manage to keep the present but not the guy.
"
Sayumi-chan, Do you like the earrings? While I was shopping I saw this earring and thought of you... Now seriously, which guy would go shopping? They'd just buy what they want and get out right?
... When I think of you, it always makes my heart beat a thousand times faster. You are the most beautiful, sweet and wonderful thing that could have happened to me. It’s great to have you in my heart and... jeez can't he just get straight to the point already?"
Eri nodded her head and then giggled at her friend. This was a normal routine for the girl, present and a confession. If it was face to face, Sayumi would act all cutesy for the guy, get the present and leave him all brokenhearted then report everything to Eri. If it was a letter, she would recite it in front of Eri and comment on everything in it.
"What on earth would happen if someone eventually knocks my dear Sayu off her feet..."
"My dear Eririn... that day will never happen, guys are all after one thing. And I Michishige Sayumi will not give them what they want, but I will make them give me what I want though..."
Sayu gave Eri a wink and a cute sounding giggle while Eri just rolled her eyes at her and shook her head as she turned away.
"Hey Sayumi-chan want to go out tomorrow?", A group of guys walked over to Sayu and so began the flirting battle.
Eri raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of her; five guys surrounded the girl whom she was just talking with. Sayu played with her hair while chatting with the guys, laughing at their jokes and touching their arms every once in a while, totally ignoring Eri who was still seated right beside her. Again she was used to this but sometimes she wished the guys would at least spare some of their attention to her once in a while.
'
Maybe its because of my short hair? But then Yossi said it looked cute and that she liked it, stupid Gottchin didn't say a word though...'
Just as Eri let her thoughts conquer her mind, she spotted someone familiar walk past her classroom. She stood up and walked out leaving Sayu alone with the guys, not that Sayu would notice her gone anyway. Eri quickened her pace as she caught up with the other girl, and then jumped right in front of the younger girl.
"Tanakacchi~ where are you going...", Eri's voice trailed away softly the moment she caught the look on the younger's face. Reina looked angry, more like pissed off.
"Home", she mumbled under her breath.
Eri reached over to touch the side of Reina's face somewhere near her cheekbone causing the younger to back away a little, there was a red mark on her face. It was pretty obvious that she got hit on the face by something hard, like someone's fist.
"What happened?", Eri asked worriedly.
Eri turned to look at what Reina was glaring at. A boy of from Reina's class, pretty badly beaten up was struggling to stand up as he looked over at their direction. Eri's eyes widened at the sight then turned back staring at the smaller sized girl in front of her, if Eri guess right, Reina had just beaten up one of the guys in her class.
"What? He kept bugging me... I got pissed off that’s all.."
"That’s all?"
"Oi Reina!" Eri turned to look at the person who shouted her friend's name while Reina tilted her head sideways also to look at the person.
"You had better come back and apologies to Irie-kun!" A group of girls stalked towards the two with death glares raging with anger since Reina had somehow managed to injure the handsome prince of their class.
"
ah-a.. You’re in trouble now..."
Eri looked back and forth between Reina and the girls who were quickly approaching them, the noise they made in the hall way attracted quite a lot of attention at the same time. Everyone from the other classes popped their head out to see the commotion, so did Sayu who looked confusedly at Eri. As the group of girls stomped closer and closer to the two, Eri began to panic for Reina
Reina grabbed Eri's hand and made a run for it, down the staircase, outside of the school giving a sharp turn to the corner of the school building in a very narrow area just enough space for the two girls to hide out in. Reina was panting the moment they got to the narrow little space while Eri, who had a better stamina, just stood there staring at the younger. Why did Reina drag Eri along? She didn't help her beat up the guy.
"Why did you beat up the guy in the first place?", Eri questioned as she took a peek outside to see if the group of crazy girls caught up with them.
"I told you, he was bugging me." Reina replied seated down leaning against the wall taking a rest from all that running.
"You know if you sit right after you run, your butt will grow bigger."
'
huh? What a random thing to say..' Reina stared at Eri slightly confused.
"So then why was he bugging you?" Eri then continued probing while sitting beside Reina.
Reina kept quiet for a few seconds before answering, she didn't want Eri to think she was such a dork. "He kept talking to me, asking me for my number and then asking me to go out with him." Reina half whispered.
Eri just stared blankly at the younger girl beside of her, kind of shocked at how the latter dealt with guys. She was a complete opposite of Sayu. Knowing Sayu if the most handsome guy in the class was bugging her to go out with him, she'd surely go out with him in a snap of the finger and then feed him to the vultures the moment she gets bored with him. Reina on the other hand, gave him a though time from the beginning.
The more Eri thought about it the more funny it seemed which made Eri burst out laughing.
"
Tanakacchi.. kowaii.." She managed to cough out those two words in between her laughs.
"Why? I don't know how to handle situations like that, what would you do then?"
The question made Eri stop laughing and look at Reina. "I wouldn't know, no one's asked me before." Eri replied as she looked elsewhere.
Come to think of it, no guy has ever pestered Eri for a date or a phone number, not even a single gift during Valentines Day. Maybe standing in the shadows of Sayu was the reason for her unpopularity amongst the guys.
"
Uso!.. Not even one? Even when you’re so beautiful?"
"Eh?"
The comment made Eri's ears burn and cheeks turn red, she looked back down on the floor when she noticed Reina staring at her.
.
.
.
After 2 hours of just chatting and enjoying each others company, not to mention skipping lessons, both returned to their classes just when the final bell rang. Lucky for them the teachers had already left the class. Reina received death glares from pretty much all the girls in her class as they walked pass her while she approached her table, some knocking hard with their shoulders as they walked past her. Eri on the other hand stepped into an almost empty class, with the exception of Sayu who was seated on Eri's table waiting for her with Eri's bag placed on her lap.
*****
Rika turned around from her position to take yet another peek at Yossi sound asleep on the bed. A little smile appeared on her face as she returned to the painting in front of her. Even after getting yelled at to mind her own business the previous night, Rika just couldn't help but feel responsible for the overdue painting Yossi own Iida-sensei. Which was why she was now finishing up the painting for the sleeping beauty laying peacefully on the bed.
"Done.." She whispered to herself as she stood up.
She walked over to the table, scribbled something on a piece of paper. Taking a piece of tape, sticking the paper on to the canvas and quietly left the room.
_____________________________
Jeez how long has it been since my last chapter? Sorry for the long wait! If you guys haven't noticed.. I'm a darn slow writter, and now I'm totally stuck (somewhat) Which is why I focused on TanaKame more in this chapter. Just hope I don't lose track and turn this into a TanaKame fic, the main character of the fic is Yossi!.. gotta remind myself that every once in a while.