Mirai usually woke up because of the sun shining brightly over her eyes or to Meisa’s voice bidding them goodbye since she was always the earliest to work. This time though, she woke up to the aroma of something. She quickly made her way over to the kitchen, admittedly excited to see what was cooking. She already knew who was cooking. And right she was. Maki was standing in-front of the stove, mixing what seemed to be a cream sauce with shrimps while some already drained pasta was sitting in a large bowl beside the sink. Chotto matte, pasta for breakfast? And it was still five in the morning! Oh yeah, it’s my first day of college today… With so much in her mind she didn’t realize that Maki had already noticed her.

“Ah ohayo Mirai-chan….” Maki greeted while continuing to mix the pasta which was now beginning to color nicely.

Mirai didn’t return the greeting. “Maki-nee, are you alright? Pasta for breakfast?”

Maki chose not to answer that question and settled for continuing with her cooking. She had no idea why she was cooking pasta for breakfast. She just woke up at early morning and couldn’t go back to sleep so she decided to do what she loved doing; cooking.

Mirai had her palms laid flat on the kitchen table, her face contorted into a thoughtful remedy and as if a bullet hit her, she straightened up then pointed at Maki and the pasta. “Is that a garlic-shrimp, cheese pasta you’re doing?”

Maki momentarily looked at what she was doing. Yes, yes it was a garlic-shrimp, cheese pasta but what did that have to do with anything?

“Wasn’t that recipe Tomohisa-nii’s favourite?” Mirai suddenly asked causing Maki to snap her head over at the younger Horikita. Maki’s eyebrows furrowed as if she was going to retort but then she remembered; Mirai was right! This pasta dish was Tomohisa’s favourite! Her head shook as she continued cooking. So what if this was Tomohisa’s favourite? It didn’t mean anything did it?

“Do you still love Tomo-nii, Maki-nee?” Mirai asked, her voice full of innocence yet mischief. Maki almost dropped the spoon she was going to use to taste the sauce. She stopped what she was doing and just stared at what she was cooking while Mirai waited expectantly for this crucial answer of hers. Did she? Did she still love Tomohisa?

“It’s been a long time Mirai, I mean, for all I know he must be seeing someone.” Maki replied, turning the fire off from the stove. She wouldn’t want to risk their home burning down because she was caught-off guard with her little sister’s question.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Mirai finally took a seat on one of the chairs.

Sighing, Maki turned around, leaning on the counter with her arms crossed. “I don’t know Mirai…  I don’t know.”

“What don’t you know?”

Meisa padded unto the kitchen, her hair still messy from bed.  “You Maki? Not knowing anything?’ she followed up with a mocking tone as she sat down on one of the stools.

“Shut up.” Maki chuckled before turning back to her cooking. She was now sure she had averted any more conversations pertaining to her love for Tomohisa… if it still was there.

“I give up…” Mirai whispered with a sigh. She settled for just waiting on Maki’s cooking to finish. But timing wasn’t on Maki’s side.

“Just joking, I heard what you two were talking about.” Meisa said trying to show a smile even with her still sleepy face. “But seriously though, how do we know when we already love someone?”

Both Maki and Mirai did a double take. Mirai almost slid her elbow of the table while Maki almost threw the sauce she was making to waste. This was Meisa speaking! Kuroki Meisa; the badass, devil-may-care of the group and here she was asking how to know if you already love someone!

“Mei-tan are you sick?” Maki asked while walking over and placing her hand on Meisa’s overhead which Meisa shook off in an instant.

“I don’t think she’s sick.” Mirai slowly began standing then squinted her eyes. “Who are you and what have you done with Meisa-nee!?”

“Why? What’s so wrong with me asking about this stuff?” Meisa asked exasperatedly. Once they both figure out that Meisa wasn’t kidding, Maki and Mirai turned into serious mode.

“What’s wrong Meisa-nee?” Mirai questioned, sitting closer to Meisa, her hands folded on top of the table. “Is this about Jin-san?” She knew it was a rather stupid question since Jin really was the only guy she ever saw with Meisa. For a moment they thought they saw Meisa’s wall crashing down but her eyes stayed fierce and she pushed it away. “No it’s not about Jin, I’m just curious. I mean, don’t you guys think about that stuff?”

“Well Maki-nee is the only one who’s been in-love here…” Mirai huffed, crossing her arms while leaning back on the chair. It’s just a shame she’s throwing it away for nothing.

With that statement said, Meisa looked at Maki, expecting her to follow up with what Mirai said. Sighing, Maki finished dishing the pasta first before explaining her side of feelings.

“I’ve only been in-love once Mei-tan. From my experience, you’re in-love if all your thoughts go running back to that one guy. You know, as if your life revolves all around him…”

“Is that what you felt with Tomo-nii?”

“We’re talking about Meisa right now, Mirai.” Maki quickly intervened, glaring at her younger sister. Clearly though, Meisa wasn’t satisfied with Maki’s answer.

“Jaa, I’ll just go back to bed then.” Meisa stood up, the chair sounding across the wood before she disappeared back into her room.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=

Mirai bounded off for the bus station, her bag swinging beside her. She’d rather not endure a 5-minute lesson from Maki about how to handle things in Meiji; she’ll be late by then! The bus was just by the bus stop when she reached the vicinity so she made an extra spur so she could enter the vehicle. As expected of a Monday morning, the bus was already full and some people were already standing. She squeezed herself to the back so she wouldn’t be a bother to those who’d get off earlier than her.

“Mirai you can sit here!”

She did a double take at the voice only to fins Ryosuke already standing up and offering his seat to her. Hesitantly she looked at the other passengers, some were looking in their direction but some just didn’t mind. She slowly walked over then sat in Ryosuke’s previous seat while the handsome young man stood beside her holding on to one of the bus’ hanging holders.

“Arigato…” she whispered timidly. She didn’t want to hold any favors from this guy but what could she do? Ignore him?

Seemingly that simple greet she gave made Ryosuke’s day since he was smiling like an idiot right now. “Ne so what do you feel about the first day?” He asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

He gave her his seat so Mirai decided that she’ll give him this chance… just now. “Mmm, not really, just like high school maybe…”

“I am…” Ryosuke sighed with a turn of his lips, he rested back on the pole and looked ahead, his expression nostalgic. “I mean, we’re finally university students right?”

Mirai looked at him for a while wondering if this was the same Ryosuke who kept flirting with her. This was another side of him. He looked so serious and aloof, a large 360 degree from what he had been showing.  She took this chance to get a really good look at him. He really was handsome, inclined nose, porcelain skin that would match with hers in-fact and his eyes were nice too. Come to think of it, he did remind her of Tomohisa.

“Mirai?”

“Huh? What?”

“Is there something on my face?” Ryosuke suddenly asked, looking at her. “You were staring…”

“Ah! Anou… iie, nandemonai.” Mirai turned away trying to hide the blush that had crawled up on her face. She should be careful next time! She didn’t see the small abashed smile that had crawled up on Ryosuke’s face.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=

Maki was just opening the café doors, turning the sign over to let the whole world know they are welcome to enter when she heard footsteps coming from the stairs. Those footsteps were followed by a loud squeal.

“Mm! Maki-chan! These is the best pasta dish you’ve ever made!” Maki turned around in surprise to see Erika at the foot of the spiral stairs behind the counter, holding on to a small plate of the pasta she’d just made. “Hontouni umai! It’s as if you made it with every bit of love in your fiber!”

It wasn’t Erika being poetic that caught Maki’s attention; it was the fact that Mirai made her remember that that pasta dish was Tomohisa’s favourite. She hoped Erika didn’t see the sad smile gracing her features after those thoughts were made so she just laughed and nodded a thank you to her friend. Basically Erika didn’t care since she settled herself at one of the café’s tables continuing to eat the pasta. Maki turned back to her friend, noticing Erika’s sleepwear; a large white shirt and hopefully some .

“Erika… anou, I’m opening the café wouldn’t it be best if you eat upstairs and change?”

“Oh come on people wouldn’t be pouring in--”

“Ah ohayou Maki!”

Maki and Erika literally resembled what would be a deer in the headlight when Kazuya entered the café, removing his hat. There was a deadly pregnant silence that enveloped all of them. Erika was still holding onto the plate, midway from feeding herself another bite, Maki was by the door, turning from her friend and to her chef while Kazuya kept blinking. One would think they were in a comic skit.

“Ah, I’ll just head on to the kitchen then…” Kazuya walked briskly to the kitchen, looking at the floors, counting his own footsteps before flinging himself into the safety of the kitchen. With the kitchen door shutting to a close, Maki turned to Erika trying to hide the laugh that was ready to burst from within.

“Shut up Maki-chan shut up!”

“What? I’m not saying anything!” No control inside any longer, Maki let out a soft but loud laugh, holding unto her stomach, shaking her head.

Erika’s white face had reddened to an extent. She huffed at her friend then jogged up back to the stairs, leaving a still laughing Maki by the café entrance. She nearly collided with a freshly showered Meisa who was going down the stairs.

“What’s with Erika?” Meisa asked.

A still recovering Maki straightened up from her much enjoyed laugh. “Well, Kazuya just got a full view of her long legs.”

A very amused smile crawled up to Meisa’s face, shaking her head and looking down on the floor. Sometimes all the wacky luck comes crawling to Erika and none of them knew why. She sat down on the chair where Erika was previously seated.

“She’s having real goodluck with her boy now isn’t she…” She said sarcastically with a dead sigh.

Though still smiling, Maki’s expression slightly faltered while she looked out the window. “Seems like all of us are…”

“What was that?”

“Oh nothing!” Maki non-chalantly replied. She was still gazing outside the window, seeing the leaves on the trees dancing. She sighed before returning her gaze back to Meisa who she found out was doing the exact same thing as her; gazing out the window. It was decision time and she decided to finally talk to Meisa now that they were alone in the café with Kazuya in the kitchen and Erika upstairs.

“Mei-tan, you know you can tell me anything right?” Maki said, sitting beside her friend. She knew it would be hard to break down this wall Meisa had put up around herself but she’d do her best to give her friend comfort. She held placed her hand over Meisa’s which was on top of the table. For a moment Meisa still looked down but her lips turned with the smallest of smiles. “You guys are all right. My problems really are with Jin.”

Bingo. Actually, Maki already had an inkling that this was about Jin because Meisa just seemed out of proportion these past few days when she was seeing him.

“Ne, so tell me about it, did Jin do something?” Maki asked. These conversations needed to be slow so no unwanted things would be uttered.

Meisa layed her head on her palm, looking really tired even though she just had a fresh shower. “I think it’s more of what he’s not doing.”

Ah. Maki knew about this immediately. “What, did he not tell you he loves you?”

Meisa suddenly snapped her head over causing Maki to slightly pull back wondering if she said something wrong. But Meisa repeated her earlier position, shaking her head. “That’s… that’s different… it’s just…” It was now or never and she really wanted to get this off her chest. “Jin has this reputation of being a playboy and well, when I agreed to be his… “friends with benefits”, (Maki cleared uneasily at this)  I was confident that I wouldn’t fall in-love with him but now I think I’m already feeling something for that dope!” There, she’d released all of what her mind was hiding.

Maki contemplated her thoughts, good advice was hard to find these days and she wasn’t about to give Meisa bad advice. “Well what about him? Isn’t he feeling anything for you too?”

Of course Meisa had already thought about that but. “I don’t know, he’s a playboy, I mean, I thought I knew what I was getting into from just that aspect… I didn’t know it was going to be this hard.”

“Dating a playboy really is hard…” Maki sighed and something from this gesture of hers caught Meisa’s attention.

“You talk as if you’ve already experienced this….”

Maki smirked, looking at the table top. “Well, he wasn’t a playboy but man, all of the girls around just wanted to rip the pants off of him.” This was a no-brainer to whom she was talking about. But Maki didn’t want to turn the conversation to her; this was Meisa’s time. “Enough about that, why don’t you just ask Jin straight?”

“Ask me what?”

At this point in time, Maki was wondering why the timing these people have were so efficient, was Kami-sama playing a game on them? When they looked over to the entrance, Jin was there, expectantly looking at them.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=

Being the first day of school for Meiji, students were all cramped up in the hallways, some were confused to where they’d go, some were just scared and couldn’t even stand up straight; Mirai wasn’t one of those students. She needed to get ready and prove to the people around her that Horikita Mirai was an A class student! She and Ryosuke were at the sides, looking at their schedules.

“Ah so blurry!”

“Ah so blurry!”

They both turned to each other only to see the both of them holding up glasses. Mirai smirked as she put hers on. “I didn’t take you for having bad eye-sight.”

Ryosuke cleared his throat, mimicking Mirai and putting on his own glasses. “I guess my eyes grew tired from reading manga too much.”

They moved back to their schedules, Ryosuke peeking over Mirai’s. He smiled. “You and I have almost exact same classes!”

Mirai turned at her schedule once again and then back to Ryosuke’s. The devil was right! They had the same subjects of course and the times were spot on except for three periods which were shuffled. Gosh, so Mirai really was going to see Ryosuke almost every moment for the rest of the year.

“Kyaa! Oh my gosh he’s so cute!”

The voices were coming from the other side of the hallway causing Mirai and Ryosuke to face that direction. Apparently a small group of girls were staring at their direction and Mirai would give a million yen to bet that they weren’t looking at her. Why was she suddenly getting irritated though? Add fire to the fact that Ryosuek entertained said group by smiling their way.

“Oh my gosh! He smiled at us!” One of the girls said. “His glasses even look cute!”

Mirai had enough of this. She walked away, holding her schedule and her bag close to her, eyes shooting daggers at the ground.

“Hey! Hey wait!” Ryosuke chased after her until he was walking at her side once again. “Don’t leave me! It’s hard to get around here!”

“You’re a grown guy! You can get around by yourself!” Mirai huffed. She could feel those girls staring holes onto the back of her head. But she felt her heart beat a skip when Ryosuke pouted at her and said;

“Well I want to explore with you…”

Damn his pouty handsome and cute face which was working on hard on her!

=================================================================================================================

AN: ohohoho four couples are realllly hard to juggle! :p sorry no Yamaki for this chap hehe. next one will be longer i think cause im squishing all of the lovely wonderful couples there! yes I know for a fact that Mirai and Ryosuke have bad eyesight.... come to think of it Maki and Tomo also do.. see! YamaShi really is the mini Yamaki! ahaha sorry flailing over here :D anyways! thank you for the views and the wonderful comments! :)