Kenji Route: Path of the Bro Ch. 4

The rest of the week goes by at a steady, relaxed pace.

In class on Thursday, we're given a group project to review what we've recently covered.

Misha only gives me a glance, and I nod.  With the relatively good friendship between the three of us, not to mention the proximity of our desks, grouping up has already become standard.

???
"Hey, guys!"

I look towards the voice and see Miki strolling towards us, waving her good arm momentarily.

Miki
"'Sup, Hisao, Misha, Shizune."

Shizune
"..."

Misha
"Good morning, Miura-chan~!  Do you need something from us?"

Miki
"Yeah, I'm sorta stranded, I need a group to join."

Shizune signs to Misha before re-adjusting her glasses and staring at Miki.

Misha
"I'm sorry Miura-chan, but our group's pretty full~!  Don't you have someone else to partner with?  Hmm~?"

Miki
"Well, I normally partner up with Suzu but she's absent.  Looks like I gotta stick with you guys this time."

Without warning Miki walks over to my side, grabbing my arm.

Miki
"Besides, Hisao's my friend, he can vouch for me."

The eyes of all three girls affix on me.  If Kenji were to suddenly burst in through the ceiling with an escape rope, it wouldn't be too soon.

Hisao
"I think it'll be fine.  We should get started."

Without waiting for Shizune or Misha's approval, Miki drags a desk over, setting it across from my own, and sitting down.

Miki ends up being surprisingly efficient with her portions of the work, despite often ignoring the questions and comments coming from Shizune and Misha.  Overall, everything is going pretty well.

Miki
"So, Hisao, how's Kenji?"

Hisao
"He's feeling a lot better lately."

Miki
"Yeah?  So, you've been taking good care of him?"

Miki follows her question with a chuckle, and Misha quickly lets out a giggle after her.  Misha promptly signs a few movements at Shizune.

Hisao
"Yeah, I guess."

Miki
"Come on, no need to hide anything from us."

A mischiveous grin crosses her face.

Miki
"If you don't come clean, I'll steal him from ya."

Hisao
"Look, I lied, okay, we're not a couple or anything."

Miki and Misha both frown, Misha herself being quite absorbed in the new gossip, while Shizune seems to be observing nonchalantly, half-absorbed in her work.

Misha
"You don't have to be so... ah~, caustic about it, Hii-chan.  I think it's really cute!"

Why am I so embarrassed about the subject?  Should I be?

Can't a guy have a friend for half a week without being pounced on by three could-be feminists?

Hisao
"Sorry."

"We should get back to work."

Misha nods and signs to Shizune.  Shizune taps her pen on her desk once, to confirm.  We ease back into work and finish the assignment before long.

-------------------------------------------------

I feel surprisingly energized this morning.  It's not unusual to feel like this on the day off from school, of course.

At the very least, I feel ready to see what Kenji has in store for me.

As I'm trying to decide between wearing a school uniform or casual clothes for the day, I hear footsteps going towards Kenji's room, across from my own.

I grab the nearest shirt and pants I can find, barely remembering to take my medication before I exit my dormitory and stand in front of Kenji's.  I knock.

Kenji
"Who is it?"

Hisao
"It's just me, Hisao."

Kenji
"Oh, right."

After a moment, the familiar unlocking of the door can be heard, and the door opens a crack, Kenji's face peeking out from behind.

Kenji
"Get ready for hell."

He steps back and opens the door fully.  I step in, immediately noticing the other person sitting cross-legged on the floor.

She looks young, maybe 10 years old or so.  Her unkept dark green hair darts out in random directions to frame her round face.  Her squinting eyes are looking me over slowly.  Her outfit is a simple tanktop, jean shorts, and sandals.

Promptly, she stands up, looking upwards to meet me eye-to-eye.

???
"You must be Hisao, right?"

The girl turns her head towards Kenji, quickly raising an eyebrow.

Kenji
"Yeah, that's him.  Hisao, this is my little sister, Ayako."

Dismissing my shock at this sudden turn of events, I manage to make a response.

Hisao
"Oh.  Pleased to meet you, Ayako."

Ayako
"Hmph."

Ayako puffs out a cheek, then turns away and sits on Kenji's bed.

Ayako
"So, what are we gonna do?  I'm still bored."

Kenji
"I don't know.  Play your game, or something."

Ayako
"Fine."

She reaches over to a bag set down next to the bed and pulls out a small electronic device.

Kenji nods and turns towards me, answering the confusion in my mind.

Kenji
"My parents dropped her off today.  I gotta look after her for a while.  I have to do it in excange for this."

Kenji turns his back to me and bends down, lifting a jacket seemingly cast aside in the corner of the room, revealing a gleaming, brown bottle.

Hisao
"Damn it, Kenji.  You can't just keep bringing alcohol into the school."

"Why do your parents keep giving it to you, anyway?"

Kenji
"It's trust.  What, your parents don't give you booze?"

He stands back up and looks at me again, not giving me a chance to answer.

Kenji
"It is what it is, Hisao.  Take it or leave it.  That's why you came, right?"

Hisao
"I don't know why I came."

"But fine."

It couldn't hurt.  Having a little perspective on my tolerance level this time, I can make sure to take it slower.

Hopefully.

Kenji and I proceed to simply sit on the floor and discuss whatever's on our minds as about an hour passes.  I notice that Kenji's actually gotten pretty easy to talk to lately.  Maybe I'm getting used to his eccentricity.

Kenji
"Of course, I'm not opening it until she's gone."

Ayako looks up from her game, which she's been almost completely absorbed in all this time.

Ayako
"Hah!  Can't drink your beer, just 'cause I'm here, hmm?"

Ayako seems to be a person of few words, or few grunts, whatever it may be.  Kenji turns towards her.

Kenji
"It's not beer.  Anyway, I need to stay focused so you don't go sneaking up on me."

Ayako
"It doesn't matter."

Her gaze quickly returns to the small, glowing screen.

Kenji
"Anyway, Hisao, I gotta pick up some things from the store.  Can you watch Ayako for me?"

Hisao
"Huh?  Why?"

"Can't I just go to the store, instead?  She's your sister."

Ayako's head pops up as I finish speaking.

Ayako
"Hey!  What's that supposed to mean?"

Kenji
"I'm the one who has to go, alright, Hisao?  Just bond with her or something."

He gives me a wave as he turns towards the door to open it and leave, once again, not allowing me a chance to argue further.

I turn to Ayako, who's still looking at me with a slight grimace.

Hisao
"I'm sorry about that, Ayako.  It's no problem, really."

Ayako
"Maybe not for you."

Her face suddenly goes blank.

Ayako
"Whatever.  It's fine."

"So, you're the Hisao that Kenji's been talking about."

"Hmm... you look like less of a dork than I thought."

She pauses for a few seconds between sentences but doesn't close her mouth.  It's an odd mannerism, it's as if she's thinking carefully about what are just plain sentences.

Hisao
"Uhh... thanks, I guess."

Ayako
"It's just that... I expected worse out of Kenji's friend.  That's all."

"Still a dork, though!"

She points at me playfully.  I just sigh.

Ayako
"It's true, you know."

Hisao
"What?"

Ayako
"Let me finish!  The sneaking up that Kenji mentioned."

"It could happen at any time, so you should just, you know, leave me alone."

There's an impatient tone to her voice, as if she's just trying to find a way to stop having to talk.  She's not trying to make her words caustic, but at the same time, it sounds far from polite.  I shrug, deciding that they're typical mannerisms for kids.

Having nothing to do, I force more conversation anyway.

Hisao
"So, you and Kenji don't get along very well?"

Ayako
"No, it's not that.  I just don't let him get to me."

"He acts so smart all the time, but he's just thick-headed."

Hisao
"So the idea is to be the one who strikes first?"

Ayako smiles momentarily, quickly returning to her straight face.

Ayako
"Yeah!"

"Something like that."

"It's fun, too."

"This isn't."

"I'm bored, give me something to do, Hisao."

Hisao
"Uhh... even if you say that, I don't have anything."

Ayako
"Failing in your responsibilities, then."

"Fine."

Ayako lowers her head and goes back to her game, as if the entire conversation never happened.