Intermission: Thoughts and Prayers

Intermission: Thoughts and Prayers

Intermission:

Thoughts and Prayers

I N THE SHADE OF MOMOZONO JUNIOR HIGH’S MAIN building, a boy and girl stood opposite one another.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t date you.” The black-haired girl bowed politely.

The boy let her answer sink in, then asked quietly, “Is it your brother? Is he that important to you, Kaju-kun?”

“He is. I mustn’t be distracted until my dearest Oniisama finds true happiness.”

Her eyes were unmoving. The boy could see that, and he acknowledged that arguing would be futile. “I understand. Sorry for dragging you all the way out here.”

“I’m flattered that you feel that way about me, though. I hope this won’t affect anything between us and I can continue to count on your leadership in the student council, President.” Kaju smiled gently.

If he wasn’t sure of his defeat before, the boy was now. “Which one of us is the senpai again? Hey, say I outgrow that brother of yours. If one day I become a better man than him, could I ask you again?” But the boy was not one to take defeat lying down.

Kaju sharpened her gaze to a fine edge. “Impossible.”

“Uh, what?”

She stepped closer. “Never has there been nor shall there ever be a better man than my Oniisama! The light of his soul is no affectation, but true radiance born from—”

Before she could dig her hole any deeper, a second girl appeared and grabbed her by the arm. “All right, you’ve made your point, Nuku-chan! Time to go!”

“Gon-chan? What are you doing here? Wh-why are you tugging me?”

“So sorry, Senpai. Just gonna borrow her real quick.”

Gondou Asami hauled her friend away from ground zero. Once they were alone, she let out a sigh. “Nuku-chan, you’ve seriously gotta learn to pull your punches.”

“But it’s not my fault!”

“Yeah, it kinda is.” Gon-chan bopped Kaju on the head. “That’s the eighth one this year. Would it kill you to let ’em down easy?”

“Well, what am I supposed to say? I have my dearest Oniisama to worry about.” She nursed her noggin, pouting.

“Your dearest Oniisama can coexist with a boyfriend. You could have anyone you wanted.”

“I don’t want just anyone. I have very discerning taste.” Kaju proudly thrust out what little there was of her chest to thrust out.

Gon-chan rolled her eyes. “And what sorta guy suits your palate then, hm?”

Kaju tapped her index finger to her chin thoughtfully. “That is the question, isn’t it? I doubt anyone could match my Oniisama, but they’d have to be at least as loyal.”

“Oh? Do go on.”

“And just as kind, and just as good to me, and a little bit of a softy who can’t leave well enough alone, and someone I feel just as safe with, and someone who sleeps a little messy so I can fix their hair in the morning, and who hugs me in bed because they’re too groggy to realize I snuck in, and whose favorite food is shiro hanpen, and whose birthday is December 25th, and whose blood type is A, and who’s roughly two years older than me. If there’s someone like that, I would have no problem whatsoever swearing myself to them.”

“Oh. I see.”

Oblivious, Kaju’s eyes sparkled. “Do you think they exist somewhere out there? Personally, I suspect they could be hiding in plain sight. What do you think, Gon-chan?”

She didn’t have to think very hard. A certain “dearest Oniisama” came to mind. “Y’know, I just don’t know, Nuku-chan. But I’m prayin’ for ya.”

She stepped forward to stare at the sky with her starstruck companion. A westerly breeze carried a hint of salt from Mikawa Bay. There wasn’t a cloud to be seen.

Winter’s a-knockin’, she thought.