Reckless Muse

Ch. 4: The Kusunoki Dinner (Part 3)

"Took you long enough! Hurry up, the game is already loading," Mirai called out as soon as Kuramochi stepped into the living room.

A grin stretched across his face as he saw his favorite game flashing on the tv screen. "Kyahaha! Alright! I won't go easy on you, though," he replied, taking a seat on the ground next to her.

Sakura watched him as he seemed to become more comfortable in her home. Standing from where she had been curled up on the couch, she set her sketch stuff down on the end table, making sure to close the book. "I'm going to shower now," she called as she exited the room.

Her dad hummed from where he was seated on an arm chair. Sakura didn't see her mother but could guess that she had retired to her study as she usually did after dinner. Making her way up the stairs, she entered her own bedroom, dodging piles she mentally cursed herself for not cleaning up earlier. Sketch supplies littered the floor and shelves, some paint staining her carpet blue near her closet and a red splash across one wall from an exploding ink well. She had never minded her creative mess, but with a friend over she had a sudden urge to clean. Sighing, she grabbed a change of clothes and hurried to the bathroom to wash up.

~

"Ya' know," Mirai drawled out as she executed an impressive combo move on Kuramochi's character, "Sakura usually doesn't make friends that easily."

"Mirai, don't talk about your sister like that," Nikko scolded, looking up from his book.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying it's bad, just that she's picky about who she hangs out with." Kuramochi hummed as he repaid Mirai for her earlier attack. "I mean, like, she's so quiet so people don't notice her, but even the people that do she usual keeps her distance from."

"I've noticed that she always eats lunch alone," Kuramochi said thoughtfully, avoiding an attack and eliciting a sharp complaint from the girl. "She said that she just likes to draw in a quiet area."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Mirai exclaimed, landing hit after hit as her thumbs flew over the controller. "She's always by herself. I mean, I get it. She's not outgoing and she likes to concentrate on her drawing but- wait." Mirai turned to look at Kuramochi, completely forgetting about the game as he landed the finishing hit. "She's told you that she draws?"

"Ah, well, I just learned it earlier today," Kuramochi explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

Nikko smiled at him. "Sakura's usually very quiet about that. She's extremely talented but she doesn't share her stuff very often. Most of what she makes she either keeps or gives to Fumiya."

Kuramochi nodded. "I noticed that his room had a bunch of her drawings. She's really good."

Her father chuckled lightly as Mirai exclaimed, "I know, right?! Too bad she basically never lets anyone see her drawings. Her final products sometimes, but she never lets anyone see her sketches." Mirai threw her hands in the air. "She says that they're bad, but even her rough drafts are awesome! Not to mention that she usually does mellow, quiet things like landscapes or nature, but my favorites are the active ones."

The boy beside her raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, it's like, she usually draws calm stuff instead of active stuff?" Mirai said, explained absolutely nothing to him.

"Sakura prefers to draw pictures that show off calmness," a sudden voice piped up from the doorway. Kuramochi turned around to see Mizuki standing in the doorway with a light smile on her face. "Sunsets or landscapes are common themes. She likes to draw trees and flowers, too. Occasionally, however, she'll draw a person or an active scene, like animals running or a windy day. Those drawings always seem to have an air about them that's just a little stronger, but Sakura says that she doesn't like doing those drawings as much."

"Oh," Kuramochi said, his mind jumping back to the sketch of himself that Sakura had showed him. His brain whirred, trying to catch up with the information.

Mirai had other ideas. "Sakura is usually very quiet, too. I was surprised when she yelled at dinner to defend you." She gave Kuramochi a smirk that reminded him way too much of a certain catcher. Before he could reply, however, he was frozen to the spot with an icy stare.

"Mirai's right. You must be close to Sakura," Mizuki said, it coming out as a statement rather than a question.

Kuramochi chuckled nervously. "We haven't known each other long, but we're classmates. We talk sometimes and Sakura-chan helps me with homework, too."

"Hmmmm. Well, in any case, I'm turning in the for the night. I have an early shift tomorrow. Goodnight," Mizuki said. Nikko met his wife at the doorway for a quick kiss and Mirai loudly said 'goodnight' as well. Kuramochi nodded awkwardly, which Mizuki returned with a light smile. At that, she left the room and Kuramochi's ears were pierced by a squawk from the younger girl.

"What the heck?! When did I lose?"

Kuramochi burst out into his signature laughter, drawing a smile from the girl who stood just beyond the doorway. Mizuki smiled at her eldest daughter as she saw her stifle her own laughter. Maybe she had been a bit quick to judge the boy. After all, all three of her children seemed to have taken a liking to him.

~

"I'm sorry about Mirai, I know she can get a little carried away," Sakura said, giving Kuramochi an apologetic look.

"Nah," he said, resting his hands behind her head. "It was fun playing games with her. She's really good."

Sakura chuckled. "Yeah. She can run fast, jump high, and kick butt in video games. She needs divine intervention with her school work though."

"Kyahaha! So mean, Sakura-chan. She's your sister," Kuarmochi said grinning broadly.

"Exactly, so it's my job to give her reality checks," she replied, smirking. Kuramochi rolled his eyes before they both started giggling. "Anyway, you have early practice tomorrow, so we'd better call it a night," Sakura said as she stood from her spot in front on the couch. She set her controller down on the coffee table and stretched her arms. After Mirai had tired out, she had played a few games with Kuramochi. And gotten her ass handed to her in every single one.

Kuarmochi mimicked her moves as he drawled out, "Or maybe you're just tired of losing to me?"

Sakura snorted. "Don't worry. I have plenty of practice being beaten to a pulp by Mirai. I won't quit just because of that." Another laugh escaped Kuramochi's lips and Sakura smiled. He always laughed so easily and honestly, she had a hard time believing a few weeks ago, the sound had grated on her eardrums and nerves. She silently admitted to herself that she had pegged Kuramochi wrong and that Fumiya was right: he was a good friend for her.

"Alright, I believe you." With that, they both shut down the system and made their way up the stairs to the rooms. Kuramochi stopped in front of Fumiya's door and watched as Sakura made her way down to her own. "Goodnight, Sakura-chan," Kuramochi called quietly as he gave her a small smile.

Sakura returned the smile and replied, "Goodnight, Mochi-san," before disappearing into her room. Kuramochi stood shock still for a few moments, processing his new nickname. As a stupid smile crept over his face, he entered the room and nuzzled into the blankets, his mind jumping back to the realization that he was one of a select few who knew Sakura's drawing hobby. That thought alone made him excited, but he didn't have time to dwell on it as a long, emotionally exhausting day finally caught up to him.