PUT YOUR RECORDS ON (oikawa t.)

ch. 5: hair ties

Himari really, honestly couldn't believe what she was about to do.

Himeko scared her. Himeko had stolen her dolls and pulled her hair when they were little, and Himari let her, because Himeko was loud, and bossy, and scary. Himeko knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to say so. Himeko was... Well, really, she was everything Himari wasn't. Confident, sassy, bold— all just a few of the words that could describe Himari's older sister.

In fact, just standing outside the door of Himeko's room was making Himari's heart beat so loud that it was all she could hear. Even through the English rock music Himeko had blaring in her room, all Himari could hear was the pulsing of her heart. Her fist was raised up to the door, hovering just beside it. 'You could leave now. Go back to your room and spare yourself... Himeko,' she thought to herself, but then she closed her eyes and chewed on her lips, thinking of Takara and that grown man. With a deep breath (that honestly didn't do much to calm her), Himari knocked three times on Himeko's door.

"Go away, otouto!" Himeko yelled.

"It's me, actually," Himari said, having to speak quite loudly to be heard over the music.

"Huh?!" Himeko called, but then the music was turned off and the door was swinging open. It revealed Himeko, standing there in sweatpants and a crop top, a messy bun sitting on her head. Her eyebrows were raised, lips parted slightly. When she saw that it really was Himari, though, Himeko leaned against her doorframe, lips lifting into a smirk, "Imouto, you don't willingly talk to me very much. Somethin' you need?"

Himari fidgeted with her hands, eyes downcast, "Well, uh, actually, I, uh—"

Himeko rolled her eyes, beginning to shut the door, "Either talk right, or fuck off."

"Wait!" Himari's eyes flew open, as the door actually began to close on her. Her hand flew out to stop it.

Himeko lifted an eyebrow, looking mildly impressed. "What is it?"

Himari kept looking down, "I—"

"Look me in the eye when you're talking to me."

Her teeth grated together, because Himari just knew that Himeko was basking in the blush that made Himari's face bright red— in how uncomfortable her little sister was. She did as told, though, looking up to meet Himeko's eyes.

Himeko paused for a moment at the look in them. She'd never seen Himari's eyes lit up like this, alight with a kind of fire that Himeko only ever saw present in herself, Itaru, and their mother. The way Himari's lips were pressed into a thin line wasn't shyness or unhappiness, like was typical for the younger girl, but rather it was... more like sharpness. At that moment, Himari commanded attention. She was still a blushing mess, but the spirit was there. Himeko almost wanted to laugh, because of how bizarre the expression was on her gentle-hearted little sister's face.

"I want you to help me," Himari said, "I want you to help me be less of a wimp. Please."

A little grin spread across Himeko's face, arms folding across her busty chest, "Of course, I'll help you. What kind of sister would I be otherwise? C'mon, get in."

'No turning back now,' Himari thought, gulping. Slowly, cautiously, she stepped over the threshold from the safety of the hallway, into her sister's room. It had always been the wolf's den in Himari's mind, Himeko's room. Now, it would be a place of learning. That made her feel a bit queasy, actually, but she nonetheless followed Himeko further into her room, after shutting the door.

Himeko sat on her bed, legs crossed. For a solid two minutes, she watched Himari awkwardly stand in the middle of her room, fidgeting with her hands and looking around at all the posters of different bands and horror movies.