Aqua Terrarium (Nagi No Asukara)

Chapter Three

The morning light shone through my room, the clown fishes swimming within my opened window while I looked at myself in the mirror.

I had decided to take Chisaki's advice and tried to tie my hair up into a high ponytail. Sadly, the results were so terrible I had ended up tying it into a loose ponytail again. A knock resounded from my window, my head snapping to the sight of Kaname and Chisaki peeking from outside.

"Good morning, Aoi!" Chisaki was the first to greet me, followed by Kaname who gave me a quick wave. Chucking my books quickly into my bag, I then proceeded to walk up to them and smiled.

"Good morning as well, Chisa-chan, Kaname!" I beam before a yell of complaint resounded from downstairs which caused me to look down and see a rather impatient Hikari glaring at me from below.

"What's taking you so long, Aoi!?" He practically yelled causing me to roll my eyes before I stuck out my tongue at him in a playful manner.

"Stupid Hikari! We all know you just want to get to Manaka's house ASAP!" I teased, his cheeks turning crimson red which made me giggle.

"A-Am not!" He defended himself, his stutter his downfall which made me cackle in delight at his embarrassed face.

"Ah shut up and just hurry up!" He growled in complaint, my laughter dimming to giggles as I waved him off and gave a loud holler to my mother and brother from within my house.

"I'll be going now!" I shouted from the hallway of my room before following Chisaki and Kaname down the balcony of my bedroom. The water cushioned my fall as we jumped, Hikari yelping in the process when my foot nearly collided with his face. I did it intentionally, really, just to get even with him which made him scowl.

"Aoi! You forgot your lunch!" The door to my house opened, revealing my mother who was clinging to a wrapped bento box as she ran to me.

"Ah! Thanks mom!" I replied quickly, giving her a quick peck on the cheeks as I took my food and began to run after my friends who were now halfway away from my house.

"Get back home soon, idiot sister!" My younger brother named Takashi yelled back, his nine-year old frame shaking with energy as he waved me off. 

"Will do, Taka-chan!" 

"Don't call me that!" He yelled, cheeks puffed and red which made me chuckle when I looked away from my house and ran to catch up with Hikari and the others.

--*--

"Why does everyone walk so fast," I huffed when I managed to catch up, Hikari still ignoring me which made me chuckle. Chisaki's eyes were full of mirth in them, the memory probably too funny for her which made me glad to know that she enjoyed my little performance with Hikari.

"You alright though, Aoi? You look like you ran a marathon," Kaname chuckled next to me, matching my stride which made me turn red at the manner. I coughed to try and gain some composure and nodded, my earlier courage gone the moment Kaname had greeted me.

My frazzled nerves didn't go unnoticed by Chisaki, her knowing gaze making me stick my tongue out in defiance which made her giggle.

"Hurry up will ya?!" Hikari hollered from above the steps that led to the Mukaido residence, my eyes rolling at his eagerness. It had only been yesterday when they were both ignoring each other, seriously! they really are like a bickering couple.

"Shut your mouth, idiot Hikari! No one wants a loud-mouth screaming in the morning," I covered my ears as if to prove a point when I mocked him, tick marks forming on his forehead which made me snicker.