𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘦

eternal rival

"If you think I'm gonna play Poor Man, you're wrong. It wouldn't be fair on Kyo! He's just a beginner," I say, throwing my hands in the air while leaning back in my chair.

Uo looks at me with a snarl. "Huh? What are you on about, you still haven't won once in the week we've taught you've to play. I thought you were smart, bird brain."

"What I wanna know is why Hana-chan tried harder at this than school..."

"Are you saying you don't try? Oh... I get it now, you try to help Tohru-kun win."

I turn red in embarrassment, so we begin to play.

I bang my head on the table in defeat when Hana pulls out "Anti-revolution."

"Hey, Kuroi!" Nanami comes in, brushing past Yuki casually, holding one of the school newspapers or something. "It looks like you were written about in here. Orange Sohma too. Yuki, as always, as well."

"Eh?! Aren't they supposed to ask permission for stuff like that?!" I say, not caring for Kyo's annoyance at the name "Orange Sohma".

"The newspaper club doesn't have the greatest reputation for things like that," she nervously remarks, opening up the newspaper to read. "The cute, fluttery, young first year and orange cat fan! Two more of the Sohma family! Kuroi and Kyo Sohma!'" Megumi starts laughing at it. "They pegged Orange-Sohma, but I think whoever was writing this is blinded by whatever crush they have. You're not like that at all!"

"Lemme see that!" I grab the paper from her hands. "What the hell?"

"WHY?!" Kyo cries and accidentally rips the paper when trying to grab it from me.

"Kyo! She had to pay for that, you know!" I say, and pull out my wallet, paying her back without her objection. I turn to Kyo. "Back to cleaning, Orange top!"

"You're calling me that now too?!" he growls and goes back to cleaning the classroom.

I notice that when Yuki walks in, he looks agitated at the sight of Kyo. I know that a fight is going to start. Some family therapy required, but I'd get dragged into that mess too. "Um, Nanami? How about we go get our stuff? I'll walk with you. You take the train home, right?"

"Sure." She smiles and walks out with me.

"My work is nearby, anything to get out of the mess they were about to start." I groan. "I heard your brother and mother are back in town? Must be nice now, you did say everytime he's around you get to live with him, outside the estate."

"Yes..." Her eyes wander off. "The ladies of the estate are always so odd and sometimes hostile towards me, especially as I'm barely a Sohma, not even in name. I'm illegitimate, so, I shouldn't even really be there but my father was gracious enough to let me stay sometimes. It seems there's many secrets inside the estate, it makes me uncomfortable. Especially after my friendship with Yuki ended so abruptly. He pretends as if we didn't know each other."

My eyes wander sympathetically. "That's Yuki, I suppose. I wouldn't say he likes his distance, but he tends to be cautious and puts others outside the family at an arm's length as a means of escape. Others in the family... well, I can't say he's generally affectionate to me or Kyo, or Gure-nii who we live with. I know he went to an all-boys elementary, so that might be why he's so awkward. I'm sorry if he makes you uncomfortable."

"No, of course not! Not at all," she nervously chuckles. "You haven't seen much of each other for years but-- you seem to know him better than that silly Prince Yuki Fan club."

I blink, twisting my mouth into a grimace. "Really? I thought it was obvious that guy is a prick. The persona is what all these other obsession blind girls have made up. This is your stop, I'll see you around."