Happily Ever After? [Nagikae AU]

Chapter 10: Monday

Monday rolls around. Forcing Miki out of bed would be the toughest part of the morning I'd like to say.

"Miki! I gotta tie your hair so stop trying to run back to bed!" I struggle to hold her back along with the hair.

"Worry about yours more then mine!" She continues.

This goes on for at least 10 minutes before I get her to eat breakfast and leave the house.

"Brother, I wanna ask you something?" Miki says.

"Hm?"

"Do you like your job? I mean, I heard her come in at 7 am on Sunday and you didn't wake up until late in the afternoon."

"Uh, well, work is work and it doesn't matter of you want to." I tell her. "And besides, as long as I'm able to take care of us both I'm perfectly fine."

She smiles, a little sad. "Okay."

---

"Nagisa, how was your date with Kaede?" Karma smirked as he went to my desk.

I felt myself blush. "It was not a date. Just some time with a friend. And we had a good time hanging out, thank you for asking."

"Suuuuuurrrrrreeee." He smiled. "But if she were to ask you out, hypothetically, what would you say?"

I took a minute to think. "I don't know. I mean, I'd most likely say no. Since, I already got a girl to keep my eye on I don't need 2." I laughed.

"So you'd reject her because you have a little sister? That's a little silly. I mean, I do too but I could have a girlfriend and be fine." He tsked.

"... yeah, but, you're you. And I'm me. And I'm not full of attractive features. And who ever were to like me must have something wrong in the head."

"Okay, I'll be going back to my seat now."

He left and told me he'd talk to me at lunch.

Why do I say something and then regret it in a few minutes?

"I'd probably say yes."

---

"Do you know where Kaede is?" Karma munched on his lunch.

"Probably something that we should let her explain to us when we get a chance to talk to her."

"K."

We both sat in silence, awaiting our conversation starter, aka Kaede.

"Hello, fellow people I know." Said a cheery voice that marched our way with a chair and her lunch.

She set her lunch on my desk and sat on the chair she brought.

"Sorry, I'm late. Got caught in some business." She said, a small tint of nervousness in her voice.

"What kind of business?" I said before thinking.

"Yeah what kind?"

She began to notably sweat. "... something to do with this one guy I know. He and I are friends but, er...."

"'Er' what?"

"I don't see him as anything else." She paused. "And of you don't get it, he said he likes me and that I turned him down."

Both me and Karma glanced at each other. "Likes?"

I'm curious now...

"Yes, yes, hard to believe, I know. But it's true. Now can we leave it al-"

"Good." I said, again, before thinking. "I mean, you already have us and your sister, I think a boyfriend wouldn't do."

Why am I yapping like I know what I'm saying.

A slight blush was on Kaede's cheeks. "Y-you think?"

"Definitely." I said immediatly.

---

It was a quiet walk between me and Karma. Kaede wasn't able to come since her sister was in need of some sort of help with I don't know what.

It wasn't that long on the way to pick out sisters up, I got a call from Miki.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Uh-" she paused. "Brother, why don't you head home, I'm going over to Yui's. She invited me over along with two other girls."

I wanted to fight her on this, but I know Karma so it would be okay of she went with Yui and him. Plus, I had to give Miki the closest thing to a normal pre-teen life I could.

"Okay, I'm with Karma so I'll tell him." I hung up.

"Tell me what?" He asked.

"Oh it's just Yui invited Miki and two other girls to your place."

"Ahhh, okay."

I nodded and turned the corner to the house. "I'll see you later."

"'Right, bye."

---

It was quiet. Very. Without Miki, the house seemed too lonely.

"God, I'm hungry." I stretched, lying on the couch. "I wonder what's left over from yesterday?"

I looked over at the kitchen. Usually Miki would be making dinner.

I mean, I know how to make food but I've gotten so used to how the way things are now.

"I'll just lie here and do..." I looked at the coffee table, there was a worn out short story book. "Some reading... yeah."

I reached over and lied on my stomach. There I opened the cover up and read the first few pages.

The stories were short and the irony at the end was sometimes irritating but a nice catch.

As I read I blocked out most of the world. And within those 2 short hours, I finished.

I sat up and placed the book on my lap. It was around 5 p.m.

"I should do my homework."