Hanabi

Chapter 39: Silence

Tomoko’s shout of “dead!” echoed over the backyard, a prelude to her still sinister laugh. Haruna raised her head to see what happened this time, from her little spot sitting with her back against one of the walls of Mami’s studio, away from the mayhem the others were causing. From the looks of it, Tomoko had just hit Mami pretty hard. The blonde was lying on her back with Tomoko’s foot placed on her chest. There was an expression of pure satisfaction on the nekomata’s face.

However there was also the melody, Tomomi didn’t stop playing it this time when Mami went to the ground. A new attack was made as the form of the huge yellow cat appeared once again and this time the brunette was the target, but she escaped it while the girl on the ground rolled on her stomach and prompted herself up.

They were making a good team. Haruna could observe how they improved.

Tomomi never put that much effort into her practices before, not when she was learning from her in Osaka. Maybe she just lacked a real motivation then, or maybe it was the difference between practicing with her and practicing with Mami. If having that uncontrollable fur ball as an instructor was producing better results, then Haruna thought maybe she hadn’t been a good teacher after all. Maybe she wasn’t a good company to have around.

She even smiled bitterly with the thought. Of course she wasn’t a good company. She had been utterly terrible to Tomomi at times, to a point where she couldn’t understand why the cheerful girl stayed.

- Why are you here isolated from everyone?

Haruna didn’t notice when Rina got there, but she was standing next to her. It seemed like old habits were really hard to lose, the taller brunette always liked to show up suddenly and surprise her.

- I’m just observing the mess. What are you doing trying to spook me again?

- I’m not trying to spook you. - Rina said with a bright smile that made Haruna suspicious - I wanted to check if you feel like practicing with me for a bit.

- With Akai? - the smaller girl asked and the taller one nodded - What were you doing?

- Tomoko brought those straw men earlier, I was tearing one of them apart.

- Ah yeah those ugly things she tossed at the front door. I wonder where she got those…

- She didn’t say anything, but if I know her she probably found some gardening shop and the attendant was some poor young man... I doubt she would just buy the straw and make them herself, she doesn’t have patience for that. - Haruna raised her eyebrows at that explanation, so Rina decided to elaborate - Everyone talks about kitsune, but she can get people to do whatever she wants when she starts blinking and throwing her hair back.

- That’s sounds really creepy.

- It is really creepy. It usually ends with her scaring the hell out of them anyway, she can never control herself enough to pull the pretty adorable girl act for long. So, will you come with me? I could use some tips if it happens that I’m still doing something wrong.