Wonderland Carnival

Ringo

Halo Three: Ringo:

Her smile is always so bright. The freshman boys already had their eyes on her. However, she herself had eyes for someone else. She fought Mikado and his friends about to head home for the day.

"Hey guys!" she called as she raced to catch up with them. The five of them paused and looked up.

"Can we help you, princess?" Masaomi asked. Ringo gave him a huge grin.

"Are you guys doing anything today?" she asked. Chiharu raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why?" she asked.

"I really like you guys," she said. Ringo paused at her words. "Or rather, I admire you in a sense." Either one of those sounded a bit off-putting coming out of her mouth.

"Okay..." Mikado said, confused. Ringo tilted her head at the group.

"So, what do you say?" she asked.

"I can't," Chiharu spoke up. "I don't know about them, but I'm busy today."

"We're kind of busy too, princess," Masaomi said. Noriko hung her head.

"I've got therapy today, sorry," she said. Ringo's smile didn't diminish.

"That's okay," she said. "Maybe some other time, then?"

"I guess..." Mikado mumbled. The freshman waved at them.

"Alright then, see you tomorrow!" she said. Mikado, Masaomi, Anri, Noriko, and Chiharu stood looking puzzled as she hurried away. They all wondered, What was all of that about?

However, not everyone likes Ringo.

Michiko stood by the entrance by Ringo's house, waiting. She frowned when she saw the older girl getting closer. The freshman froze in her tracks.

"Now, why would you come to see me again, Michiko-san?" she asked. The thirteen-year-old stepped out with a frown on her face.

"You know she's lying to you, right?" Michiko asked. "That's what Junko does."

"I know," Ringo replied. "But I have to see my brother again." The younger girl shook her head at her.

"You still believe all of that?" she asked.

"I have to see him!"

"How can you even be sure that he's still alive?"

Ringo glared at her. "My little brother's still alive! I just know it!" Another thought crossed her mind. "Why do you care so much about Ryugamine-senpai and his friends?"

Michiko looked away. "I have my reasons."

The other girl made a cat-like face at her. "Oh! Is it because of him? You don't want him to suffer through all of this again, do you?"

"Shut up!" Michiko screamed. Ringo put up her hands at her.

"Come on," she said. "I just want to be their friends."

"If you do anything to hurt them, I'll... I'll...!" the younger girl hissed. Ringo raised an eyebrow at her.

"You'll do what?" she asked. Michiko clenched her fists at her sides as she muttered something under her breath. Ringo brushed it off with a little smile.

"I understand," she said.

"Good," Michiko growled. Both of them know it's a lie. After all, they have played this game before.