Generation 11

Chapter 2

Two

“Kari, you’re going to be late! Kazu is probably already at Yuri’s school!” Haru chided as she watched her daughter gulp down more food.

“Mo-om! I’m hungry! The school never serves any decent food!” Karina wailed.

“You could take a bento, like your bro –”

“I’m too lazy!”

“Don't cut me off, Karina. And I already made a bento for you today."

Karina scowled, and slung her backpack over her shoulder. She grabbed the bento and ran off to meet up with her brother at Yuriko's school.

Karina spotted her brother before her brother spotted her. Smiling gleefully, Karina crept up to Kazuto, who was just coming around the corner out of Yuriko’s elementary. Karina closed her eyes and felt the sneaky feeling of anticipation as she hid behind the wall, preparing to scare heck out of Kazuto. Then, without warning, Karina jumped out from behind the corner and lunged at Kazuto. Her face went pale in mid-air and she twisted into a back flip, successfully stopping herself from lunging onto Kazuto – or the person who she thought was Kazuto.

“AGH!” The person yelped, falling flat on his bottom. “Ow! What are yo- Karina?”

Karina was stunned for a moment but relief washed over her when she realized that the person who witnessed her randomly lunging at people was none other than Hitobi Yoritomo, her brother’s best friend. Kazuto happened to be standing right beside him. Rubbing her arm, Karina knew that while she was waiting with anticipation, her brother must have joined Yoritomo. After all, Yoritomo did join up with them to go to school sometimes.

“Oi...Karina… That was….Surprising.” Kazuto said after recovering from what had happened. Her sister had just tried to jump on Yoritomo.

“Yeah, yeah,” Karina muttered to her brother. Then she turned to Yoritomo. “Sorry, I thought you were Kazu.”

Yoritomo, looked up and ran his fingers through his black hair. “It’s alright. No biggie. I believe I can assume that you and your brother have a very decent relationship.”

Karina took a deep breath. “That’s a hard one.”

Kazuto gave Karina a stern stare before shrugging.

"C'mon, we don't have time anymore.”

 

At school, Karina jammed her backpack into her locker and took off to home room. Karina looked around before sitting down. Her classmates were sitting already and her teacher eyed her briefly, indicating that she had just made it in time. Then Karina noticed the empty seat beside hers, which belonged to a friends of hers. It was unnatural for her to be late.

 

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Her shoes tapped lightly on the shiny, polished floor as she ran hurriedly to the front desk. Huffing, she signed herself in. Hair was flying over her face as she sprinted to her locker and stuffed her school bag in. Homeroom was almost over, which meant that she was almost half an hour late.

Finally she arrived and slowly slid open the door.

"S-sorry I'm lat-"

"Akane! What took you so long? You are not usually the late type."

It was Karina, cutting her off just like usual. Akane gave an apologetic look to their teacher and sat down beside Karina.

"Alarm clock went crazy..."