Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
~
"NO, MASUMI!" The girl yelled, chasing her ninken down the hallway.
"Quit running in the house!"
"Sorry, Mama!" She called, still chasing after the dog. Before she could turn the corner, a hand snatched her back by her wrist. She turned to see that it was her mother who grabbed her, and she knew she was in trouble.
"What did I just tell you, Shinko?"
"To stop running." She pouted. "But she took Kiba's food!" Shinko gestured to Masumi, who sat in the corner, eating said piece of meat.
"You were planning on feeding her, weren't you?" Shinko was asked.
"She already ate her food, Kiba hasn't eaten yet." Her mother let go of her and began walking back to the table to take her seat. Shinko walked over to her companion and held her hand out for the stolen piece of meat, and it was kindly given back to her.
"Your brother is late, Shinko. He knows the rules. He and Akamaru will have to make their own dinner tonight. You can go tell him to come home if you like. He's out playing with his friends again." Shinko's face lit up, but her mother continued. "Finish your food first, or I'll feed it to Kuromaru." She quickly made her way back to the dinner table and continued her meal.
~
"Isn't that you're sister?" Choji elbowed Kiba lightly, watching as the brown-haired girl ran toward them, her small friend right beside her. Kiba rolled his eyes, elbowing Choji back. He kneed down to pet the dog once it reached them, and stood up once his sister began to catch up.
"Half-sister." Kiba corrected.
"She's still your sister." Shikamaru, another one of Kiba's friends scoffed. Kiba eyed him. Choji looked between the two, deciding to continue eating his chips instead of speaking about it.
"Hi, Choji, Shikamaru." The girl greeted her brother's friends. "Mama's gonna throw your dinner away again. You should come to eat before it's too late." She looked at Kiba. He shrugged and leaned down to give Masumi a piece of candy. "She doesn't like sweet stuff," Shinko said, and right after, Masumi spit out the candy she was given, and whimpered in disgust.
"Whatever." Kiba scoffed. "Tell mom I'm not hungry. Akamaru too. We already ate." Kiba said, petting Akamaru, who sat on his shoulder. "Just go home. I don't need you coming out here for me." Shinko frowned, and Masumi rubbed her head against her friend's leg, noticing her discomfort.
"Kiba lay off," Shikamaru said to him. "You're even stressing the dog out. We've gotta get back home anyway. Just go eat with your family for once." It got silent. Kiba didn't shoot back like he usually would, and Choji even stopped eating his chips.
"Fine." Kiba reluctantly said. "See you." He said to Choji and began walking without his sister. Shinko waved to the boys and began following after her brother.
"Come on Masumi." She said, and the puppy followed after her. Shinko ran to match her brother's pace and unknowingly annoyed him. She hadn't noticed until they got home when he simply threw his shoes off and went straight to bed. He didn't say goodnight, or even eat the dinner Shinko convinced their mother to leave out.
"Where's Kiba?" Tsume asked Shinko, after seeing her daughter come home.
"He went to his room." Shinko shrugged.
"Without saying goodnight? Who does that boy think he is-"
"I think he's mad at me, Mama." Shinko frowned. She slid her shoes off and began making her way to her room, sliding her door open.
"Don't sweat it. He's just in one of his moods."
"He's always in one of his moods with me." She muttered, sliding her bedroom door shut once Masumi was inside. She sat down on the floor, and Masumi cuddled up next to her. "I wish I knew what his problem was." She said, stroking Masumi's grey fur. "For a so-called 'big brother' he sure treats me like a stranger."
