The Golden Pear [YA - Featured]

♫~Notes 130~♫

The sunrays hid behind the thick clouds, bringing the much-needed shade. Ueno still slept, but her eyelids fluttered as the hard floor nudged her it was high time to wake up. Rolling to the other side, she hit the wall with her forehead.

The dull pain spread across her face, forcing her to open her eyes. Squinting, yawning, and rubbing her skin, she needed time to remember.

"Taiga!" She spurted on all fours, her eyes scanning the unknown room.

The furniture stood around the walls, in the middle laid sleeping bags, and in the door stood Rigaku. He watched her as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"Taiga! Kuro! Shoga! Shima! Haiiro!" she called all the cats, ignoring the young man's presence. Her body swayed back and forth on the brink of falling down.

"Ai took them to the vet," Rigaku said, using a neutral tone.

Yet, Ueno shivered, jerking her body until her head slammed into the wall for the second time. She yelped, covering the throbbing place.

"Are you okay?" The boy asked a question that he had never thought he would place in her presence.

"Y-Yeah," she muttered. "But where are the kittens? What about Taiga?"

Her legs killed her with every movement as she dug her fingers into the wall, trying to stand up. Pangs resonated from all corners of her body, spreading like wildfire.

Rigaku pushed up his glasses, offering her his hand. Her dark eyes dashed back and forth between it and his face, trying to decipher the obvious message. Facing the chance of falling, she accepted his hand, using her withering strength to move to the sofa under the window.

"T-thank you." She didn't dare to look into his eyes.

"You are welcome... I guess."

In the next millisecond, Ueno spurted with laughter, holding her rumbling stomach. The boy took a step back, puzzled by this reaction. But then again, this situation was crazy and unthinkable.

The older girl needed a few seconds to calm down.

"I suppose you are hungry." Rigaku headed out. "We have some leftover sandwiches from breakfast. Do you want tea or juice? We have the apple one unless Ka gulped all of it yesterday."

She gave him a perplexed expression. Such kind words sounded strange from her bitter enemy.

"Yes, juice sounds good." She nodded.

Before he had returned, she glanced the entire room, taking in the rearranged furniture, four rolled sleeping bag in the middle and the cat's corner.

"Here it is." He placed it on the table in front of the sofa.

The sun from outside didn't reach them, but the light poured inside. A gentle breeze made the scorching heat bearable even if for a few seconds.

"Thank you." She took one with a slice of ham, cheese, sliced egg, and lettuce. After the first bite, she let out a muffled moaning as her taste buds screamed in delight. "Who has the fourth sleeping bag? You are triplets, right?"