Technical Difficulties (Brother's Conflict)

Chapter 30!

im so ready to just throw Nageki in here and in shows in my biased ass writing//// did you guys miss me??///

Natsume approached the group of his family sitting underneath the cherry blossoms, sighing when he caught sight of his brother singing to a bunch of girls drunkenly. "He really never grows up, huh?"

He was ushered over to a spot by Azusa and given chicken by Ema before he realized there was another missing member of the family, "Was Mei too busy with work to come?"

"Ah no, actually-" Ema went to respond but was interrupted when Mei walked over from a different picnic and sighed.

"I can't believed they recognized me from that distance. Oh, Natsume! Good to see you." She smiled at the orange haired man as she sat down, stealing some chicken from the container in Ema's hands.

"What were you doing?"

"Those are some people from the company where I work, they recognized me and invited me over for a bit." He nodded, that was the kind of response he had expected after all. "Didn't your company picnic already happen?"

"Yeah it did, but Tsubaki was convincing enough that I couldn't help but come."

"I have some doubts about the validity of that, but okay." They shared a laugh.

"How did you know he already had his company picnic?" Masaomi tilted his head in confusion, only for the two to answer nonchalantly in unison.

"We text."

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It wasn't long before their little party was running low on food, Ema volunteering to go get more. "Then I'll also-"

"Boo." A hand suddenly landed on her head, Mei hopping away from the person with her fists held up like she was ready to attack at a moment's notice. Grey eyes met her surprised heterochromatic ones and she let out a sigh.

"And what are you doing here?"

"Can't a man go to his company's picnic?"

"Takahashi texted you that I was here, didn't he?"

"Perhaps."

"You should catch up with Nageki, Mei. I'll only be a minute!" Before Mei could say anything, Ema ran off to go buy more food on her own.

Mei sighed but started shoving Nageki towards the company picnic anyway, "I'll be right back after I socialize with these idiots again."

Mei and Nageki ended up escaping that too, however, going for a small walk around the lake. "So you do wear the necklace I gave you."

Nageki had noticed the silver chain peeking out from the top of her t-shirt and smiled lightly. "I only wear sometimes."

"As in when we're not together?" He was right, she didn't want to wear it around him and be subjected to that little sly smile of his.

"Why did you come to the stupid flower viewing party anyway?"

"Because Takahashi said you'd be here." Mei felt her face turn bright red.

"You drove all the way over here because--"

"Because you'd be here kitten, yes I did."

She turned away from him to try and hide her face, "You're an idiot."

"Maybe." He leaned on the railing surrounding the lake, the same sly smile on his face as he watched her get flustered, it had been exactly what he was hoping for when he came.

Suddenly a loud crashing echoed out across the lake, both Mei and Nageki looking across the way at the orange haired man that just fell in the water. "Is that..?"

"You should probably go help them you know?"

"But what about-" Mei realized she was about to say 'you' like Nageki wasn't a grown man who could take care of himself. Her face flushed again as her heart raced in her chest, "I probably should, see you around."

She practically stomped off on the path, making Nageki laugh to himself. At least there was only one path she could take in order to get back, or he might have an actual reason to be worried.

------

When Mei returned she was carrying a towel that she had packed in the family belongings just in case Wataru fell in the pond. She dropped it on Natsume's head while he was in the middle of muttering something to Ema, not really liking the close proximity the two of them were in.

"This is probably more helpful than a handkerchief." Mei laughed a bit at the incredulous expression on Natsume's face.

"Mei, where did you get a towel?"

"From my just in case stash, of course." While all the brothers were confused, Ema just nodded, knowing well that her sister came prepared for pretty much anything.

"Still, this is what they call a tall drink of water!"

"Yeah, you should probably still change at our place." The other two triplets put in their two cents and it seemed final that it was time to go home, making Mei sigh in relief. At least Natsume's little fall would be a good inclusion in her romance novel.

----

"That reminds me.."

"Yeah?" The two girls were in Ema's room when Ema remembered what Subaru had said previously.

"Subaru invited me to watch his next basketball game."

Mei cringed as she stared down at her math homework, "It's like he's asking you out or something."

"It's not like that!"

"You're not a good judge of if it is or not so I don't want to hear it!"

"What do you mean I'm not a good judge?" Mei looked at Ema incredulously, staring the girl down wondering if she were serious.

"Have you met yourself? You're more than a little dense when it comes to these things Ema."

"Am I really?" She held a hand up to her face like she was in thought.

Mei rolled her eyes, "Trust me."

sorry i was gone for liteRal years but I'm back for now because I have prewritten stuff for future chapters and i always felt bad for leaving you guys hanging it might take a while but I will finish this fic ;;;;;) see y'all soon