F̶o̶l̶l̶o̶w̶ Fuck the Rulebook - Kenma Kozume

Chap 72 - Troublesome duo

Akasuki tapped her feet against the warm carpet of the stairs as she gazed down mindlessly watching her brothers occasionally sprint across the hallway from the kitchen into the living room, and back again. She leaned against her hands as she chuckled lightly, she knew what they were doing. It's been none stop.
"Boys," Akasuki called down.
The two suddenly sprinted to the bottom step staring up at her, and they were always on cure. She lifted her head, holding out both of her hands,
"come here."
The pair exchanged looks, Tatsuo stepping up onto the step, Reiji following close. But somehow, they were still awkward about it each time. They reached her carefully placing their hands in hers like they were about to hold a baby bird.
"What's going on?" Akasuki pondered quietly staring intensely at the pair.
It wasn't that she was oblivious to them.
"Well," Reiji started glancing to Tatsuo for support.
It was the fact she was confused to why they kept observing her from afar, bringing her their favourite snacks, watching her shows instead of hers.
"We're," Tatsuo muttered, they have been up to something over the last couple of weeks.
"We're looking out for you," Reiji finished his sentence, the pair growing pink the cheeks.
Looking out for her? Right. She wrapped her hand around theirs carefully pulling them both to her chest, muttering to them,
"I'm your big sister, I'm meant to be looking out for you."
"That's what he said you'd say," Tatsuo pouted.
That's what he said? Who, their dad? Why would he say something like, a sudden knock on the door broke her thoughts?
"I've got it!" her father called jogging out of the kitchen to the door, carefully opening it to ensure only he could see the knocker. Who was it?
"Good afternoon sir," a voice spoke.
Her father chuckled,
"cut it with the formalities," he shifted to lean against the doorframe, he's getting comfortable, "what brings you here?"
Akasuki was curious to who it was to make him switch his tone so easily.
"Well," they cleared their front, "we want to say the sponsorship," the sponsorship?
The voice switched to another’s,
"but it's just an excuse."
An excuse? Her father's fingers tensed as he gripped the door, whoa,
"I know, I've," he lifted his head to glance up at Akasuki, why is he so serious, his expression suddenly turning soft and fluffy turning back to stare at the people outside, "I've spoken to your coach about the game and my attendance, I will be there."
What is going on? There was a brief celebration before one them spoke,
"so, can we see her?"
"See her," Akasuki's father repeated, see her? See who?
His tone had changed to a sinister taste, sending shivers down Akasuki's spine, so scary.
"It doesn't matter if we don't speak to her, we just want to," they paused, "see her, you know," there was a low sigh, "see Akasuki."
Akasuki? Her? What? Who? Before Akasuki could further travel into her disorganised thoughts, Tatsuo and Reiji had stumbled down the stairs with angry red faces and furrowed brows, what are they doing? She watched as the pair pushed through their father's legs yelling,
"who are you and what do you want?"
She covered her mouth as she stifled a laugh, they're like little pirates. Abruptly their disguises fell as Tatsuo started to jump up wildly,
"Lev! Lev! Lev!"
Wait what, Lev? Reiji slipped past Tatsuo's wild jumping to gaze up at the other,
"So, Lev."
So as well? Wait, why, wait no. She reached out to touch the bannister, her fingers clumsily clasping around the cold wood. Why are they here? To ridicule her? Her legs became to tremble at the thought of the humiliation they can bestow upon her. Why are they here? Her father glanced up at her with a reassuring smile, how can he be so calm when she was practically crumbling at the core.
"Why are you here?" Reiji asked curiously.
"To see Suki," So admitted.
To see, her? That's, not possible.
"Akasuki," her father spoke warmly, his voice soothing the overwhelming worry on her mind, "would you like to see them?"
She gulped taking a breath of air, would she? That was a serious a question. Was she ready for the confrontation? She, she thought the day they fought would be the last for them. But now, now Lev and So are stood outside, of her house, Akasuki thought to herself, why? Why? Why, her lips quivered as she carefully slipped herself off the step pulling herself to her feet, after everything she did to them, she carefully made her way down the stairs, after ruining their image, her father ushered the two boys into the kitchen Akasuki stepping into the terrifying spotlight, her eyes lifting to take in the two boys before her, grinning wildly without a doubt within their eyes, why are they torturing her with their persistent yet obvious fake loyalty?
“Look,” Akasuki grunted as she forced the word from her throat, her nerves becoming apparent to the pair before her.
Their faces were bright with joy causing her eyes to widen, she, she can’t, she tore her gaze to the ground, she can’t look at them, they’re so. Happy.
“You shouldn’t have,” her words were forced to a stop, her face suddenly comforted by a warm object, her weight being held by another, what?
Soft sniffling filled her ears, um, lifting her head under the pressure of another she was able to catch a tear sliding down their cheek, he’s crying. Who, no, why is he crying? She felt the urge to join him, slipping her hands up to meet their cheeks carefully pulling it to meet her gaze. So?
“I’m,” he sniffled, “sorry.”
She felt the strings of her heart ache gazing upon the tears of her beloved friend, tears welling in her eyes as she held his face tightly,
“don’t,” she gulped struggling to contain her emotions, “cry you idiot,” her words came out like a hiss instead of a soft approach.
So nodded in her hands, a couple of tears continuing to slid down his cheeks,
“I’m sorry, I just,”
Lev chuckled from behind So reaching out to scruff So’s hair,
“Sō and I are both sorry.”
Akasuki glanced to Lev, the guilt in his eyes was always obvious to her and he wasn’t one to apologise, especially to her. He really is sorry. But why?
“You didn’t do anything,”
“Exactly,” So whinged pushing his head through Akasuki’s hands onto her shoulder, “we should have been there for you! We just stood there and watched it happen! I, I’m so sorry Suki, for everything,” she softly rubbed his back smiling at Levi she hasn’t seen this side of So, yet Lev, was unusually calm but she knew why, “it happened again.”
He chuckled shaking his head loosely,
“and they call me stupid.”
Akasuki laughed with him,
“right,” her laugh fell silent, Lev’s face tightening narrowing his eyes at her, “I didn’t recognise him, he’s a completely different person,”
Akasuki cleared her throat interrupting his next words, she didn’t want to have this conversation, not ion public at least,
“wanna come in so we can talk about everything?”
So let out another tearless sob,
“how are you so mature and brave with everything’s that's happened to you!”
Everything’s that happened to her? She hummed in disagreement,
“let’s go inside.”