“Why won’t you leave me alone!” the young boy shouted. He pushed the raven-haired girl down and she began to cry. “Aw, stop actin’ like a baby!” he added, not nearly as heated as he was before. The girl continued to cry, seemingly not going to stop. “Hey!” he said. “Stop crying! I didn’t mean to hurt you!” Now he was starting to cry. He didn’t notice when the girl peeked out through her fingers at him.

“Idiot,” she giggled, pushing him down a second later. He let out a tiny squeak as he fell back onto his bottom, giving her an astonished glance. She grinned. “Ya wanna be fwiends?” she asked, holding out her hand.

“No! Girls have cooties!”

How could she not remember that day? Ryu was adorable back then, but...he turned into…a pervert.

Jyo couldn’t stand perverts. Every time she laid her eyes on Ryu nowadays, she got sick. When he touched her, she felt dirty. When he laid those disgusting, lips of his on her cheek, she wanted to scream.

Why won’t he leave her alone?! What happened to her “having cooties”?! Gods! Why did he have to be so gods damned annoying?!

She didn’t know.

Hopefully, she wouldn’t see him today. Hopefully.

“Jyo-chan! Darling!”

Damnit.

“Jyo-chan! I know you can hear me!”

“Ryu, leave ‘er alone…”

“But…why? Doesn’t she love me?”

Did…did he just grab her arm!? She turned around, slowly, and gave him a glare that could almost freeze warm water.

“Hey! Wait!” she shouted, running as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. He was running in front of her, pulling away slowly. “Hey! No fair! I’m not even IT!”

“So?!” he grinned, looking back at her and sticking out his tongue. “Your jus’ supposed to catch me! Then I’ll tell you a secret!”

The little girl frowned and tried to catch up. Then, an idea struck her. She stopped running, lifted up her hand, her pointer finger extended, and concentrated. A small flame lit up on the boy’s back, but he barely noticed. Grinning cutely, the little girl concentrated harder and the fire grew. The boy’s shirt was starting to smolder and turn black now.

“Why’s it gettin’ so hot?” he asked aloud, looking back at his back. “Wah!” he cried, running around faster. The fire grew faster. “Get it off! Get it off! Please!” He started to cry.

“Stop! Drop! Roll!” the girl giggled. The boy did just that. He stopped running, dropped to the ground (covering his face in the process), and started to roll around on the soft grass.

That’s when his wings flashed out.

“Jyo,” Hiro said, looking down at the mangled mess that used to be Ryu, “Do you know what the word ‘merciful’ means?”

“Merci-what?” she answered, moving toward the DDC machines. The dark haired youth rolled his eyes, following her.

“Why does he like you so much?” he asked after a couple of rounds where Jyo kicked his butt.

She shrugged. “Dunno, just wish he’d leave me alone an’ go away.”

“Shi-chan told me that you used to like him.”

In a moment, he’d wish he hadn’t said that. The girl turned to him, her brown eyes sparkling with anger.

“When did she tell you this?” she asked, her voice strained.

“The other day?” he offered, frightened.

That was the last he remembered of that day.

“What, what are you?!” she screamed, covering her eyes from the blinding light emitting from his wings.

“No!” he cried. “I didn’t want you to know! I didn’t want anyone to know!” Tears streamed down his face as he jumped up into the air. The girl’s concentration had been broken when the beautiful apparition appeared.

When her vision finally cleared, she looked up at where he used to be. “Where’d you go?” she whispered, tears beginning to brim her own eyes. “I…I jus’…I jus’ wan’ed t’see…”

“Jyo! How many times have I told you not to knock out Hiro!?” Kumori growled at her friend. Jyo grinned cheekily and placed her hands behind her head.

“I didn’t mean to!” she giggled. “He just brought up a…uncomfortable memory.”

The blonde sighed heavily. “Jyo, Jyo, Jyo, Jyo, Jyo.”

“What?!”

“Kono aho.” Kumori shook her head as her raven haired friend giggled. Just like the old times, she thought.

“Kumori-chan,” her mother said, kneeling down to meet the girl’s eyes. “You know how mommy can’t have any more children?”

“Hai, Okaasan…” she answered, confused.

“That’s why mommy and daddy adopted two new sisters for you. Is that okay, sweetie?”

“…”

“Kumori-chan?”

“Hai, Okaasan. It is alright.”

- - -

She stood in front of the two new girls, uncomfortable in a bright blue dress. She shifted her feet and sized the girls up. They looked almost the same, except their hair was different lengths, one of them had yellowish tinted skin and the other’s eyes were speckled with gold. They looked about as comfortable as she did.

“Kumori-chan,” her mother said, placing her hand on her daughter’s shoulder gently, “these are your new sisters, Jyotika and Rui.”

“Ko…nichiwa, Jyotika, Rui,” the blonde girl said. She was never any good at speaking to strangers. And these two were as strange as it came.

“Konichiwa,” the one on the right said.

After looking at her watch, the other one said, “Oyasumi, I’m Jyo, and this is my half-sister, Rui.” Both girls bowed at their waists. The blonde girl looked up at her mother, and then bowed back. It was going to be a very long day.

Why does Jyo hate me? It was the only thought that ran through Ryu’s head. I mean, I give her all my love and yet… He growled and sank down to sit on the floor of his apartment

Why’d he have to act like such a jerk when they were kids? If he hadn’t, then…maybe…

But no! He had to say all girls had cooties! He had to tease her! But…it was only to make her like him…

But…she did. Didn’t she?

And when he started to show her affection…

It went down hill.

So, maybe he should tease her again?

Nah, that’d make it worse. Right?

Right. It’s a lose-lose situation…

Dammit.

- - -

“What d’you thinks about Ryu an’ Jyo-chan, Kumori-san?” Shira asked the blonde girl.

“Do I have to think about it?” she retorted. “Jyo’s a big girl; she can take care of herself.”

“Yeah, but, d’you think they’ll get together eventually?” The other blonde wasn’t giving up.

“Maybe. I mean, if Ryu’s persistent enough…” Kumori wasn’t getting where this was going.

“I think they will by…next year!” Yuri said. “And by then, hopefully Rui and I shall be married!”

“Eeew…I don’t want to marry you!” Rui said, hiding behind Kumori.

“Yuri…” Hiro sighed.

“What?!”

“They might get together…” Ame whispered softly, almost to himself. No one seemed to notice that Jyo had come up behind them.

“Hey guys! What’cha talkin’ about?” she asked cheerfully. Each member of the group squeaked and jumped away from her.

It was going to be one of those days.

()()()()

A/N: ‘Nichiha minna! What’s up? - It took me forever to write this, but I think its worth it. Don’t you? - I enjoyed writing it, I hope you enjoyed reading it! Next update will continue the relationships between Jyo, Kumori, Rui, and Ryu. I hope. If not, then it’ll probably be about Yaoi and Ame or somethin’. See ya!

Maz