Yes. Normal.

-------

After 3 more weeks staying at home, John finally comes back to school. His best friends were angels for taking notes for him and help him with homeworks and projects. All the teachers understood his situation, excused all his missed major quizzes and let him have scheduled special exams. To say that he passed everything with flying colors is an understatement. The week flew by too fast again and Mika is now staring out her window watching autumn leaves fall on a Friday afternoon, being home for an hour. Her phone alerted multiple messages and she opened it to her group chat with the trio. She quietly laughed at the fact that there are literally only walls separating them from each other and they were only a few feet apart.

Kitty:
I'm bored!

Queen:
Same.

Spork:
We literally just got home Jim and you were annoying me 3 minutes ago.

Kitty:
Well, I'm bored again, entertain me!

Spork:
Well, damn mate, now how could a spork entertain a cat?

Kitty:
You're an inanimate object in which a cat can easily be entertain with.

King:
Guys, I can hear you two arguing from here.

Spork:
She was throwing her socks at me!

Kitty:
Well, yes.

King:
I wanna hang out with my queen :(

Mika blushed at that. Then she heard a thud and more laughter. She smiled knowing it was just John and JiJi messing around in JiJi's room which was the guest room before. The boys' room were the twins' room from across hers. She looked at the time and it read 5:07 PM.

Queen:
Well, I mean, I'm just in a room across from you but I can suggest a movie marathon.

King:
Oh that's perfect!
Johnny! Jimmy! Get yo asses here!

Kitty:
Coming!

Mika smiled. It has only been a few weeks, the three adjusted to the new environment pretty easily and she was happy about that. She went to pick up her hoodie and blanket before trudging her way to the living room. She heard JiJi laughing behind her followed by running footsteps.

"Mika! Run!" The hyper girl yelped pushing Mika along with her who laughed and ran with the girl anyways.

"I swear, Jim, you will be eating this sock tonight!" John yelled waving the said sock in the air. He got to the living room where Mika went to the kitchen laughing as the other two chased around the room. She threw in some microwavable popcorn.

"Jesus, when will you guys grow up?" Ryan mumbled as he walked in with blankets and pillows and as well as a CD collection of Studio Ghibli's famous animated movies. John and JiJi stopped and turned to Ryan when he asked the question.

"How-" John started.

"Dare-" JiJi continued.

"You ask that!" They both exclaimed jumping on Ryan, John wrapping the sock around his eyes while JiJi tackled them all to the couch. Mika came back in the room with 2 huge bowls of popcorn and giggled at the sight that greeted her.

"Stop! My god I have to put the movie in! Calm down!" Ryan laughed. Mika gave one bowl to John who sat on the floor and she sat on one end of the couch plopping up her legs. Once everyone was calm and settled, he gave everyone a serious look. "Now, which movie would it be though?"

JiJi gasped and narrowed her eyes at John, who narrowed his eyes back as well. "Howl's Moving Castle!" They both yelled. Both their eyes widened, pointing at each other. "HA!"

"Stop yelling goddamnit!" Ryan widen his eyes at the two. The room was filled with laughter again. Ryan placed the CD in and went to the couch that was mostly occupied by Mika's legs. He lifted her legs and placed them on his lap as he sat beside the owner of the legs. JiJi situated herself on the other end of the couch, John in front of her. Everyone was getting comfortable as the movie rolled.

☆

"Hey, why so down?" Mika asked John upon seeing him looking glum with JiJi following close behind, approaching the lockers side. John looked at the short girl who gave him a look and then he sighed.

"I got an email from my aunt that she's gonna be taking me in. Apparently she had the papers long been processed already. She gave me till the Christmas break to settle everything and get ready to move." He explained as he ran his hand through his hair then down to his face. He looked tired.

'Long been processed?'

"Oh, good news?" Mika asked but then turned to Ryan who sighed. "What?"

"It's all the way in Japan." John answered simply. Mika frowned and looked at JiJi and Ryan's grim looks. "I can't really do anything about it. My aunt is pretty persistent. And scary."

"Oh." Guessing from the looks JiJi and Ryan shared with John, it seems that they have already talked about it without her. She can't blame them, the trio practically grew up together. She looked down as the 5 minute bell rang. She pursed her lips before saying with a small and shy smile. "Then-- then let's make it count till then."

The three returned the smile but it was clear as day that they were all forced. Ryan placed an arm around John as they both walked ahead. Mika hung back with JiJi, in which she observed the girl carefully. JiJi was sagging, bags we clear under her eyes even from behind her glasses and it sounds crazy but she looks... smaller. She just looks like she's carrying the weight of the world on her rather frail looking body. Just downright exhausted.

"Hey, are you okay?" Mika nudged JiJi lightly. "You don't look so good."

From that, JiJi stood straighter and widen her eyes to the point that Mika would believed that the spark in her eyes has always been there if it weren't for the fact that she just saw it came in. She looked at her and laughed. "I am? I am so sorry, just the thought of being in the same room with Mr. April again is dreadful."

Mika gave a small smile. Now, JiJi isn't the one to not complain about her academics, she's actually a very intelligent person despite her short term memory loss time to time. But she is still a student who wants to live freely. "Well, I hope you're up for some more formulas, cause we're getting more of those today."

"Ugh great. Can't wait. Wooh." Mika laughed at the declining energy of sarcastic excitement.

The four entered the room just as their professor walked in after them. Settling them down and began his discussion. Mika as usual toned down the noise and just looked out through the window. Fall was coming and it was getting rather chilly. Everything  seemed normal. Especially the paper ball that was just thrown at her head. She sighed and went to pick it up.