CHAPTER 28

       It was weird.

       More specifically, they were acting weird.

       Though in all honesty when was there a day that they hadn't behaved like the most worrisome lot ever to have stepped foot on this planet?

"I really worry about you, Miyuki. Forgetting your work at home like that..." Kyo sighed. We were currently standing by the front gates of my school, him with a hand outstretching a booklet that I'd panicked for the life in me to get. "You need to start acting more responsible."

        "It's not my fault Suzuki-sensei isn't clearer about her due dates," I responded. Once in hand, I glanced them over. "Ugh, you didn't even finish them for me?"

          "Who do you take me for?" Kyo said. A frown pushed down his mouth. "I already see what kind of path this is leading towards. Do you really want to risk failing your final exams in two weeks?"

         I puffed my cheeks to see the thing not even close to done. Guess I had no choice but to lie to Suzuki-sensei about some tragic reason why I couldn't finish this assignment. "Is the only thing you care about grades?"

          "I do care about you, too," he responded, extending out his hand and patting my head. "You're such a cutie, after all."

          "I'm not cute."

          His kind-natured smile ruled that right out. "You're coming straight home after school aren't you?"

          "Sadly."

         Kyo retreated, a proud grin in play. "Don't worry, I'll be nice tonight. If you finish this up, how about I let you cuddle up with your boyfriend?"

         My eyes sparkled, knowing he was referring to my otome games. He never let me use my PS Vita on school days. "Really?" I demanded. "I can?"

          "Only if you get work done."

         Resisting the urge to hug him, I tossed my arms into the air. "Yes, yes! I can't wait! I love you!"

         I didn't even realize that from behind me, chaos was building up.

         "Who the hell...?" Hiro demanded.

         "'Cutie'...?" Yuji echoed.

         "'I love you'?" Hinata said.

          Wannabe gasped and nearly collapsed from his weight. "A secret lover?"

          Puzzled, I withdrew from Kyo and we both craned our heads to see what the ruckus was about. With the exception of Hibiki who had tagged along for today, the group had stopped to huddle, whispering arguments back and forth. I met Hibiki's eye in confusion, and despite being equally baffled, as soon as we made eye-contact he sent me a wink. I dodged his gaze after that. I needed to remember just how much trouble the guy was.

          Kyo from beside me was blinking rapidly, head travelling back and forth. "Hold up, Miyuki, who are these people?"

           "My club mates," I replied anyway. "And Hibiki."

           "Hibiki?" Kyo's eyebrows shot up high on his face as he gawked at the said guy. "No way, your ex, Hibiki?"

          My expressions fell into a deadpan. "Can't you people just say best friend?"

         "Ex just has that intimate ring to it," Hibiki laughed, approaching us with a kindhearted grin. He disregarded the scowl I shot his way and instead turned his focus to my brother. "It's nice to see you again, Kyo."

         A bright grin spread across his face as he playfully ruffled Hibiki's hair. "Yo, you're nearly as tall as me now." He chuckled when Hibiki swatted him away from his hair, claiming it was his merchandise. Then he squinted his eyes. "Are those piercings?"

          After reassuring the quiff in his hair was still intact, Hibiki's tilted his head and pointed to them in proud spirit. "Sick, right?"

        "They're talking like old friends," Hiro hissed.

         "So he knows Hibiki was Miyuki's ex?" Yuji asked.

        "Best friend," Hinata added.

        Wannabe brushed the comment aside with a gasp of horror. "They've been together that long?"

        Kyo bobbed his head and wrapped his arm around my neck. "I want to get piercings too, but my siblings are too strict with me on that," he sighed, pressing his cheek against mine.

          "Yuki just doesn't want you becoming a good-for-nothing," I enlightened him.

          Kyo turned his head to me, a pout in place. "Would you still like me if I was a good-for-nothing?"

          I made a face. "Why do you say it like that?"

          "Because you never show me any love," he whined. "Even though I care about you so much."

          "It takes awhile for Miyuki to open up to someone," Hibiki responded.

          "Don't you think I already know that?" Kyo said, retreating from his proximity. "But we've been together for a little more than ten years and she's still so cold."

          "T-ten years?"

          "I thought she was a strictly 2D person?"

           "It's been a lie. Our existence has been a lie."

          My nerves had finally snapped. I swivelled in the direction of the four idiots. "What the hell have you guys been whispering about?"

           All at once, their murmurs came to a halt. The four boys recoiled from their little huddle and whipped their heads towards us, all in rigid apprehension.

           Wannabe regained him composure first and faced Kyo with furrowed eyebrows. "Who are you?"

           I couldn't quite comprehend what had gotten them all so flustered, but Kyo seemed to be hit with a flicker of understanding. A tiny smirk grew on his lips as he trapped me in another claustrophobic hug, his face side by side with mine. "Who am I?" he repeated Wannabe's question. "I'm the man Miyuki loves most in the world."

          I tried to push away from him but to no avail. His grip was deadly tight. I stared at him in a deadpanned manner. "You wish," I scoffed.

          Kyo stared me right in the eyes. "Oh c'mon, don't be shy," he said. "We're not hiding anything."

           A sigh flooded past my mouth but for some reason, the guys had once again been hit with utmost incredulity. Wannabe, more so; the dude seriously looked on the verge of faint.

           Kyo only went to press further. "So you're all Miyuki's club mates, huh? You look around the same age, too..."

            I cocked a brow as Kyo withdrew from me. What was he doing?

            "I bet you're all stressed studying for final exams, huh?" he went on. "Since tomorrow's the weekend, why don't you all come over and have a study group?"

            "A study group?" I echoed. "No way!"

            "I want some alone time with you too, but c'mon—you could definitely use the help," Kyo insisted.

            "Wait, wait—they live together?"

           More whispers erupted from between them.

           "Is that legal?"

           "Don't tell me marriage is next."

           "Miyuki's so bold..."

           Bold? Marriage? my mind echoed. Huh?

           "Of course we live together," I cut in, tilting my head. I peered up at a beaming Kyo. It was a look I knew anywhere; he was trying his hardest not to laugh. But what exactly was so funny?

            "It's alright, Hoshino." My focus was snatched the moment Wannabe patted my shoulder. He stepped between Kyo and me, a scowl plastered on his face. "We'll help get you out of this."

            Kyo's Cheshire smile hadn't fallen from his features, and Hiro, Yuji and Hinata continued to frown.

            "This guy clearly isn't any good for you," Yuji said.

            Hiro shook his head. "It's unhealthy."

            "You shouldn't have agreed to live with him," Hinata said as if I ever had the choice in the first place.

            My furrowed eyebrows still hadn't lifted. I spared Hibiki a brief glance, but the dude was a giddy mess.

             "A study date with Miyuki...! A study date with Miyuki...!"

             I promptly averted my gaze.

             ...The dude was definitely bad news.

——————————————————

          Here I was Saturday afternoon: sitting at my desk, a white notebook splayed out in front of me. 'Life Note' was engraved on the front cover and with my handy stash of potato chips beside me, I was ready.

         I swallowed hard as my pen scratched across the blank first page. 'Yamamoto Saki' in big capital letters. I looked over towards the TV screen and then my cell phone, but even after that dreaded time limit, nothing happened.

           I leaned against my seat without emotion. I guess even the phoney Death Note couldn't bring her back. Well, what did I expect? I just had to accept Saki wasn't going to be around anymore.

            As well as my other countless husbands and wives who have died undeserved deaths in the animes I've watched.

            A loud ding-dong rang throughout the household. My nerves immediately stiffened as I spun around in my chair, facing the door. My room had been cleaned to perfection, as was the rest of the house, but even though I knew who the cause was, it didn't stop from riddling me with nerves.

             "Miyuki," Kyo practically sang from the living room, "your friends are here."

             A groan flooded my mouth as I hoisted myself to my feet. As I passed by my mirror, I paused to once again make sure my outfit consisting of a grey sweatshirt and jeans was alright. I mean, this was my house. I didn't need to get dressed up too fancy.

            I drew my gaze away as I slipped out the door and jogged down the stairs. Kyo had already opened the front door to the group of six. Backpacks were carried in hand, their eyes darting around the entranceway.

            "There she is," Kyo said, sliding their attention to me as I reached the bottom step.

            I joined him by his side but unlike yesterday, none of them, including Kouichi who'd received a later invite, possessed any ill intentions in the least. Instead, kind smiles overtook the bottom halves of their faces, Kouichi even stepping forward with a container in hand.

           "I've brought some brownies," he said.

           Kyo's countenance brightened considerably as he received it. "That's very nice of you, uh..."

            "Kouichi," he introduced, knowing he was looking for his name. The corners of his lips tilted up even higher. "Hoshino-san might have already mentioned me as her soon-to-be official boyfriend—"

             "The living room is this way," I coughed, steering them towards it.

             Kouichi looked at Kyo before he could follow me like the rest of them. "She's a little shy."

              "Shut your trap, Kouichi."

             Kyo produced a chuckle, inclining my mortification. Thank goodness Yui and Yuki were out at their friends' houses right now. It would've been a lot more hectic.

             Kouichi, though looking somewhat defeated, immediately turned his mood around. Then, like a waddle of penguins, they toddled after me towards the table in the centre of the room. They each took their individual seats, Wannabe immediately filing to the spot to the right of me, Hibiki to the left. They shot me triumphant smiles, causing me to sigh. Knowing how much trouble such a seating would cause me, I promptly rose to my feet and took the empty spot between Hinata and Yuji instead. It internally made me chuckle due to how dejected both guys had become as a result.

          "I'll go grab us some tea," Kyo said. "Any flavour's fine, right?"

          "Actually," Wannabe said, raising his chin and surprising us all. "I only drink Earl Grey."

          "Earl?" Kyo paused but nodded anyway. "Because of Miyuki's Black Butler obsession, I think we have some in the cupboards—"

         "I like green tea," Hiro stated this time, voice loud and full of snoot.

          "I prefer black coffee," Yuji went on, high and mighty. "Straight."

          Whose house did these rich people think they were in? Though the thought crossed my mind, it was to my surprise to see even Hinata join in with a timid smile, "I'm fine with juice."

          "Make that two," Kouichi added.

         My mouth had fallen. I turned to Hibiki to see if he were witnessing this madness, but the guy's focus was solely on Kyo.

          "Think you can get some proper food? Preferably with meat."

          "Hey, hey," I started. "Are you guys seriously—"

          "Earl and green tea," Kyo cut me off, innocently, as he tapped off on his phone screen. He was used to receiving orders considering his job as a waiter at the local restaurant. "Straight coffee, black. Two juices, any kind. And something with meat..." He looked at his cell screen. "Are steamed meat buns fine with you all?"

          Nobody regarded my jaw-dropped behaviour nor withheld an objection to his offer as they all simultaneously said, "Hope it's not too much trouble."

            "I guess I'll be stopping by the store," Kyo responded, dismissively shoving his cell into his back pocket.

            ...Was this some unspoken boy code or something? Or was it because they were guests he was being extra considerate? Regardless of the reason, my only choice was to slump back in my seat.

            "Cool," Kyo said. He stuck around a couple more seconds but seeing as there were no more additions, he smiled and blew me a farewell kiss. "Don't miss me too much, Miyuki."

            "I won't," I murmured once he vacated out the front door. This was all so weird. More specifically, this entire situation was really unlike him.

             "So now that he's gone..." Wannabe snatched my attention as he stared me down, oddly calculative. "His name is Kyo, right?"

             Knowing the 'him' could only be referring to my brother, I sadly sighed. "I know, right? Of the twelve Chinese zodiacs, he's the forgotten cat. If only whenever I touched him he turned into a cat though..."

           I was met with an array of stares. But Hiro broke it first.

            "Fruits Basket?"

            "Exactly." I broke out into a genuine smile. "You're seriously the only one that gets me."

            Hiro, for some reason, turned away his gaze, almost bashfully. Hibiki, Kouichi and Wannabe didn't look too impressed while Hinata and Yuji remained indifferent.

             Kouichi spoke up first, "I get you too, don't I, Hoshino-san? On a really intimate level—"

             "But his full name is Kyohei," I enlightened them, disregarding the comment that sent my arms spiking with goosebumps. "'Kyo' just sounds better."

             "An affectionate nickname..." Yuji murmured from beside me.

            Perplexed, my neck jerked his way. "Huh?"

            "So let's start studying," Hiro interjected, being the first one to take out his books from his bag.

            "Meow."

          The mewl caused Hiro to yell and fall over. He retreated to the corner of the room in panic while the rest of us glanced over to see the cause: Luna, standing on all fours and purring against his bag.

            Kouichi opened his mouth, "Kyo-san really turned into a cat."

            "Of course not," Yuji said, slipping from his spot and approaching Luna with a wide smile on his face as he scooped her up in his arms. "Aww, she's gotten so big."

           "A black cat..." Wannabe mumbled.

           "She's so cute," Hinata agreed.

            "Since when did you have a cat, Miyuki?" Hibiki inquired.

            "For a month or so now," I answered.

            He attempted taking it from Yuji's hands but Luna only hissed and clawed at him. Hibiki inhaled a gasp of pain, causing my eyelids to shoot up. At that, Luna pried herself free from Yuji's arms and scampered off, back up the staircase leading upstairs.

              I picked myself up as quick as I could and hurried towards him. I crouched down as he eyed the wound up and down, and I picked up his hand to stare at it also. It wasn't large or deep enough to draw but a speck of blood but worry still built up inside of me. "She really isn't the type to scratch," I mumbled, raising my chin to lock eyes with him. "You alright?"

            I was startled to find Hibiki was already staring at me. Our proximity had dwindled to very few, giving me the opportunity to pay heed to every nook and feature on his face. His eyes kept falling between our hands and me and for the first time in his life, I think he even shied away a bit from embarrassment.

            But his reaction had churned me with almost the same amount of awkwardness. I dropped his hand and immediately ascended to my feet. "I'll get the First Aid Kit."

             Ignoring the skin-crawling stares from the others, I hastened into the kitchen. Once free, I stalked up to the cabinet where we kept the thing. The irregular beat of my heart dropping to my gut made me feel odd. I heaved a breath. C'mon, I needed to get a hold of myself. This day was really shaping up to be way more than I could handle.

              After another minute of filing through the cabinets and giving myself a pep talk—consisting of me reassuring myself that I'd get to binge another anime series if I got through today—I mustered up the resolve to reenter my living room.

             Though, the sight that surprised me was the fact that instead of the nearly full room I'd expected to greet me, the only one left was Hibiki where I'd left him.

             My eyebrows surged together as I took a look around, hoping that my eyes were just playing a trick on me.

             They weren't, by the way. The five of them really were gone.

             My mind ran with countless of thoughts and theories as to how that could be possible, but even as I squatted down beside Hibiki again, he answered my question in a heartbeat.

              "They ran out," he enlightened me. "Said they needed the washroom.

              "All of them?" I inquired.

             Hibiki shrugged. "As much as that confused me I wasn't going to ask for the details."

             My lips downturned as I went to open the kit. Today was just a bundle of confusion, wasn't it?

            A loud breath slipped from my mouth. "Those guys take 'make yourselves at home' to a new level."

            Hibiki flashed me a toothy grin. "It's not too bad. I mean, we do get to have some alone time."

             The kit skidded from my fingers and hit the ground. Hibiki's eyelids fluttered as I hoisted myself back to my feet. "You said washroom, right—"

               "Hey," he cried, latching onto my arm before I could have the chance to disappear. "I'm injured, remember?"

              In distaste, I fell back down again. "You'll live without me."

              "I'm a goner," he reassured me, pushing out his lower lip. "Nurse me back to health?"

             His pout was nearly as innocent and cute as Honey-senpai's when he had that cavity. I dodged staring at him but couldn't uphold it before long. I pulled out an antiseptic wipe.

             "Where's your hand?"

            As I scooped up his hand, this time Hibiki showed no means of nervousness like last time. "Holding my hand twice in five minutes? I take it this means someth—OUCH!"

            My expression remained pokerfaced as I 'gently' (but really roughly) compressed the wipe against his cut. "It's only stings for a bit," I said as I finished it off with a band-aid. "Man up."

              "You're so brutal, Miyuki," Hibiki whined, caving in his lips and watching me incredulously. "Why can't you be this straight up about your feelings about me too?"

              I let go of his fingers and turned towards the stairway. "You said washroom—"

             His grip and pout once again stopped me from going. I sighed as I scooted back towards the table where my stuff was located.

            Hibiki made a face as I fiddled with my workbooks but I'd completely shifted my attention away from him. At least, I hoped. Though from the corner of my eye I could clearly catch him settle down at the spot beside me. He positioned his chin upon his palm and stared at me as if I was worth admiring.

           My arms bristled with newfound goosebumps. My eyes kept darting his way in warning to stop but Hibiki only continued to watch me, a silly grin on his face.

              Not being able to handle it any longer, I snapped, reaching over and socking his shoulder. "You're seriously infuriating."

            A chuckle tumbled from Hibiki's mouth but did drop his aimless staring. He lifted up his bag and brought it to himself, pulling out his notebooks and textbooks also.

          "Do you understand the material for the finals?"

         I briefly peeked downwards and without an inch of regret said, "Nope."

           "Not even a single subject?" he asked.

           "Nope."

           "Hmm," Hibiki said, poking his head over to see the material I was working with. "I can help then. Want to start with science or math first?"

            "Either," I relented.

            And so he settled on science. What exactly had become of the doofuses teetering around upstairs had become the least of my worries, considering my focus was on Hibiki's fluent teaching and walkthroughs about the various questions. We did get somewhat sidetracked midway through but unlike always, Hibiki wasn't too flirtatious. When it came to his studies, he'd always become a different person; a serious version I couldn't help but fancy a little more.

             "I'm fine with you staring at me, but I should tell you it's a little distracting."

            Hibiki's words snapped me back to my senses. My eyebrows shot high as Hibiki retreated his gaze from the notebook in front of me, meeting my eyes with a tiny smile. My face heated up unwillingly, but I didn't let it overwhelm me.

               "You really haven't changed."

              Hibiki blanked. "Are you flirting with me?"

              I choked on my spit due to how unexpected his response was. "N-no!" How did he even reach that kind of conclusion?

               "Then that's a little disappointing," Hibiki said, returning his gaze to his notebook, twirling his pencil between his fingers.

               My shoulders fell at the now ruined mood, exhaling heavily. I eyed him, frowning.

             "Say..." Hibiki tilted his head my way, somewhat startled. My voice died a bit in my throat until I could finally muster it again. "You should join the Humanity Club."

             Hibiki's reaction was kind of priceless; wide-eyed, awestruck, utterly speechless—it instantly succeeded in leaving me flustered.

             "Don't get the wrong idea," I sputtered, shielding my face behind my textbook. "W-we're just kind of low on members, and the other guys were stressing lately... N-never mind! Forget I asked. I know I'm crazy. It has nothing to do with what we're doing right now anyway—"

              "No," Hibiki interjected, beaming from ear to ear. "No, no. It's fine."

            I took a peek in his direction, but that only broadened his elation. I could feel my face burn.

            "Stop smiling," I hissed.

             "Sorry," Hibiki laughed. His bottom lip caught between his teeth but that still didn't vanish his smile. "Ahh, I can't."

             I dropped my face, churning. "L-like I said—"

              "If only you asked me earlier," he said. "I already joined the Light Music Club."

              My eyelids rose high, and I let my book fall into my lap. Noticing that, Hibiki nodded, wistfully.

               "But now I regret it," he said. "If you need me so badly—"

                A blanket of mortification slithered through my veins. "I don't need you!" I snapped. "Stop putting words into my mouth!"

               "Aww, you're getting all blushy and defensive."

               "Sh-shut up! No, I'm not!"

              Hibiki placed a hand on his chest as he buckled over. "Agh, you're too adorable. And I'm giving you up for music?"

              I pressed my hands over my face and shimmied him away. "Stop teasing me, idiot."

              "I'm not teasing," Hibiki assured me. He'd stopped my jabs at him with a wink. "You are a cutie, Miyuki. Definitely my type."

              My eyebrows ascended upon my forehead in surprise, and my heartbeat raced unsteadily in my chest. He laughed, only increasing my embarrassment. Was he kidding or not? Why was it so hard to tell with this guy? Ugh, he really was trouble!

              As if to become my blessed saviours, the five idiots came tumbling down the staircase at that. They looked even more frazzled than ever, instigating my caution.

               "How was your merged washroom session?"

               Hiro recoiled. "H-huh?"

               I narrowed my eyes.

              Yuji gave a frazzled the guy a pointed look. "We went to the washroom, remember?"

             "Together?" Hiro hissed back as if it was the first time he'd heard that. He gave Yuji and the rest of them a glance which displayed 'you expected her to buy that crap?' all over it.

              "We know how anxious you get using unfamiliar washrooms so we wanted to help you with your experience," Yuji stated.

              Feeling mine and Hibiki's gazes, soaked in amusement, Hiro flushed. "What 'experience?' Stop sounding so misleading!"

               "Um, never mind," I confessed. "I don't even want to know what happened in there."

               "You'd be better off not going in there again," snorted Hibiki.

               "Thank you for letting us use it," Wannabe said, robotically manoeuvring himself forward. He stopped right in front of me, and the family picture of mine in his hand didn't go unnoticed. "But do you really believe we can study like this knowing you're in trouble?"

           "I am?" I asked.

           "You're living with a guy," Hiro backed him up.

            Yuji bobbed his head. "Who's older than you."

            "I feel betrayed," Kouichi added, a hand to his chest. "It could've been us..."

             Hinata was the only one not in the right state of mind. He was biting his nails, eyes wider than plates. "H-he said he was top..."

            I swallowed hard as my eyes travelled back and forth. "Wait," I said, lifting myself up. "Where the hell did you guys really go? Did you... happen to see my yaoi collection by any chance?"

              "If you're talking about that closet full of explicit boyxboy action," Wannabe said, despite his blanched face. "No such thing has crossed any of our eyes."

              Opposite to what he said, Hinata was still in a teary-eyed, sniffling state. "Th-they were... they were..."

              Yuji patted his head with a nod of apology. "There, there."

              "You ruined the poor guy's innocence." Hiro clicked his tongue.

             Wannabe thrusted the framed photograph to my eyes. "Regardless," he hissed. "You have some explaining to do young lady."

              "My family photograph?" I asked. My parents and a smiling Yui and Yuki in their arms; Kyo off to the side conversing with a bunch of girls while I remained smack dab in the middle, playing with my Dragonball figurine. Perplexed, I raised my head. "What's wrong with it?"

              "What's not wrong with it?" Wannabe retorted in shock. "This boy you say you love is a player! He doesn't truly love you!"

               "He's not so lucky with girls now," I assured him.

               "But he once was!" Wannabe insisted. "If you're not careful he'll ditch you to elope with another girl!"

               I stared at him, my lips curved down. "If that's what he wants, and it'd make him happy, I wouldn't really mind."

               Wannabe appeared on the verge of faint. Kouichi was ecstatic, murmuring about his chance.

              "I didn't know you were so selfless, Miyuki," Yuji muttered.

             I frowned. "You know, you came here to study and we still haven't..."

             "I'm finally back!" Kyo's voice quaked the house as the door slammed open with a start. A haul of shopping bags was in his hands but once he approached his eyes moved back and forth in confusion. "What's going on?"

               "Not really sure, Kyo-nii," I responded. "They're just making a big fuss over our family photo."

               I didn't really understand what exactly I'd said, but it made all five boys gawp.

                "Nii...?" Wannabe said with slow blinks.

                "As in, brother?" Hiro demanded.

               "He's not her boyfriend?" Kouichi disclosed and fist-pumped. "Yes!"

               My jaw fell as low as theirs. It all finally clicked. "H-hold on you thought he was my—"

              "Isn't it cute how they did?" Kyo cooed from beside me, beaming. He'd already known, my mind shouted. "They got so jealous."

               "How could you guys not tell?" Hibiki agreed. "Sure they're not biologically related but it's obvious nonetheless."

              "Not biologically related?" Wannabe repeated and quickly rose the frame to his ray of sight. "Wait, so the reason why nobody resembles Hoshino at all in this photo or real life is because..."

               "Are you..." Yuji was reluctant to finish the idea. "Adopted?"

              All at once, silence hung in the air. Including a still puffy-eyed Hinata, they were all taken off guard. Regardless, they hung their heads in apology, Wannabe extending out the frame for me to receive.

              "Sorry for snooping," they all murmured simultaneously.

               I sighed as I yanked the thing from his hands.

               "Sorry for heading into your room and sniffing all your hair products," Kouichi added.

                All eyes swivelled to him.

               "You did what?" I demanded.

               He hurriedly laughed, "Nothing!"