After walking on a little while longer, we come to the stairs to leave the riverbank. I look behind me at Miyuki, who has a somewhat curious expression, as I wave my hand to beckon her to me.
“The convenience store is just up here.” (Tsukasa)
“Oh right, the convenience store.” (Mii)
After waiting for the Miyuki to catch up with me we leave the riverbank and enter a residential area. After a few crossroads, I find the convenience store I am looking for catty-corner to a park.
“Which kind are we buying?” (Mii)
“Let"s decide with Janken.” (Tsukasa)
(TN: I’m sure you know already, but its ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’.)
I put my bag over my shoulder and peer at my hands, which I are clasped. I quite often do this when I play scissors in janken. Although I love this game, I wonder why.
“Jan! Ken! Pon!” (Tsukasa & Mii)
Miyuki throws rock and I throw scissors. I surrept.i.tiously try to turn it into paper, but she prevents me from doing so by holding my hand.
"No, these are ultrvibrating scissors, impregnated with industrial diamonds in the blade, so the stone is easily cut." (Mii)
“Just go buy the milk. I"ll wait here.” (Mii)
Miyuki told me and giggles as she pushes me toward the store. s.h.i.t! I’m lucky to have such a good imouto, but I regret having such bad luck with Janken.
I enter the convenience store, which has WellMart spelled out across the eaves. The greeting of the clerk trails off after ‘Welcome…,’ but that doesn’t really matter. As I delve deeper into the store, I pick up the milk, some juice, some snacks and then grab a c.o.ke from the cooler. I think about what Miyuki would like and select an oolong tea for her as well.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve had a c.o.ke. When I was hiding out at home all the time, I couldn"t get any. If you are thinking that I could have gone out to buy some, I wasn’t brain damaged enough to do so after just becoming a girl.
I know if I try to carry the two bottles between my fingers, I will drop them due to the weight. In the past few days, I have done a lot more and I’ve noticed I have more grip and leg strength than I expected. Even so, I lost a lot of muscle power after I became a girl.
I could try to hold them in my arms, but after noticing that there is still things to buy, I picked up a basket and put everything in it. I put the drinks, milk, pudding and ice cream in a basket and go to the checkout. It’s nearly unbearable the way the clerk keeps smiling and leering at me as if I’m a piece of Kobe beef. You can stop looking at me like that anytime now. Please, hurry and bag up the items I bought so I can leave.
When everything is finally bagged, I make a beeline for the exit. Unlike when I entered his ‘Thank you! Come again!’ is rather enthusiastic. It would almost be funny, if it didn’t make my skin crawl because that wasn’t a convenience store’s greeting.
The bag feels heavy despite its meager contents. Needing both hands, I lug it toward Miyuki who should be waiting in front of the park. It was then that…
“I said no thank you!” (Mii)
I hear Miyuki’s strident voice. Standing in front of Miyuki is a man who appears to be a high school student. I know it’s not good to judge people by how they look, but he didn’t seem to be a very nice person. He doesn’t smile, he smirks.His uniform is worn, and he is stooping with his hands shoved into his pockets. I could only see him as nasty person there to try to pick up Miyuki. It’s needless to say, but I hated him.
The man rudely reaches out and lays his hand on Miyuki"s shoulder. When she brushes it off, he then grabs her wrist.
What does he think he’s doing to Mii-chan?!
I quickly thrust my hand into a bag and grab the first thing I find. It’s a pudding cup. If I hit him, it should be painful. The real question is can I reach him from here? Two bottles, two puddings, ice cream, and milk, which I can’t even carry with one arm because I’m so weak.
[Kyaaa!] (Mii)
Miyuki screams at the top of her lungs. I know already! Throw the d.a.m.n thing anyway! I can think after throwing!
I yank the pudding out of the bag and give it a gentle shake. The frightening sight seems to float into my vision, as I raise my arm in preparation to throw. Yelling, ‘Iya!’, as loud as I can, I start bring my arm forward to throw the pudding.
I did my best. I thought I did my very best.
Suddenly a door appears in my mind’s eye. The "door" was heavily rusted and warped. It was a door that has been neglected for many years. While I"m standing in front of the door, I realize that normally this is a door that shouldn’t be touched. Under normal circ.u.mstances the door should remain unopened. Don’t even touch it. It’s that kind of door, but now for some unknown reason, I know it’s okay for me to open it. I’m absolutely convinced it"s okay to open it.
I have to open it. No, that isn’t right. I need to open it. A sudden surge of frustration and impatience causes me to start pounding on the ‘door’ with all my might.
Abruptly, the door is broken down and an intense, bright light gushes forth. At that same moment, something clicks in my head, as if a lock were being opened. It’s hard to describe properly, but that’s the way it feels.
I can feel my power overflowing. I intuitively understand that my opening the door is the cause. The pudding, which had yet to completely leave my hand, is further accelerated with the barest touch of my finger. Like a bullet from a gun, the pudding shot into the man"s skull.
“What was that?!” (Mii)
When the pudding hit him, he grunts loudly and topples over. Miyuki is looking at the man with a shocked expression and then she turns to me.
"Onee-chan!" (Mii)
"Mii-chan you okay?" (Tsukasa)
“Yes. O… Onee"s right eye is glowing red.” (Mii)
My eye is glowing red? Is this a part of my vampire powers that Mom spoke of? Well, it’s over, so let’s get out of here before he wakes up. I grasp Miyuki’s hand and close my right eye.
“Let"s run.” (Tsukasa)
Without waiting for Miyuki’s reply, I dash away from the scene. Once we reach the bank of the Esumi River, I let go of her hand and look back at her.
“We should be safe this far away.” (Tsukasa)
I’m not tired or out of breath at all, but Miyuki is bent over with her hands on her knees gasping.
“Miyuki, is my eye still red?” (Tsukasa)
“Yes.” (Mii)
“What about my left eye?” (Tsukasa)
“No, it’s not red, but I think the contact is probably hiding it.” (Mii)
I close my right eye again. I have a spare contact I can put in my right eye, but we aren’t far from home, so I will just leave it as it is for now.
“Onee-chan, thank you.” (Mii)
“I just naturally did it as your onii-chan.” (Tsukasa)
I look away from Miyuki as she ‘tsk’ed’ and laughed.
“Although Onee-chan, you are supposed to be calling me ‘Onee-chan’ outside.” (Mii)
I hate to break it to you Miyuki, but you were the one calling me ‘Onee-chan.’ I heave a small sigh, stretch out my hand and pat her head.
“I can"t help it. Take a look at me; I’m Miyuki’s onii-chan, while at the same time I’m Miyuki"s imouto.” (Tsukasa)
“What?” Miyuki asked with her head tilted.
“[Mou~] I don"t know which I am, even if I could tell someone the truth about me.” (Tsukasa)
After I say that Miyuki laughs.