Shy and Aggressive

by Johng117

Anthology: Aggressive and Shy Pt. 2

Aiko found herself walking alongside Oda. The two were in an awkward silence as they walked in the afternoon sun.

'I wonder if I should say something,' thought Aiko. She mentally groaned as she found herself stumped. She never went out of her way to speak to someone. But then again, there wasn't any reason for her to make a conversation. Furthermore, Oda specifically asked to hang out, so it seemed that there was a conversation expected. This was more complicated than Aiko realized.

"So uh..." Aiko and Oda both talk in unison. Both fell silent

"Sorry, you wanted to say something?" asked Oda sheepishly.

"N-No, you can go ahead," said Aiko as she cleared her throat.

"I just wanted to say, thanks for coming. I promise you, this place serves great ramen," said Oda.

"Sure. I've been wanting a change in pace lately. Oh and uh... thanks for the bento. It was good," said Aiko, looking to the side in embarrassment.

"I'm glad." said Oda.

The two teenagers found themselves walking into the Mutant Zone. During this walk, they found some citizens to be walking about. The area was unlike the bustling metropolis. It was almost as though they were in a whole other town. But that may not have been very far from the truth.

Aiko found people entering the small buildings, ranging from stores, and other establishments. She found that on some of these citizens, they bore tattoos on their wrists. They came with a letter and numbers. Aiko realized that this must have been how Transmutants were identified. It was strange. Not many people were here. There was more space compared to the overly crowded city.

"Uh oh! One second!" Oda ran off down the street, much to Aiko's surprise. She found the boy rushing over to a short elderly woman, who struggled to carry a large vase.

Oda caught the vase before the woman could drop it to the ground. The old woman gave a sweet smile.

"Thank you, dear. Oh, Riku-Kun! Back from school already?" asked the woman as she recognized the teen.

"Yes, ma'am. You should have someone helping you move your stock to your store," said Oda worriedly as he took the vase and held it up.

"Oh, but I am dear. You're here, after all," said the elder. Oda chuckled in response. He turned to Aiko.

"Sorry! I'll be with you in a minute!" said Oda as he carried the vase into a small shop.

"Who is that young lady? I've never seen her around," whispered the elder with a curious look.

"Oh. Someone I met," said Oda as he brought the vase over to a shelf, where others lied.

"Riku-kun, you've grown so fast!" said the old lady with a smile. Oda blushed in embarrassment.

"It's not like that!" said Oda.

Later, Aiko found the boy to stepping out of the store. He bowed to the little old lady before returning to Aiko's side. As the two continued to walk, the girl looked at him curiously.

"Who was that?" asked Aiko.

"Oh. Just someone I know. She sells a lot of vases, plates and stuff. Just things to spruce up your house," said Oda.

"Huh." Aiko responded, looking back at the shop.

"It doesn't look like she gets a lot of business. I mean, it feels like a ghost town around here," said Aiko.

"It's just near the end of the day. Mrs. Kurosaki gets plenty of business beforehand," said Oda.

"Hm. I take it Transmutants don't have much to do, huh?" asked Aiko as she found a girl walking by, dressed in an unfamiliar school uniform.

"Sure we do. This is just where people come to shop. We have our own little theaters and arcades too. Granted its nothing fancy like in the city, but we have them," said Oda as he pointed to a movie theater just down the street. It looked rather small, almost like those old small theaters she's seen depicted in films from the West. It was nothing like the grand cinemas in the city. Even the movies that were being shown were few. Most of the new stuff being shown weren't present to be showing.

"It feels kind of sad here," said Aiko.

"Not really. I always say, it could be worse," said Oda with a shrug and smile.

"Dude, you're starting to creep me out with all of this positivity," said Aiko with a grimace. Oda looked at her in surprise.

"What do you mean?" asked Oda.

"Look around! Everything feels empty here! Even the theater looks depressing! Don't you get bored or something?!" exclaimed Aiko.

"Sometimes. Really, it's not all bad," said Oda. Aiko groaned as she rubbed her forehead.

"I'm beginning to wonder if the ramen place we're going to is even half as good as you make it seem," said Aiko. Oda frowned. He was worrying that he was wasting this girl's time.

"Tell you what, if the ramen isn't satisfying, then I can cook you up something, " said Oda with a small smile. Aiko smirked as she glanced at the boy.

"I'll hold you to that," said Aiko.

Later, the two teens found themselves coming over to another ares. The ground was covered in decorative concrete, segmented like bricks on the ground. Aiko found herself led to a small structure that was connected to another larger building, surrounded by other buildings. There was the name of the shop written on a flag that hung from the side. The shop comprised of a few stools cemented into the ground, with a wooden table top dividing the seats from the kitchen. Aiko could smell the hot broth as the two approached.

"Welcome! Riku-san! The usual, my boy?" asked a middle aged man as he appeared from behind the counter, carrying a towel.

"Yes, thank you Narukami-san. Oh, and a menu for my friend here," said Oda, gesturing to Aiko. The girl merely glanced at him.

"You got it! Please, have a seat!" said the shop owner as he placed a menu down on the counter. Aiko and Oda made their way under the tarp that was overhead and sat on the stools. Shortly after, Aiko made her order. As the owner left to take Aiko's order, the girl turned to Oda.

"Friend?" asked Aiko with a raised brow.

"Oh. Sorry. I wasn't sure what else to refer to you as. I uh... Sorry, if that offended you," said Oda with a sigh.

"No, I'm not mad. It's just... No one's ever called me that," said Aiko, as she traced her finger over the wooden counter.

"Really? You must have friends, right? I mean, you're incredible. I imagine that-"

"Well, I don't!" Aiko snapped, slamming her hand on the counter. Oda recoiled in response. Aiko sighed as she turned away, using her hand to obscure the side of her face.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you," said Aiko. She sighed heavily.

"I guess I'm just going through a lot of crap. My mom thinks I'm just being angsty, but it's something that really bothers me," said Aiko.

"Yamada-san, if you want to talk about it, I'd be happy to listen," said Oda in a soft tone.

"I don't know you well enough to do that. No offense," said Aiko as she propped her head up on the counter. Oda frowned.

"I'll tell you this. Life's just dull. You know, I just need something to give me thrills or something. Something that doesn't require me to toxify my body," said Aiko.

"Well, at least you're making a healthy decision," said Oda. Aiko snorted.

"A wimp and so straight laced. Tell me you aren't as much as a rules guy as you sound. The class representatives at my school would want to treasure you," said Aiko with a chuckle.

"No, I uh... I normally try to stay out of trouble," said Oda as he lightly scratched at the wooden counter. Aiko sighed in disappointment.

"Lame. Here I thought you'd be a rebel underneath your good boy shell," said Aiko.

"I wasn't aware I gave that impression," said Oda in surprise. Aiko rolled her eyes.

"I was being sarcastic. I bet you're so uptight that you go to bed early," said Aiko.

"Of course I do. Otherwise I won't get to school on time," said Oda with a shrug. Aiko groaned as she dropped her head over the counter.

"Dude, at least lie. Or keep stuff like that to yourself," said Aiko. Oda bore an odd look.

"Yamada-san, I can't afford to be as laid back as you. I follow the rules because that's what they're for. I don't see what's wrong with that," said Oda.

"Come on! Didn't you ever get into trouble when you were younger? Like go somewhere you weren't supposed to, or stole something small like a piece of candy? Give me something, man," said Aiko in exasperation. Oda looked to the side with a grimace.

"Of course I have. Why do you think I play by the rules?" asked Oda. Aiko raised a brow.

"What do you mean?" asked Aiko.

"I once tried to steal some candy from beyond the Mutant Zone. I was in elementary school at the time. I got caught by the owner and he made a huge scene over it. Not like someone mad at a kid for stealing. He was furious. He chased me and started spouting off about how I was a demonic thief or something. The man actually started hitting me. He drew in a crowd and no one said anything. They just watched," said Oda as he propped his head up. Aiko's eyes were slightly wide.

"I guess I deserved it in some ways. But I doubt he would have reacted the same way if I were human," said Oda with a sigh.

"I was lucky that I got home. Police escorted me back and left. But growing up, I saw that some people had it much worse," said Oda as looked to the table. His expression was stoic and his eyes cold.

"A Transmutant can't leave this place without getting harassed. Sometimes, some have gone missing, never to be seen again. Even some creeps will pass by the Zone border and make threats and throw insults," said Oda.

"Oh my God," said Aiko in shock.

"Heck, even I have had issues as I got older. Certain schools near the border between the Mutant Zone and the rest of the city. I've tried to get to school on time and return home afterwards while avoiding anyone who would try to cut one of us off just to beat us up. It's like some sick game to them," said Oda, rubbing the bruises on his arm. Aiko frowned.

"I follow the rules so that I don't stand out. I try to show the best behavior that I can because humans are afraid of us. When I do that, they're less likely to react negatively to me, or won't even pay me any mind," said Oda.

"Riku... I had no idea," said Aiko.

"It's OK. It's just the way things are," said Oda. Aiko glared at him.

"It doesn't make it right! You have as much right to be out there in the world as any of us!" said Aiko. Oda recoiled.

"It's just not our place. We don't run the nation, so we have to follow the law," said Oda. Aiko groaned.

"Ugh! I can't stand that defeatist attitude!" said Aiko, turning away, fuming. She wondered why she was getting this infuriated with this guy. Perhaps she saw something in him that reminded her of herself than she wanted to admit.

"Yamada-san, I'm not being a defeatist. I'm just accepting reality. I'm not in despair," said Oda. Aiko glared at him. Oda gestured to the town around them.

"We may not have the same privileges as you, nor the respect. But we have neighbors that we know and trust. I know most of these people on this street. We have a community here," said Oda.

"But..." Aiko was about to protest but the owner placed two bowls of ramen on the counter.

"Here ya go! Enjoy, kids!" said Narukami as he returned to the back of the kitchen.

"It's not so bad here, Yamada-san. I think you're missing the big picture here," said Oda. Aiko sighed in annoyance.

"Whatever," said Aiko.

"Well, I guess we should eat. Otherwise it'll get cold," said Oda as he clasped his hands, bowing his head as he turned to his bowl. Aiko did the same, unenthusiastically. She just about lost her appetite. She couldn't fathom why this guy would be this content with his life. She knew for a fact that she'd be taking it harder.

"Well, let's see if this lives up to your words," said Aiko as she took her chopsticks and began to draw out some noodles. The noodles gave off heat as it simmered in the broth, as small sliced vegetables floated inside. She blew on the noodles and began to take a bite. Her eyes widened as an explosion of flavor erupted in her mouth. Her cheeks flushed from the hot broth as the flavor of juices danced on her taste buds.

"Holy shit!" said Aiko. Oda grinned.

"Told you. Narukami makes the best ramen in town," said Oda. Aiko began to slurp up the noodles, wincing as it burned her tongue.

"Oh! Careful! You want your tongue intact to enjoy this meal," said Oda in amusement. Aiko looked away as she blushed in embarrassment.

"Shut it..." said Aiko in a small tone. As they ate, Aiko couldn't help but frown.

"So, you're really happy? Even though society shuns your kind and forces you to live here?" asked Aiko.

"Yes. I mean, as long as you have people around you that you love and trust, you have nothing to worry about, right?" asked Oda. Aiko sighed.

"I mean, I wouldn't know," said Aiko with a shrug.

"Huuh? Riku-kun, is that you?" called a male voice. Aiko and Oda turned and found a group of teenagers. They were dressed in school uniforms. They comprised as three boys and two girls.

"Oh boy..." muttered Oda as he shrunk in his seat. One of the boys made his way over to Oda's side, bringing an arm around him and pulling him close.

"Hey, I heard you got cut off again by those punks? Lost again, huh?" asked the boy in an obnoxious loud tone. Aiko couldn't help but grit her teeth as her brow twitched.

"Oh... You know me," said Oda with a forced smile.

"Ah good ol' Riku!" said the boy as he roughly ruffled Oda's hair. Aiko couldn't help but narrow her eyes. Something about this guy bugged her.

"Haha! Saki-san, be nice," said one of the girls.

"Ah I'm just teasing the dork. Isn't that right, Riku?" asked the boy as he roughly patted Oda's back. The boy winced at every pat.

"Y-Yeah..." answered Oda.

"Hey, Riku! Did you take care of that thing I asked for?" asked the other boy.

"I uh... I'll take care of it when I get home. Don't worry," said Oda. Aiko looked at him in confusion. Whatever they were talking about sounded fishy. After hearing what she was told, Aiko couldn't see the boy participating in something that was illegal.

"Heeeey! Who's this with you?" asked the first boy as he leaned on Oda. Aiko noticed that all eyes were on her.

"This is... Yamada Aiko," said Oda, a reluctant look on his face. Aiko raised a brow at him. She then gasped as the unfamiliar Transmutant got close to her with an analytical look.

"So this is your type, huh?" asked the boy. Aiko furrowed her brows in annoyance.

"No, it's not like that," said Oda.

"Yeah, I figured. No way you could ever land a girl," said the boy with a chuckle, smacking Oda on the shoulder. Aiko narrowed her eyes in response.

"What's with her hair?" Aiko heard one of the girl's whisper.

"Anyway, we gotta get going. See ya at school!" said the boy as he and his group walked off. Aiko and Oda looked back at the group as they walked off.

"Hehe. So lame. If they were actually going out, then he must have low standards," whispered one of the girls. Aiko hardened her expression as she clenched her fists. She turned back to the counter.

"Tsk. Assholes," said Aiko.

"They're not so bad," said Oda as he picked at his ramen with his chopsticks. Aiko scoffed.

"Are you kidding?! That guy was totally dissing you! He even did so in front of hot girls! That's what jerks like him do to impress dumb broads like them!" said Aiko. Oda shrugged. Aiko shook her head in annoyance.

"Geez. Those girls might be the worse. Every day it's about my hair," said Aiko to herself. She looked to Oda, who was staring at his bowl in silence.

"Hey, what was that other guy on about? What was thing that you said you'd take care of?" asked Aiko suspiciously.

"It's nothing," said Oda. He noticed Aiko to be glaring at him. The girl was tapping her finger on the counter impatiently. The longer he stared at her hard eyes, the more nervous he grew.

"OK, OK. He wanted me to help him with his homework," said Oda.

"Oh yeah? Maybe I shouldn't keep you waiting than. See ya, Riku," said Aiko as she stood up.

"No, no! We're not meeting!" said Oda frantically. Aiko sighed as she shook her head in disappointment.

"I knew it," said Aiko as she sat back down. She looked to the boy with her brows furrowed.

"Why are you doing his homework for him?" demanded Aiko. Oda shrunk back.

"H-He just needs help. I just-" Oda flinched as Aiko slammed her hand on the counter.

"Bullshit! I bet he punked you into doing it for him!" said Aiko. Oda frowned as he looked away.

"You really are pathetic. I hate just looking at you," said Aiko in a cold tone. Oda's frown deepened. Aiko sighed.

"I guess it can't be helped," said Aiko as she stood up. Oda looked to Aiko, as her hair and skirt blew in the wind. The sunset's light shone behind her, giving her an almost divine appearance that made Oda stare. Aiko pointed to him with a smirk.

"I'll just have to teach you how to stand up for yourself. When I'm through with you, you won't be a pushover anymore!" said Aiko.

"You'd... You'd do that, for me?" asked Oda. Aiko nodded.

"Hell yeah! Just because you follow the law doesn't mean you have to roll over whenever some jerk tries to put you down. Stick with me, Riku. Those guys won't be messing with you anymore," said Aiko with a smile. Oda bowed his head, feeling himself tear up a bit.

"I... I don't know what to say. I have to repay you somehow," said Oda.

"Nah. I'm just doing it so there's one less dick pushing people around," said Aiko dismissively.

"But what if I taught you something too? What if I taught you to look to the positive in life?" asked Oda. Aiko crossed her arms as she looked away.

"I'm good," said Aiko.

"Yamada-san, I may not know you very well. But from what I've gathered, you seem to be overwhelmed with negativity. I can see it in your eyes, and I can hear it in your voice," said Oda with a frown. Aiko gulped as she avoided eye contact.

"What did I tell you about favors?" asked Aiko in annoyance.

"Please, at least let me do that for you," said Oda. Aiko glanced at the boy, finding the sincerity in his eyes. Despite his troubles and short comings, he seemed to be relatively happy. Something that she hadn't felt in years. She wanted to have that. What she was doing wasn't working. Aiko sighed as she held out her hand to the boy.

"Alright, you have yourself a deal," said Aiko with a small smile. Oda smiled brightly, taking her hand to shake.

Later that night, Aiko Yamada had returned home. She sighed as she passed her sister, who looked back at her in confusion.

"Where have you been? Hey, are those new bruises?!" asked Rei incredulously.

"No, of course not. I had these already," said Aiko with a yawn. She passed her mother, who looked to her.

"Have you done your-"

"I'm getting on it," said Aiko in a dismissive tone. The girl continued on to her home. Aiko sighed as she plopped herself onto bed. She held her stomach as she bore a smile of satisfaction.

"Man, that was good. I have to go there again, sometime," said Aiko to herself. She rolled onto her side as she yawned. She wanted nothing more than to sleep. However, she had stuff to do. She sighed as she got up and and made her way to her desk, drawing out a sheet of paper.

"Alright. Gotta come up with ideas to get him to man up," said Aiko as she began to write.

---

It was the next day. Aiko stood in the afternoon sun in the middle of a park. Oda stood before her. The wind blew against the teens. Aiko had her arms crossed as she looked at Oda with a stoic look. Oda rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Um... What are we doing?" asked Oda.

"Shut up, you're ruining this dramatic set up!" said Aiko in annoyance. She cleared her throat.

"Riku, I will soon shape you up to be a real man! So I better not hear any bellyaching! I will make your life a living hell!" said Aiko. Oda stood by in an awkward silence.

"Wait, are you teaching me how to be more assertive or are you training me to be in the military?" asked Oda in confusion.

"Shut it! The first lesson begins!" said Aiko as she began to pace around Oda. She had her hands locked behind her back as she circled the boy.

"When someone is trying to intimidate you, never back down," said Aiko.

"Never?" asked Oda.

"Never! That's a sign of weakness! Your enemies will exploit that and will continue to bring you to your knees! Take for example of those assholes from last night. The one who punked you into doing his homework for him," said Aiko as she stood in front of Oda. Her brows furrowed.

"Lending someone your notes when asked is one thing. But doing their work is unacceptable. So what do you do when someone tries to scare you into doing their work for them?" asked Aiko.

"Um... Tell them no?" asked Oda.

"Yes. But also, you get in their face!" said Aiko. She grabbed Oda by the shoulders and brought his face close to her own.

"You look him dead in the eye. You furrow your brows and put on a scowl on your face. You keep your tone like this and tell him to do his own fucking homework," said Aiko. The boy gulped nervously as he stared into Aiko's intense eyes. But couldn't help but blush as he caught the smell of her. Aiko forced him away.

"Got it? Now show me your evil eye," said Aiko, putting her hands on her hips. Oda took a breath as he shifted in place. He began to mentally psyche himself up.

"OK, here goes," said Oda. He grunted as he tightened his lips and furrowed his brows. One eye was squinted while the other was wide open. Aiko face palmed.

"Ugh. Stop, you look constipated," said Aiko. Oda sighed as he frowned.

"I just don't think I can replicate that. I mean you have a really intense stare," said Oda.

"No, don't replicate my face. The trick to the evil eye is digging deep in yourself and express your annoyance and disdain for something through your face and eyes. It's YOUR face," said Aiko. Oda looked down in thought.

"Look, let's try this. What makes you mad?" asked Aiko.

"Well... I hate it when Saki hits my back and shoulder. It's rough and painful," said Oda.

"OK, cool. Anything else?" asked Aiko.

"I also hate it when I have to run near the edge of town to get to school," said Oda, his brows furrowing.

"Come on, dig deeper!" said Aiko.

"And I hate that I get jumped! I hate not being strong enough to defend myself!" said Oda in annoyance.

"Deeper!!" yelled Aiko.

"And I hate doing homework for others!" said Oda, his teeth gritted and his eyes hardened.

"Yes! Excellent!" said Aiko, grinning. Oda smiled.

"Oh really? Good, cause my face actually hurts from that," said Oda as he rubbed his cheeks.

"Don't worry, you'll get over that. Let's move onto the next lesson," said Aiko as she circled Oda.

"This is related to the first lesson still but it applies to most situations. People will try to take advantage of your kindness. And it will often cost you," said Aiko, turning to the boy.

"You have a right to not comply if it conflicts with your own interest. Say for example, someone wants to borrow money from you but you only have enough for bus fare or something. You have the right to tell them no," said Aiko.

"But what if they need it?" asked Oda.

"I doubt bus fare is enough to help someone in your hypothetical situation. Besides, you might need that money to go somewhere important," said Aiko.

"But what if the person needing bus fare needs to get to the hospital to deliver their baby? asked Oda. Aiko looked at him oddly.

"What are the odds of that happening? Ugh, I guess you could give up your fare for that. But my point is that you don't automatically comply with something if it costs you something that you can't afford to lose. Understand?" asked Aiko. Oda nodded.

"I think so," said Oda.

"Good. Now, I want to go over what you'll do with that guy that's been getting you to do his work," said Aiko.

Aiko and Oda spent the first hour together. The girl taught him how to stand up for himself against people and the inconvenience that they bring. While he was a timid guy, Oda proved to be quick at learning. His problem was reflecting these lessons, such as keeping his tone from being too over the top or too small. He had to look natural and behave naturally. Otherwise he'll come off as a lunatic or something.

Right now, the two teens were sitting on the bench in the park in silence. They were taking a break from the lessons of Aiko and looked to the scenery.

"You know, sometimes I like to come to the park when I'm feeling down. Being around nature tends to brighten up my mood, compared to the dull concrete buildings that make up the city," said Oda.

"I find that tv sets me straight," said Aiko. Oda merely glanced at her. Aiko sighed.

"Ok, only when something good is on, which is once a week. Usually I'm getting nagged by my mother," said Aiko. She slouched against her seat.

"What about?" asked Oda as he drew out a small bag.

"Agh. Just about my homework and how I get bruises whenever some girl crosses me. That's the tip of the iceberg," said Aiko as Oda held out the bag to her. Aiko reached inside and drew out a nut and plopped it into her mouth.

"Do you have trouble with school. If you'd like, I could help," said Oda. Aiko sent him a deadpanned look.

"Riku, you're already helping me to 'be more positive', whatever that means. Why bother?" asked Aiko.

"Because I want to," said Oda with a shrug. Aiko shook her head. This guy was just difficult to get a read on. He just seemed quick to help for no reason.

"Look, I'm average by choice. I can get better grades if I wanted to," said Aiko as she leaned back in her seat.

"By choice? Well why not try harder? If you can do better, then why not?" asked Oda in confusion.

"What's the point? I'm just going to end up working a job I hate for the rest of my life. Sounds boring as hell," said Aiko.

"Not if you're a house wife," said Oda with a shrug.

"I don’t know whether to slap you for suggesting that or to just insult you," said Aiko. Oda gave a laugh a discomfort.

"That just sounds more boring! Plus I think I might end up acting like my mother," said Aiko in dismay.

"She can't be that bad," said Oda. Aiko groaned.

"Dude, you don't even wanna know. She's always criticizing! It's always, 'Do your homework! Don't have your feet on the couch! You should smile more! Be more lady-like! Be more like your big sister!' She never even asks me about my day!" said Aiko in exasperation. She panted as she fumed. Her face red hot with anger as she thought of her mother. Oda stared with wide eyes.

"Wow..." said Oda.

"Hey, you wanted to hang out. This is what you get," said Aiko as she crossed her arms. As she simmered down, she realized that she may have just chased away the one person that was willing to stick around. It figures.

"Yamada-san, I may not know your relationship with your family well. But it sounds like to me that they only do that because they love you. Maybe your mom is so strict is because she might have been raised that way herself," said Oda. Aiko sighed.

"I know they do. But I feel like they just don't understand what it's like to be me. It's like everything in life is so wrong," said Aiko with a frown.

"Maybe you're just too focused on the bad and not enough on the good," said Oda, scooting closer to Aiko.

"What I do is that I count my blessings. Sure, I may be lower in society compared to you. I'm a push over and I'm not very strong. Heck, I'm not even popular with girls," said Oda as he looked away in embarrassment.

"But I have family, a home, my health, and a community that knows me. And... I have a new friend," said Oda. Aiko glanced at him.

"Do you... do you really think of me as a friend?" asked Aiko.

"I do. I'd like to be your friend. Especially since you went out of your way to help me," said Oda with a smile. Aiko felt her heart skip a beat in her chest. She blushed as she pondered Oda's words. That was the first time someone made her feel warmth inside. Aiko lightly smiled.

"I uh... ahem. You were saying something about 'counting my blessings'?" asked Aiko.

"Yeah, what are the things you're grateful for?" asked Oda. Aiko shrugged as she rested her hands on her lap.

"I guess I never really thought of that," said Aiko as she bore a thoughtful look. She then shrugged. "I don't know."

"It doesn't have to be anything fancy, Yamada. It could be small or even common like family," said Oda. Aiko looked up to the sky, a pondering look about her face.

"I guess... I'm glad that my dad isn't as much of a hard ass like my mom. I mean at least he talks to me..." said Aiko. She hummed to herself.

"Thinking about it now... I guess mom isn't so bad. At least she doesn't ignore me. I just wished... I want us to relate more. She seems like she relates better to Rei than me. I guess she was always the favorite," said Aiko, her tone small. Oda placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Aiko sighed as she covered her face.

"Ugh. Sorry. I shouldn't have said that," said Aiko.

"No, it's OK. I said that I'd listen, didn't I?" asked Oda.

"I just don't know how this works. I always have a filter but it’s like it’s gone," said Aiko. She then looked at Oda suspiciously.

"You're not a witch or something, are you?" asked Aiko. Oda chuckled in response.

"Come on, what else are you thankful for?" asked Oda.

"For sure the food. Oh, especially that ramen!" said Aiko with a grin.

"Yeah, me too," laughed Oda.

"And I guess I'm grateful for meeting you," said Aiko with a shrug. Oda looked at her in surprise. A bashful smile was on his face.

"I mean, I need something to change up my routine so I don't have to head straight home," said Aiko with a smirk.

"Oh," said Oda, his tone filled with disappointment.

"Aw why the sour attitude?" asked Aiko teasingly.

"Oh, it's nothing," said Oda, crossing his arms as he put on an indifferent facade. Though inside, he was groaning in dismay.

Later, the two parted ways. They began to make their way to their own homes. Aiko smiled to herself. She felt that she might be able to actually teach Oda to be more assertive. The guy was obviously committed to change. Something that she couldn't help but admire. She never thought much of changing. It all just seemed like an impossible thing or even require so much work. The latter might be true, which is why she never made an effort.

Aiko was making her way into her neighborhood. Along the way, she thought of Oda's teaching. Counting her blessings. It seemed like such a cliche', but Oda seemed to think it works. There may have been more truth to it. Aiko has been so focused on the negative that she never thought of the positive in her life. While she named a few at the top of her head, she slowly thought of more stuff that she was thankful for. Her home, her ability to protect herself, and the list slowly grows on. Even Oda she's glad to have met. And it wasn't for the reason she said. Aiko was just happy that there was someone willing to listen to her complain about her family issues.

Aiko soon entered her home. She began to walk into the kitchen, finding her mother to be cooking. The girl sighed to herself.

"I'm home," said Aiko. Her mother jumped with a start.

"Oh. Honey, I didn't hear you come in. Hey, you've been starting to come home later than normal these past couple of days. Is something wrong?" asked Mrs. Yamada.

"No, of course not. I'm just taking a stroll around the area before coming home. Just to burn more energy, y'know," said Aiko with a stretch.

"Oh. I see. Well, do you have homework?" Aiko sighed heavily, forgetting about homework.

"Yes. I'll take care of it," said Aiko as she sluggishly made her way into her bedroom. Rei peeped from the sofa as Mrs. Yamada looked on in surprise.

"Huh. That was significantly less attitude then she usually gives me," said Mrs. Yamada.

---

It was the morning. Oda Riku was sitting at a small table in the living room. He was digging his chop sticks into a small bowl, filled with miso. He hummed to himself as he drew out a note book, filled with a to-do list. He normally kept this on himself to avoid forgetting anything. This was mainly to remind himself of what he had to do. But it also reminded him what he's accomplished in a full day. Just one of a few techniques to allow himself to evaluate his time.

As Oda looked through his list for the day, he found a final space that was empty on the page. He smiled as he wrote in the small note book.

"Meet Yamada-san..." said Oda. His cheeks flushed as he thought about the girl. He wasn't exactly sure how he got nervous around her. Fear of being pummeled by her was low on his list. It was more of him failing to impress her that worried him. Oda wondered when he started feeling this way. All he knew was what it was.

The boy just couldn't get her out of his head. Something about her aggressive personality drew him. Or rather, it was what was underneath that drew him. He could tell that there may have been more to Aiko other than being just a girl with attitude. Otherwise, he was sure that she would have just left him to be a pathetic worm on his own. Oda wanted to know more about her.

Later that day, Oda was in school. He was dressed in his uniform, as were the other students. It was a large building, but not as big as most schools since the Transmutant population isn't as big compared to the humans in the city.

The teen found other students his age to be passing by. They passed him as he sat outside on a metallic table. None acknowledged his presence. But that was to be expected. Oda didn't really stand out compared to the rest of the student body. He knew he wasn't handsome like any of the other guys in school. He was tall, but lanky. He didn't have the food to allow himself to grow in muscle. He wasn't even much of a humorous guy. All Oda was good at was organizing, and being fairly smart. His 'glass half full' view of the world may have been hard for most to understand, but it's what allowed Oda to keep moving forward in life. Meeting Aiko just gave him more reason to. Even if she didn't feel the same as he did, Oda hoped he could help her in anyway. After all, she was the only one who helped him.

There was a sudden knock on the table. Oda was startled out of his thoughts. He found a familiar student standing over him.

"Yo. You got my homework done?" asked the student. Oda had almost forgotten. He was 'persuaded' to take on this guy's homework.

"Y-Yeah, I got it, Hanamura, answered Oda. The student looked at him expectantly. Oda sighed as he reached into his bag. He stopped as he was about to draw out the homework. He recalled what Aiko told him about not letting people push him around. Including intimidating him into doing their work. Oda sighed as he drew out the assignment.

"Here," said Oda as he held out the stabled sheets. Hanamura snatched it from him.

"Cool. Hey, I need you to also lend me your notes. I won't be in class on Thursday," said Hanamura.

"But I need my notes for the test coming at the end of the week," said Oda. Hanamura narrowed his eyes at him.

"Huh? You got a problem?" asked the teen, stepping onto the bench as he got in Oda's personal space. The timid boy fell silent, looking away. He heard the boy chuckled at him, mockingly. His laugh echoed in Oda's mind, causing him to grit his teeth. He really was pathetic.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Pussy," scoffed Hanamura. Oda clenched his fists. He was sick of it. He was sick of being pushed around by lazy jerks like Hanamura and popular macho guys like Saki. 'Never back down.' Aiko's words filled his memory.

Oda stood up as he hardened his expression. Hanamura stepped back in surprise as Oda rose up. He ended up placing on a hardened expression and gave the evil eye without evening thinking about. It was though instinct pushed him forward.

"Hanamura, I mean it. I have to keep my grades up just as much as you," said Oda, his voice slightly trembled. He wasn't used to speaking directly as this. He hoped that he could still get his point across effectively.

"You should also start doing your own work. Because I'm not going to anymore," said Oda. Hanamura narrowed his eyes.

"What are you gonna do about it? Huh, toothpick?" asked Hanmura as he invaded Oda's space again. Oda froze.

"Uh..."

It was here that Oda realized something. Aiko never told him what to do when the person messing with him didn't back down. Oda chuckled nervously as Hanamura popped his knuckles.

---

Aiko was standing alone in silence. She was by the same corner that she's been meeting up with Oda Riku. She bore an impatient look on her face. Aiko looked down at her watch with an annoyed sigh. It has been thirty minutes since she's been here.

"Come on Riku. Where are you?" Asked Aiko as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the ground. There wasn't any sign of him coming. She was certain that they agreed to meet up again today. Yet she was still alone. The girl sighed.

Aiko could easily just head home. However, she didn't want to head back right now. Just any excuse to stay away a bit longer was enough. Besides, she found herself looking forward to hanging out with Oda. She wanted to see how her tips went.

"Maybe he's home. OK," said Aiko as she walked off. She began to make her way to the Mutant Zone. She had a decent memory of where he was living. If he wasn't coming to her, then she can just go to him.

"Yeesh. Better have a good reason for standing me up," said Aiko as she furrowed her brows.

The girl spent the next 8 minutes wandering through the Mutant Zone. She passed by the familiar streets. As she continued on, Aiko began to recognize her journey and the destination of Oda's home. Soon, she came across the apartment complex that the Transmutant was housed in. Aiko was soon at his door. She began to knock.

"Riku? Yo, are you home? It's Aiko!" called Aiko. No answer came. The girl looked to the peep hole on the door.

Aiko knocked again. Still, there was no answer. The girl sighed as she took a seat by the door. A small frown was on her face.

"I guess he's already tired of me. Guess I can't blame him," said Aiko as she propped up her chin as her hands held her head up as her elbows rested on her knees. The door suddenly opened.
"Yamada? Where did you come from?" asked Oda in confusion. Aiko shot up as the door opened. The girl stood up to the door way but her eyes widened.

Oda was covered in bruises. They had swelled along his face and over his eye. There was small dry traces of blood along his lip and from his nose

"We were supposed to meet after school again, remember? What happened to you?" asked Aiko incredulously. Oda awkwardly chuckled.

"Well, I did what you said if someone tried intimidating me into doing their homework for them. We didn't exactly cover what I should do if they didn't back off," answered Oda. He then sighed in dismay.

"I ended up getting suspended for the rest of the week for fighting," said Oda. Aiko sighed as she face palmed.

"I'll do better next time, I promise!" said Oda worriedly.

"No, I'm not mad at you. I just feel bad because I forgot you're not confrontational. I should've thought of that," said Aiko as bowed her head.

"My bad," said Aiko.

"Don't feel bad. I don't," said Oda with a shrug. Aiko raised her head with a frown.

"But-"

"It felt good telling that jerk, no! Sure I was beaten up, but it wasn't as horrifying as being beaten by those guys from before," said Oda with a smile. Aiko stood, speechless. She couldn't help but let out a giggle.

"You're an odd bird, you know that?" asked Aiko in amusement. Oda blushed as he found the girl giggling. It was a soft and girlish sound that contrasted her usual cold and tomboyish demeanor. Oda chuckled bashfully.

"Maybe next time I can teach you how to defend yourself," said Aiko as she sent playful punches against Oda's shoulder.

"I'd appreciate that. Sounds like it could be fun," said Oda. Aiko held her hands behind her back as the two were in an awkward silence. Given that their original plan was ruined, the two almost had no reason to meet for right now. Though Aiko didn't want to leave so soon, and Oda wanted her to stay.

"Hey-" the two spoke in unison. Oda cleared his throat as he looked away. Aiko bit her lip.

"Do you wanna stick around? I have nothing important to do," said Oda. Aiko suppressed a smile.

"Sure, why not?" Aiko said, putting on a cool facade.

---

Aiko hummed to herself. She walked away from the Mutant Zone as she had a rhythm in her step. The girl was mentally revisiting her evening with Oda. The two just talked and watched a bit of TV. She took the opportunity to also teach him some ways of being assertive. Though this time she taught him some stuff that would less likely get his butt kicked. She would have to teach him to defend himself.

Aiko soon came to her neighborhood. She hummed more as she swayed as though she were dancing. The girl unlocked the door and entered, walking calmly inside as she still hummed. She walked passed Rei, who was exiting her bedroom.

"You seem to be in a good mood," said Rei.

"Nah, I was just humming this catchy song I heard," said Aiko dismissively. Rei hummed to herself with a suspicious look as Aiko went to the living room. The girl sat down.

"Is dinner ready?" asked Aiko. Her mother turned from the stove with a sigh as the heat got to her.

"Yeah, almost. Be sure to get your homework done before bed," said Mrs. Yamada.

"Already done," said Aiko. Her mother did a double take. She looked to her daughter with a raised brow.

"All of it?" asked Mrs. Yamada.

"Yep," answered Aiko nonchalantly. Her mother bore a suspicious look.

"Let me see it," said Mrs. Yamada. Aiko slumped her shoulders.

"Wha- You don't believe me?" asked Aiko. Mrs. Yamada slightly narrowed her eyes as she placed a hand on her hip. Aiko smacked her lips.

"Fine," said Aiko, drawing out her bag. She began to take out her homework assignments. She handed them with a scowl. Her mother began to skim through her homework.

"Hm. Looks like you really did do your work," said Mrs. Yamada. Aiko scoffed.

"That's all you have to say? Ugh. You know what, I'm just gonna get a bite from the fridge. I'm going to bed early," said Aiko as she took her homework back and began to pack her bag.

"Wha- Aiko!" Said Mrs. Yamada as Aiko grabbed fruit from the refrigerator.

"Good. Night." Aiko closed the fridge and stormed off. She passed Rei, who watched as her younger sister went to her room.

"Geez! What's her deal?" asked Mrs. Yamada as Aiko slammed her door.

"Mom, could you at least try to be pleased that she did her work early?" asked Rei. Her mother shrugged.

"What do you mean? You know she tries to skip out on her work!" said Mrs. Yamada. Rei sighed.

Meanwhile, Aiko was in her bedroom. Her expression was hard as she lied tucked under her covers. She was fuming to herself, having been taken out of her good mood from earlier.

"Why do I even bother?" muttered Aiko.

---

It was morning. Oda was checking on the rice cooker as it began to steam. He nodded to himself as he found the rice ready. Oda proceeded to fill up small bowls of rice and mixed up scrambled bits off egg with the bowls. The boy walked up to the living room and sat down, placing a bowl in front of an older woman. The woman was dressed in a formal jacket and skirt.

"Thank you, Oda," said the woman as she began to eat. The boy sat in front of her and began to eat as well. He sighed as he kept his eyes downcast.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Asked the woman.

"I'm sorry for getting suspended," said Oda in a small tone. His mother gave him a small smile.

"It's OK. If you want to make up for it, you can cook me your famous curry for dinner," said Mrs. Riku. Oda nodded with a smile.

"You got it, mom," said Oda.

"Are you gonna be OK with your school work?" asked Mrs. Riku.

"I should be. I managed to get some work from the teachers for the week. They want me to take the test when I get back next week," said Oda. His mother looked at him incredulously.

"How can they do that? Won't you be on another subject by that time?" asked Mrs. Riku.

"I still have my notes. I should be fine," said Oda. There was a sudden knock at the door.

"Are you expecting someone?" asked Oda in confusion.

"None that I know of," said Mrs. Riku as she stood up. She made her way to the door and opened it.

"Oh, hello. Who might you be?" asked Mrs. Riku. Oda turned around in curiosity. His eyes widened in surprise as he found Aiko standing awkwardly outside the front door.

"Yamada Aiko. I go to school with your son," said Aiko awkwardly. Oda bore a confused look as to why she would lie.

"Really? Well, that uniform doesn't seem to belong to his school," said Mrs. Riku with a suspicious look. Aiko stiffened.

"W-Well..." Aiko awkwardly stood.

"It's alright, mom. I know her," said Oda, making his way to the door. He greeted the girl with a warm smile, while Aiko smiled back. There was a brief flutter in her chest, but the girl chose to ignore it.

"I uh... wanted to swing by and say 'hi', since we aren't gonna be crossing paths in the morning for a while," said Aiko with a an awkward smile. She couldn't exactly behave like herself, knowing that Oda's mother was here, watching her. Oda blushed as he cleared his throat. His mother began to look back and forth at the two.

"Well, I should get to work. Be safe," said Mrs. Riku as she planted a kiss on Oda's cheek. The boy recoiled in embarrassment.

"Mom!" hissed Oda, growing flustered as Aiko looked on in amusement.

"Well, nice meeting you, Yamada," said the woman as she left. Aiko watched as the woman slipped on her heals and carried her purse.

"Why did you lie to her?" asked Oda. Aiko stiffened, tudning to see the boy looking at her oddly. Aiko rubbed the back of her head.

"I don't know. I just didn't expect to see her. I wasn't sure what to say. I didn't want to tell her that I met you after beating up guys that attacked you," said Aiko awkwardly. "Plus I'm not exactly from the neighborhood."

"So, what are you doing here?" asked Oda in curiosity.

"I was thinking of skipping school today," answered Aiko. The boy looked at her with a flabbergasted look.

"Why would you do that?" asked Oda.

"Well, you're suspended, I haven't skipped much to begin with that will cost me my grades. I figured we might as well hang out and do some more lessons," said Aiko with a shrug.

"Yamada-san, you shouldn't do that," said Oda in disapproval.

"Ah who cares?" asked Aiko with a scoff. Oda tilted his head.

"Did something happen?" asked Oda. Aiko sighed as she crossed her arms.

"No. I just don't feel like going to school, today," said Aiko in an indifferent tone. Oda sighed.

"If that's how you feel, then I won't force you to leave," said Oda.

"This might seem contradictory but you're being a pushover again," said Aiko.

"No, because I'm using this as an opportunity to poke you until the problem is solved. Come on in, there's still food left," said Oda as he stepped aside. Aiko grimaced.

"You can't exactly return home, Yamada. I'm sure you'll get caught," said Oda.

"Good point." Aiko entered the boy's home without further protest. The last thing she wanted to do was bug Oda about her issues some more. She only wanted to hang out just to take her mind off it.

Aiko found herself eating from a bowl filled with rice and egg. It was a modest breakfast, but it was pretty good. The girl sighed as she stretched before giving a courteous bow.

"Thanks a lot. That was pretty good," said Aiko graciously.

"You're welcome. Now, wanna tell me why you're skipping all of a sudden?" asked Oda. Aiko grimaced.

"I was hoping we wouldn't talk about that," said Aiko.

"Gee, that's too bad. And here I was, kind enough not to turn you away and fed you," said Oda in a mock hurt tone. Aiko looked at him in annoyance.

"Hey, I didn't teach you sarcasm," said Aiko.

"I picked it up by observing. I've never done it before," said Oda sheepishly. Aiko rolled her eyes.

"I thought that we had a good time yesterday. Did I do something wrong?" asked Oda. Aiko scoffed.

"Dude, of course not! If it was about you, I wouldn't even be here!" said Aiko in exasperation.

"Then why are you upset?" asked Oda. Aiko glared at him.

"Why do YOU care?!" demanded Aiko.

"Because I-" Oda stopped himself. His face grew flushed. He cleared his throat as he looked to the side.

"I care about you, that's all. You're... basically my only friend," said Oda. Aiko's expression softened. Oda seemed like the type of guy who wouldn't have much of a social life. He came off as such a shut in. Kind of like herself. Aiko sighed heavily.

"It's my mom. Last night she didn't believe me when I said I finished my homework already," said Aiko. Oda raised a brow in confusion.

"I know what you're thinking. Just hear me out," said Aiko as she raised a hand.

"Look, you know how I said that me and my mother don't really get along. She's always riding my ass. The way she just acknowledged that I did my work after I showed her pissed me off," said Aiko with a sigh. "She doesn't even give me credit when I finally actually do something out of character. What's the point of trying if she's just gonna dismiss my efforts?"

"Yamada, that's where you're wrong," said Oda. Aiko looked at him in confusion.

"Don't try harder for your mother. Do it for yourself," said Oda. Aiko felt a wave of realization wash over her. How could she have been so blind?

"You wanted to stop feeling depressed, didn't you? Well you have to go by your own efforts. Don't worry about what your mother thinks. In time, she might properly acknowledge your effort," said Oda. Aiko softly smiled.

"You're pretty smart, ya know that?" asked Aiko. Oda shrugged.

"So are you going to go to school?" asked Oda. Aiko gave a mock pout.

"Aw. Tired of my company already?" asked Aiko. Oda frantically shook his head.

"No, of course not! I'd love to have you over longer but you have your studies to worry about!" exclaimed Oda. Aiko smirked in amusement.

"Ah, you're right. Mom's just gonna give me more shit anyway if I skip," said Aiko, making her way to the door. Oda escorted her out. She turned as she bore half open eyes and a sly smile.

"I'll see ya tonight. I got something fun planned," said Aiko. Oda gulped with a blush.

"W-What's that?" Asked Oda. Aiko punched him the shoulder, causing him to grunt in pain.

"I'll teach you that. You'll need to know how to protect yourself," said Aiko with a smirk. Oda winced as he rubbed his arm.

"Great. Looking forward to it," said Oda.

---

A week has gone by. During this time, Aiko has begun to make it a habit to attending her classes on time. She even took to actually paying attention to her teachers', despite how boring school was. The girl even gained more 'sage advice' from Oda Riku during this time. The things he said, while sometimes seemed dumb to even consider, carried truth. The things she learned helped her not to lament her days. For example, he mentioned how it was probably a poor diet and the lack of proper hydration were part of what's caused her bad moods. She started feeling a bit better these days when doing that but it wasn't enough.

Oda had mentioned that it was likely that she was built up with energy that needed to be properly used up. He suggested that she should take on some chores to gain a sense of accomplishment. Aiko took to cleaning her stuffy room often and cleaning up a bit. This seemed to help too. It was funny, the simplest things were helping her get over her teen angst. Not to mention the company she gained.

Aiko was currently jogging in her gym uniform. Oda was jogging alongside her. He panted as he began to sweat.

"Come on, you big sissie! Move those legs! Let your ass burn!" said Aiko.

"I feel the burn!" cried Oda with a pant. Aiko laughed as she picked up her pace.

"Come on! The home stretch!" Said Ako. The two ran further through the park, stopping near a bench. Aiko sighed as her heart raced, slowing to a stead beat. Oda groaned as he popped his back.

"I can't believe I've always... been this weak," wheezed Oda.

"You'll get better! Besides, this will help you if you ever have to throw fists," said Aiko.

"I hope it doesn't come to that again," said Oda with a wince.

"Alright, you ready for the rest of the routine? After this, you'll have the weekend to rest," said Aiko. Oda nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, let's do it!" said Oda.

"Alright, it's upper body training day! Drop and give me three sets of 10!" said Aiko. Oda grunted as he got on the ground and began to push himself up from the grass. He counted to himself as his muscles strained and tore from the exertion. He was still sore from the previous days. In fact, the first day that Aiko made him workout was Hell on earth. His muscles were terribly sore that he didn't want to do anything. But a few good home treatments and stretching allowed him to push on.

"Next week, I'm gonna start adding up the number of reps for each set! Gotta start pushing yourself!" said Aiko.

Later that afternoon, the two were sitting on the park bench. Oda sighed in exhaustion as he was slumped in his seat. Aiko sighed after drinking from a bottle filled with cool refreshing water. She then reached into her bag and drew out another bottle.

"Here, drink this," said Aiko. Oda raised a brow.

"But I already have water," said Oda as he raised a bottle.

"This isn't water. It's a protein shake." said Aiko as she handed the boy the bottle.

"You need to maintain muscle balance. Otherwise you can't grow them. Plus you won’t feel as groggy," said Aiko. Oda took a drink but slightly winced at the taste.

"Yeah it has a weird taste, but it's useful. Saves you the trouble of prepping a meal," said Aiko as she drew out a plastic bag, where a coffee container was inside.

"I got this for you. It's not coffee, i just put the protein powder inside," said Aiko.

"Why?" asked Oda in confusion. The girl cleared her throat.

"Well... It's not exactly mine. Its my dad's," said Aiko. Oda sighed.

"I can't take this," said Oda with a look of discomfort.

"No don't worry about it! He won’t notice half of it is gone when he's pretty much using it every other day. I'll just say I've been using it if he wises up to it," said Aiko.

"I don't know..." Oda bore a look of reluctance.

"Look, I promise I'll buy you your own protein powder eventually," said Aiko.

"That's just it. I'm not comfortable with you just giving me things. I feel bad about it," said Oda. Aiko groaned.

"Riku, you're killing me! This is so you don't get your butt kicked!" Said Aiko in exasperation. Oda still looked reluctant. Aiko sighed as she scooted close to Oda. A coy smile was on her face.

"Come on. Don't you wanna get strong?" asked Aiko as she traced a finger over Oda's shoulder. The boy stiffened as a flabbergasted look was on his face. Aiko kept a calm and cool look, but there were butterflies in her stomach.

'Ugh this might not even work. I'm not attractive enough to be doing this,' thought Aiko in dismay. Not to mention that this was out of her comfort zone. She wasn't sure if she was doing this flirty routine properly to motivate the guy. Still she pressed on.

"Don't you want your muscles to bulk up?" asked Aiko as she gently squeezed Oda's shoulder. The boy felt his spine tingle in response.

"Well... if you insist," said Oda with a forced smile. Aiko nodded with a pleased look.

Later that evening, Aiko hummed to herself as she walked into the living room of her home. She sported a pair of pajamas as a smile was plastered on her face. She passed Rei, who was looking through a textbook.

"Goooood evening, sis," greeted Aiko as she walked to the refrigerator. Rei looked at her oddly.

"Um... hey?" Rei watched as her sister hummed to herself. Mrs. Yamada entered the kitchen as she removed her apron.

"Dinner's ready, girls," said Mrs. Yamada. Aiko closed the fridge after scanning it. The girls took their seats at the table and proceeded to eat.

"It's very good, mom," said Aiko as she ate.

"Well, I could've added a bit more seasoning," said Mrs. Yamada with a grimace.

"No, it's fine. Thank you," said Aiko as she continued to eat. Rei and Mrs. Yamada both glanced at each other.

"So uh... you've been coming home much later these days. Any reason why?" asked Mrs. Yamada.

"I'm just exercising more. You know, just jogging around the area and such," said Aiko.

"I see," said Mrs. Yamada. Though, both she and Rei were suspicious. Soon, Aiko sighed as she sat her chopsticks down and bowed.

"That was good. Thanks for dinner," said Aiko as she got up and placed her dishes in the sink. She proceeded to wash them, much to the shock of her mother and sister. As Aiko set the dishes to dry, she made her way to her room but stopped as her father entered the hall with a tired sigh.

"What a day," said Mr. Yamada. Aiko suddenly wrapped her father into a tight hug. Her father grunted in surprise.

"Welcome home, daddy~!" said Aiko sweetly, before planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Heh. I haven't been greeted like this since you were a little girl," said Mr. Yamada as he hugged his daughter back. Aiko released him and headed for her room.

"Well. I'm gonna go to bed. Good night," said Aiko as she closed her door. Her father made his way to the kitchen.

"She seems to be in a really good mood these days," said Mr. Yamada as he sat his bag down and took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Yeah, a little too good," said Mrs. Yamada with a suspicious look. Her husband did a double take.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Mr. Yamada.

"Do you think she's on drugs or something?" whispered Mrs. Yamada. Her husband and daughter looked at her incredulously.

"Geez, mom!" said Rei.

"What?! She's acting differently all of the sudden and we don't even know why! She's even coming home late!" said Mrs. Yamada in a whisper.

"Mom, she's been working out! Come on, I know you smell her B.O. when she comes home," said Rei.

"But why is she so perky these days? It's not like her," said Mrs. Yamada as she handed her husband a plate of food.

"Is it wrong for her to be this way?" asked Rei incredulously.

"No, of course not! It's just...." Mrs. Yamada searched for what to say to convey her thoughts.

"You know I worry about her. All this time I can't even get her to do something without her complaining. I wanna know what happened," said Mrs. Yamada in a small tone.

"Well, she's been doing her homework more. It can't be anything bad," said Rei as she took another bite of her dinner.

"Maybe she has a boyfriend," said Mr. Yamada as he took a bite of his food. Rei snorted.

"Aiko having a boyfriend? No way," said Rei with a scoff. She knew her sister well. She had no idea what guy would have the guts to stick to a relationship to a girl as belligerent as her.

"I don't know. That's how you were acting when you met that boy at your last year in High school," said Mr. Yamada with a shrug.

"Hey, leave him out of this," said Rei in annoyance.

"How is he anyway? You two are attending the same college aren't you?" asked Mrs. Yamada.

"It's going alright. But he's been kinda of... I don't know. I feel like he's anxious lately," said Rei with a worried look. She looked to her parents in panic.

"You don't think he's cheating on me, do you?!" asked Rei. Mrs. Yamada was about to speak but her husband sent her a look and shook his head.

"Maybe you should try talking to him, Rei. It might not be something serious," said Mr. Yamada. Though the way he spoke was more like his answer was directed at Mrs. Yamada rather than their oldest daughter.

Comments

[The Bloon-Man]

Loving this anthology!