Chapter One Part Three
Guys, I love you, but please stop screaming "Update!!" at me. Contrary to what one might think, it doesn't make me work any faster. I really do appreciate that you took the time to leave a comment, but something more constructive or with more substance to it would be great (a simple "I like it!" etc. would suffice). Thank you so much for reading and supporting this nonetheless. ^-^
Also thank you @Koneko-Chan312 for calling me <Taco-san>, that was what pushed me to update for some strange reason *^* I'm all fired up now.
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Ema, seeing that Ame was waiting for her instead of actually taking off (like she'd done in the past), slowed to a walk, calming down Juri in the given time. It didn't take long; by the time she caught up, Juri was no longer mad, and Ame was on her phone talking to someone. "A coworker?"
Ame shook her head and brought a finger to her lips, listening intently to what the other person was saying. "Okay, so from Maple and Birmingham, we take a left and go straight for four blocks, then make a right, and Sunshine Residence should be on the right-hand side? ... Thank you so much, Miwa-san! ... Goodbye, hope to see you soon too!" She hung up and pushed the smartphone into her bra, leaving it sticking out slightly from the neck of her tank top and making Juri scold her again for her unladylike tendencies.
"Ame-nee, you should try to make a good impression." She looked over her sister's casual attire; a tank top, zip-hoodie, and sweatpants paired with beat-up sneakers, hair thrown up into a ponytail with a few strands falling loose. And her hands were stained black with bike grease. "... At least act normal at first, please."
"We're all going to be siblings, right? So it doesn't matter what I look like. Not like I'm going to an omai or anything."
Juri piped up, putting his two cents in. "But you're getting thirteen new brothers! Cover up! Men are wolves!" He jumped onto Ame's chest and clung to her like a scarf, covering her neck and the skin shown under her clavicle.
Ame looked down at the squirrel for a moment, amused, before shrugging and walking in the direction Miwa had specified, though she did move to put her mobile in her pocket instead. "You do know I work with men every other day? You remember the crossdressing cafe, right Juri? Do I need to take you back to Haru-chan again?"
Juri squeaked and jumped back over to Ema at the mention of Haru-chan the crossdressing maid, hiding from "Evil Ame". Ema wondered just what went down between the two when she wasn't around.
"Ah-ah, this way, imouto-chan~" Ame chided, pulling Ema in the correct direction. "Here we are, Sunshine Residence." Then she really looked at the building. "...Whoa. Um, are we in the right place?" The question was answered by the plaque reading Sunshine Residence next to the door. "...Should we knock?"
Ema sighed and knocked; Ame needed to learn to be more sure of herself. Or rather, to be less afraid of making mistakes. Or just less lazy.
The door swung open and the two were greeted by a familiar face. "Ah! It's you two. Can I help you?"
Ame smiled brightly at 'Masa-nii'. "Hello! I'm Ame and this is Ema, and we're the Hinata sisters!"
His expression changed to surprise and he stepped back, ushering them in. "My name is Masaomi, I'm the eldest of the Asahina brothers. I'm so sorry for not recognizing you, but you're early! We weren't expecting you for another few days."
Ame looked at Ema, angled down slightly since she was taller. "Did you really not give them notice? Ema, that's rude!" She bowed deeply to Masaomi a few times, unwittingly giving him an excellent view, not that he looked. "I'm so sorry! We're both a little airheaded; it's my fault for not calling you directly to check. I talked with Miwa-san on the way here, so I just assumed..." Ame, taking responsibility? Impossible!
Masaomi's pocket vibrated and he checked his phone. "Minna," he read aloud, "your new sisters are moving in today, so be sure to recognize them! I'm sure you already have space ready, right? Have fun, and don't be rude! Love, Mom."
The three looked at each other and sweatdropped. "Miwa-san..."
Masaomi smiled again soon enough. "All of us live on the third, fourth, and fifth floors, and the bottom two are rented out. The top two are just bedrooms, and the third floor is where the kitchen and general gathering areas are. Follow me. Ah, and would you like me to hold your things?"
Ame shook her head. "I can carry mine, but thank you. Ema?"
"I have it. I don't want to be an inconvenience." It would be impossible to lug up any stairs, though.
Ame gave her a look, then sighed and swapped luggage so she was the one with the glittery pink suitcase and Ema held her duffel bag. Ame was definitely stronger than Ema. "So, Masa-nii--" she started, just as cheerfully as before.
"Ame-nee!" Goodness, Ame was so embarrassing sometimes, calling people by nicknames and endearments right off the bat. And Ema could predict what was coming next: a barrage of questions, as if the elder sister was still an excitable child.
"--I think we can get along, don't you? You're really nice, you know. Hey, who was that boy with the bike? Is he your son? You said you're the oldest so it's okay if I call you Masa-nii, right? How old are you? Do you have a job? Ooh, I bet you have a really cool job..."
Ame knew full well the answers to most of her questions, though she continued to babble mindlessly; Asahina Masaomi, pediatrician, age thirty-one, still lives at home with brothers and has yet to start his own family. The few others, like if she could really call him by a nickname, she was genuinely curious about.
Ame had had many a conversation with Miwa following the woman's engagement to Ame's adoptive father, and she knew almost everything there was to know (and quite a bit more than she wanted to) about the thirteen brothers. She didn't know their faces, though, so it wasn't like she could greet them right off the bat. But wow, did Miwa look good for her age!
They walked into an elevator just as she was pausing to take a breath. "--Hey Ema let's switch back okay?" Without waiting for an answer she swapped their luggage, again. "So--"
"Ame-nee, calm down a little. No more than three questions at a time, if you actually want answers." Ema patted her shoulder.
Ame looked sheepish, but nodded, looking down at her feet. "Hai... I'm just really excited to have older siblings, you know? I've never been the younger sister..." She poked her index fingers against each other shyly.
"Ah..." Masaomi and Ema exchanged a look over Ame's head. This was very out of character for the elder Hinata; Ema suspected her true character would shine through soon enough. The excited-yet-shy-imouto-chan act would not last long.
When the elevator be dinged for the third floor, Ame perked right back up. "Ne, Masa-nii, does everyone know we're here already?"
"Err..."
"Hey, who was at the door?" someone asked casually, looking back over the sofa that was facing away from the trio. "Oh, hey, Masaomi-nii finally brought home a girl! Two of 'em!" He jumped up, revealing white hair, violet eyes, and stylish clothes.
Ame looked to Masaomi expectantly, while Ema took in the room. It was a comfy living room with plenty of seating, the couch occupied by three people (two people, now that the white-haired one had stood), and someone else was just peering through the doorway to check on the commotion.
Masaomi cleared his throat with a look at the white-haired young adult. "These are the Hinata sisters, Ame and Ema, though they'll soon be Asahinas too. Everyone, play nice."
Juri squawked at the perceived implications of the word 'play', although Masaomi didn't intend it that way, Ema didn't notice the possible double entendre, and Ame only smiled in amusement.
These brothers were so interesting, and she'd only really met two thus far. Heh. Life would the Asahinas would be interesting, to be sure.
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