Mai-HiME Fan Fiction ❯ Two Kitties' Curiosity. ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

"So she really did it?"

 

"Yup, she really did," Mai mumbled. She leaned backwards in her desk to see an upside-down grin pasted onto Chie's face.

 

"I knew they'd be fighting over you eventually, but I didn't think they would be armed."

 

"Shut up, Chie."

 

"Well, somebody's grumpy. Mikoto-chan is happy, isn't she?"

 

"Duh. I probably could have made her just as happy if I bought her a candy bar, though." Mai rolled her eyes irritably. She sighed and laid her forehead on her desk, the plastic cool on her forehead. As far as Chie knew, Mai was only uncomfortable with the idea of Mikoto's activity. She hadn't explained the bit about gear expenses; there was no reason to make that her friend's worry, too. Would have been an easy way to wipe off that amused smirk, however.

 

"Tokiha-san?" Mai's head shot up. Well now, this was a rarity, what did the Student Council President have to say to her? Mai looked over a seat at Kikukawa Yukino. She was a very different girl than Mai had first known when she had come to this academy. Then Yukino had been a notably shy, reserved girl, more known for her proximity to the then-Executive-Chief Suzushiro Haruka than for any accomplishment of her own. She had quite literally surprised everybody in the school when she had suddenly announced her candidacy for Council President at the end of the previous year, although Mai, listening to Suzushiro's decidedly enthusiastic and vocal encouragement over the summer, had her own suspicions as to whence that impetus had originated. With the backing of both Suzushiro Haruka, and more surprisingly, the support of Fujino Shizuru, the then-current President, she won in a landslide. Since then, with Fujino and Suzushiro gone to the University, Yukino had stepped forward very neatly to fill both of the gaps they had left behind.

 

All Mai had known her for before was being Suzushiro's partner, and somebody that Mikoto considered a good friend, but she had already gained a reputation for being easily as diplomatic, persuasive and effective as Fujino had been, yet as hardworking and visible among the student body as Suzushiro had been, in the short period of time that she had been in office. In truth, as Mai turned to talk to her for the first time this school year, she realized guiltily that this was going to be one of the few times she had ever spoken to the girl.

 

"Yes, Yukino-san?"

 

"I don't mean to eavesdrop nor pry, but did Mikoto-san get into a fight, is she okay? I might have misheard." Concern swam through her hazel eyes, so Mai knew she wasn't just asking in an official basis.

 

"Oh, she's fine," Mai reassured her, and explained. "She just joined the Kendo club and had a practice match with Yuuichi; Chie was making a bad joke."

 

"I see." Yukino ducked her eyes, but Mai got the distinct impression that she wanted to say something else. She tilted her head inquisitively to the President and tried to catch her eye.

 

"You sure that's all you wanted to know, Yukino-san?"

 

"Ah," Yukino bit her lip. "You see, Tokiha-san, as President I am privy to perhaps more information than many students would like to be aware of. Such as their general personal financial status." Yukino paused to let that sink in. "So, I wanted to ask if Mikoto-chan is going to have any problems paying for the necessary equipment to compete?"

 

Mai winced, but shook her head nonchalantly. "Oh no, don't worry about it, Yukino-san. I can take care of everything, I'm sure."

 

"You can take care of everything, Tokiha-san?" Yukino asked rather pointedly. Mai blinked. The old Yukino, even if she had noticed the turn of phrase, probably wouldn't have said anything else. "Mikoto-chan doesn't have any family or source of income to provide for the expense?"

 

"Well, no," Mai admitted. "But I just kind of, you know, she's my roommate and doesn't have any family, so..." She struggled to find words to explain it. It wasn't the sort of thing that she could even explain to herself, much less a stranger. Mikoto just lived with her, and Mai took care of her. Because... that's the way it was.

 

"Our dear Mai is a good mother, isn't she?" Chie answered for her over her shoulder. Yukino smiled appreciatively, but focused seriously at Mai.

 

"I'm glad to hear that she has such a wonderful friend in you, Tokiha-san, and to know that you would go so far for her." Yukino smiled warmly. "However, it may untrouble your heart to know that the Academy has certain programs in place to help students pay for extracurricular expenditures, particularly if they concern intramural competitive events. Is that something you believe that Mikoto-chan may be interested in?"

 

"R-really!? A school like Fuuka Academy has stuff like that?"

"It does as of tomorrow. I feel positive that there are some spare funds laying about somewhere that need a good cause."

 

"Hey, wait. No, Yukino-san, I couldn't possibly ask you to do something like that."

 

Yukino smiled in a way that reminded her eerily of Fujino. "I know you couldn't, Tokiha-san, and you didn't. I just made it up right now, on the spot, and asked if your roommate would be interested in it. Harada-san, did you here Tokiha-san make any inappropriate requests of me? No, rather, did you hear her make any requests at all?"

 

"No, I don't believe I did, President," Chie answered innocently, slyly winking at Mai, helplessly looking between them both.

 

"Everything seems in order, then. Don't even bother trying to argue, Tokiha-san, you don't have a leg to stand on. I believe this is the right and fair thing to do, and with all my power as President I will see to its coming about." Mai might have argued in spite of the warning, but the Fujino faded from her smile, and a distinctly Suzushiro hardness replaced it in her eyes. Mai clamped her mouth shut.

 

Immediately before class ended that afternoon, Mai heard Mikoto's name over the intercom; she was told to go to the council room immediately after classes. While everybody else in the room stood and weaved through the desks, Mai remained sitting and hugged her bag to her chest, debating with herself. Should she go as well? There wasn't really any reason to. Yukino wasn't going to do anything to Mikoto; Mai knew what this was all about. However, she did work the later shift today, anyway, and she didn't have any other plans...

 

Mai started for the council room. She hesitated at the door, wondering whether to knock, and erred on the side of politeness.

 

"Yes?"

 

"It's Tokiha Mai, can I come in?"

 

"Of course, Tokiha-san, please enter."

 

She opened the door. Yukino was at the desk in the front of the room, with Mikoto seated in front of her. There was paperwork scattered all over the table. Somewhat disconcertingly, Mai noticed that they were the only people in the room.

 

"Where's the Vice Pres or Executive Chief, or anything?" Mai asked curiously.

 

"They're all attending to their own matters at the moment, Tokiha-san, and I hardly need any assistance in filling out paperwork with a friend. Please, come in, pull up a seat."

 

Mai shrugged and pulled a free chair up to the desk. "Hey, Mikoto."

 

"Hi, Mai. Yukino's telling me that the school could pay for my Kendo stuff. Isn't that nice?"

 

"Very nice, Mikoto. What do you have to do?"

 

"Yukino was just about to give me some papers to fill out, then you came in." Mikoto nodded her head excitedly and turned her attention back to the President. "What do I need, Yukino?"

 

"Just these forms, Mikoto-chan," Yukino said, neatly stacking the papers on the desk and handing them to the eager girl. Mikoto slapped them down on the desk and reached for a pen in a small cup. She started easily enough, but still fairly close to the top of the page she paused, and looked up. Looking appraisingly between Yukino and Mai, she settled on the latter and fixed her with a questioning gaze.

 

"Mai, this spot here says I need the name of my parent or legal guardian. I don't know the names of my parents, because I grew up with Grandfather, so do you know who my legal guardian is?"

 

Mai blinked. Eyes wide, she glanced helplessly at Yukino and shrugged. When all Yukino could do was return the gesture, Mai shook her head and answered, "No, I don't know who your legal guardian is, Mikoto. Do you have any family that you know, anywhere?"

 

"Only Ani-ue. Grandfather was the only other, and he passed away right before I came to school here."

 

"Ani-ue..." Mai echoed. "Yukino-san, what do you think? Could Kanzaki-san be considered her legal guardian?"

 

"Ah, perhaps? I wouldn't know, Tokiha-san. Reito-san has rather consistently stated that, while he is affectionate of Mikoto-chan, he doesn't acknowledge her as a blood relative. In addition, if Reito-san were to be acknowledged as her legal guardian, then..."

 

"Then?" Mai arched her eyebrow.

 

"Then the record would probably show that her 'family' is more than capable of financially providing for her equipment, given Reito-san's station, and the burden for that would then fall to he and his. That may not be such a bad situation, Tokiha-san. He does like Mikoto-chan almost as a little sister, and I'm sure if you asked him--"

 

"No!" Mai interrupted, more loudly than she had intended. Breathing deeply, she continued calmly. "I couldn't possibly ask him something like that, Yukino-san. You may have justified the Fuuka expenditure without my input, but that kind of sophistry won't work again."

 

"But if Mikoto-chan were to--"

 

"Nuh-uh." Mikoto surprised them both by jumping in herself. It sometimes became easy to forget about her. Mikoto's eyes were shining fiercely, and she shook her head firmly. "No. I'm joining the team, and it's the Fuuka Kendo Club. Ani-ue isn't part of this, so I can't ask him to get me something."

 

Yukino's eyebrows shot up, but she composed quickly. Arranging her glasses, she coughed slightly, and asked, "Not to be rude, Mikoto-chan, but why, then, were you prepared to allow Tokiha-san to get the equipment for you?"

 

Mikoto opened her mouth to answer, and froze. Closing her jaw, she furrowed her brows in consternation. "Because Mai is... she's my... because we..." Every time Mikoto tried to explain the words would die on her tongue, and she looked at Mai imploringly, begging her to explain why. However, Mai was in the same situation that she had been earlier. This time, however, it just irritated her.

 

"Because, Yukino-san. You heard us, we're not talking to Kanzaki-san. I guess I'm more her legal guardian than anybody else, when you get right down to it."

 

"Unfortunately, Tokiha-san, you're not of age, meaning that would be legally tricky to arrange. I could perhaps have her recognized as a ward of the academy, but that could be almost as tricky; the school board would require very good reasons for something like that, and it would take some time to arrange." Yukino pressed her fingers together, and gazed seriously at Mikoto over her glasses. "Are you absolutely certain, Mikoto-chan, that you have no--" She was interrupted then by an odd music. Mai perked her ear, and listened curiously. Raising an eyebrow, she looked at Yukino.

 

"What is that? A military song?" It was a rather annoying trumpeting fanfare, with rolling drums in the background as well. Flushing slightly, Yukino reached below the desk and her hand came up with her cell phone in it, from whence the sound came. She flipped it open and held it to her ear.

 

"Haruka-chan? Why--yes, yes, I arranged the meeting with Mikoto-chan, I'm getting it taken care of. I'm glad you wanted to check in, but I'm a little busy at the--What? No, I'm not so busy I'll forget, I'm in the middle of the meeting now! It's going fine, Haruka-chan, so I should really get back to it, good-bye." She took the phone from her ear, blushing slightly, but even Mai could hear the voice of the previous Executive Chief bark through the phone. Yukino sighed and gave the pair an entreating expression, asking for their patience. "No, there's nothing you can do right now, I'm taking care of it. No, Haruka-chan, there's no reason for you to come! Ha-Haruka-chan, you're impossible. No, absolutely not, don't come, stay there, you do not need to come!" Yukino brought the phone from her ear and actually yelled that last line into the receiver. Mai was taken aback; that was the first time she could remember hearing Yukino raising her voice in such an irritable manner. Yukino blinked at her phone, and brought it to her ear. "Haruka-chan? Hello? Haruka-chan?" Yukino snapped her phone shut and put it back into her pocket. Her chest heaved with a sigh. "She hung up. I hope I didn't hurt her feelings..." Mai wondered if she should say something to the President, but Yukino just sat up and looked as Presidential as she had a few moments before.

 

"Pardon, Mikoto-chan, Tokiha-san. Haruka-chan just worries a little bit, you know."

 

"Sure, Yukino-san," Mai assured her, not really getting it at all. She couldn't really see what Yukino saw in that brash, loud-mouthed person, but it looked like their friendship had extended past their work together at the academy.

 

"So then, where were we?"

 

Mai jumped at the loud slam! from behind her and whirled her head around.

 

"Jeez, Yukino. I just wanted to surprise you a little bit, couldn't you have just said it was okay for me to drop by? Had it all planned out, you say you want me here, and there I am, like I'd been summoned by your lo--"

 

"Haruka-chan!" Yukino cried, obviously beside herself with all traces of presidential composure lost. "You were already, but... I didn't mean to yell, you know," Yukino blushed like a slightly younger girl might have, and suddenly Mai wasn't seeing Fujino or Suzushiro in her, but the shy little girl with the small smile she had first met. Suzushiro smiled warmly at her, and then seemed to finally recognize that there were other people in the room.

 

"Tokiha-san, Minagi-san, good day! I hear that Yukino is trying to throw a little something together to help you out with your problem. She always was a softy, you know, but I knew she had the right stuff to do this job!" Mai found herself unconsciously leaning back away from the forceful personality that had burst into the room. She looked much the same as always, though the long wintergreen skirt and pure white blouse she wore gave her an appearance of age and maturity that she had lacked in a school uniform.

 

Mai was unsure how to answer that confident grin, and it occurred to her too late that she might want to at least smile back. When she tried, Suzushiro was already turned around to Mikoto.

 

"So you want to represent our school in Kendo, do you? We do need a girl on the team, I think, and maybe it'll keep you out of trouble as well. Don't need any more incidents like the Fall festival, we don't. Best haunted house we ever ran, until you ran right into it. So how's everything look?"

 

"We only just got started, Haruka-chan," Yukino answered, sitting back down at her desk. "But I suppose we have hit a little snag already. Mikoto-chan doesn't seem to have any immediate family, or legal guardians."

 

"What? How does that happen?" Suzushiro asked incredulously, and she turned a suspicious eye to Mikoto. "You aren't a runaway, are you, Minagi-san?"

 

"No, I didn't run away from home! Grandfather told me to go, and come to this school."

 

"Well, look there, Yukino. The girl's grandfather would be her guardian then, wouldn't he?"

 

"The Grandfather has passed away, Haruka-chan."

 

"Well how in the heck is she paying for school?"

 

"She got the same scholarship I did."

 

"That strange thing? Historic Alumni descendant Award, or some such?"

 

"Yes, that one."

 

"I see," Suzushiro tapped her chin thoughtfully, frowning hard. "Hey, I know, the Suzushiro family could adopt her!"

 

"What!?" Mai and Yukino shouted simultaneously, and Mikoto looked absolutely terrified.

 

"What's the matter with you? That would do it. How about it, Minagi-san, how would you like to be my new sister? Wait, I'm of age now! How would you like me to be your mother?" Suzushiro grinned broadly, obviously quite pleased with the idea.

 

Mikoto shook her head very quickly, and her hand took Mai's.

 

"No? Why not?" Suzushiro demanded, and Yukino found a voice to intervene.

 

"It's not that simple, Haruka-chan. Adoption takes quite some time, and how would you explain this to your parents? You're still their legal dependents as well, so I think that bars you from adoption as well. There's probably a less... drastic course we could take."

 

"This is all rather tedious, Yukino," Suzushiro frowned around at the room. "Why don't I just pay for the equipment and have it done? It's not like the Suzushiro's don't have enough money, and I certainly don't need all of it when I take over. What do you say to that, Minagi-san? I'll get your equipment, if you make me a promise." Suzushiro raised an eyebrow almost challengingly at Mikoto, hands on her hips. Mikoto turned her eyes to Mai, the question clear in them.

 

"It's up to you, Mikoto," Mai said, shrugging.

 

"What promise?" Mikoto asked hesitantly, frowning at Suzushiro.

 

"Promise to compete fair and square, stay out of trouble with Yukino, and always do your absolute, one-hundred and ten percent best at practice and in matches!"

 

Mikoto's face brightened immediately, and she nodded. "I can make that promise, Haruka! I will, I promise." Her eyes burned with sincerity, and Suzushiro nodded once, shortly.

 

"All right then, it's a deal," she said, in almost a shout. She extended a rock-steady hand, which Mikoto eagerly took, and they pumped enthusiastically. Mai heard a quiet laugh from the side, and turned her eyes to Yukino, almost forgotten in all of the commotion. The young girl was shaking her head, but there was a little smile on her face.

 

"Haruka-chan..." she said, but couldn't seem to find words to follow.

 

"Hey, Yukino. Looks like everything worked out fine, and you won't even have any paperwork. Aren't you glad I came?" Yukino sighed, and rested her chin on her hand.

 

"Only if you pay for dinner tonight, too," the younger girl said sweetly.

 

"Of course," Suzushiro answered without hesitation. "Where did you want to go for our date?"

 

Date​? Mai thought, but immediately laughed at herself. Just a flippant turn of phrase, she was sure. Suzushiro hardly seemed like the type to joke like that, though--Mai could recall some of the hard, disapproving stares that the Executive Director had given Fujino and Natsuki soon after their becoming public about their relationship. That hadn't improved Mai's opinion of Suzushiro very much at the time, because Mai had been aware of all the worry and anxiety, as well as the burgeoning happiness, that Natsuki had confided in her during her struggle to deal with Fujino's feelings. Mai had been able to be happy for her friend, and now that she thought of it, was still a little resentful about the reception that Suzushiro had offered to them. It was hard to remember too much of that ill-feeling now, however, seeing Suzushiro and Yukino smiling so genuinely at one another, and right after Suzushiro had apparently handed them a not-insignificant amount of money.

 

"We can decide that a little later, can't we? Perhaps after this meeting is over?"

 

"I thought it was over!" Suzushiro exclaimed, surprised. "You two have anything else, or are you happy enough with the arrangements?"

 

"I'm happy!" Mikoto said immediately.

 

"Uh, sure," Mai answered with a little less enthusiasm. Not because she held any reservations, but because she still felt as though she were several hands behind everybody else in this poker game.

 

"Good. Well then, enjoy your afternoon, get to bed at a decent hour, don't do anything illegal, and show up promptly in the morning for classes. Meeting adjourned, let's get going."

 

Suzushiro didn't waste any time, she extended her hand invitingly to Yukino, who took it, and the pair rushed out with linked hands, leaving Mikoto sitting happily, and Mai staring at the still-swinging door blankly.

 

"Well, uh, that's good, Mikoto. I guess everything's going to work out."

 

"Yup. Can we go eat, now?"

 

"Don't you have practice today?" Mai asked.

 

"Oh! I almost forgot," Mikoto smiled innocently, and Mai sighed. Almost forgot, she said, after Mai had done nothing but remember about this all day.

 

"Yeah, yeah, but now you remember. Get going. I'll probably be at work when you get off, but I'll bring home something. If you can't wait... just find something in there until I get home."

 

"All right, Mai."

 

"Oh, Tokiha-san!" Yukino's face popped into the doorway, puffing slightly and glasses askew as though she had just run back there.

 

"Yes?"

 

"I'm glad I caught you before you left. Don't forget to get Mikoto-chan's measurements for her uniform, and ask Tate-san about equipment sizes, please. Get me that tomorrow and we can have everything shipped in before the end of the week."

 

"Got it, Yukino-san."

 

"Thanks, good day." Yukino vanished again. Mai turned to Mikoto.

 

"Later we'll need to--wait, stop! Mikoto!"

 

Mikoto paused, shirt pulled halfway up and a hair's breadth from exposing herself. "Huh?"

 

"Not now... we'll do it later, at the dorm. Just go to practice."

 

"Okay, Mai."

 

After work--and after Mikoto had showered, Mai had tried to get close to her with the tape, but she had the decidedly unique odor of well-used Kendo gear about her--Mai went about wrapping a tape about her roommate.

 

"Stop it," she said irritably, as Mikoto again tried to lean over and read the measure herself. Mikoto stood still, and Mai took the size of her hips, torso, chest, inside and outside arms and legs, and all of those other things. She'd gotten a text message at work that said Suzushiro insisted the uniform were tailored, not just sized. Mai looked at her paper, and shrugged. At least she wouldn't have to worry about anybody in the Kendo club finding out Mikoto's measurements, she thought, or at least they wouldn't enjoy them very much. She could very nearly get away with sending out a form that said seventy-six centimeters, times three. A light touch at the side of one breast caused her to flinch away and she glared at Mikoto, who was staring at her chest with a frown.

 

"What's this measurement for you, Mai?" She asked curiously.

 

"Never mind, Mikoto."

 

"I want to measure them."

 

"No."

 

"But they're mine!"

 

"No, they're not!"

 

Mai made sure to hide the tape under the mattress while Mikoto put her pajamas on, harboring a suspicion that the girl might not give up so easily when she had gone to sleep; that wasn't the manner in which Mai really wished to be awakened.

 

**********************************

 

"Hey, Sis. Er, so what are you up to?" Mai rolled her eyes, unseen to her brother on the other end of the call. Takumi was pretty bad at hiding it whenever he had something to say.

 

"Not much. You just caught me on break, fortunately."

 

"Oh! Were you working tonight? I'm sorry."

 

"So, did you need something?'

 

"Oh, no, not really, if you're busy... huh, hey--!"

 

"Mai?"

 

"Yes, Akira-chan?"

 

"You wanna go sing some karaoke this weekend. Saturday night, at seven, the usual place?"

 

"Sure, I'd love to."

 

"Invite Tate along, if you like."

 

"Sure, thanks for the invitation."

 

"No problem. See, was that so hard?" The last sentence was muted, and Mai could tell that she'd taken the receiver from her mouth and was addressing Takumi.

 

"Ah, great, see you then, Sis." It was Takumi on the phone again.

 

"Alright. Goodbye, Takumi."

 

Mai smiled at her phone, but it faltered slightly when she considered inviting Yuuichi out. Come to think of it, had she even talked to him this week, since Mikoto had joined the club? From smiling to resting a weary hand across her brow, Mai knew that she hadn't. She hoped he wouldn't mind too much; after all, she was going to be asking him out, right? Perhaps not just the two of them, but definitely a date date, with another couple. Then she wondered a little bit if it were a bad thing, that her little brother's girlfriend had to be the one that planned their first date. Surely between the both of them, they should have found some excuse to get out... but she had been busy. There was no way around that, but there were still medical bills to pay off, and living expenses for three people.

 

Growing up sucked, she decided. At least she'd had a few good years to get used to it, and... she didn't want to go back to work feeling glum--not good for tips--so she made herself think about how happy she was to be going out to karaoke this weekend. Growing up might suck, but if she'd done so to take care of Takumi, and he had turned out as good as he had, she must not be too bad at it. Holding a firm grip on that smile, she walked back into the dining room, just as another group of students walked through the door.

 

****************************

 

"Mai, Mai, what do you think? Does it look good?" To Mai's surprise, Mikoto jumped energetically at her the moment she walked into the door. She had half-expected to find the younger girl laying prone and listless in some corner, and mewling piteously for Mai's food when she heard the sound of the door. Instead, she flew at her roommate in a blue-and-orange blur, jumping up and down so excitedly that Mai wouldn't have been able to tell what she were holding, if she didn't already know.

 

"Calm down, Mikoto, I can't even see it," Mai smiled at her little friend, though, glad for the happiness in front of her. "Go on then, hold it up, what's it look like on you?"

 

Mikoto held the deep-blue uniform by the neck and shoulder, putting it up against her and looking up at Mai expectantly. Truthfully, by this point the uniform was wrinkled, folded, and only barely recognizable as a proper garment.

 

"It looks great, Mikoto. You got to give it a good workout today?"

 

"Mm-hmm! I went in right after school to pick it up. Yukino helped me put it on and I wore it all the way to the dojo. It fit a whole lot better than that extra one they had that I've been wearing." She paused for a moment, and sniffed the neck of the uniform. "Smells a lot better too, even after I used it."

 

"Maybe I should wash it anyway, though?" Mai suggested.

 

"Yes please! Then food."

 

"Okay, the--"

 

"No, wait!" Mikoto interrupted, deep in thought. "First food, then you can wash it?" She counter-offered.

 

Mai sighed. "Compromise. You get out the noodles and crack me a few eggs while I go drop this off at the laundromat, and I'll cook up some ramen when I get back."

 

"Deal!" Mikoto bundled her garment and thrust it into Mai's chest before turning quickly enough to slide her heel on the floor before skittering to the kitchen. Mai dropped off her bag and went back out the door and into the dark evening. It was slightly muggy, offset only slightly by a whisper of a breeze. Just as she reached the stairway, somebody walked out their door, obviously planning on walking through more brightly lit streets than Fuuka Academy's gently illuminated paths.

 

"Nao," Mai acknowledged her with a stiff nod when they started descending the stairs together.

 

"Mama Mai," Nao replied cheekily. "Is it laundry time in the sweet, loving, perfect Tokiha household? Such a hardworking mother, you are!"

 

Mai sighed a breath that ended in a grumble. Something had to just come along and put a blot on her otherwise fairly nice day, didn't it? Didn't she? "Like it's any of your business. Couldn't you just go out and do whatever disgusting thing you need to do quietly, without bothering me?"

 

"What if what I needed to do was bother you, Mama Mai? It wouldn't be a lie: I always put that right at the top of my list when I see you."

 

"It's nice to know I'm always on your mind," Mai said wearily, unwilling to rise to the bait.

 

"A little tired, are we? Is that how your little kitty got her clothes dirty. What is that, a little cosplay?" Nao leaned over and peered at the balled uniform, but she couldn't have made out anything in this lighting. Mai jerked her arms away anyway, and glared at Nao.

 

"It's her new Kendo uniform, if you have to know. She's doing something constructive with her youth, novel an idea as that might seem to somebody like you."

 

"Whoops, I sense a mother's lecture coming on. I really must run, but you enjoy doing your kitty's dirty laundry, kay?" Laughing so sweetly as to grate on Mai's ears, the sharp-tongued redhead practically skipped away at the bottom of the stairs.

 

Mai shook her head, trying to dispel thoughts of the vile girl from them. She dropped the uniform into a machine at the student laundromat and slipped in a few coins, taking note of her watch. She could tell Mikoto to go and change it into a drier when it was done. Mai started walking back to the dorm, and her steps slowed. She looked back at the laundromat. Maybe... maybe she would go with Mikoto, though. Better safe than sorry.