Chapter Text
"Again, no! I don't feel like it!"
"Oh my god, shut the hell up! Just do this one thing for me, dumbass!"
My sister and I kept screaming at each other. She just wouldn't leave me alone. She asked, no, told me to go hang out with her at some museum. Like I don't have anything better to do. Why would I even go somewhere with her? And more importantly, why was she even asking me? What is she planning?
"I said I don't feel like it! And don't swear at me when you ask me for stuff!"
"Well, I don't care! It's not like you already have plans or anything!"
I stuttered. She got me there.
"Both of you, quiet down already!" My mother's voice rang from just outside the living room. She came in as my sister and I glared at each other. "What are you fighting about now?"
"She wants me to go with her to some weird exhibit and I don't feel like it."
"Yeah he doesn't feel like it because he's such a loser little b-"
"Okay, enough!" My mother crossed her arms. "Okuto, go with your sister."
"What?!"
"You spend too much time cooped up in your room as it is. Go outside for once!"
"Yeah, go outside for once." My sister muttered smugly.
...
So that's how I found myself in a line in front of the museum with my sister and 3 other girls. I really hope I get to move away when I get to university. Three more years. That's nothing. That's even less than a fifth of what I've lived so far.
The line wasn't all that long, and we moved through it pretty fast. I looked around. It seemed the exhibit was about some new dinosaur bones they had brought from South America. Kana and her friends were talking excitedly about something or other that went on at their school, but I wasn't really listening. The last time I tried to participate in a conversation with Kana and her friends, she shot me the most hateful glare. I guess I understand the feeling. I wouldn't want her to talk with Hirose, who knows what she would say about me to him.
We finally reached the entrance to the museum. The man in the door did a quick headcount and listed the price. It was a pretty hefty discount, all things considered. We handed him the money and walked inside.
"Anyway, you can go do whatever now." My sister patted my back.
I blinked. "What? Didn't you want to go to the exhibit?"
"Ew, no. I'm not ten years old." She laughed sarcastically. "We just wanted to check out the cafeteria. They're having some sort of promotion and they got interesting-looking milkshakes in there. So, yeah, what I said. Have fun or whatever."
She walked away laughing with her friends. She used to be super into dinosaurs when she was younger, but I guess she grew out of it. So, what am I even supposed to do now? I can't go straight back home, Mom will think I ditched Kana and I'm 100% sure she won't defend me when she comes back.
Well, I've already payed. Might as well check the exhibit out.
I walked through the entrance to the exhibit area. Dinosaur skeletons were lined up in rows, with small plaques detailing information about them. There were a few people walking around, but I guess the marketing for the exhibit didn't work that much, because the area was almost empty.
I went from plaque to plaque, reading them slowly so that, if I ended up coming back before Kana, it wouldn't look like I had ditched her.
I don't really care for dinosaurs, to be honest. Not that I have anything against them or anything, I'm just not that interested, I guess. So all in all, this was pretty boring. If only Hirose was there... Or even, what about a Hirose exhibit? Wait, no. That'd be creepy.
I moved to the next plaque. A woman was standing alone in front of it, reading. Most people here came in groups, but she was the only one on her own. Well, I guess I'm also on my own right now. She looked familiar, but I couldn't see her face.
I guess I looked at her a second too long, because she finished reading, and when she turned to look at me, we made eye contact. Wait is that...
"Hirose..."
Wait no. I've made this mistake before.
"...'s sister?" Whew. Saved it.
She stared at me. Maybe not.
Oh wait. Do I look like a creep right now? We don't really know each other, and she just caught me staring at her in a public place. Oh I'm done for. She's going to tell Hirose that some weird, gloomy classmate of his was staring at her in the museum, and he's going to know it was me!
I can already picture him saying something along the lines of "Nakamura, you're a creep. Leave my sister alone. Don't talk to me again." She was still staring at me. Oh, no, no.
Kana, I'm blaming you for this. If you were here... No, she'd probably just dog on me as well. I was doomed from the start.
Suddenly, she put her hands together: "Oh, you're the beggar!"
Uh. What?
"You know, from the play! You're a friend of Aiki's, yes? I'm so sorry, I don't think we ever introduced ourselves back then... What was your name again?"
I guess we only saw each other during the day of the play, so it makes sense that she'd remember me form that. Then again, the genes in this family... they are something else. I almost fell for her because she looked just like Hirose the first time I saw her, and she already made me nervous only by asking my name. Be strong, Nakamura! You're loyal to Hirose.
"I'm uh... Okuto Nakamura. I'm in the same class as Hirose." I managed to get out of my mouth.
"Oh, you're Nakamura! Hirose's talked about you a few times!"
He has?! "Oh, uh... really?" I feel so happy right now! Hirose's been talking about me to his family?!
"Yeah! Something about you falling into the sewers! And being late because your forgot the lock for your bike!"
Hirose, please. There have to be things you can say about me that make me out to be a bit better, right?
"And being super knowledgeable about, uh... Octopi! Yes, super knowledgeable about octopi. Hehe, it's always a lot of fun to hear about you!" She snickered a bit to herself. "Oh, look at me go. I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Ai Hirose. It's nice to meet you again!"
"Nice to meet you too."
She looked around. "Did you come here alone? You must really like dinosaurs!"
I don't.
"Say, which one do you like the most? Dinosaurs or octopi?"
Octopi, and it's not even close. But I couldn't get a word in while she kept talking.
"Oh, that must be difficult for you to answer. For me, it's got to be dinosaurs! They are so cool and mysterious! Did you know? Some people theorize that they had feathers which aren't ever depicted in diagrams of them. This isn't really fully proven for every single species, but lately there has been a trend to demonize archaeologists because some people say that their reconstructions of dinosaur based on their skeletons are inaccurate and that they would be chubbier, for which they use hippopotamus skeletons because of how fierce they look compared to their live selves! What do you think about that, Okuto?"
Somehow. I feel like she's passionate about this topic. She's talking so fast! Also, are we in a first-name basis already?
"Um-"
" Well I say that experts in the field must know more than a couple of internet users! Archaeologists do spend a lot of time studying the bones of dinosaurs, it's not like they're just seeing which bones match and then drawing whatever they feel like these depictions have soul. Walk with me. What is your favorite dinosaur, Okuto? Do tell!"
"Well-"
"Mine personally, it's got to be the Amargasaurus, and I'm not just saying it because it's technically less well known! It has a myriad of interesting qualities..."
Eventually, we made it through the exhibit. I barely managed to keep up with what she was saying, but in a way, it was nice to listen to someone talk so excitedly about her interests.
"Oh, that was a wonderful exhibit, right Okuto?"
"Y-yes! But in a way, I feel like you could make an even more in-depth one. You seem to, um, really like the topic, and you know so much."
"How nice of you to say!" She glowed. "Would you mind if we exchanged contacts? I have even more fun facts to share!"
Hirose's sister's contact? On my phone? That would be amazing! What if she ends up telling me things about Hirose? Hehehehe, this is the best thing that could happen to me today. Kana, you have my thanks for today!
"Hey, what are you doing!?"
Hirose's sister and I both look to where the voice had come from. Hirose was standing there, holding an empty plastic cup. "Don't give your contact to my friends! That's weird!"
"Oh Aiki, you're already done? How was the milkshake? Look, I ran into your friend here! He's so attentive!"
"You're not listening to me! Argh, you always do this!" He turned to me." Sorry, Nakamura. My sister can be a bit much sometimes."
He was blushing. Kana, I will make your bed for an entire month to thank you for this sight you have gifted me.
"O-oh, it's okay. She's really nice."
"See? I'm being nice!"
Hirose grabbed her by the arm and started to walk away with her in tow. "Let's just go home already, it's almost time for dinner! Sorry about this, Nakamura. Let's talk tomorrow at school, okay?"
"Yeah, um, see you two."
Was he worried about what I'd think about his sister? That's... so cute! I saw Ai turn for a second and wink at me. I looked down to my phone, and saw her contact had been saved in my phone already.
...I have Hirose's sister's contact. This is... monumental. Also, he totally called me his friend in front of his sister, right? And he told me we'd talk tomorrow at school too! Hehe, hehehe, hehehehehehe!
"Oh, you're still here. What are you doing, standing here looking all stupid?" My sister and her friends walked up from the same direction Hirose did.
It's okay Kana. You may insult me today. I owe you my present happiness.