( peace, love & i c e c r e a m ) [natsumi!]

[guo cai mei]

my peace, love and ice cream
fell into a deep sleep
am i d r e a m i n g ?
>>mei's outfit today -here-<<

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There were girls these days who barely ate anything at all, pushing their lettuce leaves around their plates. This was something that Cai Mei would never understand, though her aunt often told her it was because she was as skinny as a rake and never seemed to have any worries about getting fat. She was lucky in that respect she supposed as she sat one of the swings in the park, kicking her legs back and forward to maintain a steady but shallow arc, clutching onto the chain with one hand and holding an ice cream in the other. Around 90 seconds ago, the ice cream had been one of those 30cm tall whipped peak ones, but now it resembled a small hill, it’s blended pink and white colours nearing the cone as its owner continued to eat it, much to the envy of a little girl sitting on her own on swing beside her that lazy Sunday afternoon.

Cai Mei hummed to herself, lost in her own little world as her swing shifted back and forth, the toes of her tattered shoes grazing the ground with each movement. She was brought out of her reverie as the young girl next to her, who couldn’t have been much older than six, tugged at the swing chain, pulling it slightly off track.

“Excuse me, miss?” Cai Mei blinked, turning to look to the little girl next to her and gave a small ‘hmm?’ in response. “Where can I get that?” The young girl pointed a finger at the nearly finished ice-cream, her cheeks puffed and eyes wide. Smiling, Cai Mei jumped up off the swing and crouched down opposite the young girl pointing to a small stand just down the path where a dwindling queue of people watching enviously as those in the queue in front of them walked away from the stall with tall ice creams of all colours.

“Queue up over there for a little while and you can buy one too,” she beamed, before her disposition cracked as the young girl looked sadly down at her feet, mumbling something about her mother being at home and not having any money. Cai Mei’s heart melted instantly and she stammered, attempting to come up with a comforting response, before she delved a hand into the pocket of her long shorts, withdrawing a hand full of loose change. “Why don’t I treat you then, hmm?” she asked with a decided smile, pushing up to stand and offering a hand to the young girl. “Come on, let’s get in the queue.” The young girl gave her a nod and, quickly eating the cone of her ice cream, she walked the girl past the other children and their parents to join the queue, chattering all the way about flavours and sizes.

OOC: my first IC post! ahh <3

[Watashi Natsumi]

WATASHINATSUMI

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Natsumi ran down the street as fast as she could, air rattling in her lungs. She was so tired and her legs burned but she kept on going. Reaching the park at top speed she zipped round the corner and ran at her twin brother Shin.

"Any sign of him?!" She asked desperately but was rewarded with nothing but a shake of his head. Shin was dancing a little from foot to foot and Natsumi knew he had to be at work. While Natsumi had managed to get a job at the nearby store, Shin worked as a cleaner at a hotel and had a far stricter boss. Neither of them could afford to loose their jobs. Natsumi looked down at Aimi who was holding onto her brother's hand, clutching his much larger fingers. Her eyes had gone wide with confusion and upset as she felt the atmosphere between Natsumi and Shin. Hikaru had run off again.

The younger brother of the twins- older to Aimi- was a pain in the butt and liked to run off when he could, thinking himself able to cope. In his mind he didn't need looking after. The truth was that he did. Natsumi took great breaths of air and turned her gaze on Shin.

"Go to work. I'll look after Aimi and find Hikaru. I'll call you when I've found him."

Looking uncomfortable but confident in his sister's abilities and worried about his job Shin took off at a sprint after safely transfering his little sister's grip into Natsumi's hand. Natsumi squeezed the little girl's fingers and smiled at her to make her feel better. She then moved her over to the swings. Setting her down on one of them she knelt down in front of her little sister and spoke to her sternly.

"Aimi-chan. I need you to be a very big girl and stay here. You need to be very grown up and not move from here okay? I won't be very long but I have to find Hikaru-chan understand?" The little girl nodded. "Don't talk to anyone that looks suspicious or that is older than me okay?" The little girl nodded again and smiled a little. Aimi didn't often speak, she prefered to communicate physically with nods or smiles. Natsumi placed a hand tenderly on her head and then sprinted off out of the park and down the street.

On her skates she was faster and zipped along the sidewalks and roads her eyes peeled for her youngest sibling. All the while the back of her head was calculating how many seconds she was leaving Aimi on her own.

After not too much searching she came across a group of boys all staring into a crane-game machine. One of them was Hikaru.

"Hikaru-chan!" She called out to him. Seeing his older, angry sister Hikaru attempted to run for it but she beat him to it and scooped him up. She then continued to skate with him under her arm back home. They only lived a few roads from the park so it only took a few minutes and she deposited and locked him in the house. Without so much as another word she left the small boy slamming his fists against the door and skated back towards the park. Along the way she called Shin to inform him that Hikaru was safely locked up.

Upon arriving at the park, out of breath and so very tired, Natsumi's first reaction was panic. There was no-one at the swings. Where was Aimi? Sumi had thought it was safe to leave the young- but rather mature for her age- girl in the park, even if it wasn't the best course of action, but she hadn't expected the girl to wander off.

Then she spotted her little sister walking with an older girl who held an ice cream. Of course. Aimi's one weakness was ice cream. She never liked sweets or chocolate but she couldn't resist an ice cream in the summer. Skating more slowly over to the two Natsumi noticed that the older girl was probably her own age and likely didn't mean any hard. In fact, it looked like they were queing up to buy Aimi an ice cream such as the one the older girl was sporting.

Reaching the two Natsumi took a hold of Aimi's hand and knelt down in front of her.

"Aimi, you shouldn't walk off when I tell you to stay somewhere." She stated a little angrily. The little girl's eyes widened again a little fearfully and she bit her lip a little. Natsumi wiped the expression away but giving her a hug. Thanks goodness she was safe. Sumi then stood, keeping hold of Aimi's hand and smiled at the girl. She realised it was Guo Cai Mei-san from the year above her. They were in the same class for sports days and such-like.

"Guo-san, arigatou for looking after Aimi-chan, I had to leave her for a few minutes and I paniced when she was gone."

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``post status;; finished.
``co-starring;; Guo Cai Mei.
``taking place;; Suzumiya Park.

[guo cai mei]

my peace, love and ice cream
fell into a deep sleep
am i d r e a m i n g ?
>>mei's outfit today -here-<<

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“Back again, BBQ girl?” Mei was used to teasing by stall vendors; the man who sold ice creams at the park stall was familiar with the Guo family and Cai Mei pursed her lips in mock anger as as asked for another ice cream. She had gained the nickname BBQ-girl amongst young vendors around the city for always rushing about for supplies or working in her stall with a distinct smell of barbeque or roast duck clinging to her clothes, and they called her it even when she was off duty. She tightened her grip on the little girl beside her, clutching her hand and keeping her close as she watched the ice cream tower up atop its cone.

Cai Mei thanked the vendor, leaving the exact change on the counter as she cautiously took the cone and knelt beside the girl, whose name she’d learnt was Aimi.

“Here you go,” She beamed, letting go of Aimi’s hand and lightly pressing the cone into it, wrapping the young child’s fingers to grip the sweet. She was just about to give the her a tissue when a familiar looking girl rushed over. Slightly taken aback, Cai Mei rose to her feet, quickly clutching the tissue in her fist and clasping her hands behind her back. Her look of shock, though, soon faded to an endeared smile at the older girl’s concern.

Head tipped slightly in confusion, she soon worked out why the girl who had rushed over was familiar – Watashi Natsumi – she was in a lower class. Cai Mei remembered with a slightly guilty flush how she had taken the lead position on the field tema last sports day from the girl knelt in front of her now.

As the girl stood up, Mei offered her trademark, wide smile and shook her head modestly. “It’s no problem, really, she’s lovely” she glanced at the younger girl, almost laughing at the exchange she had just witnessed between the two girls. “I hope it’s okay about the ice-cream, I can’t resist when little kids ask me for something.”

She sheepishly tucked a stray hair behind her ear, propping one hand on her hip, yet couldn’t help noticing the rush Natsumi had been in and curiosity got the better of her, making her wonder what had lead her to leave Aimi in the park. “Is everything okay?”

OOC: I'm so sorry this took so long! <3

[Watashi Natsumi]

WATASHINATSUMI

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Natsumi's smile broadened as the girl spoke kindly and friendly to the two Watashi sisters. Natsumi was very thankful to her for looking after Aimi when she had been in such a state. Sometimes her family life with all of their jobs and a trouble maker like Hikaru around was just a little too much to cope with and in all honesty it was normally Natsumi rushing around like a lunatic on her skates like she had done just then.

When the girl mentioned the ice-cream she had bought Aimi- which was now over a lot of the girls lower face Natsumi waved a hand not minding one bit.

"No it's fine. I would have got her one if she'd asked too." She started to feel up her pockets but felt no bulge of her purse. She hadn't thought she would need it. "Um... When I have my purse on me I'll refund you the money Guo-san." She said determinedly. It was the right and proper thing to do. Sumi had been brought up never to accept openly handed money but to be polite enough to confidently refund those that pay for you. Of course if someone was insistent about it Natsumi would never push money in their hands but it was courteous to make the gesture.

Suddenly Natsumi realized why Guo-san was that little bit more familiar to her than other students in the school (most of whom she could put names to the faces of). Cai Mei had out jumped her in the long jump during school sports day and it had been the one event to tip it in the girl's teams favour. Natsumi's group had had to settle for second place. Sumi hadn't minded though and congratulated her peer whole-heartedly. The next day she had out-stripped everyone in the swimming events anyway so she was happy... There were no hard feelings at all. Sumi liked to encourage, not hold grudges.

Natsumi's brow furrowed a bit as the girl asked if everything was okay. Sumi waved a hand again and blew out a breath in an exasperated noise.

"Yeah, everything's fine. My younger brother decided to run off and my other brother had to go to work- my parents are both working and I had to somehow find Hikaru and look after Aimi. She's sensible and knows what to do when she's alone, and I have a little detector on her that's linked to my phone- I put it in her pocket whenever I have to leave her. I would have checked my phone if I hadn't see her with you. So I was just running around like a mad thing." Natsumi laughed. "It's all okay now though..."

Taking a deep breath Natsumi looked down at Aimi and shook her head laughing. The girl had gotten ice cream all around her mouth.

"You need a tissue or something madam. I think it's time to head home to an angry Hikaru huh?"

Natsumi looked up at Cai Mei Guo from where she was leaning down to inspect Aimi's face.

"Would you like to come to our house for some afternoon tea Guo-senpai?"

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``post status;; finished.
``co-starring;; Guo Cai Mei.
``taking place;; Suzumiya Park.

[guo cai mei]

my peace, love and ice cream
fell into a deep sleep
am i d r e a m i n g ?
>>mei's outfit today -here-<<

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“It’s stories like this that make me glad to be the youngest child,” Cai Mei beamed cheerfully, rocking slightly on the balls of her feet, before clumsily brandishing the crumpled tissue she had been holding to Natsumi as both girls had their attention drawn to Aimi’s messy face. She awkwardly held the tissue as though she was going to wipe the young girl’s mouth, before finally resolving to hand it to Sumi instead. Mei wasn’t the greatest with children, with the exception of her best friend Akina’s brother, and decided that as she wasn’t sure quite what to do, she was going to leave it to a pro.

“T-there you go, you should probably… handle… that,” She smiled almost sheepishly, before laughing as a cheery cover up and offering a slight shrug.

It was her lowerclassman’s next question that got her, in particular the way she was addressed. Though Mei had lived in Japan since she was a young girl, she’d never got used to all the suffixes the language attached to names, and though she was all for respect, it still all made her slightly embarrassed. She didn’t really mind them, but it was the senpai and kouhai that made her feel awkward.

“That sounds lovely, but really,” She stopped swinging back and forth to prop one hand casually on her hip, her other hand slipped in the pocket of her shorts. “Call me Mei, all this senpai stuff really makes me feel-” she made a strange noise assisted with a quaint little shiver, “-weird or something~! Don’t worry about it, let’s start again.”

With a friendly smile, her dark eyes wide below her fringe, Cai Mei offered Natsumi her hand. “Hi, I’m Mei, nice to meet you,” it was clear that despite being the Japanese girl’s UPPERclassman, Mei’s strange habits and adorable sense of humour were not at the same level as her age. “I hear your swimming is top class!”

[Watashi Natsumi]

WATASHINATSUMI

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Natsumi laughed as Guo Cai Mei commented on being a youngest sibling and made a gesture that was a half nod half shake of the head. She spoke to try and explain the strange head movement.

"True enough. They can be a right handful sometimes but I wouldn't trade them for the world. My family and friends are my life. I don't really have any ambitions for myself- just for their safety and happiness." Natsumi's smile was the biggest and happiest she had. It was true that her family was a huge source of joy for Natsumi and she could talk about them for hours. Instead, she realised that she was getting side-tracked from the actual conversation and turned her attention to Mei's hand which was coming out from behind her where she'd been holding a crumpled tissue.

Sumi laughed as she offered her the trifle a little uncertainly. Natsumi took it from her gently with a smile of gratitude. "Thanks. I normally have some on me but I'm kinda forgetful." Kneeling down she mopped up her sister a little bit and tried to make her look presentable. The ice cream had become a little sticky and left the tacky texture behind but Natsumi's practice at cleaning up faces and spillages meant that most of the ice cream came away okay. Balling up the tissue Natsumi stuck it in her pocket. Then she smiled a little apologetically. "I hope you didn't want that back- you can if you want, but I wouldn't recommend it." She laughed a little.

Natsumi's grin broadened as Mei accepted the tea invite but commented on the suffix of senpai. She smiled again as she hurried to correct herself and not offend Mei. "Okay then. Do you prefer Mei or Mei-chan?" Mei then suggested that they start again and Natsumi's head tilted a little as she listened to an introduction. The repetition of Mei without a suffix kind of answered her question. "Okay then. Mei it is... I'm Watashi Natsumi, it's a pleasure to meet you. You can call me Natsumi and Sumi or whatever." Natsumi shrugged. ""Hey you!" does just as well too." She laughed and then looked down at Aimi who was tugging at her top with sticky fingers. Natsumi nodded down at her. "Okay Aimi-chan we're going." She looked up at Mei and began to walk next to her- it was obvious that Aimi wanted to get home- probably to watch television. Then Mei commented on her swimming. Natsumi grinned and waved a hand. "Nah. I just really like it. It's not like I'm an amazing athlete or something- I just practice a lot. I love to swim the most so that's the one I'm best at."

Natsumi didn't know if Mei knew but she it didn't come to mind to mention that fact that Sumi held the record for all swimming races and styles. She was good at both diving and racing, which was uncommon and was generally really good in the water. Natsumi just saw it as something she loved to do though and didn't really consider the awards she got. She just wanted to do her best at the sport she loved and nearly all the time that won her a record or medal or ribbon...



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``post status;; finished.
``co-starring;; Guo Cai Mei.
``taking place;; Suzumiya Park.

[guo cai mei]

my peace, love and ice cream
fell into a deep sleep
am i d r e a m i n g ?
>>mei's outfit today -here-<<

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A warm smile crossed Mei’s face; she was an easily touched kind of person, and Natsumi’s feelings towards her family struck a chord in the young girl’s heart because she knew exactly how the other girl felt. We’re more similar than I thought, she thought, seeing herself in the girl stood before her. Mei knew what it was like to want nothing more in the world, to have nothing really to aim for other than the happiness of those around her.

She watched with a tender gaze as the second year cleaned up the little girl’s face, one hand slipping into the pocket of her long shorts, the other still propped against her hip. The state of the tissue grossed her out a little, and she laughed with a frenzied shake of her head at Natsumi’s comment. “No way, I’m am 250 percent happy for you to keep that tissue,” she beamed, pushing her fringe out of her eyes and waving her fingers at Aimi.

Happily walking alongside the younger girl, Mei listen to her lower classman talk about her swimming and couldn’t help but roll her eyes a little. “Come on, Natsumi,” she chuckled, both hands now tucked into her pockets. “Give me some credit. I’m a Natsu High sports buff, I know you’re better than that.” Her tone was stern but her eyes twinkled in a way that clearly indicated she was just joking with the other girl. “You’re something of a living legend, to be so good and only a second year. If there’s any sport I fail at, it’s swimming. I can pretty much manage water sports where I’m safe in some kind of boat, but otherwise I’m pretty sure I’d sink like a stone.”

She grinned, but it was true. Mei prided her sporting ability, but the moment you put her in water without some kind of paddle and boat, she panicked. She’d always wanted to be able to swim confidently, but could never get over the idea of being alone in the water without anything to hold on to. She held a bubble of admiration for the girl next to her, for doing something so successfully that she couldn’t. There was a little envy there, yes, but in a weird way she felt a little proud on behalf of Natsumi.

[Watashi Natsumi]

WATASHINATSUMI

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Natsumi laughed about Mei's comment concerning the tissue and nodded her head in understanding. Somehow she hadn't thought the girl's response would be favourable towards keeping the handkerchief. Sumi was beginning to like this girl more and more- she was fun, witty and friendly. You couldn't ask for much more in a friend besides similar interests and as soon as Mei had mentioned sports she had checked that box as well. It wasn't often Natsumi made a female friend. Generally girls in class just came up to her to ask her about dating a certain boy as it was the males Sumi got on so well with. It was always those she hung around with, and if they wanted some guy time she was forced to sit on her own. Often reading and trying to make sense of a maths book or something. Natsumi might have been good at sports but she was only getting average grades at best and often had to stay behind for remedial lessons.

As Mei began to talk about Natsumi's skill in sports and especially swimming Natsumi couldn't help but smile a little sheepishly. She was pretty good at her favourite sport, she just tried not to show off about it. Then Mei mentioned not being able to swim properly. Natsumi frowned a little, not in a bad way, just in a concerned/interested way...

"Well... if you wanted Mei, I could teach you how to swim better." Suddenly struck by an idea Natsumi, in her usual energetic self leapt in front of Mei, forcing her to stop and took hold of both of her hands and leant in eagerly. "I tell you what- I'll help you with swimming and then we can go to the sea at some point next summer. I tell you the most amazing site in the world is under the sea and no-one ever really gets the chance to see it." Natsumi winked. "I know how to get the best view."

Suddenly Natsumi's sparkling gaze dimmed a little then she jumped back and released Mei's hands raising her own in the air and waving them a little. "Sorry!" She said fervently realising that she had probably just freaked out the girl she wanted to be friends with. "I get kinda like that about swimming and diving and stuff; waaay over excited." Sumi took a hold of Aimi's hand again. "Did you still want to come round for a drink and things or did you wanna run in the opposite direction now? I warn you- I get worse."

Natsumi smiled and laughed, truly worried that she had offended this potential new friend. Natsumi still remembered how, a few years back, when her energetic and excitable self that had previously fit in so well with her male friends and brother had turned to other interests such as guys or holidays or swimming and they had started to get annoyed. Then when she'd tried to make friends with the girls in the class she was already imprinted on their minds as the "boys friend" and she couldn't really seem to become close with any of them. Sumi had long since gotten over the slight feelings of loneliness that time had inspired and come to be her own person, somehow a go-between between the genders and not really belonging to either. So when she had the chance to make a real friend on either side she tended to worry a little about mucking it up...

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``post status;; finished.
``co-starring;; Guo Cai Mei.
``taking place;; Suzumiya Park.

[guo cai mei]

my peace, love and ice cream
fell into a deep sleep
am i d r e a m i n g ?
>>mei's outfit today -here-<<

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Mei was stunned at what Natsumi was suggested. For e moment she froze, blinking slowly as she thought about the idea, though was suddenly tugged back into reality as she felt the other girl take both her hands. She looked at her blankly as the excited stream of thought Natsumi was having came out, her hands limp as she felt the other girl holding them. She was slightly taken aback, and it was only when her hands were released and the other girl began to apologise that a wide smile crept uncontrollably onto Mei’s lips.

“I’m not running. That sounds…” she trailed off, feeling a slight strain on her dry lips as she couldn’t stop smiling. “That sounds like the best idea ever.” She giggled brightly, her tongue poking out slightly between her teeth as she smiled.

“Over excited is good, it’s brilliant!” She encouraged the other girl, trying her best not to make it seem as though she was freaked out. Placing a hand at the back of Natsumi’s shoulder, she turned to begin walking again, gently pushing the girl to continue walking alongside her.

“I’ve always had a little fear of water, though,” although she was still smiling, the older girl glanced up as she walked, her hand dropping to her side. “Not all water, just water that isn’t…” her face screwed up as she tried to think of the word. “Enclosed,” she said finally, slipping her hands into her pockets.

“Silly, I know,” she laughed, though not as brightly as before. A brief, quiet moment passed, before she was back to her normal, enthusiastic self as she looked up. “I would be honoured – “ she stressed the word overdramatically in a jokey fashion, as though the girl walking beside her was some kind of swimming royalty “ – if you were to help me, I’ve always been a bit embarrassed that I can’t swim very well.”

Her smile was laced with a strange mix of sincerity and gratitude as she looked back at the ground as she walked, walking the shadows of her feet before the heels of her shoes met them at the ground. Happy to have made a new friend, she couldn’t bring herself to pull a straight face again, and instead ambled along with a smile and a fuzzy look in her eyes. It was always a relief to find out that someone liked her, all to many times it was a case where her relationship with a stranger teetered on the tip between friendship and annoyance, waiting to fall one way or the other. Yet, why was it that so many of her friends seemed to be second years? Maybe she was like a strange sort of magnet, she wondered, her train of thought drifting off as it always did.

[Watashi Natsumi]

WATASHINATSUMI

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Natsumi's face broke into a huge smile as Mei accepted the offer she had made without much thought. She knew that her over-the-top personality and general benevolence was occassionally frightening and off-putting to some and she attempted to reign it in most of the time, but this was the first friendship she seemed to have made and it had gotten her over-excited and she'd babbled. Oops. Ironicly Natsumi didn't really think before she spoke or stopped to speculate that her rambling might actually put off her new friend. At least not until after she'd opened her mouth and let out a stream of consciousness. Stupid Natsumi.

Noting the hand Mei placed on the back of her shoulder Natsumi didn't need any encouragement to take up Aimi's hand again and continue walking. She was kinda skipping with her steps though, like she had too much nervous excitement in her body to keep herself walking normally. Aimi seemed to enjoy this and attempted to mimic her big sister's walk. An old couple across the road looked at them as if they were insane for a moment and then smiled as they noted little Aimi assuming that the funny walk was to amuse the little one.

"Oh this is going to be so great!" Natsumi was rambling. "And don't worry about not being a confident swimmer. Not everyone in the swimming club is and I try and help them all. Did you want to do to the swimming pool after school some time? I practice between the end of school and 5 o'clock so you can come and watch me practice or you can come afterwards I don't mind. Or you can come earlier and I'll help you then practice. I don't mind." She was babbling again but Natsumi didn't seem able to stop herself until she reached that point and snapped her teeth shut and then grinned sheepishly at Mei. "Sorry, I did it again." She laughed.

Swinging the hand she held in Aimi's Natsumi tried to recover from her episode of stupidity. "What I meant to say is that we can practice whenever you want but it would have to be some time after school. I drop Aimi and Hikaru off at school in the mornings but my brother Shin picks them up. And I work during the weekends so... Yeah aaaanyway... My house is just around the corner..." Natsumi pointed.

After crossing the road and turning to the left about three paces on they quickly turned right into a little cul-de-sac. Reaching a small but obviously loved house Natsumi opened the little gate.

Her home was traditional in that it was only two storeys with the simple grey clean lines of japanese urban architecture. The garden was a little over-run with large flowery foliage and looked more like a botanical jungle than a well-mannered garden and lawn. Reaching the frown door Natsumi inserted her key and opened it calling "I'm home!" out as she did so. Slipping her feet out of her shoes and dumping her bag Natsumi then knelt down to help Aimi off with her shoes. Once in her socks Aimi zipped away into the house to find Hikaru- and most likely annoy him...

Natsumi look around at Mei and smiled. "Welcome to the Watashi home."

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``post status;; finished.
``co-starring;; Guo Cai Mei.
``taking place;; Suzumiya Park.
``mood;; :angry:

[guo cai mei]

my peace, love and ice cream
fell into a deep sleep
am i d r e a m i n g ?
>>mei's outfit today -here-<<

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Giggling as she watched the two sisters semi-skipping along, Mei couldn’t erase the smile from her face as she listened to Natsumi begin another stream of babble, nodding and making sounds of affirmation at appropriate moments. As the younger girl apologised, she opened her mouth to say something, only for Sumi’s chatter to continue again. With a slight laugh, Mei closed her mouth, her lips pursed in a child like smile as she played the role of the listener until the other girl trailed off.

“I spend a lot of time in school as well, I’m sure I could head to the pool at some point between clubs and work,” she nodded cheerfully, her hands slipping out of her pockets to swing at her sides.

“Are you there… every day?” She wasn’t sure how to phrase the question without making it sound insulting, she herself usually took part in some form of sport at least three days a week, though usually four. “It’s weird, I didn’t think there were really any other girls that dedicated to sport other than me,” she laughed as she ruffled her fringe with the palm of one hand to stop it clumping. “

Most third year girls are too busy finding boyfriends and doing their hair, I feel like an alien~!” Mei knew that quite a few of third year’s class b girls weren’t her biggest fans. She had a lot of problems with one particular group of third year girls who really didn’t like her for some reason she couldn’t fathom, but they apparently found her mouthy, perky and annoying. She knew she couldn’t please everybody (but she would try her damn best to, she’d already decided).

As they entered the garden of Natsumi’s house, Mei danced her fingers along the edge of the gate, stepping in amongst the flowers with a smile.

“How cute,” she breathed quietly as they reached the door, wobbling as she balanced on one foot, using the toe of the other to push off her shoe, before swapping feet and repeating the process. Hands clasped behind her back in a girly fashion, Mei hopped forward to stand next to her new friend with a smile.

“Thank you,” she beamed, her dark eyes twinkling slightly. “I feel at home already.”

[Watashi Natsumi]

WATASHINATSUMI

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Natsumi nodded and grinned as Mei commented on the "cute" front garden of the Watashi home and entered the house responding to her. She laughed as memories assailed her while she spoke...

"Yeah... About five years ago my mum loved gardening and planting all the ferns and flowers out there. She liked to tend them and produce something beautiful with her hands as she was never amazing at academic stuff..." Natsumi's smile slipped a little as she looked around the entrance hall of her currently-parentless home, noting the calendar on the nearby noteboard that showed all the hours her parents, her and Shin were working each week. She shook her head a little sadly. "But now our bills etc are more expensive and school raised it's tuition fees just as me and Shin reached middle-school so she had to start working and hasn't been able to enjoy the garden since." Her smile brightened again as she tried to cover her darker memories. "But I prefer it the way it is now and so does she, when she comes home- we both say it's like a little oasis instead of a finely pruned lawn."

Sumi remembered how her parents used to be home a lot more and felt a prickle of sorrow for Hikaru and especially Aimi who didn't get to see their mother and father as much as Natsumi and Shin did when they were younger. That was why Natsumi tried to act in the place of parent so that they didn't miss out on anything. Natsumi turned to smile at Mei.

"I'll just sort out Hikaru and Aimi, I'll show you where the living room is." She smiled and turned to the left to walk along the main hallway of the house. The living area was right ahead and Natsumi found both her younger siblings watched a cartoon. She put her fists on her hips and pointed at Hikaru who stared back sullenly. "You sir- bedroom. Now. You can come down for dinner. I'll call you." Natsumi had to admit that Hikaru gave in with good grace and left looking a little annoyed but at least ashamed at his behaviour. Natsumi heard him stomp a little on his way upstairs. Aimi sat looking angelic on the sofa and asked quietly but politely.

"Onee-san, can I have a drink please?" Natsumi smiled and nodded. She motioned for Mei to follow her through a pair of sliding doors into the kitchen. Retrieving a plastic cup with pink swirls and flowers on it, she poured Aimi her favourite blackcurrant squash and went out to give it to her. She then came back in and reached in the cupboard for two glasses. "Did you want a drink Mei-chan?" She bit her lip, remembering her mistake. "Sorry- I mean, Mei. I'm afraid we can't go to my room as Hikaru's there." She smiled and explained. "Our house is quite small and has only three bedrooms. One is my parents' and one is Shin's. Originally me and him shared a room and so did Aimi and Hikaru but now that we're older we can't really do that. Hikaru stayed with Shin for a while but Shin likes his privacy and didn't like sharing so I said I'd have both the younger ones in my room. It's a bit crowded but I don't really mind." She smiled again brightly and raised a glass to inquire again whether Mei wanted a drink...

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``post status;; finished.
``co-starring;; Guo Cai Mei.
``taking place;; Watashi Home.

[guo cai mei]

my peace, love and ice cream
fell into a deep sleep
am i d r e a m i n g ?
>>mei's outfit today -here-<<

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Mei smiled as she listened to Natsumi talk about her mother, though it was a little bittersweet for a third year. She had some equally fond memories of her mother but, determined not to let herself fall into a somber mood, pushed them aside for now as she nudged her shoes neatly into a corner.

Keeping quiet, Natsumi’s money stories were all too familiar. It was weird, Mei thought to herself, how freakishly alike the two girls were, even more so now as she stepped into the Watashi household and she began to experience a slice of someone else’s life that tasted so similar to her own in some ways. Plodding obediently down the hallway after the other girl, she lingered in the doorway as she watched her newest friend and her younger siblings with a giggle, her tongue between her teeth as she smiled and offered Aimi a small wave, then following Natsumi to the kitchen.

“When they’re you’re family, I don’t think she ever mind,” she agreed softly, her hands clasped behind her back as she leant against the wall, suddenly sounding a fair deal older than she usually did. “I’ll… I’ll have whatever you have, if that’s okay,” she quickly added about the drink. She always felt anxious when asking for something in case she ever heard the response of ‘oh we don’t have it’.

“I share a room with two of my brothers,” she continued, after a brief pause. She thought to mention her other brother, but thought better of it. “They’re twenty four and twenty, which is a little weird, but it’s been like that since we were little so…” She trailed off, her fingers picking at each other behind her back. “We live in a flat above the restaurant, so my aunt and uncle have a room and my dad has a room, then half of our living room cuts off and doubles up as another room. It was a weird set up to come up with, but the only time anyone’s ever in the flat is when it’s night time so I guess it doesn’t matter at all,” she laughed cheerily, swinging her arms at her sides before folding them across her stomach.

“I do wish we had a garden though, yours is so lovely. I’m a little jealous,” she gave a shrug of her shoulders, accompanied by a childish smile. “And anyway, it must be nice to have younger siblings. They’re so cute.”

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[Watashi Natsumi]

WATASHINATSUMI

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Natsumi smiled and took her glass over to the fridge where she took out a jug that filtered their water and kept it cool. She poured a glass of the fresh drink for herself and then set the glass down on the work-top only to snatch up Mei's. She raised the jug a little and the liquid inside sloshed wetly.

"I'm just having water. How's that for youi? I guess you would understand the sportsman in me that doesn't like to drink sweet and fizzy drinks very often. That's Shin's thing. He'll always be drinking coke or whatever, even if he is into basketball and judo or whatever it is." She smiled as she handed Mei the glass she had just poured too lost in her own thoughts to wait for the girl's reply. Butthen that was just Natsumi- one big foot-in-the-mouth comment after the next. Oops was the word of her life.

Natsumi nodded as Mei commented on her family's home and set up. She smiled as she spoke her opinion. "I have to admit that I do find it a little weird for you to share with older guys, but if that's the way it's been since you were little then you're used to it I guess. I used to be really close to Shin but as we grew up he's become quieter and more antisocial and moody. I've kinda stayed the same so now I irritate him I think..." Natsumi's smile faded a little. "I was always hanging out with him and his friends but now that me and him aren't always together I never get to hang around with his mates anymore. And I'm not used to having female friends because I grew up around the boys so I'm kinda stuck in the middle. I know everyone and everyone knows me and I think most of them like me but I don't have many friends." She smiled brightly this time attempting to hide and push away the sober atmosphere her words had unintentionally created. "That's why I practice swimming every evening after school." She laughed a little too breezily. "I haven't got anything else to do, and I'm getting pretty good at it now what with all the practice."

Natsumi raised the glasses that was now slick with condensation on the outside of the vessel and drank a little to wet her mouth and throat. She shook her head a little and smiled her normal smile bringing the conversation back to lighter topics. Though Natsumi was truthfully very lonely and upset she didn't let herself think about it. Over the months since Shin became more isolated she had managed to convince everyone around her that she wasn't unhappy and that she had everything she could want. She'd done an even better job of convincing herself.

She laughed when Mei mentioned younger siblings. "Yeah, they're great when they're not being a pain. Episodes like today happen all the time, especially with Hikaru. Me and Shin work a lot but we also have to look after those two because our parents work more than we do. I take them to school every morning and am then late for class and then Shin picks them up after while I'm in detention for being late for class!" Natsumi laughed, back to her normal self as she watched Mei over the top of her glass that she occassionally drank from.

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``post status;; finished.
``co-starring;; Guo Cai Mei.
``taking place;; Watashi Home.
``notes;; Sorry this took so long!! Had no time, no muse, and it's still not amazingly long :-(.