• SIDE STORY 3 PART 1 - ANOTHER WATCHDOG? GREAT

    You might get annoyed by some people you meet for the first time. And if you end up having to meet people the same way over and over again, you're not going to get so excited anymore. But there always has to be that one person who takes you by surprise.

    .:{{Aya's Perspective}}:.

    "Aya, can you make my gyoza without the pork?" Arisa asked me, hovering over my shoulder.

    I rolled my eyes at her and groaned, "I just mixed everything, Arisa,"

    "You can make another small bowl," she huffed, "Just make enough for one or two."

    I groaned again, "If it's our birthday, then I don't think I should be cooking at all,"

    "Mom and dad aren't home yet," she stepped back a little, "I could help you, but I might burn the house down."

    I waved her away, "Fine, I'll make some without the pork. Now go away."

    She bowed at me, "Thank you," and she left into the living room.

    Yep, today is our sixteenth birthday, April 12th, and I feel much older than sixteen, seeing as I'm making the dinner. Mom and dad are always home late, usually around midnight or later, so we never really get to see them that much, but most times they never come home late on our birthdays. It kind of pisses me off too that Arisa's a vegetarian because I always have to waste my precious free time making her a separate dish. Like the gyozas (Japanese style dumplings) for example, she wants them with the cabbage and without the pork.

    "Arisa, can't you get over your vegetarianism?" I halfway joked while mixing her small bowl.

    "You know that meat makes me sick," she turned around at me away from the television, "And it tastes gross anyways."

    "Just be sure to take your pills tonight afterwords," I reminded her. She always forgets to take her protein pills since she doesn't get protein from meat, "Anyways, what doesn't make you sick?"

    "You're like a mother," she smiled, dodging my last question, "It's funny."

    "I'm not planning on becoming a mother any time soon," I sighed.

    If either of us were to get pregnant at this age, mom and dad would surely have no problem throwing us out into the street. They're such bible bashers, actually, so they'd think it's "the devil's work" or "and unconditional sin" to get pregnant before marriage. Yeah, yeah.

    "You want the kitsune udon with atsuage rather than the naruto, right?" her favorite dish. She likes to have tofu in it rather than the fish, of coruse.

    She nodded, even though I knew she'd say yes, and she turned her attention back to the television. I quickly brought out the ingredients for her kitsune udon and the ingredients for tempura (deep fried seafood and vegetables) for the rest of us. I started right away, cutting and mixing and heating up the fryer mom had gotten just a few weeks ago since her and dad wanted to try the tempura dish.

    Before I knew it, Arisa was hovering next to me watching me cook, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

    I smiled at her, "No thanks, I've got it,"

    She frowned and watched me for another moment. She left somewhere and came back with a glass of iced water and handed it to me, "You're sweating a lot. Drink this."

    Cooking this much can really wear you out. I grabbed the water from her and chugged half of the glass and wiped my forehead off with a dish towel, "Thanks. You can go watch T.V. now."

    She smiled and skipped back to the couch. After anther minute or two, I heard a vehicle pull up in the driveway. I immediately looked at the clock on the oven and it was fifteen minutes after midnight. Great, they're barely here in time to celebrate. The front door opened and Arisa whipped her head around and grinned widely.

    "Hi, mom! Hi, dad!" she waved.

    "Hello, Arisa," mom smiled at Arisa as dad helped her remove her coat. Mom looked at me apologetically, "We're so sorry we're late, sweety."

    I shrugged, annoyed deep down, "Eh, it's okay," it's not like it's different than any other day.

    "Are you making tempura?" her eyes lit up with curiosity, "That's a surprise. I didn't know you knew how to make them."

    "I made them one night you were gone until two in the morning," I frowned.

    She frowned as well, "Go ahead and watch television with Arisa. You can have a break."

    Without argument, I removed my apron and hung it up and sat on the couch next to Arisa. I was pretty disappointed that mom and dad missed our birthday, but not the celebration. Well, it's not like Arisa and I were big fans of birthdays anyways. Arisa was only acting excited because she was hoping to get mom's necklace that she's coveted for the past, what, thirteen years? It's hopeless, she'd better give it up.

    I giggled at the thought and waited for mom and dad to finish the food. After another hour and a half of finishing the food and eating, it was finally time for the presents. As usual, Arisa and I got matching pajamas, typical things parents do for their twins. And some small jewelry and stuff, but Arisa didn't get her necklace she's wanted. It seemed that over the years, she had lost hope at getting the necklace. She was sure mom would give it to her for her sweet sixteen, but maybe she'd wait until she graduates?

    A surprise flu bug sent Arisa to bed right away and she was out cold. I plugged in a foot-tall antique fan and turned it on so it was blowing on Arisa lightly. She groaned and cracked her eyes open. I turned around and sat on her bed and rubbed her shoulder.

    "Sorry I woke you," I whispered.

    "No, it's okay, Aya," she smiled weakly, "I should be sorry for us not having such a great birthday."

    "It was fun while it lasted," I smiled back at her.

    She frowned, "Why am I always the sick one?"

    I looked at her thoughtfully, "I don't know, Arisa,"

    "Maybe you took most of my immunity before we were born," she giggled, "Just think, we'd be able to do so much more if I wasn't so weak."

    "You're fine just the way you are," I objected, "I wouldn't change a thing about you."

    Her eyes lit up and she smiled a little wider, "Same to you,"

    I gave her a quick friendly hug, "You should get to sleep so you'll feel better,"

    "Okay," she sighed, "Happy birthday, Aya,"

    I smiled at her and kissed her head, "Happy birthday. I'll be back in here in a bit."

    She halfway nodded and passed out right away. I stealthily crept out of the bedroom and went into the living room where mom and dad were conversing about something. I sat on the chair by the couch and invited myself into the conversation.

    "What's with the super secret conversation going on?" I giggled.

    "Aya, we've hired somebody to watch over you and Arisa again," mom looked at me sentimentally.

    "What?" I huffed, "We're sixteen years old! We don't need a babysitter!"

    "With all the deaths that's been going on, we can't risk you two getting hurt,"

    "And you think a third person in the house when you're gone will help us any? What would that person know about fighting somebody off?" I knew how to fight, not the best in the world, but I knew I could fight off some people.

    "This person is very highly trained," mom grimaced at me, "So be respectful. He's only a year older than you."

    "Oh, great, that's even better," I groaned and crossed my arms, "And are we supposed to keep this from Arisa as well?"

    "Yes, you are," mom said seriously, "You know how disappointed she'd be."

    I sighed and looked down. Of course Arisa would be disappointed. She would think mom and dad assumed she was too weak to even be home alone with me so mom and dad are hiring people to watch over us. She would freak out too if she knew there was somebody else in the house.

    "He's here," mom looked at me sentimentally again when there was a quiet knock at the door, "Your father and I need to go out again. We'll introduce you two briefly and we'll be off."

    "Why do Arisa and I even get excited anymore when you come home?" I sighed to myself, "You always end up leaving us." I never knew what mom and dad did for a living. They never told me.

    I followed mom with my arms crossed, "I can't believe you're still going to trust some guy to watch us when you're gone. Who knows what he could do? Especially if he's only a year older?"

    "Quit complaining," mom hissed.

    Dad was already in his jacket with the car keys and had mom's coat in hand. Mom opened the door dramatically and a young boy stepped into the house timidly. I gaped for a moment and observed him. He was nearly six foot tall, I'd say around five foot ten, his hair was a shade of silver that blended into crimson red at the tips and it was kind of long, a little lower than his ears. He had astonishing chocolate brown eyes and was thin, way thin. What really caught my attention was that he was looking at me the same way.

    "Aya," mom said to me, knocking me out of my observation, "this is Akatsuki Sangatsu. He will be the one watching over you and Arisa."

    "Um," I blushed lightly and held out my hand in an introduction, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Sangatsu." I pushed my hair back behind my ear nervously.

    He took my hand timidly and shook it, "Nice to meet you too, Miss. Kurabashi,"

    We withdrew our hands and both looked away from each other. He was...cute. He was really cute. My whole opinion on the watchdog thing flew out the window. Dad helped mom into her jacket and they were halfway out the door.

    "We'll be home in a few hours, Aya," said mom, "I love you, sweetie."

    "Bye mom," I grumbled with my arms crossed.

    They shut the door and were gone. It was just me and the watchdog now. I played with my hair nervously, "Um, do you want me to get you anything?"

    He shook his head quickly, "No, thanks,"

    "Are you sure? I could always make you something." I offered again.

    "I'm fine," he smiled, "Thanks anyways."

    "Um, well," I gestured towards the living room, "Make yourself at home."

    He smiled at me again and removed his jacket. I offered to take it from him and I hung it up in the hallway closet and when I came back, he was watching an old sitcom Arisa and I used to watch. I sat on the chair again by the couch and peeked over at him a few times between commercials. He ended up fiddling with his fingers a little.

    "So...," he started, "today was your sixteenth birthday?"

    I nodded, "Mine and my sister's,"

    He raised one eyebrow in curiosity, "Twins?"

    "Yup," I smiled and he smiled back, "Do you have any siblings?"

    Akatsuki shook his head, "Nope. I'm an only child."

    "That must have been lonely,"

    He shrugged, "Eh, kind of. It's kind of nice in some ways cause you get a few more things." he smiled, "But I think I'd rather be a twin like you and your sister."

    "I enjoy it," was all I could come up with.

    "Do I get to meet your sister?"

    I paused for a moment and shook my head, "No. She'd get angry with mom and dad."

    "I'm sure you're angry too," he sighed.

    "No, actually," I stated surprisingly, "You're nicer than all the other watchdogs we've had."

    "Did you...," he pointed at me and smiled, "Did you just call me a 'watchdog'?"

    "I'm sorry!" I covered my mouth, "That's what I called all of the others. You know, they would always say stuff like 'Don't get near the windows!' or 'Stay in the middle of every room you're in and don't move an inch!'."

    Akatsuki laughed at that and I laughed along with him. We weren't keeping it too quiet because Arisa was a heavy sleeper when she's sick. Akastuki and I sat around for the rest of the night, talking about ourselves and our pasts and what we looked forward to in the future. By the time mom and dad got home at nearly five in the morning, Akatsuki and I were exhausted and our mouth were dry from talking so much. I was pretty sure we both knew more about each other than we knew about ourselves, oddly.

    "Aya, why are you still up?" mom scolded right after she walked inside.

    "My night was fine, thanks for asking," I answered sarcastically as she hung up her coat and handed over Akatsuki's coat.

    Mom eyed me narrowly with a frown on her face. Akatsuki slipped his coat on and dad pulled out his billfold and handed Akatsuki a handful of money.

    "Here's for all your troubles," dad handed over in a smile.

    Akatsuki shook his head in a friendly manner, "No, I can't take your money,"

    "Oh, don't be so typical," mom teased, "You'll be earning more if you want to come back."

    Akatuski eyed me subtly and I eyed him back. Akatsuki grinned, "Yeah...yeah, I'd like to come back,"

    I blushed subtly and mom and dad bid their good byes and wished him a safe trip home. I sat through the usual lecture from mom and dad for staying up so late and I didn't even bother arguing back since I was so tired. I dressed myself into my pajamas and subtly slipped into Arisa's bed while she was still sleeping. Every time Arisa was sick, I'd always climb into bed with her. She felt most comfortable around me and I felt most comfortable around her.

    Arisa pryed her eyes open a little and smiled at me as I was about to fall asleep, "It's about time you got to bed," she accused wearily.

    "Sorry," I apologized with a smile, "I was watching T.V."

    She smiled again and fell back asleep after I hushed her and played with some of her hair. For the first time, I was really feeling a connection with another guy. I really felt close to him already and I actually wanted to know him. And when he left...it felt like he took a small part of me with him. And I was excited for the next night...excited to see him once again.

    TO BE CONTINUED IN SIDE STORY 3 PART 2