Mizuki opened the door to Kageru's room and took him to his bed. He plopped on it while she went to retrieve the first aid kit from a bedside drawer.
"So how did you get this." She asked unwrapping the bandages.
"I hit my head on the wall trying to save someone." He said simply with a sigh.
It wasn't the entire truth but it also wasn't a lie.
She began to dress the wound and he took his head away.
"I'm seventeen. I can do this by myself." He said.
"And I'm twenty-one and still your older sis." He said as an end to the argument rather than a reply.
"So you risked you head for a girl?" Mizuki said.
"I never said she was a girl." Kageru replied.
"Well you just said 'she' instead of 'the person' and on my way back I saw you guys." Mizuki said as she bandaged his head up again.
She gave him a slight pat on the head then kissed the injured spot.
"Did she like the earrings?" She asked as Kageru hugged her.
"Yes but I'm meant to be upset with you for putting them in." He said still hugging her.
"Well you won't." She said laughing. "Oh and does shee know about our complex and mum?"
"No. Mum's issues is still to personal to disclose to her, for the complex she also doesn't know but I'll tell her."
"Mum is a nice person." Mizuki said.
"Speak for yourself. I almost got my skull cracked."
"It's not true. You'll get to understand with time." She said as she stroked his head. "Oh, and James talked about our complex."
Kageru pulled back gasping. "How dare he. I'll deal with him."
Mizuki laughed at his acting. "But seriously do deal with him."
He just smiled as she stood up and pulled him along.
"Let's go eat, and don't even say you'll eat later because of Mum." She said reading his mind.
"Ugh." He groaned following her.
------
Jenna sat at the dinning table holding her phone. She had a plate of rice in front of her.
She was waiting for something— two things to be precise.
Just then the front door opened. "Sweet heart I'm back." He mum's voice rang from the front door.
She quickly dropped the fork she was holding and her phone and ran to her mum.
She jumped into her Mum's arms almost knocking her down.
"Welcome back, Mum." She said taking her bag and the jacket she was holding. "Want some rice."
Maria shook her head as the went to the dinning. "I'm good. Vicky treated Ben and I after work." She said patting he belly.
"I thought you had work." Jenna said narrowing her eyes.
"Yeah I did. Vicky ended up helping both Ben and I after she was done with hers. So we finished faster than I expected." Maria said.
"Oh, ok." Jenna said absentmindedly as she looked at her phone.
Maria caught the look. She gentle reached over and grabbed the phone.
"Mum!" She said.
"Are you expecting your new boyfriend to text you she said looking at the lock screen which was empty.
"I never said the new kid was a guy mum." Jenna said reaching out and taking her phone from her mother.
"So you like girls huh." Maria said. "Don't worry. I understand and you have my permission."
"What the he—no mum." Jenna exclaimed taking her empty plate to the sink.
"So tell about. I saw as he caught you when you weren't looking at your environment." Maria said.
"Where you spying on me?" Jenna asked in shock taking her seat.
"Heavens no. I've got better things to do than to spy on my 17 year old." She replied.
"That sounds more like and insult." Jenna said. "And better things like what?"
Maria kept quiet for a while as though she was thinking.
"Better things like, arranging your panties..." She began and Jenna began to turn red. "You keep mixing up different colors and texture from the original set."
"Mum." Jenna said.
"Oh, and finding the right size of bra for your buds and your sani—"
"Mum!" Jenna yelled. "Why arrange my underwear for me. Just tell me to do it."
"There not underwear." Maria said getting up.
She walked behind Jenna and hugged her. "Those are for kids. You use panties as the lady you are."
"And also my breasts aren't buds. They're grapefruits." She said in a matter-of -fact tone. "And also not melons. They're just right."
"I know dearie." Maria said as she pinched Jenna's right breast.
"MUM!" Jenna said hitting her mother as she walked back to her sit. "They're not for you to squeeze."
"Yes I know. It for you boyfriend." Maria said as though she was getting tired. "Now tell me about the kid."
"You really act like a Gen Z babe." Jenna said under her breath.
"I heard that." Maria said. "Main topic."
"Ok. So we had this episode in class." Jenna said as she moved closer to the table.
"I'm all ears." Maria said.
"So... I was showing him round the school since we had a free period. We ended up losing track of time but that's how our friendship was formed. We got late for Mr Heartwood's class."
"I heard his mean." Maria said.
"Yeah but he likes me because I'm top student in his class." Jenna said with an air of pride. "Anyway. He got angry and I took the blame for both of us. He then said he'll take ten marks from my up coming quiz, but then, he came in."
"Who?" Maria asked just for the show.
"My new best friend in all black." Jenna said like she was some king of princess who was dreaming of her prince. "Well he made a bet with Heartwood that if he was able to solve one hard equation he should give us both top marks in his subject but if we fail we fail."
"What then happened?" Maria asked intrigued.
"The kid began to solve it in his head like some super computer. Then according to him his brain lagged." Jenna said and paused sensing her Mum's question.
"Meaning?" Maria asked.
"Don't know, but in the end he hit his head on the wall and everything flooded back and he got the answer. Heartwood tried going around his word saying that we had to solve it. He started everything go going well then he asked Heartwood if he could write on the wall which made him shut up and also whit the help of Andrea." Jenna finished off.
"The class rep?" Maria asked and Jenna nodded. "Wow. That new kid sounds like something else."
"Yeah. He really cute too and he's smart." Jenna added.
Maria gave her a mischievous smile then said; "Better act quick before you lose him."
"Mum." Jenna complained.
"Hahaha... I'll leave you to your fantasizing. I'm going to take a shower." Maria said getting to her feet and walking upstairs. "When you're done please bring my bag and jacket for me."
Jenna said the unlocked her phone to start scrolling through some stories.
------
Kageru sat in silence as he ate with his mum and Mizuki. He didn't want to say anything— he didn't have anything to say.
It was awkward and Mizuki kept looking from Aiko to Kageru.
Afterwards, Kageru took all the plate to the sink and took care of it before heading to his room.
He took out his phone and opened Winky— a social media platform for chatting and sharing videos and stories. He looked at Jenna's number for a while the opened the empty chat.
Kageru: Hey Jelly.
He texted. A minute or two had passed before she replied.
Jelly: Hi Jen.
Kageru: What are you doing?
Jelly: Nothing. Just lying in bed.
Kageru: An update.
Jelly: ??
Kageru: I mean your mum.
Jelly: Yeah she came back and started her mischief, but she sleeping now.
Kageru: *smiley emoji* That sounds fun.
Jelly: Yeah but she drained me. I'm sleepy.
Kageru: Alright go and sleep I'll meet you at school tomorrow.
Jelly: Nah. Meet me in front of my house tomorrow. I wanna walk to school with you.
Kageru read the chat and laughed softly. "This girl is crazy."
Kageru: Why?
Jelly: Don't start that or you won't talk to me for the rest of the week.
Kageru: Fine. You caught me. I'll meet you in front of your house.
Jelly: Alright. Good night Jen.
Kageru: Good night Jelly. Look for me in your dreams. You'll sleep peacefully.
Jelly: *blushing emoji*. Sweet but cringe.
Kageru: I know. I felt like throwing up. Good night.
Jelly: Good night *red heart emoji*
Kageru smiled the got off his bed.
------
Mizuki had just finished her last assignment for the day when her phone beeped.
She opened it and saw a chat from Kageru.
Baby bro: You still up?
Zuki: Yeah.
Baby bro: Oh ok.
She smiled turning to the door. "Come in."
Kageru opened the door holding a pillow. He looked at Mizuki as she got up from her chair and stretched.
She only wore an oversized t shirt that stopped at her thighs. As she stretched Kageru got a glimpse of her panties. He was unfazed.
"I thought you stopped wearing pink." He said.
"I never stopped. I just reduced the amount of times I wore it." She said sitting on her bed. "And stop looking at my panties."
"That's your fault." He said sitting beside her.
"Jam-i an oseyo?" She asked in Korean.
Kageru nodded his head. "Yeah, I can't sleep." He replied in English.
She gave him a pat on his head and sighed before flopping on her bed.
"Neolang gat-i jado doelkka?" He asked in Korean.
"Sure." She said as she scooted over for him.
He laid down beside her after setting his pillow. "Thanks. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep at all."
"Shush." Mizuki said wrapping her arms round him. "Just don't think about anything... except the girl."
"Really?" He asked trying to look at her.
"Just joking." She said giggling. "Oyasumi."
"Buenas noches." He said closing his eyes.