Strange Magic [A JUMP fic] Chapter 15: Takeover
If I keep up posting a fic a day, I'll be able to finish posting the whole story just in time before my flight back to reality eme
Previously...
A wish potion has been revealed and its up to Aya, Airin and Yuto to follow through the game plan both Diei and Yamada came up with, though they themselves can only play cover-up and wait that there still might be hope for Chinen Yuri.
++++++
The drive didn’t take long, the grocery did. Yamada only too gladly followed after Diei excusing herself to find the ice packs when her shoulder started to act up and he insisted on carrying them. In return, she bought them both strawberry drumsticks which they ate hiding behind tall stalls to last them till dinner. Arioka and Jeyn make a great couple but were terrible at deciding on what kind of pasta to cook that they took a whole quarter of an hour at the supermarket and almost drove Yamada up the walls, Diei just smiling behind them all the way.
“ ’taku, you could have just at least agreed on only one thing, and not go “sounds good”, “that’s okay too” and “your call” you know?” Jeyn complained as she and Arioka deposited five bags of food supplies between them on Diei’s kitchen counter when they finally got there.
“I’m not the one who wanted to cook,” Diei responded as she came in after the two while Yamada lagged back at the doorstep taking off his shoes. “All I wanted were ice and a shower.”
And with that she went up to her room without a backward glance.
“Nooooo, wait!” Jeyn hurried after her abandoning the chicken breasts she was breading for the chicken parmesan as she kept to dutifully playing Diei’s nurse assisting her bath.
“Oi, I need some help over here if we want this dinner to ever start,” Arioka called out to Yamada who was still getting over his shock as he entered the living room: there were teddy bears in glass showcases in every vacant wall space.
Arioka grinned at his reaction while cooking the sauce for the planned baked ziti with meatballs in the kitchen that was right beside the living room. “At least they weren’t dolls right?”
Nevermind forcing himself to be invited, Yamada just have never been to a girl’s house - Aya’s didn’t count since she was the only girl of her family and even her room was boyish. Not that Diei’s house was all girly: everything was just neat, not a stray comb or sock anywhere and soft-toned that it was clear she personally chose every furniture and color of her home.
“What, never been to a girl’s house before?” Arioka correctly guessed as Yamada took over the chicken. “Bet you’re used to being the one opening your home to guests.”
“Yup,” Yamada grinned back, warming up to the guy. Straightening up from throwing the chicken in the oven his eyes fell on the remaining grocery bags. “Err, isn’t that too many?”
For a reply Arioka pointed to the fridge which was empty of solid food.
“Didn’t you know she lives alone?”
“But Chinen -”
“Came over since this weekend only,” Arioka finished for him. “Now tell me if this tastes good enough,” he indicated his pasta sauce.
“Damn, you make a mean cook!”
And so while the two boys bonded over the food, Jeyn was forcing Diei not to fall asleep in the waters upstairs.
“I already had food,” Diei yawned as Jeyn lathered her hair while keeping it away from soaking her bandages; thank god her hair was so long.
“Yes, we could smell the strawberry from you two,” Jeyn sneered. “Couldn’t resist showing off your knowledge of sharing his favorite ice cream flavor?”
Diei’s back slipped from the edge of the tub sitting in it inhaling a bit of water and coughed. “No I didn’t!”
“Hmm, if you say so,” Jeyn humored her as she rinsed her hair and Diei had the feeling the girl wasn’t done with her. Sure enough when she had forced her into a tube (which was the most logical choice at the moment given her shoulder injury) and sat her down her own bed to blow-dry her hair she said, “So why did you attack him?”
“I didn’t -”
“Honey, his cheek bore your handprint the first few hours I saw him after you fell,” Jeyn said maddeningly slow, as if explaining one plus one was two to an overly-emotional toddler. “Why do you hate him so?”
“I don’t hate him,” Diei said taken aback.
Jeyn shrugged. “You’ve never hit anyone before so much as if they personally betrayed you and not just for your brother. You’ve never even pushed away nor had treated anyone else as coldly as you do Yamada-kun when he’s never even done anything to you yet, how could he, he’s never been able to get close to you; its not just Hikaru-kun who notices you know.”
This disarmed Diei so much she didn’t even hear the doorbells ringing below.
“I don’t know how to handle him,” Diei said abruptly facing Jeyn. “He’s too boisterous, he’s too loud, it’s insufferable; the room gets too stuffy when he’s there I can’t settle down.”
“Aa, sou,” Jeyn blinked. But then she smiled, patting the girl’s head fondly. “Then, why don’t you take this time to decide how you really feel, get used to him -”
Suddenly the door swung open and a large group of people came into the room.
“Dieeeiii-chaaaaan!” Inoo cried shrilly throwing himself at the seto-kaichou making her yelp while Jeyn yell “hey!” worrying he’d fall on Diei’s bad shoulder.
“Did you really fell down from the stairs?” Iel looked as if she cried.
“We got really worried,” Windy said to Takaki and Hara nodding.
“Dakara, I said she was fine; didn’t even need to go to the hospital, see?” Arioka sighed from the doorway.
“ ’em pfine..” Diei said muffled from under Inoo’s arms. “Kei gerroff -”
“Daiki-san, I think the marinara’s not enough - ohh,” Yamada stopped short as he saw the packed room.
“What is he doing here?” Takaki demanded.
“Diei saved him from falling too hard from the stairs,” Jeyn answered quickly making everyone look at her. “That’s why she got the worse of it. He feels so guilty he wanted to make up for it in any way: cooking, waiting for news about her brother, dealing with Ueda-san..”
“Will he lick my shoes too?” Inoo asked innocently when Diei bit his left ear and bumped knees with his injured one. “ITTAII!??”
“Don’t even think I can’t wrestle you off with this shoulder because I will, I am,” proving her words when Diei twisted his right arm behind with her left hand and rested a knee on his back which the others oohed and clapped unconcernedly for Inoo.
“But I was going to help bath you and handfeed you - AAAHH!” Inoo cried in pain for real this time; Diei had shoved him deeper against the bed face down. “Time out! Time out!!”
“Haa.. I don’t think everything will be enough now,” Arioka finally turned away as Diei released Inoo who hugged Hara round the waist with one arm while the other reached out to yank Takaki tumbling on the king-sized bed ensuing some childish wrestling, shaking his head while planning a quick drive back to the groceries with Yamada as they descended the stairs.
“We’ll go!” Windy and Iel followed after them narrowly avoiding Inoo snatching at their hands. “We can’t stay anyway -”
“Good,” Diei breathed heavily massaging her right shoulder surreptitiously.
“Looks like Daiki found a boyfriend Jeyn!” Inoo teased as Takaki and Hara fell back on the bed laughing.
“Ohh get out, get out! You’ve seen Diei’s not so hurt, that’s why we didn’t call anyone,” Jeyn rolled her eyes. “Who -”
“Hikaru -”
“Hikaru.”
“Who else?”
“I’ll kill him,” Diei muttered under her breath. “Dead, I swear.”
~+~+~+~
Yaotome Hikaru sneezed, just as he put his cellphone down and lay back beside Do in the Hitomoris’ living room couch throwing an arm over her shoulder rousing her.
“Hey,” Do stirred as the program from the television shifted back to some night variety show from some sports game rerun Yaotome had it on before. “Sorry, I’m just so t-t-tiiiired..” She herself yawned and stretched.
“It’s okay, you had a long day,” Yaotome grunted. “Even more patients than a whole month combined and I wasn’t there to help.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you’d probably injure them more if you were there,” Do smiled to herself, nuzzling into his side a little more with her eyes still closed she just felt it when Yaotome couldn’t help but crack a smile with that.
“You finished sending everyone over Diei’s?”
“You are spending too much time with Diei you’re growing omniscient,” Yaotome said irritated. “How do you even know that?”
Do explained patiently. “You’ve been fiddling with your phone since we got here, and I’m already with you so you’re not texting me; you’re texting our friends. Daiki and Jeyn are probably too busy to reply to you cooking or showering or else wiping off Yamada’s remains from the teddy collection cabinets..” she paused to let Yaotome chuckle at this, “so you text our classmates and find out who can stay over there as long as they can.”
“I love you,” Yaotome said kissing the side of her head.
Do kissed him back on his collar. “I’ll say something nice to your funeral when Diei gets a hold of you because I love you too.”
Yaotome tried to lull her back to sleep stroking her hair repeatedly but Do knew he was staring at his phone.
“Thank you,” she said looking up at him abruptly.
“Hmm?”
“For staying,” Do elaborated and she truly meant it. She knew her mom was thankful too, though she regretted they didn’t just brought over Diei but Yaotome’s presence pacified Himeko knowing he wouldn’t be have left his childhood friend if she was in worse condition.
Yaotome snorted. “You’re kidding right? I’d rather spend the night here than an hour with that Yamada!”
Do sighed as she let her head fall back on his shoulder. “You can’t stop every guy from making a move on her forever.”
“Watch me.”
“Your siscon is so amusing,” Do chuckled.
“I just don’t want her getting hurt,” Yaotome explained for the millionth time frustratedly. “Or be fooled around with, or get taken advantaged of, or or…”
“Are you saying you don’t trust her judgment?” Do tested.
“No - I mean I do - but that’s not what I meant -”
She patted his chest. “Then there’s no harm letting her meet guys that she doesn’t see as friends or family.”
Yaotome was greatly put out with this though he could not argue with its reason and that’s when he saw his cellphone screen flashed.
“You’re relieved,” Do guessed as he read his text and felt his laughter through his body.
“Diei just wrestled Inoo single-handed, literally,” Yaotome was still chortling as he put down his phone permanently.
Ahh, fine, it’s not like she’d fall for the guy for certain.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
‘taku - short for ‘mataku’ meaning ‘honestly’
Aa, sou - Is that so ; used as ‘oh I see’ here
-chan - suffix used by speaker for younger female names/close people/cutesy namecalling
Dakara - That’s why
-san - suffix for both sexes ; used for formality
Ittai - usual japanese exclamation version of ‘Ouch’
siscon - sister complex (shisukon)
Previously...
A wish potion has been revealed and its up to Aya, Airin and Yuto to follow through the game plan both Diei and Yamada came up with, though they themselves can only play cover-up and wait that there still might be hope for Chinen Yuri.
++++++
The drive didn’t take long, the grocery did. Yamada only too gladly followed after Diei excusing herself to find the ice packs when her shoulder started to act up and he insisted on carrying them. In return, she bought them both strawberry drumsticks which they ate hiding behind tall stalls to last them till dinner. Arioka and Jeyn make a great couple but were terrible at deciding on what kind of pasta to cook that they took a whole quarter of an hour at the supermarket and almost drove Yamada up the walls, Diei just smiling behind them all the way.
“ ’taku, you could have just at least agreed on only one thing, and not go “sounds good”, “that’s okay too” and “your call” you know?” Jeyn complained as she and Arioka deposited five bags of food supplies between them on Diei’s kitchen counter when they finally got there.
“I’m not the one who wanted to cook,” Diei responded as she came in after the two while Yamada lagged back at the doorstep taking off his shoes. “All I wanted were ice and a shower.”
And with that she went up to her room without a backward glance.
“Nooooo, wait!” Jeyn hurried after her abandoning the chicken breasts she was breading for the chicken parmesan as she kept to dutifully playing Diei’s nurse assisting her bath.
“Oi, I need some help over here if we want this dinner to ever start,” Arioka called out to Yamada who was still getting over his shock as he entered the living room: there were teddy bears in glass showcases in every vacant wall space.
Arioka grinned at his reaction while cooking the sauce for the planned baked ziti with meatballs in the kitchen that was right beside the living room. “At least they weren’t dolls right?”
Nevermind forcing himself to be invited, Yamada just have never been to a girl’s house - Aya’s didn’t count since she was the only girl of her family and even her room was boyish. Not that Diei’s house was all girly: everything was just neat, not a stray comb or sock anywhere and soft-toned that it was clear she personally chose every furniture and color of her home.
“What, never been to a girl’s house before?” Arioka correctly guessed as Yamada took over the chicken. “Bet you’re used to being the one opening your home to guests.”
“Yup,” Yamada grinned back, warming up to the guy. Straightening up from throwing the chicken in the oven his eyes fell on the remaining grocery bags. “Err, isn’t that too many?”
For a reply Arioka pointed to the fridge which was empty of solid food.
“Didn’t you know she lives alone?”
“But Chinen -”
“Came over since this weekend only,” Arioka finished for him. “Now tell me if this tastes good enough,” he indicated his pasta sauce.
“Damn, you make a mean cook!”
And so while the two boys bonded over the food, Jeyn was forcing Diei not to fall asleep in the waters upstairs.
“I already had food,” Diei yawned as Jeyn lathered her hair while keeping it away from soaking her bandages; thank god her hair was so long.
“Yes, we could smell the strawberry from you two,” Jeyn sneered. “Couldn’t resist showing off your knowledge of sharing his favorite ice cream flavor?”
Diei’s back slipped from the edge of the tub sitting in it inhaling a bit of water and coughed. “No I didn’t!”
“Hmm, if you say so,” Jeyn humored her as she rinsed her hair and Diei had the feeling the girl wasn’t done with her. Sure enough when she had forced her into a tube (which was the most logical choice at the moment given her shoulder injury) and sat her down her own bed to blow-dry her hair she said, “So why did you attack him?”
“I didn’t -”
“Honey, his cheek bore your handprint the first few hours I saw him after you fell,” Jeyn said maddeningly slow, as if explaining one plus one was two to an overly-emotional toddler. “Why do you hate him so?”
“I don’t hate him,” Diei said taken aback.
Jeyn shrugged. “You’ve never hit anyone before so much as if they personally betrayed you and not just for your brother. You’ve never even pushed away nor had treated anyone else as coldly as you do Yamada-kun when he’s never even done anything to you yet, how could he, he’s never been able to get close to you; its not just Hikaru-kun who notices you know.”
This disarmed Diei so much she didn’t even hear the doorbells ringing below.
“I don’t know how to handle him,” Diei said abruptly facing Jeyn. “He’s too boisterous, he’s too loud, it’s insufferable; the room gets too stuffy when he’s there I can’t settle down.”
“Aa, sou,” Jeyn blinked. But then she smiled, patting the girl’s head fondly. “Then, why don’t you take this time to decide how you really feel, get used to him -”
Suddenly the door swung open and a large group of people came into the room.
“Dieeeiii-chaaaaan!” Inoo cried shrilly throwing himself at the seto-kaichou making her yelp while Jeyn yell “hey!” worrying he’d fall on Diei’s bad shoulder.
“Did you really fell down from the stairs?” Iel looked as if she cried.
“We got really worried,” Windy said to Takaki and Hara nodding.
“Dakara, I said she was fine; didn’t even need to go to the hospital, see?” Arioka sighed from the doorway.
“ ’em pfine..” Diei said muffled from under Inoo’s arms. “Kei gerroff -”
“Daiki-san, I think the marinara’s not enough - ohh,” Yamada stopped short as he saw the packed room.
“What is he doing here?” Takaki demanded.
“Diei saved him from falling too hard from the stairs,” Jeyn answered quickly making everyone look at her. “That’s why she got the worse of it. He feels so guilty he wanted to make up for it in any way: cooking, waiting for news about her brother, dealing with Ueda-san..”
“Will he lick my shoes too?” Inoo asked innocently when Diei bit his left ear and bumped knees with his injured one. “ITTAII!??”
“Don’t even think I can’t wrestle you off with this shoulder because I will, I am,” proving her words when Diei twisted his right arm behind with her left hand and rested a knee on his back which the others oohed and clapped unconcernedly for Inoo.
“But I was going to help bath you and handfeed you - AAAHH!” Inoo cried in pain for real this time; Diei had shoved him deeper against the bed face down. “Time out! Time out!!”
“Haa.. I don’t think everything will be enough now,” Arioka finally turned away as Diei released Inoo who hugged Hara round the waist with one arm while the other reached out to yank Takaki tumbling on the king-sized bed ensuing some childish wrestling, shaking his head while planning a quick drive back to the groceries with Yamada as they descended the stairs.
“We’ll go!” Windy and Iel followed after them narrowly avoiding Inoo snatching at their hands. “We can’t stay anyway -”
“Good,” Diei breathed heavily massaging her right shoulder surreptitiously.
“Looks like Daiki found a boyfriend Jeyn!” Inoo teased as Takaki and Hara fell back on the bed laughing.
“Ohh get out, get out! You’ve seen Diei’s not so hurt, that’s why we didn’t call anyone,” Jeyn rolled her eyes. “Who -”
“Hikaru -”
“Hikaru.”
“Who else?”
“I’ll kill him,” Diei muttered under her breath. “Dead, I swear.”
~+~+~+~
Yaotome Hikaru sneezed, just as he put his cellphone down and lay back beside Do in the Hitomoris’ living room couch throwing an arm over her shoulder rousing her.
“Hey,” Do stirred as the program from the television shifted back to some night variety show from some sports game rerun Yaotome had it on before. “Sorry, I’m just so t-t-tiiiired..” She herself yawned and stretched.
“It’s okay, you had a long day,” Yaotome grunted. “Even more patients than a whole month combined and I wasn’t there to help.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you’d probably injure them more if you were there,” Do smiled to herself, nuzzling into his side a little more with her eyes still closed she just felt it when Yaotome couldn’t help but crack a smile with that.
“You finished sending everyone over Diei’s?”
“You are spending too much time with Diei you’re growing omniscient,” Yaotome said irritated. “How do you even know that?”
Do explained patiently. “You’ve been fiddling with your phone since we got here, and I’m already with you so you’re not texting me; you’re texting our friends. Daiki and Jeyn are probably too busy to reply to you cooking or showering or else wiping off Yamada’s remains from the teddy collection cabinets..” she paused to let Yaotome chuckle at this, “so you text our classmates and find out who can stay over there as long as they can.”
“I love you,” Yaotome said kissing the side of her head.
Do kissed him back on his collar. “I’ll say something nice to your funeral when Diei gets a hold of you because I love you too.”
Yaotome tried to lull her back to sleep stroking her hair repeatedly but Do knew he was staring at his phone.
“Thank you,” she said looking up at him abruptly.
“Hmm?”
“For staying,” Do elaborated and she truly meant it. She knew her mom was thankful too, though she regretted they didn’t just brought over Diei but Yaotome’s presence pacified Himeko knowing he wouldn’t be have left his childhood friend if she was in worse condition.
Yaotome snorted. “You’re kidding right? I’d rather spend the night here than an hour with that Yamada!”
Do sighed as she let her head fall back on his shoulder. “You can’t stop every guy from making a move on her forever.”
“Watch me.”
“Your siscon is so amusing,” Do chuckled.
“I just don’t want her getting hurt,” Yaotome explained for the millionth time frustratedly. “Or be fooled around with, or get taken advantaged of, or or…”
“Are you saying you don’t trust her judgment?” Do tested.
“No - I mean I do - but that’s not what I meant -”
She patted his chest. “Then there’s no harm letting her meet guys that she doesn’t see as friends or family.”
Yaotome was greatly put out with this though he could not argue with its reason and that’s when he saw his cellphone screen flashed.
“You’re relieved,” Do guessed as he read his text and felt his laughter through his body.
“Diei just wrestled Inoo single-handed, literally,” Yaotome was still chortling as he put down his phone permanently.
Ahh, fine, it’s not like she’d fall for the guy for certain.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
‘taku - short for ‘mataku’ meaning ‘honestly’
Aa, sou - Is that so ; used as ‘oh I see’ here
-chan - suffix used by speaker for younger female names/close people/cutesy namecalling
Dakara - That’s why
-san - suffix for both sexes ; used for formality
Ittai - usual japanese exclamation version of ‘Ouch’
siscon - sister complex (shisukon)