[Action Thread] “336 Point Something” [Hoshibi, Hoshino]
[[backdated to the day Kiba first expressed interest in getting her grades up for track]]
She was exactly five minutes and thirty six seconds late. They both knew it.
As she let herself in, Hoshino could feel the tension almost rippling through their silent home. Her mother would be in the study now, and probably knew how late she was to the millisecond.
(The girl had come to this conclusion through scientific observation: on the days the entomologist worked at home, she noticed when her daughter was a minute late; at a minute and thirty seconds, she went into the kitchen to turn off the tea water; at two minutes, she stood by the door; at two minutes and thirty seconds, she opened the door; at three minutes, she closed the door and returned to her study; at four minutes, she resumed her work; at five minutes, she started watching the digital clock on the far wall with half her attention to know exactly how late her daughter was. That was the nearest approximation Hoshino could make without actually having been present until the moment of her own arrival.)
At least she had a reason for being late this time. The last few days (3 minutes 14 seconds, 4 minutes 34.5 seconds, and 2 minutes 45 seconds, most recently) had been without excuse. Hoshino had lamely blamed transportation on every occasion, enduring the deafening silence as best as she could before she was released to her own room to study. Today’s excuse was the favour Kiba had asked. Admittedly, ‘Inuzuka Kiba’ was hardly a ticket to approval around the Aburame home, but in light of the context…
Slipping off her shoes, Hoshino moved silently to the kitchen. The water would only take a moment to reheat. She would ask her mother about tutoring when she brought in her tea.
She was exactly five minutes and thirty six seconds late. They both knew it.
As she let herself in, Hoshino could feel the tension almost rippling through their silent home. Her mother would be in the study now, and probably knew how late she was to the millisecond.
(The girl had come to this conclusion through scientific observation: on the days the entomologist worked at home, she noticed when her daughter was a minute late; at a minute and thirty seconds, she went into the kitchen to turn off the tea water; at two minutes, she stood by the door; at two minutes and thirty seconds, she opened the door; at three minutes, she closed the door and returned to her study; at four minutes, she resumed her work; at five minutes, she started watching the digital clock on the far wall with half her attention to know exactly how late her daughter was. That was the nearest approximation Hoshino could make without actually having been present until the moment of her own arrival.)
At least she had a reason for being late this time. The last few days (3 minutes 14 seconds, 4 minutes 34.5 seconds, and 2 minutes 45 seconds, most recently) had been without excuse. Hoshino had lamely blamed transportation on every occasion, enduring the deafening silence as best as she could before she was released to her own room to study. Today’s excuse was the favour Kiba had asked. Admittedly, ‘Inuzuka Kiba’ was hardly a ticket to approval around the Aburame home, but in light of the context…
Slipping off her shoes, Hoshino moved silently to the kitchen. The water would only take a moment to reheat. She would ask her mother about tutoring when she brought in her tea.