NBNM 16
I don’t remember how long I had been sitting in grandpa’s underground bedroom, but my butt was sure telling me that it was tired of sitting. I never knew old men could talk so long. I thought that was the job of their wives. Y’know, the old ladies who couldn’t really do much more than talk at their age? Yeah, those ones.
Though I have been sitting here forever and year I never noticed exactly what was off about this place. Maki hadn’t popped in a single time.
“Riiko, dear. I feel like I’m getting bedsores. Can you please wheel me around campus? I’m so tired of this dark, dank place---“
“I’m sorry, grandpa. I just remembered that I have to do some major studying tonight. I think I’ll be pulling an all-nighter at this rate.”
Oh, you horrible, horrible girl. Lying to an old, sick man.
“I’m sure Maki will take you around campus.”
I felt bad for throwing even more on Maki, but…
Something crashed in the other room. So maybe Maki was around after all.
“See? There he is now.” I kissed Grandpa on the forehead and made my leave, calling Maki’s name outside the door. I was in such a hurry to leave that I didn’t really make an effort to make sure he heard. Or that it was Maki at all. But who else knows about Grandpa’s underground home anyways?
------
Augh. I cramped up trying to skip home. I hopped it off and ran the rest of the way. Day was boiling, but night was as cold as it came without being dubbed winter. This spring uniform was no good for night time. It would’ve been nice if the designers added sleeves to this. Even short sleeves would make me happy.
I climbed the stairs of the dorm, totally feeling the burn and dreaming of how nice it would be to collapse on my bed. I dragged myself to my door hoping that I wouldn’t be jumped by the twins or Ako. Nothing happened as I was digging in my bag for the keys.
I wondered if I was just that tired. The next thing I knew, my face was smashed into the door.
“Princess!”
I lifted my head while rubbing my nose at the same time. Did something just jump on my head? And did Maki have something to do with this?
Maki jumped past me to catch something that zoomed out of the way just in time. Now Maki was rubbing his nose too.
“Animals are not appropriate get-well presents,” he murmured while standing up to compose himself.
“An animal? What…”
I spotted the little bugger pulling at its mouth tauntingly. It was a cute monkey, sure. But it was one devilish little thing. Took down both Maki and I.
“Maki, what’s a monkey doing here? I thought animals weren’t supposed to be on campus.”
“It wasn’t my idea,” he countered quickly. “One of the Headmaster’s friends from another school heard what happened and wanted to send something…I suppose they weren’t thinking very much,” Maki sighed trying to coax the monkey into his arms where it wouldn’t cause trouble anywhere else.
Maki was looking more ragged the longer I looked at him. I thought back to how I just left Grandpa in his hands…the poor guy.
Maki got down on his knees to pick up the monkey, but it hopped away again, using me as a springboard. He only exhaled another sigh.
“I can’t get anything done when it’s like this. When I had it in the office everything became ten times more hectic. All the forms have fallen and are all mixed together. I have to spend an extra night organizing them plus getting the work from today done, plus tomorrow’s, and I have to start processing those leave requests for the fall breaks…” Maki continued on his long rant about work. That handful of grandpa I shoved on him was starting to turn into a huge load from the way he was describing things.
I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, but, “I…I uh wouldn’t mind taking care of it until you organize yourself, Maki…”
“Huh?” He lifted his head with a completely exasperated expression. “No, Princess! No, absolutely not. I could never do that to you. You have your studies to work on. Not to mention finding a fiancée. You shouldn’t be using that time to take care of tricky animals!”
Maki could sure turn into a mother at this rate.
“Hey, you shouldn’t be talking. You graduate this year. I’ve still got two years. I hardly think my troubles are any comparison to yours.” I then kneeled to the floor trying to get the monkey to come to me. “What’s its name?”
He stared at me for a second then mumbled sheepishly, “Maka.”
I paused. “Maka….Maka, the monkey?”
He nodded seriously. The moment was tense.
I broke first. “Pffft. Alright, then. I’ll take care of monkey Maka….er, Maki.” I grinned secretively. “You go take care of what you need to do. I’ll keep her here.”
Maka started yanking on my hair. Yes, this was going to be one helluva night.
“Just try finding her a home while you’re at it.”
------
This monkey was bringing me back to my years of primary school. She bullied me more in half an hour than I was ever bullied in those six years. But she could never match my wits. This ironically, got me out of most of my bad situations. I silently applauded myself while chasing her around the room in defeat. Oh, the irony.
“Hey, I’m not very happy with you either! But you gotta deal with it. We’ll both be happy when you leave.” I rolled my eyes. Like she would ever listen to me.
Maka stopped bouncing around and perched herself atop my full-length mirror thoughtfully. Okay. So maybe she will listen, but for how long? I took her stillness as a chance to lie down.
What a day it’s been. First sex-ed class instead of phys-ed. I was just getting used to it, too. Plus getting stuck with my boyfriend of all people to do a sex organ labeling worksheet. Oh, how embarrassing. Then…I got dragged into joining drama club against my will, auditioned for a part I didn’t know about, hugged Kaito while sweaty and then having to sit with grandpa for several hours. I just want to sleep.
Maybe just a minute or two while the little monster was quiet…
“Oof!” Yeah, that wasn’t going to work out. She was going to make sure of that. She had hopped down onto my stomach using it as a cushion. “Ugh, you little-“
“Riiko! Are you home yet?” Oh, perfect timing. It was Jiao. Hurry; think of a reason for having a monkey in your room!
Maka started screeching like the monkeys in the zoo. And here I thought she was just slightly more civilized.
“O-one sec!”
She kept dodging my attempts to catch her and then started bounding for the door. Hah. Where was she gonna go? She can’t open a door! I got her now!
“Riiko-“ Oh, now he’s done it.
Jiao opened up the door. Maka pounced on her pretty-boy prey just as I was stumbling into him. I was expecting to crash into the door, not go through it.
“Whoa, Riiko,” he said while catching me. Oh, embarrassment seeps into my face. What was this, the third time today? I’m sure it’s been much more than that. “I uh…missed you too.” He laughed it off and brought me back to my feet.
I was confused. Didn’t he just have a monkey attack him? Where was Maka anyways? I leaned past Jiao to peer down the hall. She couldn’t have gone downstairs already, could she?
Jiao chuckled. “It seems to me that you’ve got a roommate now.”
“Hey, pretty lady. What’s your name?” When did Kei get here? Or was he always here? I didn’t notice and I didn’t care. Especially since he wasn’t even talking to me. He was talking to Maka. He called her a pretty lady. Why did I feel slightly offended? Didn’t I just say I didn’t care?
Maka took an automatic liking to Kei, much like most girls. She clung to his face, wrapping her tail around his shoulders. She tickled him with the tip. Kei laughed, handing her a banana that seemingly came out of nowhere.
“Right…she’s only temporary. Don’t get attached.” I glared Maka down with a dirty look. She replied, screeching her disdain. This only entertained our boyfriends. Her temporary one.
Jiao cleared his throat. “Anyways, we came to invite you to dinner with us.”
Dinner? But it’s not a weekend.
Jiao was quick to clear up my confusion. “Its cafeteria food, but its still dinner. And seeing as how Kei just picked up a date, we may as well double.”
I’m going to double date with a monkey and my second-worst enemy. I bet most people don’t get to experience this. …no, wait a second!
“Jiao, you know we’re not supposed to have animals on campus!” Insert Maka screech here. Apparently, she thinks she’s human. “I couldn’t bring her to a public place like the cafeteria. And who knows what kind of havoc she’d cause in such a big place!”
“She seems fine to me,” Kei defended. I wondered if he was doing it just to irritate me. “Maybe it’s just you. I’d get riled up around you too.” He grinned.
“Shut up, Kei.” Score for team JiaoRii.
Uh…there’s something missing here. Why go out with a monkey and not his real girlfriend? “What about Ako?”
Kei redirected his attention towards me instead of Maka’s stroking his head. “Huh? Oh, she’s got drama club duties. She told me she was meeting with the other club leaders for a huge project or something.”
Jiao changed the subject back. “So, are you gonna go?”
“I refuse,” I answered quickly, then realized that I turned him down while at the same time trying to save most of the student body. “Uh…because I’m still not convinced that she’ll”-glare at Maka-“behave.”
“No sweat,” Kei waved off my caution. “Don’t’cha have a leash or something? I don’t like holding a girl to me like that, but if you really insist.”
He definitely hasn’t forgotten our little dispute before the trip to China. And he’ll keep reminding me of it. I swear he’s done it in every sentence he’s ever said to me after that incident. Now he’s trying to make me sound like the bad guy. It would’ve never worked out between us.
“No, she didn’t come with one. Unfortunately.”
“Where’d she come from anyways?”
Jiao would ask that.
“My uh…parents…they sent it to me because they thought I was lonely.” Nice lie. “Silly parents, huh? Sending monkeys. Sheesh.” I laughed weakly.
“Isn’t that illegal?”
Maybe I wasn’t tricking Kei, but Jiao seemed to go along with it. “Haha, you must’ve come from somewhere exotic!”
“Right…anyways, I’m not going. I’m staying right here.” I pouted to make a point. Jiao will give up if I look cute and angry. Kei on the other hand…
“But Riiko,” he whimpered. Shoot. He counted with his own cuteness. Touché, Jiao. “Ako put me on Riiko duty.”
Now, if that didn’t sound creeper-ish, then I don’t know what does. “Sorry, come again?”
“Riiko duty? She said to make sure you eat more often than you have been. I know your studies are important, but you have to make room to be human too.”
“….can’t you start that tomorrow? I’ll find her a home tomorrow.”
Apparently, Maka didn’t want to leave. Not from Kei, anyways.
“You’re going home. Home to mom and dad. You’re not staying here.” I tapped Maka’s nose. I’m convinced that if she wasn’t hanging onto Kei or had a banana in her hand that she probably would’ve gouged my eyes out. Or at least scratched my face beyond recognition.
Kei frowned. “You don’t have to be so mean about it. Monkeys have feelings too.”
Jiao stepped forward through my door and pushed me back inside. “If you won’t go, then I’ll stay here too.”
“Woah, bro. Woah.” Kei covered his eyes like he was having a migraine. “This is as in control as I’ve ever seen you be. I didn’t know you could do that.”
“Shut up, Kei. Or I’ll tell the class how you’ve gone and-“
“Alright, backing off. Backing off.”
For a moment, I sat there trying to figure out what Kei did, but it didn’t last long.
“But Jiao…” It was my turn, but I didn’t really have anything to come back with that wouldn’t give him an easy break into dragging me out of my room.
He shook his head. “Unless you go, I’m staying here with you.”
Kei objected. “So I have to go eat by myself? I’ll be lonely. Ako’s not around…”
Maka yanked on his cheek, reminding him that she was still there.
Jiao sighed. “Kei, you’re sixteen.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t get lonely.”
“Yes, I know. You never leave me alone when you’re actually staying the night.”
Oh. Kei doesn’t stay home every night? I wonder where he goes off to. I’d suspect Ako’s room first, but I don’t think Tabitha would….or maybe she wouldn’t really care.
“I wanna eat, but not alone.”
“I’m sure you can find someone to eat with. Even if it isn’t Ako.”
“Ji-ji, c’mon! Riiko obviously doesn’t want you here.”
“Hey!” I growled. “I do too want him here. Just…not without his dinner.”
Though I have been sitting here forever and year I never noticed exactly what was off about this place. Maki hadn’t popped in a single time.
“Riiko, dear. I feel like I’m getting bedsores. Can you please wheel me around campus? I’m so tired of this dark, dank place---“
“I’m sorry, grandpa. I just remembered that I have to do some major studying tonight. I think I’ll be pulling an all-nighter at this rate.”
Oh, you horrible, horrible girl. Lying to an old, sick man.
“I’m sure Maki will take you around campus.”
I felt bad for throwing even more on Maki, but…
Something crashed in the other room. So maybe Maki was around after all.
“See? There he is now.” I kissed Grandpa on the forehead and made my leave, calling Maki’s name outside the door. I was in such a hurry to leave that I didn’t really make an effort to make sure he heard. Or that it was Maki at all. But who else knows about Grandpa’s underground home anyways?
------
Augh. I cramped up trying to skip home. I hopped it off and ran the rest of the way. Day was boiling, but night was as cold as it came without being dubbed winter. This spring uniform was no good for night time. It would’ve been nice if the designers added sleeves to this. Even short sleeves would make me happy.
I climbed the stairs of the dorm, totally feeling the burn and dreaming of how nice it would be to collapse on my bed. I dragged myself to my door hoping that I wouldn’t be jumped by the twins or Ako. Nothing happened as I was digging in my bag for the keys.
I wondered if I was just that tired. The next thing I knew, my face was smashed into the door.
“Princess!”
I lifted my head while rubbing my nose at the same time. Did something just jump on my head? And did Maki have something to do with this?
Maki jumped past me to catch something that zoomed out of the way just in time. Now Maki was rubbing his nose too.
“Animals are not appropriate get-well presents,” he murmured while standing up to compose himself.
“An animal? What…”
I spotted the little bugger pulling at its mouth tauntingly. It was a cute monkey, sure. But it was one devilish little thing. Took down both Maki and I.
“Maki, what’s a monkey doing here? I thought animals weren’t supposed to be on campus.”
“It wasn’t my idea,” he countered quickly. “One of the Headmaster’s friends from another school heard what happened and wanted to send something…I suppose they weren’t thinking very much,” Maki sighed trying to coax the monkey into his arms where it wouldn’t cause trouble anywhere else.
Maki was looking more ragged the longer I looked at him. I thought back to how I just left Grandpa in his hands…the poor guy.
Maki got down on his knees to pick up the monkey, but it hopped away again, using me as a springboard. He only exhaled another sigh.
“I can’t get anything done when it’s like this. When I had it in the office everything became ten times more hectic. All the forms have fallen and are all mixed together. I have to spend an extra night organizing them plus getting the work from today done, plus tomorrow’s, and I have to start processing those leave requests for the fall breaks…” Maki continued on his long rant about work. That handful of grandpa I shoved on him was starting to turn into a huge load from the way he was describing things.
I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, but, “I…I uh wouldn’t mind taking care of it until you organize yourself, Maki…”
“Huh?” He lifted his head with a completely exasperated expression. “No, Princess! No, absolutely not. I could never do that to you. You have your studies to work on. Not to mention finding a fiancée. You shouldn’t be using that time to take care of tricky animals!”
Maki could sure turn into a mother at this rate.
“Hey, you shouldn’t be talking. You graduate this year. I’ve still got two years. I hardly think my troubles are any comparison to yours.” I then kneeled to the floor trying to get the monkey to come to me. “What’s its name?”
He stared at me for a second then mumbled sheepishly, “Maka.”
I paused. “Maka….Maka, the monkey?”
He nodded seriously. The moment was tense.
I broke first. “Pffft. Alright, then. I’ll take care of monkey Maka….er, Maki.” I grinned secretively. “You go take care of what you need to do. I’ll keep her here.”
Maka started yanking on my hair. Yes, this was going to be one helluva night.
“Just try finding her a home while you’re at it.”
------
This monkey was bringing me back to my years of primary school. She bullied me more in half an hour than I was ever bullied in those six years. But she could never match my wits. This ironically, got me out of most of my bad situations. I silently applauded myself while chasing her around the room in defeat. Oh, the irony.
“Hey, I’m not very happy with you either! But you gotta deal with it. We’ll both be happy when you leave.” I rolled my eyes. Like she would ever listen to me.
Maka stopped bouncing around and perched herself atop my full-length mirror thoughtfully. Okay. So maybe she will listen, but for how long? I took her stillness as a chance to lie down.
What a day it’s been. First sex-ed class instead of phys-ed. I was just getting used to it, too. Plus getting stuck with my boyfriend of all people to do a sex organ labeling worksheet. Oh, how embarrassing. Then…I got dragged into joining drama club against my will, auditioned for a part I didn’t know about, hugged Kaito while sweaty and then having to sit with grandpa for several hours. I just want to sleep.
Maybe just a minute or two while the little monster was quiet…
“Oof!” Yeah, that wasn’t going to work out. She was going to make sure of that. She had hopped down onto my stomach using it as a cushion. “Ugh, you little-“
“Riiko! Are you home yet?” Oh, perfect timing. It was Jiao. Hurry; think of a reason for having a monkey in your room!
Maka started screeching like the monkeys in the zoo. And here I thought she was just slightly more civilized.
“O-one sec!”
She kept dodging my attempts to catch her and then started bounding for the door. Hah. Where was she gonna go? She can’t open a door! I got her now!
“Riiko-“ Oh, now he’s done it.
Jiao opened up the door. Maka pounced on her pretty-boy prey just as I was stumbling into him. I was expecting to crash into the door, not go through it.
“Whoa, Riiko,” he said while catching me. Oh, embarrassment seeps into my face. What was this, the third time today? I’m sure it’s been much more than that. “I uh…missed you too.” He laughed it off and brought me back to my feet.
I was confused. Didn’t he just have a monkey attack him? Where was Maka anyways? I leaned past Jiao to peer down the hall. She couldn’t have gone downstairs already, could she?
Jiao chuckled. “It seems to me that you’ve got a roommate now.”
“Hey, pretty lady. What’s your name?” When did Kei get here? Or was he always here? I didn’t notice and I didn’t care. Especially since he wasn’t even talking to me. He was talking to Maka. He called her a pretty lady. Why did I feel slightly offended? Didn’t I just say I didn’t care?
Maka took an automatic liking to Kei, much like most girls. She clung to his face, wrapping her tail around his shoulders. She tickled him with the tip. Kei laughed, handing her a banana that seemingly came out of nowhere.
“Right…she’s only temporary. Don’t get attached.” I glared Maka down with a dirty look. She replied, screeching her disdain. This only entertained our boyfriends. Her temporary one.
Jiao cleared his throat. “Anyways, we came to invite you to dinner with us.”
Dinner? But it’s not a weekend.
Jiao was quick to clear up my confusion. “Its cafeteria food, but its still dinner. And seeing as how Kei just picked up a date, we may as well double.”
I’m going to double date with a monkey and my second-worst enemy. I bet most people don’t get to experience this. …no, wait a second!
“Jiao, you know we’re not supposed to have animals on campus!” Insert Maka screech here. Apparently, she thinks she’s human. “I couldn’t bring her to a public place like the cafeteria. And who knows what kind of havoc she’d cause in such a big place!”
“She seems fine to me,” Kei defended. I wondered if he was doing it just to irritate me. “Maybe it’s just you. I’d get riled up around you too.” He grinned.
“Shut up, Kei.” Score for team JiaoRii.
Uh…there’s something missing here. Why go out with a monkey and not his real girlfriend? “What about Ako?”
Kei redirected his attention towards me instead of Maka’s stroking his head. “Huh? Oh, she’s got drama club duties. She told me she was meeting with the other club leaders for a huge project or something.”
Jiao changed the subject back. “So, are you gonna go?”
“I refuse,” I answered quickly, then realized that I turned him down while at the same time trying to save most of the student body. “Uh…because I’m still not convinced that she’ll”-glare at Maka-“behave.”
“No sweat,” Kei waved off my caution. “Don’t’cha have a leash or something? I don’t like holding a girl to me like that, but if you really insist.”
He definitely hasn’t forgotten our little dispute before the trip to China. And he’ll keep reminding me of it. I swear he’s done it in every sentence he’s ever said to me after that incident. Now he’s trying to make me sound like the bad guy. It would’ve never worked out between us.
“No, she didn’t come with one. Unfortunately.”
“Where’d she come from anyways?”
Jiao would ask that.
“My uh…parents…they sent it to me because they thought I was lonely.” Nice lie. “Silly parents, huh? Sending monkeys. Sheesh.” I laughed weakly.
“Isn’t that illegal?”
Maybe I wasn’t tricking Kei, but Jiao seemed to go along with it. “Haha, you must’ve come from somewhere exotic!”
“Right…anyways, I’m not going. I’m staying right here.” I pouted to make a point. Jiao will give up if I look cute and angry. Kei on the other hand…
“But Riiko,” he whimpered. Shoot. He counted with his own cuteness. Touché, Jiao. “Ako put me on Riiko duty.”
Now, if that didn’t sound creeper-ish, then I don’t know what does. “Sorry, come again?”
“Riiko duty? She said to make sure you eat more often than you have been. I know your studies are important, but you have to make room to be human too.”
“….can’t you start that tomorrow? I’ll find her a home tomorrow.”
Apparently, Maka didn’t want to leave. Not from Kei, anyways.
“You’re going home. Home to mom and dad. You’re not staying here.” I tapped Maka’s nose. I’m convinced that if she wasn’t hanging onto Kei or had a banana in her hand that she probably would’ve gouged my eyes out. Or at least scratched my face beyond recognition.
Kei frowned. “You don’t have to be so mean about it. Monkeys have feelings too.”
Jiao stepped forward through my door and pushed me back inside. “If you won’t go, then I’ll stay here too.”
“Woah, bro. Woah.” Kei covered his eyes like he was having a migraine. “This is as in control as I’ve ever seen you be. I didn’t know you could do that.”
“Shut up, Kei. Or I’ll tell the class how you’ve gone and-“
“Alright, backing off. Backing off.”
For a moment, I sat there trying to figure out what Kei did, but it didn’t last long.
“But Jiao…” It was my turn, but I didn’t really have anything to come back with that wouldn’t give him an easy break into dragging me out of my room.
He shook his head. “Unless you go, I’m staying here with you.”
Kei objected. “So I have to go eat by myself? I’ll be lonely. Ako’s not around…”
Maka yanked on his cheek, reminding him that she was still there.
Jiao sighed. “Kei, you’re sixteen.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t get lonely.”
“Yes, I know. You never leave me alone when you’re actually staying the night.”
Oh. Kei doesn’t stay home every night? I wonder where he goes off to. I’d suspect Ako’s room first, but I don’t think Tabitha would….or maybe she wouldn’t really care.
“I wanna eat, but not alone.”
“I’m sure you can find someone to eat with. Even if it isn’t Ako.”
“Ji-ji, c’mon! Riiko obviously doesn’t want you here.”
“Hey!” I growled. “I do too want him here. Just…not without his dinner.”