"Neko-chan?"
Mi-chan's voice interrupted the pleasant dream Neko was having. She and Tenshi had been in a beautiful flower-filled field and they were having a very nice time. Be that as it may, she always woke up when Mi-chan called.
"Mi-chan�," she said drowsily. "There was something I wanted to tell you�."
"That your girlfriend is even more of a romantic than you?"
"Tenshi-kun?" Neko tried to figure out how Tenshi had entered into the conversation. Did Mi-chan pick up on her dream?
"Yeah, she came to see you. She's waiting in the hall."
"Oh!" Neko put a hand up to her head to check how her hair was.
"You look fine." Mi-chan pulled her to her feet.
As she pushed her toward the door, Neko remembered her news. "Oh, Mi-chan! Hoshi-chan's coming!"
"Nani?"
"She's coming! On Thursday! Her mom's coming to Earth for a convention, and she's bringing Hoshi-chan. Oh, and Mom says she can stay here!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tenshi heard squealing in the other room. She peeked in the family room to see Neko and Mi-chan jumping up and down. "Something exciting happen?"
Just like that, they both stopped. Mi-chan because squealing and bouncing was not something she ever
planned to do in front of other people. Neko because Tenshi was there, and that required a certain amount of composure.
"Hoshi-chan's coming on Thursday," she explained.
"Wait! I have a race that day," Mi-chan complained. "An official one, not just with the boys."
"She'll be here for over a week. You'll see plenty of her. Besides I have pole vault practice when she leaves, so it's no biggie," Neko assured her. "The only thing is�," her excitement died down a little, "I was kinda counting on you and your bike. Mom and Dad are using the car that day. It's awkward to have the sidecar on mine while someone else is on the bike with me, and otherwise, I can't fit Hoshi and her luggage."
"Why don't I drive you?" Tenshi offered. "My convertible can easily fit Hoshi-san and her luggage. And you, of course."
Neko squealed again and ran to Tenshi to hug her. "Like it's such a terrible burden," Tenshi laughed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The shuttle had finally landed.
"They're here! They're here!" Tenshi put her hand on Neko's shoulder to keep her from bouncing. It was a reflex reaction from years of dealing with a hyperactive sister. Unfortunately, Neko was aware of that.
"I'm not Puroko-chan, Tenshi-kun." She brushed Tenshi's hand off, not really all that cross.
Tenshi pretended to sulk. "Did you get cranky all of a sudden, Koneko?" she said with a mock-pout that was all-flirt.
And that's when Neko remembered. Her eyes widened. *Oh, no!* She glanced at Tenshi, taking in with horror the outfit she had been pleased by earlier. *Of all the days for Tenshi-kun to dress girly-* How could she have forgotten to warn her?
But before she could say a thing, she was distracted by the arrival of Hoshi and her mother.
"Neko-chan!" Hoshi ran across gate B12 and threw herself at her friend.
"Welcome to Earth," Neko laughed as she tried to keep her balance after practically being knocked over by her friend. Hoshi finally released her. "Welcome, Ichijouji-san," Neko added, bowing to Hoshi's mother.
"Konnichi wa, Neko-chan. Where's your sister?"
"Mom, I told you! Neko-chan's picking me up alone because Mi-chan's at a race."
Tenshi cleared her throat behind Neko, reminding her that she wasn't quite alone.
"Ara, Hoshi-chan, Ichijouji-san, this is my- This is Tenshi. Tenshi-kun, this is Hoshi and her mother." Neko was so used to introducing Tenshi as her koibito that she almost had done it automatically. But she couldn't do that today. Tenshi's cute black tank top with the lavender heart on it pretty much gave away her gender. And Neko couldn't tell Hoshi that she was dating a girl.
But she had to tell her something. Hoshi's eyes were begging her for an explanation for Tenshi's presence.
"Ano, Tenshi-kun is- She's, uh-"
"Hoshi-san, you are the twins' best friend from Mercury, right?" Tenshi interrupted confidently, though slightly formally. "I am Koneko's best friend here on Earth. I am so very pleased to meet you. I have heard a lot about you." She held out her hand as a friendly gesture to Hoshi. The gesture was met with narrowed eyes.
"Funny, Neko-chan's never even mentioned your name. Or is it Koneko now?" she asked Neko pointedly.
"It's just a nickname." Neko tried to keep her voice as confident as Tenshi's had been, but failed. She knew that Hoshi knew how much she hated to be called "Koneko-chan." "Anyway, my parents needed the car, so Tenshi-kun offered to drive. Do you need a ride to the hotel as well, Ichijouji-san?"
"Arigatou, Neko-chan. And Tenshi-chan, as well. But Inobeeshon Inc., has offered me a rental car. So, why don't we go get our luggage, and then you girls can go?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The entire way to the baggage claim terminal Neko wouldn't look at either Tenshi or Hoshi. Finally, while waiting for Hoshi's bags to come down the conveyor belt, Tenshi got her attention.
"Ne, Koneko, I'm going to the restroom. Come with me?"
Neko nodded her understanding. But she couldn't just leave Hoshi here. "Hoshi-chan, do you need to use the restroom?" Hoshi shook her head. "Okay, Tenshi-kun and I will meet you back here then."
She smiled and waved as Tenshi grabbed her hand and led her off, far from Hoshi. But she didn't feel much like smiling.
Neither did Hoshi. "What? 'Tenshi-kun' couldn't make it to the bathroom herself?" she asked no one in particular.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tenshi pulled Neko into the nearly empty used bookstore and into the completely empty sci-fi/fantasy section. "I hope you didn't really need the bathroom," Tenshi said lightly.
"Tenshi-kun!" Neko cried, as she threw her arms around Tenshi and buried her face into her shoulder. She didn't know whether to apologize for not telling her or to thank her for handling it so capably.
To her surprise, Tenshi began to chuckle. "I'm sorry, Koneko. It's not funny. It's just the situation�. I- I wasn't expecting it."
"You were wonderful! Knew just what to say!"
"Well, I've done it before," Tenshi confessed.
"Oh," they both lapsed into an awkward silence.
Finally, Tenshi made a move. She crossed her arms and leaned against the bookshelf with a sigh. "So what do you want to do? Should I cool it on the 'Koneko' thing?"
Neko shook her head. "Iya! I couldn't handle it. Besides, she already picked up on it, it'd just be more problematic if we change it now. I'll just explain it somehow to Hoshi-chan. Just- We'll just have to keep our relationship to ourselves. And maybe not hang out as much," she suggested painfully.
Home
