Chapter 9

I tried to sneak into the house at 4am. Since I fell asleep with Hachiko it was much later than I was hoping. What I didn’t know was what was waiting for me at home. As I opened the door, to my surprise Maki was standing there with her hands on her hips like she was getting ready to scold me.

...and she did.

“Kazuhito! Do you know what time it is?! Is this what you do?! Stay out at all hours of night, not letting your cute, amazing little sister know where you are?! Are you insane?! I was so worried about you?! You can’t even call your sister?! The caring little sister who is always waiting at home for you every night?!”

“Ummm…”

“Answer me Kazuhito!”

“Well, I’m not sure if you’re trying to scold me or praise yourself.”

“BOTH!”

“I...well...bah! Yeah, sorry Maki. I should have called. You’re right.”

“What if you were kidnapped? Or some alien abducted you and they were probing you with their weird long fingers.”

“Maki!?”

“What?”

“I get it sis. I understand that you were worried. I kind of fell asleep and only woke up like 30 minutes ago.”

“I can’t believe you! Worrying me like that.”

“When did you become my mother?”

“When you clearly showed you needed one!”

I wanted to say something in response but thought better of it and just gave in.

“I appreciate your concern Maki. I hope you can forgive your stupid brother.”

“I guess so. I wouldn’t be the bestest, cutest, most amazing little sister if I didn’t.”

“Wow. You really are spoiled.”

“Sooooooooooo...where were you Kazu? Were you with your girlfriend?”

“She’s not my girlfriend. But I was with the person you mentioned.”

“That answer was kind of formal Kazu. Are you about to ask the master for more advice?”

“Master? You’re still calling yourself that Miss No Boyfriend?”

“I am allowing you the pleasure of asking me a question. Don’t mock me peasant!”

I picked Maki up and threw her over his shoulder like a caveman. I carried her to the living room and dumped her on the couch, then proceeded to sit on the floor like I always do when talking to her.

“I’m going to let that slide for now. Anyway, I need help with clothes. Can you be serious for a minute and help me?”

“Kazu. I was seriously worried about you. If something happens to you….”

“Maki. Were you really that worried about me? I promise I’ll do better in the future.”

“You better.”

“Can you help me now?”

“Ask your question peasant!”

“We’re going to talk about this peasant thing, shrimp. Anyway, I told you this woman is super tall right? How can I get clothes for a woman that tall?”

“Have you thought about learning to sew?”

“Me? No way. I like my fingers.”

Maki stretched her hand out to me. She was trying to get the numbers from me.

“You have measurements right? I know you write everything down, nerd boy.”

Maki has always been a brat. But she was always trying to help me out in her weird way. I pulled out the measurements which I wrote on a long sheet of paper and rolled up. It looked like a scroll as I unfurled it and put it in her hand.

“Nerd.”

She was pushing it so I picked up one of Maki’s teddy bears and threw it at her. As usual I hit her right in the middle of her forehead.

“KAZU! You’re going to give me brain damage if you keep doing that! How is your aim so good anyway?!”

“Guess I’m not such a nerd afterall.”

“Yeah right. You probably calculated the trajectory or something…”

“Can you be serious Maki?”

Maki started to look over the numbers and realized just how tall the woman was that they we were talking about.

“Ummm...Kazu...this can’t be right. That would mean she’s like 8 feet tall.”

“She might be...”

“Wait a minute. Are you telling me that you measured her yourself? With your nerd hands? Your nerd hands touched a woman?!”

“Hey! You’re making it sound like I….”

It was then when I remembered I haven't had a girlfriend yet so my sister was not wrong in her amazement, I guess. Though she seemed more amazed that her brother, who she deemed a nerd, had touched a woman. Give me some credit...

“Going to finish that sentence mister!?”

“No.”

“So you measured her hips too? And her chest? Kazu...you’re finally growing up!”

I got up from the floor and walked over to her.

“Maki. Forgive me for this.”

“For what?”

With that, I flicked her in the middle of her forehead with enough force to make her fall back. She grabbed her forehead with both hands before screaming at me.

“KAZUHITO!!!”

“Are you done making fun of me?”

“Yes….stupid nerd boy.”

I went back and sat on the floor again and started digging through my bag for another piece of paper that I handed to Maki.

“This is what I drew. This is what I’m thinking for an outfit for her.”

“Wow Kazu. That’s so elegant. But why tights under a skirt? That might get hot.”

“She has very fair skin so it’s to protect her from sunlight. I want to do some type of long gloves too.”

“I don’t know how we can do this Kazu. No women are this tall. Maybe if you buy something then buy some extra material and sew it together. I can teach you.”

“Really!??! Thank you Maki. Thank you. I’ll give you anything. You’re the best.”

“You already know what I want Kazu. Make it happen.”

“If we can do this and make clothes for her then I will let you meet her when the time is right.”

“I won’t push you anymore. But if you break your word I will never talk to you again.”

“What if me and her stop talking?”

“NEV...ER.”

“Actually, you not talking might be a good thing.”

Maki grabbed the remote control and threw it at me. She happened to hit me in the same spot I always hit her. Right in the middle of his forehead. But I threw teddy bears at her, not hard ass remote controls. He fell back from the hit and was laying flat on my back, motionless.

“Holy crap. That freakin hurt Maki. What the hell.”

“Kazu. Kazu. Kazu! Uh oh. I think I killed him.”

Maki got off the couch and ran over to check on me. She kneeled down, checking the lump she gave me on my forehead. I was still lying motionless but was conscious the whole time. I wanted to play a trick on her for that one. She could have knocked me the hell out if she was stronger.

“I can’t believe I did that. I didn’t mean to throw that remote Kazu. Don’t be dead. Don’t be dead! I’ll be good. Wake up Kazu!! Wake up!!!!”

I was still lying motionless. Maki leaned in again, really close this time, to look at my forehead.

“That looks really bad. Why did I have to do that? Wake up Kazu.”

Maki started shaking me but was also crying and as the tears dropped on my face, I decided to react. I didn’t want the shrimp to cry. I just wanted to tease her a little.

“Maki, are you trying to kiss me? You’re way too close.”

“KAZU!!!!!!!”

I sat up and Maki hugged me like she hadn’t seen me for a year.

“I’m so sorry Kazu. I thought I killed you.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“To make up for what I did I will help you and you don’t even need to bring your girlfriend here. This is my punishment for hurting you.”

“That’s very grown up of you Maki. You’re still a brat though.”

But I came to a decision that I didn’t think I would.

“Maki. I won’t make any promises but I might let you meet her. Soon. But you have to keep your word and help me. So let’s get started.”

“For me to help you, we have to go shopping. Get your wallet ready!”

Back at the store, Hideki was plotting something.

Hideki was talking to Sato about me and how he confronted me on that day he took off.

“Hey Sato, how do you feel about Kazuhito?”

“He seems alright to me dude.”

Hideki takes this time to try to get Sato on his side so he can have him help with his plan to figure out why Kazuhito hasn’t been heading straight home everyday when he knows he takes care of his sister.

“I guess you never saw his dark side. Don’t ever piss him off.”

“Really? He really seems kind of mellow, except when you two go at it.”

“The other day when I took time off, I saw him in the street and he was going to fight me right there. That’s why I came in the last few hours. I didn’t want him to kick my ass.”

“Hmmm…? He doesn’t seem like the type.”

“Remember how he always says he’s going home to take care of his sister? Well I see him going in the other direction like every other day.”

“Maybe he has a girlfriend or something.”

“Nope. I asked him. He won’t tell me what he’s doing.”

“So you want to spy on him?”

“I need to make sure he’s not getting into trouble that could fall back on the store but I can’t be the one to do it. If he notices me it’ll cause problems.”

“So you want ME to spy on him?!”

“Want a fast path to management?”

“That’s dirty, Hideki. But I am concerned if you think he might be getting into something. I’ll consider it.”

Hideki thought to himself. “Great. Now I can find out what he’s doing and I don’t have to be the one following him.”

“Kazuhito works tomorrow, if he goes the other direction, I’ll give you a signal. I’ll cover your spot at the store.”

“Ok. Hopefully it’s nothing and you’re just being worried for your friend.”

“Yeaaaah. Worried for my friend.”