**
Under the night sky, Akari and Koji looked at each other.
They were at the peak of a few stone stairs which lead to Akari’s house. Her door was only a few feet away, and yet the two just stood.
Reason being…
‘Should I say something..?’
Having to leave Akari without saying or doing something was gnawing at Koji.
The reason Akari stood there with him was because she, too, was partially hoping for something to happen.
But Koji wasn’t gonna do anything. Instead, his face just got red. In response, Akari’s did too.
This prompted the two to look away from each other in embarrassment. Then, Akari thought it best to end the awkward situation.
“W-Well, I’m gonna get going… Thanks for walking me home, Koji.”
At first she looked away from him, but as she spoke her last sentence, she flashed a smile.
With that she began to reach her hand out towards a slightly rusted doorknob.
*creeek
The door opened.
But it wasn’t Akari who did so.
Akari continued to stand there, as the door opened with her hand still out. Now it simply looked as if she was reaching for nothing.
“Oh..! Akari! I heard some noise outside so I thought I’d open the door. Didn’t think it would be you though…”
Ella Anzai stood within the door frame, one hand on the knob and the other on her hip. She had a pure grin on her face as she spoke, her expression soft and warm.
Immediately, Akari frowned. She seemed to forget about Koji entirely, and simply stormed past her elder sister. Both Koji and Ella watched until she was out of sight in the comfort of her house.
Then, the two were left with only each other.
Ella looked at Koji, then flashed an even brighter smile.
“Oh! Does Akari have a boyfriend..?”
Her voice was pure and her tone inquisitive.
While Ella was being calm and friendly, Koji was shaken and nervous.
Such a shameless question after just meeting him…
“O-Oh no no no… Sadly I’m not anything of the sort.” Koji said as he waved his hands to plead towards innocence.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
In response, Ella just stared at him, with a deadpan expression.
“Sadly?”
Suddenly, Koji was staring at Ella with a dead expression, reverting back to his panicky innocence soon after.
“N-N-No no no… That’s… that’s not what I meant…”
Ella smiled.
“Mhm, okay kiddo..!”
“Seriously..!”
The two stood in silence for a few seconds after, Koji staring at the ground in solemn defeat and Ella smiling as if she just revealed a great secret.
Then, she wasn’t smiling.
Koji propped his head up to see Ella with a scornful expression.
She was mad.
She was angry.
Furious.
But at the same time, she was… happy..?
“Well, I’m glad. Stay away from Akari then.”
Her tone was serious, her voice domineering.
“Huh?”
Koji was too shocked to even respond properly, or give a contrasting expression to his puzzled voice.
“I said stay away from Akari. She’s a cancer to anyone she gets involved with.”
‘What..?’
“Well if you understand, get going… Hopefully I never see you here again.”
Then, Ella closed the door.
Tried, to close the door.
Koji jammed his hand upon the slightly corroded wood, then gave a dirty glance at Ella as he forced the door open.
Ella became bewildered as Koji grew more… fierce..?
…Less Koji like, atleast.
“What’re yo-“
“Who the hell are you to talk like that?!?”
“Huh?”
Koji was very quick to defend Akari.
“I said, who the hell do you think you are to bad mouth Akari like that???”
Koji stared at Ella with a fierce gaze, causing her to shudder a bit.
“Who am I? I’m the sister who was forced to live through her mistakes! That damned curse caused me and my mom so much grief… and yet you defend her??!”
Koji simply continued his stare, saying nothing.
“It seems you don’t know! Ha-Ha-Ha! Though, it makes sense… Why would that sore talk about her near pitiful life???”
Ella chuckled hysterically.
…But Koji was not amused.
“Stop talking nonsense just to talk nonsense… I’m sure… No, I know Akari has had a hard enough life without an awful sister such as you…”
“Why thank you for calling me an awful sister! That’s been my goal after all- an eye for an eye… right? That curse of a sister is the one who created such a “hard life”, and yet you defend her not knowing that. Disgusting.”
Koji and Ella stared at each other for a few seconds, until Koji broke the silence.
“So what if I don’t know what she did or did not do? Akari is Akari, so whether she hides something from me or not doesn’t matter, because either way Akari is still Akari. If she did something morbid, she would be in jail, if she did nothing on the other hand, she would be in her house- unbeknownst to her sister yelling at a certain Koji Thompson. You are by far the worst person I’ve ever laid eyes upon during my life, and yet you have the nerve to persecute your own sister.”
Ella simply looked at Koji in response, then said:
“Tensai’s brother, huh?”
Koji was quick to correct her
“Shut up. Don’t speak my brother's name. In fact, don’t speak Akari’s name either. You don’t have the right to speak their names. Both of them are the nicest people I've ever met, while you are the exact opposite. Scum.”
“Then what does that make you, who has the audacity to talk bad about me, and yet praise such a curse?”
“…Whatever is above scum.”
Koji swiftly turned around as he slammed the door shut behind him. On the other side of the door, Ella stood staring- staring at where Koji was before there was wood in her face.
As Koji walked away, furious, Ella continued with her previous activities.
Ella tried to seem unbothered by the sudden argument, but to no avail.
Koji on the other hand openly showed his malice as he walked the dark streets.
But, the one who had the most trouble with their emotions, was the one sitting on top the creaky, wooden staircase.
Akari sat with her knees tucked into her chest, as she sat on the last step.
She was crying.
Yet, under those tears, hidden behind her knees, was a faint smile.
**
End Chapter 17:
Fondness or Anger