Just What Is He Planning?

We gathered in the dining room for dinner. Shinko served us pot roast, and we all started eating.

I looked towards Ryuji across from me, his eyes were darting back and forth between me and Shinko. Just what is he planning?

He cleared his throat, "Honey, don't you think it would be a good idea for us to go on a trip before I go back to work?"

She smiled, "That would be an excellent idea! But when and where would we go and for how long?"

She looked with expectation towards Ryuji.

He smiled, "Well... I was thinking we could go on Monday. We could go to a nearby village that has a famous hot spring and a beautiful surrounding environment. Let's say... For a week. I thought it would be good to get out since I'll have to go back to work soon."

She excitedly replied, "That's great! That settles it, we'll go Monday!"

Ryuji looked towards me, Asuya, and Jun, and smiled at us happily.

I-I don't think this will be that fun...

My face pales.

Was this perhaps, all because of me?

My face blackens and I look towards Asuya and Jun.

Are Asuya and Jun going to be upset because of me?

...Or not.

They sat in their chair smiling happily at the thought of going to an onsen.

Except, I don't think it is going to be that easy. Ryuji is definitely planning something.

I scrutinize Ryuji, watching for any hint of what he might be planning for us later.

He looked towards me, smiling and his eyes become crescents.

*Shiver*

I feel a cold shiver go down my spine.

I really hope nothing is being planned for us.

Shinko instructed, "Kids, go get packing. Monday is just around the corner~!"

Shinko looks bubbly and happy.

To think, that just a second ago I was being warned...

Asuya and Jun shout excitedly, "Yes!"

We quickly finished our meal and headed up the stairs. I worriedly trudged behind them.

What will happen if they find out it's because of me, that we might be going through a training in hell?

What if... They don't like me anymore?

Asuya and Jun looked over their shoulders and saw me trudging behind them with a darkened and pale face.

Asuya's voice rang out, "Rin, are you okay?"

I looked up, surprised, "Yeah, no... I'm just fine."

Jun looked at me in worry, and I smiled, "It's fine, I'm really okay."

"If you say so."

Asuya started walking up the stairs and into her bedroom, while Jun stayed behind.

He looked at my downcast face and met my disheartened eyes.

"A-are you really okay? You can tell us anything y-you know..."

I smiled and approached him, "Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

I gave his head a nuggie and his cheeks reddened.

"O-okay, okay I-I get it." He withdrew from my fist and ran up to his room, all the while avoiding eye contact.

Yep, definitely a girl.

I went after Asuya and into our room.

"Let's see here, what to bring... What to bring..."

She was rummaging through the closet and looking for clothes. She had two packs of sorts on the beg, opened and ready to be filled.

*Click*

Hearing the door close, she looked up, "Oh, Rin. Let's quickly start packing, we need to bring our clothes, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and every other necessity. We'll be staying there for a week or so, after all."

I nodded, "Okay."

I sat next to her and started packing from one side of the closet. We had split the closet into two parts, one for Asuya and one for me.

Yes, I now had my own clothes. Over the duration of several days, Shinko bought me some clothes while we were training. Now I no longer need to borrow Asuya's.

I slowly selected the clothes, the majority of it being training clothes. The training clothes were black tight shorts and white short sleeve shirts. My casual clothes consisted of cargo shorts and blue long pants, the shirts were either white short sleeve t-shirts with a black jacket or grey long sleeve shirts. My footwear consists of sandals and white and black sneakers.

Speaking of which, now that I think of it most of them are plain colors and stuff that boys would wear. She didn't mistake me for a boy did she? Or maybe she thought I was more suited for them? Well, whatever. I like them anyway.

I threw the training clothes into the bag, with the casual clothes following after.

Asuya stared at me as I did this, "Why are the majority of your packed clothes, training clothes?"

I looked at her and stared, she stared at me back.

I came out, "Well, you see Asuya. It might be my fault."

"What do you mean?"

...

I explained to her what had happened.

"Oh. So I had better pack some more training clothes then."

I was puzzled, wasn't I supposed to get yelled at?

I looked at her in bewilderment, "You aren't angry?"

"No. I mean, it's not like I completely expected it to be without any training."

I sighed in relief, "I see, thank goodness."

"Also, it's not Jun or me who got on his bad side... It's you." She pointed at me.

Me? Ah, that's true. It would be really petty after all, if Ryuji decided to punish all of us for what I did...

Wait, so that means...?

I panicked and escaped from reality, 'No~! Hellish training abort! Hellish training abort!'

I sat down on the ground and hugged my knees, 'While I'm training they get to go to an onsen? Was that what he planned?'

I felt like crying, now I've really done myself in.

"Don't feel upset... It'll just make you stronger anyway, that way you can be as strong or even stronger than our past life, right?"

I looked up and her, sighing. My depression seemed to fly away.

She's right. Getting strong is what matters in the end, and I shouldn't forget my ultimate goal. I'll need to be as strong as possible to fight with whoever destroyed my family!

I stood up, "You're right. Thanks, Asuya."

She stood up and smiled, "Well it's good you're getting back to your normal self. Now let's start packing!"

She threw in a few training clothes in her bag, just in case.

I finished packing sooner than her, as I didn't have much to select from anyways.

Shinko came into our room to check our luggage.

"You girls almost finished?"

Asuya said, "Almost!"

I raised my hand, "I myself finished."

She came over to the bed and checked what I had packed. She had some difficulty since I just threw it in there. Dumping everything out she neatly placed it back inside while making sure I have everything.

"Toothbrush check, clothes check, toothpaste check, brush check, check, check and check! It's a pass, you're all packed and ready to go."

She got up and zipped my bag up for me, then exited the room while saying, "I'm going to check up on Jun, let me know when you finish, Asuya."

I laid back on the bed as Asuya packed and stared up at the ceiling, 'Monday, huh...'

The day passed quickly, all of us finished packing. Monday was just around the corner and fast approaching.

...

It was now mid-night, Asuya was asleep and laid by my side.

I contemplated everything that happened, 'That fox had appeared a week ago from my necklace, but just exactly... How, did that work?'

I picked up my necklace and held it in my hands. I looked into its white wooden carven eyes that seemed to stare back at me, emptily.

I grasped it tightly, thinking back to my parents and the training that happened recently.

'My parents weren't in the house's ruins... I wonder where they are? Or if they died?'

'That's right, I've also had my necklace that my mom used to wear.'

I put back the fox carved necklace and grabbed my mother's sun necklace.

I held it up above my laying figure, 'So beautiful... Just as my mother was. She looked... almost like a princess.'

I envisioned her holding me as a baby, and my father that stood behind her.

She had beautiful white hair that went down past her waist, and her eyes were a beautiful snow white and were pupilless. My father had red spiky hair and had strong facial features, with beautiful azure eyes. I had taken after my father with most of my looks, yet had my mother's facial features.

*Sigh~*

I laid back and tried to fall asleep, but couldn't.

...

I was awake for the whole night, daybreak slowly starting to spread throughout the sky.

I sat upright and looked out the window.

The sun was slowly rising, yet I couldn't get an ounce of sleep.

I thought back to what Asuya told me.

Asuya was right. I need to train, even if I don't necessarily find it fun.

I crossed my legs and started to meditate to increase my chakra, closing my eyes.

I spun it for hours without breaking the cycle.

...

"Mhm.."

I opened my eyes and stopped my meditation, looking towards Asuya as she slowly started to sit upright, rubbing her eyes in the process. She looked to her side to see me next to her, with my legs crossed. Her mouth dropped and her eyes widened, her hands that rubbed her eyes falling to her side.

She said groggily as she stared at me, "Were you training instead of sleeping?"

"Yeah." I couldn't fall asleep, so yes. I've decided to train, good idea right?

"Were you so affected by my words yesterday that you decided to sacrifice your sleep to train?"

She seemed to be conjuring a misunderstanding. I mean, her words did affect me. But not quite to the point that I would mindlessly train, day after day...

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to train instead."

She scrutinized my face, "Riiight..."

It's true! Are you doubting me?

I mean, I realize that I should focus more on training, but I also realize sleep is important. It's just, this time I couldn't sleep.

"But-"

She changed the subject, "The rest should be awake already, or soon at the least. We need to make sure we have everything we want to bring and eat breakfast. We will be leaving early today."

Okay, I guess I couldn't correct her. So I guess this means that she now has some weird misunderstanding about me.

Well, whatever. We better hurry up, don't want to make anyone wait on us.

"I think I have everything. After all, all I need is just the basic necessities."

She sighed, "Alright, go eat breakfast. I'm sure we'll be leaving soon."

I nodded and headed out the door, bumping into someone.

"Ugh!" (x2)

We collided and fell down.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

I looked in front of me.

Jun was down on the ground and had his luggage scattered about around him. His bag nearby.

'I better help him put them back. It's my fault after all.'

He looked up towards me, "I-I'm okay..."

He noticed that I had already grabbed his bag and started to pack everything neatly back into it.

One by one, I grabbed each piece of clothing and neatly folded them. I grabbed his socks, jeans, shirts, everything else and put them back in an orderly fashion into his bag.

Next, I grabbed a pair of his boxers, thinking nothing of it, and held it up above me and contemplated. I folded that too, putting it into his bag.

He was surprised and blushed, his eyes becoming glazed and he looked down while fidgeting.

Is he embarrassed?

I zipped up the bag and finished packing it in mere minutes.

While my folding couldn't compare to Shinko, surely it is good enough, right? ...Or not.

"There you go! I finished packing it for you!"

I got up and put my hand in front of Jun, waiting for him to let me help him up. It's common courtesy, you know...

He looked away from my eyes and seemed to think for a while.

Was my hand not good enough? You want a foot too, huh?

Well, fine. I guess, that might be common courtesy too.

Just as my mind was wondering while thinking about what proper courtesy is, he grabbed my hand while still blushing and avoided eye contact.

He seemed to be thinking, 'How awkward...'

But in reality, he was really thinking, 'She grabbed my underwear...'

I proposed, "Let's go get breakfast."

He said timidly, "S-sure..."

We went down the stairs and went into the dining room.

I told him, "Take a seat, I'll get us some food. What kind of breakfast do you want?"

He nervously fidgeted, "I'd like some cereal."

Was he maybe still not used to me? He ought to treat me like his adopted sister, Asuya, though...

"Okay. Right on it."

I went into the kitchen and grabbed a nearby chair, pulling it up to the counter and got on it. I grabbed the cereal box and climbed back down, pushing the chair over to the bowl cabinet and grabbed two small bowls and spoons.

I brought them back to the dining room and placed them both next to each other, and put cereal in. Leaving the cereal on the dining table. I went back to the kitchen and got the milk and poured it in for both of us.

"Bon appetit."

It means good appetite, aka, enjoy your meal.

I don't think he should understand this, it's literally french. But it's also said by the Japanese and English folk and I'd generally say that if he knows this he should be surprised. If he doesn't then he won't react or care, as is fitting for a young child.

I said this to test him, was he really just like us? Or was there a reason for him to never complain?

I looked for a reaction in him. However, several seconds pass and he doesn't respond. I guess that means he isn't like us...

As we were in the middle of eating our breakfast, Shinko came down the stairs.

She looked towards Jun and I, "Oh? You already got breakfast? That's good. But I had no idea you were both able-"

"Not me," Interrupted Jun, "Rin got me breakfast."

She looked towards me in amazement, "I had no idea. That's amazing."

She continued, "We'll be leaving soon, so I'm glad you got breakfast already."

Asuya came down the stairs, "I thought so. Rin was already awake, she was meditating really early in the morning."

I added, "It wasn't that early. In fact, the timing was just perfect, as you had woken up right after I started training."

Ryuji came down the stairs as well, "Eat breakfast quickly, Asuya. We'll be leaving soon."

"Yes."

He looked with curiosity towards me, "You were training early in the morning?"

Asuya interrupted, "It was right after I told her it was benefitting her to train and get stronger."

He nodded, "I see... It most certainly is beneficial for you to train. That's why you should do it wholeheartedly, just like me."

We both thought, 'As crazily as you, you mean?'