5. Text, PSA | Not even bothered to be locked from Minato

[greatseal]

Attn: Ladies especially

attached: minato.jpg

My brother Minato is recovering from mono! That means he's still contagious. So if he takes you out somewhere, don't kiss him, even though he's cute. Or share straws or chopsticks. (And it might be good to wash your hands if you touch him but try to do it quietly because he's sensitive.)

But he is getting better and he's been sleeping all month, so if you see him you should say hello and get to know him! He's a really nice guy when he isn't full of germs. ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ He likes music and listening to people talk to him, and he'd really love to make some new friends.

[This post comes with only the best of sisterly intentions. Minato may love to sleep, but she'd seen how grumpy he'd gotten with almost a month of enforced bed rest. It was time for him to get out and meet new people, and what better way than to give him a not-so-gentle push?

Whatever her purpose was though, it got a reaction. Minako didn't bother to wait until her brother was asleep again to post, so not too long after her PSA goes up, another message quickly follows from a somewhat embarrassed and rather annoyed Minato.]

Please disregard most of what my sister has posted here! Except the part about mono.

But I'm not sensitive, and I'm not looking for anyone to kiss right now. [He has a kind of sort of girlfriend here, after all.]

Though I guess if anyone knows much about playing the violin or likes running, it would be nice to find someone to run with a few times a week when I'm better.

[It feels kind of weird asking about that, but... without Akihiko, running and keeping in shape is going to get lonely, and he doesn't know if the school has a track team. So, even if he is annoyed with his sister for starting all this, he... is kind of slightly grateful. And he might as well take advantage of it to ask about a running partner, right?

Besides, maybe there's someone else out there who plays the violin or something, too. He missed the concert due to illness, and he regrets the chance not to find some more people who play music.]

Comments

[greatseal]

[loser, how is she supposed to go outside now?]

Then I'll correct them. It should be obvious it's a joke anyway, normal people don't go around kissing every girl they meet.

[fools_journey]

It still sounds like you're trying to set me up.

[ She isn't. She's going to stay at home with him today, and he is going to fall asleep on her bed. ]

[greatseal]

Well, if it's incentive to set yourself up first, all the better.

[Or get Miki to act more directly. She's seen the way you two just dance around the issue. It flies in the face of all her ideas about romance.]

[fools_journey]

What is that supposed to mean?

[greatseal]

[Now that he's completely erased the work that she put into getting her hair ready this morning, she lets go of him and sits back on the edge of her bed.]

It means, have you even kissed her yet?

[fools_journey]

[ And he follows her, sitting next to her, because might as well just invade her room. Though -- what kind of a question is that? ]

I - wh... yes. We've kissed.

[greatseal]

[Well, that's a good step in the right direction, but still not perfect.]

And have you told her you like her? Or asked her to be your girlfriend?

[The 'or' is because she knows how hard it is for some guys to be clear about feelings. It had taken Shinji months to say "I love you" out loud. But she still gets the impression that Minato and Miki's relationship is deeply mired in uncertainty.]

[fools_journey]

[ He doesn't respond right away, instead just -- shrugging. A eloquent and well-thought-out response, to be sure. Deeply mired in uncertainty is a very good way of putting it. ]

... no.

[greatseal]

[This is why you're dangerous to girls that aren't your sister, Minato. That tiny change to a downcast expression is irresistible. Minako reaches over and squeezes his hand.]

Then that's what you need to decide.

[fools_journey]

Why?

[ Neither of them are really certain, after all, and it's just easier to remain in this undecided grey area. Besides, this whole world feels less than certain, with close friends who've left and having been pulled to another world at one point. Is there really much point to being certain? What if Miki decides to go home, too? ]

[greatseal]

Why not?

[It's half to hear his reasoning and half to encourage him not to worry about it. Undecided may be easier, but they've always lived in an uncertain world. If they let that stop them, they'd never do anything at all.]

[fools_journey]

... I don't know.

[ He's just avoiding giving a straight answer, now. ]

We're still... figuring things out, I guess.

[greatseal]

[She reaches over and gently pokes him in the middle of his forehead.]

Well, don't take so long figuring you forget to be happy.

[fools_journey]

[ He brings a hand up to rub where she just poked and shrugs. He smiles a little. ]

Don't worry about me.

[greatseal]

[she pokes him again.] You don't always make that very easy.

[but then she relents, sitting beside him on the bed and smiling.] I'm glad that you're feeling better.