**track sixteen**  Intermezzo (part one)

     "To the tables down at Morrie's
      (wherever *that* may be)
     Let us drink a toast to all we love the best
     We will sleep through all the lectures,
     And cheat on the exams,
     And we'll pass... and be forgotten with the rest"
                  From "Bright College Days" by Tom Lehrer

Okay, okay... I didn't do as badly as I was afraid of doing. 
And no, in case you're wondering, I didn't cheat.  In fact, 
I got out of my first semester at Ryokuto Academy pretty well 
unscathed... scholastically, that is.

In other ways, well... let's just say I can use the time off. 
This masquerade has been pretty stressful for both Suka-chan 
and myself.  When you've been pretending to be a girl to the 
person you live with for three whole months, how difficult can 
school itself be?

Suka-chan, too, seems to be looking forward to the time off, 
even though he *is* staying at Ryokuto over the summer.  Oh, 
he tries to look sad as I head out the gate, but when I turn 
around to wave, I catch a trace of a satisfied grin, which he 
immediately tries to cover up for my benefit.  I give him a 
half-smile myself, and wave.  "So long, Suka-chan.  Take care 
of yourself.  I promise I'll bring something back for you." 

Of course, the first thing I do when I arrive at the train station 
is to buy a box of white chocolate _for_myself_ at a kiosk.  I can't 
help grinning as I pop a piece in my mouth.  This is great; finally, 
not having to pretend I don't like the stuff.  The trip to Shizuoka 
takes less than an hour by bullet train, but I wind up spending half 
again that much time in the station between the queue for tickets, 
and the wait for the train itself.  Not that I'm complaining: all 
it does is give me time enough to down half the box.  This stuff 
never so tasted so good.  I guess not being able to eat it has done 
stuff to my appetite.

Finally, the train arrives, and the crowd pours in, taking me and 
my box of chocolates with it.  I smile as I settle back into my seat.  
And why not?  I'm going home... where I'm free to be myself.

Staring out the window of the Shinkansen, I start thinking about 
how I might spend my vacation.  Sure, I'll be putting in some time 
at the ryokan, and I may take in a performance of Grandfather's 
Kabuki troupe, but for the most part, I'm going to rest and relax 
as much as I can.

The thought does occur to me that I might not be getting as much 
sleep as I'd like to, though.  I'd almost forgotten, but I've got 
a baby sister now.  Not that it should come as any surprise; when 
Mom and Dad saw me off at the train last time, she looked like a 
big balloon.  Yui showed up just a few days after I left, as it so 
happened.  I just hope she isn't too noisy when it comes to her 
midnight feedings.  Not just for me, mind you - noise like that 
could be bad for business, too.

Okay, okay... I'm mostly concered about how *I'm* going to sleep 
through it.  Is that so wrong?

Hope she's cute, too... though with the Kisaragi genes in her, she 
probably won't be able to help it.  Still, it's been four generations 
since there's been a daughter in the family, so it's not like we'd 
know what to expect.

I'm so lost in thought, I never even notice when we pass Fuji-san.  
I'm just lucky enough to catch the P.A. announcement: "Now approaching 
Shizuoka station.  Will passengers bound for Shizuoka station please..."  
Right.  I grab my bags and get ready to disembark.

***

Ahh, it's good to be back.  I can smell the miso in the kitchen, I 
can see the freshly washed tatami mat laid out at the entrance of 
the ryokan as Dad and I walk in.  Mom looks up, starts to give her 
usual welcome, "Irra-  Shun-chan!" and practically springs over to 
greet us.  Heh... I'd forgotten how light on her feet she was.  Of 
course, she wasn't all that light last time I'd been home.  I suppose 
she's glad to be herself again, too.

"Shun-chan... it's so good to see you home!"

"It's good to be home, Mom."  Now more than ever.  "How's the baby?"

"See for yourself..."  And she walks off, indicating for me to 
follow her.  

***

I'm impressed.  Mom and Dad are building an addition onto the ryokan 
to serve as Yui's room.  "Heh... thought you guys were going to use 
my room, seeing as I'm not around much..."

"Oh no... we rent it out while you're at school."  Oh.

Anyway, Yui's room isn't finished, so she sleeps (sort of) in Mom 
and Dad's room for now.  Dad's smile is a bit pained as he relates 
this.  "I consider it incentive to finish the job."

"Oh, she needs us that much anyway, anata."  Mom doesn't seem that 
bothered by it, as we step into their bedroom.

And here she is... the first girl in the Kisaragi family for four 
generations.  Mom picks her up so I can get a closer look.  She's 
beautiful... 

She's everything Reina and I have tried to be... and more.

By the way... "Say, where is Reina?"

"Ah... well... anata, can you get Reina out of his room?"  Another 
pained look, but Dad nods and leaves the room.  When he returns, 
Reina is walking behind him, staring at his feet as he walks in.  
There's a long silence; I don't know what to say, and he isn't 
talking.

"Reina, aren't you going to say hello to your big brother Shun?"

He doesn't even look up.  All I get is a mumbled "Onii-sama..." 
before he turns on his heel and walks out of the room.  Once he's 
out of sight, I can hear him break into a run.  I turn to my folks, 
who've got bewildered half-smiles on their faces.

"Man... what's with *him*?"

Not that I expect any real answers.  And I don't think I get any.  
"He misses you, really he does.  It's just that, well..."  Mom's 
voice trails off as she gazes out the the door.

Dad waves it all off.  "It's an awkward age he's at, that's all.  
He'll get over it."

==========

Hoo boy...

I didn't realize how much more difficult it is to write a Greenwood 
fic when you're not AT Greenwood.  Unlike Shun, I can hardly wait 
to get back to Ryokuto, back to the hijinks involved in keeping 
Suka-chan in the dark.

Unfortunately, I have to explain Reina's situation first.  I'll 
get to it, I'll get to it... on track seventeen, okay?

Itsu mo,
Ucchan  ^_^