Tenchi Muyo! in the World

おことわり

Airi was 15 years old and Yoshyo 12. As usual, girls grow faster in their early years and they just looked as sister and brother.
'Ok. Lets go!'
Watching the schedule paper which Yoshyo made, Airi went on and on with out any problem showing him around. There was another objective for him planning his date course. Since he has arrived to the academy, he found that several spies were chasing them. During the date, he attempted to find them by using Funaho scanning from above. He knew that it will be difficult to find all of them in a day and he made up a course which will take several days to clear. However, watching Airi going on in a tremendous pace, he was getting worried. If she finished all of them in a day, his plan will end up meaningless.
'Er--, next will be-. Yes, lets go to this one! How about it?' not knowing of Yoshyo's idea, Airi grabbed his had and moved on.
'Oh please Airi-dono. We don't have to go on a hurry.'
'Oh what are you doing! Keep on moving We can't finish all of them today if you are so slow!'
'We don't have to be through it in a day.' Yoshyo tried to explain but she never lost her pace. 'Ok, next, next… next!'
Yoshyo suspected that she might have known everything and was purposely doing this. But watching her bright smile, he threw away that idea, her smile was so great. On the other hand he felt guilty for what he was trying to do.

After all, they accomplished the date by that evening.
'Poof.'
Ending in the park where they first started that day, Airi laid on the lawn out of her breath.
'Are you all right?' Yoshyo gave her a wind with his fan and asked her.
'Yo-Yoshyo-kun. You look - foo- all right.'
Still breathing heavily, Airi looked at him a bit mortified at it and tried to wake up.
'It is better to rest a bit more.'
'… It's so hot!' crawling she moved inside the shadow of the tree.
'Give me more wind!'
'Yes.'
Lying again on the lawn, Airi ordered him to wave. Having the wind and the sunshine though the leaves she murmured.
'….You think I'm a good old lady, don't you?'
'..huh?'
'It's ok. After all I'm older than you by 3 years and 4 months. No wonder you think so about me.'
Just before she was angry and now she was dwarfness.
'I didn't say such a thing.'
'But you think so inside, don't you?'
'Of course not,' said Yoshyo calmly and gently. Those like her often look for something and play with it till they are satisfied. All you have to do is to honestly and patiently hang out with her.
'It's no wonder you are tired running all about like that.'
'Then why are you all right? You haven't even lost you breath.'
'I am trained so.'
Listening to Yoshyo's words, anger disappeared from Airi's eyes. She then looked at him in silence.
'….Oh, show a bitter face, at least just a bit…you look like knowing every thing. …you fool`' gently nipping Yoshyo's cheek Airi smiled sadly. She understood well what kind of world this 12 years old boy has lived in and the way he acted seemed very aching to her.
'Poor Yoshyo-kun.'
'……………..'
He couldn't say anything to her and had to let her do what she wanted. He didn't think that the word 'poor' applied to him. He is the prince of Jurai. Of course there is conflict with his mother and others but he willingly wanted to protect her from it.
Does that mean poor?
Watching him think such thing, Airi suddenly woke up.
'…..Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. LAUGH!!!' and stroke him at the head.
'Cry!!' screaming she tickled all over him.
'Get angry, you shit! Ahhh!!' crying out she grappled him. What she was saying and was doing was absolutely opposite. Those who were watching this odd and noisy Airi just gave them a word.
'Ah. Airi is doing it again.'
;Who is the poor guy this time?'
'Oh my, Airi, you are always noisy.'
Those words Yoshyo could hear. It seems that such kind of acting is a popular thing for them.
'You are only 12 years old! Just show your emotions as a boy, get iiiiiiiiit!?'
Next skill was the "cobra twist". All of these things were unrelenting.
'Every one is watching! Please stop it. It's indecorous.' Yoshyo whispered in pain.
He could get out of this with a bit of his strength without hurting her, but he didn't and accepted them because he somewhat understood Airi's feeling.
'Nuts. Say something, at least yelp a bit.' Puffing her cheeks out crossly, Airi sat down beside Yoshyo.
'I cannot yelp in front of everyone.'
'Ok then that's that. - Say, why?' pointing at Yoshyo's legs she asked. Yoshyo was sitting in a way called 'Seiza'*.
'In these cases, I have to wait till the senior accepts it.'
Hearing this, Airi straightened her skirt.
'…Oh, staying with you, it's me who looks embarrassing.
'Huh? I am sorry but I could not hear you. Would you mind saying again please?'
'Oh. No, nothing. It's my story.'
'Oh. I see.'
'Yeah.'
Then suddenly the conversation paused. Silence went on and the bell rang telling them that it was 5 o'clock.
'He- Hei. If you have nothing to do after this, how about having something to eat?' having an occasion for a talk, Airi asked him in relief.
'Then let us have it in the restaurant we just visited.'
'I know a nice place around here. Go to such expensive ones when you want to put on airs with your girl friend.
Having a rest, Airi recovered and pulled Yoshyo as she did during that noon.
'Airi-dono. You do not have to hurry.'
The more Yoshyo called for her, the more she rose her pace and after all they ran and threaded through the crowd.

* SEIZA: An official and polite way of sitting used in Asia. You fold your knees and sit on your leg nice and neat. It hurts untill you get use to it. (^-^)