Chopsticks

Chapter 6:Ooh! So Playa!

"MAU!" Someone yelled. I shot up out of bed. You know how when you sit up too fast you get dizzy? Well...

"Ow!" I yelped, landing face first onto the floor. The person laughed at my demise, and helped me up from behind. I turned to face them, it was Jae. I took a step back, blinking sleep out of my eyes and trying to focus. He had on red pajamas to match the red in his hair, which was a complete mess. He raised his eyebrows when he saw my face, joy turning to what looked like concern.

"Oh no, did this happen now? Geez, you're like an apple." He muttered, touching my cheek.

"Ouch!" I winced back as pain radiated across my cheek. Jae knit his eyebrows and pursed his lips, then turned and walked out. I swayed awkwardly, trying to get a hold of my odd morning.

"What just happened?" I asked myself, walking across the room to check my face in a mirror. The right side of my face was growing an ugly maroon and starting to swell. I scoffed. What a great way to start day one.

I closed my door and started changing into normal clothes for today's training. I decided to wear some sweatpants and a t-shirt, if I could find one under the mess. I took off my shirt and wrapped my bandage around my chest.

I heard a knock, making me jump and quickly scurry around to find my t-shirt.

"One second!" I called.

"Mau, I'm coming in, make sure you have on pants." Jae called from the door. Pants aren't the problem at the moment.

"N-no wait I-I..." I tried to stall, pulling out the shirt from a pile of baggage. The door clicked open-

"SURPRISE!" Katsu's voice yelled, his hands covered Jae's eyes and pulled him out of the doorway just as I wrenched the shirt over my head. I breathed a sigh of relief and pulled the shirt down all the way.

"Katsu. Dude. What are you doing?" Jae laughed from outside the doorway. So they do say dude.

"What do you mean? I do this all the time." Katsu's voice clarified.

"Uh yeah, whatever you say." Jae said with a chuckle, walking back into the room.

"You could've waited a little longer." I grumbled, trying to calm my heartbeat. Jae stared at me.

"You're so sensitive for a guy, Mau. Here," he tossed me the bag of ice which hit my gut, "keep it on your cheek, we can't have you looking weak... Well, weaker, on the first day of training."

"It's not like it was my fault." I muttered, regaining the air that the ice knocked out of me. Jae smirked and walked out. That was way too close. I almost blew my secret on the first day.

I huffed and looked around for my pouch. I shouldn't have cut my hair so short, now I'd have to carry the chopsticks around with me instead of sticking them in my hair like I had originally planned. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. With one hand, I picked up the kimono I threw on the ground last night and felt around on it. My hand ran over a lump.

"Ah-ha!" I exclaimed, happy I didn't lose them like I thought I would, because I lose everything. I pulled them loose and tied the drawstrings to my belt, if I lost these Ajuma would surely find a way to sneak in and beat me with her sandal. After gently folding the kimono I placed it in an empty drawer in the dresser.

"Breakfast is ready! Wakey wakey eggs and bacon...y!" Satoshi sang. I grinned, our hardcore leader was such a goofball. I walked out of my room, straight into the livingroom where there was a square cloth laid out on the floor. Bammi, Jae, and Katsu sat in a semi circle around food that had been laid out.