Mukidashite: Oretachi

Through the Rabbit Hole (Nanako)

"Aah!" I scream, looking around at the others. "Teddie!" He looks so worn out.

Yuu-kun and Yukiko are conferring among themselves, but I'm too worried to sit still. Before I realize what I'm doing, I grab my friend's hand and feel something flow between our connection.

"Waah!" Teddie screams, bolting upright like he's waking up from a nightmare. "Sarasosha!" he yells.

"Wh-what?" Big Bro stumbles forward, confused.

"I saw it!" Teddie insists. "It's true!"

Adachi's peering at me from the corner of the room, out of the chaos. I can tell he wants to talk to me, but I'm surrounded by the others, who are already questioning me rapid-fire.

Finally Yukiko tells Big Bro and Teddie to back off a bit. "Let her breathe, you guys! She might pass out next."

"Why?" I ask her. "I feel fine." That quiets them all.

"It's probably because she went over to that side that it's manifesting now," Adachi surmises.

Yuu-kun wheels on him, advancing as he speaks. "Yes, I heard you were testing her abilities whenever she visited you."

Teddie jumps between them. "Well wouldn't you wanna know what's going on instead of having her figure it out all on her own?" he asks, looking pretty nervous. Yuu-kun just glares at Adachi, but backs away.

"Well, why don't we figure this out later," I ask. You guys have to get going before Dad gets back or he'll be wondering why you're all here."

Yukiko nods and pulls Big Bro out of Adachi's room. I can hear her talking to him all the way down the stairs. When we finally hear the front door click shut, Teddie jumps on the couch, looking worn out.

"You healed me, Nana-chan! I feel so happy~" he closes his eyes. "Now just let me rest..."

"Hey no!" Adachi whines at him. "Go sleep downstairs or something."

I laugh. "Let him be, Adachi-san. I'll make some lunch if you come down with me."

"Okay," he relents. I close the window because it'll get chilly when the sun goes down, and then lead Adachi down the stairs.

"What do you want?" I ask him, rummaging around in the fridge.

Adachi sighs and slumps down on a dining room chair, facing me. "Anything's fine. It all beats the crap I've been fed up till now. Your cooking's so good~" he gives me a big smile.

Now I get the nice Adachi, huh? After he wore out the angry one with the others...

"Mmh. Cold soba okay?"

He nods eagerly, and I put on a pot to boil. I root around for the tsuyu ingredients, then pull out a saucepan. After I light the stove, I look over at Adachi. I get the feeling he wants to tell me something because he keeps staring.

"What is it?" I ask him.

"If," he falters and pauses. "If we're going to live like this form now on. You can just call me Tohru—I don't mind." He's looking down like he expects that I'm going reject the idea.

I feel myself smiling instead. "Hmm," I try and he looks up at the warmness in my voice. "That's good... But how about Tohru-jisan?"

He looks dumbfounded, just opening and closing his mouth a few times before he speaks. "Like 'uncle'?" he eventually asks me.

I nod. "It's good, right?"

Tohru quickly returns the gesture, like I'll change my mind before he can respond otherwise.