SuNNY-ShO-ShUN 黒潮

*No Raft*

"Taidaima, grandma."

"Okaerinasai Sunny," Sunny's grandma replied as she came to greet her.

"Why the long face, my dear child?"

Sunny's grandma was warm and gentle, always dressed in traditional Japanese clothes. She listened and advised her granddaughter. She had Sunny's father when she was almost 40. The woman was old and tired but did her best to support Sunny.

Watanabe Satsuki did not know why Sunny decided to live with her, but she was glad to have the young woman there.

"Come and sit down and eat. You look pale," the obaasan said as she led the way.

Sunny sat down at the dish filled table:

- Soup

- Sunomono Salade (kyuri cucumber, wakamé seaweed, shirasu whitefish)

- Tsukemono (pickles)

-Nori (seaweed)

-Fried vegetables

-karagé chicken

-and rice

Always too much for two people, but there was no stopping the grandmother who liked to cook. Even when her granddaughter ate elsewhere, she would leave her a set table.

"Itadakimasu," the girl said though she did not have an appetite. As Sunny took her first bites, she realized the group did not eat at all with all the events, and her stomach was more and grateful to welcome the food. Her grandma was surprised and amused, seeing Sunny swallow the menu like an anime character.

"Goshisousama deshita," Sunny said when she finished. There wasn't even enough left to make a bento of leftovers.

"The day must have been difficult. What happened?" Satsuki asked her grandchild.

"Nothing that your meal didn't fix," Sunny replied with an authentic smile, which implied that the matter was not a big deal.

Satsuki stared at Sunny, thinking that the young lady was starting to master her tatemae, as Sunny just demonstrated a perfect Japanese poker face. The elder, confused, smiled too, forcing on her mask.

It made her a little sad; they spent all their lives pretending outside in society. Satsuki wished for her and Sunny to be close, but the teenager seemed to distance her.

"Let me clean up, furo ni hairu [take your shower]."

"Iie, otetsudai shimasu [No, I'll help]."

"Iie,iie. [no,no]"

Sunny knew she wouldn't win. The older woman was stubborn; she went as ordered to take a bath.

°°°°

Sitting in the lukewarm water of her bathtub, Sunny reflected.

What exactly had happened? She thought as she tried to sort out her feelings.

Sunny was not angry; how could she be? When she barely understood what was going on, it would be foolish to jump to conclusions concerning the girl. For all, Sunny knew Shota and Saori could be related, but it was evident it was not the case. The girl was scared out of her wits. Still, Sunny could not accept the part where she accused Shota of being a stalker and an attempted murderer.

Frustrated, Sunny blamed herself for idly being a spectator. The teenage girl needed a punching ball, and Yuta's face, which happened to drop in her mind, was perfect.

Yuta, why is he so on the offensive side with Shota?

Is he jealous? If he wanted a girlfriend, there were a few first years in the photo club on who he seemed to affect and who would willingly date him.