Ethereal Wheels

Chapter 4

"So where's the start of the race taking place today?" I questioned him. I mean there were plenty of areas perfect for practicing bicycle races.

"The shrine."

"Hm. I see." I nodded my head affirmatively as I chose my decision, "Then, I'll wait for you at the school. I need to meet up with the members of the cooking club. Today we're making Rice balls!"

"Rice Balls, huh?" Sakamichi seemed to drool a bit, upon realization of something rolling from his chin. Sakamichi wiped his mouth immediately, "Are you planning to make Rice Ball Roulette again?"

I grinned,"Maaaybe?"

Sakamichi's favorite out of my simple recipes, Rice Ball Roulette. Each rice ball has a different filling and seasoning, but they're all wrapped with seaweed all over so it's pretty difficult to tell which filling is which. Though the one who gets the sour plum are going to get another one instead, so please avoid attempting to get one!

"I'll bring some for you and Imaizumi-san after your race. After all you two might be hungry after the race." I waved goodbye to my cousin as I roller bladed my way to school.

While roller blading to the school, I can't help but frown.

'Racing. Bikes. Becoming first...'

"There are other things besides becoming first in races." I stopped for a moment to stare at the sky. "However, you'd brush off my words when I tried to stop your rampage. Right?"

'You wanted to become the best racer for her sake.'

"Oh! I better stop spacing out, otherwise Takara-senpai will reprimand me for being late for another meeting!" I started dashing my way up the hill to the school. By the time I got there, I found myself gasping for air.

"Ah, just in time." Koizumi greeted me the moment I made it inside the classroom used for the cooking club. "You seem out of breath, did you rush over here?"

"Senpai!" I clasped my upperclassmen's shoulders hard. She jumped by my sudden jerking away.

"W-What's wrong?" Koizumi yelped in surprise by my actions.

"Can you lend me a hand in making today's Rice Balls?"

"That's all?!"

BikesBikesBikesBikes

Placing the last rice ball into the small lunch box, my upperclassmen and I did really great in making this small Russian roulette version of rice balls.

"There...it's all done!" I cheerfully declare.

"And took a lot of work in making those fillings." Koizumi added, "So why are you in such a rush to make these?"

"My cousin is in a race against someone by bikes." I commented, "So I thought that if we finish making the rice balls, then I'd give them. I don't really care if my cousin or the other person wins. As long as they have fun, then that's all that matters."

Out of nowhere, Koizumi started poking the center of my forehead,"You have a one-track mind you know that."

I puffed my cheeks up while slapping her hand away. Getting ready to leave with the lunch box filled with rice balls, "Hmph! At least I make set goals for myself!"

By the time I reached outside I could see my cousin and Imaizumi already at the rear entrance. Including a group of first year girls getting dropped off by a van? And two of them are Tachibana and Miki?!

Calling out to my cousin, "Saka-nii!"

I roller bladed over to him, although the expression on his face seemed rigid. I patted his back, "There. There. It's okay. For later we can eat the rice ball roulette."

"Y-Yes." Sakamichi responded to me, still shaken by what he experienced.

While I was focused in comforting my cousin, I could hear Miki and Tachibana talking to Imaizumi along with the rest of the girls. A certain topic from their group literally interested me.

"Eh? Imaizumi-kun, did you really mistaken Chiaki-chan for another Onoda-kun?!" Miki questioned the cyclist in shock, "You do realize that Chiaki-chan is a girl, right?"

"It's not my fault I didn't noticed the difference between the two." Imaizumi returned to Miki while glancing over to another direction. For a moment, I thought I saw his eyes trail over to me for a second.

"That must have been harsh of you, Imaizumi," An unfamiliar young man standing beside Miki and Tachibana commented, "Mistaking a girl for her boy cousin, is probably the worst thing to say for someone like her."

Miki, Tachibana, and the young man walked over to me and Sakamichi.

"So I heard you're the cousin of the person using a 'mommy bike'. Onoda Chiaki?" The young man began introducing himself as I leave my cousin's side while he decided to rest for a bit as I talked to the young man. "I'm Miki's older brother, Kanzaki Tooji. Thank you for becoming friends with my little sister."

"You're Miki-san's older brother?"

"Yes, but what truly amazed me was how your cousin was able to catch up with Imaizumi of all people." Tooji praised my cousin.

'Catch up? I don't believe it...Saka-nii was able to go neck-on-neck to someone joining an athletic club?!'

But, the rear entrance rides up the hill of where the school is built.

'Saka-nii's hidden talent...the one thing that makes him fast especially when riding against people he consider as his friends. Climbing.'

Hidden from everyone's view, I clenched my hands into fists. I tried to run away from my talent in seeing people's true nature in bike riding ever since that day. I can't believe it returned to me so naturally today.

Weekend

A ring came unto my cellphone, while I was studying. Returning my pencil back into the case, I opened to find a message from someone.

"Miki-san?" It seems that Miki is inviting me over to see her family's bicycle shop. "Well, Saka-nii already left for Akiba again. I don't really have anything to do."

I rethought about what happened two days ago.

'I think I already decided. I'll give Miki-san my answer to her previous request.'