Playing With Fire

4

  The evening, Jack wanted Imai at the park while checking his phone. A minute later, Imai shows up with Inoue. Jack saw them and wondering.
“Hi, Jack, sorry we're late,” said Imai.
“It's alright.”
“Jack, I would like you to meet this guy here.” Imai reached out to touch Inoue's shoulder. Inoue whispered to Imai.
“Is this your boyfriend?”
“Yes, it is,” replied Imai.
Jack hold out his hand to Inoue. “Hey, I'm Jack,” smiled Jack.
Inoue awkwardly hold out his hand. “H-Hi, I'm Inoue.” And they both shake hand.
“Inoue… Inoue… huh…” Jack keeps glaring at him.
“Um… Jack dear, you scared him,” said Imai.
“W-what? I-I'm not scared!” Inoue replied nervously.
Jack holds Imai's hand and told Inoue to hold for a minute.
“Imai, are you cheating on me?”
“No, I'm not! This is my brother, you idiot!”
“Don't lie! I saw you talking and walking with bunch of boys instead of girls this morning!”
“What? That was my classmates and I don't even like them and I didn't even care about their looks. I just helped them out, that's all!”
Before Jack could even talk, Imai stop him? “Look, I know I have been hanging out with boys but I could never leave you, you know,” Imai eyes was flooded with tears.
“Alright, alright, I'm sorry, I shouldn't say that, I take it back, would you forgive me?” Jack blushed.
“Oh my God, soooo cute!” Imai pinch him hardly.
“That hurts,” laughed Jack and give Imai a hug and they are back and Inoue just keep staring at them and it made him feel… lonely.
Then, Imai hold Jack and Inoue's elbow. “Come on, guys! Let's have some fun today!” Imai cheers and her cheerful self have returned.

The next day, Aoife, Inoue's second big sister, wake up earlier than anyone else just impatiently continue play her favourite video game. “I wonder…” Aoife grin and stand up to check her littler brother's room.
“Inoue? You there?” there was no respond. Just before Aoife was about to go in, Vance come out from the bathroom.
“Aoife big sis? Are you planning to break in to Inoue big bother's room?” asked Vance, Inoue's little bother.
“Yes, you got a problem with that?”
“Big bother haven't come back home yet, you can play with him when he's come back, big sis,” Vance is such a sweetheart; he loves everyone in the family.
Aoife just staring at her little brother and she felt that Vance was right
“I… I'm just…” Aoife muttered.
“You miss him, don't you?” asked Vance.
“N-No… I'm not…” Aoife turned his head with a little blush on his face.
“I know you miss him,” Vance gives her a little smile.
“Shut up, Vance, you just a kid, you don't know me!” Aoife rushed up stratight to her bedroom.
“An educate kid, not just any kid, heh,” Vance know his sister very well.
In Aoife's mind says ‘yeah…I miss him…where is that bastard? He always talks to me even though I scold him, yelled at him, but he is actually a fun guy,' after that, Aoife went downstairs to get her breakfast and eat slowly, can't let her little brother get out from her brain.

“Inoue is your male version?!” asked Jack, shocked!
“Yes, it is.” Imai put her arms around Inoue's shoulder.
“WOW!! Really? I can't believe it!! How does my female version like over there?” asked Jack, extremely happy.
“Erm, well…she is great but…but she doesn't….,” Inoue stopped and feels down.
“Jack's girl version doesn't love you?” asked Imai. Inoue nodded.
“Oh no, that's so sad. I'm gonna teach her a lesson when I'm there!” said Jack.
“No, no, no need, Jack,” Inoue holds him down. “I have a lot of friends there, there's no need to find a girlfriend if I have so many friends, no offence for you guys,” said Inoue, tried to act happy instead of sad.
“Come on, Inoue, we can talk about your problem, I'm a very good listener,” said Imai with a smiled.
“I'm a very good listener as well, and I don't have any problem,” said Inoue.
“Don't lie to me, sir! I know you have a problem with your girlfriend, tell me, please,” Imai pleaded with her cute puppy eyes.
“Alright, alright, fine, I'll tell you.”
“Yay!” Imai was ready to hear Inoue's problem.
Inoue started. “Seems Jelicia doesn't want to talk to me nor greet me anymore, it makes me felt that I have done something wrong. What kind of mistake that I have done? Why does she hate me? I don't get it; I almost want to give up about loving other people besides my family. I send a text message the other day but no answer, I called her several times and again, she ignored me.” Scoffed Inoue and stopped.
“Inoue, what did you do last time when you with Jelicia?” asked Imai with her soft voice.
Inoue was thinking about Imai's question and he shakes his head, means he doesn't remember.
“Well, take some time to think and breathe, if you bump into her in school, can you apologize to her? Maybe you did something wrong but you seems doesn't get it and confused. Tell her the truth about why ignoring you the whole time, try to explain and listen together. And then, it will be a success.” Imai thumbs up to Inoue and smile.
Inoue sighed and take a breath. “Thank you Imai, you've been a big help, I'm just too easily give up hope about love, that's all, heh, silly me.” Inoue stand up and hugged Imai.
“I'm glad that I had a little sister of me helping me out when I got my own troubles, this sounds funny but next time when you got trouble, I'll be here for you, lending my ears to help you, that's a promise,” said Inoue.
Imai squished Inoue because of his crazy phrase. “OMG, so cute… I want to crush you, Inoue! I've made a promise with my brother! Haha!”
“I-Imai…I-I can't b-breathe…” Inoue was struggling from Imai's bear hug.
“Imai, my dear, don't squish him too hard, let him go,” said Jack.
“Alright, alright I'm gonna let him go.” Imai slowly let her hand down.
“It's getting late, we should go back home, come on you two.” Jack put his arms around Imai and Inoue's shoulders.
Then, they laugh all the way home.

Around dinner time, Sakura, Inoue's classmate, tries to draw his eyes but she doesn't remember. “Darn it, this is for my missing friend, how could I forget?” There's Inoue smiling in her mind. “Aah! Got it!” She let her hand do their dancing with her wonderful colours.
About half an hour later, Sakura felt relief. “Finally, I will find you Inoue.” Sakura grinned.
“Sakura, dinner's ready!”
“Be right there, mother!”