Lesson Learned

I think we made some progress!

"It won't budge," Gakushuu complained, rattling the handle while he tried to pick the lock.

"But I need the bathroom..."

She shut her eyes tight and gritted her teeth, pushing harder on the door to try to open it.  It had been two hours and if she didn't get out she'd—

There was a sharp click, and then a second later the door was yanked open from the other side.

Mitsuko yelped when the closet door was opened and she and her brother fell flat on the ground in front of their father's shiny polished shoes.

She groaned and strained to lift her head to look up at their dad who was holding her Rubix cube in hand.

"I have an experiment  I'll need your help answering, children," dad told them pleasantly.

Mitsuko scrambled to her feet as Gakushuu helped her stand up. "What?"

"It's 'excuse me', not 'what', Mitsuko," Dad corrected absently as he focussed on the cube. "Remember your manners."

She scowled and glared at him when he turned towards his desk. "That's my cube."

"Yes, I'm aware." Their father sat down in an armchair near one of his large bookcases.

Mitsuko looked at her brother hesitantly before holding his hand and walking over to their dad.

"I'm curious about something." Their dad smiled at them and held up the cube. "Gakushuu, solve the cube."

Her brother jerked and scrambled to catch the Rubix cube when it was tossed at him. "How long do—?"

"Sixty seconds." Dad pulled out a metal watch timer from his pocket. "Begin."

Gakushuu's eyes widened in alarm as he quickly tried to solve the cube, swivelling the sides frantically as the time ticked away loudly.

Mitsuko watched anxiously as her brother tried to solve the cube as the seconds went by. She wrung her hands. "Come on..." she mumbled under her breath as he completed one side and then the yellow side.

"Done!" Gakushuu yelled, sweating as he held up the finished cube in front of their dad anxiously. "I finished."

Dad's thumb clicked the top of the watch, staring down at him. "55 seconds." He didn't sound impressed. "Mitsuko." He took the cube and shuffled it again. "Now it's your turn."

She quickly caught it. "O-okay."

"Begin."

She swallowed and quickly ran through the formula she'd adapted from the original one Gakushuu used, remembering how many times she'd had to practice. It was one of her favourite toys and few remaining ones left since dad had decided they were too old for dolls or plastic cars; things like that were a distraction apparently.

It's just a game. She reminded herself so she wouldn't get upset or frantic, trying to imagine she was alone and just playing with the cube in her room.

Mitsuko mumbled the sequence under her breath as she solved two more sides while her brother and dad watched her.

"Done!" Her eyes lit up with relief, holding the cube up.

Dad stopped the timer. "40 seconds." He sounded pleased, making her nearly tear up when she saw the small smile on his face. "Very good, Mitsuko."

Her smile was wide and bright as her dad patted her on the head, feeling like there was a warm light shining down on her.

I was faster than Gakushuu!

But then she faltered when she saw her brother's eyes narrow from the corner of her eye.