Rumi slouched over her desk, as was common these days, and gave an exhausted sigh.

“What’s wrong today?”

She heard a familiar voice. She knew that if she looked up she’d find a pretty girl around her own age with honey-colored hair and two blue stars under her left eye. Her close friend, Chisa.

Rumi groaned. “It’s that damn fatty again.” Her face was a mask of weary frustration. “He got some job a few days ago and so mom is having us move to the city so that he won’t have to travel so far.”

It was actually Yuuji who wanted to rent a small apartment there, but the idea was firmly rejected by her mom. She had another complex in the city, so she wanted them to go there instead.

“I can’t leave you without proper supervision.” The woman had said, quite heavily. Rumi was against moving again, for the second time in not even as many months, but her opinion wasn’t wanted.

“Eh?.” Chisa was clearly in wonder. “Seriously? Your mother is sure acting weird lately. He really must be your--”

“Ah, don’t say it!” Rumi yelled, reaching up and covering her mouth before the words could be uttered. “I refuse to acknowledge that piggy is in any way related to me!”

Chisa smiled. Rumi could feel in under her palm. She mumbled something. “What?” She let her lips go.

“I said,” She began with a sadistic smirk, “That the only other possibility, then, is that she’s a chubby chaser. Are you sure she hasn’t become a sugar mama?”

Rumi banged her head on her desk. Several times.

“Forget. Forget. Forget.” That sentence, erase it from her mind!

...Ah, I need a drink.

She’d been taking sips here and there from Yuuji’s stash whenever she got too depressed thinking about the unfairness of the world. Her mother’s bias, her potential relation to Piggy. Being made his housekeeper whenever she mouthed off too much.

It was all too much.

Had Yuuji been a bad influence on her? Yes. Yes he had. She had no idea what trouble he was drowning, but she didn’t care either. What did he have to complain about? She’s the one suffering here!

My throat is so dry.

She craved the numbing bitterness of strong spirits! To ease the pains of life.

“Anyway, enough of that.” Chisa kicked her legs as she sat atop someone else’s desk. “Have you talked to Takashi-senpai yet? He’s been asking for you, you know~” Her bright green eyes sparkled with interest.

Rumi slouched once again and vaguely waved a hand, almost as if in dismissal. “That guy? Ah, who cares? Just another pest.”

Rumi was a class-A beauty and was used to guys wanting to talk to her. They were all the same ever since 7th grade, trying to get with her, always looking to be her man.

Chisa clicked her tongue. “ There you go again. You know, you’re really a waste of a pretty face. What’s wrong with you? If I had guys after me as much as you do I’d be in heaven!” She exclaimed with a bubbly laugh full of mischief.

Rumi’s face was gloomy and pessimistic. It was her time to click her tongue. “Tsk. They just want to eat my tofu.”

“Well, yeah. That’s what a man is for.” Chisa grinned widely. As if she wasn’t a virgin. Rumi, however, knew she was all talk.

“Pardon me if I want a bit more in a guy than someone whose only interest is my boobs.” Rumi rolled her eyes.

“Are you bragging? I feel like you’re bragging.” Chisa frowned.

“I’m really not.” She replied. She just wanted a guy who liked her for herself more than for her body. Okay? Not so hard an ask, but hard to find apparently. Not that she really wanted to date anyway. Which made it a moot point, maybe.

She suddenly thought of Yuuji. If nothing else, at least he could hold her gaze. That was one good point, she supposed. She paused.

He used to leer at her too, hadn’t he? Ever since his head injury though, that changed. He sorta gave off a different aura than he did before. She couldn’t exactly put her finger on how, but he seemed more...mature? Cooler? He rarely got flustered and seemed far too confident for someone his size. Not only that, but the way he spoke, too. Before, he mumbled alot. Now his every word was crisp and clear. Sometimes short and clipped. He talked like someone educated. But also a bit like a scoundrel, since he cussed so much. It was an interesting combination.

Hm. Ah, whatever. Who cares about that guy? All he ever does is nag at her. Calling her mean things, forcing her to do things she doesn’t want to.

Although his tone was always rather calm even when he scolded her. Or called her bad names. If anything he didn’t get angry at her so much as treat her as some unruly child? Her heart was conflicted. He was dry with her more than anything, and somewhat teasing at times.

Actually, he was even sympathetic towards her when her mother’s bias got too obvious. His kind, pitying gaze during those moments were simultaneously comforting and infuriating. This was his fault, yet he dared have such a look!

...Sometimes when she was especially upset, he would bake her cookies. They were really good, they made her feel warm.

She shook her head. No, no, don’t feel thankful to such a guy! He was fat, stinky, pervy and beady-eyed! Well, he was actually noticeably thinner now. And he wasn’t a perv anymore. Plus he smelled rather pleasant these days. But he was still a beady-eyes bastard!

Even if he did make delicious cookies,

Her stomach rumbled.

Ah, I want a peanut butter chocolate chip…

….Maybe she should ask Yuuji if he could bake her some when she got home?

**********

Author: I’ll start making more consistent releases now since at least a few people want to read this. I kinda wanted to give it till the end of the month, but eh. I didnt wanna keep you waiting so long. In the future I'll probably release two chapters at once. Just so the tiers don't become redundant. And make chapters public once the new ones are released

Anyway, hehehe….Rumi is starting to sound like Baz now(character from another of my stories)

Yes, Rumi. Eat his baked goods. Soon you’ll be his little cookie slut.