Chapter 49 - Salty Rice and Microwave Curry

                                    

                                          
"We should do something," Kiyoko whispered to her cousin as she glanced worriedly at the girl on the couch.
                          
"What can we do?" Ryou arched his brow.
                          
The two stood hidden around the corner, where they could see (Name) lounging in the common area. She slouched against the cushions, one arm draped over her stomach, and the other elbow-deep in a large barrel of cheese balls. The bandages on her hands were stained orange, but she didn't seem to care.
                          
"Go away, Rosie! I don't want to play with you!" The bald little boy shouted on the television.
                          
(Name) paused her eating, hand frozen in mid-air with a cheese puff, and watched wide-eyed as the boy pushed his little sister out of his room. The toddler began to cry and pound on her brother's door, but that's not what alarmed the Yanagawas.
                          
"Caillou, you spoiled cup of yogurt! This is why you're bald!" (Name) shouted and threw a cheese ball at the screen. It bounced off with little more than a 'tap.'
                          
It was as if the toddler himself had wronged her, or the scene struck a chord in her for some reason.
                          
Kiyoko was appalled. "We can't leave her like that! She hates Caillou."
                          
"It's not like we're making her watch it." Ryou grumbled, pausing when he noticed the level of her cheese puffs. It was higher yesterday—he was sure of it.
                          
Just how many barrels of cheap cheese balls does she have hidden around this dorm?
                          
"Though I'm pretty sure that's not her first bucket of cheese balls..."
                          
"Ryou." Kiyoko's sharp tone caused him to stiffen. Uh oh. After the events of the past summer, she'd grown less patient with him (and rightfully so). Or in other words, she no longer tolerated him being a major [REDACTED - censored for Hibiki's sake].
                          
But Kiyoko softened when she saw (Name) try to catch a cheese ball in her mouth, only for it to land in her hair. She sighed and left it there, numb.
                          
"I'm really worried..." The brunette fiddled with her collar. "I caught her eating mac and cheese straight from the pot at 2 AM the other day."
                          
"I've seen her eat it straight from the box before," Ryou countered.
                          
"Then how about the time I caught her laying outside in the dirt for three hours?"
                          
"That's not weird either." Ryou was still unfazed. "She likes to watch the clouds."
                          
Geez, since when does he know so much about (Name)? His cousin wondered. Besides, the girl was face-down, which made cloud-watching pretty difficult last she checked.
                          
Kiyoko tapped her chin. "She hasn't made a pun all week."
                          
Oh. Ryou blinked as the severity of their situation finally sunk in. Oh sh*t.
                          
"I'm going to talk to her." Kiyoko decided and moved towards the sullen girl.
                          
"I don't think that's the best idea right now." Ryou stopped her. Going by his past experiences with (Name), he knew she wouldn't want to talk—not yet, at least. Like back during the festival, he remembered how she stormed off, not returning home for hours after according to Hibiki.
                          
No, she won't want to talk, Ryou realized, stepping forward and past his cousin. She'd want...
                          
"Ryou?" Kiyoko paused and watched her cousin quietly approach the girl.
                          
He didn't say anything. He merely took the remote and changed the channel to (fav show), plopping next to her after.
                          
(Name) stared at him for a moment, surprised, before she relaxed and offered him the barrel of cheese balls. He accepted, and together they settled in to watch. No words were exchanged in the process.