8 ~ Family

The day passed quickly, and before they realized it, it was the end of the school day.

     When Nana and Hayate crossed the parking lot onto the path, Hayate said once again, "Remember, you're coming to my house."

     "I know, I know," Nana muttered, walking next to him. They each had the same English paper to write about their favorite author.

     "So, how was your day, Hachi?" Hayate asked.

     "Boring. Yours?"

     "Boring." He paused, and then said, "Satchiko said hi to me in Science.'

     "Told you," Nana said, shoving her hands in her pockets, letting her bag, which was over her shoulder, slide down to hook on her wrist. "She likes you, dense boy."

     "But, I don't like her," Hayate said. "How do I tell her without her doing with Tsubaki did?" He stopped walking altogether, that look in his eyes again. 

     He's really worried about that, Nana thought, standing still next to him and glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

     "Odds are it won't happen again," Nana said, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Relax. Things are better now, aren't they?" He blinked and looked at her, a smile slowly creeping across his face. "Yeah. Things're a lot better now."

     They continued walking.

 

When Nana and Hayate turned the corner to Hayate's street, Midori was outside with Ami. The dachshund was wagging her tail as she padded around on her short legs.

     "Hayate!" Midori called, waving her arm in the air. She was watering some white flowers that were out front, her brown hair in pigtails.

     "Hey," Hayate said back. Ami padded over to Hayate and Nana, running in circles in front of their feet. She seemed happy to see them.

     "How was your day, MiMi?" Hayate asked her when they reached her and tackling her with a hug. She set down the water pitcher she was using and said in the midst of laughter, "Same old thing as every day."

     "Really?!" Hayate asked, starting to tickle her lightly. "How boring! Such a boring girl!"

     "Hayate, sto-stoppit!" Midori cired, nearly choking on her laughter.

     "Well, my day was fine," Hayate said, sobering from his own laughter. "Why don't you ask Nana how her day was?"

      "How was Nana's day?" Midori asked with heavy emphasis on Nana's name, taking her right hand in her's and smiling wide.

     "Boring," Nana said, using what she had said before.

     "Same," Midori said, taking Nana's other hand. "Is Nana going to visit?"

     "Hatchiko is visiting," Hayate said. "we're going to work on our math and science homework, so you can't bother us, okay?"

     "Hatchiko....?" Midori was confused.

     "My pet name," Nana said, suppressing a very big sigh.

     "Huh," Midori said, picking up her water pitcher once again. "have fun. Hayate, don't try and kiss her or anything!"

     "Mi-Midori!" he shouted, getting red in the face once again. "NOT funny!" Midori giggled and went back to watering her flowers. Hayate grumbled, "come on" and walked to the front door, Nana in tow.

     Hayate opened the front door and stood aside, waving Nana in. She walked in and stood awkwardly in the doorway, looking around the small entryway with a door leading to a room off to the side.

     "Go on in," Hayate said. "No one's going to jump out and kill you or anything."

     "Says you," Nana grumbled, walking all the way in, Hayate following. He closed the door and called, "Mom, I'm home. I brought Nana with me."

     "I'm in here, hun," a woman called back. Hayate motioned to Nana to follow him to the kitchen, where his mom was taking chocolate chip cookies out of the oven.

     "Since when did you make cookies?" Hayate asked. "Where's dad?"

     "Your father had an emergency at work," Hayate's mother explained, sliding the cookies onto a plate and closing the oven door.

     She was pretty, looked to be in her early fourties, and had the same color hair as Hayate. He was taller than her, but she appeared to be the female version of her son.

     "You must be Nana," Hayate's mom said, extending her hand over the kitchen counter to Nana. "You can just call me Rin, no need to be formal or anything."

     "Nice to meet you," Nana said awkwardly as she shook Rin's hand. She had a firm grasp and a confident aura about her.

     "Burnt." Nana and Rin looked at Hayate, who had reached over the counter, took and eaten a cookie.

     "You make 'em next time," Rin said as she took the cookies away from him. "No sweets for you!"

     "No one asked you to make them, mom," Hayate said. Nana suppressed a smile. It was obvious to her that he had a very normal and happy homelife, unlike herself.

     "So," Rin said. "any homework?"

     "Yep," Hayate said, lifting up his bag. "English paper. We're gonna go work on it in my room."

     "Keep your--!"

     "Mom!" Hayate shouted, red in the face again. "I know, I know, keep my door open!" He made his way to the entryway and grumbled, "wait here, Hachi." He left, and Nana assumed he went to the bathroom or something.

     "So, Nana," Rin said. "you're the one who's been taking care of Hayate?"

     "That would be me," Nana said, leaning against the kitchen counter. "and I think it's keeping me out of trouble."

     "How so?"

     "I didn't get detention today," Nana said with a grin.

     "Hayate did mention at dinner last night that you were a detention regular," Rin said, keeping a smile on her face. "and that you get bullied at school, so you bully other children."

     "Most of the, uh, bullying they do to me is indirect, but I prefer to be upfront and personal about things."

     "So you're independent," Rin said, nodding her head. "Your parents must be proud of you."

     "Not a chance," Nana grumbled. "My mom abandoned us and went to Europe sometime last year after my sister......" Nana paused, not sure how much she should say. "A-Anyway, mom went to Europe, so now I live in a two bedroom apartment with my dad."

     "Do you get along with your dad?" Rin asked, avoiding the topic of her mother and sister.

     "No."

     "I see."

     There were a few minutes of awkward silence until there was the sound of the front door opening and Midori walking in with Ami.

     "Finished the flowers, mama!" Midori chimed happily, walking in, her brown pigtails bobbing. Ami wagged her tail and sniffed around Nana's feet.

     "Ooh, cookies!" Midori squealed once she saw them on the other counter across the room.

     "Do you want a cookie, Nana?" Rin asked her. Nana shook her head, no, and heard the sound of a toilet flushing down the hall, followed by the sound of rushing water from the sink.

     "Took you long enough, crapper," Nana said as Hayate re-entered the room.

     "You're disgusting," Hayate said as he picked his bag up off of the counter.

     "Didn't hear you wash your hands," Nana said, though she clearly heard it.

     "Shut up, Hatchiko," Hayate grumbled. "I so did wash my hands!"

     "Who's Hatchiko?" Rin asked. "You mean that dog on television?"

     "I call Nana Hatchiko," Hayate explained. "or Hachi for short. I don't know why, heh."

     "You said I was faithful just like a dog," Nana mumbled, fingering the dog collar around her neck. "Can we go study now?"

     "Whatever you say, Hachi," Hayate said, taking Nana's wrist and dragging her to the door to the entryway.

     "Bye bye, Hachi!" Midori squealed with laughter as the two disappeared around the corner.

Author's Note

When I was typing Hayate's name through this, I kept on typing "Hachi". -_- FML. I'm sorry, Hayate! DX

Reviews

[halflives]

Poor Hayate! Haha. Very good, I like this a lot. Please keep writing! I'm intrigued. Officially.