Church

Yulia blankly stared at the dining room table. “What?”

“We are going to church,” Kaneko said.

“Why?” the ruffian asked.

“I didn’t know you were a Christian,” Shone said.

“I’m not,” his sister said. “I figured I would give it a try.” Yulia raised an eyebrow.

“What are you up to?” she asked.

“Up to?” Kaneko asked. “Me? Why would you think that? I just figured that we would try something new.” Yulia frowned.

“And why are we going?”

Her boyfriend’s sister folded her arms across her chest. “Because it will do you some good. You need some direction in life. Archery is good, but you need a little more. Come on, at least try it out.” Yulia shifted her eyes towards Shone.

“I don’t like this,” her eyes told him.

“It can’t be that bad,” his eyes said back. Maybe Kaneko would forget?

That didn’t happen on Sunday morning. Kaneko pounded on Yulia’s door.

“Get up! We’re going to church!” she shouted. Yulia mumbled from in the room.

“Go away,” she complained. “I want to sleep!” Shone’s oldest sister sighed and pounded on the door with heavy hands.

“Get up! We’re going to church! Shone’s already downstairs waiting. Get out of bed right now!” She paused before pounding on the door. “Get up! Get up! Get up now!”

“Alright, aright!” Yulia shouted. “I’m coming! I’m coming!” Kaneko turned in the hallway.

“I’ll be waiting for you in the living room,” she said. “Please don’t keep us waiting.”

“Yeah, yeah!” the ruffian shouted. The oldest sister look at her watch as she tried to ignore Yulia mumbling under her breath. Fifteen minutes later, Kaneko, Shone, and Yulia loaded into the car. Yulia sat in the back, frowning. I don’t see why we’re doing this crap! She looked over at Kaneko behind the wheel. Why are you dragging me through this?

“So tell me,” Yulia spoke up. “Why are you dragging me to church again?”

“Because,” Kaneko said, clearing her throat. “I am trying to provide some direction for you.” Yulia folded her arms across her chest.

“Nobody is Christian in this family.”

“We might be after today.”

“Why?”

Kaneko sighed as they passed through a green light. “We all care about you! Please just try out this church.”

It didn’t take long for Yulia to develop a piece of her own theory. “Oh! I see it! You’re forcing me to go to church for some man, isn’t it?” Kaneko’s face turned bright red as she about swerved off the road.

“What?! No!” she cried. Shone looked between Yulia and his sister.

“Nee-san?” he asked. Kaneko pressed her forehead against the steering wheel.

“It’s not my fault that the new priest looks so yummy and wants to help you!” she blurted out. Kaneko covered her mouth, panicked.

“Kaneko, you didn’t!” Shone said, gasping. Kaneko lifted her head.

“It’s not true!” she shouted. Yulia burst out laughing.

“Well, why didn’t you say so?” she asked. “This I’ve got to see now! Go on! Take us to church! I want to see this hot priest!” Kaneko groaned aloud, burying her face in her arm.

“I want to go home,” she mumbled.

“No,” the ruffian said. “Take us to church. I need so ‘direction’, remember?” Kaneko breathed to calm herself down.

“Fine,” she said, sighing. Kaneko drove back on the road with Yulia grinning in the back seat. Her boyfriend sighed, shaking his head.

“Why did you do that to her?” he asked. Yulia turned to him looking like a little angel.

“What?” she asked. “I like messing with her sometimes. Besides, I want to see her with a good man.”

“You are hopeless,” Shone mumbled. Yulia leaned back with her hands behind her head, smirking.