2 Introducing Mei Tanaka

A few days later, Sōjirō had advised the Sket Dan and Sasuke of their meeting with his cousin Mei Tanaka.

They would accompany him to the general hospital and ward she lived in on a Wednesday after school, which was a week before the school broke out for the Christmas vacation period.

Sōjirō had left the duty of rounding up the Sket Dan to Sasuke, who begrudgingly went about the task and managed to gather them up at the meeting place just before the school gates.

'Good. We're all here,' Sōjirō said when he approached the waiting group.

'Onii-chan! Don't forget about me.' Saaya Agata puffed as she hurried to catch up to her brother and the others. Her twin ponytails, swishing back and forth at her run.

'Woot woot. Lady Maji approaches.' Switch declared fondly when he sighted Saaya.

'Oh Saaya. You're coming too,' said Himeko.

'What you mean I'm coming too? Not like I'm tagging along or anything!' Saaya scoffed with her typical tsundere tone of voice, and arms crossed.

'Heehee. I'm okay with you coming along. Adds to a warmer gathering right?' Bossun beamed at Saaya that caused her expression to relax and cheeks flush a deep rouge.

'President. We should leave now if we want to catch the next train to the hospital,' Sasuke stated and shared prepared train schedules and routes with everyone. He ensured everyone had each other's numbers before they headed out. Stating it was in case his stupid brother happened to get lost, although that wouldn't be a bad thing.

The journey to the hospital was somewhat uneventful. Although, it saw the group paying audience to Sasuke and Bossun's comical arguments about trivial matters.

'Those brothers.' Sōjirō sighed to Himeko who responded with the same reaction and fawning.

Since Sasuke and Bossun had only become twin brothers recently, the novelty was still fresh with their circle of friends. The more the brothers were together, the more everyone saw the resemblance between the two. All rifts between the Sket Dan and Student Council seemed to have been bridged with the two differing school groups able to coexist in the light of the brothers' growing bond.

It was the beginning of evening when they arrived outside Mei's ward. Sasuke noticed his brother fidgeting nervously on the spot as they waited in the reception room for the moment they were allowed to visit Mei.

'What's got your pants in a twist?' he scoffed at his brother who faced him with a stupid "poopy" expression on his face.

'I just remembered I don't like hospitals,' Bossun replied nervously.

'Are you a girl? You're not going to vomit or faint are you?' Sasuke said curtly.

'Bossun, if you feel squeamish, I can hold your hand,' Himeko soothed her friend as a mother would a child.

With Bossun's Poppman hat and kid goggles adorning his head. He really did resemble more of a child than a teenager approaching adulthood.

'Are you freaking out of your mind Himeko?! I'm not feeling squeamish and I'm not your friggin kid! I just don't like hospitals okay,' Bossun cussed her with puffed up bravado. He crossed his arms. At least she had succeeded in quelling his nervousness.

'Then don't act like a stupid kid!' Himeko yelled at him and met his crossed arms attitude with a heated glare.

Neither Bossun nor Himeko notice Saaya's awkward expression at their exchange, although Switch caught it from the corner of his eye.

'Ka-ka-ka. Fujisaki you're like a kid.' Sōjirō chuckled from where he sat on the reception lounge next to Sasuke. He noticed a chuckle escape Sasuke's lips, which landed a gentle smile on an otherwise serious face.

'Hey Tsubaki-kun. You should smile more. It makes your cute side come out,' he whispered to Sasuke when everyone was out of earshot. He grinned at the strong blush to his Vice President's cheeks.

'President! Please don't say those sort of things,' Sasuke hissed and lowered his head to cover his reaction.

A nurse approached the group a short while later and advised they could visit Mei.

The group followed Sōjirō down a hallway of marred checkered floors and sterile blue walls sporadically decorated with faded images of Christmas, and stopped before a door situated at the hallway's end.

Sasuke saw only one nameplate next to the door.

'Tanaka Mei,' he whispered the name out loud.

'That's her. Although, don't be surprised if she tries to jump on you,' Sōjirō said matter-of-factly.

It made Sasuke wonder what sort of person she was. He soon found out when he stepped into the room and saw a girly version of his president lying, causally, on the sterile-white bed near the room's center. She had a teen idol magazine spread out before her, which had ear marks on some of the pages.

He stepped further into the room and took in a better look of her. He saw the outline of a slender, almost wraith-like figure underneath her navy dress. Her skin still retained some color, but was pasty in places around her joints and neck. Her fine hair was cropped in a short style with razor-cut bangs falling just below her thin shaped eyebrows. He found himself sucked in by her orb-like eyes and full lips that were teasing the tip of a nail with focused contemplation.

'How old was she again?' he thought as he savored her image and cursed himself for thinking something perverted. It wasn't like him to have such inappropriate thoughts about a girl. Especially, one he had just met.The girl was his president's cousin and dying. He had to ensure he viewed her with the utmost respect.

'Mei!' Sōjirō greeted her warmly.

'Sōjirō-nii. I'm glad your here,' Mei beamed as she wrapped her arms around him with a hug. Her brows lifted with questions when she saw Saaya standing amongst a bunch of people she had never met before. Although, one of them caught her roving eye.

'Sōjirō -nii, Saaya-nee. Who do I owe the pleasure?'

Sōjirō pulled away from their hug and took a moment to introduce each person.

Mei eyed each one studiously. The expression chopping and changing on her face as she drew a conclusion of what each friend was to her cousins. Her eyes lingered the longest on Sasuke before they went back to Sōjirō.

'Friends huh?'

'Yep,' answered Sōjirō.

'Well welcome.' Mei shuffled off the bed with vigor and gave each person a greeting kiss that totally caught Sasuke and the Sket Dan off guard.

'Mei don't go doing that American greeting kiss thing! Totally not on!' Saaya scolded Mei.

'Hey - huh? Oh,' Himeko blurted in a slight fluster.

Bossun's reaction was the worst from the lot. It saw him hide behind Switch with a stupid expression on his face that caused Mei to erupt with hearty laughter.

'I must admit Sōjirō -nii. You always find interesting people to befriend.'

Mei resumed her place on the bed. Sasuke noticed her chest heaving slightly.

'She probably got over excited,' he deduced in thought.

Sōjirō causally made a request for all of them to hangout around town for her birthday. Mei eyed him with suspicion but she agreed after some thought.

'You'll all be there?' She asked to confirm with the others.

'Of course. You can count on us,' Bossun piped up when he got over his embarrassment.

'What about you Tsubaki-san? You'll be able to hangout as well?' she asked him coyly.

Sasuke nodded his head and turned away to hide his blushes.

'Teehee, I'm sure he will be,' Switch chimed as he hazard a guess as to what caused Sasuke to blush.

He grinned madly at Sasuke's death stare aimed his way.

The ward nurse entered the room; calling time on the visit. Mei groaned at the thought of seeing them go.

'I can't believe you have to go so soon.' She shuffled off the bed to see them out of the room properly.

Sasuke and Mei's eyes lingered on each other a little long as they said their goodbyes. Their eyes touched again when he braved a glance back before resuming his place amongst the Sket Dan and Agata siblings.