Upside Down 69 Chapter 67: Comfort Zone Part 1

Sighing contentedly, I consider it time very well spent, even if breakfast might be a little late, it's worth it to me and I doubt seriously Mama or Dad will have any problem with it.

Honestly, Chinatsu was extremely aggressive. She's right though, I do love it when she takes control. Truthfully, I'm very happy to have my nanites this morning. Otherwise, I'd have one h.e.l.l of a bite on my left shoulder and several kiss marks on my b.o.o.bs and neck. Well, it's not as if she didn't get her share of them from me.

Honestly, if I didn't have things to do today, I'd be happy to let Mama make breakfast and spend some more of this morning alone with Chinatsu.

Giving her one last kiss and hug, I roll off of her. I tell her, "Come on you naughty girl, we need to bathe so we can make breakfast for everyone," which makes her giggle.

Throwing on my nightgown, I open my closet, which is almost over full. Looking at this, I might ought to ask about getting another one, I don't want my outfits all wrinkled.

Sorting through them, I choose a linen, taupe-colored, casual mini dress and go to my dresser to get some tan ankle socks and a silk bra and panty set to go along with it. Once I have, I head to Honoka's room to collect her, then we go downstairs to bathe.

Okay, I'll admit it, I'm spoiled when it comes to us bathing together. I love relaxing while my sisters wash me and my hair. Not that I don't help wash both of them. I suppose you can say it's one way we bond with each other. Another plus is I get to tease and flirt with Chinatsu too.

Per our norm, we wash Honoka first, Chinatsu next, and me last. Why me always last you ask? Other than it takes longer to wash this heavy ma.s.s of hair I have, there is the simple fact if we did wash me first or second, soap would get back into my hair when I help wash them. It being a pain in the a.s.s aside, I love my long hair and I don't want to see it damaged.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention one other thing the nanites did to Chinatsu when the made her hips and b.o.o.bs bigger. Her hair is now almost waist length, which she griped about. Personally, I like the way she looks with longer hair. Once I told her that, she instantly stopped complaining, smiled, and said, 'it's fine, then I'll wear it long for you.' I adore her greater feminine appeal with it.

On a side note, Ryo has been texting Chinatsu every single day and calling when he can. Ryu, well, he and I are going to have a little talk about his failure to call or text me more often. I think he should be able to spare a few minutes daily to at least say hi and that he misses me.

That's not too much to ask, is it? I mean, it's not as if I demand we talk for an hour every day. I'm busy too, but he could spare me a few minutes a day or even every other day would be fine. The thing is we aren't allowed to call them. Well, let me rephrase that. We can call them back, but we can't call them first. Mama forbids us to do so, since she considers it unladylike and décla.s.sé for girls to do it. I don't know if I would go that far, but I feel if a boy is interested he should be the one to follow through.

Yes, I know, I'm kinda random and rambling this morning. Sorry, I'm excited to see Ryu today, even if I'm upset with him over his lack of communication. I'll forgive him this time, but no matter how much I like him, it'll not happen again if he wants to continue seeing me.

Anyway, after bathing and dressing, we move to the kitchen where I begin to make biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast.

Yes, I've picked up Mama's cooking habits. I mostly make western style breakfasts now. One, because they are a lot easier and two, because I, and everyone else, really like them. Today, I have to say because it's a time saver. After all, I did spend extra time in bed with Chinatsu this morning while we made up.

Dad kinda griped about the healthy lunches I've been making him, until I dive bombed him on the couch. I told him in no uncertain terms that, 'I'm doing it to make sure he has the time I need to help him live a long life with all of us.' Mama and Chinatsu joined me with their agreement in the matter.

I'm seriously considering asking if I can test out of high school so that I can dive into college as soon as possible. That's so I can begin to learn what I need to know to help Dad. Reading books or looking online helps, but it gives me no easy way to ask for help if I need something explained better. Not that it has happened so far. We shall see how it goes.

I'm not sure what I want to do since that would entail me being apart from Chinatsu for most of the day. Although, the university I want to go to, Tokyo University, my parents' alma mater, is close, I don't care for being separated from Chinatsu if I can help it. They also teach the bleeding edge of biotechnology, and nanotechnology is part of it, as well as genetic engineering. It's all part of the same thing since you have to know what you can and can't change.

Even Chinatsu has been taking her studies very seriously. I gave her a hundred question test on likely questions for finals and she got a ninety-three. I'm so proud of her, I always knew she could do better if she tried, since she's by no means dumb. She's been talking about becoming a doctor. If so, that would be great.

After breakfast and cleaning up. The three of us take some time coordinating our outfits for our date this afternoon. Me? I choose an emerald green, corseted skirt with a bright yellow short sleeve, v-neck, fitted blouse to go with it and ivy and floral patterned emerald green stockings along my yellow heels. This outfit really emphasizes my eyes and hair. Not that my hair and eye color doesn't make me stand out anyway.

Chinatsu chooses a forest green one-piece, off the shoulder mini dress, pairing that with a bright yellow belt go with it that she borrows from me, sheer yellow lace patterned stockings, and she decides to wear her black ankle strap heels with it.

Honoka asks for our help as well. We pick out a fitted white, sleeveless, linen blouse, a green, pleated skirt which falls to mid-thigh, sheer white stockings and her black heels.

Today will be the second time for me to be wearing lipstick, blush, and eyeshadow as well. Mama was pulled in on this part since we know very little about wearing them, which truthfully made her extremely happy. Note to self: ask for her help more often since it makes her so happy.

She chose a s.h.i.+mmery bronze eyeshadow for Chinatsu and me, and Honoka ended up with a s.h.i.+mmery light smokey eyeshadow. For lipstick, Chinatsu and I were give a medium red and Honoka a warm pink. I'm looking forward to seeing their expressions when they see us this afternoon.

As, an aside, I did text Ryu and said I would take care of the dinner reservations for us. I also told both of them to wear a dress s.h.i.+rt and slacks. I didn't tell them, but Dad made reservations at Ruby Jake's Steakhouse for us when I asked him, since when I tried they told me they had no openings. Amazing what being a very prominent, well off attorney will accomplish. It's a fairly high end place and expensive also, hence why we girls are dressing so well this afternoon. They don't require men to wear a suit, but jeans aren't good enough. Needless to say, but I'll be paying for everyone since there's no way they could afford this place.

Anyway, as you know, today is Airi and Emi, then later we have our date with the boys, which we're both excited about, as if I have to say that, right?

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[NTI Medical Center, 10:00]

Per the norm, there are things I still don't want to talk about, but I do regardless, because I know I have to do so to work all of this out. Nevertheless, I'm astonished when she tells me at the end our session, "I'm doing very well and she's changing me to Mondays and Wednesdays." She chuckles and tells me, "Sora, you're doing much better than I expected at this point. We can always go back to three days a week if need be, but honestly, I don't believe you need it. Anyway, you've got my number and you can call me anytime you need to, okay?"

I hold Chinatsu's hand a little tighter and shake my head in disbelief, but tell her, "Okay, I'll do that, although I don't feel I've made all that much progress."

"Sora, as I said, you're doing much better than I expected at this point. Part of it is you're smart, it's the emotional parts that are hanging you up. That and you're are still unused to opening up to people other than your family. Look at this way, you admitted quite quickly that you didn't have much of a choice in killing those men. You detest violence and the emotional impact of you having defending yourself is tearing you up. Truthfully, I thought it would be at least a year to get you to accept that you had no real choice except to defend yourself and your mother. We'll still be talking about that, but we'll mostly be focusing on helping you get better control of your PTSD symptoms and triggers. I think we've barely scratched the surface of those."

I nod acknowledging her point. Even I have to admit that violence has its place, just no place in everyday life as far as I'm concerned. I've already said I refuse to allow myself or the people I love to be at the mercy of those who have no qualms against using violence if it gets them what they are after. I would sincerely love to get better control of my PTSD because I'm definitely dreading the day something happens away from the house that triggers me and sends me into a melt down.

"Thank you, Airi. It actually scares me to death that something is going to trigger me out in public. Most especially at school when I go back, so hopefully, I can get better control of it before something happens. There are plenty of s.a.d.i.s.tic people that would use my triggers against me because some of them would think watching me lose it is funny."

Airi nods. "Yes, sadly there are. Life is hard enough without people making things harder, but that won't stop them."

Anyway, today is my general workout day with Emi. I push myself somewhat hard in this today. I'm stressed out, and I want to burn off at least some it off, which a worried Emi and my sisters say something about. Now, I have no plans to push myself to the point of exhaustion since I can't hole up at the house this evening if I do. If I didn't have a date this evening, it might very well be a different story. I have no idea why I'm so worked up, just that I am. So rather than dwell on that, I'll push myself a little hard. In the end, when Emi calls time, I'm breathing a little hard and slightly shaky, but nowhere near as bad as I've been in the past. Chinatsu takes my hand as we make our way to the locker room, where we clean me up and change me back into my dress so we can head home, eat, and take a nap.

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Honoka knocks on the door and tells us it's time to get up at 3:00. I kiss Chinatsu awake, roll out of bed and stretch to loosen up my sore muscles. Chinatsu heads out to gather her change of clothes while I gather mine and head down to the bath. Of course, Honoka is already there waiting for us.

Once Chinatsu arrives, we put our hair up and wash each other. No leisurely shower and soak this afternoon, unfortunately.

After we dress, Chinatsu heads upstairs to do her hair in loose curls and leave it down. Honoka will be doing a french twist, while I head to Mama because she is doing something that sounds complicated to my hair. That said, Mama said it's easy to do, but she thinks it'll look great on me. It's a french-plait that meets in a fishtail updo in the back which she pins into place with my b.u.t.terfly hair clip. I'll leave it as it looks rather sophisticated. While she's at it she puts my makeup on me, except for my lipstick and gloss. I'm literally awed by the girl that looks back at me in the mirror. Mama's d.a.m.n good at this.

I give Mama a hug and a kiss on the cheek and tell her, "Thank you, I love it."

Smiling, she tells me, "You're welcome sweetheart. I love doing things like this for you. I hope you'll let me help you more."

"Of course, Mama. I'd love that. You'll have to teach me how to do this sometime. I think it would make a great hairstyle for me at work. Umm, Mama, would it be okay if Chinatsu and I get our ears pierced?"

"Sure, but just one piercing and you two are only allowed to wear studs and definitely, none of that cheap, gaudy stuff either. I think diamonds, amethysts, or emeralds would do well for you and diamonds, sapphires, or rubies for Chinatsu. Okay?"

"Alright Mama. Thank you, I'll make sure we stick with those for us."

"You're welcome sweetheart. Have fun on your date."

Almost running upstairs, I enter my room and sit at my desk to put on my lipstick and the gloss. Once I have, I drop both of them in my clutch along with my wallet and cellphone. Then put on my watch and necklace. Chinatsu comes in as I'm finis.h.i.+ng up. She's simply stunning. If Ryo's jaw doesn't hit the ground when he sees her, I'll have doubts whether he's a guy.

"Chinatsu, my G.o.d, you're gorgeous!"

She smiles. "Right back at you. Are you ready?"

"Yep, let's go check on Honoka."

Taking her hand, I lead the way to Honoka's room and knock on the door. We enter after she says, "Come in"

"Ready Nee-chan?" I ask.

"Almost, I have to put on my gloss and I'll be done."

Honestly, when she's done and stands to turn to us she absolutely stunning. No, stunning simply isn't enough, she's simply beautiful enough to make any man do a double or triple look to make sure he wasn't imagining things.