The Colors Universe
Case of the Missing Hair Clips by Moon
Characters: Akai-san, Mikan-tan, Kou-kunWord Count: 1,111 words
Theme: Misplaced Items
Author Notes: I had an amusing time writing this. I loosely based the situation on one I find myself in with my younger brother a lot. The setting has all the colors living together as a kind of family unit.
"Give it back!"
"I told you I didn't take it!"
"Yes you did! Now give it back!"
Akai stared at the front door, his hand on the door knob, wondering if he really wanted to go inside or not. When he had left the house that morning everything was fine. He had just stepped out for a little bit to run a few errands. Finally the sound of two sets of footsteps running followed by a crash prompted him to enter, if only to save the furniture.
"Ow! Let go!"
"Not until you tell me where you put it!"
"I told you for the millionth time I didn't take them!"
"You liar!"
"Ow! Quit it!"
"Hey!" Akai walked up the stairs to see Mikan holding onto Kou's arm with her leg angled back to deliver another kick to his shin. Kou on the other hand was trying to angle his feet out of range of the smaller girl while also trying to pry off her hold on his arm. "You two realize I could hear you yelling outside."
"Akai-nii!" Mikan immediately let go of Kou to run to the older boy. "Akai-nii, Kou-kun stole my orange hair clips!"
"I told you I didn't!" Kou shot back while rubbing his sore ankle. "Why would I touch your hair clips?"
"Because you're mean and you know the orange one was my favorite."
“Orange one? All your hair clips are orange. Just use one of those.” He frowned and walked over to where his hat was on the floor. Akai assumed that it had fallen off in the struggle earlier. Kou picked it up and dusted it off a bit before putting it back on his head.
“No! I want the ones you took! They were special because Akai-nii gave them to me for my birthday!”
“And I told you I haven’t touched any of your stuff!”
“Akai-nii. Tell Kou-kun to stop lying and give them back!” The little girl pouted and tugged at Akai’s sleeves insistently.
“I’m not lying!”
“Mikan-tan.” Akai knelt down to look face to face with the little girl. “Maybe Kou-kun didn’t take your hair clips.”
“But he did. I know he did.”
“Do you have any proof?” The young girl’s silence was all that was needed as a response. Smoothing down her hair Akai turned his gaze back to the blond boy. “Kou-kun are you sure you haven’t seen them?”
“I’m still not sure which hair clips she’s complaining about. She has like a million of them.”
“You know, the ones shaped like an orange with the little leaves off of them.” Mikan pouted even harder.
“Oh those.”
“So you did see them!” Mikan pointed accusingly at him before looking back at Akai. “See I told you Kou-kun was lying when he said he didn’t take them.”
“And I told you I didn’t touch your clips. How many times do I have to say it? I just remembered them because you were wearing them yesterday.” Kou shot back defensively as he readjusted his hat on his head.
“Oh.” Mikan looked down chewing on her bottom lip while tears pricked at the side of her eyes. “Then where are they?”
“Well since you were wearing them yesterday do you remember what you did with them?” Akai asked while standing up.
“Yes, I was wearing them when I went to take my bath last night. But then I took them out.”
“Well then you took them out in the bathroom. Have you checked there?”
“I did.” Mikan nodded, “I checked all over and they weren’t there.”
“What do you say we go check again? Maybe you missed them.” Akai suggested.
“But I looked everywhere.”
“It won’t hurt to double check.” Akai reasoned as he led the way to the bathroom that Kou and Mikan shared. Opening the door he sighed. It was a wonder those two found anything in there. Picking up a towel off the floor and hanging it on a hook he looked back to the shorter girl. “So where did you put them when you took your clips out of your hair?”
“I put them right here.” Mikan moved around the redhead to point at a space on the edge of the vanity. “That’s where I always put them.”
Akai quietly rearranged some of the things while searching for the missing hair clips. Pushing aside some bottles something shiny caught his eye on the floor. Looking over he smiled, partially hidden by the rug was one of the missing hair clips.
“So you checked all over?” He asked while bending over to retrieve the lost item.
“I did.” Mikan insisted.
“Well I think you missed a spot, Mikan-tan.” Akai grinned as he held out the clip to the girl.
“My clip!” Mikan cried out in joy, taking the clip and sliding it into her hair. Once done she looked back. “But what about the other one? Didn’t you find the other one too?”
“Sorry Mikan-tan.” Akai frowned. “That was the only one.”
“How? I always keep them together. If you found one you must have found the other.”
Poking around in several more places Akai shook his head. “Nope. That’s the only one.”
“But… but…”
“But why can’t you keep track of your things like normal people?” Mikan looked up angrily at the sound of Kou’s voice in the doorway.
“Shut up! What do you know?” She demanded wiping away the start of tears.
“I know that you need to be more careful with your import things.” Kou smirked before reaching over and clipping something to her hair. Reaching up to see what he placed there she opened her hand to reveal her other hair clip.
“Kou-kun! Akai-nii, I knew Kou-kun was lying. He did have my clip!”
“And I told you. I didn’t touch it.” Kou crossed his arms. “I found that in one of your shirts in the laundry.”
Akai smiled and took the clip from the girl to put back in her hair. “You must have picked up one with your shirt when you were putting your laundry away yesterday while knocking the other to the ground.”
“Oh.” Mikan looked down realizing that she had been the one that had misplaced her clips.
“I think you owe Kou-kun an apology.” Akai looked at her expectantly.
“I’m sorry Kou-kun.” Mikan said softly while looking at the ground embarrassed.
“Yah yah. Whatever squirt, just don’t kick me again.” Kou replied good naturedly while tugging on one of her pigtails.
“Hey!” Mikan squealed while Kou made a quick exit to another part of the house. Akai laughed and shook his head while Mikan gave chase to the blond.
