DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. Only the story is mine.
A/N: I've only managed to watch the anime and the specials. I've yet to read the manga of Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun. My portrayals might be off for now, so I will do my best in the next chapters (or so I hope to do that XD). Anyway, if you guys see any mistakes in grammar or spelling, feel free to send me a message so that I could fix them right away. *bows* Thanks in advance! X3
Let the Trip Begin!
How long has it been? Chiyo Sakura mused as she gazed at the tall, dark haired young man beside her. How long has it been since my puppy love for you faded? She asked herself while her purple orbs scanned his serious face. As she quietly walked alongside the manga-ka, she counted in her head the length of time that had passed since she had confessed to him. A year. It has been a whole year since that fateful summer festival. She had told herself that she would continue loving him, even if he only saw her as a friend. That she would remain faithful until he finally realizes her feelings for him.
But it has been a whole year, and yet nothing happened along the way.
She had tried (and failed) to convey her feelings to him whenever she got the chance, but no matter what she did, she always bumbled and mumbled in front of him. At one point, she even wondered if she was not showing him enough—well—love. A fact that Mikorin straight-away refuted.
"Not showing him enough?" He had asked in disbelief when she brought it up months back. Sakura remembered how his face donned an expression of 'You're kidding, right?'. She giggled when that memory came to her. Apparently, according to Mikorin, she had showed enough love to suffocate him, Wakamatsu and Hori-senpai whenever they were helping Nozaki with his manga. A little bit more and they would all have died. Well, except her, of course.
"Sakura, was there anything funny with what I said?"
The young female snapped her head up, her eyes once more focusing on the mangaka's face. She blinked, trying to recall what he had apparently told her. But her mind had been too busy recalling what she and Mikoshiba had talked about, that she completely forgot to pay attention to what her friend was saying. She gave an apologetic grin as she slowly shook her head.
"I'm so sorry, Nozaki-kun. I got distracted. What did you say?" She asked as politely as she could, hoping that the young man would not be that mad at her for not paying attention. But this was Nozaki. Such things never bothered him.
"No worries. As I was saying, why don't we go to one of the hot springs here? Since it is winter, I suppose we could all enjoy a break." He suggested. Sakura regarded him with a bit of caution. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to read him. She had an odd feeling that this would end up in his manga.
"Nozaki-kun...are you planning on using this as material for your work?" She deadpanned. Nozaki stopped in his tracks as he stared ahead. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward his assistant. There was no mistake about it: the gleam (as she and the others had dubbed it) could be seen in his onyx eyes.
"Sakura, think about it. Mamiko and her friends, and Suzuki and his friends spending two or three days at a hot spring. What kind of adventure lays waiting for them there!" And then Nozaki began to narrate what possible scenarios could arise in such a place. Sakura's expression turned from disbelief to just plain—well...there was no adjective for what her expression was right now.
"...I doubt being kidnapped by an alien would be one of the things that could happen to them there."
"...How about being eaten by a giant-"
"Nozaki-kun..."
"Sakura..."
"No."
"..."
And the pair resumed their walk, the two of them falling silent once more.
Sakura did not know how it all happened. She thought Nozaki was just kidding about the whole hot spring idea. Thought that it was just one of his passing suggestions that nobody would pick up. But she was mistaken. Or rather—Nozaki-kun found a way to bring everyone together for the trip.
And it all started with Mikorin.
"Wait, you wanna go to a hot spring?" Mikoshiba asked when Nozaki brought the subject up. The redhead looked at Sakura, who was vehemently shaking her head at him. He then transferred his gaze back to the mangaka, a doubtful look etched in his eyes.
"And what, you're gonna use it for your manga? No way am I gonna go with you if that's the case." Mikorin said. He shuddered to think what Nozaki was planning for them on that trip. But it seemed like the dark haired artist had a plan—a cunning plan—to get Mikoshiba on board.
"Mikoshiba, you remember that rare figure of a game character that you wanted to have?" He began. At those words, Mikorin's eyes widened. He didn't..?! Did he..?
"Well, I happened to see one online. It'll be arriving a week fro-"
"NOW HOLD ON A SEC!" Mikoshiba shot to his feet, his hands grabbing Nozaki's collar. Sakura's own eyes widened as she gaped at the artist. No way! That was—that was blackmail!
"Don't tell me you bought it? For—for me?!" Mikoshiba asked, stunned. Nozaki quietly contemplated his friend for some time—before nodding his head.
"Yes. I knew you always wanted to have that figurine, but you just couldn't get hold of it. So when I saw it, I decided to order it for you. Of course, you would have to pay me back." Nozaki stated. Sakura could see the cogs whirring in the redhead's mind as he weighed his options. Was he going to refuse—even with such a delicious bait held out in front of him?
"And by pay you back, you mean I'd have to go with you guys? No way in hell!" Mikoshiba yelled, his arms folding in front of his chest as he crashed back down on the floor. Sakura's face beamed. Way to go, Mikorin!
"I forgot to mention, it comes with a necklace tailored for males. You would definitely look cool in that. Cooler than Kashima-kun."
Oh, no...
"Y-you think so?" Mikoshiba asked tentatively. Sakura's mouth hung open in horror. No! Nozaki-kun had used the magic word on Mikorin! She could see the redhead's defenses slowly crumbling as the mangaka continued to shower him with compliments.
"Yes, I do believe that with that necklace, plus your impeccable fashion sense, you'd be able to outshine any other cool guy in the campus. Or even in the city." The dark-haired young man said without batting an eye. In a flash, Mikoshiba was beside Nozaki, his arm draped across the artist's shoulder, his face a painting of pure delight. Sakura groaned. One down—how many more to go?
Turned out her question was answered by everybody.
Of course, Mikoshiba did not fail to inform Kashima about the whole thing. Even though she was his 'rival' as he claimed her to be, she was still his friend. Therefore, as his friend, she would accompany him in that small field trip of theirs. And since the prince of the drama club was going with them, Hori-senpai would definitely be tagging along (more to keep an eye on her than to participate in what Nozaki was actually planning). No, scratch that. He was tagging along. And yes, Nozaki also informed Wakamatsu about the whole thing—and naturally, Seo found out and had volunteered to go with them.
And so, all in all, the people participating in the trip were—well, their group, basically. The whole bunch of them.
And Sakura could not do anything about it, except to accept her fate and join them.
"Why..." Sakura asked, comical sadness flooding her face as they boarded their train.
"Why..." Sakura asked as they got to their seats. The boys were in the compartment opposite theirs, happily talking about what they should do once they get there.
"Why didn't anyone of you see Nozaki-kun's plan..."
And so Chiyo Sakura, currently third year student of Roman Academy, headed for the hot springs with her friends, even though she knew that this could probably end up in the manga Nozaki was making.
But there was something that she did not know yet. She did not know that, for all the groaning and complaining she had been doing...
She would be the one helping Nozaki the most, after all.
