xMikaelx: Well...This is a thing.
So...We made a collaboration story! Yay!
Thanking Darkbetrayer, SoulCage, Silverfang88, hubb2001, and botman for the development of this chapter. Hope you guys like the first of many chapters this weird story will produce!
The universe, at most, does some things that would not make sense.
Thus, the school of thought known as "Science" was made in order to understand these phenomena caused by the universe, in a way that people can logically understand the process of how that specific phenomenon came to be. Thanks to "Science", people nowadays have an idea why rain exists, how procreation works, and how to build things of varying...Um…"Uses". But there is one thing scientific investigation still cannot comprehend even to this day...Well, a couple actually, but let us focus on one thing first.
The bearers of two X chromosomes, the ones capable of childbirth, the most sexualized...Er...Sex in human history: The Woman.
To be more accurate, a woman's mind.
If anything, the only way to know how to understand the woman mind is for one to be a woman as well. But as a male, it is hard to understand what really is going on inside the female brain. Of course, it is also possible that the one writing this right now is a pure virgin who has not experienced romance his whole life and could be very confused with the concept himself, but that is an entirely different topic that the writer wishes to dismiss altogether.
Now, why did I even talk about the female mind in the first place? Because that boy with the special right hand who appears somewhat dense finally realized that, in the end, he will always be a virgin if he does not take the first step. Also, that he's not as perceptive as he thought he was.
Obviously, somebody had to do that first step for him instead. And when it happened, he finally realized how big of an idiot he is. In the end, he realized how scary women could be, especially if you can't tell what they're thinking about and what they'll do next.
...ESPECIALLY WHAT THEY'LL DO NEXT.
"Kamijou Touma. Please go on a date with me."
Before she realized it, these words had escaped her mouth. After waiting for a response and being met with only silence, she dared to glance up at Kamijou and his friends. All three of them froze in what looked like shock. After waiting a few moments longer without a response, she worked up the courage to ask again.
"Kamijou Touma. Please go on a date with me!"
The effect of her words had been near instantaneous this time. The entire class froze in place upon hearing those sudden words as if they were spoken through a megaphone hooked up to a dozen of loudspeakers. The noise caused by the confession could have been heard three classes down. Himegami Aisa's entire classroom was now filled with obnoxious shouting that drowned out Kamijou's response. Another couple of moments passed until the cries of disbelief died down a little, then two voices made themselves clear above the others.
"Kami-yan, for crimes against the Delta Force, I hereby sentence you to death," one of the voices yelled out. It belonged to a certain blue-haired Aogami Pierce, who was holding Kamijou in a headlock.
"How dare you, Kami-yan?!" A second male voice made himself known, this time from Tsuchimikado Motoharu, who somehow also managed to hold Kamijou in a headlock on the floor. "Getting the class ghost to ask you out after class? Are you going to go after Fukiyose next? You bastard!"
"Having a girl ask you out at the end of class is not cool," a random voice from the mass of male classmate onlookers added. "You're lucky Fukiyose hasn't left the school grounds yet. If I hadn't spotted her running back here from the window, I would join in too!"
At this statement, the crowd surrounding the Delta Force and Himegami all started to quickly disperse, lest the wrath of The Iron Wall Girl fall upon them for being part of their shenanigans. I have to get Kamijou out of there before he can give me an answer, realized Himegami. As she had unsuccessfully attempted to convince the Delta Force to release Touma from his prison, she began to tear up thinking she might never get an answer to her confession. Before her tears began to flow fully, she heard a loud voice roar from the door behind her. "What have you idiots done to Himegami?" Fukiyose Seiri, The Iron Wall Girl, stormed into the classroom.
Seeing Himegami standing near the Delta Force on the verge of tears, Fukiyose proceeded to ruthlessly beat up the three males, ignoring their pleas for mercy and attempts to pin the blame on Kamijou. After thoroughly punishing the Delta Force, or idiots as she called them, she turned to Himegami. "I don't know what they did, but if they ever do anything to make you cry again tell me. I'll make sure they regret it."
"It's my fault," admitted Himegami.
"Yeah, it was her fault," yelled Aogami, which lead to him getting pummeled again. After he learned his lesson, Fukiyose turned back to Himegami.
"Sorry he interrupted you, what was that about it being your fault?" asked Fukiyose.
"Well... I kind of asked Kamijou to go on a date with me in front of everyone, and I failed to expect that it would raise a death flag…" Himegami explained, realizing that Fukiyose had no idea she had asked Kamijou on a date.
"I see." A few moments passed before what Himegami had said fully sunk in. "You asked Kamijou on a date?" She exclaimed while looking down at Kamijou lying on the floor. "Good on you. Maybe you can straighten out his delinquent tendencies. If you help him study and get to class on time, I'm sure his grades will improve drastically. Ah, also, knowing him I doubt he will, but if he tries anything funny during the date, don't hesitate to call me. I'll make sure he regrets it." At that last remark, Kamijou flinched on the ground at Fukiyose's feet.
"He hasn't given a response to it yet," Himegami commented, slightly dejected after Fukiyose seemed to think the date was already accepted.
"Is that so," replied Fukiyose. Her sharp gaze grew colder as she looked down at Kamijou.
Although Kamijou might have seemed passive under the gaze of the Iron Wall Girl, his mind was trying to catch up to the fact that he had been asked on a date. Despite the other members of the Delta Force always teasing him about having a harem, he never really thought any of the girls he knew liked him THAT way. The beating he received from Fukiyose had given him plenty of time to think about his response, but he was still unsure of whether to accept or deny the invitation. Fukiyose seemed to think it was a good idea when she wasn't warning Himegami that he might attempt something. He wasn't sure what she was implying. Aogami and Tsuchimikado had already loudly stated their opinion on it. I can't think of a reason to not accept it. If it's not a joke and she's serious about it, declining her might hurt her feelings.
"C'mon Kami-yan, it's rude to leave her hanging forever," Tsuchimikado commented.
"Yeah Kami-yan. If a cute girl confessed to me like that, I would have said yes in a heartbeat. You're just cruel, making her wait all this time. That's seriously uncool." The second member of the Delta Force pitched in. Both of them seemed to have finally recovered from their beatings and were now standing on either side of Kamijou, as he still lay on the floor, thinking.
Seeing that the spiky-haired lover boy still looked stunned at the earlier event, Tsuchimikado and Aogami pulled him up from his dazed recline, and both gentlemen threw a punch at his face.
"Wake up already, dammit," said the nya-nya bastard that punched his left cheek. "Don't you realize how important it is for a girl to muster her courage and confess to a boy she likes?!"
"Yeah, Kami-yan," said the Otaku pervert that punched his right cheek. "Don't you realize the possible implications of the flag that was forcefully raised for you?! You just hit the jackpot, you motherfucker!"
"...Guys…Tha..." Finally realizing how big of an event Himegami's confession was, accompanied by the pain he was feeling at the moment, he could only utter a few words. Once he formulated the sentence in his mind, he exclaimed:
"THAT FUCKING HURT! Was it really necessary to do a tag team punch?!"
"Nyah, looks like he finally recovered. Nice punch, Aogami."
"Well done to you as well, Tsuchimikado. So, what's the plan, lover boy?"
"Eh? Oh...Yeah...I really don't know where to start." Kamijou scratched his cheek, only to wince once he touched the swollen part. "This is my first time, after all, so you guys might have an idea."
Before Kamijou could say more, Tsuchimikado and Aogami slung their arms over the teen's shoulders and began to strut their way to the room's sliding door.
"Sorry, Himegami-chan, but we would like to borrow your 'boyfriend' for lunch. I hope you don't mind, Nyah."
"We'll make sure to bring him back safe and sound."
Before the quiet girl could respond to the blonde's request and for Fukiyose react, the members of the Delta Trio went out of the classroom and made their way to the rooftop. Considering it was still lunch break, the area was thankfully empty. The three then began the planning committee on what to do for Kamijou Touma's first date. The blonde wearing a Hawaiian shirt under his uniform raised his hand first.
"How about we start with something basic, but at the same time special? Just like how first impressions are important, you have to make it so that it will be a night to remember."
Kamijou nodded. "What do you have in mind?"
"I heard there's this new restaurant that opened in Dianoid Mall that serves an all-you-can-eat buffet for 10,000 Yen."
"Oy, didn't you say 'basic and at the same time special?!' That's way out of my budget and something Index would wholeheartedly enjoy!"
"Is that so? Any ideas you can pull out from your experiences in games, Aogami?" The two looked at the direction of their blue-haired companion.
Aogami hummed his answer until a coherent sentence came out of him. "What you really need is a highlight."
"For example?"
"For the most part, the MC in games, probably other mediums too, would ask the girl to watch a movie, walk around an amusement park or the city, talk about each other's life while sitting on one of the benches in a public park…" Tsuchimikado and Kamijou both nodded at the same time with every suggestion Aogami made. The more they listened, the more they found the man standing before them look like a god.
"I see, I see...That does sound normal. But what about the memorable part?" Kamijou asked. At this remark, Aogami opened his eyes.
"Then you two can get busy afterward."
"Get busy? With what?" Kamijou tilted his head. At this, Aogami stared at him with disbelief.
"Bro, I think you should know what doing the do means."
"Doing the do? What do I do exactly?"
"...Hitting the home run...?"
"...Bring her to a baseball game?"
Aogami and Tsuchimikado slapped their foreheads simultaneously.
"You fuck each other until dawn, dammit!"
"I should have never trusted you to give decent suggestions in the first place."
"But that's what happened in all the games I've played. Hell, they all end in either choosing a single girl or a harem end!"
"Even then, it's not like I'm going to seal the deal on the very first date!"
""You're not?"" Aogami and Tsuchimikado looked at Kamijou in unison, suspicious at his remark.
"W-well, I mean... It's the first date, y'know? I want to have it proceed as normally as possible, y'know? It's not like she's going to say yes when I ask her. It's not like I can buy 'those' in the convenience store and be prepared, y'know? They'll know I'm a minor." The two could see Kamijou's face turn into a ripe tomato as he spoke about his views. At this, they realized that the lover boy needed them more than ever.
"We got you covered."
"W-what?"
Kamijou saw the glint in their eyes, leading him to think of only one conclusion as to the change in their expressions.
"No, thank you. I'd rather have this first date be clean, and there is no way I'm going to tarnish such a sacred occasion by ending it with a bang."
At this, the two perverts paused from pulling out whatever was inside their pockets and sighed in disappointment. As much as the thought of finally breaking the v-card excited Kamijou, deep down, is a very inexperienced teenager when it comes to the ways of romance. As he had said earlier, there is no way Himegami would take him on that offer, and he would rather retain that pure sense of friendship with the girl. Until they get married, that is.
"A-anyway, let's get back on topic and decide what to do for my first date." He cleared his throat and continued. "From the list of activities that Aogami suggested, watching a movie would be an ideal dating activity."
"Yes, yes."
"Unfortunately, I've been busy lately, so I have no clue what to watch with Himegami. Any suggestions?" Kamijou asked as he scratched the back of his neck.
Aogami and Tsuchimikado were silent for a few seconds, possibly thinking of movie titles they thought was the best for a first date. Tsuchimikado raised his hand first again.
"I know! How about a sci-fi movie? I saw this movie last week that is on its 8th installment about people fighting with laser swords and is the biggest space epic in movie history. Sure, it made references from the past seven movies, but-"
"Are you talking about The L*st J***? That movie sucked, man!" After hearing the blonde's explanation, Aogami laughed.
"In what way did that movie suck? It's actually pretty good once you understand the lore and everything." Tsuchimikado argued, but from seeing Aogami's smug demeanor, he seemed more prepared than the blonde had thought.
"Sure, the movie looked great and everything, but the things they did in that movie dragged out the inevitable to the point it does not makes sense. That stupid casino planet, that one character nobody cared about and felt like extra baggage, and most importantly, the most out of nowhere death of the one guy everyone was waiting to know about the most. Sure he had it coming, but he was one of the most interesting and mysterious characters in the film, and they would throw him away like that?"
Aogami started waving around his hands around as if he was teaching a new religious philosophy.
"There's also the main protagonist's training that was very short, yet she looked like she mastered the art of the laser sword an hour later into the movie. You can't ace the art of the laser sword and the way of the J*** in just a few days with just stupidly swinging the laser sword!
Even though Kamijou and Tsuchimikado wanted to intervene, their other friend continued to talk incessantly.
"Speaking of time, the one thing that really bothered me was that stupid chase scene between the Empire and the Rebel space fleet. Realistically speaking, the Rebels should have been toast there, yet it took almost 2 hours into the movie until the chase finally ended. There's also the convoluted timeline between events, especially the events that happened to the main protagonist with her grumpy 'mentor' and her best friend with the waste of time character, which made the movie's events look like everything happened all at the same time. This makes the sequence of events even more convoluted!"
The blue-haired critic then started to look annoyed as he glared at his two audience members.
"Last but not least, making the protagonist of the very first trilogy act out of character! He is NOT that kind of person! He will always try to see the light in people, not outright try to kill them because he fears what they could become! That would break the purpose of what he did in the 3rd movie!"
"...Uh..." Kamijou Touma raised his hand. "Does that mean you have a better movie in mind?"
"Yeah, Aogami! Aside from pointing out faults that a non-fan wouldn't mind skipping over just to have fun watching, what movie do you have in mind that the Fetish King THINKS is BETTER than a soon to be nine movie saga that everyone loves?" Tsuchimikado sounded weird, but Kamijou ignored it.
At this, the so-called Fetish King claimed his recommendation to be:
"J*st*ce L**g**."
Everything went downhill once the blonde esper-magician hybrid threw a punch into the Fetish King's face.
In the School Garden at District 7…
A sudden ring disturbed Misaka Mikoto's lively chat with her friends, Saten, Uiharu, and Kuroko. Pulling out her Gekota-styled phone, she peeked at the caller ID and saw her crush's number on it.
"Sorry, but I have to take this. If you'll excuse me."
"Who is it, onee-sama?" Kuroko asked, but Mikoto didn't answer.
After walking a few meters away from the table, leaving behind a skeptical Kuroko, a curious Uiharu, and a cat-eyed Saten, Mikoto pulled up the screen and listened to the attached earpiece.
"What is it? It's not like you to call. Not that I mind or anything."
"Yo, Misaka! I need some advice. It's very important."
"Advice on what exactly?"
"I'm planning to see a movie with someone this coming weekend, but I'm not really sure what's on right now that is any good. Do you have any ideas?"
Usually, when the idiot called for help, he would ask about complex and stupid stuff, like opening an electronic lock or something illegal. But movies? Mikoto felt curious to ask why Kamijou would need advice on what movie to watch. Then she finally processed what he said.
...A movie... with...someone…?
Many thoughts crossed Mikoto's mind, but she had to ask the question herself so that she could understand what exactly was going on.
"You're planning to see a movie with someone? Wouldn't you usually ask your companion what to watch instead of asking me?"
"Really? I-I mean...I want to keep the movie thing a secret so that I could surprise her or something...I don't know! I'm not really the expert here!"
...Her…? A... girl? Does that mean…?
Mikoto's mind went blank, but she could still hear the idiot's voice pouring out of the earpiece.
"A-anyway, I can't really say the specifics, but the only thing you need to know is that I need your help in choosing a movie. You're the only one I can trust with this. There are some people who are...well…"
Suddenly, two distinct loud voices mixed in with the idiot's made her snap out of her unfounded shock.
"J*st*ce L**g** is shit! W*rn*r Br*s should have let Snyd*r finish his vision! Release the Snyd*rcut!"
"No, The L*st J*** is shit! They shouldn't have killed off-"
"Misaka? You still there? Hello?"
"S-sorry… It's a little loud there. And whatever your friends are talking about, it sounds like useless banter."
A movie date. The idiot was planning a movie date. But with who? It was supposed to be a surprise for the girl in question, yet Kamijou was asking for HER advice. Since he had no idea what movie the girl in question would like, he asked HER for help because SHE would know best what movie to watch with THAT GIRL. Since SHE would know what movie would be best watched on a movie date, and that it was supposed to be some kind of surprise, but the idiot in question did not know THE GIRL'S tastes in entertainment. Obviously, he should have to ask THE GIRL IN QUESTION what SHE would like to see this coming weekend...Meaning the idiot was planning a movie date with the girl in question. AKA... the girl the idiot was calling right now.
A light bulb exploded on top of her head, but she didn't mind and quickly returned to the conversation, her face as red as the blood slowly creeping down her face.
"A chick flick! Girls definitely love cheesy, romantic movies that will definitely make their heart race! I know a movie theater nearby that reruns old movies ranging from late 2000's up to last year!"
"Eh? Really? I was actually thinking the same thing, but I wasn't really sure, so I had to ask. Didn't know about a movie theater rerunning old movies. Thanks for that small tidbit."
"Also, make sure to arrive on or before the meeting time! Not only will it be rude for your companion if you didn't come on time, but you will make them feel that you didn't care about them at all!"
"Huh? Sure…"
"Don't forget to dress up nicely too! Casual may be the norm, but at least put some effort and dress formally!"
"O-okay….?"
"Last but not least, be courteous with your da- I mean friend! Yeah! Be nice to her and listen to everything she says!"
"...Thanks?"
"SEE YOU THIS WEEKEND!"
"Huh? Wai-"
Suddenly dropping the call from excitement, Mikoto tried to contain her emotions. Instead, sparks of electricity started spewing out of her body in random directions. Even though they didn't hit passer-bys, the lightning always found its way to Kuroko.
Meanwhile, a few minutes after the trio left...
Aisa Himegami, female, 2nd Year Student of a certain high school in District 7, had long black hair with a princess cut for her bangs.
Normal in almost every conceivable way.
"So, what made you decide to finally ask Kamijou on a date?"
Fukiyose sat across from Himegami's seat, sharing a table while eating their lunch. Unlike most days, when it was only her and her friend, it felt like everyone in their class had their eyes on her. For someone who has been nearly incognito ever since transferring to this school, this is the first time her classmates could actually see her. It was a little frustrating to know that all it took was a confession addressed to the unluckiest (yet lucky) boy in their class to make her visible.
"I...just thought that it would be best to know how he actually thinks about me."
Dissatisfied with her friend's answer, Fukiyose sneered and pressed the attack. "Reaaaaaally now? What brought that on? Did something happen that made you feel that way?"
"No… Nothing really happened. Did I do something wrong by asking him today?"
"Nope. Not at all."
"Deny it all you want, I am so going to the bottom of this...Someday."
Even though she was being honest, there really was nothing. No prior event spurred her to ask Kamijou Touma on a date for the first time in her life. Nothing at all. If anything, she wants to make progress. For both him and herself. There's nothing wrong with that, right?
Now, it's her turn to be on the offensive!
"...Since we're talking about love, what about you? Any plans to confess? You never really told me anything about your crush."
Fukiyose tilted her head from the statement. "Crush? Did I ever tell you anything about me having a crush?"
Did she? Himegami scrambled through the recesses of her memories if her friend did mention a boy in her life that she has an eye on, but zero results popped out of her Himegami Search Engine. And here she thought she would have the upper hand in their conversation this time...
Even then, she persevered.
Even if nothing was mentioned, she'd make her friend say anything...Anything that will link to a boy Fukiyose Seiri has a crush on!
Himegami placed an index finger under her lips as she gestured to look away. "I'm sure you said something about your crush… Back then, you mentioned how that 'idiot' would always get carried away, and you would beat him up to correct him."
Fukiyose blinked once. And then twice.
"Aisa… What do you mean?"
Did I get it wrong? That blank reaction doesn't tell me anything. Himegami prodded the girl even further.
"Oh, you know, Seiri! The only male classmates I've seen you interact with are those guys!"
"...Which ones exactly?" Fukiyose tilted her head, adding more to the confusing reaction.
Himegami froze.
...I'm not even sure if I'm on the right track anymore. What am I even saying? Should I even continue with this line of questioning? Himegami doubted her decision to "interrogate" her friend and finally sighed in exasperation.
"...Nevermind…"
"Heehee! What is it, Aisa? What exactly were you trying to find out?" Fukiyose's smug grin made her feel more annoyed, considering she got nothing out of her questioning. However, the transition from having a poker face to suddenly wearing a bright smile to push away her earlier inquiry did felt odd.
"It's nothing. Nevermind." Himegami bit the piece of her lunch caught in her chopsticks.
In the end, Fukiyose was tight-lipped about her state of affairs. The few things Himegami knew of the girl was that the girl resembles a disciplinary officer when she was not and a complete nutritionist nut. Holding her forehead up high, the Iron Wall is as sturdy as a rock when it comes to actively following school rules and regulations. Strong-willed and full of confidence - and assets -, Himegami is proud to call Fukiyose Seiri her best friend.
"So, have you talked about the date with Kamijou and when it will happen?" In the end, the topic of romance went back to Himegami's.
"Ah."
The room went silent. A sudden chill made itself known as Himegami realized something very important. In the midst of the class' excitement, she didn't get to hear from the boy in question if he said yes to the proposal or not.
"Hm? Is something wrong, Aisa?"
"Uhh...How should I say this?" Himegami scratched her cheek as if embarrassed. She then motioned herself to lightly knock her hand on her head and pulled her tongue out. "Teehee⭐~"
At this, the Iron Wall Girl quickly stood and ran towards the door. Himegami could only imagine what her friend will do next, covering her face in shame.
A few days passed and the fated time arrived.
The Weekend.
The time of the week where most people, if not all, take a break.
Generally speaking.
Usually, people who had worked on the weekdays would stay inside the place they call home and drop dead on their beds, taking advantage of the only time in the week that they don't have to kiss their asses to their boss and mask everything with hard work. The time of day where they can be themselves, students included. A time where people can indulge in their hobbies like late night Video Game sessions and hitting up the malls to meet with close friends. A time where people can relieve their stress and cool off by forgetting they have work or classes the next day, only to dread they have homework and projects they should have worked on earlier.
The same time of the week where a very distraught teenage boy in his 2nd year of High School was having second thoughts about his plans with his date today.
What a pathetic virgin.
Maybe coward would be a better term.
"Don't worry about it, it's just a date. There's nothing to be frightened about. It's going to be a peaceful day like always… That is until I get called up to stop another global conflict caused by supernatural bullshit and have to travel to punch that fucker with my right fist and call it a day. No! I should think about the date alone...Nothing else... Other people can handle those kinds of trouble themselves...They should be able to handle those types of threats… Magicians from Necessarius and other Cabals should be able to handle cataclysmic threats without my help... right?"
Waiting near the entrance of the monorail station where he and his date agreed to meet, Kamijou Touma began to sweat bullets thinking about the many possibilities that could happen today. Obviously, he wanted everything to go as planned; no misfortunate events like an invading Magician trying to steal Index away or mad scientists spreading chaos by releasing hordes of abomination all over the city. It's his very first date after all, and a No-Girlfriend-Since-Birth guy like him would not want anything bad to happen that will ruin this flag. Himegami chose to make the first step, and it's his responsibility for things to stay on course.
"Okay…Breathe in...Breathe out…" Kamijou calmed down his nerves and went over his plans for today in his head, unaware of mumbling it out. "After meeting up with Himegami, we would go straight to the movie theater Misaka recommended to me the other day. Should we take a bus or walk? If I want to spend more time with Himegami, maybe walking is best but that would mean exhausting ourselves. We could relax a little by using the bus, but that would not encourage a lively conversation since we might disturb the other passengers. I'll just have to have to ask her… or maybe not. Should I ask her what to do on our way to the movie theater? No. Yes? Mhhhhmmm…"
The idiot paced around as he organized his plan.
"In any case, once we're inside the theater, I will pick the film. Misaka said a chick flick, but what if there was nothing on there that was a chick flick? Knowing my luck, there's a possibility that there may not be a chick flick on today. That means I need a plan B. What other genres of movies can we watch then? What would a girl like Himegami be a fan of? Action and Sci-Fi are definitely out…"
His pace quickened.
"No wait, as long as it is an enjoyable movie, it should be fine whatever I choose, right? Either it be horror, action, supernatural, sci-fi, comedy, and drama, as long as it's something we can enjoy, I can pick anything….Okay, let's go with that plan if a chick flick isn't available. Now, what happens next after seeing the movie?"
Kamijou paused from pacing and searched for his date. He saw no one that resembled a girl with a princess haircut. He did notice a girl trying to cross the street that wore a sundress and a wide brim straw hat protecting her from the bright morning sun, carrying a small bag. He couldn't see the face underneath, but he assumed it wasn't his date because this girl's hair was tied into a ponytail. Was he too early? Misaka did tell him to arrive earlier than the agreed-upon meeting time. He checked the large digital screen on top of the station's entrance and saw that it was 9 in the morning. He then continued organizing his thoughts as he leaned against the wall.
"If the movie lasts for less than 2 hours, we can grab lunch. The problem will be a matter of where… Shoot, nobody recommended me a place to eat at during a date. Definitely not that buffet restaurant Tsuchimikado recommended. Fast food then? It would be cheap, but will Himegami be okay with that? ...Now that I think about it-"
"Kamijou-kun."
"Bwaaaah?!"
Kamijou Touma was startled to hear a voice so close to his ear. Discovering the owner of said voice, it was the same sundress girl from across the street, her face still covered under the large straw hat.
"S-sorry! Did I scare you, Kamijou-kun?"
"Ah? Uh...It's fine! ...Who are you? How did you know my name?"
The girl pouted and, realizing that she couldn't be recognized, removed the damned headwear as she revealed herself as his date, Himegami Aisa. Kamijou Touma was stunned. The girl in question didn't look any different from normal, yet for some reason, there was this aura she exudes that made her look regal...Elegant even. It may be because of the outfit she wore, but it made Kamijou feel refreshed just by looking at her.
"...Is something wrong?"
"I-it's nothing! Nothing at all! It's just that you look great!"
"T-thank you…" Himegami looked away. Kamijou just barely caught a tint of red on the girl's cheek. In a way, the virgin boy felt a beam of excitement course through his body.
"So...Shall we go, Himegami?"
"Before that, may I ask something important, Kamijou-kun?"
"Yes?" Did I do something wrong? Kamijou felt sweat slide down his back.
"Don't you feel hot wearing... that?"
Himegami pointed at his rental black suit, complete with a corsage pinned to his coat's chest. His long black slacks exceeded his ankles so to compensate for that, he wore a pair of shiny, elevated shoes. Now that he thought about it, it did feel weird to wear formal attire when the only thing they'll do was watch a movie…
"... Nope, not at all!" Kamijou declared, balls of sweat riding down his face as if to make his earlier claim moot. Himegami giggled from his failed attempt to convince her. Kamijou then cleared his throat, followed by kneeling down and extending his arm with an open right palm. "So...Would you like to start this wonderful day and be on our merry way, my liege?"
Himegami smiled and returned the gesture in kind, reaching out her frail yet delicately smooth hands and entrusting the day to her partner. She was blushing intensely, the girl's pale white skin matching the color of a ripe tomato. Kamijou felt a little insecure with the thought of touching her hands.
"Yes, let us begin today's activities, my honorable knight."
To the two teenagers, it felt like they were fulfilling a fantasy. Sadly, people who don't know any better could only see their theatrics as a corny and cheesy.
The pathetic virgin could only say one thing to himself: The day couldn't possibly get any worse from this small mistake of his.
"So I have to choose between three movies…"
After taking a bus ride, Kamijou Touma brought his date, Himegami Aisa, inside the movie theater located in District -. It was a two-story building that looked like any other office building in the city. The building itself appeared to be a bit wider than the rest he'd seen before, considering it held four auditoriums, each projected a film available for a limited time. The incandescent lights gave the hall a classic feel to the atmosphere as if to reflect what Misaka said about this particular theater showing movies that ranged from the 2000s up to the present.
Much to his surprise and delight, Misaka Mikoto's movie recommendation was part of the lineup. Three of the movies screamed chick flick as some of its movie posters had a pair of lovers in each. There was a fourth movie. However, that was definitely out of place.
A horror movie.
Seeing that kid in the yellow raincoat holding a red balloon surrounded by a black atmosphere in the poster gave the vibe of scary things ahead. Completely ignoring the horror movie since that wasn't the genre a certain biribiri recommended, he focused on the three films left on the list.
"Choosing between these three shouldn't be hard, right?"
Hugging his arms together, the overdressed teen contemplated on how he would decide from the available choices. He knew that three out of the four movies being shown were chick flicks. As for the content? He had no idea what these movies could be about. Sure, romance is a given, but what about the story?
He read the synopsis of each movie, starting with the one poster that has a weird zombie in Buddhist clothing, hugging a teen definitely younger looking than the other. It's a story of the corpse of a high priest coming back to rekindle the love between him and an old flame. But that flame had passed decades ago, so it instead goes for their lover's kin; which just so happens to be a high school teen boy. Classified as psychological horror.
'For a supposed romance story, this feels creepy. It's...somehow familiar. Next is...'
He then read the next movie's synopsis, its poster showing a couple in a black background, the man obviously paler than the woman. Long story short, it's a vampire romance movie.
'Definitely not gonna show this to Himegami. Don't want to bring up bad memories.'
The third film's synopsis looked interesting at least and was more grounded in reality. The poster showed a couple hugging in the rain, the unshaven man carrying the woman that was about to kiss him. The story took place in the past around World War 2 wherein the girl's parent disapproved of her relationship with the man. The man then served in the war,and a few years later, he returned to reignite the love between him and the girl, who was on her way to getting married to another man.
'That is a very complicated romance story, but it does look intriguing enough to warrant a viewing.'
"Kamijou-kun, did you decide on a movie already?"
Himegami was beside him the whole time while he was evaluating each featured film. Even though the sundress girl didn't sound impatient or irritated, he thought it would be best to just choose the one that interests him the most.
"Yeah. I'm gonna go buy the tickets now. Is it okay if you buy the popcorn?"
"Sure. Let's meet up near the auditorium entrances.
Making their way to their respective tasks, Kamijou was relieved to see a short line for the movie. In the end, the one movie that interested him the most was the third one. While the customers near the counter were telling the clerk their choice for today's entertainment, as he was near the back of the line, he saw a familiar orange jacket mixed in with the line to the counter next to his. Unlike him, the blonde teen had his girlfriend join the waiting line. Seeing the couple just shows that he has yet to learn more about romance in reality than what he perceived it to be like.
Finally having his turn at the counter, he asked the clerk for two tickets to the movie of his choice. After making his payment, Kamijou Touma was very excited to meet up with Himegami that he didn't notice someone was coming his way.
"Hey, Boss! What's- Oof!"
The moment he took a single step away from the cashier, he bumped into the blonde guy he knew as Hamazura Shiage, unconsciously letting go of the tickets he just bought from the soft hit.
"A-are you okay, Boss? Oh shit, where did it go?"
Frantically looking around on the floor, his gaze finally met the fallen tickets and frantically picked it up, quickly pocketing the treasured pieces before anything else happens. Both teens got up the same time as they finally addressed one another.
"Sorry about that. I didn't see you coming." Kamijou quickly lowered his head apologetically and noticed the girl beside the blonde teen. "Going to watch a movie with your girlfriend?"
"Yeah, Boss. I kind of promised Takitsubo to take this day off with just the two of us." Hamazura scratched his cheek, said girlfriend hugging his free arm. "What's with the get-up? Attending some kind of party?"
"Well, the thing is…"
"Hamazura, we should go. The movie is about to start soon." Restless, Takitsubo Rikou interrupted the chat between the two boys.
"S-Sorry." Hamazura apologized to his girlfriend. "We have to go. Sorry for bothering you, Boss. You must be busy dressing up like that."
"It's fine. Take care and good luck with your date."
As soon as the two lovebirds left, Kamijou Touma quickly jogged to the meeting area, seeing Himegami already carrying a bucket of popcorn and their drinks.
"Did I kept you long?"
Himegami shook her head. "Looks like some movies are about to start."
"Great! We should get going. I got the tickets riiight...Here!" Just when he pulled out the tickets from his chest pocket, Kamijou felt a chilling wind from his nape down to his spine. Whatever happened made him hug himself for warmth.
"Is something wrong?" Himegami questioned when she saw him shivering in place.
"I-Is it just me, or d-did it get cold all of a s-s-sudden?"
"I don't feel any change in temperature, though."
"Is that so? Wait...What? It's...gone?"
With whatever that transpired had gone to past, Kamijou quickly looked around. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, like a stalking gaze of some kind, he quickly assisted the confused sundress girl to the auditorium indicated on his tickets.
If only he checked the contents of the tickets first…
Okay, so maybe seeing a kid's arm get bitten off by a monster clown living in the sewers freaked him out a lot, but Kamijou Touma found the rest of the movie actually bearable to watch. Hell, he's actually excited to see the sequel hinted at the end too. Sure, he made a mess on the movie he actually wanted to watch when he discovered that he mixed up the tickets, but the most important thing was that he and Himegami Aisa liked it, right?
Well, it turns out that she actually did enjoy the movie. If only that weren't the 5th time she saw it in theaters though, maybe it would have garnered more shocked. Not just that, but he would have received the most expected reaction a girl watching a horror movie would do while with someone: the warm comfort of a hug to ease her stress.
Nope. That did not happen in this case for Kamijou Touma. Such missed opportunity...
"Wait, so you're telling me that in the book the movie was based on, the kids near the end…. Had sex? In the sewers, no less? Isn't that a weird time to do so and… very unnecessary?"
Biding their lunch time as they ate their hamburgers at the nearest Wcdo, the not-so-awkward couple talked about certain trivia about the movie, most of the information coming from Himegami. Making sure not to choke, the ponytailed beauty relayed things from the movie that casual moviegoers would not know at all. That lead to the current topic of interest, of which Kamijou Touma was a little bothered, if not a lot.
"Obviously, there's no way they would adapt such a vulgar scene in the movie." Himegami took a sip from her cola as she continued to talk about the movie. "After I discovered that that scene was in the book, I realized how it changes the whole meaning of the movie's ending."
As much as talking about pre-teens having an orgy in the original texts gave him a weird impression about the novelist, seeing Himegami's enthusiastic demeanor did bring a smile to his face. Now that he thought about it when was the last time he saw the girl smile like this? He called out to her.
"Himegami."
"Hm?" The girl was about to take a bite when she looked at him. For some reason, seeing a girl eating would always remind him of Index, minus the voracious part.
"The truth was… I messed up the tickets," Kamijou scratched his cheek as he explained. "I was actually going for another movie, but I kind of bumped into someone. It's possible that I swapped those tickets with theirs. I hope they're happy with the movie they got."
"I didn't mind."
"Huh?"
"Sure, I've seen that movie multiple times already, but it never gets old." She took a big bite out of her double cheeseburger and waited until she was done with the piece to speak again, wiping her mouth afterward. "For a horror movie, I found it hilarious for the most part. The CG is noticeable, sometimes breaking suspension of disbelief, and the children's reactions over the scares are hammy at most. But today, something was different."
"Different? Even though you've seen it already?" Kamijou pondered on what she said but still didn't get the real message. Seeing his defeated expression, Himegami continued.
"The first time I saw the movie, I was all alone. Watching a horror film alone in the theater makes you think it's a bad idea for a girl like me, right? The truth is that I like that genre in particular. I was never a fan of romance. Seeing those movies just made me feel more lonely, considering I never dreamed of such an outcome. But now, I'm reliving one of those scenes you'd see in chick flicks in which you go on a movie date with the person you really like."
The stunned boy kept quiet, trying to absorb everything the girl in front of him was saying.
"I ...really like you, Kamijou-kun."
It was important she got her feelings across.
"Himegami… I…" Speechless, Kamijou Touma couldn't look Himegami in the eye as she confessed her feelings to him. Something was caught in his throat, preventing him from speaking his mind. Was it guilt? Fear? From what? He didn't know. As much as he liked to answer the girl in front of him, he doesn't know how to respond. Himegami saw his complicated expression, prompting her to answer for his sake.
"You don't have to answer me right now." Even though she's denying him time to answer, it was the only way to continue the conversation. "The day is still long, we don't want to get stuck on one topic. Besides, I'm not in a hurry." She rose from her seat and stood beside Kamijou, extending a hand as if inviting him, smiling. "This is just the first date, after all. This isn't just about me. I want for the both of us to get to know more about each other. If anything, this is just the first step to a deeper understanding. Give it time, and when the time comes that you have your answer, I will accept it. Are you with me, Kamijou-kun?"
Kamijou Touma paused as he stared at the beauty's open palm. True, there were a lot of things to process, especially Himegami's feelings for him. But she was right, this date wasn't just for her. It was also for him to find the answers to the girl's feelings for him. He felt really stupid at how hung up he was from trying to give a good impression of himself to Himegami in this date. He could only smile at the girl patiently waiting for an answer to her feelings, but he knew that he couldn't answer it. Not now anyway.
He accepted the invitation by taking the hand of the person offering herself to him.
*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING*
"Fwah...I'm coming, I'm coming!"
It was the weekends at night, so the midget teacher Komoe found herself baffled by the sudden ringing at her door. It looked like the mailmen, and other product promoters started learning to call her attention through the doorbell instead of hitting her reinforced door, though the time they usually arrived at didn't match at all. In fact, they would often come early in the day. And in hordes no less. She could have asked her wards to open the door for her, but they went out. Musujime Awaki was already gone when she woke up early in the morning, and Himegami Aisa looked rather excited when she bid her goodbye in the sundress that she bought for her yesterday. The black-haired student of hers did say she might come home later than usual, but isn't it a little too dark for youngsters be out this late at night?
Still reeking of booze to get herself sleepy, Komoe trotted to the narrow hallway of her apartment, still in her whole body bunny pajamas and immediately opened the door.
"Does that mean you're together now?"
"I… really can't say. He's still sorting out his feelings himself. And I honestly can't see myself winning. There's just too many girls around him at this point that I feel like it's too late. In fact, I felt-"
As she was about to open the door, she heard chatter that sounded like it belonged to her two wards. It looked like they went home together, but based on their conversation, it seemed like something bad happened. For the kind person that she is, Komoe opened the door and saw the figures of Musujime and Himegami, the former's face a little annoyed at the latter's answer. Hearing the creaking nudges of her door, the two teenagers stopped the conversation and greeted the supposedly older adult of the apartment unit.
"Good evening. Sorry for coming home so late, Komoe." the girl with red hair did sound apologetic, but the earlier conversation might have dampened her mood. The long-haired teen bowed her head and apologized the same.
"It's okay, but next time, please message me what time you'll be coming home, Musujime-chan." The pink-haired teacher then looked at the worried girl. "Did something bad happen, Himegami-chan?"
She did hear from her homeroom class that the girl asked another student of hers, the naughty Kamijou Touma-chan, on a date. Based on Himegami's current expression, it looked like something happened.
"W-well...The thing is...I feel like I'm being stalked."
A/N:
xMikaelx: This… Took me almost more than 3 months to finish. Writing romance was never my forte, but that doesn't mean I'm going to avoid it forever. At some point when writing a story, romantic elements WILL appear, whether you like it or not, focus of the story or not. In this case, this chapter focuses on First Date Stuff a couple will go through. Someone will ask for advice, someone will be worried, but at the end of the day, it all goes down to having fun. That's how I see it anyway. Lesson? Go on your own pace when dating someone. No need to rush. Get to know one another. Dating doesn't mean you'll be together forever. It's the learning phase of a romantic relationship. If both of you think you're meant for each other, then congratulations! Not that a single guy like me has any right to give any dating advice. Hope you guys enjoy my actual first attempt at writing romance! (UwU )
Darkbetrayer: Ignore this guy's advice. Follow Aogami and Tsuchimikado advice instead. You can trust them. (3 months, he had the first half done then and then started slacking.)
botman: He was too scared to watch IT, so the story got delayed for a few weeks
xMikaelx: ;_; Yeah...This story was supposed to come out a few months ago. Bumps appeared on the way (IT included). Originally, this story was written by someone from our crew *coughhubbcough* but things happened and I took over.
SoulCage: Okay, so let me give a little background on this. After finding out there were several other authors who, at the same time, released an Aogami x Fukiyose fic during the new years, we realized that we could do more united than we could as separate individuals. You could also say that this is the most ambitious crossover in history. Fun isn't something one considers when balancing the universe. But this... puts a smile to my face.
Just kidding. That was totally planned. In case you guys didn't know, I'm soulcage the author of Unscientific Paradigm, and the one before me is Mikael who has a thing for Yuriko.
xMikaelx: *cough* Anyway, we look forward to seeing you guys on the next chapter!
botman: I'm just going to put my name here for some recognition…..
Remember this name, I will probably write something in the future. Probably.
xMikaelx:...botman here is one of the betas, so thank him if you found grammar mistakes lul.
P.S. I hope the next writer does a better job than I did. Also Dammit hubb! This is your chapter, not mine!
Side Story:
"Do you think that our love can create miracles?"
"Yes, I do. That's what brings you back to me each time."
"Do you think our love could take us away together?"
"I think our love can do anything we want it to."
"I love you."
I love you, Allie."
Once the movie ended, a boy with bleached hair and his girlfriend could only sigh. They did intend to watch a horror movie after all, not some chick flick more than a decade old.
"Hamazura?"
"Y-yeah?"
"I thought we were going to watch a movie about a monster clown?"
"W-well, I thought we need some more romance in our lives, so I went with this movie"
"...Really?"
"...No...The tickets got swapped when I bumped into Boss earlier."
"..."
"Sorry, Takistubo. I guess the movie bored you."
"It's fine."
"Huh?"
"What's important is that you're here with me, watching this awfully boring movie together."
And with that, the other couple's day ended without crisis too.