Happy birthday Yoshiki, our precious baby! This is supposed to be a day late, and you'll understand (if you don't already by the title). We did come very close to being late, but here it is, just on the tail end of November 9th! Well, in our time zone, anyways, and that's all that matters to us.
Since I'm cutting it so close, this will sadly have typos, since I'm afraid I don't have the time to proofread and still get it out on the scheduled date. If it was published on November 1th, there'd be no point! All meaning would be lost! So I hope you guys can look past the flaws. If it's reeaally bad, just ask and I'll proofread it later. But for now, just enjoy!
Ayumi stirred at the light gleaming through the cracks of her curtain. She slowly opened her eyes, glancing at the clock. It wasn't even nine yet, and it was a Saturday, so there was no real reason to push herself to wake completely. With the sun disturbing her, she figured she may as well get up now, otherwise the entire day would feel ruined. She went over to her computer, playing around for a little bit on various sites. She went onto her email to respond to some questions she had gotten when the date caught her eyes. "November 9th..." she mumbled, eyes narrowing. It felt... sorta important, but at the same time she couldn't imagine why. She swiveled around in her office chair to grab her phone off the charger. She noticed a small sign in the corner of the screen and clicked it. The notification of her calender was a day old. 'Kishinuma's Birthday,' it read in block letters under the November 8th heading.
Her eyes nearly popped out of her head when the knowledge smacked her in the face. 'How did this happen!?' She asked herself. Bushing her fingers through her bangs as guilt smacked her in the face. Sure, they only became friends this year and this was his first birthday she was friends with him for, but that didn't excuse forgetting. She didn't even say 'Happy Birthday,' and she had talked to him multiple time yesterday! She was pretty sure she snapped at him not to be lazy over the weekend and study... She covered her face with her hands, letting out a low groan. To add onto that, her birthday had been last month, and he had acknowledged it. This was just uncool of her in many degrees. She wondered how this could have possibly gone over her head, but she guessed it must have been her being involved in her own stuff yesterday. Not an excuse, but she was desperately trying to figure out what happened.
"I can't change anything that happened yesterday..." she realized with a sigh, pushing off her desk to swing her chair in a slow circle. She could text him with a simple 'happy belated birthday' thing, but it felt like a jerk move. She wasn't sure how to make up for it. Hell, maybe he didn't even really care or notice, but it put her in a bad mood realizing it. She went through her contacts, nervously hitting the dial button on Yoshiki's listing. She couldn't text him about all of this. She'd call and try to properly make it up to him.
Yoshiki was laying on his bed, flipping through a book they were assigned. He wasn't in the mood for homework, though... Well, he couldn't say anyone was ever in the mood to want to do homework, but he found that his brain was attaching less to the material than usual. He sighed, letting his hands, and the book, fall to the sides. He never really cared about birthdays, and he couldn't say he liked them anymore this time, it was just... he had expected it to be a little more happy than usual. Not that he didn't appreciate his other friends' birthday wishes, but the person in particular he had wanted to hear from had been pretty short with him yesterday. He was certain she had just been busy, maybe a little stressed... Because, even if they weren't as close as he'd like, she still wouldn't purposefully ignore his birthday. Though, the fact she had forgot at all stung him a little more than if anyone else had done the same. It wasn't the birthday that was important per say, but rather the simple condolence that she thought about him now and again, at least as a friend. He was snapped out of his hopeless thoughts when he heard his cellphone start to chime. He sat up and reached over, flipping it open as soon as he noticed it was Ayumi. Weird she was calling as he thought about her... "Well, this is out of the norm... What d'you need, Shinozaki?" he asked simply with a small smirk forming, his typical way of speaking showing no signs that he was sore over her forgetting his birthday.
Ayumi perked up at his voice, an anxiety coming over her about the whole thing. Yoshiki wasn't even the type to care about birthdays, and it was evident in his voice that he wasn't bitter or anything. The question in itself troubled her a bit that he'd assume she wanted something from him. Also that contacting him was out of the norm, but that was undeniably factual. Yoshiki and her were more friends because they were in the same inner circle. They've never once hung out by themselves."Ah, it's nothing like that," she said, surprised he didn't expect this to be about his birthday. "I just remembered that it was your birthday yesterday, and I feel awful about forgetting. So... I guess I was wondering if there was anyway I can make it up to you," she explained, trying to sound calmer than she felt. She didn't know enough about Yoshiki to go out and get him an amazing gift to make up for her oversight. She certainly couldn't cook him anything, since she may end up accidentally poisoning him. So, she figured she'd toss the ball to him and let him make the call about what he wanted.
Yoshiki became curious when she revealed it wasn't a favor, or she was checking up on his studies. It made sense afterword, though, that she would feel guilty about forgetting. That alone was relief enough to him, since it showed at least a little consideration. Sometimes, it was hard to tell if they were actually friends, or if they were just in the same circle, like his relationship with Sakutaro. He didn't feel that way, but if felt like that's how she saw it. Most evident in the way she always turned down his offers for them to hang out, alone. But no... The smallest group he could be with her in was three, but that did him no good when the third party wasSatoshi. At the end of excursions like that, he felt drained and in an awful mood, so he didn't even absorb the 'fun' aspect of it. "Don't worry about it. Birthdays aren't that special at this point, for me anyways. They lose their luster after ten," he noted with a small chuckle, scooting up on his bed so he could lean against the headboard. "So don't worry about making it up," he said in closing, since he really didn't want her to feel like she had to do something for him. Plus, he didn't really have anything in mind to do... or...
Ayumi was glad he didn't seem resentful of the slip, but what followed the dismissal didn't make her feel much better. She always enjoyed her birthday, since it was an opportunity to hang around family and friends, get good food, and a present or two. Then again, Yoshiki didn't have a family to throw him any sort of celebration. Satoshi had probably hung out with him or something, she'd guess, since the two were best friends. If he hadn't gotten a chance to celebrate his birthday at all, though... it seemed wrong. "Kishinuma, that's such a cynical way to look at it. Birthdays should be fun no matter what age you're at," she said, noting to herself that she sounded like she was lecturing him. That's really how most their conversations went, isn't it? "Really, just give me some way to make it up to you. Off the top of your head now, just throw something out there," she pressed, unwilling to let this fall to the wayside. She wasn't sure what he asked for, but she'd chalk it up to maybe a new CD or some other attachment to his music hobbies.
Yoshiki frowned lightly, giving a small shrug despite her unable to see it. Maybe so... but it was just how he thought about most things. It would probably stay like too. He furrowed his brows, glancing to the side as his free hand ruffled up the back of his hair. "I dunno, Shinozaki. I really-,"he began to dismiss again, but his voice cut off short. So she wanted to make this up, no matter what? Would she... be open to anything he suggested? The gears inside his head began to shift as he thought back on his rant moments ago. It was worth a shot... and it would be more than enough to 'make up' for his birthday. Hell, if she had remembered, he would probably only be getting a simple 'happy birthday', so in some respects, he was possibly happier she forgot. "Well... maybe there is something," he noted as his smirk began to reform. His classic expression could almost be heard with his tone.
Ayumi was ready to keep trying to convince him that there must be something that she could buy or do for him, because he couldn't be so carefree that some desires didn't pop into his head from time to time. He cut himself off, though, and change gears a frightening amount. She nervously glanced aside, practically hearing the smirk in his voice. She had never seen Yoshiki genuinely smile, since his mouth always curved in that smug smirk. Her expression flattened, unsure how to address this. "I reserve the right to say no if you ask me for anything creepy or weird,"she prefaced quickly. She didn't know what was going on in his weird mind, but the way he was addressing it made her nervous. "So, what is it?" she asked with some force behind her words, wanting to know what this something is.
Yoshiki's look somewhat flattened, hoping she was joking. Surely she didn't think of him in that light, right? "You really see me that way?" he scoffed, feeling a touch insulted. He knew she probably thought all guys had a dirty mind, which... he couldn't really refute, but he had never let such things take over his mind or invade his speech whatsoever. His hand moved out of his hair to cross over his other arm, tapping on it quietly as he decided on how to word this. "Well, since you want to 'make up' or whatever, and I'm incredibly bored, how about we hang out for the day? Then I'll forgive you for forgetting," he said in a teasing voice. He didn't care either way if she noticed his birthday... on the outside. But she seemed so intent on repaying him, so he'd play along. Plus... he wanted to see what one on one time with Ayumi would be like. Without such a forced situation, he felt like he would never otherwise get the chance. So, if she was so pressing about this, surely he couldn't be blamed for taking a small amount of advantage? Besides, it wasn't like he was going to hit on her or anything. He just... wanted to test their interactions when alone, and see how it felt.
Ayumi blinked slowly at the scoff, almost thinking he might have been a little offended by that additional comment. Although, how he went into seemed a little sketchy, she guessed it could just be how her mind interpreted most guys. She was about to address it as if it was a joke, which it had been half of one, but he went on to the actual request. Her eyes widened, a small blush creeping onto his face. That's what he wanted? To hang out? It wasn't really... weird or anything, but it felt like it was out of left field. To hesitated for a moment as her brain tried to process the whole thing. It probably did come down to he was bored, and nothing beyond or behind that. "Alright, that works for me," she said, convincing herself the request was a simple one. "Where do you want to meet up?" she asked, although she realized for the first time that she had no idea where Yoshiki lived. She knew it was in an apartment, but beyond that, she had no clue.
Yoshiki smiled lightly, feeling a certain giddiness at the positive answer. There was a first time for everything. It felt silly to be getting excited over it, since it was just simply hanging out, but the point was... they had never done this before. What seemed normal to other friends was a blessing in his case, since any other time he asked for similar meetings, he was rejected. Usually before he could even utter the whole proposition."Hmm... somewhere simple to start with, I guess," he muttered in thought, trying to decide on where to start this historical day. "How about we both just meet up outside the train station, then go from there?" he asked, since it was the best place he could think of that she for sure knew how to get to. Plus, it was in town, which is where they'd be spending most of the day, he figured.
Ayumi leaned back in her chair, her eyes going over to her closet as she began to wonder what she would wear. She had always sorta avoided hanging out with guys alone, since the entire thing had too much connotations behind it. Well, admittedly she's tried to hang out with Satoshi alone, but that never panned out the way she hoped. Now she would have to pick an outfit that didn't scream 'date'... It was almost tempting to call Mayu real quick for outfit advice, but going over the conversation in her head, she could already see where it would be going. She nodded lightly when he mentioned the train station. "Sounds good. I'll see you in a bit then?" she asked, figuring she'd throw on some clothes and head on over. She didn't have anything planned herself for the day, so she wasn't dealing with any time constraints.
Yoshiki gave a small nod, moving off the bed. All of his clothes were pretty simple, so it'd be easy to just throw something on. "Right. See ya," he finished off, then shut his phone. Another minute passed before his expression softened as he chuckled. He felt a strange overwhelming giddiness. Even if this was just as friends, he was finally getting an opportunity to see their interactions minus the middle man Satoshi. It may be awkward and disappointing, but... he had a feeling that wouldn't be the case. Maybe he was being too hopeful and setting himself up for disaster, but the important part was that he felt good, and that's what birthday presents were supposed to feel like, right?
Ayumi closed her phone, staring at it in confusion. This whole thing was... weird. She couldn't think of another word to describe the situation, and her nervousness about the whole thing. She guessed she was anxious it would end up feeling like a date, which would feel odd because Yoshiki didn't exactly fit boyfriend criteria. Plus, what if classmates saw and assumed? Well, she wouldn't back out because she had been a jerk to forget his birthday. It wasn't like it was a tall order either, since it was essentially a request for the two to hang out. Without Satoshi there, though, she had no clue what they would talk about. She got off her office chair, going over to her closet. They were supposed to be friends, but some friends were only such because of the links around them. She would feel pretty bad if the gesture backfired, but chemistry can't be forced. She picked a dress out along with a pair of black tights. She got herself ready at a normal pace before heading out to the train station.
Yoshiki had gotten to the train station as soon as possible, just because he couldn't just sit at the apartment and wait. Besides, he didn't want her to have to wait on him, so coming earlier was the best solution. Since it was November, as the weather just started to feel Winter-esque, he had on his thickest jacket with his hands stuffed deep into the insulated pockets. His pants were just average jeans, since he didn't have much else. He breathed a sigh, watching the mist form with half-lidded eyes. He needed to be calm, and be the friend he's always been, or at least tried to be, with her. To fight his nervousness was the only way to really see how they would work with each other. Not in a romantic sense, specifically... but in any relationship at all. In other words... he was looking for insurance that they would remain friends, even if the rest of their circle parted ways and dissolved.
Ayumi walked to the train station with a weird thumping in her chest. Of course she had to let her parents know where she was going, and they pushed to know who she would be with. It was in her nature to be honest, so she just admitted she was hanging out with a boy from her class. She added the birthday information, and her forgetting it. Her mom's eyebrows practically rose into her hairline as a barrage of questions was hurled at her. Her mom gave her some more cash just in case and sent her daughter off with a smile that disregarded Ayumi's repeating that it was not a date. She pulled her scarf up a bit over her mouth, wondering if she should have grabbed a thicker jacket. She doubted they'd be out until dark though, so it didn't matter. A little chilliness wouldn't kill her. She got to the train station and spotted the bleached-hair boy very quickly out of the crowd. "Hey," she greeted, still finding it weird Satoshi wasn't with him. "So, what do you have in mind for today?" she asked, figuring she'd kick the conversation off. Plus, she was curious about what he wanted to do since he was the one that wanted this day out.
Yoshiki brightened slightly as Ayumi came into sight and greeted him, though his smile was still more of his normal smirk. He didn't want to seem uncharacteristically 'happy', at least as long as he could hold it back, because it dipped a little into his... deeper feelings. He nodded to her greeting and considered the question for a small moment, but at the end just gave a shrug. "I just figured we'd walk around town, and do things as we see them. Have anywhere specific you wanna go first, though?"he asked curiously with a raised brow. If she had something she had her eye on to do, he wouldn't refuse her, especially since he had no specific direction to go in.
Ayumi wasn't surprised he didn't exactly have a list of things for them to do. Especially since this day was thrown together moments ago, so neither had much time to actually think of places to go. "Hmm... I don't think so," she said thoughtfully, running through the places on and around main-street mentally. Then she remembered the new place that opened in an old supermarket space. "Oh! How do you feel about arcades?" she asked, figuring it was a fun enough place to start. Plus, if they went directionless too long, this entire thing was guaranteed to become cripplingly awkward, and she wanted Yoshiki to actually enjoy today. It was for his birthday, after all.
Yoshiki was a little disappointed she didn't have any ideas. He would like to start with a little direction... Well, either if they were just walking around or actually doing something, he'd still try his best to keep the awkward air from reaching them. He tilted his head as she actually came up with an idea. "They're fine. Wanna go?" he asked curiously. Though they were technically out here for him, he couldn't ignore what she wanted. After all, more than anything, he wanted her to have a good time. If she didn't, she would never want to be around him again, at least not without him being the third wheel.
Ayumi could tell he didn't seem thrilled about the idea, but at the same time there was no obvious sign that he hated it either. She would rather the day be geared towards him, but she would also prefer having some idea of what they were doing. It was at least a decent starting point. "Sure," she said, glancing aside at the train tracks before forcing her gaze back on Yoshiki. "What's the chance of me being able to get you to play DDR?" she asked with a small, amused smirk. It was a very hard thing to imagine, given Yoshiki's reservedness. Well, if he refused to play that one, she was sure she could get him into a couple others that involved less of a person's body.
Yoshiki was glad she didn't feel hesitant over doing something she wanted. He'd probably rather do anything she came up with, if not for the sole reason that he liked seeing her happy. That was horribly sappy, though, so he tried not to dwell on the thought. "Eehh... the chance? Probably pretty slim," he noted hesitantly, with his brows furrowed and an uncertain, crooked smile on his face. He wasn't the type to dance... especially for a game he'd surely fail at. While he would go to the arcade with her, he wasn't so sure he'd go such lengths...
At the answer, Ayumi raised an eyebrow in amusement. She was very entertained by the image in her head. "Oh? So there is a chance then?" she asked, surprised he didn't shut the idea with a very flat 'no'. DDR wasn't actually about dancing, after all. It was feet acting as a controller, although some people liked to throw some moves into the mix to show off. She could hear the train approaching, which would bring them into the center of the town. So far, so good with meeting up with him. She still found it weird with it being just them, but that would hopefully disappear as the day progressed.
Yoshiki looked at her somewhat in amusement, finding her eagerness about this weird... and cute. "Maybe... but it's very small," he answered her in a joking voice, unable to keep back a small snicker. He turned as he heard the train arrive, watching people file in and out. He gave a small whistle of no tune in particular, going on ahead towards the doors. "Let's get going. We only have one day," he noted. It was a suspicious phrase, but that didn't mean he had made a mistake in saying it. It had been on purpose, and he doubted she saw its true nature. If she caught it at all, it just pointed out how rare such a meeting was. Today might be it.
Ayumi tilted her head a little bit as he gave a small whistle. His mood seemed to be pretty upbeat today, since a lot of the time he seemed bored or tired. Given they saw each other at school most the time, it could be chalked up to that. She was aware of how hard he had to work to be able to sustain his living situation. His next words also threw her off a bit. The phrasing was unusual and made her question if it was more of a time constraint being pointed out or had some underlying meaning she wasn't catching. Was he planning on going somewhere or something? The comment made her think there wouldn't be days following this one. "Uh, right,"she agreed, following him onto the train. She couldn't figure out a way to question the words she was probably over-analyzing.
Yoshiki went in the train and had a seat near one of the ends. The train was filling up quickly, and he could bet Ayumi would rather be on the end of the seat rather than shoved up against a stranger. Or, maybe he just didn't want that. Perhaps it was even that he wanted to be shoved up against her, but the thought wasn't without a bit of guilt. Sometimes he wondered about the healthiness of this crush...
Ayumi was glad they were able to find seats, since normally these trains were packed to the brim. Even on a weekend, they were difficult to find a good spot. Plus, there was always that little worry about being shoved to close to a strange guy. She guessed having Yoshiki as a buffer was a good thing, but after sitting down and the train filling up, she found a redness settling on her face by the closeness. She wanted to find a conversation to diffuse the embarrassment buzzing around her head, but her mind kept flickering to school, which seemed like such a boring, unwanted conversation for the weekend.
Yoshiki, of course, didn't mind being butted up against Ayumi to fit more people on the seats to his other side. It was a guilty pleasure, especially since he could savor it without being the culprit to their closeness, therefore he would get no repercussion. He was also glad he had practically mastered a bored looked, to mask the warmth coming from his stomach. Not even a hint of a blush rose, even though they practically had no free space between them. He acted as though he didn't really notice, that way minimizing the awkward effect that would follow even after they got off the train.
Ayumi was glad that the entire car was quiet, since it made the silence between the two of them seem more natural. She watched some strangers, since people-watching was always entertaining. More than anything, she just wanted to take her mind off the fact she was being pressed against Yoshiki. Of course, it was only their sides, but really, she's never even held hands with a boy, so anything like this frazzled her a bit. She looked past the people, not finding anyone garnering her attention, to watch the landscape pass by. The only moment she did let herself look at Yoshiki was in her peripheral view, and of course he was bored and as oblivious as ever.
Yoshiki gave a small sigh somewhere along the trip, leaning his head back against to seat to rest his eyes a little. He was unsure how much time passed or what time it was by the moment the train started to slow. He let his eyes open and then sat up, glancing back at the window behind him. Yeah, they were definitely at the station. He stretched a little then stood as everyone else did. It was a little weird that the ride had been so quiet. He guessed because majority of these people were going to work, and weren't necessarily riding with friends.
Ayumi perked up a bit as the train approached the station. She noted to herself Yoshiki was shutting his eyes, which she found a little weird that he could be comfortable enough to lower his guard. She guessed guys didn't have the same worries when it came to mass transport as women did. Plus, she was right next to him, so it wasn't like he was alone and looking like he was taking a nap. She got up in unison with everyone else, watching people slowly filter out the door, taking steps when the space allotted her the ability.
Yoshiki looked as if he was just lazily gazing about the blank faces as he waited for them to be able to get of, but really, he was being extremely wary over anyone who was near Ayumi. Sometimes he worried he may be a little over protective of someone who wasn't even, or didn't consider herself, a close friend... but when the time came, he wasn't really thinking of what she would view him like. He really just wanted her to be safe, even if he came off a little... overbearing. His vigilance paid off, however, when his gray eyes spotted a suspicious man, seemingly trying to get closer to her on purpose. He watched suspiciously, moving a bit closer to Ayumi in case there was actually something nefarious going on. Alarm bells were going off within as the man intentionally moved himself beside Ayumi, but was pretending as if his route was predestined by the shoving crowd. Admittedly, Ayumi didn't... have a lot, per say, that fit other guys' fantasies, so it's weird he'd target her out of the other women. But, as sick as it was to assume, he guessed he picked her because she seemed alone, young, and, consequently, vulnerable. He felt a flare of anger and disgust as the man's hand attempted to nonchalantly inch it's way over. Due to this, it didn't get very far before Yoshiki's hand moved to tightly grab his wrist, tossing him a threatening glance. He didn't say anything, but his eyes said things like 'what the hell do you think you're doing?' and 'she's not alone, you bastard'.
Ayumi was focused on what was in front of her, unaware of the occurrences happening right behind her. Although, the sound of an older man gasping was odd enough that she glanced back. She wasn't naive or unaware of what happened on every train everyday, although she had been lucky enough that nothing ever really happened to her. Some occasional bumps or brushes, but nothing that she had ever risen a fuss about. Her face went red with a shame that came intrinsically in these situations, even though the man who was trying to cope a feel should be the one wearing the expression. She also quickly noted Yoshiki had stopped the entire thing was actually happening, something she was grateful for, but couldn't show that beyond her feeling of mortification. He looked pissed off, though, and Ayumi was a little worried that some sort of fight would arise. Ayumi grabbed Yoshiki's free hand, tugging at it a little. "Come on, Kishinuma. It isn't worth it," she tried to coax him away, although a look of disgust towards the man made its way onto her face.
Yoshiki was unsure what would happen from there. He felt his anger would be enough to break this guy's nose, but then there was a sort of calming effect inside him. He then took notice of Ayumi's hand grabbing his, glancing to her as she spoke. She probably didn't know how effective her voice was in calming him down. Well, it depended on her tone, actually... If she was in trouble, screaming... it would probably have the complete opposite effect. Either way, she had a great power over him she didn't know she possessed. He gave one last look of hatred towards the man before turning his head, pushing the man's hand back to himself, instead of approaching Ayumi. He gave Ayumi a small nod, grabbing her hand back to hastily lead her out of the train car. Maybe he'd walk her back home instead, after the day was over... The night crowd was probably a lot more shady, and he didn't feel comfortable putting her in that kind of situation. Once they were out and a lot less surrounding by strangers, he let go of her hand, using it to move through his bangs as he gave a sigh. "Sorry," he told her. He knew it may be unnecessary, but he always felt guilty or shameful when he used violence around her, or planned to.
Ayumi was tense as she watched Yoshiki, concern that her small urging wouldn't be enough to diffuse his temper. Luckily, he didn't end up throwing any punches. Instead she watched as he shoved the flustered, confused, and trying-to-act-innocent man's hand back with relief. Although she wished the man would learn a good lesson so he would never do it again, she'd rather a court figure that out than Yoshiki risk an assault charge. She felt a bit frozen from the whole thing, but then she realized Yoshiki was pulling her out of the train car. It was a bit odd holding hands, but given what just happened and their urgency to get away quickly, she didn't find any offense to it. When he released her hand, it fell back to her side. Her brow furrowed a little at the apology, and she shook her head at him. "Don't be. If you didn't step in... well, you know," she said with a small shrug, looking away in embarrassment.
Yoshiki nodded slightly, letting his nervous hand slip back down to his side to be stuffed into his pockets. Yes, it was somewhat necessary... but at the same time, he had overreacted. Well, actually, it was probably the normal response in a situation like that when the victim was someone you cared about, but it still made him burn with shame. All because Ayumi was such an advocate for peaceful solutions. "Yeah, but... I shouldn't have gotten so worked up," he told her with a small shrug. He hoped this didn't put a damper on the rest of the day... or else this opportunity would have been wasted.
Ayumi slipped her hands into her pockets, pushing the jacket down a pit. It was weird the guy had targeted her, but different strokes, she guessed. It was hardly a compliment. If anything, she felt a little dirty as a result of that man thinking and making the conscious effort to touch her inappropriately. "I think you carried it out fine, Kishinuma. You could have gone to punch or shove him away, which would have been the wrong, stupid way to carry it out. You just restrained him," she noted, which made her acknowledge the changes that's happened since their first meeting and today. She guessed he could have challenged him with words, but honestly, if that split second meant the different between being groped and not, she'd rather Yoshiki have just grabbed his wrist.
Yoshiki frowned lightly, beginning to walk out of the station. He wanted to be on the move. Despite what just transpired, he didn't want to waste this day, his only chance. "Well... that's just it. I probably would have... That's why I said sorry," he explained further while they traveled on. The way he worded it, he sounded like he was apologizing for the inconvenience of her having to restrain him. But, on a deeper level, the apology came from a shame that he had been wanting to make that man bleed.
Ayumi followed besides his footsteps, glad to be getting out of the station. The entire thing made her feel unnerved. She listened to him, still not fully grasping why he was apologizing. He was upset he had the thought? "You don't have to apologize to me because of a feeling. It isn't like you can control that stuff. It's what you ultimately do with it that matters. You could have broken that guy's wrist or punched him in the face, but you didn't. It's good progress... You've matured, even if just a bit," she said, having a hard time phrasing all of this. She never understood how Yoshiki's mind worked, so she never knew what to really say to him.
Yoshiki half listened to Ayumi, while his other half worried over the unfounded fear of her furthering herself from him because of his temper. His logical side doubted that it would be such an extreme, but emotions and logic didn't really amount to the same thing. "I guess so...," he muttered somewhat absent-mindedly. He wanted to get off that subject now, though, and leave the whole event behind them. After all, this was supposed to be a fun day of 'hanging out'. "So, where is this arcade?" he asked curiously, mostly just to shift the gears of the conversation.
Ayumi had wanted to have him feel better about his reaction, but it seemed she was unsuccessful as he muttered a half-hearted response. She felt a little bad about the whole thing occurring, even though she was wholly aware it wasn't her fault that the guy had been a creep. She accepted the change in conversation, finding the other path would not have led them anywhere good for their moods. "It's a couple blocks down, to the right," she explained, eyes glazing over storefronts. "It used to be a supermarket, but the couple who ran it left the business to their son, and he evidently had different plans in mind," she tacked on the story for conversation. Plus, it had been an interesting bit of gossip one of their classmates told her about. She could only imagine the parents response to the uprooting of their business to something completely different.
Yoshiki gave a small hum, imagining the scene between parents and child. It had probably been pretty explosive, but apparently it had ended without the guy losing the business. Maybe because it was actually doing better financially than the supermarket, given how many kids there were around town these days. He had never personally been to an arcade, but he doubted he'd be miserably bored or anything. Once the building was in sight, he slowed down a little to end up at Ayumi's side, since his shame had died down a little. "Do you come here a lot?" he asked as he glanced over. The question had sat in his brain since she mentioned the place. He knew somewhat that she enjoyed games, but he had never imagined she'd travel to town to go to an arcade. Then again, he knew little about her personal life outside of school, for obvious reasons.
Ayumi was relieved things seemed to be smoothing out with return of normal conversation. "I've never been to this one, but I've gone to a small one near the school a few times before," she explained, feeling a bit nerdy, but the whole act of going to an arcade was pretty common among highschoolers. "Suzumoto, Nakashima, Shinohara, and I would go after school to verse against some of the rhythm games," she added, since the activity had always been something among the girls. "I'm a little surprised you and Mochida haven't gone to some, actually," she added, since both were into music, and besides the music-based games, there were a lot of brawling games.
Yoshiki looked ahead as she explained. So doing this sort of thing was usually with the group of girls? He guessed he could see why, especially if they only played rhythmic games. When she noted about being surprised that he had never been to one, he gave a small shrug. Aside from him being a money saving stickler... "I just never got into the gaming spirit. I dunno about Satoshi though... He's never mentioned an arcade, so he's probably similar to me," he told her, though it somewhat irritated him that Satoshi was being brought into this conversation. A day where it was just the two of them, yet Satoshi still lingered in conversation. It didn't mean much... besides the fact she was thinking about him.
Ayumi could see the arcade around the corner. It was brightly lit with bright colors trying to attract attention, and it seemed to work given the fact business was booming. It was a little disappointing to hear Satoshi wasn't interested in video games, but she tried to push those types of thoughts aside. She didn't want the entire day to be about her trying to find out how to woo Satoshi through Yoshiki."Mm, that's a shame. They're a lot of fun. There's one arcade cabinet where you slam your hands on a table and then flip it. It's basically a strength measuring game, though, so I never manage to get a decent score," she mulled, figuring that was one game she could probably convince him to play.
Yoshiki kept staring ahead, but found Ayumi's fact a little weird. "And that's a game?" he asked, somewhat skeptical of the idea. A strength measuring test... was supposed to be a game? It didn't sound very fun. It wasn't digital, or like a sport. It didn't fit the classifications his brain had for a game.
Ayumi's brow furrowed at the question, finding it a bit odd. "Well, yeah. You get a score depending on how hard and well-timed you do it. It's a... type of game. If you want to go more traditional, I can kick your ass at Street Fighter," she mentioned, smug at knowing a victory was practically guaranteed. Although, it really wasn't a fair competition, since it sounded like Yoshiki never picked up any sort of video game, period.
Yoshiki didn't feel anymore convinced with her explanation. It sounded like a waste of time. He glanced at her and a small competitive flame came to life, but he knew better than to challenge her. After all, the outcome was most likely a given. After all, he didn't play these games. He was worried he may be too clueless about this stuff for it to be fun for Ayumi... but that wouldn't keep him from trying. "Probably, but winning so easily would be no fun, right?" he asked with a smirk, choosing not to challenge her claim.
Ayumi entered the arcade, the entire environment abuzz with conversation and the noises of the cabinets. These places were always so high energy, which could wear pretty quickly. She hardly expected them to hang out the whole day. They'll try a couple games and most likely move on, she guessed. "Hey, a win's a win, right?"she asked, looking at the variety of games. There was a huge line of crane games that were filled with plushies from various franchises. There was a Pokemon plush machine, one with generic cute animals with giant eyes, and the list went on.
Yoshiki shrugged as they came in. The place was a little obnoxious, but he bet he could get used to it pretty quickly. "Yeah, but aren't games played for fun? Winning is just a bonus," he told her, but that was only true for some. There were people who loved nothing more than winning. He looked at her, and noticed where her gaze want. It didn't... necessarily mean anything, and an action was risky, so he'd hold off on the iffy idea.
Ayumi looked back at him, a small smile on her face. "You sound like a PSA for sportsmanship," she teased, a little surprised he wasn't the competitive type. He had a chance of beating her at rhythm games, she was sure. It was pressing a button on key, which she was never great at matching because her musical abilities were mediocre at best and she possessed little rhythm. "I suppose you're right, though. If games were just played for the closing moments, they wouldn't be much fun," she had to agree when giving it more thought.
Yoshiki was, in fact, a little competitive, but really only with things he was confident that he at least had a chance at. Though... he wasn't sure he'd throw a game with Ayumi. His competitive side was at least that bad, but maybe it was a good thing. If he let her win, in some ways, it was something demeaning for girls that they had to be treated like a baby."Right," he agreed with a small nod, all the while glancing about the room with people of many different ages and company. Video games held a very diverse community, after all.
Ayumi was pleased to find out that Yoshiki was willing to give most the games at least a shot. Some would need a little more coaxing towards the reluctant boy, but ultimately he gave into each suggestion. Except DDR which was a little disappointing, but she had never seriously though he'd get up to play it considering it looked a little funny, even just watching the other people go on it. It was essentially just stomping around, more so than any sort of dance, and it looked ridiculous. When they found a fighting game that she had never played before, putting them on somewhat equal footing, things got a lot more fun with a competitive edge driving away that whole 'winning doesn't matter' agreement from earlier. It was actually a lot of fun, surprisingly. Not that she ever thought Yoshiki would be boring to hang out with, but she expected the entire day to feel unnatural and forced. Sure, they hit a small bump in the road because of the train incident, but now things felt fine. Hell, she wouldn't mind having a day like today in the future. They ended up spending longer at the arcade than she had expected, which was probably how this guy's business was doing so well. It was easier to get loss in the one-more-round mentality.
"Wait, before we go, you have to at least try a crane game," she insisted, pointing at the long line with various offerings. Some of the cheaper products were easier to get, but if you were going for a cute, well-produced plushie with soft fur, it took a lot of skill. Or luck. It was debatable, but overall the games could be frustrating. She was honestly just curious, and since it was Yoshiki's first time at an arcade, it felt like an initiation requirement. He'd probably end up empty-handed, but she couldn't see him getting angry over not getting a Pikachu or Totoro toy.
Yoshiki felt the day was going pretty successfully so far. Ayumi looked like she was enjoying the time, instead of seeming like she was just going through the motions to get it over with. That was good, because proving he could be enjoyable to hang around, without Satoshi, was the goal of today, pretty much. Though it had been a little fun, especially the games he was decent at, he was a little glad to be moving on to something new. That is, until Ayumi caught his attention and drew it back to those crane machines. He looked at them thoughtfully, then smirked as he looked to Ayumi. "You mean the money guzzler game?" he asked, showing a bit more of his cynical side, but he didn't mind it much really. He was just kidding with her. "Fine... as long as you pick one," he said, making a deal out of a request. It wasn't like he was being 'indecisive'. Rather... he was indiscreetly slipping in the choice so if he did win, he could inconspicuously give her something she ultimately had wanted. Though she probably wouldn't admit to liking a plush, he could see her as the type that may like the occasional toy.
Ayumi scoffed a little bit as he pointed out the crane machines were money guzzlers. Although, she couldn't argue with the fact that you could put a lot of money into the machine and come out with nothing to show for it. It would probably be better to just go out and buy the plush character you wanted, but that took away from the fun of victory. She perked up a bit when he agreed, but her expression quickly flickered into consideration when he put it in her hands. Next activity, she was forcing him to pick a place, because she refused to make all the decisions today. She looked over the machines, until she finally pointed to one of them. "Okay, try that one," she suggested. It was a standard one with a variety of characters across franchises, along with some nondescript plushies of cats, dogs, and bears.
Yoshiki's gaze followed to where she was pointing. The prizes were mostly smaller, and though he'd rather get her something bigger, it was ideal so she didn't have to carry it around. Actually, he'd bet she'd refuse to carry around one, since it'd look too much like a 'date'. Maybe he was being a little cocky about getting one, but he thought he had pretty good chances. Though it was partly luck, it also required some skill, and his practice with music meant he had pretty skilled hands. "Alright, but only once," he noted, just in case he didn't succeed. After all, his money couldn't just be thrown around, even a quarter. Because one quarter amounted to two, then three, then four, and so on. It was best to draw a line beforehand, so he could stop himself. It would be easy, though, since managing his own money for around two years had given him pretty tight constraints. He walked over to the machine she pointed out, digging a quarter out from his pocket. Once it was popped in, his attention was solely on the game, his eyes narrowed at the prizes to choose one she may favor. He didn't know her tastes in things too much, though, so he decided not to dwell on it too long. He maneuvered the crane slowly and with great care, judging the angle of it. Once satisfied, he let the crane settle before pressing the button to lower it. The item was caught, and stayed until dropped into the prize box. Though he had done it for her, he couldn't help a bit of pride from his competitive side, a smug smile on his face as he glanced to Ayumi. She had probably wanted to see him lose, but she also probably didn't know he had played the game for her, therefore couldn't bend to her wishes.
Ayumi hummed lightly to agree that the 'only once' term was fair enough. When she was younger, she would become stubbornly determined to get a certain doll out of the machine, which would often result in her losing a lot of money. It was smart to limit yourself. She watched with a flat expression as he adjusted the crane. The smaller toys could be harder to get, since the crane had to pinch some little part of them. Even when caught, the small toy would slip out of the grip to the frustration of the player. She watched as he got one, which was successfully dropped into the prize box. Her eyes widened a little, since she hadn't expected him to get anything. She glanced at him, noticing the self-satisfied look on his face. "Wow, you actually won," she noted, a little impressed he managed to get something on his first and only try.
Yoshiki felt very pleased with the outcome, even more so at her shock. Though he had never played one of these before, he got the simple mechanics, and excelled in precision. "Well, I have practice in another kind," he explained with a small shrug. He then turned and retrieved the small item from the box. He was glad she had challenged him to this, though, because it gave him an opportunity to indulge in his attraction to her without her even noticing. He could play it, and then give it to her, with zero suspicion. After all, what was he going to do with a little thing like this? "Don't look too disappointed though, since you get something out of it," he told her, facing her again and giving a small gesture for her to take it.
Ayumi guessed he meant the precision necessary in music helped him with this? She'd never played a musical instrument before, so she could deny that the claim. Either way, he ended up winning a lil' plush. She watched as he moved to get it, and she wondered what he would even do with the prize. That was answered before her thought even concluded in his head as he held it out for her to take. The gesture forced blood to her head, resulting in a blush she couldn't shake. "Wh-huh?" she uttered in confusion. It was nice, but it was crossing a line with an outing like this, wasn't it? "D-don't you have a little sister? Wouldn't she like it?" she asked, since it was her only excuse to not take it.
Yoshiki stared at her, a little shocked she was getting so flustered over a gesture that didn't even mean much. True, the nature typically associated with this kind of thing was flirty, but in this sort of situation it only seemed innocent to him. Of course, in his heart, he was doing it to make himself feel like it was a date, to dangerously, and shamelessly, indulge in their time together. But on the outside, those intentions couldn't possibly be read. "Eh, she probably has tons of stuff like this," he mentioned with a small shrug, not letting his hand drop. He would make her take it, even if it was the last thing he'd do. "It's just because I don't need it, Shinozaki. Don't read so much into it," he told her with a small snicker, 'poking fun' at her judgement of the gift to maybe push it aside.
Ayumi's embarrassment didn't fade as he easily dismissed the idea of holding onto the tiny token for his sister. If she took it, not only would this whole thing feel like a date, but it would look like one. If any of their classmates saw them, this would definitely get around. As he continued to talk, she only became more flustered at the teasing because it was hitting the nail directly on the head. "I'm not!" she said, although it was a lie. "I just figured your sister would like it, but fine, I'll take it," she said, because at this point it was becoming a bigger deal the longer she resisted taking it. She reached out, grabbing the tiny... creature? She wasn't actually sure what it was, but it was cute. Ugh, she didn't have the heart to throw toys away, so now she was going to have this on her shelf with the knowledge it was a gift from Yoshiki.
Yoshiki waited for her answer. Of course he felt a bit bad for making her more embarrassed, especially when she was technically right, but he really wanted her to accept it. When she finally gave in and took it, and actual smile crossed his face, along with a nod. "Good," he said, before turning to start to walk out of the place. "Well, with that done, let's move on. We probably only have time for a couple more things...," he mentioned, glancing to the sky. Since it was Winter, the sun went down a lot faster, and he didn't want to keep her too long after dark. He didn't want to already be a target of her parents' hatred.
Ayumi put the small plush into her jacket pocket, since it was just the right size, although its head poked out making it pretty obvious she was carrying it. It was embarrassing, but she figured she'd try to push the thought away. It wasn't like people were going to be paying much attention to them. She looked at him, a little stunned when she noticed the smile. Not smirk, not even smile laced with smugness. It was a pure smile, and it didn't look half bad. She almost got lost in the weird thought when he began to walk out, and she quickly followed him. She allowed the change of conversation in her head, since her previous thought left her confused."Well, I'm going to insist you pick the next activity," she stated, flinching a little bit from the cold air. She didn't want the day to revolve around her choices, since it was supposed to be for his birthday.
Yoshiki had no qualms about that decision, but he had no idea what would be fitting for the both of them. "Aw, aren't birthday's supposed to be surprises?" he asked in a sarcastic voice with fake disappointment. To make sure she knew he wasn't actually complaining, he chose to speak again before she could reply. "Alright. We'll go to the first thing that catches my attention," he decided as he pushed his hands back into his pockets. The cold had been biting painfully at them, so he had to shield them again. They walked a few blocks, getting into a little less of a populated area. It still had people bustling around, but the buildings were at lot less mushed together and less business oriented. He paused in his steps as they came across a sign, which stood at the street and beside a rather large building. An ice rink?... "We'll do this, then," he declared with a smirk. Well, she had told him to choose, so he didn't have to ask her permission. It was his birthday, sort of, right?
Ayumi looked at him flatly at the mention of surprises. She was about to threaten clothes shopping, but he quickly accepted it was his turn to pick something. She nodded lightly, agreeing that was a decent way of doing it. It may be a little bit of wandering, but with Christmas lights beginning to be put up, it was sorta nice to just walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. His voice recaptured her attention after they had walked a little bit, and she followed his eyes to the ice rink. Her eyes snapped open in surprise, since that was one of the last things she would have expected him to suggest. "You know how to ice skate? You like ice skating?" the two questions popped out of her mouth without much thought. She was really floored by this decision. But... eh, as she looked onto the people skating along in a circle, she could easily pick out the couples on dates. This was even more date-like than the plushie gift, wasn't it? Or was it only her wondering this? Either way, she wouldn't say no, since she had just insisted he pick something to do.
Yoshiki watched the other skaters, thoroughly interested in it. Well, whether that be because it was ice skating or if it would be with Ayumi, he chose it. To him, though, it was no mystery that it was the latter. He gave a small shrug, turning towards her. "Nah, but... we did something you've done a lot last time. So, I figured the next should be something we both have never done before," he mentioned, playing the 'try something new' card. He really didn't know how to skate... Neither on ice nor pavement. But that didn't mean it wouldn't be fun, especially with Ayumi.
Ayumi could see the skill level vary throughout all the skaters. Some were gliding easily and others were ungracefully floundering for momentum. She looked at Yoshiki, a little glad to hear he couldn't skate as well. She had chances in the past to learn, but she always tossed the idea aside. Mostly out of paranoia of falling and having a skate come by and cut her fingers off. She wasn't even sure if that was possible, but it had scared her away long enough. "Wait, how do you know I haven't done this before? I could be an excellent skater," she pointed out foolishly, since he had been correct. Still, she was curious why he was making that assumption.
Yoshiki looked at her skeptically, unable to hold back a small chuckle and smile. "Ah, well... let's just say you're not exactly the athletic type," he told her, putting it as lightly as he could think of. She did very well in school, and occupied her time greatly with games or school work. It was obvious she didn't participate in very many physically tasking activities. It wasn't exactly a bad thing, but he wouldn't hide it from her. He didn't do sports either. The only reason he was more physically gifted was because his work included a lot of grunt work.
Ayumi had to admit his logic was full-proof with his explanation. In gym, she never performed well because the only time she actually spent working out or stretching was during the hours allotted in the week. Her spare time was used with sedentary activities... school, drawing, video games... ah, she was a couch potato. "I... can't argue with that," she relented, unable to be irritated at the proof. His smile again was distracting her for a weird reason. "Alright, we better rent some skates then," she pointed out, a little worried of how badly bruised she may get from this. She wasn't athletic, and she also didn't possess a great amount of balance. She wasn't clumsy, but if something threw off her typical patterns, it was easy to fall.
Yoshiki nodded, knowing his observation was correct. Sometimes it was embarrassing how much he paid attention to Ayumi, but the fact she didn't participate much in gym wasn't a hard fact to come across. With her giving in to the idea, they proceeded to the renting place. It was a fast process to get the skates, though they had to do it individually since neither knew the others size. Next was the simple task of putting them on, but throughout it he was wondering how this would go. Neither knew how to go about skating... But falls would lighten up the mood. Besides, if they got good at it, Ayumi may think it would be too couple-y.
Ayumi tied the skates on tightly, watching the people in an effort to take note of how they moved. Maybe she should try looking up tips on her phone, but she couldn't see how reading up would help her in any large degree. She was hoping there'd be some sort of instinct at play with this. As finished getting ready and moved out in the rink, she instantly grabbed for the side, her legs almost jerking forward already. The ice was, unsurprisingly, very slippery. "This feels unnatural,"she said, unsure how anyone could manage spins or flips in these.
Ayumi watched Yoshiki seem to grasp the very basics naturally, which was just not fair. Her legs refused to do anything she wanted them to do, though. She watched him move over and lean against the rail. "I was considering it," she deadpanned, a little nervous about falling on the ice. Of course, it was boring and probably not what he had in mind. "I guess not. How're you doing that?" she asked, eyebrow raised. She had felt her balance thrown off immediately, but he was standing his ground well enough that he was capable of moving. Maybe she just needed a small explanation.
Yoshiki smiled at her flat answer, finding it a bit funny. Though when she asked him about his own success, he had to glance down at the ice, his expression becoming a bit more blank. "Uuh, not really sure... I just found my balance, I guess... Do you want some help standing until you got it somewhat?" he offered as he looked back up curiously. Standing and making small movements were probably the best he could do, though. If they tried to actually skate, there may be some bruising on both sides.
Ayumi considered the offer, but it felt like it would cross a line. If she held onto him for balance, they'd undeniably look like a couple. Even more uncomfortably, it would feel like they were a couple on a date. The cold air on her cheeks luckily disguised her blush. "I think I can figure this out," she said hesitantly, beginning to loosen her grip on the side. She stumbled a little bit away from the rail like a newborn deer trying to figure out how legs worked. "You just lock your knees ri-ack!" her final word didn't even get out before she sent herself flying backwards.
Yoshiki looked at her uncertainly, keeping an eye on her movements. He knew it was going to be a disaster when she spoke out her plan, knowing the technique to really be a hindrance to balance. The only thing locking your knees would do is probably make your fall worse. He didn't have time to warn since, since she was already in the process of felling backwards. He attempted to move to catch her, but ended up falling himself. It was embarrassing, and hurt a little, especially when Ayumi landed on him, but overall he found it... funny. With his head resting on his arm, face down, he began to chuckle. At himself and Ayumi, really.
Ayumi had expected hard, cold impact on the ice when she felt Yoshiki make a movement to catch her. Of course it wouldn't work given his balance wasn't that well off, so they both went falling to the ground. She grunted lightly, the fall had still hurt despite the fact Yoshiki managed to cut down how much it would. She looked over at him, face red from the embarrassment and closeness. She stared in confusion when she noticed his head down on his arm. For a second she wasn't sure what noise he was making, but then she realized he was chuckling. It triggered for her to begin laughing about how stupid this was and how ridiculous they must look.
Yoshiki spent a little longer laughing about how things went. Even though they were bad at this, he was still enjoying it, since he honestly didn't really laugh much. Laughing at others was something, but laughing about yourself felt a tad bit more funny. Eventually, though, he settled down and lifted his head, glancing back at Ayumi who he noticed had been laughing too. The fact she was enjoying this made his stomach warm again. "Haha... You okay?" he asked through his faint, leftover chuckles.
Ayumi had readjusted herself back on the ice, the coldness hardly noticeable from the adrenaline from the fall. She wiped away some tears that welled in her eyes from laughing and gave a nod at his question. "I'll live," she told him, "Although I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to stand again.". She was unsure how she'd get back to her feet without just falling all over again. Oh man, she was not made to stand on thin blades.
Yoshiki turned once he was completely calm and noticed Ayumi had backed off of him. He sat up, but the fall had left him a lot colder than he had been. Another small snicker rose as Ayumi spoke, though it died much quicker than the last outburst. "Here," he said to her, scooting closer to push her, so she would slide slightly to end up against the walling again. It'd help her get back onto her feet, but past that he wasn't sure what they'd do. He doubted she'd suck up her pride enough to lean on him for balance. He shifted and carefully stood by himself, which went by pretty successfully. Balance was the only good thing he had going, though. No skating, most likely. At least, not on his first visit.
Ayumi blinked curiously as he scooted over to her. For a second, her mind frazzled with confusion if he was going to try grabbing her up or something. Then she noticed his actual plan, which made more sense than him taking it upon himself to balance and get her up. "Thanks," she said as she was moved against the wall. She still was obviously graceless as she tried to pull herself up. Her legs just kept getting sent in any direction, and she had no real way to control them. She finally got herself up, but her legs quivered under her weight and the effort of keeping her up. She watched as a child, probably 8 or 9 years younger than her glided by."Okay, I'm going to figure this out," she decided, figuring if a child could grasp this, so could she.
Yoshiki watched as she got herself up, reducing his snickers to just a smile. Though, after it all, she still seemed determined to at least be able to stand on her own two feet. She was too embarrassed to accept his help, but she was also too prideful to just call it quits. "Okay, just don't fall again," he advised with a hint of sarcasm, wondering how this would go. Instead of standing at the wall like last time, he was still standing behind her, or around the direction she had fallen in.
Ayumi tried to let go of the rail completely, but her legs quickly made it known that was a poor decision. She leaned against the rail with one hand, looking at Yoshiki when he gave her some unhelpful advice. "Well, you'll just catch me when I fall, right?" she said, teasing lightly. Once the words came out, though, she realized that it seemed more like flirting than teasing. No, no... of course it was a little joke.
Yoshiki stared for a small moment, unprepared for those to be the words to come out of her mouth. He was sure it was meant to be a tease back, though. "Maybe... unless I think you deserve it," he joked back, letting the comment slip through his mind as just more of their back and forth teasing. He would, though, probably... If he could prevent more harm coming to her than necessary, he would try. But catching her on ice wasn't the easiest feat in the world.
When he responded normally, Ayumi let herself relax a bit. The entire atmosphere of this outing had been pretty easy going, but it undeniably had its... moments."How mean," she said, making a show out of a heavy sigh. "Well, at least now I won't feel guilty when I watch you fall," she said with a small giggle. While he had some balance, she couldn't see them getting out of this rink without a few bruises. Not that she would ever be able to stop his fall anyway, give she was much tinier than him and also had no balance whatsoever.
Yoshiki laughed lightly along with her giggle. This is what he had wanted out of this day, really. He wasn't trying to woo her, or make her forget about Satoshi. He just... wanted to know there was a sound friendship between them instead of it just being a thing of situation. "That's fine. It'll probably sting less that way, anyways," he mentioned with a small shrug. It was better to be laughed at by friends than just silence. It made the whole thing funny to all involved, unless it included an huge ego.
"I'll be sure to not even attempt it then," Ayumi joked as she tried to get a grasp on her legs. If she did try to catch Yoshiki, she'd end up on the ground with him. She pushed back a little ways from the wall, grimacing as she waited for her legs to give out. She managed to get her legs in a position where they were agreeing to letting her stand. "Ha! See! Easy!" she declared, moving her hands onto her hips. Although, the effort was making her body sore already.
Yoshiki watched her anxiously, prepared for her to fall again, but he apparently wasn't necessary anymore. She had gotten her legs to stand properly, but the next step would be more of a venture, for both of them."Great! Now let's learn to actually move smoothly," he joked, turning both of their accomplishments into something quite small and silly. He doubted they'd make much progression... but they could stay as long as she wanted to try.
Ayumi's confidence quickly became phony bravado as he mentioned the actual movement necessary to actually be skating. She was afraid of shifting her posture at all, since it would most likely lead to a tumble. "You go on ahead. I'll watch," she insisted, making a small gesture with her hand that made her legs lose a bit of balance. She managed to catch herself, but she didn't think she'd be so lucky throughout the endeavor. "Oh man, this is going to be how I die," she realized, wondering how much a face-plant into ice would hurt.
Yoshiki gave her a sly look with a smirk, not feeling particularly generous in the way of letting her of the hook. He played majority of her video games, now it was her turn to dive in head first. "Nah, it's no fun by myself," he mentioned, grabbing her sleeve and pulling gently forward."Let's just make it interesting. If one of us falls, we'll both fall, so the embarrassment hurts less," he proposed. He had made a point to not grab her hand, since that would equal to an immediate refusal, and question of his true motives.
Ayumi looked at him when the sly expression crossed his face. What the hell was going through his mind now? Her eyes widened when he grabbed her sleeve, a moment she was quickly about to dismiss. When he made the small proposal, she couldn't deny that it would be the best way to carry this out. At this point, she guessed she should stop caring about what those around them thought. They knew this was just a friendly gesture, so it wasn't like it would lead to anything weird."Fine, sounds fair to me," she agreed. It was easier to be a fool in a group. "Try not to drag me down too much, okay?" she joked as she returned the grip onto him. She tried not to rely on him too much for balance, though, since they'd be guaranteed to fall more if she didn't pull her weight.
The rest of the time, which had probably been an hour or so, had been spent falling, mostly. They had never gotten the hang of it. Though they were probably covered in bruises and sore, it had been very fun, to him. In fact, the clumsy part of their skating pretty much made it a friend activity. If they were both good and still sticking together, it'd be a lot more date-y. However, the whole thing had made them considerably more cold than before they started, so he had determined that they'd go to a restaurant and get something simple to warm them up. This was the last stop before he took her home, since it was beginning to get dark. That really only meant it was about six or so, so it wasn't exactly late, but night time was dangerous all the same. Once they arrived at a place they could both agree on, they went in and ordered. Both had just a simple hot chocolate, to thaw their fingers. After this, they'd head back to her home. He was thinking on foot this time around, since the incident at the train station had him iffy about that form of travel, at least with Ayumi.
Ayumi was regretting not picking a heavier jacket and not picking up some gloves. Her hands were numb and freezing, so she was quick to grab her hot chocolate to let the warmth begin to thaw her out. The entire thing had been fun, though. Her sides hurt from the mixture of laughing and falling, and she knew she'd be feeling the activity tomorrow. Overall, though, this entire day had gone smoothly and was fun. She felt a bit bad at all the previous times she had shrugged him off when he tried to set up a day for them to hang out. She sipped the hot chocolate, which was still a little too hot for consumption, but she was willing to ignore a little burning on her tongue for the warmth radiating through her body. "So, overall, would you say you're belated birthday-day was good?" she asked him, still feeling a bit rotten about the fact she forgot. She even had it marked on her phone, and she missed it.
Yoshiki was still waiting to drink his, just letting his hands savor the warmth. He looked up at Ayumi, offering a smile and small nod. "Yeah. I would dare to say it was the best belated birthday day," he responded, half making a joke out of it and half being serious. He didn't celebrate his birthday ever, really... Yeah, this year, he had gotten 'happy birthdays', and a gift from Satoshi, but he had never really went out and celebrated it. Either he didn't care or just never had an experience with such an event, it didn't matter. He had had a lot of fun with Ayumi, which may not all come from his crush on her. That must mean their friendship, their connection, wasn't something that was just forced because they both knew Satoshi.
Ayumi laughed lightly, figuring this all worked out for the best. It was probably a nice thing to have a birthday extended. She sort of doubted that yesterday had been much of a celebration with school and all of that. Really, the friends should have gathered and arranged some outing or something, but it was hard to arrange when everyone was busy. "Just you wait till next year. We might actually be able to make a lap around the rink without collapsing," she noted with a small chuckle. "Although, it'll have to be on your actual birthday," she added, since she didn't plan on making the same mistake twice.
Yoshiki chuckled along with her, though he couldn't honestly imagine them making it any farther than moments ago. He sighed, giving a small nod as he stared down at his drink. Before he could think much about his words, a question popped up. "The year after that too... right?" he asked in a somewhat softer tone, slightly revealing his fear of separation. Next year was their last in high school. After that, a lot of them would part ways. He only really expected Satoshi to stay in contact, and even though today had went great... it didn't really confirm anything about their future. He was just being hopeful that it did.
Ayumi was sipping her hot chocolate, the sweet warmth reinvigorating her and calming down her shivers. Her expression softened towards him at the question. She didn't really know what waited for her after high school. She wouldn't until she put applications out there and got acceptance letters back. She guessed Yoshiki was sort of chained to this place, given his financial status, along with scores that weren't high enough to earn scholarships or free rides. Was he really worried about this stuff already? That his connections would just fall to the wayside? She couldn't say the fears were unfounded. She smiled gently at him. "Yeah, the year after that too," she promised. She'd find a way to come back home around his birthday, or the two could set up a day depending on whatever college schedule she fell into. Either way, she'd make sure to come back to him.
Yoshiki glanced up to her quietly, held in suspense. Her answer should be obvious, since no friend wanted to believe or say that they could be separated. But still, her positive answer and smile well received. His gaze softened and his smile reappeared, before he looked back down at the hot chocolate. "Good," he said simply, taking a drink finally of the hot chocolate.
The two sipped at their hot chocolate, carrying on idle conversation as they drank and warmed up. In the quiet cafe where the two were tucked away on the corner, she was becoming re-aware of how, if anyone came up and said they had gone on a date, she almost couldn't argue with them. Even if there had been no romantic intentions or gestures, the day undoubtedly contained some undertones. She wasn't as objective to the idea as she had been when she first left her house. Yoshiki wouldn't be a bad boyfriend, she realized in the middle of their conversation with a soft, secretive smile.
She shouldn't have been surprised when he insisted in walking her home. She guessed the protective side of him was reemerging when faced with a potential train incident. Not that she thought anything would happen, and she would obviously be taking the train again, she agreed to the walk. She wanted to extend their time together as much as possible, she realized.
The day was over, and she had just finished taking a very warm shower and was laying in her bed. She could feel the soreness from skating already settling on her body, but she couldn't wipe a smile from her face. Today had been a lot more fun than she could have expected. With knowledge of Yoshiki's worry about his future connections, she made sure to make a mental note to keep him in her thoughts. Who knew if she'd end up going far away or stay nearby, but she... valued Yoshiki's friendship. Her face felt warm when she tilted her head up to look at the plush he had won her. It was sitting on a shelf with her other's, but she found herself plucking it back into her hands as she laid in bed. 'Mm... he's a good guy,' she thought fondly as her fingers petted the toy's soft fur. She shut her eyes, exhausted from the long day, but ultimately satisfied. The best thing she could have done for their friendship was the small hiccup of memory, it seemed. She'd keep his promise to him, she was sure. She'd remember his following birthdays and make sure to be with him during them.