'In response To HC for Scribe Faction'
Snow Flakes
Holiday Challenge – Christmas to New Year
Pairing: Mori-Ryo-Nami
Rating: T
Setting: Coffee shop/Park/Mall
Disclaimer: Do not owe the characters just the plot.
Co-Authored: Solusviscus & Devilish Dream
It was cold and snow was falling slowly from the sky. He didn't like this wheather, especially not in the morning. Tsuchiura Ryoutaro was not a lazy man nor was he like to complain but the wheather just made him wanted to do so. He would rather stayed under the warmth of his blanket than being outside, waiting and almost freezing.
"Ryou-chaa~n!" he looked up and saw two auburn haired women not far from where he stood. Amou ran towards him happily while Mori just walked calmly. Both of them were wearing a same scarf and Amou show it off to Tsuchiura, getting him more annoyed than before.
"Why are you late? I'm almost freezing here." He said, rubbing his gloveless hands together to keep it warm.
"I'm sorry Ryou-kun, it was Nami's fault. You know how difficult it was to wake her up in this kind of weather." A 'hey' of protest could be heard from Amou. She couldn't believe her best friend could say that kind of thing about her. She was not difficult to be woken up, it was her bed that had a great charm to lure her to stay with it. Mori and Tsuchiura should know it long ago.
"Hurry up Amou; you didn't want to be left behind by us!"
"Wait for me you two!"
"We're best friend and you still call us with our family name? Are you for real, Ryou-kun?"
"Shut up, Mori."
"It must be hard for her, right? I mean we all knew both of them love Tsuchiura-kun."
Amou's ears perked up. She was curious. Love and Tsuchiura were rarely put in the same sentence. The last time Tsuchiura and love were associated, it had Tsukimori and Hino on it and it had been hilarious seeing Tsuchiura and Tsukimori working together to find the culprit who spread a rumor about them.
"I mean, they are best friend."
Now, it caught Amou's full attention. Are they talking about Tsuchiura, Mori and her? Amou tried to listen to the conversation more.
"I saw them near the station this morning. Amou was running to catch up with them."
"She must be sad seeing her crush walking together with another woman and leave her."
"I wish Amou and Tsuchiura would become a couple already. If only that music department student weren't there."
Amou stood with her mouth agape. It was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. She didn't know where they got the idea but it was just…she must stop listening to their conversation or else she could die because she couldn't contain her laughter anymore.
"Amou, what are you doing?"
"WAA! Ryou-chan! Don't surprise me like that!" she turned her attention toward the girls that gossip about them just to saw them gone. "Look at what you did! My source of information is gone!"
"You were eavesdropping on them." Tsuchiura said deadpan.
"You wouldn't believe what they were talking about! It was…" Amou stopped mid-sentence and them smile that creepy smile. Tsuchiura had a bad feeling whenever he saw that smile especially when she was skipping and humming happily.
'I just hope it wouldn't involve me in any way possible.'
"Don't worry I will try my best to ignore you" saying this she skipped to empty hallway. Ryoutaro knew that Nami is planning something and least he want to be involved.
Soon the December approached and Ryoutaro sensed that his girlfriends were keeping a distance from him especially Manami, he always see a different kind of smile on Nami's face when they passes by or see each other. Nami's smile runs chill down Ryoutaro's body and he never has liked that smile.
Soon the Christmas Eve arrived and all three friends decided to meet at coffee shop. As usual, Manami and Ryoutaro were on time and were waiting for Nami.
"You guys seem pretty busy all winter," Ryoutaro asked as he looked at Manami.
"Well I was busy with the music exams and Nami was writing an article for Christmas" Manami replied sipping her hot chocolate.
"I still think something is fishy" as soon as Ryotaro said that Manami choked on her drink.
"Are you all right Mori?" He stood up patting her back.
"I'm fine Ryou-kun," she said as she caught her breath.
"Don't just scare me like that, I don't want to be killed by Amou" he sat on his chair and watched the snow falling.
In few minutes, the silence between the two was broken by Nami's rant, cursing the traffic, the snow, and everyone she might have met while on her way.
"…Indeed this snow is a killer" she sat and wrapped her scarf more securely around her neck.
"I'm sorry guys…" both of them wave their hands just to stop her.
"Where are the gifts?" Ryotaro said as he saw Nami empty hand.
"I will give them tomorrow, sure you can survive without gift by tomorrow," Nami said sarcastically resulting in Ryou's annoyed face.
The talk started and went on and on with cups of coffee and hot chocolate and plates of cakes.
Soon the time came for them to leave; Nami was the first to leave while Manami and Ryou quietly walked down the road towards the park.
"Why do you want to go there Mori?"
"Because one can watch snow fall from the park clearly and I want to talk to you about something"
Ryoutaro was not able to say anything, as he knew Mori is always the quite and serious type between the three of them.
They silently walked and reached at the park that was lit up by the Moonlight. There was a tension between the two as if someone is trying hard to avoid the presence of other.
"Ryou kun I want to tell you something"
"Huh… what is it Mori, you looked little worried. Is everything all right?"
"Ilikeyou"
"What?"
She took a deep breath and once again repeated herself but in an understandable manner.
"I like you"
As soon as the word registered in Ryou's mind, his face became as white as the sheet as if he had seen a ghost. He was not able to utter a response to what Mori had said but suddenly when he realizes the gravity of the situation, the color of his face changed from white to deep red. Soon he was able to utter a word.
"Mori, I…" he was not able to say further as he heard laughter from distance. He turned to look at the source of voice and saw Nami holding her camera laughing too loud for a woman.
"What an epic face you made Ryou~chan," she said in between her laughter.
Ryoutaro looked at Nami and then at Manami who was standing her face down. He was confused, as the events have turned into something he was not expecting.
"See I told ya Manami our plan will work out and it did pretty well. Good job on giving such unique reaction Ryou~chan, finally I am done with my story. I will leave for real now" she said and left the two alone.
Ryoutaro was still shocked with this new revelation. He glanced at Mori who was still looking down.
"Ryou kun…"
"Stop it Mori. You have done enough to make me looked like a fool, so please stop acting."
"I was not acting Ryou kun. I really like you" she looked at Ryoutaro's eyes, her cheeks red.
"It's true that first we planned it together to play such prank on you but when I confessed to you it was not the prank I genuinely like Ryou kun. I'm fine if you reject me but please promise me that our friendship will remain the same"
Once again, the moment to be all-stone was in front of Ryou but instead of being shocked or surprised he took one bold step and lifted Mori's chin and kissed her.
"Go out with me then?" he asked and the answer to his question was soon given with a kiss.
Six days passed and Nami was busy with formulating her story so she rarely had time to visit the two of her best friend neither did she asked Mori what happened after she left on Christmas eve. She even mailed her gifts to the two.
"I need to buy new camera films today," she said as she wiped her camera lens.
"Well a quick visit to a shop won't be bad" saying this she quickly grabbed her camera and coat and walked towards the mall. Little did she know that
she will soon be running over her two best friends who started dating since Christmas and she was not even informed of the news.
Manami and Ryoutaro started dating each other next day since Mori confessed, one could say Nami's plan bought them together and even closer but they were having hard time figuring out how to tell Nami. On one side, Ryou did not care about telling Nami while Mori was dying in worries.
They were walking around the electronic shop looking for new cellphone for Mori holding hand. Manami's heels made most of the sound on that section. Ryoutaro already commented on her heels and appreciated their look by calling them 'sexy red heels'.
"Why are you guys holding hands?"
They were startled by Nami's voice and immediately let go of each other's hand. Nami was standing near the counter and directly looking at their hands. There was something strange in her eyes when she saw it.
"Nami! What are you doing here?" Mori asked as she entangled her arm to Amou's arm, avoiding Tsuchiura's hand that was going to hold her hand again.
"I need to buy new films for my camera. Wanna come with me?" she asked her two friends but when she saw the look on Tsuchiura's eyes, she suddenly wanted to change her mind. She smelled something fishy and she always believe in her intuition. "Nah, I'll go alone. Looks like someone still annoyed because of the prank." Amou then untangled her joined arm from Mori and left her best friends by themselves.
DING DONG
"Oh, Nami-chan? I thought you go celebrating New Years Eve with Manami and Ryoutaro-kun?"
Nami just stand in front of Mori's mother with a confused look written on her face. She felt a little bit annoyed because it seems that they exclude her from their supposed to be quality time.
"Do you want to wait for Manami inside? I'm sure she'll come back soon." Mori's mother offered kindly. Maybe she could entertain Amou with the latest gossip of her daughter. She is Amou's trustworthy and precious informant about Mori after all.
-oooooo-
It was a tiring day for Mori but she was happy nonetheless. She got to go on a fun date with her boyfriend and got a fairly big teddy bear from him although she felt guilty to Amou for hiding her relationship and because she upset Tsuchiura because of the same reason.
Tsuchiura had told her that it would be okay to tell Amou about them and she would understand, even she would be very happy because she got new hot topic for her article, something about Piano Romance but Mori always refuse to do so. Tsuchiura wouldn't understand but Mori knew if she were to tell Amou about their relationship, it would…
"Yo!"
Mori stand still at her doorway, surprised by Amou's existence inside her room. Amou got up from Mori's bed where she sat previously and approached her surprised friend. She pulled the other girl towards the room, closing the door behind them quietly.
"So…" Amou began the conversation "…I heard Ryou-chan and you are going out. Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, earning a surprised look from Mori. As if she knew, what Mori was saying through her eyes, Amou then explained where she got that piece of information.
'Mom and her big mouth.' Mori just sigh, she knew she should told Amou everything because that journalist friend of hers would not take but full story from her.
"Don't forget to include your dates especially first date and today date in your story." Amou added, making it harder for Mori to tell her everything. Seriously, is it necessary to tell EVERYTHING to Amou?
She kept the teddy to her armchair and sits on bed beside Amou. It was not comfortable for her to tell but she told everything from the prank to her confession, from her first day to her today's date, also about the teddy bear, and what they have planned for next week.
"God! You should have told me earlier that you like Ryoutaro, I would have hooked you way earlier" she hugged Mori and when she let go her expression was unreadable.
"I am happy for you" she smiled.
"I was about to tell you" Mori said as she saw Nami picking up her bag.
"It is fine, I have to go. Better take care of each other or I will humiliate Ryou in front of the students at school, no maybe for the whole town to know would be better, and I can do it" Mori laughed because that was Amou she has known. She walked her to the door and bid her farewell.
It was too cold or was it just her feeling she cannot tell, but seeing Mori and Ryoutaro together broke something inside her. Now she understood what those two girls which she once heard gossiping meant. Indeed she is in love with Ryoutaro but the truth is her other two best friends were in love with each other. She did not want to be a sore taste in their relationship so she decided that today on New Year's Eve she will leave everything and will start fresh with the upcoming year. She wouldn't tell Mori or anyone else about her feelings. It was just for her to know.
Nami stood still, looking up as the snow began falling, she did not bother to take out her umbrella, she just stood there, letting the snow take away the pain in her chest and bury it along with the tears that fell down from her eyes to the snow-covered-ground.
A/N: This is our first joint venture and hope it was to your expectations.
Do review.