The sun was about to set down on the horizon when Mikan and Hotaru got on the path they always took on their way home from school. These weeks have been particularly busy for them; they didn't have enough time to bond with each other. Mikan always practiced running on the open field after school because of the approaching Regional tournament while Hotaru spent her time in the Media Arts Club producing the photographs of last week's School Festival. They were just lucky to have bumped on each other at the school gate and were about to go home after a rough and tiring day.
While walking side by side on the path near the river, Mikan caught a glimpse of the beautiful sky painted with spectacular colors of pink and orange. Few glittering dots above chased the color of light so slowly, even the darkness of the coming night joined in the unhurried derby. Hotaru noticed it too and she quickly grabbed the high tech camera hanging around her neck, and then clicked the capture button. Her camera is the only object that can steal a moment, and nobody in the world would care. This might come in handy, she mused.
"Wow, it's so… BEAUTIFUL! Ne Hotaru! Take a picture of me from this angle! It's perfect! See?" Mikan made a rectangle using her hands' thumb and forefinger. Indeed it was a perfect shot, but Hotaru averted her head away from the brunette.
"Are you an idiot? Pay first before ordering me around," the raven haired girl said in a strange monotone. For some odd reason, she found teasing Mikan extremely entertaining. Well, that's just one of Hotaru's secrets that Mikan never understood, or found out.
"Oh come on! Just this once! This kind of scenery won't appear for the second time!" Mikan insisted as she tugged on Hotaru's sleeve.
"Please please pleeeeease?" Mikan kept on pleading relentlessly; Hotaru smiled inwardly to herself and pretended not to hear her as she now continued walking down the road. Mikan pouted, feeling frustrated, and overly upset that her best friend ignored her.
"You're mean."
"I thought I made that clear the first time we met?" Hotaru placed her camera inside its case and put it in the brown leather bag pack of hers.
"Hmph," Mikan crossed her arm over the other in front of her chest. Maybe it would be best not to talk to Hotaru for a while, she thought, that would teach her a lesson.
Not until she apologizes.
The sun has gone to its bed below the horizon by the time Hotaru realized Mikan's short and temporary resolve. She covered her face with her hand to conceal a wide smirk.
It was dark and the city lights beyond gleamed. The only light that guided them now were star lights and the glowing full moon.
"Your silent treatment won't work on me. Maybe you don't even know that I know you the best," Hotaru muttered clearly and Mikan heard it.
Mikan stopped walking.
Mikan's mouth gaped.
Mikan stared wide-eyed.
And her cheeks were blushing.
She actually felt touched that Hotaru, though indirect, acknowledged that she was the one who knows her the most.
Hotaru stopped walking, turned back to look at her, saw pure delight etched on Mikan's face—her eyes fixed immediately on the nose dripping with wet liquid.
What a disgusting sight.
On impulse, she ran away precipitously from the oncoming nose-drip girl who was about to hug her.
"I—REALLY—DO—LOVE—YOU! HOTARUUUUU!" Mikan's brown locks flung messily as she threw her arms wide open to pursue her oh-so-beloved best friend.
Hotaru therefore concluded that it may be a bother to have a fast runner for a best friend. She sighed.
And so the wild chase began.
Author's Note:
My first drabble. -_- I just thought I'd write about something that could have happened in their teenage years if ever they never got into the Academy. Voila! An athletic Mikan popped into my head and Hotaru, who still stays away from nose-drip girls.
Feedbacks are greatly appreciated. :) Please do let me know what you think.