"It wasn't supposed to go like this!" Yuzu whined. The cold metal of the handcuffs against her wrist made her flinch. "I'm sorry, Fuuma-san."

"I think we're both equally to blame. You said you wanted to try a magic trick and I agreed." the ninja frowned at the handcuffs and tested the metal chain linking the cuffs. The metal clinked but offered no other way to open them. "Hiiragi-san, are these real?"

Nodding, she lifted her right hand to try and unclip one of her barrettes. "Mhm. Why?" She then noticed that she had dragged up his left hand along with hers. Giving him an apologetic look, she lowered her hand.

He didn't seem to mind and continued talking, "I was thinking about something anija read to me when I was younger. Something about trick handcuffs having a release button if you so happen to lose the key." Her eyes widened. "But if you say that these are the real thing..." another tug at the chain. "We would probably have to find a locksmith or...actually. How DID you get your hands on such a thing?"

She nervously laughed, her cheeks warming. "L-let's leave that aside for now. Ahaha...you said something about a locksmith?" She didn't want to reveal that she had found the handcuffs in Yoko Sakaki's garage when she had been helping the Sakakis with their spring cleaning. Now that she reflected on it, that was equally as embarrassing. "Wait. Aren't you a master ninja or something? Can't you pick the lock?"

This time it was his turn to blush. "C-cosplay doesn't make me..." she was giving him a look that said 'I-know-you're-lying'. He turned away. "I really can't!" He felt his hand being jerked towards her again. He glanced back and saw that she had finally managed to unclip her barrette. "Hiiragi-san?"

She was grinning and pressed the hairclip into his hand. "You can do it. I believe in you."

Snorting, he took it from her and unclasped it. "It's not a matter of belief. It's more like skill." He jammed the fastener into the keyhole and fiddled with it. Being left-handed, the task was proving to be difficult. Sighing, he handed the hairclip back. "I can't do it after all. Come, let's ask my brother."


Fuuma Hikage had a hard time keeping a straight face when his younger brother sauntered into the house with a girl in tow. Her face was bright-red in embarrassment while Tsukikage looked like he was used to being handcuffed to girls daily. He really did chuckle when Tsukikage explained how it was because of a magic trick gone wrong.

"I see, I see. Well then, let's fix that." Hikage took a look at the handcuffs and reached back to pull out one the hairpins keeping his hair in place. It took less than 30 seconds to undo the lock and release the two teens. "There you go."

Yuzu thanked Hikage by giving him a hug, which Tsukikage only raised an eyebrow at before disappearing upstairs. He came back moments later with another pair of handcuffs.

"Fuuma-san? What..." she took a step back when he slipped one cuff around his wrist and held out the other to her.

"These aren't real. Now about that magic trick?"