Yes, yes. I don't own Pokemon. All that junk.
Author's Notes: *growls very, VERY loudly* My computer hates me SO much!!!!! This is a present for dana-chan. A present that she was supposed to get on Valentine's Day, but my disc ate the entire thing. So I recently decided to rewrite it, and divide it into chapters so it wouldn't take so long. I had the first chapter all written out, but MY STUPID COMPUTER ATE THAT, TOO! Luckily, I saved about half of it, but I still have to rewrite the scene with Takeshi... AGAIN. That will be in the second chapter instead of the first, as it was SUPPOSED TO BE.
*ahem* Happy late, late, late, late Valentine's Day, Dana. ^^;
Chapter One
"So?" I inquired with a small giggle. "What do you think?"
Satoshi raised an eyebrow at me from across the metal table. Well," he cleared his throat, "I guess... If you really want to, but..." he gave me a strange look, almost disgusted. "Couldn't you think of someone else to ask?"
Feeling slightly insulted, I huffed and raised my shoulders to maintain my pride. "Well, it just so happens that I want to ask him. Not just for show, but I think he's kind of cute," I added the last bit to irritate him as he'd done to me.
After wincing at my comment, he sighed and set his hands on the table. "Look, Kasumi. I've known you for... How many years? I've seen you fall for guys of all different persuasions, but they all had one thing in common: class. I know you have better taste than this."
"And who are you to decide who fits the spectrum of my taste?" I retorted with a glare. "If I want to ask him, I can! I should have known better than to ask you about this. You're too partial," I pointed to him as I stood from my chair across from him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have something to take care of. Would you happen to know where he is?"
Satoshi sighed. "Well, I guess I can't stop you. Knowing him... Trainer's Circle, south part of town. He's usually there on his days off."
I wasn't sure whether or not to believe him, but it was the only source I had. I pulled my light pink jacket over my shoulders and walked toward the front door.
My muscles tightened as I stepped out into the brisk February air. No one was out on the streets; it was two days before the Masara Valentine's dance, and most of the teenagers in town were busy preparing. It could be said that I was preparing as well; just not in the same sense. Satoshi's house wasn't too far from the Trainer's Circle, as I recalled. I couldn't be sure, though, as I had only been there a few times before, to watch Satoshi battle other trainers, being either friends from town or travelers who stopped into town on their own time.
I didn't actually live in Masara; I lived in Hanada. It wasn't very far, though, so I came to visit often. Three of my best friends, Satoshi, Shigeru, and Kenji, lived in Masara, so that gave me more reason to return to that beautiful little town. I adored the scenery and the generally hospitable atmosphere that I couldn't find in Hanada. My reason for returning that time was, of course, the dance. It was a pretty big event to others, as well: many of my other friends had stopped in to attend. Takeshi and I were staying at Satoshi's house, Imite was invited to Nanami's place, while Hiroshi, Nanako, Taichi, and Tooru checked into Masara's only hotel. I hadn't seen a few of them in a long time, and I didn't get to see much of them before the dance, so I was very much looking forward to it.
There was one problem, however, and that was exactly why I needed to find Shigeru.
__ __ __
I could see that a battle was already in progress at the Trainer's Circle, neither of the combatants were Pokemon belonging to Shigeru. For a second, I assumed that Satoshi had given me false information; that would be just like him. There weren't that many people there, either. But after considering Shigeru's dedication--perhaps addiction--to training, and the hour-long walk to get there, I figured I'd at least look around for him.
Not surprisingly, after searching for about thirty seconds, I found him sitting on a bench next to a fountain, holding two minimized Pokeballs in his hand. I slid a loose strand of light red hair behind my right ear and approached him. As I walked closer to him, he didn't seem to notice me; he didn't appear to be watching the battle, just spacing out. When I reached the bench and he still didn't acknowledge me, I had to take him out of his zone.
"Hey, Shigeru," I addressed him softly, waving with one hand, holding the other behind my back.
He came out of his trance and looked up at me. "Kasumi... When'd you get here?"
I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Okay, maybe he wasn't the smartest guy in Masara... "Just a second ago. Um, can I talk to you?"
"Sure," he scooted to one side, giving me room on the bench.
I sat down next to him and cupped my hands in my lap. "Okay, Shigeru. I have a proposition for you."
He raised his left eyebrow to me. "What kind of proposition?"
I closed my eyes and licked my lips, preparing to explain the slightly embarrassing story. "See, I have this friend; Ayumi. I haven't seen her in-person for three years, I've only talked to her in letters and phone calls... Well, she's coming to the dance on Wednesday. And..." I closed my eyes again and laughed a little, trying to take the attention off of my flushing face. "I sort of told her that I had a boyfriend... You know, to try and impress her. And I guess it worked, because she believed me." I looked back to him, partially to see if he was even paying attention.
"Go on..." he mumbled.
"She said she wants to meet him at the dance. Now, Shigeru, you know as well as I do that I don't have a boyfriend, so I think you can see my problem."
"Yeah, I guess I can. And do I come in this where I think I do?"
"Well," I chuckled a little, "probably. Geru-chan, I need you to help me--to pose as my boyfriend. Just for the dance, and I'll deal with the rest on my own," I looked at him again, waiting for an answer. His face bore a skeptic look. Not good. "Please?"
He sighed and clicked his tongue a couple of times. "How can I put this? Kasumi, you're my friend, and I'd like to help a friend in need. But I'm afraid I can't this time."
I could feel my facial expression drop. "May I ask why?"
"Well, because it won't work. For me, I mean. I'm going to the dance alone, because it'll help my image--make me look... Unattached. If I go as your date, the girls will be crushed. You understand, right?"
I almost smacked him. How could he call me his friend if stringing along a bunch of hormone-controlled, bouncy girls was more important than me? But I couldn't say I was totally surprised. Shigeru was a very vain person, and I assumed that having a fan club boosted his confidence about his appearance. I should have considered that before asking him. "Yeah, I understand," I answered simply, suppressing my anger. Without another word, I got up and began to exit the Trainer's Circle, leaving him to go into his own little world again.
I crossed the pavement, passing the battle that appeared to be coming to an end. As I stepped onto the snow surrounding the Circle, I heard a familiar voice behind me. It sounded like Satoshi. He wasn't speaking to me, though. I turned around and saw him walking toward Shigeru. Had he been following me? I stepped behind one of the surrounding trees and tried to listen in.
"That was a pretty cold thing to do, wasn't it?" Satoshi's voice was hard as he sat next to Shigeru, avoiding eye contact.
"What? Were you spying on us or something?" Shigeru sneered, looking straight ahead.
"Hey, Kasumi's my best friend. I didn't want her to come to you in the first place, because I knew you'd turn around and do this. That's why I was "spying" on you. I knew she shouldn't have talked to you."
"So, what?" Shigeru's voice raised. "Do you want me to go with her? Will you get off of my back if I do?"
"No, don't even bother," Satoshi looked straight at me, or what he could see of me. He knew I was there the entire time. "You can come out, Kasumi."
I did so, and slowly walked back to the bench. Shigeru looked greatly offended. "Oh, what now?"
"Kasumi, I'll go to the dance with you," Satoshi said with a little grin.
I smiled back to him. "Sato-chan, that's so sweet--"
"Hey, what is this?" Shigeru cut me off. "She didn't want to go with you, Satoshi; she wanted to go with me. It's obvious that she has no interest in you, otherwise she'd have asked you instead."
"Wait, when did this become about being interested in either one of you? I already explained--"
"She's not one of your little boppers, Shigeru!" Satoshi shot back. I didn't appear to be part of the conversation anymore. "I wouldn't ditch her like you did, so she's better of coming with me!"
I quietly groaned and sunk my head down, finally realizing that it wasn't about me at all; it was just another excuse for them to argue. Now they were trying to see who was more deserving to appear as my date. "Look, you two," I almost shouted. The two boys stopped arguing and turned to me. "Just forget about the whole thing. I'll just find someone else to go with. I don't need you two ruining the dance for me, okay?"
I didn't even wait for a reply before I turned to leave for a second time. I didn't hear a word from either one of them for a few minutes, then Satoshi opened his mouth again. "Now look what you did!"
"What I did?! You're the one who drove her off!"
I growled under my breath and headed back to Satoshi's. He could get back on his own time. So far my plans were crashing. Shigeru was too arrogant to even consider, and Satoshi was just trying to impress Shigeru. I concentrated on who I could ask next. Thinking of who would willingly appear as a fake date, for any reason, one name came straight to mind: Takeshi.
Author's Notes: *growls very, VERY loudly* My computer hates me SO much!!!!! This is a present for dana-chan. A present that she was supposed to get on Valentine's Day, but my disc ate the entire thing. So I recently decided to rewrite it, and divide it into chapters so it wouldn't take so long. I had the first chapter all written out, but MY STUPID COMPUTER ATE THAT, TOO! Luckily, I saved about half of it, but I still have to rewrite the scene with Takeshi... AGAIN. That will be in the second chapter instead of the first, as it was SUPPOSED TO BE.
*ahem* Happy late, late, late, late Valentine's Day, Dana. ^^;
Chapter One
"So?" I inquired with a small giggle. "What do you think?"
Satoshi raised an eyebrow at me from across the metal table. Well," he cleared his throat, "I guess... If you really want to, but..." he gave me a strange look, almost disgusted. "Couldn't you think of someone else to ask?"
Feeling slightly insulted, I huffed and raised my shoulders to maintain my pride. "Well, it just so happens that I want to ask him. Not just for show, but I think he's kind of cute," I added the last bit to irritate him as he'd done to me.
After wincing at my comment, he sighed and set his hands on the table. "Look, Kasumi. I've known you for... How many years? I've seen you fall for guys of all different persuasions, but they all had one thing in common: class. I know you have better taste than this."
"And who are you to decide who fits the spectrum of my taste?" I retorted with a glare. "If I want to ask him, I can! I should have known better than to ask you about this. You're too partial," I pointed to him as I stood from my chair across from him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have something to take care of. Would you happen to know where he is?"
Satoshi sighed. "Well, I guess I can't stop you. Knowing him... Trainer's Circle, south part of town. He's usually there on his days off."
I wasn't sure whether or not to believe him, but it was the only source I had. I pulled my light pink jacket over my shoulders and walked toward the front door.
My muscles tightened as I stepped out into the brisk February air. No one was out on the streets; it was two days before the Masara Valentine's dance, and most of the teenagers in town were busy preparing. It could be said that I was preparing as well; just not in the same sense. Satoshi's house wasn't too far from the Trainer's Circle, as I recalled. I couldn't be sure, though, as I had only been there a few times before, to watch Satoshi battle other trainers, being either friends from town or travelers who stopped into town on their own time.
I didn't actually live in Masara; I lived in Hanada. It wasn't very far, though, so I came to visit often. Three of my best friends, Satoshi, Shigeru, and Kenji, lived in Masara, so that gave me more reason to return to that beautiful little town. I adored the scenery and the generally hospitable atmosphere that I couldn't find in Hanada. My reason for returning that time was, of course, the dance. It was a pretty big event to others, as well: many of my other friends had stopped in to attend. Takeshi and I were staying at Satoshi's house, Imite was invited to Nanami's place, while Hiroshi, Nanako, Taichi, and Tooru checked into Masara's only hotel. I hadn't seen a few of them in a long time, and I didn't get to see much of them before the dance, so I was very much looking forward to it.
There was one problem, however, and that was exactly why I needed to find Shigeru.
__ __ __
I could see that a battle was already in progress at the Trainer's Circle, neither of the combatants were Pokemon belonging to Shigeru. For a second, I assumed that Satoshi had given me false information; that would be just like him. There weren't that many people there, either. But after considering Shigeru's dedication--perhaps addiction--to training, and the hour-long walk to get there, I figured I'd at least look around for him.
Not surprisingly, after searching for about thirty seconds, I found him sitting on a bench next to a fountain, holding two minimized Pokeballs in his hand. I slid a loose strand of light red hair behind my right ear and approached him. As I walked closer to him, he didn't seem to notice me; he didn't appear to be watching the battle, just spacing out. When I reached the bench and he still didn't acknowledge me, I had to take him out of his zone.
"Hey, Shigeru," I addressed him softly, waving with one hand, holding the other behind my back.
He came out of his trance and looked up at me. "Kasumi... When'd you get here?"
I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Okay, maybe he wasn't the smartest guy in Masara... "Just a second ago. Um, can I talk to you?"
"Sure," he scooted to one side, giving me room on the bench.
I sat down next to him and cupped my hands in my lap. "Okay, Shigeru. I have a proposition for you."
He raised his left eyebrow to me. "What kind of proposition?"
I closed my eyes and licked my lips, preparing to explain the slightly embarrassing story. "See, I have this friend; Ayumi. I haven't seen her in-person for three years, I've only talked to her in letters and phone calls... Well, she's coming to the dance on Wednesday. And..." I closed my eyes again and laughed a little, trying to take the attention off of my flushing face. "I sort of told her that I had a boyfriend... You know, to try and impress her. And I guess it worked, because she believed me." I looked back to him, partially to see if he was even paying attention.
"Go on..." he mumbled.
"She said she wants to meet him at the dance. Now, Shigeru, you know as well as I do that I don't have a boyfriend, so I think you can see my problem."
"Yeah, I guess I can. And do I come in this where I think I do?"
"Well," I chuckled a little, "probably. Geru-chan, I need you to help me--to pose as my boyfriend. Just for the dance, and I'll deal with the rest on my own," I looked at him again, waiting for an answer. His face bore a skeptic look. Not good. "Please?"
He sighed and clicked his tongue a couple of times. "How can I put this? Kasumi, you're my friend, and I'd like to help a friend in need. But I'm afraid I can't this time."
I could feel my facial expression drop. "May I ask why?"
"Well, because it won't work. For me, I mean. I'm going to the dance alone, because it'll help my image--make me look... Unattached. If I go as your date, the girls will be crushed. You understand, right?"
I almost smacked him. How could he call me his friend if stringing along a bunch of hormone-controlled, bouncy girls was more important than me? But I couldn't say I was totally surprised. Shigeru was a very vain person, and I assumed that having a fan club boosted his confidence about his appearance. I should have considered that before asking him. "Yeah, I understand," I answered simply, suppressing my anger. Without another word, I got up and began to exit the Trainer's Circle, leaving him to go into his own little world again.
I crossed the pavement, passing the battle that appeared to be coming to an end. As I stepped onto the snow surrounding the Circle, I heard a familiar voice behind me. It sounded like Satoshi. He wasn't speaking to me, though. I turned around and saw him walking toward Shigeru. Had he been following me? I stepped behind one of the surrounding trees and tried to listen in.
"That was a pretty cold thing to do, wasn't it?" Satoshi's voice was hard as he sat next to Shigeru, avoiding eye contact.
"What? Were you spying on us or something?" Shigeru sneered, looking straight ahead.
"Hey, Kasumi's my best friend. I didn't want her to come to you in the first place, because I knew you'd turn around and do this. That's why I was "spying" on you. I knew she shouldn't have talked to you."
"So, what?" Shigeru's voice raised. "Do you want me to go with her? Will you get off of my back if I do?"
"No, don't even bother," Satoshi looked straight at me, or what he could see of me. He knew I was there the entire time. "You can come out, Kasumi."
I did so, and slowly walked back to the bench. Shigeru looked greatly offended. "Oh, what now?"
"Kasumi, I'll go to the dance with you," Satoshi said with a little grin.
I smiled back to him. "Sato-chan, that's so sweet--"
"Hey, what is this?" Shigeru cut me off. "She didn't want to go with you, Satoshi; she wanted to go with me. It's obvious that she has no interest in you, otherwise she'd have asked you instead."
"Wait, when did this become about being interested in either one of you? I already explained--"
"She's not one of your little boppers, Shigeru!" Satoshi shot back. I didn't appear to be part of the conversation anymore. "I wouldn't ditch her like you did, so she's better of coming with me!"
I quietly groaned and sunk my head down, finally realizing that it wasn't about me at all; it was just another excuse for them to argue. Now they were trying to see who was more deserving to appear as my date. "Look, you two," I almost shouted. The two boys stopped arguing and turned to me. "Just forget about the whole thing. I'll just find someone else to go with. I don't need you two ruining the dance for me, okay?"
I didn't even wait for a reply before I turned to leave for a second time. I didn't hear a word from either one of them for a few minutes, then Satoshi opened his mouth again. "Now look what you did!"
"What I did?! You're the one who drove her off!"
I growled under my breath and headed back to Satoshi's. He could get back on his own time. So far my plans were crashing. Shigeru was too arrogant to even consider, and Satoshi was just trying to impress Shigeru. I concentrated on who I could ask next. Thinking of who would willingly appear as a fake date, for any reason, one name came straight to mind: Takeshi.