"turning twenty is not only a responsibility"

Title: The Benefits of Age
Theme: Holidays_Friends (1b), usako_mamoru, 2009 anniversary challenge
Genre: Humor, Friendship
Rating: R

Usagi handed the camera back to the girl with a wave and a wistful smile, watching as the girl and her friends wandered away to find a different background.

She fidgeted next to Mamoru, standing on her toes to better see the girls walking away.

"They're so beautiful," Usagi breathed to herself. Dressed in ornately colorful kimonos, their hair piled onto their heads with delicately carved combs and fresh flowers, and their make-up perfectly done, the girls were indeed beautiful.

Noboru tugged on one of Usagi's ponytails. "You'll get to celebrate next year, Usagi, with all the girls, and we'll be the ones taking ridiculous amounts of pictures of all of you looking beautiful. Though what you're going to do with all this hair is beyond me."

Usagi stopped trying to look over the crowd that had assembled for Coming of Age Day in the park.

Zared stepped in to put an arm around her. "Next year, you'll be the one listening to the speeches of how turning twenty is not only a responsibility but a blah, blah blah, blah blah."

Usagi laughed, pushing him lightly. Jiro looked reprovingly at Zared. "You jest, but today is an important day, and it will be for you next year, Usagi," he said, looking at her gravely.

Usagi turned somber instantly.

Jiro grinned. "'Cause when you turn twenty, you get to drink, smoke, and," he nudged Mamoru, "get married!"

Usagi's good humor returned full-force with a blush that made her look down at the ground.

"Jiro!" Mamoru said appalled.

Jiro held up his hands defensively. "I'm just saying" though he didn't look apologetic in the least.

"That's the most applicable one though," Noboru mused. At Mamoru's glare, Noboru hastily added, "Since she doesn't drink or smoke, I mean!"

Usagi had still not looked anyone in the eye and was pulling back from Mamoru's embrace, so Noboru continued to ramble. "You'll also get to be tried as an adult!"

Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow, as even Usagi looked questioningly at Noboru.

"Not- not that you'll do anything," Noboru stammered. "But just so you don't, you know, forget-"

"Forget not to commit treason or kill anyone?" Usagi teased.

"I don't think capital punishment is what we're really focusing on here, Noboru," Kiyoshi said drily. "We were thinking more of pretty dresses and pretty hair."

"Right," Noboru recovered, quickly casting about in his head what else twenty-year olds were able to do. "We'll be able to take you to the tracks next year then!"

As Jiro eagerly nodded his head – he had a penchant for gambling – Zared added, "And then you'll be able to have sex!"

There was a long uncomfortable pause. Zared had been distracted by something else when he's spoken and only turned back to face the group when he realized a silence stretching on.

"Well, I didn't mean at the tracks! I just meant, when you're twenty-"

"We know," Kiyoshi interrupted, his face still marred by a frown. Whatever he had been about to say was halted, however, by Mamoru murmuring, "She's already legal."

Another moment of non-talking floated by. Usagi found herself hiding behind Mamoru's frame, muttering to herself disbelievingly about how he had managed to get into Harvard. Mamoru realized he'd spoken aloud and was now willing himself to be anywhere but there.

Jiro looked liked he was trying to hold back laughter and a very dirty comment. This time, both Kiyoshi's eyebrows were rising in arches. Zared couldn't decide if he was impressed, surprised, or proud.

Noboru, however, was lost in thought. "Isn't the national age requirement thirteen?"

The implication of what he'd said only occurred mere seconds before Mamoru punched him in the arm.

end

Notes:

Seijin no Hi is Coming of Age Day celebrated by twenty-year-olds on the second Monday of January.

Thirteen is the national age requirement for consensual sex, but prefecture law overrides that &, from what I've found, is normally 18.