Mai wasn't the kind of girl to go on dates. She wasn't the kind of girl to get butterflies when talking to a boy, or the type to blush when he said her name, or the type to dream about wedding bells and dresses of white. Mai just wasn't the kind of girl who fell in love. She'd been there and done that, and she had more fun having flings and pleasing herself than she had ever trying to please someone else. Falling in love wasn't worth the potential heartache. Then Jou came along.
Jounochi Katsuya, the cute blonde powerhouse of a puppy dog who didn't know when to give up. He was as annoying as he was charming, and Mai would never forget meeting him at Duelist Kingdom. He probably changed her life forever in just those few days of knowing him. As time went on, they went through all sorts of hell together, and their friendship continued to grow stronger and stronger.
And now, Mai was dressing up and touching up her hair and makeup. Jou had invited her to dinner. Just the two of them. A date. He was so sweet when he asked, red in the face and fidgety, almost as if he was expecting Mai to say no. The look on his face when she agreed told her that he was definitely expecting it.
When Jou showed up at her place, he was dressed up, too. A nice shirt and some slacks, shiny shoes, and he'd even combed his hair. He was too cute. Mai grinned and greeted him with a kiss on the cheek, using her thumb to wipe away the bit of lipstick that stuck to his skin. He told her she looked beautiful, and they were out the door, walking into the city to the restaurant they had reservations at. Jou really had spared no expense, and Mai wondered how long he may have been saving to treat her like this.
They were seated in a romantic little bistro with a candle and flower on the table. They had drinks, they laughed, they ate. It was a textbook date, and Mai was beyond flattered. She couldn't remember the last time that she had felt quite so giddy, quite so happy to be sharing a romantic evening with a boy she actually cared about.
Jou paid the whole bill, and even then they stuck around a little longer just to talk and laugh and joke with each other at the table. It was a beautiful night, a fun night, a night she wouldn't soon forget. Eventually, they had to leave.
The two walked hand in hand through the city. It was late and the lights were bright, the streets were empty, and the threat of rain was in the air, but not even that could stop them from laughing and doing everything they could to make the evening last. They walked in circles near her apartment before they stopped and sat at a bench near a bus stop, the cool breeze continuing to lighten their mood.
With a sweet sigh, Mai rested her head on Jou's shoulder and opened her mouth to speak only to be interrupted by a seedy shout from behind them.
"Give me your wallets and phones!" It got Jou's attention and made the hair stand up on the back of Mai's neck. He stood up quickly and stood in front of Mai, staring down the would be thief.
"Fuck off." Jou said with a growl. Mai stood up from her place on the bench, and stared at their aggressor from over Jou's shoulder, her arms crossed. She was determined not to let this deviant ruin their night of magic.
"Give me your wallets and your phones!" The seedy young man urged, taking a step forward and putting his hand in the pocket of his jacket. Jou took a step forward, too, maintaining his dominant, protective stance.
"Shut up and get out of here, or I'll make you regret—" he was cut off by the the mugger suddenly pulling a gun from his coat and aiming it recklessly towards them.
"Wallets and phones. Now!" Then he looked toward Mai and pointed the gun her way. "Or I'll shoot the bitch."
Jou wasted no time. He ran at the thief and grabbed the wrist of the hand that held the firearm in an attempt to wrangle it out of his grasp. Mai actually yelled at him, in a bit of a panic. How could he be so stupid, that bastard had a gun? And before she could really tell him that it was probably easier and safer to just hand over what they had, it could be replaced after all, she was interrupted by a deafening bang.
Her ears were ringing, and all she registered was that the wannabe thief was running away in a panic and that Jou was lying in a heap on the cold ground. It took her a minute to come to her senses, and when she did, she screamed. She couldn't even hear herself screaming, she could just feel the burning in her throat and the stinging of her eyes.
She was at his side in an instant, on her knees and turning him over, pulling his head into her lap. There was a hole in the chest of his shirt, the light blue button up quickly staining red with a constant flow. He wasn't breathing. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, so she just cradled his body, still warm and familiar. She wept for him, she even bent over him to plant a loving kiss on his paling lips. Her heart was breaking in a way she had never felt it break before.
Mai just wasn't the kind of girl who fell in love. She'd been there and done that, and she had more fun having flings and pleasing herself than she had ever trying to please someone else. Falling in love wasn't worth the potential heartache. Then Jou came along, and he proved her right.