"Isuke...sama." Haruki called nervously, twiddling her fingers.
Class was starting in a few hours and Isuke was curling her hair in front of the dressing table.
Haruki's palms were drenched with sweat. Staring at Isuke's pile of clothes on her bed, she was wondering whether it was a good idea that she wanted to ask Isuke to pack them away so she could you know, sleep in her bed. However, Isuke had been so irritable the past few days, even Haruki found it hard to talk to her.
"What?" Isuke scowled, placing the hair curler on the dressing table and turning towards Haruki. "It better be something important or Isuke might rip your throat out. "
"Uhm," Haruki moved the Pocky around her lips, from one corner to another.
Isuke watched the Pocky dangle, then she watched Haruki's lips as it opened when she spoke again, "Y'know... It's getting kinda hard to sleep with all your clothes on my bed... So I was wondering if you could... perhaps... pack some?"
"Isuke doesn't see what's the problem." Isuke said, turning back to the mirror and curling her hair. "You could just sleep in Isuke's bed, it's big enough for two anyway. "
Haruki froze up, trying to process what Isuke just proposed.
Me... share a bed... with Isuke-sama? Did I hear it right or-
Isuke, having realised what she just said, flushed a colour as bright as Haruki's hair. She looked into the mirror and noticed Haruki's blank stare.
"If you help fold them, Isuke may pack them later. " Isuke smirked, trying to get off the topic.
Surprisingly (actually, not really) Haruki obediently started to fold the pile of clothes stacked on top of the bed.
"What are you doing you idiot? " Isuke barked, glaring at Haruki through the mirror, who was sitting on the bed and picking up one of Isuke's shirts.
"Just folding the clothes like you told me to, Isuke-sama. What's the matter?" Haruki asked, eyes narrowing. "What, you scared that I'll see stuff like-" she picked out one of Isuke's lacy bras from the pile and dangled it in the air, "-this?" she grinned.
Isuke tore across the room in hysterics, trying to grab whatever Haruki was holding.
"Isuke was just joking and you really did it. What are you, a maid? A servant? If Isuke told you to lick my shoes, would you? If that nerdy Kaminaga girl told you to fold her clothes would you do that too?" Isuke questioned, kneeling in front of Haruki and repeatedly stabbing a finger at Haruki's exposed forehead. It was annoying, but Isuke knew that Haruki would, she fucking would do it, because Haruki was Haruki and Haruki was just too nice.
"Woah, woah." Haruki caught Isuke's hand, holding it in her own sticky palm. "What's gotten into you lately Isuke-sama?" Haruki asked, touching Isuke's forehead with the back of her hand. "How did Kouko get into this?"
"Isuke's not sick you idiot, where are you touching? " Isuke responded, flinging both Haruki's hands off of her. "Keep your hands to yourself before Isuke amputates them for you. " She crossed her arms, glaring at Haruki. "Why, does Haruki dislike Isuke bringing your beloved Kouko up?"
"Isuke-sama," Haruki sighed. "Kouko," Haruki sighed again. "Is just Kouko. She's not my beloved Kouko. Besides, I'm sure she folds her own clothes so I don't have to do it for her. In the first place, why would she ask me to fold her clothes anyway?"
"So there's nothing going on between you and Kaminaga? " Isuke asked, staring at her pile of clothes.
"WHAT?" Haruki exclaimed, causing Isuke to recoil in surprise. "You thought there was something going on between me and Kouko? Where is this even coming from?" Haruki started to chuckle. "Oh boy. Isuke-sama you got me good. Did Nio tell you that? I'd expect you to be more sharp you know, being the great assassin you are. Man, that was way off." Haruki burst into peals of laughter, taking a bite of her Pocky. "Damn, Isuke-sama. Kouko hates me with all her being, I mean, she's been scolding me since Day 1. What with throwing hand creams across the class and how I don't do my homework." Haruki took another shirt from the pile and started folding it.
"What's so funny?" Isuke's eyes narrowed, angrily throwing a pile of her own clothes at Haruki. "Stop folding the clothes you fool. "
"Ehhh but if I don't then I won't get a place to sleep." Haruki whined. "Well maybe I'll just sleep in my beloved Kouko's bed then~" Her grin spread from one ear to another, which was testing Isuke's already low level of patience.
"If you continue being such an uncivilised imbecile," Isuke flipped her hair over her shoulder, "nobody would want to be your Valentine you know? "
Haruki waved her hand dismissively, "Valentine's is just another day. I don't see anything special about it. I mean, after tomorrow passes then everything's just gonna go back to normal, anyway."
"What, then you're gonna stay in the room like a loser all alone, when everyone's going on dates, whispering disgusting mushy things to each other? " Isuke said, picking out her lingerie (before Haruki sees anymore), and packing them into her drawers. "Aren't you asking anyone out?"
"Nah." Haruki responded plainly. "Like you said, Isuke-sama, nobody would want to be my Valentine anyway." She smiled. "Are you asking anyone out?"
"No, no. Oh no. Darling," Isuke laughed. "Isuke doesn't ask people out, people ask Isuke out."
"Ah, I see." Haruki chuckled, placing another stick of Pocky in her mouth.
Isuke's brows knitted in exasperation.
This idiot only loves Pocky doesn't she? She'll probably only ever go on dates with her stupid, chocolate-covered biscuit.
After everything was folded and packed, Isuke was painting her nails on the couch and Haruki was lying on her bed, arms crossed behind her head.
'People ask Isuke out', huh? Haruki pondered. Isuke-sama's beautiful. Gorgeous. Tall. Has nice hair. Someone's probably asked her out already. Haruki pouted, twirling the Pocky around with her tongue. He's probably rich too. He can take her out on dates. Bring her somewhere nice, have a good meal at a 5-star restaurant. All I can afford is the ramen store down the street. Haruki ruffled her already messy hair in frustration. Good on me to have fallen in love with someone way out of my league.
Haruki grumbled, at herself for being a fucking coward for not having the guts to ask Isuke out and at her own wallet for being so empty.
"Why are you lying there imitating an animal? " Isuke's voice reminded Haruki that she was still in the room.
"Uh," Haruki sheepishly answered. "...nothing much."
"Hm." Isuke merely hummed in response, too focused on painting her nails.
"Are you getting ready for your date tomorrow?" Haruki sat herself beside Isuke on the couch. "You're using the one I bought you, huh."
"Isuke," Isuke started, looking over her shoulder at Haruki. "Doesn't have a date. "
"WHAT?" Haruki exclaimed again, and Isuke resisted the urge to slap the Pocky out her mouth for doing that a second time. "Isuke-sama doesn't have a date?"
The corner's of Isuke's lips curled into one of her usual sweet smiles.
"A bunch of disgusting, filthy looking boys who smell like pigs are not worthy of Isuke. They probably haven't looked themselves in a mirror when they came up to Isuke asking for a date." Isuke stated, looking at her nails under the light.
I wouldn't want to add to that list, Haruki frowned.
"Maybe just wait for one of those Prince Charmings then. Let him bring you to a nice place with a good restaurant." Haruki responded, scratching her head, sounding sore.
"Even a nice place with a good restaurant wouldn't be satisfying if the company was terrible. " Isuke said, starting to paint the nails on her other hand. "Haruki," she turned to the redhead, who was now lying down on the couch with her head just right beside Isuke's lap, strands of her hair tickling it. "You're really not asking anyone out?"
Isuke was too busy thinking about how to phrase "I don't want any Prince Charmings you bumbling moron, Isuke only wants a certain red-headed Pocky-obsessed nitwit to bring me out." nicely, so she didn't notice the way Haruki stared at her with so much longing even the headmistress could see through the cameras.
Haruki shook her head. Nobody would want to be her Valentine anyway.
"Are you really taking what Isuke said to heart?" Isuke sighed, gently touching Haruki's head. "Poor, poor Haruki. She can't even tell when Isuke's joking. "
"Well, Isuke-sama. You can't blame me when you say things like that all the time." Haruki replied, enjoying the way Isuke was playing with her hair and rearranging the clips in her bangs.
"Okay, now Isuke is telling you that it was a joke." Isuke jabbed Haruki's forehead again with her finger. "If someone lowered their standards enough, even Haruki is a good date. "
That came out meaner than Isuke expected, but she wouldn't want Haruki to go around asking somebody else to be her date.
"Then I'll have to find somebody willing to lower their standards." Haruki smiled. "Anyway," Haruki looked at the clock, "It's time for class. Let's go, Isuke-sama."
Isuke glared at almost everyone that day. It was so annoying to see Kirigaya and Chitaru all over each other. Well they were usually all over each other but because Valentine's was tomorrow, Isuke's feeling of disgust was amplified. She scoffed at the way Hanabusa was making her advances on Mahiru, too timid to even look her in the eye. Meanwhile, she turned to Haruki, who was busy playing in her chair.
Haruki was fiddling with the Pocky in her mouth, occasionally offering one to Azuma beside her. Azuma merely responded with a grunt.
"Please stop disturbing your classmates, Haruki-san." Kouko stared angrily.
"Sorry, sorry, Kouko-chan. You want one too?" Haruki smiled, offering her packet of Pocky to the girl.
"No eating in class, either and no thank you, Haruki-san. I'd want you to keep quiet and listen in class, though." Kouko responded coldly.
"Eh... alright then." Haruki replied. She looked ahead and noticed Isuke staring at her from in front of class. She gave a friendly wave, to which Isuke ignored.
"Sensei, I have to go to the toilet," Haruki said, standing up. She pulled on Isuke's sleeve, "And Isuke-sama's coming with me too."
Once out of class, Haruki pushed Isuke against the wall so that the girl was standing in front of her. Isuke's head was turned to the side, with a nasty frown on her face.
"So, Isuke-sama." Haruki started, massaging her temples. "What did I do this time?" She decided that she was going to talk about this with Isuke. She can't possibly just leave things be.
"Isuke thought you said there was nothing going on between you and Miss Class Representative."
Was Isuke... Jealous? Haruki's heart leaped at the thought, but decided not to keep her expectations up.
"There isn't." Haruki stared, thinking of testing her seething roommate in front of her. "But y'know, Isuke-sama. People might misunderstand and think that there's something going on between us too."
Haruki noticed the way Isuke's eyebrow twitched before her amber eyes met Haruki's own.
"Then let them. Does it bother you? " Isuke responded sweetly.
"No, but shouldn't it bother you with your chances of getting a date lowered?" Haruki asked, her tone serious.
"Then you take responsibility. " Isuke said, gently putting her arms around Haruki's neck.
Haruki shifted uncomfortably with the warmth of Isuke's arms against her warmer neck, not knowing what to do or say next. Her "test" just backfired against her.
"I can't." Haruki said, looking down. "I don't have... Money." Haruki forced her eyes to meet Isuke's. "Isuke-sama deserves someone who can match your social class."
"And who decided that?" Isuke asked, pulling Haruki closer. "Isuke didn't remember saying that. Isuke only remembered saying that the places don't matter, only the person who brings me out does and the person who brings me out is who Isuke decides is worthy of my company. " Isuke replied calmly, looking into Haruki's eyes. She noticed how it unsettled Haruki, who was obviously distressed by the close proximity. Their faces were so close that Isuke's nose touched Haruki's.
Haruki could smell Isuke's perfume and her shampoo, and damn did she smell so good, while she, she just probably smelled like Pocky and sweat.
"So are you going to ask me out or not, you idiot, or are you going on a date with your stupid Pocky box? " Isuke asked impatiently. She's had enough of Haruki standing awkwardly in front of her as sweat slid down her forehead.
"..." Haruki still couldn't believe what Isuke was saying, so she proceeded to pinch her own cheeks. "Ow." Haruki said, pressing on the area she pinched. "Uhm. Uh," she stuttured, furiously scratching at nothing in particular on her neck, right above where Isuke held her. "Uhm. I-Isuke-sama, I. Uh,"
Isuke patiently waited for Haruki to get herself together, as her drawn brows knitted in slight annoyance.
Haruki cleared her throat before placing her hands on Isuke's waist, then she steeled herself to look into the amber eyes that were so focused on her. She could see her own scared reflection in them.
"Isuke-sama, do you really want to?" Haruki questioned. "I'm not rich, not good-looking." She looked away. "Not good enough."
"Ha-ru-ki. " Isuke moved one arm away from Haruki's neck, turning Haruki's head to face her. "Isuke thinks you are."
"I can only bring you to a ramen store." Haruki said, forcing one of her smiles. "I can't afford those chocolates or flowers they sell on the streets. Look at me, smelling like sweat while Isuke-sama's so radiant."
They just stood that way for awhile, Haruki's hands on Isuke's waist and Isuke semi-hugging Haruki at the neck, a deafening silence settling between them.
"Sorry Isuke-sama." Haruki finally broke the silence. "Let's get back to class."
"No. " Isuke replied, keeping a firm grip on Haruki's neck. "Haruki, Isuke doesn't mind going to a ramen store as long as it's with you, idiot. Get it through your thick skull already..." Her voice softened.
"Isuke-sama..." Haruki mumbled, stiffly moving her hands up Isuke's waist, to her back. "What exactly do you think of me?"
"Isuke's gonna put it in Haruki-terms and tell you that Isuke thinks you're radiant too. Isuke thinks you're good-looking, that you're good enough, even though you're dirt poor. "
"Okay then..." Haruki took a deep breath, "Isuke-sama, would you be my Valentine?"
"Of course, idiot. "
How could I not write something for Valentine's? I wonder if any of you have noticed but my summaries are terrible and I always have problems naming them too. I hope you'd enjoy this story too.(Unfortunately they didn't go on a date lelel)
-Harukai :)