a/n: because after years of not writing, I will inevitably upload five things in a week.
o~
prompt 2: news; letter
"Shizu-chan, were you here the whole practice?"
Shizuka laughs, shaking her head. "No, I was doing art club stuff. I have something to give you, though." As she rummages through her bag, Sengoku closes his locker. He stretches, yawning.
"I hope it's food," he grins as he goes around the clubroom and turns off the lights. He's always the last one out, because most of the other members rush off right after practice ends while Sengoku always makes sure to take a quick shower and preen in front of the mirror. He had a reputation to keep up, of course.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but it's a love letter." Shizuka hands the pink envelope to him, raising an eyebrow as he whistles. "It's from Kisa in class A."
He inspects it before tossing it into his schoolbag, winking at her. "She's a cutie, isn't she? Ah, I'm so lucky!" He frowns, leading them out of the clubroom. "But you don't really have to always deliver these to me, you know. It's weird to have a girl give me someone else's love letter."
Shizuka shrugs as he locks the door. "It's not like I can refuse to after doing it for so long. Two years of being your mail carrier is tiring, though." She elbows him lightly in the ribs, "I think you owe me some cake for always being so nice to you."
"I would if I had money!" Says Sengoku with a glint in his eyes. "But I can't, since I have to save up for my date with Kisa-chan now."
"You haven't even read the letter yet," she points out while rolling her eyes. "You know, being that arrogant is going to come back and bite you in the ass one day."
"Well if that ever happens, then Shizu-chan will just have to come fix it for me." Sengoku blows a kiss at her, laughing loudly when she grimaces. "You know, you're the only girl who refuses my kisses."
She wrinkles her nose in disdain. "I'd think you'd have enough girls grovelling around you already. Besides, you're always tossing kisses around left and right, they don't have any meanings to them anymore."
He flicks her forehead. "The word 'grovelling' makes them sound like animals or something. All the girls who like me are super cute, you know! And besides, I like kissing people, it's fun." He blows another kiss at her and she laughs.
"Whatever you say, you player." As they reach the school gates, she raises a hand to wave goodbye. "Well, I gotta go to cram school. See you tomorrow?"
"You don't have cram school today." Sengoku frowns.
She blinks, surprised. "How do you know that?"
It's his turn to roll his eyes. "Give me a little credit, Shizu-chan! How long have we been friends?" Not waiting for her answer, he winks. "So where are you really going? Got a hot date?"
"I'm not going anywhere," Shizuka mutters, avoiding his teasing stare. She doesn't have to look to know that his expression has changed into a more suspicious one. "Okay okay, I was going to go to Macdonald's." She puts a finger to her lips, mustering up a smile, "Don't tell anyone, since I'm supposed to be on a diet." She doesn't say that she actually heard that Hiro, her ex-boyfriend, had gotten a job at the arcade. She doesn't say that she had been planning on stopping by, just to get a glance, just a tiny peek at him. For old time's sake. She doesn't know why she's lying to him.
"Then let's go together!" Sengoku smiles back at her, but she can tell that he can sense that something's off.
Shifting her weight nervously, Shizuka bites her lip. "I thought you wanted to save up."
"Do you want to go to Macdonald's or tell me where you were really planning on going?"
Looking into his serious eyes, Shizuka sighs. She smiles just a little, because maybe this is the better decision in the end. She shouldn't go see Hiro, she should be over him by now. Key word being should. "You're treating, then."
Sengoku whines, "What? And I thought I was on a lucky streak." His facial expression relaxes as he starts to walk ahead of her. "Also, you don't need to diet, Shizu-chan."
She stares at his back, silent. It's a complicated feeling to know that he always tries to protect her, for reasons unbeknownst to her. She doesn't know why they're such good friends, why he can tell exactly what she's thinking or planning, but all she can feel is lucky that she has him. And as she watches him walk farther off, there's a sort of warm feeling in her chest. It bubbles over and she laughs, calling out his name. When he turns around, she blows him a kiss.
And later that night, she walks past the arcade without stopping at all.
