Sawako and Kazehaya stood at the front door to the entrance way to Kitahoro High. School had ended and the clear day became a strong downpour. The three masterminds of this plot had disappeared for the day after they acquirred what they each needed to acquire: Sawako's umbrella and Kazehaya's towel. It was now guaranteed they would be soaked.
Sawako fumbled around her bag trying to find her umbrella but had no luck. "Sorry Kazehaya-kun, I may have dropped my umbrella somewhere too, or someone may have taken mine by mistake..."
"It's okay," Kazehaya replied,"but I'm sorry too, Miura-kun still has my towel... We're going to be soaked."
"M-My house is closest between our homes and the school... M-Maybe you could stop by and dry off there before heading home?" Sawako's heart raced as she suggested this, remembering that she would be home alone with her boyfriend in that scenario.
...
...
...
(watching from the distant bush line)
"Ayane-chan, tell me again why we have to crouch here on the rain getting soaked?" Kent asked.
"Because I want to at least see the success of what we've done! And quit you're whining, we're not getting soaked!" Ayane replied.
Chizuru and Ayane were crouched under Sawako's red umbrella. Kent on the other hand crouched below Kazehaya's soaked gym rag.
Sawako grasped Kazehaya's hand and darted from the front door of the school towards the front gate, her other hand holding her bag over her head in a useless attempt to block some of the barrage of water. It was a particularly rainy season in Kitahoro. Within seconds, they passed through the school gate and swung left down the row of drenched sakura trees.
"Ah!" Ayane exclaimed,"Sawako has to be closeted natural runner doesn't she! Come on, we have to catch up!"
She took off leaving the other two to follow in her wake, however Ayane couldn't catch up to Sawako. She reached the street corner with no trace as to where they went. Left behind and soaking wet, Ayane decided to withdraw from pursuit. A now energized Chizuru and a winded Kent finally caught up.
"So," Kent panted," do we follow? I'm prepared mentally..."
"Let's call it off," Ayane submitted. "Sometimes, you have to let the sea sail the boat."
"Huh?! After all we've planned?" Chizuru objected, "I want to see things play out."
"This wasn't about us, it's for them. I have a feeling we'll see things tomorrow. Come on, let's get some ramen and dry off."
They all shrugged and agreed.
"Let's see what kind of desires lurk within you Sawako-chan," Ayane smirked.
...
...
...
Sawako fumbled for her house keys as they bounced around the inside of her coat pocket in her haste. Finally, getting hold of her key, she thrust it through the lock and opened the door, pulling a drenched partner into the stale dry air of her home, she had forgot to have the air running to move the inside air.
Kayehaya as by Ayane's prediction was winded from the dash through the rain. He shut the door behind them, muffling the pitter patter of the rain outside.
Kazehaya's shirt stuck to his skin while streams of water flowed off the pleats in Sawako's skirt. The ventilation began to kick in.
"We'll get sick if we don't dry off..." Sawako quietly remarked.
"Umm..I-"
"I-I'm going to go change!" Sawako said as she darted up the stairs, leaving a confused Kazehaya in the entry way of her house. Both were warm in the face. She returned later in a casual gown and her track pants and towel in hand. Kazehaya was still drenched.
"M-my dad is considerably short...so..nothing he has would be a reasonable or oversized fit... And, I figured sweatpants are the same across the board...I'm only shorter than you by a bit..and I-"
Kazehaya was glowing red, "Ah! I have my gym shorts in my bag, they're still dry...but thanks for the hospitality."
You could practically see the steam being released from Sawako's face like the pressure box on an ancient steam locomotive. "Oh...that-that's a relief," she managed to say.
Kazehaya dispeared to the washroom to change his attire, returning shortly after in his gym shorts and damp t-shirt.
Sawako was still warm faced from earlier. "You should wait out the storm here, it'll be long before the rain stops. Probably til tomorrow, actually."
"I see, overnight..." Kazehaya blushed
"We should dry our clothes," Kazehaya averted,"We'll have to wear our uniforms tomorrow to school."
The couple hung their blazers next to each other on the coat hangar. As they posted their jackets up to dry their hands brushed up against each other, causing a shared glance to each others.
"U-um, I'll go press our clothes," Sawako offered.
"Ah, yes, thank you..." was all Kazehaya could manage to say.
"Please make yourself comfortable..." Sawako said before disappearing to get an iron and ironing board.
Kazehaya couldn't help but look at the scenario from a third party perspective and imagine what it would look like to anyone who were to walk in suddenly. Here he was sitting on the couch with his girlfriend, hopelessly looking at the text of a book about Japan's Pacific Fleet in WW2, not actually reading, but staring at the page which he hadn't turned in decades, while his girlfriend stood just behind him ironing their clothes in an awkward sililence. To anyone else who walked in they'd look like a newly wed couple or at least a very familiar dating pair. The thought was mutual and the same degree of heat emanated from both of their cheeks.
This awkward silence persisted even far beyond the point Sawako had finished ironing their clothes, which she had went over ten times each leaving creases crisper than military uniforms at this point.
Sawako broke the silence and offered,"Do you want to a-accompany me in my room tonight? I-I'm not thinking anything along those lines!It's just, it seems like me being a poor host to leave you downstairs on the couch tonight...and-"
"I wouldn't mind...spending the night with you," Kazehaya interjected.
"T-that's good! U-umm why don't you go get familiar, and I'll bring up some water..."
"O-okay!"
Just as Kazehaya had found himself at the door to Sawako's room, the power suddenly cut as thunder and lightning sounded outside. Phonelight in hand, Sawako also found the water not running. Strangely enough the utilities for the water faucet were not functioning. Fortunately enough the Kuronumas had a stockpile of packaged water containers in a nearby cabinet. There were two sets of bottles there, water and mild sake... She poured into two cups. The bottle with water ran out half way through the first cup... Unknowingly, she grabbed the bottle of sake when she reached for the next container of water, this she poured into the first and second cup.
She brought a single candle up to the bedroom and offered the cup of diluted sake to Kazehaya...leaving the full on cup of mild sake with herself. Believing it to be water, she consumed it. After the first two big gulps, she had realized it wasn't water. She recognized the taste to be that of sake from the New Year's ceremonies she had partook in. That dosage would definitely affect her, but she decided to keep that knowledge silence for an unknown subconscious reason. Kazehaya didn't realize he was also consuming a diluted amount of sake and shrugged it off as odd tasting water. Sawako believed she could try to hold the alcohol she has just consumed under her control, however it's effects soon began to show as the night progressed.
Sawako began to loosen up and be more open with Kazehaya. She was still warm in the cheeks as earlier, but she was more willing to be more open.
Kazehaya began to realize what was going on. His girlfirend was abnormally open and he had consumed odd tasting water. Slowly he began to draw a conclusion.
"Kuronuma, did you drink something?"
"I meant to grab water," she said groggily,"but I guess I grabbed the wrong bottle," she chuckled.
Kazehaya took a minute sip of her cup and confirmed it was definitely sake.
He stood up and tried to make a move towards the door to see if he could get anything to help her, but he was caught by a now active Sawako who grasped his wrists and pushed him up against her bedroom wall. She was actually stronger than her delicate appearance and farm would lead people to believe. Their faces were mere inches apart. He could feel her breath against his neck.
"I'm fine, I swear... Do you remember Ayane-chan's talk of inner desires?" she said.
"Umm..yeah, I remember..."
"She was right saying...I do have one.."
"Kuronuma, I don't think you're in the right mind state...maybe you should lay down and-"
"No,"she interrupted,"let me finish...it because of this mind state I gave the confidence or the ease or the relaxed state to do this..let me finish.."
Kazehaya was shocked. She was in a state with a moderate capacity to reason still. He decided to let her continue.
"I do have one..." Sawako continued.
She moved her hands to his shoulders and leaned in, sealing a firm kiss on the lips with her boyfriend. He could only stand there in shock. Just after pulling away, Sawako collapsed against him without letting go even for a second.
Kazehaya layed Sawako on her bed and sat beside her. She unconsciously grasped his shirt and pulled him beside her, then wrapping her arm around his waste and burying her face in his shoulder. A gust from the door blew out the candle and left Kazehaya stuck.
He spent the night in that position, passing out from the embarrassment.
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...
Sawako's alarm buzzed off the next morning awaking the startled young couple, face to face cuddled together.
A now sobered Sawako recoiled and Kazehaya rolled off the bed crashing to the floor in his jump.
"We're going to be late!" Kazehaya exclaimed.
"Ah! We have to get ready for school!"
The couple frantically ran, gathered their clothes and dashed to their prospective bathrooms to change.
Dashing out the door, they grabbed their blazers off the coat rack and ran to school.
...
...
...
"Is your headache feeling any better?" Ayane asked.
"No...it really hurts," Sawako noted.
The trio didn't break it too them until lunch.
"Kazehaya, have you had a trouble with arm movement today?" Chizuru asked.
Kent giggled,"Kazehaya you youthful young boy."
The couple blushed brightly.
Sawako wore a particularly oversized 2-button blazer whilst Kazehaya found himself wearing an undersized 3-button jacket.
You could practically see the steam rising off their heads.
