Silly
Today, Aki Izayoi, turned eighteen. The day was already going better than her last birthday when she had runaway from Duel Academia and shattered all the windows in the mansion. She'd kept running, upset to see her parents so happy without her. The year had been terribly lonely. She'd pushed everyone away that mattered.
This year a variety of her friends both from school and her mystical world saving endeavors had come. Everyone welcomed her as she walked out into the courtyard. A long table held her presents and a cake covered in white icing with a circular assortment of strawberries. Her friends were divided into their respective groups on opposite sides of the brick patio. Aki wasn't sure who to greet first and opted to visit her school friends who were the closest to the door. Her school friends chattered, sharing needless gossip and asking silly questions. She didn't mind much until the conversation turned to her after school activities. You hang out with three boys? Are any of them cute? Is one of them your boyfriend? She looked down at her feet shyly and struggled for words. Her friends giggled, whispering their own assumptions. Soon, Ruka and Rua dragged her away toward the small pile of presents. Yusei, Jack, and Crow waited by the table. She opened her gifts one by one, starting with her Signer friends.
Yusei had made her a small rose shaped music box. She especially liked that black rose dragon spun around inside instead of a ballerina. Aki gave him a quick hug in thanks. He simply stood there and let himself be hugged.
"Your welcome," Yusei finally said. Crow pushed the two apart and eagerly handed her drawing from the children.
"Here, since they couldn't come today," Crow said. She ooed and awed accordingly as if they were there. After a minute, she realized that hadn't been completely necessary. She noticed that the children tended to draw Crow and her together. Rustling through his messenger bag, he took out a pair of riding gloves.
"You didn't think that was all you were getting did you?" Crow said. Aki shook her head and tried on the gloves. They fit perfectly. She couldn't remember if he ever asked about her wrist size.
"Aki, Aki, Aki, we got you the best thing," Rua claimed triumphantly. Ruka looked slightly embarrassed.
"I don't think it's better than the music box Rua," Ruka said. Aki opened the present and an album was inside. The twins had caught quite a few priceless moments on film. Some of her favorites including Jack's milk mustache, Crow making silly faces, and Yusei falling asleep on top of his computer.
"When did you take all these?" Aki asked curiously. There were many with her and Yusei. She stared at one in particular where she was gritting her teeth and staring down at her physics book evilly. Yusei had a hand on her shoulder and was pointing down at the problem she was having trouble with. She sighed. He was a good tutor. Her grade in Physics had really gone down since Bruno arrived. He spent all his time with him now. After a while, she had given up getting his attention.
"Oh, here and there, do you like it?" Ruka said, slightly apprehensive. Aki realized that she had let herself frown at the twins present.
"Yes, thank you both," she said, adding a smile afterwards to make up for it. Pleased with themselves, Rua grinned widely while Ruka gave her a modest smile. She encircled them both in a quick group hug and put the album with the rest of her gifts.
Jack simply handed her a box of Ramen. If she hadn't known him, she would have complained. but she knew it was likely an expensive brand. Carly followed, and Aki vaguely remembered her hanging around Jack like a puppy. Misty had mentioned her once or twice, but truthfully, she didn't know the girl that well.
"Aw, thank you, you didn't have to," Aki said. She lifted the tissues covering the bag. Seeing what was inside, she shoved the tissues back into the bag in an effort to hide its contents. Her school friends leaned in to see what the big deal was, but Aki took off toward the mansion dragging the unsuspecting reporter with her. The rest of the signers hung back puzzled, except for one.
Normally, or at least what had been normal before, she had no problem hiding from the rest of the world. Today, Yusei wouldn't leave her alone and kept knocking on the door to her room. Right now, this was a very bad thing. For now, he hadn't resorted to breaking the door open. The situation didn't call for it yet. She hoped he would simply give up and assume she would come out when she was good and ready.
"How could you?" Aki asked Carly who didn't totally understand why she had been dragged into Aki's room.
"You don't like him?" Carly countered, holding up the offending stuffed animal. The bear had glassy blue eyes and a familiar jean jacket, complete with orange bubbles. And the hair, oh the ridiculous crab shaped hair, she touched one of the spikes. The hair even had yellow lightning strikes.
"I do, but I don't want the guys to see it, especially Yusei," Aki said, taking the bear. Holding the bear was strangely comforting, she hugged it tighter.
"Just don't show them," Carly reasoned. Aki placed the bear back in the bag. She supposed that she may have overreacted.
"How am I ever going to explain this?" Aki said. Carly pondered for a moment and undid the lock.
"No wait," Aki cried. Yusei had his hand in position to knock again. He put the his hand down and walked over to her.
"Are you all right? You ran out of there really fast," Yusei asked. Aki opened her mouth and tried to think of a way to make the situation make sense. Carly jumped in front of her. Yusei stepped back a little. Aki would have thought he'd forgotten she was in the room if she didn't know him better.
"I accidentally gave her the present that I was going to give Misty for her bachelorette party. She just wanted to talk to me in private," Carly explained. Her tone suggested the item was risque in nature. Aki bit her lip in apprehension. She didn't want him to think of her as a little school girl running away from panties. Yusei rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Oh, sorry," Yusei apologized. Aki handed the bag back to Carly. Problem solved, he would never know of its existence, and she could maintain her dignity.
"It's okay. You were just looking out for me," Aki said. Carly tried to subtly leave the two alone only to trip on the Physics book Aki had thrown on the floor earlier today. They both headed over to her. Aki winced when she registered the bear had fallen out of the bag. Yusei helped Carly up, and she scrambled outside afterwards. That done, he picked up the fallen physics book and noticed the bear nearby.
"That present was Misty's?" Yusei wondered, slightly disturbed that was her bachelorette present. He knew his fan base had grown much larger than his small group of childhood friends, but to think of Carly giving that to the model bothered him.
"No, it's mine," Aki admitted, picking the bear off the floor. She proceeded to hold it tightly. Yusei nodded.
"That makes more sense," Yusei said.
"It does?" Aki said curiously. He didn't seem to mind her having it. Yusei looked through her Physics book. She froze. One of her recent quizzes was lodged inside.
"Yes, you like me," Yusei replied bluntly. Her face flushed matching the red roses outside her window. He frowned and took out the dreaded quiz.
"What this?" Yusei asked.
"A piece of paper, you want cake?" Aki changed the subject quickly. He scanned the questions. Every time he frowned, she flinched.
"You were doing better before," Yusei said. She didn't really want to say it was Bruno's fault. No matter if last year, she would have done so and thrown Yusei across the room with Rose Tentacles for good measure. Like it or not, he seemed to prefer his company. She couldn't pass a simple physics quiz, let alone carry on a conversation with him on that sort of subject.
"You've been busy. I'll figure out," Aki insisted, putting the bear on the bed. Yusei put a hand on her shoulder before she could dart away.
"I'm going to start tutoring you again," Yusei said. She knew that it would come to this when he found her quiz. A small part of her pride was bruised, but she didn't protest. She would have him all to herself, at least for a little while.
"Okay, tomorrow then. Today, cake," Aki said. Yusei followed along, stealing one last glance at the bear. He didn't really see what the big deal was. Carly had one of Jack. He'd seen her carry it around. He found the idea Aki having one of him rather sweet. It was rather nice to be someone's number one.
