≈ Age: Ib - 15 ; Garry - 24 ≈


Lying on her own bed, staring directly at the ceiling, it is very visible that Ib is bored at the moment. "It would be great if only dad let me to attend the prom." With a somehow sad tone, she said. Yes, Ib wasn't permitted to go even she already had her dress prepared. Since she was so disappointed because of her father's decision, the gal just locked herself in her room. Sooner, her friends went sending her messages, asking where is she and why is she not attending. She merely answer all the questions and as she was answering the SMS, she saw Garry's number and eventually, Ib dialed his number.

Ib's friend, Garry, answered the girl's call. "Hey Ib! I thought you're at your prom tonight. Did something happen?"

"Well, actually, my dad didn't let me so.."

"Oh?" Garry replied. "Too bad, I can't see your go—" Suddenly, a wild idea popped out of nowhere. "Ib! I'll call you sooner or later!" After his sentence, he then dropped the call and went to his house's attic.

"Wha—Wait!" The female looked at her phone. "He dropped the call, how rude." She pouted as she sat down, patiently waiting for her friend's next call.

Garry sees a lot of things stocked in his attic. Empty macaron boxes, old books, art materials, tools and equipments. "What am I going to do again?" He asked himself. "Ah," The lavender haired pulls a random chest and opens it. Thick dust covers it, making Garry cough as he blow it away. "Gotcha!" It is the Christmas lights he used to decorate his house last Christmas. He throws it outside the room and gets some curtains with various colors. The man's pale skin is now covered with dust. "…The living room is messy." The male grabs the broom and sweeps the whole place. As he design the living room with lights and curtains, he remember the tuxedo he once had. "I wonder if I still.. have that?" Garry, whilst arranging the carpet uttered, has been busy for 15 minutes. He rushed to his closet, rummaging it, hoping that he still have that. Seeing the tux, Garry punches the air in ecstasy. He accidentally punches the cabinet making the 2 fake roses fall. "I almost forgot about it." As he change his clothes, he puts the rose on his tux, forgetting about the fact that he needs to wash up first. He dialed Ib's number, hoping that she isn't mad because it took him so long to call back.

Meanwhile, Ib was just lying on her bed waiting for Garry's call. Right after her phone rings, she rushed to answer it. "Hello?"

"Yo? Could you go here tonight?" Garry queried nervously.

She hurriedly jumped off her bed. "I'll be asking my mom. Wait!" After her words, Ib dropped the call and went to her mom. Fortunately, her mom permitted her and that's the time she sent the male a message. "I'll be there in 15 minutes."

"Fif..Fifteen!?" He texted back, his fingers quivering. Hurriedly, he sets the dining table up. He passes through a mirror and notices his face. He wipes it several times, making sure he'll look as nice as a prom king. Garry then texts Ib again, saying "Don't forget to bring your gown."

She is already outside the house when she received the text, making her go inside again. "Mom," Just in time she went inside the gown was already on her mom's hands.

"Here," The dress was handed to the brunette. Just when Ib was about to walk again, her mom gave her some last words. "Take care and I'll be fetching you at 1am? Or less."

"Okay mom," With a smile, she uttered, grasping the gown tighter as she step.

Since Ib wasn't there yet, Garry walks to the front of mirror and fixes his bowtie. "...I look like a complete dork." He told himself, sweating as a sign of nervousness. "What am I supposed to tell her? What do boys tell their prom dates?" He scratched his head in confusion, accidentally messing his hair. He gasped as he quickly fix it again.

Finally a bus arrived after some minutes, she quickly got in and texted Garry again. "Be there sooner."

"Alright," He replied lazily whilst sitting lousily on his couch. He looked at the clock and sighed.

Few minutes later, Ib arrived on his house. She knocked, saying "Oi, I'm already here!"

Garry jumped off the couch and opened the door slowly. He is actually hiding behind it, only peeking at the girl. "H-Hey, Ib! Did you bring your gown?"

"Yes," She shows him the said dress. "You going to wear it?"

"Yeah. I mean, no! You're going to wear it." He sighed. "Go to my garage and change your clothes, a'ight?"

"Okay," Ib replied and immediately went to his garage to change her clothes there. Few minutes had passed and she knocked again.

Without opening the door, Garry spoke, "Are you done?"

"Yes," She answered briefly.

The lavender-haired turned the lights on as he open the door for Ib. "Ta-da~!" He exclaimed. "A mini-prom-like-thingy. Yeah." He chuckled nervously as he scratch his rear head.

"Aw, thank you." She happily uttered and hugged him. Seemingly, she is amused of what Garry have made for her.

Garry reciprocated the action, getting the girl's hand and puts the rose on her wrist. "We have matching roses!" He laughed as he release her, pointing the rose in his tux.

A bright smile became visible and it is her only reply.

"Shall we start? I mean dance?" The male offers his hands to Ib.

"Yes..?" She said and reached for his hand.

Garry pulled Ib inside and played the music. He then stared at Ib. "Err… I don't know... how to dance."

The brunette stared back, saying "I don't know how as well."

He then stays silent for a couple of seconds. "..Wait, I remember some steps back when I was in high school. Just follow my steps, okay?"

"Alright," Ib uttered, "High school? So you attended your prom?"

"No," He then starts to move his feet. "Just on practices. Proms are… such a bore." Garry chuckled lightly, watching his steps.

"Why did you say so?" queried the gal, "And if you didn't attend then how did you manage to prepare this things?"

"Dunno." He then changes his position. "Cause I don't want to dance with the people I'm not close to." He said. "I don't even know if this is the right design for a prom." He added and chuckled.

"Hmm..." She took a deep breath and accidentally stepped on Garry's foot.

"Ow!" Garry releases Ib as she shout. He winced but grabbed Ib again. "You really don't know how to dance."

"Pardon me. I have no interest in dancing." She lets out a sigh. "Anyway, mom told me that she'll be fetching me at 1am or earlier."

"1?" Garry looked at the wall clock. "Ante meridian? Seriously? Do proms end that late?" He scratched his head; confused.

"I don't honestly know. But then I can call her to fetch me earlier, well, if you want."

"It's your prom, so you decide whether to go early or late." He then escorts Ib to the dining table he prepared earlier. He pulled the chair for her, saying "My feet got a little bit tired. And hurt. Let's eat!"

"Hurt? Ah, I'm really sorry!" She sat at the chair that was pulled for her.

"It's a joke!" Garry said, sitting down and later on handing her the food. "I ordered these though."

"Thank you!" Getting the food near her, the brunette said. "And really how did you manage to do such things in 2 hours?"

"I am The Flash."

"No you're not."

"How dare you question my identity."

Ib merely darted her gaze at him, apparently serious.

"Whaaaaat? I am saying the truth." Garry laughs.

"Liar."

"If I'm not The Flash, then how am I able to do all these within a short period of time?" Garry stated, taking a bite of his food.

"It is not enough to prove me that you're The Flash."

"What do you want me to do, eh?" Garry sweatdrops at the thoughts of the things that Ib can command. He does not run so fast but he was able to run away from the statues. But still, he hopes that speed isn't involved… wait, isn't speed always involved with The Flash?

"You'll know later."

"Later?" He sighed in relief.

"Oh, by the way, if your parents ever allowed you to go, who'd be your escort?"

"Um, a ghost."

"…Oh," Garry glared at Ib. "Seriously though."

"None, honestly."

"What the f.." He cussed, his voice trailing off in the last word. He then covered his mouth, shaking his head.

"What the..?"

"Oi, don't curse." He chuckled.

"Is saying foul words an adult thing?"

"Dunno. But adults always forbid children to say foul words."

The brunette sighed and started to move the utensils on her hands. She then began to eat.

"How old are you again?"

"Fifteen and you're?"

"Twenty-four. You're old enough to curse." He looked at her and grinned. "…Joke."

"So you're really old enough."

Garry frowned at Ib's words, replying, "Old enough? Really old enough? Old? Eheh, maybe. Like how I'm old enough to smoke."

The young woman clears her throat before uttering any word. "Old… Old."

"I prefer the term "adult."" Garry then gets a camera from the drawer nearby and captures a picture of Ib.

"Is that also an adult thing?" She frowned at his actions. "Stop."

"So I can show my kids what their mom looks like when she was younger?" Garry teasingly said. "Joke. This is your prom, there has to be pictures!"

"Whatever." She sighed and asked for the time.

The man's face turned serious as he gets his phone. He then shows Ib the time.

The girl snatched his phone right after.

"Hey, not again!" Garry exclaimed, stretching his arms, trying to get his phone back.

"It's been a while since I last touched your phone and there is still a code!" She said as she stands up.

Garry stands up too and grabs the phone. "Of course, so you can't still go through my files." Garry then sticks his tongue out.

Ib frowned before sitting down. Sooner the gal gets her phone which is located in a pouch.

"Ah, I've never seen your phone! May I…?" He slowly grabs Ib's phone while looking at her.

"You already have it." Once again the gal snatched his phone, "Utter the code."

"Thanks," He opened the phone and saw her wallpaper. "...Um. I think it's something like 245639? I dunno." He replied as he scroll through Ib's phone.

She entered the code and it was unlocked. "You're the first one to touch my phone, excluding my self of course." She uttered softly. "And, a lot of weird things are in both inbox and contacts, so don't try looking at those." Yes, weird things such are weird callsigns between her and her friends. She may have said it, but she at the same time she is browsing the male's contacts and inbox.

Garry nodded but still, he checked Ib's inbox and found those names. "You have a lot of boyfriends."

"Boyfriends? Huh?"

He shakes his head and opens some of her conversations. "Nevermind?" He scrolls and scrolls with a serious face because of what he sees. "...Wow."

"I know you're already checking my inbox by now. They are all girls, sea- I mean, only three contacts of boys are visible there and was saved."

"Alright! Let me guess, your dad's, my number, and.. your boyfriend's?" Garry laughs but in the inside, he's actually kind of irritated because of his contact name- Seaweed.

"Dad's, yours and probably not my boyfriend's." The girl then realized what his contact name is, making her look at him. "Wait! Have you already seen it already?"

"Yeah." Garry showed Ib phone to her. "I changed it into 'Dear ❤'."

"What?" She uttered before looking at her phone, then back to Garry.

"Since your contacts are like that, I can change my contact name like that, right?" Garry leans on the chair so he can sit comfortably, focusing on the girl's phone.

"..I guess so." Upon checking his inbox, Ib found a lot of message from unnamed contacts. "Wow. Until here. Girls are really.."

"I forgot to delete those." He sighed. "Ignore those shits." Garry clicked Ib's pictures. "And oh, are you feeling hot? You can change now if you want, since this is a secret to your mom and dad." He then chuckled.

Ib puts his phone on the table before standing up, saying "Then you will wear this gown?"

"Haha, no." Garry then takes the tux off, leaving the white long sleeves.

"Where can I change my clothes? At your garage again?"

"In my room, silly. Or bathroom. Wherever you wish!"

After his words, she immediately went to his room, leaving no replies. Minutes passed, the female was walking towards Garry with the gown. "You can now wear it." She teasingly uttered.

"Why would I?" Garry snorts in exasperation, crossing his arms. "I may be "feminine," but no. I don't... wear things like that. And besides, I'm too tall for that to fit."

A smile was merely drawn on her lips, she just ignored his answer, honestly. "Okay, okay. Now, can you please hand me back my phone?"

Garry throws the item to her. "Catch."

Fortunately, she was able to catch it. Ib then checked the time. Almost 12. "Time to prove me that you're The Flash."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Clean all this things that you've prepared before my mom arrive." She replied and dialled her mom's number, stating to fetch her now.

"Um.. I'll try." Garry then grabs the curtains and lights; and throws them to the attic. He hurriedly cleans the table and puts the plates on the sink. Without stating any words, Garry tried to clean his house and return it to normal in a short period of time.

Meanwhile, a knock was heard from the front door. "Mom is here already." She said.

Garry then picked the carpet up, throwing it under his bed. "Would you mind opening it?"

Ib did what he said, opening the door. She invited her mom to enter, though it was declined as Mrs. Yamamoto speak. "We shall go home now, Ib. Bid goodbye to Garry already."

"Oh, a-alright. Bye, Ib." The lavender haired waves at Ib without any expression.

"Goodbye and thank you!" Ib stated, facing back to the path she and her mom is taking.

Surely, this is better and more memorable than any other prom.


Next Chapter's preview!

"..No one ever called me 'my guy' before." The man sighed softly as he look down, but quickly shifted his focus to Ib again. "You.. once told me that I'm too choosy, so it'll be centuries before I get the woman I'll eventually call 'my girl.'" Garry chuckled. "And yeah! Best boyfriend—I mean, boy best friend!"

- Chapter 10: Camping (part 1)