AUTHOR'S NOTE: Amaya: Okay, I'm about to do an impression of Ritsu from Fruits Basket. *ahem* I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! We know it's been a really long time since we've posted, but life has been an absolute bitch to us both lately. My mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and will be going into surgery soon. On top of that, money is extremely tight and I'm still trying to find a job even though I have been on the search for-fucking-ever.
Shiro: And my life just fucking got in the way no matter what I fucking did. First it's looking for a job. Then it's my dad has cancer. Then I have to go to school again. Fucking life, man.
Amaya: Anyway, I feel a bit guilty that this long-awaited chapter sort of just fantasy-fullfilling er... filler. Yeesh that's a lot of Fs. And we make the guys act out of character quite a bit here but... let us dream alright? It ain't called fanfiction for nothin'.
Shiro: And you gotta admit, they damn sexy.
Amaya: One last thing, we keep switching between English and Japanese grammar when we refer to someone with their full name. We know this... but we'll probably just keep doing it anyway. That only seemed to bother me but... whatever. Also yes, our characters have last names, they just haven't been introduced yet cause... well, we honestly didn't come up with them until last month.
Shiro: That and even in the story we have to hide them for reasons that shall not be revealed just yet.
Amaya: On with the story at long last!
Disclaimer: We do not own Uta Pri. Though we wouldn't mind owning all of the Uta Pri merchandise. All. Of. It. The bedsheets especially. *raepface*
WARNING: While nothing overtly sexual happens in this chapter, things do get kinda hot and heavy a little after the first third or so. Public displays of affection like this would realistically be pretty much unheard of in Japan but... we are hormonal as fuck. Again, let us dreeeeam~!
Chapter 9
~~~~~~~~~~In the heart of the city~~~~~~~~~~
Shiro and Amaya sat restlessly in a booth seat beside the window of the ice cream shop that everyone had agreed to meet in. "Come on," Amaya groaned. "Where are they?"
"We've only been waiting for a few minutes," Shiro stated flatly. "Just shut up and be patient."
"Oh please, I can tell you're just as anxious as me this time," Amaya countered.
"Really?" Shiro asked uninterestedly. "How?"
"Look down."
"Huh?" Shiro looked down to see that the napkin dispenser on their table was nearly empty, and shredded bits where scattered all across her side of the table. She hid her face in her hands and groaned. But she quickly composed herself. "Well... I still understand that it'll take them some time."
"I know that too!" Amaya exclaimed. "I just wish they were here now."
"Me too," Shiro sighed.
"So you admit it?"
"Any girl would wish that!" Shiro retorted.
"Again, you admit it?" Amaya provoked unrelentingly.
"...Yes. Happy now?"
Amaya smiled and did a little dance in her seat. "Very."
Shiro brushed the mound of napkin bits under the table and placed her hands firmly on her knees. "Well, while we're waiting, I might as well ask... although I've been slightly afraid to know the answer."
"Huh?"
"What did you and Kurusu-san do last night?"
Amaya laughed and twirled a lock of her hair innocently in her fingers. "Why Shiro, whyever would you be afraid to know that?" she asked, her tone dripping with suggestion.
Shiro paled. "Oh for God's sake! What if Mitsuki and Shintsuki were watching?!"
"Jeez, you do know they're cats right? Anyway, we didn't really do... that!"Amaya exclaimed, her face growing warm at the thought. "Man, you always take everything so seriously. We mostly just talked..." Amaya trailed off for a moment and then grinned. "Well, when our mouths weren't busy doing other things," she purred.
"If you're going to say stuff like that, could you not say it in that voice?" Shiro sighed with a facepalm.
Amaya shook her head, amusement evident on her face. "Impossible," she claimed simply. "Not when you keep reacting like the prude you are."
Shiro rolled her eyes. "Maybe Ren did infect you somehow," she muttered.
"Oh ha ha, very funny," Amaya huffed with a roll of her eyes. "I promise that I'll stop now."
"Whatever. So, what did you talk about?" Shiro prodded on.
Amaya shrugged. "Just things. He was a little surprised when he found out that I like a lot of the same stuff that he does." A giggle rose up from within her. "He fanboyed so much when we started talking about The Prince of Fighting. It was adorable!"
"Oooooof course it was," Shiro commented sarcastically. "That boy could sneeze and you would think it's adorable."
"...No argument," Amaya replied shamelessly. She smiled contently, looking up and away as she relived last night's many tender moments in her mind. "But really, it's actually very sweet how much Syo-kun admires Hyuga-sensei though. He's actually sort of the reason Syo-kun wanted to become an idol," she explained. "Because of that, I feel like I should thank Hyuga-sensei somehow. Especially after I got to hear Syo-kun sing some of his own songs last night. This might sound weird but... to me it seems like Syo-kun puts the very essence of his being into his songs. They were so full of energy, valor and determination. But then the tempo would sometimes drift off to become gentler and even sort of... angelic." Amaya sighed dreamily, Shiro could practically see the hearts floating above her head. "Just like him."
Shiro shook her head, though for a change there was the slightest of smiles on her face. "It must be interesting in that airhead of yours."
"Hmph. Mock me if you must. But you know that you're just as crazy about your darling Prince Charming. You admitted it just a few minutes ago, remember?" Amaya teased with a wink.
"Maybe, but I try to keep it to myself," Shiro said flatly, though her skin was still tinged with red.
"So much for girl talk. You're no fun," Amaya sighed. But then she suddenly leaned in closer to Shiro, her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Oh right! Has Prince Charming sang for you yet? He even wrote a song just for you didn't he?"
The already present heat in Shiro's face flared all the more as the thought of Masato's beautiful, tender voice came to mind. A voice that had, by some miracle, soothed even her to sleep. "A-as matter of fact, he did," she answered shakily. Shiro fell silent for a few moments, a contented smile playing across her lips as she swayed to the melody that played in her head. But she snapped back into focus when she heard Amaya's snickering. "And would you stop calling him by that stupid nickname?!" she demanded hotly. "It's ridiculous!"
"But it's fitting, right?" Amaya further provoked with a laugh. "Especially considering... well ya know, things."
Shiro's eyes widened, suddenly seeming very rigidly alert. "Wait... when you were talking to Kurusu-san last night..." She stared hard at her friend and slammed her fist down on the table. "What the hell else did you talk about?!"
"Calm down!" Amaya scoffed. "If you're thinking that I told him about our lives back at home... Well, I did."
Shiro looked as if she were about to hyperventilate.
"I mean I told him what I was like when I was younger!" The purple-haired girl blurted. "Vaguely at least. In fact, I hardly talked about you at all. So don't worry, I left out... you know. That one big thing." Amaya's voice had become softer on that last proclamation, as if there was an air of guilt behind it. "But... I think Syo-kun deserves to know. I promised that I'd tell him everything about myself last night. And I feel bad that I couldn't completely keep that promise." It didn't help that I also couldn't even tell him the real reason that I wanted to go into the music industry... A familiar face of the past flashed in her mind for a brief moment. A face that she had once longed to see above all others. But she quickly pushed the image away and looked at Shiro squarely, her expression completely and unusually serious. "And you should tell Prince Charming too. Maybe not now, maybe not even any time soon. But one day, they both deserve to know."
Shiro hung her head guiltily. "I know... we will eventually."
"Yes," Amaya nodded in agreement. "When the time is right."
Ding!
Amaya whipped around in her seat to see who had just come into the shop. The last few times that bell had sounded since they had arrived, it had been some stranger. But this was certainly no stranger. "Syo-kun!"
Syo smiled as he approached their booth and took his place next to her. "Sorry if I kept you-" his sentence was interrupted as Amaya pulled him in for a kiss the moment he sat down. When their lips finally separated, he did his best to shake himself out of his daze. "...Wait, what was I talking about?"
"You were talking?" Amaya responded playfully, drawing a laugh from Syo. Another ding! resonated throughout the shop, but the sound did not register to her right away. Amaya turned to Shiro with a teasing grin. "So Shiro, where's your slowpoke man?"
Shiro only offered a smirk in response.
At the same time, Amaya felt an unseen presence near her. And it clicked. "...He just walked in didn't he?" she asked with an awkward sweatdrop.
"You could say that," Masato's voice answered from behind. With out showing any signs of offense, he walked towards the booth and took his place next to Shiro. The couple smiled kindly to one another, but otherwise made no other moves.
Amaya shook her head as she watched their interaction, or lack thereof. It's like they just met or something.
Suddenly, the cheerful voice of a peppy waitress caught their attention. "Hello! My name is Momo and I'll be your server today!" Momo paused for a moment as she noticed the two gorgeous guys at the table. "How may I help you?" she asked in blissful bewilderment.
Protectively, Shiro grasped Masato's hand while Amaya linked arms with Syo.
Momo sighed and pouted slightly in disappointment, but was quick to regain her cheerful visage. She turned to Masato, notepad ready in hand. "Well then, why don't we start with you?"
Masato looked down to peruse the menu. His face slightly discolored as he found the seemingly perfect treat. But with a less than perfect name. "We'll take a...…"
Momo leaned in closer. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't hear that."
"I said, …... for two."
"Umm...I still didn't catch that," Momo said cautiously.
Syo tapped his finger on the table top impatiently as Masato repeated himself again, a vein beginning to throb in his temple. When the waitress still didn't hear Masato for the fifth time, Syo bolted up from his seat and slammed his fist down on the table in frustration. "OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" he shouted. "HE SAID A LOVEY-DOVEY SWEET VANILLA DREAM FOR TWO!"
The silence that followed was so pure that the hum of the freezer in the back could be heard.
Syo stood frozen as he felt every eye in the shop fall on him, some were wide with shock and others were tearing up from holding back a fit of howling laughter. He slumped back down in his seat and pulled his hat over his face. "M-make that two," he stuttered meekly as he held up two fingers.
"And uh... make ours chocolate!" Amaya added brightly, trying to lighten tension. With a harsh, sweeping glare, she silently commanded the rest of the shop to go about their own business.
"Um...coming right up!" Momo chirped nervously, quickly scurrying away.
Shiro looked to Masato, trying with all her might to hold in squeals of delight over how cute he looked when he was blushing.
Amaya seemed to be fairing no better as she lightly tapped the near-petrified Syo on the shoulder. "Uhh...thank you for ordering for us, Syo-kun."
Syo's face flushed even more at her touch. "No problem," he mumbled, still not looking up.
The girls continued to try and help their men regain their dignity as they waited for their order. When at last their treats arrived, Shiro and Amaya's eyes widened at their extravagance.
Shiro was the first to take a spoonful. "Wow, this tastes amazing!" she exclaimed. She took another spoonful and held it up to the still mortified Masato. "Here Hijirikawa-kun, try some."
Masato looked up to her in surprise, a fresh shade of redness gracing his features. With a bit of reluctance, he opened his mouth and allowed Shiro to feed him. Wordlessly, he looked at her in adoration as she pulled the spoon away.
Amaya paused in contemplation, she knew there had to be a similar, or even better way of bringing Syo out of his gloom. She snapped her fingers excitedly and took a small bite of the treat. Gently, she reached over and lured Syo closer to her by his chin, bringing their lips together. "How does that taste?" she asked coyly as they pulled away. Almost instantly, Amaya saw that her ploy had worked to great effect. But perhaps it had worked too well?
Syo looked back at her with a devious, hungry smirk. "Delicious." He leaned in closer, his breath now cold from the ice cream. "Can I have some more?"
Amaya practically melted into her seat as her face glowed. But before she could collapse, he caught her by the chin and murmured, "Can I?"
"Yes," Amaya gasped, her senses becoming a bit fuzzy. You can have absolutely anything you ask for.
Not willing to be outdone, Masato plucked a strawberry from their treat. "Shiro-san," he softly called her attention to him. As she looked up, he gracefully brought the strawberry to her lips. Shiro allowed Masato to place the thin end of the fruit into her mouth, but then unexpectedly he leaned down to take the other half in his mouth, bringing them into a (literally) sweet kiss.
Shiro's head was reeling so much that she did not even notice the trickle of strawberry juice running down her cheek. But Masato simply reached up wiped it away, creating a small translucent reddish bead on his finger, which was quick to disappear as he placed the sweet drop into his own mouth.
Syo glanced aside at the spectacle, his eyebrow raising in curiosity. So, it's a competition now, is it?
The two young men locked eyes for a moment, smirking deviously as they came to a silent understanding.
"What are they thinking?" Shiro whispered as she observed the two young men.
"I don't know," Amaya answered, her own curiosity peaking. "...But I think maybe we'll enjoy it."
On that note, Syo lured Amaya's focus to him by placing his hand delicately on her knee. A tantalizing shudder passed through Amaya's body as Syo slid his fingers up her thigh. "Here, Amaya." He took a single Pirouette stick from the treat and bit into it as a predatory smile played across his lips. He tilted forward, inviting Amaya to take up the other end. Naturally, she did not refuse. Correction, she could not. They drew nearer and nearer until the entirety of the Pirouette was gone and their lips had met.
A small stray cookie crumb remained on the side of Amaya's face when they pulled away. Wasting no time in simply brushing it away, Syo brought her closer yet again and gently licked the crumb away. His large blue eyes kept their alluring edge as he slipped his tongue into her mouth.
Amaya trembled with pleasure. Is this what he meant by not holding back? She wondered. ...Not that I'm complaining.
From then on, until both of the treats were completely gone, the group continued on with their sensual little "game". Much to Shiro and Amaya's delight. They received quite a few disapproving stares from young and old folk alike, a few people even got up and walked out of the shop. But they did not let that bother them. By the end of it, the two girls were practically stumbling out of the ice cream shop.
"We should definitely come here more often," Shiro said breathlessly.
"Agreed," Amaya concurred, equally stunned.
Masato and Syo trailed after them, triumphant grins on their faces.
"Well now," Amaya spoke up as she cleared her throat and composed herself, "I'd say that we're off to a good start." She smiled affectionately at Syo as she linked arms with him. "Where can we go now?"
"Hmm...," Shiro hummed in contemplation. Her face lit up as a memory clicked within her mind. "Oh, Hijirikawa-kun! Wasn't there something that you wanted to tell us about?"
"That's right," Masato confirmed. "I can't imagine how I could have forgotten," he said with a chuckle, his face discoloring slightly. "There's going to be a festival tonight. I believe it's called the Firefly Festival. It has all of the typical things you would usually see at a festival, but at the end of the night, hundreds of fireflies are released into the air. I hear its quite a sight."
"That sounds beautiful," Shiro said, seeming to be thinking out loud.
"It does," Amaya sighed in agreement, the tune of her song once again playing in her mind. "I can see it now!" the purple-haired girl exclaimed, closing her eyes and spreading her hands dramatically as a contented smile played across her lips. "Fireflies flitting about like broken pieces of a star that shattered above in the heavens and fell to the earth, couples walking hand and hand as the light swirls around them, drawing them nearer to one another as if the universe itself were silently telling them that they were meant to be! All the rest of the world is lost to them as they connect heart and soul with each other, their devotion and adoration towards one another unmatched by any other within the vastness of this world. So wonderful."
A moment after Amaya finished her odd, spontaneous speech, the sound of clapping hands filled the air. About a dozen or so passersby had apparently stopped to listen to the purple-haired girl's poetic ramblings, and they were quite impressed. Or amused at least.
Amaya jolted at the sound and flushed in embarrassment. Was that all out loud? Slowly, Amaya turned her gaze on Syo, half expecting him to be looking at her like she was absolutely insane.
And he was. But a heartbeat later he simply shook his head and chuckled. He pulled her closer to him as the crowd dispersed. "You're cute when you drift off to your own little world like that," he commented lightheartedly.
Amaya's heart jumped and she blushed a fiery red. Ironically, all things considered anyway, she had never really expected the word "cute" to come out of Syo's mouth. Especially after one of the many things he had told her about himself last night.
"He's always going on about how small and cute I am," Syo had said when Amaya had asked about life with Natsuki for the second time. "I can't stand it when anybody calls me cute. A man shouldn't be called cute, it's insulting!"
It's a miracle that I never called him cute to his face before, Amaya thought.
"Then she must be freaking adorable," Shiro added with an exasperated facepalm, bringing Amaya back down to earth.
The purple-haired girl huffed, but any embarrassment she had felt had been dashed by Syo's words. "And don't you forget it!" she proclaimed boldly.
"Anyway," Shiro continued, completely dismissing her friend's insanity for now. "The festival does sound great. If we actually had kimonos to wear, it would be absolutely perfect."
"Well...," Masato spoke up. "We do have a bit of time before the festival actually starts... so we could...," he trailed off and his face took on a reddish hue.
"We could what?" Shiro inquired with a tilt of her head.
"I know of a shop that sells exclusively traditional ware, and it's quite close to the fair grounds..." Masato trailed off again.
"What I think Prince Charming is trying to say is," Amaya cut in brightly, Shiro glaring daggers at her for speaking the infamous nickname, "let's go shopping!"
"Y-yes, that's what I meant," Masato confirmed.
Once they had arrived at the shop that Masato had mentioned, Amaya announced the plan that she had formulated in her head. "Okay, I say that you boys go to one side to look for yukatas, and me and Shiro will go the other to find kimonos. When we all get to the dressing rooms, we can put on what we found and reveal all at once!"
"Wow, you actually had a good idea for once," Shiro commented dryly.
Amaya frowned and raised her finger to retort.
But then unexpectedly, Syo exclaimed, "She has plenty of good ideas!"
The purple-haired girl flushed in pleasant surprise.
"Well then!" Shiro snapped back, quite shocked and indignant.
"I'm just saying, you shouldn't talk to her like that!" Syo argued.
Shiro was about to snap back another retort, but Amaya stole her chance as she rushed forward and hugged Syo graciously. "Syo-kun, you're so sweet for defending me like that!" she gushed as she squeezed him tight. She let go and smiled at him reassuringly. "But Shiro makes fun of me all the time, it's nothing to get too worked up about."
"Oh... okay," Syo said with a sweatdrop.
Amaya repressed a squeal of delight caused by his adorable, baffled expression. "Syo-kun, you're so c-..." her next word halted in her throat. She slapped her hand over her mouth and cautiously lowered it a few seconds later. "C-... um, considerate!" Yea, let's go with that! "But uhh.. err... um, let's go Shiro!" Amaya exclaimed as she grasped her friend by the arm. "If we don't start now we might never find the right kimono!"
"Okay, just stop dragging me!" Shiro whined as Amaya pulled her into the shop. "I can walk ya know!"
The two guys stood alone outside of the shop for a few moments, quite befuddled as they watched the interaction between their less than normal dates.
"Well," Masato began as he finally began to walk forward, casting a glance at Syo, "that was unnecessarily gallant."
"Shut up," Syo muttered irritably as he followed the traditionalist inside, a touch of pink clouding his face.
About half an hour later, they all met up outside of the dressing rooms. Girl's rooms on one side and boy's rooms on the other. "Okay, so we wait until we're all ready, and then we'll come out at the same time!" Amaya explained.
With that, everyone went to their respective rooms to change clothes. But as Amaya stood there with the kimono she had picked out, in her hands, and the rest of her clothes at her feet, she realized that she had never worn a kimono before. "Oh crap," she groaned to herself. She tried to figure out how to put the garment on, but failed time and time again. Meanwhile, everyone else called out one by one that they were ready.
"Amaya," Shiro groaned. "We're waiting."
"Just a freaking minute!" Amaya snapped in frustration.
"Is there something wrong?" Syo inquired with concern.
"No!" Amaya pulled the kimono off once more and glared at it as if wishing that it would burst into flames. She pounded on the wall next to her where Shiro was waiting. "Shiro! How the hell do you put this thing on?!" she whined in defeat.
Shiro sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'll be there in a second."
Amaya heard the faint sound of Syo chuckling across the way. The purple-haired girl blushed crimson. I guess I'll consider that payback for this morning, she thought with a sheepish grin. Her frustration dissipated slightly as Shiro came into her dressing room, already dressed in her own kimono. "Oh, you look nice," Amaya commented cheerfully. "Now help me with this damn thing!"
"Okay, stand still," Shiro ordered.
After a few moments of silence, both Masato and Syo could hear Amaya's gasps of distress. "Shiro that hurts! I can't breathe!"
"Just stay still!"
"I am staying still! You're just being too rough!"
"Good!" Shiro snapped as she tightened the garment even more.
Amaya gave a strangled cry. "Gahhh! You're gonna kill me!"
Syo's eyes widened in alarm as he listened to the unsettling noises. "Amaya, are you okay?!" he called out in near panic.
"Oh she's fine," Shiro said dismissively.
"Fine my ass! Fix this!" Amaya growled.
"Calm down, I'm not done yet," Shiro explained. With one final tug on the obi, the kimono finally adjusted. "Can you breath now?"
"Yes," Amaya confirmed with one last gasp.
"Good, we don't want you dying on your first date," Shiro chuckled smugly.
"It's your first date too ya know," Amaya pointed out.
"Yea, yea. I'm going back to my room for the big reveal."
Within a few moments, once everyone was back in their dressing rooms, Amaya counted to three and they all stepped out at once.
Everyone seemed to freeze as they stared in awe at their partners, creating a ring of red faces.
Shiro was rendered speechless, but her mind was going a mile a minute as she thought, OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh...
Masato was the first of all of them to speak. "You look beautiful Shiro-ch-...san."
"T-thank you, Hijirikawa-kun," Shiro stuttered. "You look handsome as well."
"A-arigato," Masato replied. (a/n Amaya: I'm no weeaboo. But sometimes Japanese is just sexier, you know it's true. Shiro: So true... *squeals like a fangirl*)
And I thought that Syo-kun was adorable before! Amaya thought as she blinked in shock. She stepped toward the blond idol, fiddling anxiously with one of the draping sleeves. "So, what do you think, Syo-kun?" she asked hopefully.
Syo's face became a few shades redder. "Amaya you... you..." The blond idol trailed off as he searched his mind for a compliment that would suit the pleasantly eccentric girl before him. Finally, Syo straightened and stood as tall as his stature would allow before finally blurting out the words he had been seeking. "You look like a princess!"
Amaya's eyes grew wide. A huge grin spread across her face and she suddenly began to laugh. Not one of her usual flattered giggles, but a full-on laugh.
A generous amount of blood rushed to his cheeks immediately. Was that too weird? Syo wondered as he looked to the side, draping his hand over his face.
"Oh Syo-kun," Amaya said as her bout of laughter came to an end. "You're just too much." She stepped even closer now and kissed his burning cheek. "And you look incredible as well. So... y-you can be my prince for the day!"
Syo blinked in a moment of shock. But then he simply smiled and kissed her lips, sending fire flowing through both their veins. "Perfect," he whispered.
Hell yea you are, Amaya thought as her heart soared above the world."...Ahem, so!" Amaya snapped out of her trance and clapped her hands together, bringing everyone's attention to her. "Well, we should be off now! ...Hmm, can we just pull the tags off these things and wear them until the end of the festival?" she suggested, gesturing to her kimono. "I don't want to bother with trying to put this on again," she groaned.
"Yea, sure. Let's go," Shiro agreed. As the group made their way to the counter, Shiro turned to Masato and said, "Hijirikawa-kun, do you think you can untie my obi tonight when we get back to the Academy? It's much harder to take it off than it is to put it on."
"Oh... um, s-sure," Masato consented, blushing at the thought.
"They're even harder to take off?!" Amaya exclaimed in disbelief, not even bothering to tease Shiro about her sudden lack of prudeness. "Oh joy!"
"Don't worry about it now. We can figure it out after the festival," Syo said with a reassuring smile as he took her hand.
The corners of Amya's lips turned up sweetly with gratitude. That is, until her imagination went rampant, causing her eyes to widen considerably. Syo-kun is going to help... undress me?! Her face glowed and she squeezed Syo's hand tightly as she tried to suppress her impure thoughts.
Syo flinched at the crushing force. "Ow! Amaya what-" the small idol stopped in mid-sentence as he recognized the look on her face. Amaya could feel his own body heat intensify a moment later. "Nevermind," he muttered, grinning slightly despite his fluster.
"Stopthinkingwhateveryourthinking!" Amaya snapped as comical tears ran down her crimson face. Though she was not quite sure if she was referring to Syo or herself. "Oh look, we're next in line!" she blurted desperately. It would help if I hadn't already seen him half naked last night, Amaya thought as she fumbled for her wallet.
But Syo stopped her before she could take out any money, placing his hand over hers. "I don't think so," he said playfully. "I'll take care of this."
Amaya's blinked in surprise. "Syo-kun... are you sure? I wouldn't want to-"
Syo swallowed her words in another heart-pumping kiss. "I'm sure," he insisted. Despite his somewhat rough voice, his words were as smooth as a river-worn stone.
"Well... o-okay," Amaya breathed. She looked down to see that Syo had already taken her tag from her hand. She had simply been too entranced by the kiss to even take notice before. A small squeal escaped her as she wrapped her arms around his slender but strong shoulders. What a man, she thought with a contended sigh. (a/n Amaya: Whatta man whatta man whatta mighty good man~! Yes he iiiis~ ...okay I'll stop now... *squeeeee!*)
But much of the romance in their moment was lost once again as they recognized the sound of Shiro and Masato bickering behind them.
"Let me pay for my own at least, Hijirikawa-kun!" Shiro demanded firmly.
"No, I'm paying! I insist!" Masato retorted.
"I'm more than capable of paying for this, and anything else in this entire store!"
"That doesn't matter!"
Amaya and Syo sweatdropped at the display, but withheld their snarky comments for now.
"The age of chivalry was a long time ago, Hijirikawa-kun!" Shiro countered. "I am an independent woman and I can-"
Masato reached forward and gently and cupped Shiro's chin in his hand. "I know," he said soothingly. "And I respect that. But you're worth more to me than any amount of money. Please... just let me do this so that I can show you at least an infinitely small fraction of what you mean to me."
"Okay," Shiro squeaked, utterly powerless under Masato's gaze.
He carefully slipped the tag from her hand and brought it to the counter, with no protest from Shiro whatsoever.
Amaya whistled in amazement. "Alright Prince Charming!" she cheered, giving Masato a hilariously exaggerated round of applause.
Masato pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head in exasperation. "Please stop, I'm not exactly proud of that."
"Yea, that was kind of a dirty trick," Syo observed as he casually placed his yen on the counter.
An arrow of guilt sliced through Masato.
Amaya laughed. "You're one to talk, Syo-kun," she accused as she fiddled playfully with one of his gorgeous blonde locks.
Syo smirked mischievously, not showing the slightest hint of denial.
"You think you would have some shame," Masato said with a disapproving frown.
"Yeesh, so serious. You and Shiro really are perfect for each other," Amaya commented, bringing a blush to Masato's face. "I don't know what this says about me, but I actually enjoy little 'plays' like that. And I'm pretty sure Shiro secretly does as well. Am I right, Shiro? ...Shiro?" Amaya glanced to the side to see that her friend was still frozen in a daze. "Shiiiiirrroooo?" She waved her hand in front of Shiro's face, but it had no effect. "Uhh... I think you broke her, Prince Charming."
"Hmm?" Masato looked back as the clerk handed him his receipt, and empty bags for their normal clothes. Warmth arose in his face as he saw Shiro's still-catatonic state. "Well... I suppose it can't be helped," he said. With that, he walked over and literally swept Shiro off her feet. A wave of sweet nostalgia washed over him as he remembered that first cherished time that he had held her this way. The very same situation that had earned him his nickname from Amaya. That time seemed like it had been so long ago now. But Shiro was no less beautiful to him now than she had been back then. If anything, she was even more brilliant.
"Aww, how sweet," Amaya cooed.
Syo glared daggers into Masato's back. I guess our game hasn't ended yet. "I could do that too ya know!" he blurted out suddenly.
Amaya smiled and shook her head. "You don't have to, Syo-kun."
The hell I don't, he thought. Syo wrapped his arm around Amaya's waist and hoisted her off the ground with rather surprising ease.
Amaya's heart quickened. "So strong," she gasped subconsciously.
"It's really no trouble," Syo said with a victorious smirk.
"Take me away, my prince," the purple-haired girl sighed contently as she clung tight, quick to surrender. (a/n Amaya: Now if I had just left out the "away" part... *slapped*)
The store clerk looked on in utter confusion at the two odd couples as they left the shop at last. His boss, a mild-mannered elderly man with a mustache shuffled in from the back office. "Did I just hear an old married couple and a pair of newlyweds come through here just now?" he asked.
"N-no sir," the clerk answered. "They all looked like they were in high school."
"How strange," his boss commented casually. "...But stranger things have happened here."
"They have?" the clerk asked in semi-horror.
"You've only been working here for two weeks. Just wait until a group of American tourists come in," the elderly man laughed. "Then you'll really get a show!"
"What?!" (a/n Both: Random extras moment, because why the fuck not?)
When the two couples were about halfway to the festival grounds, Shiro was finally starting to come to. A bolt of panic struck her as she realized that her feet were not on the ground. "Don't drop me!" she shouted frantically. When she recognized the gravity of her situation, her face burned with heat. "Um, Hijirikawa-kun, you can put me down now."
"I do not think I can in good conscience," Masato said calmly. "Back in the Feudal era, a princesses' feet were to never touch the ground," he explained.
"Um... okay," Shiro said, wondering what that had to do with anything. "Are you sure I'm not too heavy?" she asked meekly.
Masato smiled warmly. "You are as light a feather, my princess."
Shiro's heart fluttered. "People are staring," she whimpered.
"I too would stare if I saw someone carrying someone as beautiful as you," Masato said tenderly.
Shiro clung to him ever-tighter as her face became even hotter.
And she says that Ren infected me, Amaya thought with a smirk.
An irritated vein ticked in Syo's temple as he and Amaya listened to it all. "Damnit, stop stealing my thunder," he grumbled.
Amaya cuddled closer to him and purred, "He didn't steal anything, Syo-kun."
Syo blushed and tightened his grip on her. "R-right."
Amaya bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to prevent another arising squeal from escaping. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was being this cute on purpose.
A few minutes later, the four of them finally arrived at the fair grounds. "Will you please put me down now?" Shiro begged as she hid her face in Masato's chest.
Masato paused in contemplation. "...Alright," he surrendered, at last easing her to the ground.
Shiro sighed with relief.
Amaya did not bother with pleading before jumping out of Syo's arms, looking around excitedly at the rows upon rows of booths and events. "Whoa! Look at that! And that! And... whoa, we gotta try those! And... holy crap! What are those?!" she babbled eagerly.
Syo blinked in bewilderment, his arms were extended as if Amaya was still cradled there. But he simply let them fall to his sides a moment later. Well, she's certainly excited, he thought with an exasperated sigh.
Once the purple-haired girl noticed his expression, she calmed herself. Get it together, girl, she reminded herself, a brief wave of embarrassment washing over her. Amaya took Syo's hands and kissed him sweetly. "Such an amazing place. And I wouldn't have made it here without my amazing prince," she regarded gratefully.
Brilliant red graced Syo's cheeks again as his prideful visage returned as well. "Like I said, no trouble," he assured with a nonchalant grin.
"You have a perfectly functioning pair of legs, Amaya," Shiro pointed out flatly, suddenly reverting back to her stern self to kill the magic of the moment. "You could have easily walked here without him carrying you."
"Thank. You. Shiro," Amaya half-snarled sarcastically.
"You're welcome," Shiro replied dryly. "Excuse me a minute, I'll be right back," the tinsel-haired girl said politely as she walked towards the restroom area.
Masato looked off in her direction longingly as she walked away, silently begging her to return quickly. But then he jumped slightly in surprise as a slender but forceful hand landed on his shoulder.
"By the way, Prince Charming," Amaya said, seeming to have appeared right next to him suddenly. "I guess I should have told you earlier, but Shiro sort of has a fear of being carried," Amaya explained with more enjoyment in her tone than she intended.
"N-nani?!"
"Yea, she wasn't able to tell you when you first met, since she was unconscious and all," Amaya continued casually. "Not to mention practically catatonic a few minutes ago. But something about feeling nothing beneath her feet really freaks her out."
"So I... frightened her?" Masato asked nervously.
"I'd say more along the lines of absolutely petrified, but yea," Amaya confirmed. "Don't worry, I'm sure she probably doesn't mind," she added brightly to ease his torment.
"Amaya, you're enjoying yourself too much," Syo commented with a chuckle.
"Then why are you laughing too?" she teased back.
Masato ignored both of them as he ran his fingers through his hair, in shock at the terrible sin he had committed.
A few far-too-long minutes later Shiro returned, and was quite surprised when Masato threw himself to his knees and bowed apologetically to her. "I'm so sorry!"
"What?" Shiro inquired as she looked down at him in confusion. She turned her baffled expression upon Amaya, who simply shrugged innocently. With a less than innocent grin, of course.
"I'm sorry I frightened you," Masato continued more gently. "I didn't know you had a fear of being carried. I should have been more attentive."
"I-it's okay, Hijirikawa-kun," Shiro whispered meekly as she ground her toe nervously into the dirt. "If I really didn't want to be carried, then I should have said something. ...Besides, it was... enjoyable."
Masato's face grew warm, as well as his heart. But he still could not bring himself to look up at Shiro.
After another lingering moment, Shiro lowered herself down to her knees as well and tried to catch his eye. "Hijirikawa-kun?"
At last, their eyes met. Masato simply could not help but to wrap Shiro in a sweet embrace.
Shiro gasped in pleasant surprise as she grew warmer. Finally, abandoning all inhibitions, she nuzzled comfortably into his shoulder.
Masato's blush deepened and he helped Shiro to her feet. "We should stand," he said shyly. "You'll get your kimono dirty."
"O-okay," Shiro whispered thinly, still leaning close into him.
"Natsuki would have a field day taking pictures of this," Syo thought out loud with a shake of his head.
"Well, it is a sweet moment," Amaya concurred. Her smile was a mix of amusement and genuine sincerity. "A moment like this involving an ice queen like Shiro. Who knew?"
"I heard that," Shiro grumbled.
"Oh pardon me," Amaya giggled. "Ice princess."
A vein pulsed irritably in Shiro's forehead. But all her anger dissipated immediately when Masato gave her another reassuring squeeze.
"Now come on, all of you!" Amaya exclaimed eagerly. "We have a festival to enjoy!"
END AUTHOR'S NOTE: Shiro: Hey what's up!? Well that was a chapter filled with ovary explosions.
Amaya: Once again, this chapter was supposed to go on for even longer, but it has already taken us way too long to get the ball rolling with this damn thing.
Shiro: Yea, like months.
Amaya: So this is yet again only half a chapter, or at least most of one. The next chapter will basically be the rest of the date, along with some other fun stuff that happens afterward. Again, I'm really sorry that plot has taken a backseat to fun, suggestive and cutesy antics. But there will be a plot later! Kinda. Hopefully.
Shiro: Perhaps.
Amaya: A lot of you may already have an idea of what is to come, but don't cringe yet. It's not nearly as dumb as it sounds, haha. Please don't give it away in the reviews though. We want to at least fool some of you.
Shiro: Yea, like magic people!
Amaya: ...Like what now?
Shiro: Ya know, magic people! Illusionists!
Amaya: Riiiight... anyway! We even came up with a fuckload of fun new characters! You won't be seeing them until at least two more chapters, but we have grown to love them so much that we just might have an original spin-off series about them on our deviantart page one of these days. Of course, with all the crap going on in our lives, who the holy fuck knows when that will be? Bear with us please, we're trying. T_T
Shiro: We're trying so hard! TmT
Amaya: By the way, when I mention that me and Syo-kun talked about certain things that weren't actually in previous chapters, that's because it would have taken too long to cover everything. So it simply happened off screen... er off ...page?
Shiro: Let's go with that! Anyway, we'll see you next time! ...Whenever the hell that will be...
