"Are you sure you got everything?" Kenchi asked his roommate after a day at the beach. "I mean, I can see you have the towel and everything, but-"
"I'm sure, Kench," Makoto insisted. "Now...hand me that shell. I want to stare at it. I swear it looks like Grace!"
"It definitely does not," Kenchi laughed, handing Makoto a small scallop's shell. She stared down at it.
"Look here; see that, that's her chin. And then right here is the eye, see? It's like a perfect profile of Grace." Makoto sighed. "How do you not see it?"
Kenchi walked up behind her and looked over her shoulder. "I don't see it."
"Right here. Look closer."
"I seriously think it's just a regular shell," Kenchi announced.
Makoto hit his arm playfully. "That's because you're blind," she joked. Kenchi laughed.
"OK, OK, I'll look harder if you want me to. Here, hold it up farther. I'm like, six inches taller then you. I can't see it if you're holding it way down there," he pointed out.
Makoto raised the shell a bit. "Like this?"
"I was thinking..." Kenchi paused, wrapped his arms around Makoto's waist and placed his hands on hers, then lifted the shell to her neck. "...like that."
Makoto blushed. "Y-you could've just told me..."
Kenchi smirked. "But then I wouldn't have been able to hug you."
"Oh joy."
Kenchi sighed. "Look, if you'd rather I just never came close to you again..."
"No!" Makoto yelped.
"Well, every time I get close to you, you either slap me, or tell me to go away, or accuse me of harassing you..."
"That's because I'm embarrassed...!"
Kenchi leaned in towards her face. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he murmured. Makoto blushed harder. Instinctually, she slapped his face away. Kenchi stumbled and tripped, falling backwards. Still gripping the shell, he pulled Makoto with him and she landed on top of him.
"Sorry!" Makoto exclaimed. "I-I didn't mean..."
"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about," Kenchi moaned. "So, when did wanting to kiss your girlfriend become a crime?"
"Since when did I become your girlfriend?" Makoto countered. She turned herself around in Kenchi's arms so that she faced him and crouched over him. Maybe this is a bad idea when I'm in a bikini...
"I thought that was what you wanted," Kenchi said, a hint of sadness in his voice. Makoto blushed.
"Um...well, it is..."
"Then," Kenchi began, pulling her down closer, "why are you running away?"
Makoto opened her mouth to say something, but embarrassment stole her words away. Kenchi moved one arm down to her waist.
"I'm not letting you get away this time," he muttered, staring into her eyes. Makoto's face burned bright red. Kenchi's other hand moved up until the heel of his palm was almost touching her chest. Makoto fought the urge to hit him.
I guess I don't really mind...I mean, at least he treats me like a girl, she thought, letting herself relax. She moved one hand onto his bare chest and let out a contented sigh.
"Hey guys, do you have any soap? I never got my soap from last time, and..."
Makoto and Kenchi's heads snapped towards the direction of the voice. There was Abberleigh, standing in the doorway, holding the doorknob in one hand. Her other arm just remained by her side.
"So, um...what are you doing?" she asked uncomfortably. "Kenchi, are you trying to rape her or something? Or is it the other way around..."
"It's not what it looks like!" Makoto insisted.
"What are you talking about? It's exactly what it looks like," Kenchi corrected calmly, moving his hand in closer to her chest. "Now you, get what you need and go away. I'm busy."
Abberleigh nodded slowly. "Right...so, um...you should lock your door when you're trying to have sex. OK?"
"Alright. Now hurry and get out."
"WHAT THE HECK?!" Makoto cried, struggling against Kenchi's grasp. I didn't realize he was...!
Abberleigh hurried into their bathroom. Kenchi held Makoto on top of him. His hand moved to her shoulder. Slowly, he began to pull the strap from her shoulder. Makoto blushed madly.
"Yeah...well, I've got my soap now, so...bye, guys," Abberleigh said awkwardly, moving out of the room.
"Great. Get out," Kenchi ordered, watching the strap slip from Makoto's shoulder.
"Right...I'll just..." Quickly, Abberleigh slipped out the door and closed it tightly behind her. As soon as she did, Kenchi tugged the strap back onto Makoto's shoulder and shoved her aside, jumping to his feet.
"Well, that could have been a disaster," he commented lightly. "I thought I might have actually had to strip you. Oh well, it really did get rid of her quickly. And I don't think she'll just barge in anymore."
Makoto leapt up. "What was that?!" she snapped. "What the heck were you planning to do?"
Kenchi shrugged. "Get Abbi out of here. Make sure she would know not to just walk into our room uninvited again. Do it all in under five minutes and without all the awkward explanations."
"That was anything but a lack of awkwardness! I thought you were going to take my top off!"
"I didn't say without awkwardness, I said without awkward explanations. And so did I, for a second there."
"And you were OK with that?!"
Kenchi shifted his gaze to her and smirked. "Partially."
Makoto blushed and slapped him quickly. "You're such a pervert!"
Kenchi blushed. "Th-that's not what I meant...I mean, I-I just wanted her out of here so if I'd had to scare her off, then that would be OK with me...it's not like I want to see your breasts or something..."
"That's exactly what you want!" Makoto yelled, crossing her arms across her chest. Kenchi blinked.
"N-no...well, I mean...I am a man, so..."
"I'm going to the bathroom!" Makoto announced. "I don't want to see you right now, you jerk!"
"I'm just saying...!"
"Save it!"
Makoto stalked to the bathroom, stepped inside, slammed the door behind her, and locked it. Then she sat on the floor, her back against the door, utterly embarrassed.
"Hey...Makoto..."
"I don't want to talk to you, pervert."
Makoto heard Kenchi sigh. "Look...I'm sorry, OK? I just wanted to get rid of Abberleigh..."
"She would've left on her own," Makoto mumbled. "Without you having to touch my butt. Yeah, I felt that."
"I-I was just-"
"You're just a pervert!" Makoto interrupted. "Now go away! I don't want to talk to you."
Long moments of silence passed. Awkwardness hung in the air, surrounding the room with a feeling of humility. Then Kenchi spoke again.
"Is it my fault that I really, really like you?"
Makoto shifted.
"I could even call it love, actually."
Makoto moaned. "I said I don't want to talk to you..."
"But I want to talk to you," Kenchi replied. "Whether you'll listen or not."
Makoto said nothing.
Kenchi sighed. "Hey...Makoto, honey..."
"Don't call me that, you idiot!"
"I'm sorry that I let my feelings get the best of me sometimes!" Kenchi snapped. "But it happens to the best of us. Sometimes I just can't control my love for you and it makes me do crazy things."
"Like almost rape me?" Makoto suggested sarcastically.
"Well, yes..."
"And touch me?"
"Um...that too..."
"And say that you ENJOYED it?!"
"I never exactly said that!" Kenchi said quickly. "Please, just come out of there..."
"Why should I?" Makoto sniffed.
"Because I want to kiss you?" Kenchi prompted.
Makoto blushed. "No. I'm mad at you."
"Please come out of there," Kenchi begged. Sighing, Makoto stood and faced the door.
"If I do, can you promise you won't try to grope me or something?"
"Of course not!"
"WHAT?!"
"No! You misunderstood! I-I mean, I misunderstood...o-of course I wouldn't do that, not of course I can't promise you that...p-please just come out!" Kenchi stammered.
Makoto's blush deepened. "Fine. I'm coming. Slowly, she unlocked the door to the bathroom and pulled it open. As soon as it was opened enough for Kenchi to get an arm in, he flung his arm around Makoto's waist, yanked her out of the bathroom, and pressed his lips against hers to stop the string of protests spewing form her mouth. After a few seconds, Makoto relaxed and kissed back. What seemed like hours (but was, in fact, only seconds) later, Kenchi finally released her and pulled away.
"Are you OK?" he asked her softly.
Makoto smiled. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just...don't ever do that again, please?"
Kenchi blushed. "Well, no promises..."
"Kench!"
"I'm sorry, OK? I'm a man! We have issues!"
"Great. Now just don't do that anymore, alright? It's a terrible way to treat a girl!"
Kenchi laughed awkwardly. "Yeah. I promise. At least until we're married, right?"
Makoto leaned her head against his chest. "I'd like that," she whispered. "Now kiss me again, you perv."
"Happy to," Kenchi replied, lifting her chin. He leaned in and kissed her gently. Makoto pressed back with all the passion she could.
You may be a pervert and an idiot...but I still love you, she thought. I'll always love you...
"Hey guys, I got the wrong kind of soap—oh, you're making out? That's cool. I'll just get my soap now..."