Hisao winced as he watched Maru stretch in his seat as the last bell rang. I had been joking to myself about "forgetting" to tell Maru about Lilly's invitation, but I actually did forget until just now. I suppose there is no time like the present, though. "Hey Maru, you free tonight?"
"...Why Hisao, I'd love to do whatever it is you're suggesting, but I'm washing my hair," Maru replied with an amused smirk.
Hisao facepalmed. ...Do I really have to invite him? "Whatever it is you're thinking about, that's not what I'm asking."
"I know," Maru admitted. "I'm just fucking with your head."
"Yeah, definitely don't even want to think about that," Hisao replied with a snort.
Maru began to crack up laughing. "Oho, that was good," he said after a moment. "Damn, son. Can't even say anything to that."
Hisao frowned. "Anyway, are you or aren't you?"
Maru thought about his project, and then shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much. Why?"
Hisao looked around. Everyone else had left the room. Even Shizune and Misha, the latter of which Hisao thought had given Maru a somehow sinister seeming wink on her departure. "Lilly wants us to meet at her room for tea with Hanako."
"Oh?" Maru blinked. "Huh. When?"
"She said after dusk," Hisao replied.
"Huh." Maru stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, sounds good to me. Huh. Should I bring a game or..." He started to mutter to himself.
Hisao decided to leave him to his muttering and go prepare. Dusk came soon enough, and he opened his door to leave.
"Oh hey," Maru said, having just left his own room. "About that time, eh?"
"Just about," Hisao replied, and then looked at Kenji's door. "...Let's go."
Maru, who had followed Hisao's gaze with a wince, merely nodded and followed when Hisao turned to go.
The duo were at door 225 a couple minutes later. Maru stared contemplatively at the door as he mulled over whether his traditional knock would be appropriate or not.
Hisao sighed and rapped on the door nervously, and then checked his watch again.
Lilly's voice lilted through the door. "Is that you, Hisao? Maru? The door is open, you can come in."
Hisao found his nerves soothed by her voice. This is the first time I've been invited to a girl's room after dark. Even though I know there is no ulterior motive behind this invitation, it doesn't stop my mind running wild with possibilities. Two guys. Two girls. In a dorm room. With a tea set. When I put it like that, it sounds a little dodgy.
Maru grunted and turned the doorknob. "Hello," he said. "I'm selling these fine leather jackets."
Hisao took a deep sigh. I can only assume he's referencing something again. It's getting to be a little grating. He looked inside as the door opened completely and let him catch his first glimpse of Lilly's room. Her furniture looks almost antique, but the bare walls and flat surfaces are barely decorated at all. In the center of the room sits a low table, where I see a small tea set at rest. It seems that everything in this room has its place, possibly excepting the several piles of books stacked up against the wall. My sense of vision isn't the only one to be stimulated; the faint smell of something can be picked up on the air. Nail polish, perfume, makeup... it's hard to describe in any other way than "girly".
Hisao's eyes finished their quick sweep of the room, before returning their position onto the girls. Lilly sits next to the small table, wearing very dark blue pajamas. Dark blue pajamas with shorts that show off plenty of her alluring pale legs. Opposite her, Hanako sits adorned in a conservative light pink gown. Her hands are firmly fixed between her legs, her shoulders forward, and her head down, as if trying to hide herself in it. It would be easy for her to do; it looks about two sizes too big for her. Waves of flannel flow from her frame, making her look like a child playing dress-up in her parents' clothes.
Hanako looked up to confirm their identities, and the beginnings of a thin smile crept across her face, before vanishing so fast that Hisao couldn't be sure they were even there.
"My my, I think I must pass on the offer," Lilly said with an amusedly bemused expression.
"That's just as well," Maru admitted as he politely avoided even looking at Lilly's legs. "I don't actually have any leather jackets." He shook his head and stepped inside.
Hisao blinked and followed Maru inside, and closed the door behind him.
"I'm afraid this really is a small room for the four of us," Lilly admitted. "Would you like to take a seat?"
Maru, who had already been working his way with utmost care in that direction, cleared his throat. "Ah, sure. Gimme a second..."
Hisao slowly walked to the table and sat down, also trying his hardest not to disturb anything along the way. He also couldn't help but steal a quick glance into Lilly's top as he sat. To be robbed of sight would be a most terrible fate.
"Well now," Lilly said, "how about some tea. Hanako, could you please pour?"
"S... sure," Hanako said, a blush growing on her face. "Ma... ru... would...," she shuddered slightly and looked aside, "...would you...," she looked at Maru nervously, "...would you like..."
"I would, yes, thank you." Maru grinned.
Lilly finds it difficult to resist a smile at her companion's nervousness, something I can't really blame her for, Hisao thought as he tried not to smile himself. "Been a tiring day?"
"Y... yeah," Hanako said as she gingerly sat out four tea cups.
Hisao relaxed at his place, opposite of Maru. To my left is the blue-clad Lilly and to the right sits the pink Hanako. I try not to think about Maru straight across from me. The tea set on the table looks cute as well as practical; painted red with a floral motif. It looks odd when contrasted with Lilly's plain but generally sophisticated-looking furniture, which leads me to think that Hanako might have picked it out. Nevertheless, it does somehow suit the blonde girl.
There was a slight "ting" when Hanako accidentally clipped the teapot on a cup as she poured. She breathed in sharply.
She must be really nervous, Hisao thought, as it's not the kind of thing anyone would worry about.
"Ah, need a hand?" Maru asked with a raised eyebrow.
"N... n-no, I... I'm f-fine...," Hanako said, shuddering more. "Th... thank you..."
Maru opened his mouth, and then shut it with a shrug. "...No problem." He smiled, slightly stiltedly.
Lilly gave an amused smile. "It's okay, Hanako. There's no need to be nervous."
Hanako seemed to find some confidence in Lilly's reassuringly soft-spoken words and deftly poured the next three cups. "Here you are, Maru... Hisao... Lilly." She carefully placed a cup and saucer in front of each of them in turn.
I could get used to service like this, Hisao thought.
"Thanks," Maru said as she sat his cup in front of him.
"Yes, thank you, Hanako," Lilly said.
"Yeah, thanks," Hisao said.
Hanako smiled shyly. "Y-you're welcome."
Lilly searched for her cup, and upon finding it, sipped delicately.
Maru and Hisao did the same.
This tea tastes somewhat better than the tea we usually have at school, Hisao thought.
"Oh, that's not bad," Maru said. He took a sniff of the tea. "Smells like... chamomile, I think?"
Hanako nodded slightly with a slight blush.
"It's nice," Hisao opined, "it's so different from any tea I had before..."
"Looks like you picked the right one, Hanako," Lilly said with an amused smile. "You've done well, even if it was a bold move."
Hanako's smile returned, redoubled, before she looked to the side. "I'm glad you like it..." She sipped from her cup, finally beginning to relax.
Hisao glanced over at Maru, who was taking a sip of his own tea. Strangely, while Hanako is relaxing, it seems that Maru is still on edge slightly, somehow. The slight frown I can see on Lilly tells me she might also be aware of this.
Lilly smiled. "So, Maru, are you enjoying yourself?"
"Huh?" Maru looked over at Lilly. "Ah, yeah, I am." He cleared his throat.
"Are you sure?" Lilly took a sip of tea. "You seem tense somehow."
"Aha..." Maru took a sip as well. "It's... well, it's kind of complicated, ah..." He scratched the back of his head. "Okay, so I know this might seem a little odd, but well, eh..." He sat the teacup down and took a deep breath. "Sorry, it's just that, how should I say... The context here is a bit different than elsewhere. I'm in your home, as it were... Eh... Makes me a bit nervous, I guess."
"It's still a bit strange," Hisao couldn't help but remark. "I mean, I watch you come in every day with some little skit each morning." Although, thinking back on it, I suppose it's not the first time he's shown odd reactions to what seems like a relatively normal situation... and this situation's not exactly normal.
Maru chuckled slightly. "Well, yes. But it's different there. I mean, in class, I can sort of just pretend everyone's just a face in the crowd, you know? Here it's... I dunno. More personal." He waved his hand in front of his face. "Ah, I know it doesn't make much sense, it's just... yeah. Don't mind me, I'm fine." He chuckled. "At the least, I could get used to it."
"My my, there's certainly no reason to be nervous," Lilly said with amusement. "We are all friends here, after all."
Hanako nodded with a shy glance at Maru.
Strange that she should say that, Hisao thought, after all the times she's asked about Maru's intentions. This morning included.
Maru nodded slowly. "Thank you," he said quietly, and took a sip of his tea. "I appreciate it."
Lilly nodded with a smile.
"On that note," Hisao said, "do you do this often?"
"Quite often," Lilly replied, "but not as often as we take tea in the school building."
Considering they do that nearly every day, that's not a big surprise, Hisao thought. As he moved to take another sip from his teacup, he found it sadly empty. "That was delicious. Thank you Hanako, Lilly."
"You're welcome," Hanako said.
"Yes, you're most welcome Hisao," Lilly said. "It's nice to have a third or fourth person here."
"Well, any time you need someone to fill a position, I'm always available," Hisao said solemnly. "Always."
"Oh myyyyyyy," Maru said with a cheeky grin.
Hisao reached over and swatted him on the head.
"Buh," Maru replied.
Hisao sighed. "And he says he's nervous here."
"Nerves do not preclude my ability to Takai!" Maru emphatically thrust his index finger into the air. He then blinked and slowly retracted it. "...Anyway, eh." He scratched the back of his head. "Man. Way to take the steam out of my sails."
Hisao waved his hands slowly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"Ah, it's fine," Maru said. "I just need some time, y'know?" He blinked. "Well, and openers for humor. That helps too."
Hisao sighed. He never stops being a very strange person.
Lilly let loose a yawn, which she unsuccessfully hid with her hand. "Pardon me, I think I'm a little tired."
Hanako frowned slightly. "I think we're all a little tired..."
"My my," Lilly said with an amused smile, "how astute we are tonight, Hanako." She put her hands together in her lap. "We really should head to bed; we all have class tomorrow."
Maru blinked, and then yawned. "Damn, contagious..."
"Yeah..." Hisao barely avoided yawning himself. "We should go."
"Ayup," Maru said.
"Thank you for your presence, Hisao, Maru," Lilly said with a smile.
"Th... thanks," Hanako said, looking between Hisao and Maru. "You'll come again?"
"If you want me to," Maru replied with a grin. "Just say the word."
"What he said," Hisao replied. "Not even a whole army could stop us."
"Though they're welcome to try," Maru said with a nod.
Lilly gave a slightly pained smile. "I'm impressed by your determination."
Hisao glanced at Maru, and shook his head. I think, up until then, Lilly had been starting to accept him. It seems like he tends to bring a lot of enmity on himself though, somehow. Of course, he's also not aware of Lilly's discomfort either, I think. "Either way, you're right. We'd best get going." He stood up, and made for the door.
Maru stood up behind him and nodded to the two. "See you to later, then."
"Good night, Hisao," Lilly said. "Good night, Maru."
"Night!" Maru gave an informal salute.
"Night all," Hisao said.
As the two walked toward the male dorm, Hisao frowned. "Maru."
"Huh?" Maru turned to Hisao.
"You know you're making Lilly uncomfortable, right?" Hisao stopped walking and turned to Maru.
Maru blinked and stopped. "Huh? I'm making her uncomfortable?"
"When you say stuff like an army is welcome to try to stop you, or that understanding is a three edged sword, and that sort of thing," Hisao replied. "You're putting her a bit on edge."
"...Ah." Maru frowned. "...Sorry, it's something of a holdover from childhood." He snorted. "Had to be sharp, you know."
Hisao frowned. "So what was your childhood like, then?"
Maru snorted. "Stupid. Fisticuffed." He shook his head. "Sorry, I'll try to not bring that sort of thing up anymore." He turned toward the dorm and began to walk.
Hisao blinked. I feel like he only changes topics like that when he has something to hide. It can only serve to make me curious. However, considering what he says and what I know, I have to wonder if it's wise to pry. He shook his head and continued after Maru.
The two walked in silence.
The simple act of walking seemed to drain Hisao of his energy, however. He barely made it to his room before he was hit by a wave of exhaustion. He kicked off his shoes, fell into bed and fell asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.
A wild George Takai appears! :O
TheMagicManWithThePlan, not being a dedicated reddit person, I have to admit I'm more than a little confused. D: TrueFoxSpear, haha, my mission is complete! XD Praegressus, it's always nice to bring in the side characters, no? Particularly ones who may sail ships? And, heh, is this less filler-y for you? ;) HailToTheMadKing, I... remain confused, man. );
