Ryo has to go on a fishing trip, and leaves Alice in the capable hands of two people.
Prompt from wishingforatypewriter: Alice meddles in Akira's lovelife.
"I'm really sorry about this, Hayama-kun," Arato Hisako bowed her head apologetically. "I... I don't know who to ask for help anymore."
Akira continued to skim down the novel-length letter from Kurokiba, detailing things that Alice would do throughout the day and the very particular ways she liked them done. At the bottom of the note was one huge "PS. IF ALL ELSE FAILS ASK HAYAMA FOR HELP TO TALK SOME SENSE INTO HER."
"Why'd you need to do this, anyway?" Akira asked Hisako, who was already looking defeated, like Alice had already given her a beating before he arrived here. "Where the hell is Kurokiba even at?"
"Fishing trip," Hisako replied. "And I owe him a favor for one time I couldn't make it to Miss Erina's appointment and he covered for me. I guess it's my turn now."
Hisako told Akira about the one time she had a conflict in schedule with one of Erina's appointments. She asked a favor from Ryo as a fellow aide, and Ryo delivered flawlessly, dealing with Erina's schedule, seeing to all her needs, arranging her transport, accommodations, and security. Despite appearances, Kurokiba was quite competent as a secretary. Something Hisako began to understand more when he handed her that incredibly long list of reminders about his mistress.
The hour-long wait for her to get dressed was included in Kurokiba's notes. Akira and Hisako stood there by the door of her room, waiting impatiently.
"Ryo-!" Alice's yell came from inside the room. There was a pause, as if Alice took a moment to realize her mistake. "I mean, Hishoko-chan! I can't find my bracelet!"
Hisako sighed, and pushed the door open. Akira almost headed in, but stopped in his tracks when he noticed that Alice was only half-dressed, her top still only her lacey white bra.
One hour and she still doesn't have a damn shirt on?!
Hisako went in, and Akira could hear them rummaging around for the missing bracelet. Akira sighed, and turned back to Ryo's meticulous list. His face lit up upon reading something, and immediately he yelled out to Hisako.
"The bracelet is in the jewelry box Alice keeps in the bathroom!" Ryo had written it down in his list, as if Alice forgot this very often.
There was a triumphant laugh from Alice shortly after.
Akira sighed. Today was going to be a long day, as long as Kurokiba's blasted list.
On Alice's agenda was a restaurant opening, an American family restaurant that Nakiri International had helped with their menu. Nakiri International had a long list of clients in the restaurant industry, offering consultancy in food preservation or processing techniques. Alice was attending the opening as a stand-in for her parents, who were both unable to make it to Japan.
Alice sat there in the Nakiri family limousine, imagining Ryo somewhere in the middle of the ocean, probably diving with the fishies like some sort of mythical sea creature. Ryo had told her time and again that fishing trips did not go like that.
"...You two are awfully quiet," Alice said, to Akira and Hisako, who were on either side of her in the limousine. "Hishoko-chan, why did you ask Akira to come with us? Ryo didn't tell me he'd be joining. Not that he's unwelcome, of course!"
Hisako was flustered. How was she supposed to explain that she invited Akira as back-up for if Alice goes on one of her infamous tantrums? "Uh, well, you see...!"
Alice gasped, a realization dawning onto her. Of course! She clasped Hisako's hands in hers and whispered to her. "Oh, okay, I get it! Your secret is safe with me, Hishoko!'
"My what?"
Of course, Alice thought. Obviously, Hishoko had the hots for Akira, and was using this event as an excuse! Finally, some excitement from her boring day without Ryo! Alice was beginning to feel excited. "Hey, Hishoko! Let's switch! I want the window seat."
Alice and Hisako awkwardly shuffled out of their seats, attempting an exchange. As Hisako was about to take Alice's seat, the car ran into a road bump, causing Hisako to lose balance and land on Akira's lap.
"O-Oh! I'm sorry, Hayama!" Hisako immediately apologized.
"It's fine. Are you alright?" Akira asked, offering Hisako his arm to steady her while she got into her seat.
Hisako quietly mumbled thanks, as Alice watched them with a sparkle in her eyes. She was so going to enjoy this day.
Alice was up to no good, and Akira could smell it.
She was well behaved in the restaurant, politely offering the owner her congratulations, acting like an absolute angel for the rest of the event. Something about this perfect behavior was off, but Akira couldn't quite put a finger on it.
"Ooh! This looks good," Alice said, as the servers served the menu for the event-burgers with various sides. Akira winced. Burgers took him back to his match against Hisako during the Autumn Elections, and at how cocky he acted towards her. Since then, he barely talked to her unless necessary, but that day sometimes ran into his mind, and he thought that an apology was long overdue. He belittled her for being Erina's secretary, of all things!
Hisako was staring at the burgers, as if taken back to the very same memory. What did he say? That he wouldn't be beat by someone so narrow-minded?
"Wow, these burgers take me back to the Elections," Alice said, and both Hisako and Akira looked at her as if she just stepped on a landmine. "You two had that match with the burger theme, right? Akira was so smug over that win and Hishoko, like, totally ran away in shame."
Did Alice truly have no sensitive bone in her body?! Akira stared daggers at her in disbelief, but Alice nonchalantly kept eating her burger daintily with her fork and knife. Hisako, on the other hand, was stunned. Her mistress was probably far too different from Alice, Akira thought. Erina was all prim and proper, and Alice was... The complete opposite of that.
Akira felt bad for the pink-haired girl. "Look, at least she didn't start bawling on the floor like someone we know very well!"
That was a low blow, Alice thought, but she let it slide today, thinking that Akira was coming to Hishoko's defense! How romantic! Clearly he had pent-up feelings of admiration for her! Alice simply kept with the act, giving Akira that dumb doe-eyed look she'd perfected over the years. "Oh my! I wonder who that would be," Alice just said, innocently.
Akira stabbed his fork into his burger.
"There's no use defending it," Hisako said, after she regained her composure. "I lost to Hayama fair and square, after all."
"Stop that, Arato," Akira said, a gentle rebuke. "Don't let this madwoman talk all over you and make fun of you. She's only allowed to do that to Kurokiba."
Alice pouted, and considered taking Akira's bait-but again, he was defending Hishoko! Alice was more than willing to play the villain today, all in the name of love. She could also sense a conversation between the two opening up, and so this was the perfect time to excuse herself and pretend to go to the restroom. She got up, smiling to herself.
When the engagement with the restaurant was done, Alice quickly brainstormed ideas of what to do to bring Hishoko and Akira closer. She dragged them along shopping, and kept holding up dresses to Hisako and asking Akira what he thought of them. Then she would mysteriously vanish to the restroom or somewhere for an extended period of time, leaving Hisako and Akira by themselves. Ah, she was such a genius.
And finally, she decided to drag them along to see the latest romance flick. What can be more romantic than seeing a sappy film together? Of course Alice would be third-wheeling, but she wondered if she could mysteriously vanish midway the film without the two noticing...
"So, what's your ideal girl like, Akira?" Alice asked, as they were in line for movie tickets.
Akira groaned, wondering where this question came from. "Alice, I don't spend time thinking of that sort of stuff," he said.
"Boo! You're boring, Akira," Alice said. "What about you, Hishoko? Surely you have an ideal guy or type!"
"Like Hayama, I don't spend time thinking of that sort of thing," Hisako quickly replied. "I'm in school to study, not find some sort of fling. I also have my duties to Miss Erina."
Boo, Alice thought. So they were both the bookish, responsible, boring types. But hey, at least they were similar, and therefore would probably get along very well!
Alice was about to point this out, but Akira surprisingly opened his mouth. "Are you constantly going to put Nakiri first before any other desire you have in life?" he said to Hisako. He had that bizarre expression on his face as if he looked disgusted. "In that regard, even Kurokiba has a lot more backbone than you. See, this is what I meant when I said you were narrow-minded."
His outburst stunned Hisako and even Alice. That was not very nice of him. But he had a point, Alice thought. While Ryo was her aide, he didn't hold himself back in things he wanted to do for her sake. He dared to surpass her in cooking. He went on the occasional fishing trip. He didn't put her on a pedestal and knew exactly what her flaws were, and on occasion, he would even point them out.
Hisako, however, was not the same. She always put Erina first. She would never dare to outperform or outshine Erina. Clearly something about this irked Akira, something Alice couldn't quite figure out yet.
"Oh, come now, Akira, that's not very nice of you," Alice said, just to break the awkward silence that fell between them. Akira looked as if he snapped out of something, and quickly followed with a little apology. He gave a concerned little glance at Hisako, who looked a little tense.
"...Does this mean you have an ideal type, miss Alice?" Hisako asked, although it sounded as if she was not asking out of curiosity, and mostly to get back at Alice and turn the tables on her.
"Hmmm, let me see." Alice thoughtfully put a finger to her chin. "I want a guy who's dependable... patient... and strong, of course. He has to be able to keep up with me and always be there for me! And... someone who accepts me for how I am! Also, he has to be able to cook, of course. Maybe even a bit better than me-but not too much."
"Kurokiba," Akira and Hisako said, in unison.
"Huh?" Alice just blinked at them, confused.
"You idiot," Akira mumbled, and that was all he said, as he stepped up to the counter to order their tickets.
As Ryo's list had predicted, Alice fell asleep thirty minutes into the movie. Hisako looked at her in disbelief. She motioned for the massive tote bag Ryo packed for them at her feet, looking around for a travel pillow Ryo had supplied exactly for this moment.
"What is it?" Akira asked, as he felt Hisako rummaging in the dark among their bags.
"I'm looking for the pillow. Miss Alice fell asleep."
"In the middle of a movie? Who does that?" Akira was surprised, but indeed noticed that Alice had nodded off beside Hisako. He turned towards the bag, and found said pillow, handing it to Hisako. "Here you go."
Hisako gently placed the pillow under Alice's chin, and Alice actually stirred a little and mumbled, "Thanks, Ryooo..."
"You wish," Hisako said with a small laugh. "I am never doing this again, Kurokiba."
"Tell him to take her fishing with him next time," Akira remarked.
"He said she scares off the fish," Hisako said. "She causes way too much ruckus on the boat."
"Oh, I can imagine," Akira said with a little chuckle.
He turned his eyes to the movie for a while, but most of it was ignored. Akira had something else in mind now. "Listen, Arato... I'm sorry about today. I... Said some harsh things I didn't mean to."
"What, like how narrow-minded I am? Just like what you said at the Election?" Her response surprised Akira. So she hadn't forgotten it at all.
Akira sighed, and decided now was the best time to apologize to get it off his chest. "I was being cocky after a win and couldn't stop my mouth from running off. I didn't mean anything I said as an insult, Arato.
"What part of 'narrow-minded' isn't an insult, Hayama?"
"What I really meant was I couldn't stand seeing you keep putting yourself in Nakiri's shadow when you're just as capable yourself," Akira said.
"I'm her aide, Hayama," Hisako said, with a sigh. "Of course she comes before me."
"But look at Alice and Kurokiba," Akira explained. "Most everyone knows that Kurokiba is the better chef-even Alice knows this, even if she wouldn't admit it outright. And she doesn't loathe him for it. She supports all his matches and his decisions."
"That's because they're probably more than mistress and aide, so Kurokiba could lean on her more," Hisako said, glancing at the sleeping Alice. "I'm pretty sure they're dating."
Akira actually chuckled. "Yeah, I'm damn sure of that," Akira said. "But isn't Nakiri more than a mistress to you? Aren't you friends, at the least?"
Friends, huh? Hisako was flustered at the thought. Does she dare think of Erina as a friend? And does Erina even think of her as one?
She reached out for the popcorn to fill in the silence, but ended up touching Hayama's hand as he did the same. They were both startled by the touch, and Hisako quickly withdrew her hand. The darkness in the theater was able to hide the slight blush on her face.
"...Here you go," Akira said, handing her the popcorn.
"...Thanks," Hisako said. An awkward silence followed, as the two tried to focus on the movie.
Alice discreetly opened one eye, watching the pair bashfully avoid each other's gaze. She had been fake-sleeping all along, of course. As she shuffled to get comfortable against her pillow, she wondered why Akira was offended by Hisako's devotion to Erina. Akira was just as devoted to Jun Shiomi! Also, she had to eventually correct them and say that she and Ryo were definitely not dating, but that can wait.
And then the realization struck Alice like a lightning bolt. Akira was definitely jealous of Erina! She clearly wanted Hishoko to be her own woman so she could grow out of Erina's shadow, and then he could have her for himself!
"...Is she actually sleeping or faking it?" Akira suddenly asked, spotting Alice with a stupid grin.
"Well, Kurokiba said it's normal for her to fall asleep during movies," Hisako said. "We should probably try not to disturb her."
There was silence again, as the movie droned on. Alice actually began feeling drowsy. Her pillow was unbelievably comfortable-not as comfortable as Ryo's shoulder, but it was good enough.
"...Uhm… Thank you for coming today, Hayama," Hisako suddenly said. "I'm not sure I'd survive this if I was on my own."
"No kidding," Akira said, with a bit of a chuckle. "Call on me anytime you need help, Arato."
"I'm home," Ryo said, lugging along two packs of coolers with him as he entered the Nakiri Mansion later that day, back from his fishing trip.
Within a minute, there was a noise from the grand stairway, and Alice ran down towards him at full speed. "Ryo!"
He attempted to tell her to slow down before she got in an accident, but had no time, as Alice made a giant leap towards him. Ryo quickly dropped the coolers, and caught Alice in his arms. "You've been gone for so long!" she said.
"I've barely been gone twenty-four hours, miss," Ryo said, as Alice buried her head in the nook of his shoulder and chest. Ryo had a small smile to himself. The thing he looked forward to the most when he would be away was coming back home to Alice after. She always acted as if he was coming back home from some sort of war. "...I hope you weren't too hard on Arato, now."
Alice giggled mischievously, and that look instantly caused Ryo to worry. She simply pointed to a couch in the living room. Ryo turned around, Alice still in his arms, to notice that Hisako was there, passed out tired, leaning against Akira, who was also asleep and looked just as exhausted.
"...You ran them ragged, I assume," Ryo said. He was now convinced he was probably the only aide with enough stamina to keep up with Alice's antics.
"Oh, come now, I'm not that mean, Ryo! I'm sure they had fun! And they got a whole lot closer to each other now, too! If you know what I mean!"
Ah. So Alice tried to set them up. Ryo gave the pair a concerned little glance. "We should wake Hayama before Erina finds them like this and chews him out for it. You know how she'll react."
Alice thought back on all of Akira's mean comments towards her within the day. "Nah, let's leave them there!" she said, with a huge grin. "He deserves it."
