Oh yeah, any requests or ideas of scenes you want to see in this fic?
Pairings : Undecided
Warnings : Teikō Middle School Days.
Disclaimer : I own only the OCs.
Chapter 39 - A life without sweets is not much worth living
Sunday is the one and only day in a week where everyone, which is really everyone, have a day off from whatever activities they have on the other days. On this day, Yume has no part-time work and she usually fills this day with reading and a bit of school studies. Of course, as she has noted how enrolling in Teikō seems to be the start of where everything goes wrong for her, today isn't notably different.
"I sent him up since you didn't answer earlier, but it's the one of those kids you brought here before. The tall one!" the desk manager tells her after she finally picks up the call.
Then not five minutes later, Yume finds a primped Murasakibara Atsushi on her doorstep.
Ah... a new morning has never been sweeter.
Because apparently, Murasakibara remembers when she tried to convince him to participate in the Cleaning Day with the sweets-vouchers usage on Sunday, which is today. Though as Yume has only managed to earn his acceptance when she promises him a bulgogi-flavoured maiubou which should be out next week, she was under the impression that the sweets-voucher-thing wouldn't happen.
But it does. Because Murasakibara is in front of her apartment with an expression of bliss if one knows where to look. And she thought she heard wrong when the bell rung and the desk manager told her a friend came by, one of those kids she brought before, the tall one. They made quite a bit of impression that day.
"You should've been ready, Mana-chin. Late means all the good sweets would be gone!" Murasakibara's tone is one of the most excited she has ever heard of him, with a whine in it.
And really, she should have expected this. After all, this is Murasakibara she is talking to and he never compromises when it comes to sweets. Yume really should have thought better. Her posture slumps the slightest bit, resigning to the fact that nothing would change Murasakibara's resolve when it involves sweets.
"I'll be ready in five minutes, Murasakibara-kun," she murmurs, leaving the door open as she trudges towards her room.
The unsaid invitation is to make himself at home while she changes her clothes and makes herself presentable. Murasakibara doesn't waste time shrugging off his shoes and seating himself on the sofa in the living room. Looking around, he can see that place is the same as when he was last visiting with the group.
Though he inwardly notes that with only the two of them here, the flat feels somewhat empty and too big. Murasakibara wonders if it feels nice having so much space to oneself, he has many older siblings who are pretty much his size on the same house so he never knows how it feels to have a large apartment for one's personal use.
As he chews on the jelly-beans his older sister, Mutsumi gifts him from her trip to Okinawa, Murasakibara imagines how life would be like if he lives by himself. No one would nag him to eat without making a mess of course and he would be able to eat what he wants when he wants it. Then again, that means he will be unable to cook his mom's cooking anymore.
"Murasakibara-kun? I'm ready," the brunette walks right into his line of sight exactly five minutes later.
With a one-piece, sleeve-less cream dress paired with a pastel-green, short-sleeved cardigan, Yume stands ready. A peach-coloured sling bag is hanging on her shoulder.
Murasakibara almost immediately stands up unlike usual, as he has sweets to get to today. "Mana-chin is really ready in five. No wonder Aka-chin says he is impressed with Mana-chin's work-ethics," he chews the multi-flavoured jelly-beans as he speaks with a tone of awe.
The sudden mention of her President caused Yume to stumble over her own foot. Why oh why does Murasakibara has to bring up the one person she wishes to not speak of?
"...Let's not speak of Akashi-kun on Sunday, Murasakibara-kun," she weakly asks him. Sunday should have been her only free-day every week. The mere thought of the red-haired flustered her.
Not paying much heed to it, Murasakibara nods, "Okay." He doesn't understand why nor does he care why.
She is already uncomfortable around the crowds as it is but the pace the excited giant sets is hurried when compared to his usual, laid back steps and with his long strides, that the brunette has a hard time catching up. Her only saving grace is that it is nigh impossible to lose the purplehead even amongst the crowd-est of crowds as he sticks out like a sore thumb.
Unfortunately, it doesn't apply the other way around.
Other then that walking with Murasakibara, just the two of them, feels weird to her (although he seems fine), the sweets patisserie is in a busy street with other famous bakeries and food-chains thus it us extremely packed, especially more so because it is Sunday.
And so, despite never losing sight of the purplehead, Yume finds herself unable to proceed because the flow of the crowds is not in her favour and she is only a small fish in the ocean, plus, she doesn't fancy being amongst them in the first place. Really, why did she say Sunday of all days? Why is she even here anyway? Shouldn't have chosen Teikō. If only not Teikō.
A strong pull on her hand cuts off Yume's inner laments. She jerks up to see a familiar giant fishing her out from the crowds of people. Murasakibara has his default half-lidded eyes as he stares at her and notes, "Mana-chin is too small. Your hands are tiny too. It would break if I clench your hands in mine."
The factual tone he carries as he speaks has Yume flustered and slightly offended, her cheeks burning with indignation. She is so not small!
"I'm of average height for girls my age, Murasakibara-kun," she mutters with a light crease between her eyebrows. Then she murmurs under her breath, "You're the exception..."
Yume says nothing nothing regarding her tiny hands though, noticing that hers are indeed small compared to his. She notes that holding the basketball would be easier with those hands. Perhaps if Kuroko-kun has large hands, he would be able to defend better and not lose the ball most of the time.
"Sweets, sweets, sweets," Murasakibara chants as he pulls the smaller hand harder, bulldozing towards the store which is now in his sight despite the considerable distance due to his abnormal height.
Being pulled along like one would a baggage is not Yume's intention to spend her Sunday. Yet she has little complains because it is the fastest way and she has no wish to be buried in the crowds. Getting away from them as soon as possible is also preferable. Inwardly, she wonders if this is how it feels to have a kid brother. So childish and easily excited at the mentions of sweets. Then again, a kid brother wouldn't usually be this tall. Nor so strong.
(。O O。)
Not for the first time today, Yume is regretting the fact that she mentioned using the sweets-vouchers to Murasakibara when all she had to do is to promise him a new sweets launched next week. The stares, oh yes, the stares. They come from all sides, circling her around like hunters.
Three. Three plates stacked with cakes of all sizes and all kinds with various cheery colours one can find in sweets. And since humans only have two hands, not excluding the purplehead giant, one of those three plates is her responsibility to bring to the table without dropping any. She would have just carry his plate if he didn't point out and insist that she needs her own plate for the cakes.
Just looking at how Murasakibara devours those desserts had Yume feeling rather sick with sugar, they can't be healthy. Not with those large doses he is taking in one-go. She knows she has her own share to eat but watching the purplehead eating makes her feel full already, that and feeling green.
"...Do remember to brush your teeth after this, Murasakibara-kun," she quietly reminds him, not sure if she should mention the sugar hazard to his health.
Murasakibara pauses in his chewing, "It's okay. Kaa-san makes sure my teeth are fine. She's a dentist." He then continues with his sweets-fest.
A dentist. That explains why the sweets-crazed boy hasn't yet has his teeth rotten. The boy is the lazy type, the kind who won't brush his teeth because he feels it too bothersome. Although his teeth isn't her only worries, it's his blood sugar levels too. Yume doesn't want Murasakibara to have diabetes.
Murasakibara is still young though, considering fast metabolism at his age and such, that there's hasn't been any unhealthy signs. So perhaps he is fine? She still wishes he would take his sweets in moderation though.
"Mana-chin only has three cakes," he notes, staring at the three, regular-sized cakes on the brunette's single plate, "That's a waste. This is an all-you-can-eat, Mana-chin," he says, his tone chiding.
A weak smile works up its way to her lips, "It makes up for your huge appetite, Murasakibara-kun. Otherwise the store will run dry." And we will be kick out no sooner than later. After the stink-eyes too.
"I want more," Murasakibara states with unshaken belief, his half-lidded eyes actually appearing more serious than he ever does.
"After," she reminds him, "After you finished all the cakes on your plates, Murasakibara-kun."
Murasakibara nods, certain he will finish his plates and having room for more. "Mana-chin should get more too. This one is tasty," he points his half-eaten cupcake with strawberry filling and icing, chocolates sprinkles and topped with a sweet cherry, "this is good too, a bit bitter," he forks the layered chocolate cake with whipped cream and topped with coffee powders.
Then he proceeds to point out the other cakes and gives out his honest opinion, that they are all delicious but has a bit sourness, bitterness or whatever it is that makes it not so sugary sweet. Yume has to admit though, Murasakibara sure knows his sweets. And perhaps two or three more cakes won't hurt. It's an all-you-can-eat after all.
And so, with a full and satisfied belly, Murasakibara walks to the bus station, followed by a quite-but-not-as-full Yume. Murasakibara might as well have sweets as both his breakfast and lunch, even when she knows he is capable of eating his lunch two hours later. Yume stopped at her sixth cake so she won't spoil her lunch too badly.
Now that the crowds have thinned out and the two walk side-by-side, the height difference is glaring. Murasakibara is two-and-a-half heads above her. The purplehead has another bag of jelly-beans on his hand, apparently a different flavoured one. He chews as he walks, a habit he loves doing and can't part with even when his whole family tried.
Walking takes energy, he says, so he needs to replenish them as he walks.
"Ne, Mana-chin," he suddenly speaks, "where did you and Momo-chin went on lunch-break yesterday? Aka-chin was looking for you two."
Beneath his eyes, the brunette stumbles over her own foot like she did this morning, over the same reason she did earlier. Because the mere mention of his name inserts a picture of said person into her mind and the image is such a clear HD even her television can't produce she can't help but freeze, forgetting her lifted foot and causing her to nearly fall.
Breathe. He's not here, she has to remind herself. Even now, Yume isn't certain what of her President that caused this reaction in her. She just knows, that it's because he is the President and that alone is very convincing.
"...A classmate invited us to have lunch with them. We accepted," she weakly smiles at him even when she's not sure if he can see it.
Murasakibara hums, seemingly uncaring as he digs for another handful of jelly-beans, "Eh, so Mana-chin does have other friends."
The unsaid, you don't like you do, has an imaginary arrow lodged in her heart. Then again, she has to admit he isn't wrong because as of now, she can only count Sat-chan and Daiki-kun as her friends. The rest of the group is currently questionable and the friendliness with her classmates is just beginning.
"Sat-chan is the only one I'm close to in class. But... maybe I will be better friends with the others," she blushes, her gaze sideways.
After a hum from Murasakibara, the following moment is filled with silence. Even his chewing is not as noisy as before. Confused, Yume peers into his expression, trying to see if there's something there. A pout. Murasakibara is pouting.
Unbefitting of his age, the pouty lips on the giant's countenance can actually be called cute. The reason however, escapes her. What is he pouting about? Was it something she said? Her mind carefully rewinds the conversations they just had and after picking them apart and putting the pieces together, she finds a different picture which seems to be the answer to the purplehead's current pout.
"Ah..." she voices out her realisation, eyes lighting up with understanding. This time, her blush is more prominent as she realises what she is about to say is potentially mortifying. She looks up to him, meeting his eyes as she works up her courage to word it out.
"...Murasakibara-kun is my friend too," Yume eventually manages to say, red covering her cheeks. She has never said this out loud, save for Momoi who is herbestfriend and Kuroko who is just different. Even then, it has been quite embarrassing for her.
At her admission, Murasakibara's pouty expression mollified. There's hardly a change there for anyone else but others who know the purplehead better like the rest of the rainbow gang and his family.
"I wasn't thinking about that," he states stubbornly, blushing the slightest bit that Yume can see only because she is looking up at him like she does a sky-scraper.
It's relieving she is not the only one embarrassed by this ordeal. Yume smiles and hums her agreement despite knowing better, "Mm."
Yume understands that it takes more than courage to admit one's feelings but it doesn't take much to notice one's sincerity and even easier if you know the person well. She notices his sincerity and that's enough for them both. Besides, she knows herself admitting some feelings of yours are scary in more ways than one.
Which makes her wonder about a certain glasses-wearing greenhead who seems obsessed with Oha Asa's horoscope. What shapes Midorima the way he is now? They say someone's past defines them, she wonders if it holds the answer as to why the greenhead holds fortune in such high esteem? Or is he just born that eccentric?
...That line of thought is somewhat disturbing.
"How was it?" Murasakibara's question snaps her out of her thoughts, her limegreen eyes confused. "The lunch," he clarifies with a downward glance, his tone holds little interest.
At the word 'lunch', her blush returns with vengeance. It's not that the lunch itself was unpleasant, nothing like that at all. The girls are all nice friendly people. Yume just isn't used to being put on the spot like what Murasakibara is doing and what exactly happened on that day at lunch. She fidgets as she recounts the scenes to the purplehead, careful to leave out the parts she isn't sure herself.
"At first, it was pretty awkward since none of has spoken to each other more than passing greetings..."
So yeah, how is it?
Reviews are very much appreciated!
Next time, Flashback: Lunch with classmates! Friendly or hostile?
