Phase 1: The Clocktower
He nervously waited at the clocktower, hands continuously sliding in and out of his pockets. Position yourself exactly at this spot, in this exact angle, his friends had advised. It would supposedly help him look the most attractive, suave and cool. Unfortunately, his friends weren't able to come to a satisfactory consensus about whether he should appear with his hands in his pockets or out. He had finally shooed them away in exasperation, cringing as he watched them walk away and loudly bickering over whether he should keep them in his pockets or casually behind his back.
In….out…? His hands restlessly tucked themselves into his jeans and then emerged again, as he struggled with this unsolvable conundrum. All the while craning his neck to peer at the people bustling to and fro, wondering when she would arrive.
Suddenly, a hand timidly tapped his shoulder, and he jumped. "Wuauah!" In a very unmanly squeal, Hasimoto spun around and found himself face to face with a blushing Megumi. "Uuuuhhhohhhh" was all he managed to say as he struggled to regain composure. Megumi giggled and nervously pulled on her skirt. She was wearing a cute turquoise halter top which matched the colour of her eyes, and a simple peach skirt to complement the outfit. Hashimoto managed to stutter out the words, "you...you look gr-great!" and grabbed her hand, before pulling her to his first planned destination of the day.
Megumi smiled coyly at him, feeling a warm gush of affection at his words. He likes it! she thought ecstatically to herself.
Inwardly, Hashimoto was cursing himself for not anticipating the side she had showed up on, and for his lack of words. She probably hates it! he thought miserably to himself. He had been so pleased with himself for picking this spot, the one that held so much significance for them, and then he had completely gone and blown it.
"By the way, Hashimoto-kun…" he snapped out of his self deprecating thoughts and looked at Megumi, who was fidgeting and smiling ear to ear. "You picked that meeting place because that was where we met for the first time, right? When you called out to me."
He grinned, half embarrassed and half pleased. She had noticed! "Yeah...when I called out to you...when I hit on you…" Both of their eyes widened at what he had said, before the couple burst out laughing, breaking the tension completely.
Well, it didn't go completely to plan...but with Megumi, everything turns all right! I'm sure everything will fall into place now!
Hashimoto-kun was confident. After all, he had borrowed nearly every romance magazine off the shelf (yes, even the girly ones, the embarrassing pink ones full of fashion and rainbows) and ticked every possible activity that could be fit in a day, off the list.
Oh dear...Hashimoto-kun had much to learn about Murphy's Law.