Nishikata: "No! Not those 2!"
Takagi: "Hm? And why not?"
Nishikata: "Well… Hayase called me last night and said that she was spending time alone with Naoto."
Takagi: "Ah. Then who are you talking about?"
Nishikata: "You know! Nakai, Hamaguchi, Mano, Houjou, the others, heck, maybe even Hayase's friends."
Takagi: "Sure, although I would like to spend some time alone with you."
…
Nishikata: "What?! What did you just say?"
Takagi: "I said that I wanted to spend some time alone with you."
Nishikata was too busy looking away and blushing to realize that Takagi was blushing as well, albeit not as much.
Nishikata: *muttering quickly* "...Sure we can do that."
Takagi: "Awesome! I'm looking forward to it!"
Nishikata: "Sure… I'll check with them once we get there."
After a while, the bus ride came to an end and everyone who needed them had gotten their rental equipment.
Nagatoro: "Sup, Senpai!"
Senpai: "O-oh. Sup, Nagatoro."
Nagatoro: "Are you ready to begin your lesson?"
Male friend 1: "Hey, who is this? What did you do, Nao-kun?"
Senpai: "W-what? She's… a friend. Anywaysseeyouguyslaterbye!"
The 2 of them went to the nearest ski lift at a brisk place, Senpai almost slipping and falling on the way upon hearing their muttering.
Nagatoro: "Geez, Senpai, you're so clumsy!"
Senpai: "Shut up. I thought you were helping me!"
Nagatoro: "I'd bet that those 2 thought that we were a couple! How does that make you feel?"
Senpai: "Huh?! I… Uh…"
Nagatoro: "Oh? What's this? Senpai wants them to think that we're a couple?"
Senpai: "What? No! I… We're not a couple, so we shouldn't hope for them to think that we are."
Nagatoro went quiet for a moment before responding.
Nagatoro: "You know, the valentine's day dance is coming up."
Senpai: "It is? I didn't realize. I guess I've never been to a dance-"
Senpai's eyes shot open and a look of horror washed over his face while a smirk painted itself on Nagatoro's face.
Nagatoro: "What's this? Poor Senpai's too much of a virgin to go to a dance?"
Senpai: "It's not like that! I'm just… Not good at that kind of dancing."
Nagatoro: "So is beansprout Senpai saying that he can dance?"
Senpai: "No! Yes… Promise you won't tease me?"
Nagatoro: "Seriously?"
Senpai: "Alright then… It wasn't important anyways."
Nagatoro: "Fine, I won't tease you!"
Senpai: "I did ballet for a while, and I was pretty good at it. I quit after joining high school, though. There were a few people who'd always make fun of me for it, not that I cared that much."
Nagatoro: *cracking knuckles* "Do you, by any chance, know who these people are?"
Senpai: "Huh? No, please don't do anything rash!"
The 2 of them got off the lift at the top and Nagatoro began to tickle Senpai.
Nagatoro: "Are you sure you don't know?"
Senpai: "I-I'm honest! I swear! I'd always look away, so I never remembered their faces. Their voices were pretty clear though…"
Nagatoro: "Well, Senpai, you should really show me that sometime."
Senpai: "When? There isn't enough space at our houses to do it. Did you want to go to Yuki or Takagi's?"
Nagatoro: "Eh… nah. Maybe… somewhere with some music! Yeah, that and drinks."
Senpai: "N-Nagatoro? We're still in high school…"
Nagatoro: "Ah! Not a bar! Think, are there any opportunities in the near future?"
Senpai: "I don't know… wouldn't you just tease me for it?"
Nagatoro: "I promise that I won't make fun of you doing ballet because you're a guy. Ok?"
Senpai: " … I suppose that's the best I'll get."
Nagatoro: "So where do you want to do it?"
Senpai: "So not our houses, not Nishikata's or Takagi's… Outside? No… There's no music or drinks, not a bar…"
And then it hit him.
###
Houjou: "Are you sure about this?"
Mano: "Yeah, you and Nishikata would have a major advantage! You guys have been skiing for ages!"
Takagi: "Relax, he'll be way too embarrassed to ski well."
Nishikata: "Takagi!"
Nakai: "I mean, I'm game."
Yoshi: "Hey! It's Takagi and her friends! Sup!"
Everyone: "Sup!"
The Toro gang, minus Nagatoro and Senpai, had approached the entire Takagi-san cast with skis in hand.
Gamo: "So, guys, can we join in?"
Takagawa: "Sure! Everyone, group up into pairs. We'll race to the bottom and your score will depend on the place you get compared to the others. The teams right now are Takagi and Nishikata, Mano and Nakai, Houjou and Hamaguchi, Kimura and Mina, and Yukari and Sanae."
Takao: "Hey! What about us?"
Takagawa: "Actually, I was going to pair up with Sakura, if that's ok with you?"
Sakura: "Sure!"
Sakura latched onto Takagawa's arm, causing her to recoil slightly and turn red.
Gamo: "I'll team up with Yoshi."
Yoshi: "Teammates!"
Takao: What, so am I just by myself? How does that work, Takagi?"
Takagi: "We'll just double your points. Alright, get in position!"
Everyone lined up to prepare to head down.
Takagi: "On your marks, get set, go!"
They set off down the slope. Almost immediately, Gamo and Yoshi sped far ahead of the group with Sakura, Sanae, Nishikata, and Takagi hot on their heels. Meanwhile, Nakai and Houjou were making good pace, although Hamaguchi and Mano were a little further behind. Behind them (in order) were Mina, Yukari, Takagawa, Takao, and Kimura.
Gamo: "Alright! Way to go, Yoshi!"
Yoshi: "Victory!"
Takagi: "Looks like the winners for this event are Gamo and Yoshi! You guys are really quick!"
Gamo: "Yeah, we are!"
Nishikata: "That was pretty fun! Do you want to do it again?"
Takagawa: "Actually, I was spending time with Sakura."
Mano: "Me and Nakai were going to spend some alone time as well."
Nishikata: "Alright then… Kimura? Takao? Hamaguchi?"
Hamaguchi: "Me and Hou- er Houjou and I were going to check out this 1 hill that he really wanted to see."
Nishikata: "We could come-"
Nishikata could've sworn that he saw Houjou shoot a glance at him right then.
NIshikata: "Nevermind."
Both Houjou and Hamaguchi breathed a sigh of relief, although no one but Nishikata and Takagi noticed.
Kimura: "You're welcome to join Mina, Sanae, Yukari, Takao, and I if you want to."
Takagi: "Actually, Nishikata, why don't we go to that hill? You know, the one I told you about?"
Nishikata: Is she trying to play matchmaker for Mina and Sanae? Kinda weird, I didn't actually think that they liked Kimura and Takao. "Sure. Hang on, Takagi, why don't we race there?"
Gamo: "Alright, while the lovebirds all go off on their own-"
Nishikata/Hamaguchi/Houjou: "We're not lovebirds!"
Gamo: "God, you're just like Hayacchi. As I was saying, as the lovebirds in denial-"
Nishikata/Hamaguchi/Houjou: "Shut up!"
Gamo: " … As the others go off on their own, why don't the rest of us have some fun?"
Yoshi: "Fun!"
Kimura: "Alright! I take it that you're joining us, then?"
Gamo: "If that's fine by you."
Takao: "Awesome!"
With that, they all separated.
Nishikata: "Takagi! You're going way too slowly if you want to beat me!"
Takagi: "Is that an arctic fox?"
Nishikata turned to Takagi, then to where she was pointing, only to find nothing but the sight of a girl whizzing past him.
Nishikata: "Takagi!"
Takagi: "Arctic foxes don't even live in this area!"
Takagi stuck her tongue out and continued. Before long, they'd reached the ski lift.
Nishikata: "Curse you, Takagi."
Takagi: "I can't believe that you'd fall for that. Now for your punishment-"
Nishikata: "Huh?"
Nishikata could've sworn he saw Takagi's cheeks turn slightly more red.
Takagi: "You need to ask me on a date."
A/N: Hey guys. If you've been reading for a while, you might know that this is my first fanfic. Thing is, I completed it. Finished the last chapter ages ago. Every week when I go to post another chapter, I cringe at all of the characterization mistakes I made, all of the formatting issues, all of the awkward dialogue, and I go ahead and post it anyways because I just don't have the energy to rewrite any of this. So yeah. If you've been enjoying this fic for all this time, then hats off to you, but just know that I'm not exactly proud of this whole fic. Still, I'd like to think that I've been improving and I've been writing a few more shorter fics which I think I did a better job of as of late. So yeah. Check out my other fics if you're interested.
