Class was finally over for the day. Tsukushi slowly gathered her books
together and slumped for the door. It had truly been a hellish 8 hours.
Asai & co, had tormented her endlessly throughout lecture, and not even her
well placed gibes at their expense had thrown them off. She still had to go
to work now, first a few hours at the Dango shop, then the rest of the
night waitressing. She was never going to have the energy left to study for
her exams! Luckily, the weekend was coming up, she thought with some
relief, and at least she'd be able to stay home tomorrow and escape from
the torment that another day at school was sure to bring. However, just as
she was walking out the front steps of Eitoku, Soujiro sidled up to her,
"Hey Makino!"
"What do you want, Nishikado?"
"Well, erm," Soujiro was interrupted by the sight of Akira popping up on Tsukushi's other side.
"Eh?" Tsukushi was almost as startled by this appearance as Soujiro
"We were just wondering if you wanted to come clubbing with us tonight!" Akira spoke up before Soujiro could regain his train of thought.
"You know I have to work! My family's depending on me!" Tsukushi sighed.
"Yeah, remember, she's the working virgin!" Soujiro quipped before he could remember that winning his bet with Akira depended on making Tsukushi fall for him. Makino's fist came hurtling at his face, out of nowhere, it seemed, but stopped mere millimeters in front of his nose.
"I'd break that lovely nose of yours, pretty boy," She growled, through her blush, "but I've got a better idea."
Tsukushi had spent much of her miserable day dreaming up ways to subtly get revenge on Doumyouji. Her moment of weakness on the stairs had vanished, replaced with her usual mixture of determination and volatility. She suspected that whatever anger Doumyouji felt at her now would vanish as abruptly as it had come, but in the meantime, she didn't plan to forgive him so easily. One sure way she knew to upset him; that is, if he cared about her at all still, was to be seen enjoying herself in the company of another man. Normally, Rui would do fine, but she didn't want him getting involved in this altercation. And besides, Doumyouji already knew that nothing would happen between her and Rui. . . . At least, she didn't think anything would. . . right? She shook her head firmly to rid herself of these doubts. No matter what, Doumyouji was the only man for her, and she was the only woman for him-now she just had to make him realize it.
Turning to Akira and Soujiro, Tsukushi spoke firmly, "Right, You two are going to help me out. We're going to make Doumyouji wish he'd never left me! I'm working tonight, but I've got tomorrow off. The two of you are going to take me to dinner, and we're going clubbing, afterwards. Don't be late, or I'll knock your skulls in. Bye now!" She ended with an uncharacteristically bright chirp. As she was turning away, she caught a glimpse of Doumyouji's imposing figure lurking in the shadows of the doorway, so with an effort she turned back to the two playboys. Muttering, "Try anything and you're dead," she glanced to make sure Tsukasa was looking their way, and deliberately kissed both boys on the cheek. "Remember, tomorrow, 6 pm!" she called as she raced off to work.
The two playboys turned to each other in shock.
"Umm, what just happened there?" As usual, Akira was the first to regain his composure.
"I think the tables have been turned," Soujiro guessed. "Between the two of them, Tsukasa and Tsukushi are going to end up getting us killed."
"Caught in the lover's crossfire!" exclaimed Akira, "You know, sometimes that's the most exciting part of dating married women."
"Insane," Soujiro shook his head, "Can we call off this bet now? I don't think it's such a great idea anymore. I prefer my women to be simple, with no strings attached, and preferably without such a violent temper." He muttered the last part under his breath.
"Ah! Where's your sense of adventure?" Akira was far more enthusiastic. "This is just the sort of situation I understand! You're just afraid I'm going to win now."
"Yeah that's it, whatever you say," Soujiro laughed, "come on, we gotta go figure out a new plan for tomorrow, since Makino's acting aggressively all on her own, and doesn't need our encouragement to come out and play."
Laughing, the two boys went off to prepare.
Doumyouji, lurking in the shadows, had watched the whole scene. Unfortunately, he was too far away to hear much of the dialogue. All he caught were a few brief snatches of conversation. (Clubbing.. Tomorrow.. Makino.) and of course, the kisses. He'd never seen Tsukushi act so familiarly with those two, before. In fact, she usually tried her hardest to avoid them, as their innuendoes and flirtatiousness tended to make her uncomfortable. What the hell was going on here? He desperately wished he could go talk to Makino, but sadly, he realized he'd lost the right to confront her. He slipped deeper into the shadows, a cold ache clutching his chest. He'd follow the trio tomorrow, and try to find out what was going on.
A light touch on his arm startled Doumyouji from his grim reverie. He jumped guiltily, and turned to face the combined forces of Shigeru and Sakurako.
"We heard what you did," they stated flatly, "but Rui explained it to us, and we're here to help you win back Tsukushi."
"But," they continued, "be aware, that we're doing for her sake, not yours, and if we even so much as think you're fucking with her, we'll tell her about Umi."
"Oh yeah, and one more thing. . ." Sakurako started to continue, when Shigeru shushed her, "No! we weren't going to mention that part!"
"Right then, are you going to cooperate with us?" They finished.
Doumyouji fought the undignified urge to get down on his knees and thank them humbly and effusively. To cover his gratitude, he mustered the strength to bluster,
"I don't need any help! I'm the great Doumyouji Tsukasa after all!"
The girls shook their heads in disbelief, "Right then, we'll be off. Good luck, idiot."
"No wait! I didn't mean it. Don't leave!" Tsukasa hurried after them. "Please, I need your help."
"That's more like it," the two girls nodded in agreement. now here's what we're going to do. . .
to be continued! Yeah.
"Hey Makino!"
"What do you want, Nishikado?"
"Well, erm," Soujiro was interrupted by the sight of Akira popping up on Tsukushi's other side.
"Eh?" Tsukushi was almost as startled by this appearance as Soujiro
"We were just wondering if you wanted to come clubbing with us tonight!" Akira spoke up before Soujiro could regain his train of thought.
"You know I have to work! My family's depending on me!" Tsukushi sighed.
"Yeah, remember, she's the working virgin!" Soujiro quipped before he could remember that winning his bet with Akira depended on making Tsukushi fall for him. Makino's fist came hurtling at his face, out of nowhere, it seemed, but stopped mere millimeters in front of his nose.
"I'd break that lovely nose of yours, pretty boy," She growled, through her blush, "but I've got a better idea."
Tsukushi had spent much of her miserable day dreaming up ways to subtly get revenge on Doumyouji. Her moment of weakness on the stairs had vanished, replaced with her usual mixture of determination and volatility. She suspected that whatever anger Doumyouji felt at her now would vanish as abruptly as it had come, but in the meantime, she didn't plan to forgive him so easily. One sure way she knew to upset him; that is, if he cared about her at all still, was to be seen enjoying herself in the company of another man. Normally, Rui would do fine, but she didn't want him getting involved in this altercation. And besides, Doumyouji already knew that nothing would happen between her and Rui. . . . At least, she didn't think anything would. . . right? She shook her head firmly to rid herself of these doubts. No matter what, Doumyouji was the only man for her, and she was the only woman for him-now she just had to make him realize it.
Turning to Akira and Soujiro, Tsukushi spoke firmly, "Right, You two are going to help me out. We're going to make Doumyouji wish he'd never left me! I'm working tonight, but I've got tomorrow off. The two of you are going to take me to dinner, and we're going clubbing, afterwards. Don't be late, or I'll knock your skulls in. Bye now!" She ended with an uncharacteristically bright chirp. As she was turning away, she caught a glimpse of Doumyouji's imposing figure lurking in the shadows of the doorway, so with an effort she turned back to the two playboys. Muttering, "Try anything and you're dead," she glanced to make sure Tsukasa was looking their way, and deliberately kissed both boys on the cheek. "Remember, tomorrow, 6 pm!" she called as she raced off to work.
The two playboys turned to each other in shock.
"Umm, what just happened there?" As usual, Akira was the first to regain his composure.
"I think the tables have been turned," Soujiro guessed. "Between the two of them, Tsukasa and Tsukushi are going to end up getting us killed."
"Caught in the lover's crossfire!" exclaimed Akira, "You know, sometimes that's the most exciting part of dating married women."
"Insane," Soujiro shook his head, "Can we call off this bet now? I don't think it's such a great idea anymore. I prefer my women to be simple, with no strings attached, and preferably without such a violent temper." He muttered the last part under his breath.
"Ah! Where's your sense of adventure?" Akira was far more enthusiastic. "This is just the sort of situation I understand! You're just afraid I'm going to win now."
"Yeah that's it, whatever you say," Soujiro laughed, "come on, we gotta go figure out a new plan for tomorrow, since Makino's acting aggressively all on her own, and doesn't need our encouragement to come out and play."
Laughing, the two boys went off to prepare.
Doumyouji, lurking in the shadows, had watched the whole scene. Unfortunately, he was too far away to hear much of the dialogue. All he caught were a few brief snatches of conversation. (Clubbing.. Tomorrow.. Makino.) and of course, the kisses. He'd never seen Tsukushi act so familiarly with those two, before. In fact, she usually tried her hardest to avoid them, as their innuendoes and flirtatiousness tended to make her uncomfortable. What the hell was going on here? He desperately wished he could go talk to Makino, but sadly, he realized he'd lost the right to confront her. He slipped deeper into the shadows, a cold ache clutching his chest. He'd follow the trio tomorrow, and try to find out what was going on.
A light touch on his arm startled Doumyouji from his grim reverie. He jumped guiltily, and turned to face the combined forces of Shigeru and Sakurako.
"We heard what you did," they stated flatly, "but Rui explained it to us, and we're here to help you win back Tsukushi."
"But," they continued, "be aware, that we're doing for her sake, not yours, and if we even so much as think you're fucking with her, we'll tell her about Umi."
"Oh yeah, and one more thing. . ." Sakurako started to continue, when Shigeru shushed her, "No! we weren't going to mention that part!"
"Right then, are you going to cooperate with us?" They finished.
Doumyouji fought the undignified urge to get down on his knees and thank them humbly and effusively. To cover his gratitude, he mustered the strength to bluster,
"I don't need any help! I'm the great Doumyouji Tsukasa after all!"
The girls shook their heads in disbelief, "Right then, we'll be off. Good luck, idiot."
"No wait! I didn't mean it. Don't leave!" Tsukasa hurried after them. "Please, I need your help."
"That's more like it," the two girls nodded in agreement. now here's what we're going to do. . .
to be continued! Yeah.