Ah, sorry I haven't updated in a while guys. But then, barely anyone reads this story anyway, so it's not like I get any complaints about it. Not like If Wishes where if I don't update for a couple of days everyone starts talking about how I'm taking too long with the chapter. Heehee, oh well, gives me more time to write when I feel like it. So, chapter, chapter, chapter…
This chapter is dedicated to me, because I, Jade, have made her onee-chan cry with her touchingly written story. (Not this one, a different one.) That's the only reason this chapter is being written, I've been inspired by reactions to my own genius.
Agent Ookami: Um, here let me deflate your ego a little: It was a little...er, spontaneous wasn't it? I mean, it's just kind of all of the sudden…
Jade: SHHHHH! I want to remember this moment forever. Teresa, the amazing, crying onee-chan.
Agent Ookami: How do you always manage to throw a gag into every one of these?
Jade: I'm good like that. Viva la Ron!
Agent Ookami: Nice accent.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kare Kano.
Warnings: The usual.
Not Permitted
Chapter Five
"That assignment will be due at the end of the week." The teacher told them all sternly. Arima glanced over at Yukino who winked at him. "I know a few of you are lagging behind on homework, you need to make sure and catch up with the rest of us."
The bell rang and the students began to file out of the classroom. Arima was leaving with Yukino when the teacher stopped him.
"Mr. Souchirou, can I have a word with you?" The teacher asked him.
"I'll be in the hall." Yukino told him before leaving him alone with the teacher.
"Um, yeah?" Arima raised his eyebrows in question.
"I see you didn't turn in the essay last week." The teacher flipped open her grade book. "You also didn't turn in the packet that was due on our poetry unit."
"I was finished with it, but it was late and you don't accept late work..." Arima trailed off.
"I don't believe in late work because I give you lots of time before due dates. Is there anything wrong? A bright boy like you with such great recommendations from your last school…I can't see why there's a slide in the work like this." The teacher frowned at him. "Is something troubling you?"
"No, no, I'm really sorry, I'll try harder this week." Arima promised her. Guilt rose up in him. That's right, he hadn't been getting all his work done. But then, he had been spending so much more time with the others that it didn't seem like there was enough time in the day to do everything.
"Okay then. You know, I see you talk to Miss Miyazawa a lot. You could take a leaf out of her book, her essay last week was very good." The teacher informed him. "That'll be all, you can go."
Arima ducked out of the classroom, a slightly bewildered expression on his face.
Take a leaf out of Yukino's book?
Her essay was very good?
When did Yukino have time to do her essay?
"What did the teacher want to talk to you about?" Yukino hit him on the back, making all the thoughts fly out of his head. "Wanted to give you an award for being the model student?"
"Er, no." Arima tried to laugh but he felt uneasy. They all thought he was doing really well still. Was it lying when you didn't deny it? "She just wanted to talk to me about that essay last week."
"That was such a breeze." Yukino stretched her arms over her head and cracked her knuckles. "Did yours go okay?"
"Actually..." Arima trailed off. What was he going to say? Suddenly he felt like it was very important that Yukino didn't know he wasn't as successful as she thought he was. Because if she knew the truth, somehow he would become less in her eyes.
"Um, excuse me." A girl stopped Yukino in the hall.
"Yeah?" Yukino gave her a small smile.
"Can you tell Asaba to call me?" The girl asked pleadingly. "My name's Kaori, he'll remember me from Sunday night."
"Er, sure." Yukino gave a sideways look to Arima who almost started to laugh. He knew that even if Yukino did tell him, Asaba wasn't going to call. "Well, we've got to go, bye." Yukino practically dragged Arima away, walking unnecessarily fast.
"Why are we walking so fast?" Arima questioned her.
"I just don't like dealing with some of the Asaba fan-club members." Yukino slowed her pace down, still holding onto Arima's arm. He was feeling strangely light-headed as he noticed this. "I think it's funny when they ask me or Tsubaki to carry messages for them. But sometimes they can be sort of annoying."
"Well maybe if he didn't..." Arima stopped talking as soon as he realized what he was about to say.
"Maybe if he wasn't such a man-whore, we wouldn't have this problem?" Yukino supplied. "I'd tell him, but Tsubaki and him are probably neck and neck on who's slept with the most people. And I'm no saint."
"I-I'm not judging you guys." Arima quickly defended himself. "I was just going to say that maybe if he, er, moderated his activities..."
"Haha, you sound just like a teacher." Yukino giggled into her hand. "It's just a little annoying, but it's not really that big of a deal. As long as it doesn't get out of hand like last year with the weird stalker guy..."
"Weird stalker guy?" Arima looked at her strangely.
"You haven't heard this story?" Yukino asked as though he had been cheated out of the greatest part of life. "Okay, so, Asaba had this roommate who was 'straight' until two weeks after the first day of school, when him and Asaba slept together. So, his best friend has this thing for Asaba and, okay, I'm not clear on this completely, but apparently they had some sort of threesome thing.
"Then, the best friend kept sleeping with Asaba and then acting really possessive of him. Well, Asaba told him to stop and then the best friend guy got really mad because he found out Asaba was sleeping with almost all of us. (Obviously, the exception being Maho.) He just started following him everywhere.
"Asaba kept trying to get rid of him nicely but it didn't work. So he goes to Tsubaki about it. She takes the guy by his collar in front of a bunch of people and tells him that if he doesn't knock it off, she'll kick his ass. He backed off about it after that. I heard he transferred or something." Yukino finished the story as they arrived at their rooms.
"Oooooh, look at you two!" Asaba danced around the couch as they came in. "You look just like a couple!" He teased the two.
"A couple, what fun is that?" Yukino let go of his arm and Arima felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"Exactly. Monogamy is so lame." Tsubaki sighed from where she was sitting on the couch. "If Tonami asks where I am, tell him that I'm studying three dorms away. When he comes back, say the exact same thing and point in the opposite direction."
"Got it." Yukino plopped down next to her, kissing her on the cheek. "So, what'cha guys doing?"
"Other then watching Asaba prance around the room, not much." Tsubaki shrugged before there was a knock at the door.
"Hey you guys? Do you know where Tsubaki is?" Tonami's voice came through the door.
"And trying to avoid him." Tsubaki sighed. "What is with that guy? I mean, I show no interest, I blatantly ignore him, we're always mean to him, why does he keep trying?"
"'Cause you're so cute." Asaba plopped down in her lap. "Let's go screw."
"Hmm, that would take my mind off matters." Tsubaki pretended to contemplate it. "I suppose." The two got up and ran into Asaba's room.
"My room's free." Yukino spoke almost absently as she turned on the TV. Arima's eyes bugged out. He wished he didn't always do that when Yukino made those sorts of comments but he really couldn't help it. Or when any of the others did, it was hard to think of them actually wanting to have sex with him. Maybe they just did because he was a part of the group and that's how the group accepted people. Still, it wasn't something that was easy to get used to.
He tried to laugh as he sat down next to her. She crossed her legs, which made her skirt show just a little more of her thigh. Arima was staring at the edge of the skirt thinking about how if it went down a little further...
"Did you get what-" Yukino turned toward him suddenly and he snapped his head forward, blushing profusely. She stopped when she realized what had just happened. In her head, Yukino was giggling mischievously. Her hands slyly went to her blouse and she undid a few buttons. "Arima?" She said his name in a perfectly innocent way.
"Yeah?" Arima turned toward her and his eyes went from her face to her cleavage and then quickly back to her face, his face becoming a brilliant shade of red.
"Can you hand me that magazine?" Yukino batted her eyelashes.
"Um, sure." Arima gulped and tried to think of things other then Yukino's nice cleavage. He went to grab the magazine.
"No, not that one." Yukino shook her head. "That one right there." She didn't point to help him out. He moved his arm and looked at her questioningly.
"This one?" He hazarded as he started to reach for another one.
"No, oh I'll get it." Yukino started to reach over, but the magazine was too far so she put one hand on Arima's leg and reached forward to grab the first magazine he had reached for. She pretended to slip before catching herself on his leg, a little bit further up then her hand had previously been.
Yukino sat up where she had previously been sitting and opened the magazine calmly. Arima stood up quickly.
"Er, I have to...go." Arima started to run toward the door to his and Asaba's room.
"Tsubaki and Asaba are in there." Yukino reminded him.
"Oh." Arima croaked. He ran for the bathroom instead. Yukino was giggling to herself up until Maho came in.
"What's so funny?" Maho asked as she sat down next to the orange-haired girl.
"Ah, nothing." Yukino smothered her giggles. "Let's just say Arima's working out some issues with his hand in the bathroom.
"He better clean up those issues when he's done." Maho folded her arms.
* * *
They had all been acting really weird the next week. Arima couldn't put his finger on it, but the whole group was being a little strange and secretive. They'd be talking about something and as soon as he entered the room, they'd stop talking.
Maybe...maybe they don't like hanging out with me anymore...
Maybe they're discussing the best way to leave me out of things.
Arima couldn't help but take a pessimistic stand on the issue. He looked over at the seat next to his where Yukino was chewing on her pen and trying to think of what to write next on her assignment. He watched her mouth as her lips moved in what could be described as a pout. Arima shook himself, he had obviously been hanging around the others a little too long.
It'll probably turn out for the best if they decide they don't like me anymore.
Although, I think I'll miss them.
He glanced over at Yukino once more.
No, I would definitely miss them.
The bell rang and him and Yukino left class together, her talking about her day while waving at people who greeted her along the way. Arima was distracted by her conversation and forgot about it until they got to their dorm.
"Oh, Arima, um, Asaba wanted to do this thing and you don't want to be there for it, so maybe you can wait in Tsubaki's room until it's over?" Yukino gave him an indulgent look. Arima frowned at this but tried to pretend that he didn't care.
"Sure." Arima shrugged before knocking on Tsubaki's door.
"Tsubaki?" Tonami answered. "Oh. What are you doing here?"
"I'm supposed to wait here until something's over with." Arima tried to explain. "Can I wait here?"
"Okay." Tonami let him in. "They've all been over there doing...something. Tsubaki won't tell me what it is but they all seem really excited about it."
They didn't want Tonami or me to know about it.
Usually they just don't want Tonami to know.
Tsubaki popped her head in the door. "Arima? Can you come here for a second?"
"Yeah." Arima got up and followed her.
"We need your help with something." Tsubaki told him before gesturing toward the his door. "After you."
Arima walked inside the door to his dorm room, not sure what to expect but feeling a little disillusioned about life right then.
"SUPRISE!"
Arima jumped up in the air in shock. What was going on?
"Happy birthday Arima!" Asaba was wearing one of those present bows on his head.
Happy...birthday?
It's my birthday today! I completely forgot!
This was due to the fact that no one had really cared that it was his birthday before, other than his parents who called on his birthday and sent him presents.
"Wow...I thought...wow..." Arima was still trying to get over it. "You guys...how did you know my birthday?"
"We looked it up on the school registry." Maho had tinsel in her hair but was still managing to look as neat and proper as always.
"Yeah, technically we aren't sposed'ta but Asaba knew the office aide." Shibahime explained. "He knows all the office aides."
"Yep, we're throwing you a party and..." Asaba handed him a glass of what looked like plain coca-cola. "It's non-alcoholic! None of us are drinking tonight because we know you don't like alcohol that much."
"That's cool." Arima took a sip of his coke. He looked around and noticed something decidedly amiss. "Where's Yukino?"
At this, everyone started laughing but tried desperately to cover it up. Even Maho was smiling.
"What?" Arima looked around at them.
"I think he should sit down for this." Tsubaki lead him over to the couch, which was covered in confetti. There were balloons everywhere and it looked as though there had been a confetti war in his absence.
"Oh Yukino, you can come out now!" Rika and Aya sang together. The bathroom door opened. Arima's jaw dropped.
N-no way...
Yukino was wearing a very small red dress with black fishnets, which were being held up by exposed garters. Her hair was up in a messy bun but not for long because someone turned on music and she quickly took her hair down, messing it up with her hands.
"Um..." Arima looked around, but no one was paying attention to him. Yukino began to dance around the room to the beat of the music. At first he didn't really understand this until she began to strip. He was sure that he was going to die right then.
"Wooo!" Tsubaki cheered her on.
"Omigod." Arima wasn't sure if it would be impolite to cover his eyes. He wasn't sure he could take much more of this.
"I think Arima's going to explode." Shibahime pointed out to Asaba.
"He seems to be enjoying himself." Asaba commented with approval. "Although I still say-"
"You know what Asaba, we've been through this a thousand times. Yukino's the stripper, not you." Tsubaki poked his forehead with her index finger.
"I would have been a good stripper." Asaba pouted.
"I know you would have." Tsubaki patted his head. "You were very good on my last birthday."
The song ended and Yukino received a round of applause, Arima was still staring with his jaw slightly open and his eyes as wide as they could go.
"He's in shock." Maho stated, waving a hand in front of his face. Yukino went to go get dressed in some regular clothes.
"Woah, it's a good thing Asaba didn't strip, I don't think Arima could have handled Asaba's dance moves." Tsubaki laughed before hitting Arima really hard on the back of the head.
"Wha-?" Arima started.
"Yeah, no more strippers for Arima." Asaba decided. "Let's open presents!"
"Do I want to open presents?" Arima looked at them suspiciously.
"What do you mean? Don't you like presents?" Yukino came back out in jeans and small t-shirt. Arima felt like his face was on fire.
"Er...yeah I do." Arima finally got out.
"We knew you'd like a stripper!" Asaba started to get presents and put them on the coffee table in front of him. "Even though I wanted to be the stripper, but Tsubaki was like "No, let Yukino do it." Whatever."
"Get over it." Tsubaki threw a cushion at his face. "The stripping is over and done with."
"Which one should I open first?" Arima asked the group.
"Mine!" They all yelled at once. He took the nearest one and proceeded to unwrap it.
It was candy. Arima sighed in relief. Somehow he was sure this group wasn't above giving each other very mature gifts. All the other presents were normal; DVDs and books and other things one would normally get.
The rest of the night was fun, filled with games and movies, sometimes both at once. (Asaba and Tsubaki were quite impressive with their plethora of anime drinking games, even though they only had soda to do it with.) But there was something bothering Arima.
He couldn't figure it out though. He kept finding himself watching Yukino instead of movies, or instead of paying attention. At first he kept telling himself that it was the shock of seeing her strip in front of him. But then, it didn't seem like it was.
But then, he had been watching her a lot more as the weeks had gone by. Yukino and him were fast friends and he found himself drawn more to her than any of the others. But why was that?
When he finally climbed into bed at four in the morning, glad that the next day was a Saturday so he didn't have any classes, he remembered vaguely that his parents hadn't called. They would probably call tomorrow. He hoped they didn't call very early. His thoughts wandered back to Yukino.
Why do I keep thinking about her?
What is it about her...
He remembered earlier in the evening when they were playing Spin the Bottle.
"It's gonna land on me!" Asaba declared as Arima spun the bottle in the middle of the group. It slowed down to a stop.
Pointing at Yukino. She laughed and put down her cup of soda, crawling across the circle till she was inches from his face. He leaned forward and his lips touched hers, Yukino deepened the kiss. He found himself lost in that moment. He wanted to stay right there for as long as he could.
"Hey you two, get a room." Tsubaki's words separated them as Yukino pulled away.
"He has a room, and it's with me." Asaba winked at him.
He touched his lips with his fingers; he could still feel that kiss. What was this feeling?
And then it dawned on him, just as he was about to slip into a deep slumber. The realization felt like there was a fist clenching down on his heart.
He was in love with her.
You, idiot!
She...she'll never feel like that about you. The group...that's not how they are.
Great, just great, out of all the girls in the world, you fell for the one who doesn't believe in relationships.
With that, Arima fell asleep, hoping that he could solve his problems when he woke up again.
* * *
I feel like such a sadist to Arima. Sorry Arima! The torture DOES have a point, I swear. Heehee, I liked this chapter. But what will happen next time? You'll just have to see!