Courting Cherries

So You Don't Wanna Hear About My Good Day

Disclaimer: Me no own Hot Gimmick. Pounds chest like a cave man

"Are you still mad?" Hatsumi asked, trying to lean forward to look at him and keep her balance at the same time. Okay, maybe that's a stupid question... He was walking so fast she could hardly keep up. Not to mention she felt like her captured arm was about to go limp.

"What do you think?" Ryoki snapped at her, turning his head amazingly fast. Yep, stupid question…

"I swear to god you planned this!" He started. Hatsumi jumped, almost falling down if not for his hold on her. She thought he was just going to leave the conversation with that short answer. But I know him better then that; of course he has something more to say. Ryoki loves to hear himself speak…

Hey! Wait a minute, "Why I'm I being accused of-"

"Because you must have planned this! You just didn't want to do anything so you told Akane to come with us!"

"I didn't even know she was going to be there. Didn't you hear what she said? She was surprised to see us." Hatsumi explained meekly, trying to defend herself. I swear, where does he get all these ideas?

"You probably told her to say that, just like you planned to make me fall asleep on new Years!" Ryoki came to a dead halt after shouting, dropping her arm like it was a sack of potatoes.

Hatsumi starred at him as he stood before her, an exasperated look on her face. I had secret plans; he's the one who has obviously been planning! She continued to stare at him, changing her face to a confused one, as if to ask 'what do you want me to say?' She lowered her eyes to the ground, why can't things with him be easier?

If Hatsumi had been stronger she would have told him that he was not the center of the world. If Hatsumi had been able to stand up for herself more she would have told him he was being crazy, and to stop with his paranoid delusions. Maybe if Hatsumi could have been more like Akane... But she wasn't, Hatsumi wasn't anything like her sister...so things were not going to be easy. Ever.

Hatsumi's face dropped even more, the beginnings of tears starting to become apparent. She looked over to Ryoki once more to see if anything had changed. He still had an expecting look on his face, arms crossed and all. "I didn't do it," Hatsumi managed to say before she coughed into her hand a little. Why do I have to get so upset over things like this? No one else does.

"Stop blubbering." Hatsumi heard something to that effect being muttered in her direction. "Fine, you didn't do anything," Ryoki said louder, more clearly. "It's just that your stupid sister has to get into everyone's business," said Ryoki, uncrossing his arms, with a hint of humor he finished what he had to say. "Sometimes I think she's more annoying than you are." He laughed a little, waiting for Hatsumi to look up at him.

Is Ryoki actually trying to cheer me up? He had a small smile on his face that suggested he was trying to do just that. Hatsumi took a couple steps towards him and wiped the few tears off her face. Oddly, Ryoki looked a little uncomfortable until she composed herself.

"I'm sorry that you're angry about how the night went. I guess it wasn't a very good date, huh?" Hatsumi offered, smiling up at him.

Ryoki smile turned into a smirk in the equivalent of zero to sixty. He smirked for two reasons; one Hatsumi just used the word date. Two, "we can make up for it," he said.

Hatsumi's smile faded to worry. Does this boy think of nothing else? "It's late Ryoki, my parents are going to be angry if I'm not home." Hatsumi did not feel quite as bad with her excuse; it was the truth after all. The last thing she needed now was to be grounded.

"I bet your sister isn't home yet." Ryoki stated, hinting his annoyance.

"I guess, but you no how she is. She'll go just home and sneak back out or something like that." Why do I get the feeling that I just gave him some vital information?

"Hmm," Ryoki put his hand under his chin assuming thinking pose. "Your right about that and since your sister did ruin my night we'll just have to do things her way."

Hatsumi felt like screaming, it's not my fault she's my sister! I didn't ask her and Subaru to come with us; I thought we already went over that! But instead of yelling she settled for mumbling, "I can't do that."

"Why the hell not?" Ryoki raised his voice, eyebrows crossed. "You've done it before! I know, remember? You snuck out to see that damned Azusa."

And look how well that turned out… "I can't I'll get into trouble with my parents and then I'll have an even harder time seeing you."

"You worry too much. First off, they'll never find out. Second, how come you'll sneak out to see that bastard and not me?" Ryoki questioned her. Great now he's found something else to argue with me about.

Hatsumi couldn't win this one, she knew it. She was tired of fighting, and by rule Ryoki won ninety-nine (with a bar over it), percent of their fights.

"Okay," she said quietly, I give in. And why shouldn't you? A part of Hatsumi's brain asked that quick question. Ryoki is your boyfriend now and you know you at least care about him. You would sneak out for Azusa, why not Ryoki?

Oh great, Hatsumi thought. Now even my own brain is in alliance with him.

"Hey, pay attention." Ryoki said, snapping some fingers in front of her. "We're going to go out, were going to go to that club in the second district."

"We are?"

"Yes, do you have a problem with that?"

Well yeah, don't have too many found memories of that place. Hatsumi remembered the time she had went there with her then boyfriend Azusa and gotten drunk. Only then to have her now boyfriend Ryoki, feel her up when she went home. "You don't really seem like the kind of person who wants to go to a club is all."

"Well that's where we are going whether you like it or not," Ryoki said. He grabbed her and pulled her inside to the elevator in the front lobby of the apartment complex. "I want you to meet me at the back entrance in an hour." He looked down at his watch, "its five minutes to ten, meet me at eleven and don't be late either."

"Don't you think that's a little late? Doesn't the club close?" She asked. She wasn't feeling at ease with their new date plan, staying out all night was not something she had planned on.

"You dope, they don't close 'til dawn. At least not this one, don't you remember from the last time you went?"

"Well I wasn't there very long." Hatsumi muttered to him. She didn't know that much about clubs, she was surprised he did.

"Yeah, you got too smashed to remember anything anyways, huh?" He said teasing her. The elevator lights moved faster, going upwards.

"Okay, I'll see you at eleven. And I won't be late." She threw that in hoping to please him. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad. They actually might have fun, maybe.

"Hatsumi come here," he grabbed her before she could exit the elevator. The door closed back in on them for lack of someone walking through it, and before she knew it she was closed in again with him.

"What is it?"

"I want a kiss."

Well isn't he smooth, why bother with sweet talk when you can just get straight to the point? Hatsumi starred at him for a minute muddling over his request before she was startled by Ryoki's arms encircling her. His lips followed just as quickly catching Hatsumi's before she had a chance to think. Maybe that was a good thing… I have to admit, for a while now I haven't thought of kissing Ryoki as a chore at all. Even though he seems cold, right now he's so warm.

Ryoki held her a little tighter, starting to prod Hatsumi's lips to part and allow him inside. Hatsumi didn't protest, and much to Ryoki's surprise she actually reached out to hold him close to her. Ryoki massaged the inside of her mouth; when Hatsumi became noticeably frustrated she attempted to follow in suit. It was warm and sweet, Ryoki tasted just as good as she remembered from the roof a couple days ago. And kissing was not as hard to do as everyone made it out to be. Sure it wasn't the best because they were both new at the whole thing, breathing was awkward, but they were getting the hang of it. Ryoki brought out his tongue and took a quick breath, allowing Hatsumi to do the same before he jumped back in and crushed his lips against hers in a bruising kiss. This wasn't so bad at all.

"Ahh hem." A couple spurts of coughing noises were heard coming from behind Hatsumi, interrupting the two. Hatsumi broke away from Ryoki ridiculously fast from the moment she heard the noises, realizing someone must have called the elevator. Oh god, I hope it's not one of the wives in the complex…

Ryoki was not as quick to leave their moment, as he looked up to see the person who disturbed them. Hatsumi had yet to turn towards the door; she looked like a deer in the headlights.

"Hatsumi?" She heard her name being called, and slowly turned still holding on to Ryoki. Shingou?

Now I wish that was one of the complex wives. "Shingou, what are you doing here?" She asked, not able to think of a better question. What should one say when caught in a situation like this? Hatsumi had no idea.

"I left some things here that I just haven't had time to pick up," Shingou said scratching the back of his head nervously. "I have a job around here tonight and thought now was a good time to stop by."

"Oh."

"Well great," Ryoki threw out. He was obviously not happy, and had no problem showing it. He reached forwards past Hatsumi, who still had her arms locked around his, to reach the buttons. Hatsumi noticed and threw her arms back down to her sides. Wow! Great way to make this any less awkward...

Hatsumi chose to seem like she wasn't paying attention to anything. The only thing she did not though, was that the elevator had stopped at the lobby level; not her floor. Turning, she starred at the wall, breaths from the three were creating an interesting sound.

Shingou stood on his feet still in front of the doors when they closed behind him, switching his feet back and forth while leaning on them. He was definitely still analyzing the situation. A part of him was angry, but another part was just a little too shocked right now to think.

Silence continued for a minute before the familiar ding of the doors opening brought Hatsumi and Shingou back from their thoughts, while Ryoki just stood in the corner agitated. Why hadn't I heard the ding before? Hatsumi thought. Ryoki walked past them suddenly, Hatsumi noticing he must have had pressed the button for his floor.

"I'll see you in fifty minutes, don't be late." With that he left. Leaving the two siblings to stare at the floor of the elevator until one realized they actually needed to press a button to go somewhere.