Disclaimer I don't own any of the HYD characters nor the original plotline of HYD, but I certainly own this particular plot and all the characters I created for it...
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9-"I am not a moron"
Soujiro broke the kiss when his cellphone began to vibrate in his pocket. What was her name already ? Not very important, anyway.
"Sorry, sweetheart. I need to answer this."
He opened his cellphone and took the call.
"Yo Akira ! So, how did it go?"
His date saw him cringe from the screams going out of the receiver. But then she saw his amused expression.
"Really?"
More furious answers.
"Look, why don't you tell me all about this tonight at Tsukasa's? We're supposed to meet there anyway... Yes, I know Tsukushi will be there. But I'm sure you can't really hide this from her – she'll know it firsthand anyway."
He paused, picturing the scene in his head.
"Must have been real funny !"
More outrage pouring from the phone.
"Why don't you hold that thought and do that later ? I'm enjoying someone's company at the moment, unlike you... No, you won't. Bye, Akira."
Soujiro hung up and smiled again at the idea of Sophie laughing so hard at Akira because of that meal. He knew this attempt would turn out to be hilarious. He just regretted he couldn't have been there to witness it directly. He couldn't wait to meet that Sophie girl that had that completely magical power to make the predatory Akira completely harmless. And he couldn't wait to see Akira's face in the evening. Well : each thing in its own time.
He turned towards his date and used his most seductive grin.
"So, gorgeous, where were we ?"
Tsukushi was ushered inside the Domyouji mansion as soon as she arrived, and was quickly able to see Tsubaki coming her way, talking on her phone. Domyouji's sister hung up and smiled broadly when she saw the young woman.
"Hey Tsukushi ! What are doing here ?
- I promised Tsukasa I would come after work. He complains he never gets to see me anymore...
- Well, if that isn't cute... He is with the other three in his own living room, or at least he was ten minutes ago. You know where that is, right?"
Tsukushi smiled at Tsubaki.
"Of course. Thanks, Tsubaki !
- No problem, really. And from what I understand, Tsukasa loves the dress you picked for Friday night. He had that stupid grin on his face all afternoon."
Tsukushi rolled her eyes and shrugged.
"He had to make me chose that one with the lower neckline... I wanted to argue, but it's his birthday, so I gave up."
They both smiled indulgently. Both of them perfectly understood that sometimes, you just had to indulge some of the boy's whims.
When she entered the said room, the scene was quite unusual but still had a little touch of déjà-vu. Akira had the most annoyed look she had ever seen on his delicate features, Soujiro was – once again – laughing harder than ever, Tsukasa seemed like he was hesitating between amusement and outrage, and even Rui couldn't hide the mocking smile on his lips. She immediately understood that this had to have something to do with the information she had extracted with effort from Sophie earlier.
When they had met after class, Sophie had seemed tired and Tsukushi had sensed from the attitude of some girls in her class that something unusual had happened. She had managed to get her to tell her the story, and had ended up laughing hysterically at the description of Akira's demise – Sophie sure knew how to tell a story.
While considering what was happening in front of her, she suspected Soujiro might have had something to do with it. And then, Tsukasa saw that she was there and his face brightened instantly. He got up and came towards her to pull her in a tight hug.
"Tsukushi..."
As much as she loved him, she struggled a little.
"Tsukasa, I'm glad to see you too, but I need to breathe..."
He relaxed his embrace and took her hand in his after deposing a tender kiss on her knuckles.
"Sorry about that."
He wrapped his other arm around his waist to keep her next to him : he was always afraid she would go, disappear, leave him. They returned to the couch, and he made room next to him by pushing Soujiro aside. Tsukushi smiled as she relaxed in her boyfriend's embrace.
She had grown fond of those four guys. They all had their faults, but their friendship was something to treasure – she knew it, because she had had the luck to become their friend. She was not just 'Tsukasa's violent girlfriend' anymore : she was someone they all cared about. Tsukushi couldn't help it, though. Time to have a little fun at the playboy's expense. He deserved it for his blackmailing poor Sophie into this ridiculous lunch.
"So, whose brilliant idea was it?"
Akira and Soujiro played the innocence, while Rui chuckled.
"I can't believe you actually had snails prepared for that meal. That's not what the regular French people eat...
- As if I didn't notice, thank you so much for your valuable input, Rui !"
The concept was sufficiently absurd for Rui to participate in the conversation of his own will. Akira covered his eyes with his hand.
"So, tell me. How lame did she think I was?
- So lame, I don't think you'd want me to tell you. Apparently, the best part was when you didn't understand why she thought the whole thing was so funny. 'He frowned so much that I was afraid his eyebrows were going to spontaneously plug themselves off his face'. Come on, Akira, even I would never have thought of something that...
- Okay, enough of people saying that I'm a moron for today, please. My ego is bruised enough.
- Could do you some good, you know.
- When was I ever mean to you, Tsukushi?"
The young woman just smiled.
"Just give it up, Akira.
- I won't !
- So prepare yourself for some more bruises.
- No, because next time, I'm not listening to this moron."
Soujiro bit his lips and tried not to indulge to a new wave of laughter. Tsukasa shifted and repeated the solution he found most adequate.
"Just do yourself a favor and red tag her."
The reaction was instantaneous and simultaneous.
"No !"
Akira had just replied firmly, while Tsukushi pinched Tsukasa's earlobe very hard to illustrate her point. The poor guy let a little scream escape, taken by surprise.
"That hurts, you violent woman !
- That's the point, you pineapple head !"
Akira, Soujiro and Rui looked at each other, shaking their head in disbelief. Soujiro voiced their common thought.
"Isn't love sweet..."
That won him two ferocious glares.
Tsukasa rubbed his sore earlobe, looking at Tsukushi less than tenderly.
"I can't believe I actually wanted you to come here tonight !
- I'm sure part of you enjoys this, otherwise you'd stop saying stupid things when I'm there. But don't you dare red tag Sophie. It's not her fault that Akira is a complete moron.
- What did I just say about being called a moron?
- Shut up, Akira, replied the couple with one voice.
- It's at times like this that we can see how right you are for each other...
- Soujiro, shut up, they continued.
- Okay, then, Akira, stop chasing after Tsukushi's friend. I'd like to keep my ears intact."
Remark for which she kicked his foot.
"What now? I'm telling him to leave your friend alone ! Isn't that what you'd want ?
- You're so dense, Tsukasa, I need a new word to describe how dense you are !
- Whatever, Tsukushi."
Akira decided to take it out on Soujiro.
"You're not going to find this funny for long, Soujiro. You're going pay for putting me in this situation !
- I didn't order that meal... You did. I can't believe you actually took that advice... I was kidding, man !
- Fine... It was stupid, I admitted it already. What would you have done better in my place, Mr. I'm-the-specialist-of-young-girls ?
- I know how to pick my battles, Akira. I would never go after her type : feisty girls are too much trouble. Did you see me try and chase after Tsukushi?"
Tsukasa glared at Soujiro, and Tsukushi looked at him in disbelief.
"What ? I'm just saying I know it takes more 'dedication' than what I'm willing to invest to seduce someone like Tsukushi or this... Sophie girl. I don't say I would not succeed if I tried – because I'm quite sure I would... I just don't want to.
- Like I would ever fall for you, Soujiro...
- You're only saying that because I never tried, Tsukushi. And I won't, he added when he saw the murderous look in Tsukasa's eyes.
- And I didn't tell you the worst. She understood that I'm involved with Hisaya.
- The PE teacher ?"
Akira nodded, and Soujiro couldn't hold the new chuckle that came at this revelation.
"You're so not seducing her any time soon.
- I don't agree with this statement. It's all a question of image : I have to change the one she has of me currently : I'll find a way, I just need to think about it. I am not giving up. My honor as a man depends on it. And the more difficult she makes it for me, the more I actually want her.
- Akira?
- Yes, Tsukushi?
- You're a pig, you know that ? I'm glad Sophie knows how to protect herself. But I still wish there was a way to protect the whole womankind from you.
- I'm not a pig, I'm just a man. And your Sophie friend is becoming more and more appealing to me every time she doesn't fall...
- Suit yourself. But you're going nowhere with her : she told me she finds playboys are a quite disgusting kind.
- You know that I'm feeling this is a dare? She'll be mine, eventually, you'll see."
Tsukushi wondered how much more time and failed attempts it would take to deflate Akira's womanizer ego. Or if it would ever deflate, for that matter.
She just hoped Sophie would not kill him in the process – because that's what she would be tempted to do in her place if he went after her like that.
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Yes, I know, a filler chapter. Anyway, I need it, because the one coming after this one is to be more intense, and I need it introduced. And since nobody thinks anything about what I write... well, I'll continue according to what I think makes sense. I just hope someone would tell something, but, hey, that's just me hoping !
;o)