6:25 PM
"It's surprising when two people end up liking each other unexpectedly."
"This is so good.." Kaito huffed as he munched on the juicy, delectable chicken that was plopped before him, his eyes glistening in delight owing to the amazing flavor. While aggressively chewing, he mutters, "So good!"
Why the hell did we wind up here?
In response, Meiko, who was sitting beside him, shook her head as she drank beer from a tiny cup.
Len hummed in agreement while munching on the delicious pizza with one hand while the other held a scoop of creamy spaghetti. As she bit into a chicken nugget, Rin let out an exasperated sigh. "Len-kun, have some manners at least." The blonde girl whispered as she followed the crinkled straw in her glass of cold fresh cola. Len rolls his electric blue eyes and eats the delicacies on the zen platform. " Sure, whatever, Rin-chan," he mutters to himself from across the table.
Luka and Miku stared at Kaito from across the table with concern thrown onto their blue eyes. From the moment they arrived at the restaurant, he had been stuffing his hungry belly as if nothing had happened. Despite Kaito's large appetite, Rin was still surprised at the way he had been able to remain so slim and fit while consuming so many foods containing a lot of calories and grease. Len looked up from beside him, eyes widening with shock and surprise. "Um...Kaito-san, are you all right?" He asked.
A hum of approval came from Kaito, as he continued to fill up on the delicious food like a turkey on Thanksgiving.
Rin sulked from beside Len, nestling herself in her gray hoodie like a bunny digging its burrow. She repeatedly spared murderous glares towards an ecstatic Miku, who strangely didn't realize. She didn't like this girl, the way she annoyingly grinned every time she was near their friends, was strange. Rin knew she was hiding something, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
Miku was playing with her feelings.
Len sighed and ran his hand through his fluffy blonde hair, before shifting his sea-blue eyes towards Miku's plate. She had salty fries nestled beside her spaghetti and what looked like bronze chicken nuggets or maybe even wings. He spared a cautious glance towards her happy expression, she was eating a slice of cheese pizza complemented with leeks and other vegetables.
A sly smirk plastered on his face, he began snickering quietly. He crept his hand near her plate as he sneakily grasped a french fry, then ate it effortlessly. Miku blinked in shock. "Hey! Len-kun, you took my fry!" Miku yelled out loud abruptly, pouting at him like a child who had just lost their toy. "My bad, Leek-chan~" Len smirked smugly at the bickering girl, snickering playfully in response. Miku scowled and reddened with embarrassment, then purposely grabbed his delectable chicken wing from beside his plastic plate.
"HEY-" Miku ate it between ferocious blushes, then glanced at his offended expression with a smug look on her face. "Serves you right," Miku muttered under her breath while blushing with embarrassment. "WAAAA! Why do you have to be so mean to me, Miku-chan..." Len whined in response, groaning quietly as he faced her shy appearance. Miku's eyes widened, then she giggled happily with satisfaction. "Sorry, I was just joking." Miku smiles shyly. "Righttt..." Len replied as he smirked playfully.
She thought it was cute and fun to tease him, his reactions were priceless and adorable. The way he fake cried was cute, and it was silly and stupid at the same time.
His bright electric blue eyes were irresistible to stare at, it was so dreamy and drug-like. They were like two pools that you could sink in and never have the urge to get out of it. His luxurious fluffy blonde hair was like silk, Miku so badly wanted to touch his fluffy hair and ruffle it playfully until it was all messed up to look like a bedhead or a nest for birds and squirrels.
It only took her a second to realize she was staring at him for too long. And he noticed, but he said not a single word to the girl.
"U-um...sorry." Miku murmurs as a shade of crimson red blanketed her pale face, her heart was practically throbbing in her eardrums uncontrollably.
Len smiles shyly, his face turning into the slightest light shade of pink. "It's okay."
Rin glared at the two, biting her lip with anger and remorse.
"Len-kun, don't cry like a baby in public, sheesh." She says while changing the subject. "Or else I'll give you something to cry about," Rin mumbles, raking her hand through her blonde luscious hair. "Do you always have to be mean to your brother, Rin-chan?" Matsuri barked from across the table beside Kaito and Len as she gave the girl a dirty once over.
Fukase raised both of his eyebrows at the redhead, then sighed in exhaustion from beside Rin. "I'm not always mean, Matsuri-san..." Rin whispers in response, pinching the edge of her gray sleeve with her thumb.
Len faced his sister with sympathetic eyes, then spared a murderous glare at the redhead beside him. He knew that she was still upset from a few days before, that day was...horrible.
Rin stopped having that warm smile on her face.
"Yeah, that's true." Len responded as he stuffed his hands inside his pockets, "She's only mean to me sometimes." He sighed in exhaustion. "But it's normal to have stupid fights, as long as we're there for each other, that's all that matters." Rin weakly smiled at her brother's response, but then returned to her saddened expression. "Right, sis?" He cheekily grins at his sister.
Meiko soothingly stroked her back as she tried to ease her sad friend beside her. Rin didn't budge to the action, she just stood there, dead and emotionless.
She looked as dead as the screen on her phone.
"Rin, aren't you going to be hot in that sweater?" Meiko asked the blonde female, Rin shook her head in response, her fluffy blonde hair cutely bouncing against her forehead. "No. I'm okay. Thanks, Meiko." Rin lied through her teeth while smiling nervously. "At least put your sleeves up," The redhead from across sneered. Rin growled quietly. "What if I don't want to?" She raised her voice, nearly slamming her hands on the table before Miku grasped her palm.
Rin's ocean eyes widened with surprise like a deer's shocked ones.
Huh?
"...She doesn't have to take off her hoodie, I'm wearing one right now and I'm fine." Miku quietly replied to Matsuri's lecture as she finally let go of Rin's wrist. Rin stood in dead silence. "I mean...no one is saying anything about your...skimpy top," Miku mumbled relentlessly as she met her cyan eyes with Matsuri's seductive bright blue ones.
The redhead didn't even reply to that. Instead, the girl just huffed and crossed her arms over her exposed chest, then reclined back onto the crimson leather chair.
If Miku hadn't grabbed her wrist, she'd probably lose control of her anger and start crying for no reason. Rin was still upset from the day before, and the fact that Matsuri knew that she hated her getting all close to her brother didn't make things any better.
I thought I could trust you, yet that was all a lie.
Rin fidgeted with her fingers, gripping on the edge of her sleeve while the others chatted happily. She didn't even say anything throughout the whole conversation, she just spaced out and stood in dead silence.
Miku shifted her eyes towards the moping girl, she looked as if she was about to say something, but she kept quiet.
Rin quietly sneered.
It was almost as if she had a problem with her, why would that be though?
Rin did nothing. All she only did was be a jerk, but that was mainly it. She wasn't rude to her or wasn't doing anything to make her life harder. "...Miku." Rin sternly says, snarling underneath her breath. "If you have something to say to me, just say it." She growls. Miku locked her calm gaze with Rin's fuming blue eyes. "Rin..."
Miku hesitates while biting her lip nervously. "I-"
Her sentence got cut off abruptly by the clatters of plates and cups coming from the kitchen, and a raspy stern yell could be heard from a dozen feet.
"AAAAA! WHAT THE HECK!? YOU STUPID BASTARDS! I LEAVE THIS KITCHEN FOR ONLY A SECOND, AND YOU FIVE NEARLY SET THIS WHOLE PLACE ON FIRE!? BULLCRAP!"
The voice from the kitchen screamed at the top of its lungs. "What the heck?" Len muttered to himself before a female waitress hastily arrived at their table, green locks sprawled over her forehead like a waterfall, and limestone eyes widened with shock and surprise.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," The female says while breathing heavily, and finally stands up to reveal her tender face. Her eyes were dazzling, the color of jades and vibrant green.
She bowed down in an apologetic manner, fixing her jet black apron wrapped around her waist.
Another female quickly shifted towards the green-haired girl, an annoyed look written all over her face. Her electric blue eyes were vibrant and endearing, attractive and they matched perfectly with her blonde luscious locks.
"Lily? Gumi?" Rin says in shock from across the table. The blondie, Lily, blinks with surprise as she faced her group of friends. "Oh, I- U-um, hi..." Gumi says quietly, before reddening as she realized Fukase was here. He didn't notice though, he was too busy eating his delicious food. "Len-kun? Rin? LUKA? What are you all doing here?" Lily asks, curiosity gleaming in her jade eyes. Luka chuckles nervously and ruffles her pink hair with embarrassment. "Well..."
"We're out for dinner!" Kaito barks suddenly, bumping his elbow into Rin's. "Oh, by the way, Lily. This food is awesome, man!" He grins with satisfaction as he continues to gnaw the food nestled onto his plastic plate. "Really? Thanks!" Lily bows down as a sign of thanks, her plump lips curved from ear to ear. "Hey, uh, Lily? What was all that ruckus in the kitchen?" A curious Len asks with concern splattered onto his sea-blue eyes.
Lily clicks her tongue in reply, then sighs between annoyed groans. "Staff." She mutters quickly. "The chefs nearly set the kitchen on fire while the other trainee cooks were just minding their own business and making their meals." The female shakes her head in disappointment, "I only leave them alone in the kitchen for two minutes and they already mess up. Sigh." Gumi quietly nods in agreement.
Miku giggles in response. "Anyway," Lily plops herself down on the chair beside Luka as she throws her head back against the surface of the leather seats, "Hand me a spicy wing, please. I'm starving." The blonde says as she licks her lips, she could taste it already, the burning sensation of the fried meat, oh boy, the thought of it made her drool.
Gumi struds down beside the female casually, placing her maroon tray on the surface of the table. Matsuri let out a warm, cocky smile, which was obviously fake, before passing a glossy, maroon, juicy chicken wing towards Lily.
Lily forced a smile towards the redhead, then munched on the delicious meat. "Thanks," She says between chews. "Hey, Lily, Gumi," Luka says, "So, what's your role here? You know, what do you work here for?" The pinkette muffles between chews. "Oh, I'm just a waitress, I help Lily out sometimes with the cooks." Gumi smiles, teeth gleaming brightly with the warm dim light.
Lily's lips form into a proud, smug smirk. "Manager," Lily says casually. Len chokes on his icy cola, "You? Manager!? But you're only 16..." Lily smiles with triumph. "Yeah, I know. Shocking, isn't it? My parents own the place anyway, so it's fine. They know I'm responsible." The female says while crossing her arms, then sighed in exhaustion. "Responsible...sure.." Len mumbles. Rin jabbed Len's guts, in which he winced quietly in response. "By the way, Len-kun, you haven't introduced me to your sister yet," Lily says as she nudges his shoulder playfully. "I'm Lily, by the way."
Len nods. "Right, Rin-chan, meet Lily-san. I met her at soccer practice back in elementary school. We've been friends since then." He says as he swallows the last bit of chicken. "Oh, that's cool." Rin forces a weak smile, then waves her hand towards the blonde female and green-haired girl beside her brother. Lily clicks her tongue and throws finger guns towards the sullen girl, then smiles brightly.
"Why do you seem so down, Rin? Len tells me that you're usually smiling and happy." Lily says casually as she pours herself a cup of green tea. Gumi bites a piece of rice cake placed on her tray. Rin smiles uncomfortably, yet she is touched by the female's sympathy. "No reason." She lies through her teeth. "I'm okay, don't worry." Rin forces a smile, Gumi stares at her with a stern look, almost as if she knew.
Yet, she didn't want to tell them about the truth.
It was true that she was still upset from the day when her parents left, but she wondered if it was worth being upset over something so gullible and childish. Rin wondered if Lily knew that something was up, but she doubted that she did. But she could tell, Lily didn't like Matsuri at the least bit. Even if Matsuri was Rin's 'friend', Lily didn't seem to care about how the blonde felt.
"Oh, right." Luka says from beside the tealette, "Lily, this is my younger sister, Miku."
Lily's ears perked up with shock. "Wait, since when do you-"
Luka shushed the female, before abruptly and unexpectedly nudging her younger sister's shoulder. "Introduce yourself, Miku-chan!" Miku hesitated, as she began to speak, her mouth contorting strangely. "H-hello! I'm Megurine Miyuki, but you can call me Miku! I'm Luka's younger sister. Nice to meet you, Lily-san." She smiled warmly.
Lily, utterly confused, bowed with politeness and smiled in return.
When did she..?
"Anyways, how the heck have you been doing, Luka? Why'd you leave me alone for two whole years?" Lily jokes, "Oh, I transferred out. Did you think I was on vacation or something?" She laughs. "Dude, no. I'm still mad at you for leaving and not saying anything." Lily pouts, then laughs hysterically. "My sister goes there too," Luka says. Miku grinned sheepishly, then nodded in response. "Mhm. I do. I know my way around, Len-kun showed me anyway." She peeped. Len nodded slowly in agreement, fiddling with his beige wooden chopsticks.
Lily smiles and reclines back against the seat, both arms crossed behind her head. "Wow. Len, I didn't know you would become a school tourist. First a hall monitor in grade school, and now a school tourist in high school? Wow." Len reddened with embarrassment. "Hey, Wh-what's that supposed to mean?" Lily smiled mischievously yet smugly. "You still suck at having a school job, that's for sure." Lily mocks playfully as she smirks proudly.
Gumi laughs in response. "Hey! Shut up!" Len yells abruptly, hitting her arms with his hands playfully. Miku giggled and snickered from across. The way he hit her and bickered was childish, yet cute and stupid all together at the same time. Kaito stands up from his seat, a suspicious grin plastered on his face.
"Who's up for a game of spin the bottle!?" He hollers out abruptly as the others flinch in shock.
"What? Kaito-" Meiko attempted to stop him, but the teenagers didn't listen. Len exchanges confused glances with Rin, to which she shrugs relentlessly in response. Gumi giggles mischievously, "Me! And Miku-chan!" She says as she grasps Miku's slender arm and waves her palm in the air. "Eh!? Me!? But I'm not even-" Gumi shushed her with a finger to the lips, "Oh, shut up. This game isn't that bad anyway, besides.." The greenette wiggles her eyebrows playfully as she nudges her shoulder. Gumi shifts her eyes towards an exasperated Len, who was chatting with Rin and Lily. She snickers in an evil manner. Miku stares at her with confusion and tilts her head, but then instantly freezes once she realizes what Gumi meant.
The tealette reddened with embarrassment and shyness, and she threw a murderous glare toward the greenette. "No. I'm not playing." Gumi giggles and rolls her eyes. "Well, Kaito-san already counted you in, so you're playing whether you like it or not." The female says casually. "Gumi! You can't even talk to your crush, so shut up!" Miku playfully jabs her in the stomach, to which Gumi laughs hysterically in response. Lily whoops, "Okay! We can go to this private room, no one will say anything. Also, you guys can pucker up in the broom closet." The blonde female leads them to a perfectly organized room.
"W-wait, pucker up?-" Miku's sentence was cut off as Lily opened the door to a traditional zen room. The cushions lined up perfectly against the tea table, and they matched well with the tatami floor. The scent of delicious Jasmine tea along with rice cakes lingered in the air, and the atmosphere was dense and calm.
There was a closet door nestled in the corner, which they assumed was the broom closet Lily had mentioned.
"My favorite place," Gumi says with a smile plastered on her pale pink lips.
Luka grasps Miku's wrist, dragging her with her as they make their way to the crimson floor which was complemented with soft, pillowy cushions. Kaito was in between Lily and Len, Rin was in the middle of Meiko and Miku, and Luka was beside the tealette and Gumi next to the pink-haired woman. Matsuri sat in the corner, and so did Fukase.
"Winner gets ¥10,502.4000, loser needs to get our dinner next time we eat," Lily says casually while snickering quietly as she places fifty dollars on the center of the table. "Okay!" Gumi yells out, fidgeting with an empty bottle of beer in her hands. "Who's going first?" The lime-haired female speaks in a mischievous tone between giggles.
Matsuri chuckled softly yet smugly, twirling a section of her crimson locks. "Me." The teen says proudly.
Rin hides her face in her hoodie as she painfully watches the redhead spin the empty bottle, the tension in the air shifting to a dense cloud of fear.
The bottle spun for a few seconds before it landed on...
Lily.
"EH!? HANG ON- Hold up- THAT'S NOT-" Matsuri reddens with anger, her eyes fuming over Lily's calm ones. "I don't want to either, so don't complain." She sighs in disbelief, before standing up. Matsuri sighs in frustration, forcing her limbs to sit up.
Gumi giggles from beside Luka. "Woo! Good luck!" Gumi yells out, a smug smirk plastered on her lips. Lily snarled and threw the finger at the greenette before leaving with the redhead, and entering the broom closet. "Love you too, Lily!" Gumi yells out. "Woooow. So...do we all have to kiss the person we get paired with?" Rin says sarcastically, sipping her ice water. "I guess so," Len hums in response, before raising his eyebrows at Gumi, who was stealing glances at Fukase.
Miku reddened, biting her nails nervously, tension rising upon her shoulder blades. Gumi sulked down in her seat, her blood boiling with embarrassment and dissatisfaction.
She wondered what they were doing in there, all alone and in the darkness.
Miku's heart throbbed thinking about her lips being paired with Len's. The thought sent goosebumps down her back and her heart pulsed in her eardrums even more uncontrollably.
"Snap out of it...!" Miku buried her face in her palms, her face reddening with embarrassment and shyness. Her heart began throbbing uncontrollably and her blood began to boil. "Woah." Luka spoke casually in shock and confusion, "Miku-chan, why the heck do you look like you're about to explode?"
Miku and Rin froze.
"You look like a tomato!" Gumi laughed happily as she finally fell to the floor, dying of laughter.
Rin shifts her ocean eyes towards the blushing tealette, her eyes sending electrical bolts of anger.
Why was she blushing? Out of all the things she would have blushed about, it was either embarrassment or shyness, but it didn't seem like it.
Miku looked flustered.
But then it all started coming together like puzzle pieces over on another.
Out of everything that had happened between her and Len, shy smiles and stupid bright grins.
The way their cheeks flush pink every time they bicker or 'flirt'.
And that's when she realized.
They like each other.
