Chapter 15: Hafuri, Fukusuki Natsu

Omojiri sighed. It was one of those days where she went out for nothing but to breathe in outside air, and she had to come across not one student, but two students! What's worse, they're in her class. If she's not careful, not only will they ruin the rare days-off where she's awake in the morning, but even worse, she'll ruin their date. So she had to sneak around, as to not spoil the date.

"How do you use this, Hafuri?" the boy she knew as Fukusuki Natsu asked. He was holding a pager, a small rectangular piece of technology Omojiri saw her father used when she was small.

The girl next to him, with long hair ending in curly waves, started explaining everything about pocket bells. She was so excited, at the end of her explanation she wiped her forehead with a white handkerchief patterned with little black dots. "Oh wait, I didn't explain how to use it! Ooops!" She said, tapping her forehead. She then pointed to a nearby phone box. She went in and pressed some buttons.

Fukusuki was surprised by the pager's bell. He looked at the screen. "Isn't this wonderful," he said.

Still within the phone box, still with the phone on her hand, Hafuri looked at Fukusuki. "Hmm? That's not what I send. I sent 'Hello Fukusuki'." Hafuri looked at the phone and touched the keypads, as if willing it to say her errors.

"No, it did say 'hello Fukusuki'. I just really liked that. Can I try?" Fukusuki asked. He went inside the phone box. It was cramped with Hafuri in it, but she didn't seem to mind. Omojiri couldn't hear what they're saying, but it's clear they're having fun.

Kids these days.

The two went out of the phone box and resumed their date. Eventually they reached a music shop, which was just next to the sushi restaurant Omojiri wanted to visit. In there, they too looked like they were having fun, looking over records of old 80's albums. Hafuri always had something to say about any record Fukusuki picked.

Next to the music shop was a fabric store, and in this Fukusuki reigned. He zipped from one spot to the next, looking over rolls of fabric, touching it gently, as if willing them to speak of their innate qualities. Hafuri focused a lot on fabrics with polka dot designs, similar to her skirt, black with tiny white dots.

In an act so brazen Omojiri swore the shop attendant would kick them out, Fukusuki went down on his knees, pinched the hem of Hafuri's skirt, and pulled them up, enough to see her knees. Fukusuki was utterly focused on the material of the skirt than of anything else. When he's done, he put the hem down, got up, and instantly picked a kind of fabric. Hafuri nodded enthusiastically

Kids these days.

They went out of the store carrying bags of materials for clothes. They sat on a bench, which just so happen to be close to Omojiri's bench.

"So can you see the appeal of 80's design?" Hafuri asked.

"Yes. I thought it looked out of date at first, but there is certainly a charm in it." In another brazen act, he pinched the collar of Hafuri's white blouse. "The frills and the silhouette collars are especially striking. Accentuates the collarbone really well." He then touched the skirt, indirectly touching her thigh. "I thought it looked comfortable, but I didn't know it's thissoft."

"And," Hafuri reached into the bag, pulling out a straw hat, and putting it on, "this completes the set!"

Fukusuki clapped. "Wonderful! You look spectacular, Hafuri."

There was a brief silence.

"Thank you for today," Fukusuki said. "I now realise that even the 80's era clothes can look sexy."

Hafuri giggled. "In the end Fukusuki is a pervert."

"You love the 80's, I love sexy clothes, it's the same love," Fukusuki said.

"Anyway, if you need my help again, contact me on my pager," Hafuri said, standing up. She left Fukusuki alone, who continued staring at her back.

"Man, that blouse...it's almost see through sometimes," Fukusuki said.

[break]

"Kids these days," Omojiri said, looking at Tadano and Komi running. "How do they get the energy?"

Author's note: I'm indebted to rpapo's translation of 'Slow Motion wo Mou Ichido'. Hafuri's outfit in this chapter is the one used in chapter 62 of that manga.