I'm really happy to see how much some really enjoyed the last chapter! What's most interesting for me is to see everyone's take on the characters in this fic (especially Ayato / Subaru), but I love getting reviews and I read every single one of them, and so I'll like to thank everyone for the encouragement and enthusiasm!
Have fun reading!
It was another three days to the festival. Event representatives from all the classes really have it tough; they weren't only managing their own class, but also had to work with the teachers to plan, manage and decorate the school compound.
For the past many days, Yui had been staying back to keep things running with her fellow schoolmates. She had no idea that it was going to be this exhausting, but then again, it feels rather fulfilling at the same time.
Yui was assigned the Year 1's classrooms area, to double check on every student's roles and that things are running smoothly without any problems. As she checked in on each class, she also eventually came to Subaru's class.
He seemed genuinely surprised to see her, when she appeared during set-up.
"Hello," she greeted the class' student monitor, "I hope things are going well."
Subaru cut in before his classmate could even reply Yui, "Wait, what are you here for?"
"Sakamaki, you're speaking up! That's new," the male classmate replied. He only earned himself a look from Subaru.
"Oh, you're here, Subaru! I think I forgot to mention to you," Yui answered, "I'm my class' event representative. But we all have to double up with extra duties outside class so I'm supposed to check on the first years."
"Oh."
"I'll need the full class register and festival roles, please," Yui turned her attention back to other boy.
Subaru quietly goes back to his desk and starts painting the decorations like he was supposed to.
"I thought you didn't want to do those," said the classmate who sat beside him.
Subaru only keeps mum. Of course he had to do something when Yui's here. He couldn't let her see that he'd been slacking around.
The day of the festival rolled about quickly. It was the time to really enjoy and let loose, at least before the dreaded exam results are officially released. A lot was happening for the festival, and especially since many celebrities or upcoming talents were schooling here, there will also be plenty of performances to look forward to. An hour before the festival even starts; people from the public or other schools had already gathered around outside.
For Yui and Ayato's class, they were doing a themed maid and butler café. It was a classic concept, but not any less popular than the other classes across the levels. The classroom was wonderfully decorated to mimic a homey environment, and dishes were mainly Japanese cuisine favourites. (Yui also managed to throw takoyaki into the menu, so Ayato would be more inclined to stick around and not skip out.)
The boys all went to change first, while the girls were finishing up with the last minute food preparations.
"Hey, Yui," one of the girls in charge of the drinks station called out to her.
"What is it?" Yui said curiously.
"Are you and Sakamaki dating?"
The question caught Yui off guard, and she nearly drops the cutlery that she'd been holding.
She didn't know what was the best answer to give. They may stay under the same roof and of course, they make out a lot (not that anyone else needs to know) and they spend a fair amount of time with each other everyday, but Ayato never asked her officially if she'd be his girlfriend. She's also shy, so she never asked.
And so for now, she has no idea what their status is really.
"I don't know, I don't think so…" Yui says softly.
"Eh, so it's complicated, is it? But you always call each other by your first names, and you look kinda close, so I think many people assumed."
"Really?"
"Of course! All the Sakamaki brothers are good-looking, but none of them ever really seem to date girls…well, besides for that Sakamaki Laito from the class next door."
"I guess."
"Then, do you like him? As in, in that way."
Yui blushes furiously, but eventually only shrugs. She really didn't know her true feelings. Her classmate appears to be a little disappointed, but upon getting called, she stops interrogating Yui.
Just then, Yui feels a tap on her shoulder and she swerves around. There stood Ayato, all dressed up in a proper suit, looking incredibly handsome from head to toe.
The only thing that stood out like a sore thumb was the way he wore his necktie. She usually lets it slide, seeing how he seemed so used to having it slung loosely around his neck, but this won't do for the festival. Yui begins tugging at it, despite Ayato's loud protests.
"Oi, what are you doing, Chichinashi?"
"You have to tie it the right way, just like everybody else!" Yui says, directing her gaze at the rest of their male classmates for a moment to prove her point.
"Leave it, I like it this way," he snaps.
Yui gives him an angry look, which Ayato only gladly returns. Then she asks.
"Could it be…that you don't know how to tie a necktie properly?"
Ayato instantly looks uncomfortable and clearly annoyed.
"That's none of your business."
"I'm afraid it is. You can't look like that for the festival, Ayato."
She takes the tie, hooks the cloth expertly over the boy's neck and ties it like a pro. Actually, she'd learned it from her father since she was a young girl, and then took over to helping her father do his neckties whenever she could.
"There, it's done," Yui beams happily.
Ayato was baffled, but it only lasted a second before he went back to scolding her.
"I don't need your help, I knew how to do that."
"Uh-huh," Yui nods, feeling somewhat triumphant.
"Shouldn't you be getting dressed now anyway? All the girls have gone," Ayato reminds her, "Or…"
He pulls her to him by the arm, and then whispers in her ear, "Do you want yours truly to help you change instead?"
Yui immediately tears herself away from Ayato, picking up her costume.
"No, thank you!"
Ayato didn't get to see Yui in her costume before he was summoned to do his job as a butler. It irritated him, but the moment he saw some pretty girls with huge racks sauntering into their class café, it does make things better. There are perks indeed when you go to a school that's overflowing with celebs, he guesses.
On the other hand, Yui returns back to class late, because on the way to change, she ran into a teacher who needed some help with packing some pamphlets. The class café had already gone into full swing by the time she made it back, but from the looks of it, its reception is pretty good.
She was honestly glad for that, until she saw how some of the female visitors were fawning over Ayato. It seems that he doesn't hate their attention on him either.
Of course. He's good-looking and confident. Which girl wouldn't be interested?
Yui swallowed and chose to look away instead. Even though she'd just let her classmate know, that she was still unsure about her feelings for Ayato, she really disliked seeing him talk to any other girl, especially in such a chummy way. It really doesn't help that those girls were so much prettier than her…and bustier too.
"We need to get the new customers at the door!" A classmate's voice snaps Yui back to reality.
"I'll do it!"
Yui offered to step up next, since she was raring to go anyway. They were two guys, and from their uniform, they seem to be from that pretty prestigious high school that's not too far from here.
"Welcome, master! Let me show you your seats," Yui recites, going through the motion smoothly. She brings them to a table by the window.
"It's our first time here. A high school with only night classes is pretty unusual, so we thought we'll check this out," says one of them.
"And we never thought we'll run into a girl as cute as you," says the other, the pair of them running their eyes over her. It made her feel instantly uncomfortable.
Yui took their orders politely anyway, and silently hoped for them to not act this way later, but she wasn't in luck. They made the same sort of comments when she went to serve them their food.
"Please enjoy your food, master."
"Hey, aren't there feeding services for us masters or something?" one snickered.
His other friend only laughed, before knocking his cutlery over. Yui could swear it was on purpose, but she had to bend down to get it.
"That's quite a nice view," he then commented, and Yui instantly yelps, standing straight up. She had no idea they'd been trying to peak underneath her skirt! It has her feeling perplexed. These guys were really putting her on the spot since earlier and she didn't know what to do.
Maybe I should call Ayato for help…
But Yui didn't even have to turn around, because out of nowhere, Ayato appeared right beside her. She didn't even have to look at his face to know that it was him.
"I'll scram if I were you assholes," he barks, "Before I hand you guys a knuckle sandwich instead."
The troublemakers immediately exchanged looks, glared at Ayato once, before getting off their seats to go, murmuring something about not being that hungry for the food anyway. Only when Yui saw them leave completely did she manage to relax.
"Th- thank you, Ayato…" she quickly says.
Ayato furrows his brows, before grabbing her by the hand forcefully.
"We're taking a break, be back later," he says to a classmate nearby, before dragging Yui out of the classroom, faster than she could even think to protest.
They zip through the corridor, where it was still bustling with activity coming from each class. Yui even spotted Laito and Kanato's class going on with their Romeo and Juliet drama skit, but it was just a blur because Ayato was cutting through the crowd fast.
"Ouch, my wrist…" Yui pleads, which Ayato only conveniently ignores. He doesn't stop till they got to the ground floor and outside to a quieter side of the school compound.
Yui watches as Ayato removes his blazer and tosses it into her arms.
"What's this for?" she asks in surprise.
"Tie it around your waist. Now," he orders.
"But, why?"
"Your skirt is too short, and no one else has the permission to look underneath it unless it's me. Also…"
He takes a step closer to her and rubs at her face with the sleeve of his shirt. It takes Yui by surprise.
"Who said you could put on make-up, Chichinashi? This is exactly why those dumb guys were leering at you!"
Yui looks up at Ayato's face, seeing nothing but his usual angry expression, except now it's also laced with concern. A concern that doesn't belong to any one of those pretty girls she saw earlier, just her. Somehow, the realisation makes her feel warm inside.
Yui obediently nods, tying the sleeves of the blazer around her waist so it now acted like a makeshift cover that go past the length of her skirt.
"Do I look okay?" she asked.
When Yui doesn't get an immediate reply, she then looks up, catching Ayato staring at her outfit.
"…Is it that I look weird in this?" she asks in a fluster, "I guess I really don't suit costumes like these after all, huh."
Ayato, for the first time in the day, was seeing Yui properly in her maid outfit. All the girls in their class had on the exact same outfit; Dark brown with ruffled sleeves and skirt, and a white satin apron and ribbon bow tie to boot. Her golden locks contrasted well against the colour of the outfit.
Damn, she looks cute.
"Ayato?" Yui cocks her head to a side.
Ayato snaps back to reality. Looking down upon her, he then takes a step forward, tilting her chin up with his hand. The next thing Yui realises was that Ayato's lips were upon hers, and he was running his tongue across her lips...
Her face as red as beetroot, Yui breaks the kiss almost immediately. "What do you think you're doing? We're still in school!" her voice a harsh whisper.
"You still have some of that lipstick on. I don't like it."
"I had to put some on for the sake of the café," Yui started to protest, but when she realised just how unhappy Ayato looked, she stopped.
"But if you don't like it, I suppose I won't put it on anymore…"
Ayato crosses his arms, grunting once in approval. It's not that he didn't like Yui putting on make-up or wearing skimpier clothes. Of course he likes it. But if she had to look cuter, then it can only be reserved for him and not anyone else.
At a farther distance, there came the sound of some students and staff setting up a display near the courtyard. It caught both their attention.
"What's that all about?" Ayato asked.
"Ah, it's for the fireworks display later on. There will be bonfire party too. I think a lot of students are looking forward to it."
Ayato didn't remember getting the memo, but bonfires and fireworks do sound exciting.
"Say, should we join the party thing later then? The two of us."
Yui gave it a thought. "But I can't. I have to pack up and I need to do a check around the classrooms…" she replied disappointingly.
"But…" she continued, "I think I'll be done in time to catch the fireworks."
"I'll see you later at the courtyard then," Ayato grinned, "Don't you dare keep me waiting, Chichinashi."
Yui watched as Ayato turned to go. She took a glance down at his blazer, which is still tied firmly around her waist, and gave a small smile. It probably clashes a bit with her outfit but she doesn't mind. The way he looks out for her, his possessiveness, were qualities that she's slowly embracing. She can't wait to be watching fireworks with Ayato already for the first time.
From the open classroom corridors far away, Subaru catches sight of her. He thinks to himself silently, as he notices the smile tugging at the edge of her lips.
"Sakamaki!" He hears one of his female classmates calling. It broke his concentration.
"What?"
"I've been calling you for the fourth time now. Break's over, it's your turn to go act as the vampire."
Subaru turned back to see if Yui were still there, but it looks like she's already gone off. Oh well. Maybe he could catch her later. And just maybe, if she might be free, he could ask if she wants to watch the fireworks with him too.
