She Comes And Goes As She Pleases (Part 13)
by BrDPirateMan

"So, how's the coffee?"

My tongue wasn't a fan of the bitter taste. "I… Coffee just isn't my thing, Mr H."

"Really?" Mr Hanekoma rubbed the back of his neck. "It's my newest house blend. Just came in yesterday, so I thought I'd let you have a taste. Maybe you'll learn to love it." He barked out a short laugh.

"I don't know about that…" And I put down my cup, forever untouched.

Today at WildKat there weren't many customers, so the proprietor, Mr Hanekoma or Mr H as some like to call him, had some free time to chat with me. He had a love for coffee and a good style for his age; just don't call him old, and you'll be fine.

He wiped the counter as he talked. "Say, how are things between you and your lady friend?"

"You mean Eri? Well, we're still friends."

"So you're saying you haven't popped the big question yet? You're going to need a ring for that! I heard diamonds work."

"Nice one, Mr H. But truth be told, I haven't even confessed to her."

He paused, and with a more serious tone, he said, "You haven't? I thought you two were dating."

"I wouldn't call it dating yet. We're more like just hanging out as friends."

"Mind telling me why it's still that way?"

My sheepishly-explained reason was, "I… just don't have the guts yet." Then, very quickly I added, "But I was going to get round to it soon! The problem is I don't know how without looking, um, bad."

As he stared at me with what I thought was an incredulous look, I began to feel even more self-conscious of myself. "You can't even confess to a girl by now?" was probably in his head. I was pretty much an adult already and in college to boot, and had overcome all sorts of hurdles both big and small to make it this far. But saying the three famous words to the one you loved was a task too daunting for me! The fear of rejection was a major stumbling block and I couldn't clear it out of the way.

When he next spoke, however, he had a kind tone and he didn't even make fun of me. "I'm not surprised to see you all hung up over this. Lots of men and women have this problem. I've seen more than enough of the poor souls myself."

I was so glad he understood my plight! Oh wait, that's it… Maybe he might…!

Hope rising within, I asked him, "Mr Hanekoma, do you have any tips on how to confess the right way? I sure could use some advice right now!"

With my request, he suddenly turned very serious. His rugged stubble-ridden face wore the look of a man who was thinking very hard – eyebrows squashed together in a frown, gray eyes narrowed into slits behind his sunglasses, aura of "wise old man" oozing from every pore of his person. It almost looked like he would buckle under the force of his concentration. I just knew he had something good for me. He had given me solid advice before and I was sure this time I wouldn't be disappointed either.

I couldn't be more wrong.

"Son," he said at last, "I only have one thing to say."

"Sure, lay it on me!"

"…The world ends with you."

The atmosphere grew so quiet I could hear the cicadas buzzing outside.

"Mr H? H-How's this gonna help me confess to Eri?"

"It wouldn't," he admitted, rubbing his neck harder. "I just couldn't think of anything to say."

"Wh-What?"

He gave a self-deprecating laugh and seemed embarrassed for a reason I would find out in a moment – and leave me in shock in the process. "Between you and me, Phones, I've been single all my life. I had two or three crushes in my younger days, but whenever I was brave enough to tell them how I felt about them, I got turned down."

This came to me as a surprising development. Mr H had a number of accomplishments under his belt – he was the head of a graphic design company and he ran WildKat as a side venture – so I was expecting him, with his wealth of life experiences, to come up with pointers for something as relatively simple as conveying your feelings to a girl. I was so sure having girlfriends wouldn't be impossible for him. But there went one pillar of support…

"Oh well," he chuckled, "I guess luck wasn't on my side back then."

"I… I see." I tried to hide my disappointment. "Sorry for dredging up the past. I didn't mean to."

"Hey, you never knew about it anyway. It's fine. But you're asking the wrong person, I'm afraid."

"Oh… okay, that's alright."

"I may not be able to help you here, but another one of my customers might. He may be a bit of a flirt, but he knows his stuff… well, he seems to, anyway, but he can't really be far wrong and it's way better than nothing! The two of you are acquainted too, Phones, just so you know."

I started going through all the people whom I had met but couldn't find anyone who fit his description. "So I know him, huh? Who is it?"

At that moment, a third voice joined the conversation. "Hoh… Well now, if it ain't ol' carrot-top. Small world!"

The owner of the voice joined me at the bar and Mr H greeted him. "Speak of the devil… Howdy, boss. Have you tried our new house blend? I can fix you some."

"Sure, man. I could kill for a cuppa. Heh, just kidding about the killing part, though!"

The new guy looked like the average street dude – casual, carefree and ready for fun at the drop of a hat. He wore this strange sleeveless parka with a ribcage design printed down the front as well as a pair of tinted glasses. Just now he called me a carrot-top, but it was a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black – his hair was as orange as mine. Everything about his attire reflected his laid-back attitude. Mr H was right in that I knew him from some time back, but it's a long story. Ah, perhaps I should introduce him now…

"Hey," I said, "long time no see… Kariya."

"I overheard you groaning about your love life," said Kariya, plopping onto the bar stool next to mine, "or lack thereof. But wow, this is unheard of, man. Phones getting a girl in his life? Seriously, it's about time!"

"Eh, it's not official."

"I know. Mind telling me the whole story, Phones? I got time to kill. Just keep the mushiness to a bare minimum though, y'hear?"

"…I thought you were eavesdropping earlier, Kariya. Besides, there isn't much to tell apart from 'I like a girl but I don't know how to confess to her', because that's pretty much it. All I need is the know-how and I should be good to go. …Hopefully, anyway."

"You don't sound very confident, that's for sure. Don't worry! We're buddies here, man. I'm gonna tell you what you need to know, so listen straight, okay? Heh, I'll be like an agony aunt or something."

This was where Mr H cut in briefly. "Kariya knows more about dating and relationships than I do. Give him a shot, Phones. He's not all that bad, even if he can get a little flaky at times."

"Yeah," said Kariya, "what he said! …Minus the flaky part."

"No," chipped in a fourth, female voice, "that flaky part is aptly put."

We were so absorbed in our conversation that we didn't really notice the girl standing behind Kariya. Her pink hair was recognizable, but it wasn't Eri's. It was short and belonged to a person with a too-serious mentality towards life. Our mystery guest… wasn't really a mystery guest, really. I know her as well as Kariya.

He spun round in his bar stool to face her. "Oi, nice timing, Uzuki. Phones here has a romance problem. What say we help him out? He's got a girl he likes, but is worried he'll mess up the 'I love you' part. Long story short he sucks at confessions."

I knew he said it in jest, but it still felt like a knife through my gut. "Kariya," I mumbled, "that stings."

The girl, Uzuki, appeared uninterested. "What, so it's like this? Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy lacks the spine to tell her his feelings, so boy sits in a café talking about his failures. Does that about sum it up?"

"H-Hey, that stings even more, you know! ! !"

"And now we're like, love doctors or something? Whatever. I'm bored anyway." Uzuki was infamous for her harsh tongue, but she never meant any harm. She just wasn't much of a girl, that's all.

"Great!" This got Kariya fired up. "Let's get this Confessions 101 class started!"

He was a slacker who disliked putting in effort, she was a die-hard workaholic, and they were the last two people I would turn to for love advice. I didn't mind talking to them about this, but I had my reservations about this pair of stooges…

XOXOXOXOXO

"So that's how things are with you and this Eri chick, eh?" Kariya stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, you're in a pretty good position. From what we know, it looks like the two of you are very close. Heck, she's all over you. And she's single! How about that! Phones, you're one lucky guy."

"Closeness is directly proportional to your probability of a successful confession," said Uzuki mathematically. "Can't you just go for it already, Neku? Your chances are good. And it's troublesome to dither around like you do."

Mr Hanekoma seconded her opinion but voiced it more gently. "I have to say I agree with Uzuki here. Given how close you two are, you wouldn't get a bad reaction from Eri. At the very least, she'll be really flattered, and that's a good start."

Kariya's rebuttal was simple but well-worded and went with a lot of vigorous head-shaking. "No, no! Don't you get it? Admitting your feelings to someone you love isn't such a simple affair. You have to make sure the atmosphere is right. You've got to get the girl in a good mood first before you make your move. For example, it's just stupid to tell a girl you love her when she's got PMS, right?"

"Yeah," I agreed, nodding. "So what now?"

"First things first, Phones: setting is important!" Slacker Guy was smirking like he was proud of himself, but I had yet to be blown away. "Just like how you need a background for a stage play, you need a time and place that'll put your girl at ease. And I know of just the thing."

"Really?" Now I was intrigued and I wanted him to spill it. "What is it?"

He looped an arm around my shoulder in a brotherly way, and behind his tinted glasses his eyes wore a look of cunning, the kind of look one might get when a delicious idea came to mind. "Not so fast. Let's see how high your LQ is…"

"…LQ? Huh?"

Uzuki answered for him. "Love Quotient. Some dumb term he coined."

"It's not dumb, girl," he defended nonchalantly. "It's a measure of your knowledge about relationships, a way of estimating how well you can score with the opposite sex."

"…It's still dumb."

Gentle laughter could be heard from Mr H. "I kind of like that. It's got a nice ring to it. Maybe I should name my next house blend after it and really rake in the customers."

Uzuki grimaced. "…'LQ Cappucino'? Not sure that really works at all. Th-That sounds more like an aphrodisiac…"

"Exactly! And that's gonna popularise WildKat to the max. Ha ha ha!"

"Guys?" I muttered. "Could we get back on track?"

"Yeah, lets." Kariya stirred his coffee with his free hand. "Okay, Phones, pop quiz. Right now it's close to the end of summer with autumn close at hand. Given your circumstances, what's the first thing that should come to mind?"

I wasn't quite sure what he was getting at and simply said, "Uh… My new semester is starting, so I gotta get ready?"

The frown that crossed his brow told me I had the wrong answer. "Incorrect! I'm going to give you one more chance, okay, amigo? So, end of summer, right? What would you think?"

"…Oh yeah!"

His smile grew wider. "Catching on, huh, Phones? Well, tell us!"

I smacked my fist into my open palm. "I almost forgot… I gotta pay the rent soon! Thanks for reminding me, Kariya."

He didn't take my second answer too well either. "No!" he huffed. "You're both wrong and hopeless, you know that? That's like an LQ of -100."

"Um… could you fill me in instead? Bit confused here."

The ever-impatient Uzuki put me out of my misery. "Kariya's talking about the Hachi Fest."

Oh… The Hachi Fest, huh? It's a festival centered around the famous Statue of Hachiko, held around the end of summer every year. The main attraction is the statue itself, and apparently if you rub it the right way – excuse the pun – you'll get good luck for the rest of the year, and who doesn't want that? So people drop by to do just that. But it's not just a big party where people come to molest a bronze dog, because that would be just sad even if it's for the lucky vibes. A lot of enterprising hawkers set up shop, selling food and offering games for the merrymakers. Shiki calls the event "a blast", and I guess in a lot of ways it is.

But I was still clueless. What had this got to do with anything? "So, um… Hachi Fest… what?"

"It's got atmosphere," said Uzuki, "is what Kariya's trying to say."

"That's my girl!" he whooped. "So glad you understand, Uzuki. But yeah, if you want atmosphere, Phones, then the Hachi Fest has plenty of it. Build up a fine mood with the festivities then find a dark quiet corner and let the fun begin! You can totally confess in style and impress her to death!"

Now that totally slipped my mind. The Hachi Fest was a popular event for couples and couples-to-be. I knew how much of a fan of this event Eri was. She would be going. And if I tagged along, and used the atmosphere to tell her about the one most important thing I wanted to say… Yes, it was the perfect setup!

It was nice pondering over the best possible scenario that could come out of this.

"I've been meaning to tell you this, Eri," I said, "but I never got the chance. I only hope I don't come across as too forthright and abrupt."

She waited patiently for me to suck in a deep breath, and given the tension of the situation, I wouldn't be too surprised if she was holding her breath herself.

Years of being single had taken their toll on me. Unrequited love could spur one to greater heights and encourage one to try new things, but it still wasn't any fun. I had just about enough of that. And tonight, with a few words, I could finally be rid of all the heartache that I had to endure all my life.

Neither did I wait nor beat about the bush. Eyes locked onto hers, I said it.

"I love you, Eri. I want to spend my days by your side and I'm serious. Will you go out with me?"

The moonlight mingled with the glow of the lanterns hung around the park and made her face look even prettier. But when she smiled at my words, that was when I decided she was the true epitome of beauty.

"Neku," she sighed happily, "of course I'd love to be your girlfriend! So… your house or mine?"

Huh? ! Wait, what? How did it come to this –

Eri's breath came out in pants. The very air in the bedroom was hot and sizzled like wildfire. The whole place felt alive. Crackling with sensations.

"Oh, Neku!" She was bucking and heaving from her exertions. "Oh god, you're so good! Give me more!"

"Neku?" came Uzuki's voice. "Hello? Are you with us?"

The scene that played out in my head was so graphic I couldn't even believe it was possible to imagine in the first place. Not a single thing was censored. Now, we guys think about this sort of thing sometimes and it's normal, but I never actually went into such detail! It was impossible to hold it in so I didn't; I mean, even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to anyway. You know me.

The counter was splattered red. Mr Hanekoma had been wiping it so diligently earlier, and now it was ruined. Everyone recoiled at this spectacle of blood and ridiculousness.

Uzuki cried out in horror. "Guh! How does this happen? ! No, more to the point, why? !"

"Yeah, seriously, man." Kariya had his hands in the air. "Projectile nosebleeds? I thought this kind of thing happens only in comics."

Mr Hanekoma took one look at the bloody mess and heaved a frustrated sigh. "I know nosebleeds just happen and you can't help it, but my customers will have a fit if you do it again in front of them."

"S-Sorry…" I was no stranger to nasal malfunctions by now, but it sucked that I couldn't control them in public. "Anyway, Hachi Fest, right? Can't hurt to give it a whirl. Thanks, everyone. This is a good start."

"Next time you stop by," said Mr Hanekoma, "bring us some good news. Bring Eri along too, so we can congratulate you both proper."

"You'll be okay," laughed Kariya. "Just keep your wits about you and be cool. Oh, and be sure to keep your nose dry or your girl will freak out." Dude, seriously? That's never going to happen… She's seen more crimson fountains than the average paramedic, and she's fine with it. She even laughs about it like it's a comedy routine.

Uzuki's way of giving me encouragement was this: "Be more assertive… more proactive. If you can grow a backbone by the time Hachi Fest arrives in town, you're set. Girls don't like wishy-washy guys. I sure don't."

"Ahaha… Uzuki, girl, those are some really brutal things to say to Phones…"

Taking Eri to the Hachi Fest… That was the stepping stone that I needed. Thank goodness Kariya and Uzuki came when they did! Now I just had to make preparations for the big day and if all went well, I could hope to do more exciting things with Eri in the future, like going on more dates, or kissing, or… or even… um…

"Faster, Neku!" shrieked Eri. "More!"

No, not that! That would be reserved for a much, much later time! What was wrong with me? !

Mr Hanekoma wasn't too happy that I dirtied the counter again. In a grumpy tone he rarely used, he grunted, "Phones, I gave you tissues. Use them!"

"Sorry, Mr H!"

"N-Now that's something…" muttered Kariya, who seemed to be in a mixture of awe and incredulity. "Nosebleeds on demand?"

On the other end of the spectrum was Uzuki, who was less impressed, if at all. "I wonder if Neku will ever be alright…"

XOXOXOXOXO

The city underwent a noticeable change. Almost overnight the streets were filled with posters. Flyers were given out in every corner. All of them proclaimed one common thing: that the Hachi Fest would be held in about a week's time. So that gave me about seven days to get myself ready. The food, the fireworks, and the statue-petting ritual sounded nice, but they were all secondary to my ultimate goal…

…confessing to Eri! It's about time anyway. I was growing sick of my stagnant love life.

First things first though. I had to call her up and make sure she wasn't "booked". She and her drinking buddies were a tight little circle, so it was likely that she might have made plans with them to go wild at the Fest together… but not if I could help it! The trick now was to beat her to it.

I was feeling quite confident. Mr H, Kariya, and Uzuki were cheering me on (although it was difficult to imagine Uzuki doing that). And Eri was a pleasant girl, so I knew she wouldn't put me down if I asked her nicely.

Right then! It was time to get to business. I grabbed my phone, palms all sweating in anticipation, and was about to dial her number…

…when suddenly, it rang. I was holding it when it did and it caught me off guard, but because my hands were sweaty, it slipped out of my grip. Actually, it didn't so much just slip as zip straight up into the air, like a scene from a cartoon. The thud it made whacking the ceiling sounded painful, but gravity gave me no time to wince and I tried to catch it as it came back down. Let's just say I was glad to have been on the baseball team during my school years. My skills had gone rusty somewhat, but a ridiculous juggle and one or two near misses later, it was back in my hands. In a nutshell, I guess I was really, really nervous!

"Hello?"

"Hi Neku, got time to spare?"

It was Eri on the line… totally unexpected, yet not surprising at the same time. Somewhere deep in my psyche I just felt it had to be her. But it gave me the shivers talking to the girl I was going to invite to the Hachi Fest.

"What's up, Eri?"

"I need your help with something," she said. "Could you come over my place for a bit? It wouldn't take too long."

"But what exactly is it?"

All I got out of her was a mysterious chuckle. "Ah ah ah. Not telling. If you wanna know, you'll just have to come and find out for yourself. I think it'll be worth your time though!"

If she was like this, there was no use trying to grill her for answers. She wouldn't flap those lips. Normally it would be tiring, but since I was going to see her about the Fest anyway, I didn't mind. Her apartment was only a few minutes' walk away anyway. Plus I was curious about what she had in store for me. "Worth my time", huh? What could it be?

Hang on… Was she trying to harass me again? Was she setting me up for another one of her pranks? No, that couldn't be it. Every time she teased me, it was spontaneous and on the spot. She wouldn't go out of her way to ask me to go to her apartment just so she could make fun of me. So this had to be something else.

Better bring some tissues just in case things got out of hand… because they often did.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Neku."

"Neku who?"

"Neku… um… uh… Sakuraba."

"Wow," snorted Eri, "that has got to be the lamest knock-knock joke I've ever heard. I'm laughing here, but for an entirely different reason."

I scratched my head sheepishly. "Sorry… You'll have to forgive me for that. I'm pretty weak where jokes are concerned."

"Eh, practice makes perfect. Come on in!"

So now at her insistence I was at her humble abode. Thanks to several Saturdays spent over here teaching her how to cook, I was so familiar with its surroundings that it was like a second home to come back to. The shoe rack near the front door was still jam-packed with her many shoes, that framed tempura picture was still on the wall, and the sofa still bore the scorch mark from a little accident that occurred during our curry lesson a month back. I sure shared some good times with her.

"Speaking of practice," she said, "I've been fine-tuning my culinary skills. One of these days I'll show you how far I've come. Just you wait, Sensei!" She seemed very proud of herself and rightfully so. I saw no reason to downplay her pride, and if she had become better like she claimed, I was eager to try out her cooking. I was happy for her.

"Heh, I'll be looking forward to it. Okay now, what's this matter you need to talk to me about?"

What's with that look on her face? She became serious all of a sudden.

"Neku," she said, "I'm in quite the bind here."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you come across those moments where you're at an important crossroads in your life and you have to make a decision? That's what's happening right now for me. There are a couple of paths to choose from, but I don't know which the better one is. No matter which way I go I'll have pros and cons to deal with. I just don't know what to do."

Oh… so Eri was confused and needed someone to pour her troubles to, huh? She may be the carefree type, but she could be serious if she wanted to. It reminded me of the time way back when she confided in me about how insecure she felt over her inability to do things like cooking and sewing.

I couldn't just sit there and let her shoulder this burden all by herself. I was a man. And a man would always help a lady friend in need! She hadn't told me what her choices were, though, but I assumed that she couldn't. Maybe it was a private thing.

I spoke very carefully, "So Eri, from what I understand… it's either one or the other. Isn't there some way to merge the best from both and pick the high way?"

She shook her head. "That's impossible. If I tried that, the end result would be a total mess."

"Hmmm… so a win-win is a no-go. Then, if I were in your shoes, I might go for the option that offers more advantages."

"But they're equally good. If I pick one I'll miss out on all the good stuff the other has to offer. And that always gets me in knots!"

Eri was stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea but it was difficult to give advice without knowing what exactly it was she had problems with. But I was afraid she might get upset if I asked her. These kinds of things tend to be touchy so it was best that I didn't delve too far in. Could she be having problems with her family?

I didn't know what else I could say to her so I told her this: "You could always go with your gut."

"My gut?"

"Even if both ways are similar, you're probably leaning towards one, even if it's just a little bit. That'll probably be the one you should take. Chances are good it'll be the right one for you."

"I dunno…" She bit her lip, thinking hard. "Trust my gut feeling, huh? Okay, we'll see how things work out."

I shrugged. "The decision is yours to make at the end of the day, but if what I said helps you, that's nice."

"Oh, it'll help plenty!" she beamed. "You have no idea how long I spent agonizing over this dilemma. If I picked one I'd think about the other, and I'd change my mind and pick that, but then I'd start to think about the first one and the whole thing repeats itself in a loop. Ugh… talk about tiring! But I think my mind is set now."

"Vicious cycles… Life sure ain't easy."

"I know, right, Neku? My own indecision has been driving me up the wall the whole of today! I just couldn't decide on what I should wear for the Hachi Fest!"

What?

"E-Eri?" I stared at her blankly. "Come again?"

"I don't know which yukata (light summer robe) I should wear for the festival. The blue one has a nice floral design, but I haven't worn the white one since two years ago and I've been itching for a change. However, the white one stains easily, which is the reason I hadn't worn it for the past two years. Now that I've made up my mind, it looks like this year it's gonna be the blue one again…"

And here I thought she had called me over to talk about some serious matter. So it turned out all she wanted was a different opinion on what to wear? !

Gah, I'd been tricked…

"Um, Neku? What's with the dark face?"

"Argh… You could've just asked me about this over the phone! There's no need for me to come here."

"Yes there is, I insist! I wanted to show you how I look in each yukata so you could help me decide!" Then in a gradually softer voice, she mumbled, "Although… since I've already decided… it appears it wasn't necessary for you to show up, so… uh… heh heh…"

The clouds around my head refused to dissipate and she noticed.

"Aw, heck," she laughed, "don't frown like that! It's not all a waste of time. Tell you what. Since you're here, I might as well give you a sneak peek. I'll wear the blue one for you so you can see how awesome it is. How about it?"

"Y-You mean as in, right now?"

"Mm-hmm! It'll be like a mini fashion show, and you get a free backstage pass! Because I'm nice."

I get to see Eri in a yukata? Wow, talk about lucky! Mustn't sound too eager, though. Don't want to sound like a total creeper… The way to play here was cool, calm and steady…

So I began, "Hmmm, that's – whoa? !"

"Slow, slow, slow!" She dragged me by the wrist and off the sofa. "Why do you always take so long to think?"

"Wha…? You didn't even give me five seconds!"

"Five seconds is equal to five thousand milliseconds. That makes it a long time!"

"…You make no sense, Eri."

"Whatever, just hurry up and come inside my room already! Oh, and don't give me 'But I've never been in a girl's room before, oh my god oh my god.' It's no big deal. We're best friends here, and if you really haven't set foot in one, then it's about time you did! Look, it can't hurt to broaden your horizons, hermit guy."

"I know I'm a homebody but that was just cruel…"

"Rrgh, you talk too much."

Our cooking lessons together made me a regular visitor to her apartment, but I had thus far never gone into her bedroom. And here I was. Funny thing… I had expected it be awash in pink – pink walls, pink décor, pink everything… so pink my eyes would be screaming. I thought a giant poster of some J-Pop singer would take center stage on her wall. And there had to be a plushie of some sort staying somewhere nearby, right?

All those stereotypes disappeared when I realized how… ordinary… the room was. The walls were white. No posters to be seen, although there was this timetable; maybe it was for her classes. No plushie squatters sharing the room with her. It was just like my own room! At least it was easy on the eyes.

"Whoa, no jumbo-sized poster of The Prince?" I raised my eyebrows. "Now that's a surprise."

"Ha ha ha…! I couldn't possibly have that in my room. I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything! It'll be like he's staring at me out of the wall 24/7… while I study, or sleep, or change my clothes… and with those sexy, sexy eyes no less! Ah… simply thinking about it makes me all warm and toasty."

"Um… right." Fangirls…

"Where were we? Oh, right. Yukatas. I promised I'd make your visit worthwhile."

"You don't need to go that far, you know. Besides, I haven't – "

"Sorry, Neku. Point of no return, as they say." The girl was getting fired up. "Now! Sit still and prepare to be bowled over by the simple beauty of the yukata! You wouldn't be disappointed, trust me!"

Then she promptly yanked her dress off. I could have choked to death at the suddenness of her actions.

"What're you doing? !" I spluttered. "I'm not here to watch a strip show!"

"Neku, grow a brain." She tossed her dress onto the bed. "Who wears clothes underneath a yukata?"

"That's not it. Y-You could've warned me that you were going to take off your clothes…"

The amusement was evident in her playful tone. "Why? Is Neku shy now?"

"That's not the point either! ! !"

"Well, there you go!" she retorted, slipping in a blue yukata. "You just said it yourself: that you're not shy. So if you're fine with it, what's the problem?"

Utter defeat! Not a suitable counter-argument to be made on my side. As I watched her dress from the corner of my eye – I had turned away on impulse – I thought of something. To date, Eri's appeared in various forms of undress in front of me, unintentionally or otherwise, and while it's a jarring thing especially when coupled with her teasing, it's never been more jarring than lately. My heart pounds itself to dust whenever she horses around in her underwear or says suggestive things that throw me off my seat.

Was I becoming more aware and less resistant to her flirtatious behaviour?

I had never felt like this before. Sure, before the whole thing with Shiki and her boyfriend, I had developed some degree of immunity against Eri's ways. Nowadays I just freak out more. Of course, anyone would, but…

"Neku, could you help me tie the sash? It needs to be tied up in a bow from behind, and I can't really reach it."

"Oh, uh… are you sure? I'm not sure if it'll turn out right."

"It's fine. I just need the sash to stay on for now."

Maybe I felt this way around her because she's incredibly nice and I'm weak against nice people.

"It's still too loose, Neku. The sash needs to be tighter."

Maybe it's because she has a great body and a face to match. Her beauty can make men's knees go weak. I should know.

"Is this fine, Eri?"

Maybe it's because I was envious of her devil-may-care outlook on life and wanted to learn to be less rigid.

"Yeah, juuuuust like that. Don't worry about the knot. You probably don't have experience in this, so just tie it however you see fit."

Or maybe it's nothing to fuss over at all.

All that mattered was that I loved her.

Maybe that's really why I was prone to freaking out more often these days. But if that's the case… then it's not such a bad thing after all. Sure weirds me out to think in circles though.

If looking drop-dead gorgeous in a navy blue yukata was Eri's idea of keeping a promise, it was a pretty good one. There were a whole lot more words I wanted to positively describe her with, but "over 9000" would do the trick for now. After seeing street wear for much of the year, this was a refreshing change.

"So did I meet your expectations?" she asked, smirking.

I gave her the sixth once-over in three minutes. "I'm really impressed. You sure can wear anything and look good in it."

"Hee hee… It's nice to know that my awesomeness is officially acknowledged." She twirled round to show off the back. "Still… what's with the shoddy workmanship, Neku? I look like I've got a cauliflower stuck behind me."

"Sorry, Eri, I'm not well-versed in the delicate art of sash-tying. And you never did like cauliflowers."

"They taste gross."

I smiled, amused. "Didn't your parents tell you to eat all your greens?"

"I never did like rules. Anyway, I guess it's really settled. Since you say I look good in the blue one, this is what I'll be wearing next week."

Next week… Oh, right, the Hachi Fest. I wanted to talk to her about it. Now was my best chance. I probably wouldn't sink, but it was time to swim!

"Eri, see, uh – "

"Neku, there's one other thing that I need to get off my chest." The way she was giggling… it was cute and slightly nervous, the kind of giggle that someone about to ask something embarrassing would make. "Er… if it's convenient for you, will you come with me to the Hachi Fest?"

Eh?

Her cheeks were starting to glow a little pink, but nevertheless she continued, "I usually make plans to hang out with Shiki or my drinking buddies, but this year I'm gunning for something different. A fresh experience, you know? So I was hoping you could accompany me. But if you're not free, it's fine – "

I hurriedly snapped, "It's not fine!"

"Uh?"

"N-No, I mean… it's not fine for me to miss a chance like this." Man, that was a close one! She could've misunderstood my words had I taken longer to explain myself. "I'm going too, so… l-let's go together? What say you?"

Eri was most delighted. "Super! It's a date, then. I'll be looking forward to it! Let's decide on when to meet up."

Damn… I wanted to be the one to ask her, but she totally beat me to it. Wasn't the guy supposed to take the initiative? Uzuki had told me to be more assertive. But this was one way to get a job done, I suppose.

So now Eri and I were set to meet up at the Hachi Fest and have a rip-roaring good time. Phase One of my grand strategy didn't go as planned, but it was still a success. I was pretty sure I could handle things at the festival – that's Phase Two – but what's really important was Phase Three, the confession part. I had one week to prepare the right words to say to her. Uzuki and Kariya had given me a boost; it was up to me to follow through and emerge a winner.

Here's hoping that by the end of the Fest, Eri and I would start going out for real. I had butterflies making a nest in my stomach just thinking about how it'd turn out, but at the same time, I couldn't wait to reach the finish line.

"Neku, what're you planning to wear?"

"Casual wear should be fine, right?"

"No, it isn't!" she pouted. "The Hachi Fest is special! It happens but once a year, so if you don't go all out now, it'll be a total waste! It can't hurt to dress your best every now and then, right?"

I didn't understand. "But what should I wear?"

"A yukata, of course!" Man, was she ablaze with excitement. "Never underestimate the masculine charm of this simple garment. Guys are simply sexy in them! And it feels just right wearing it in the summer. C'mon, wear one! Please? It'll be fun!"

Seeing how hyped she was getting about our next outing together was amusing. "I think I've got an old one with me. I just need to dust it off and hope it still fits. Or I could rent one."

"So you will? Fantastic! I can't wait to see the results."

The evening rolled in faster than we thought and it was time for me to head back home. I wouldn't say this trip to her house was a waste at all, far from it in fact. I got myself a date and seeing her all dressed up was a real treat. Who didn't like killing two birds with one stone? I was feeling pretty good.

We hovered around her front door getting in some last-minute chatting before parting ways for the night.

"I'm excited for the food," giggled Eri. "Think we can get any ideas for recipes at the Fest?"

"Don't they usually sell stuff like candied apples and grilled corn cobs? I doubt we'll find any full-bodied meals there. Just snacks."

"But every year they came up with all sorts of different things. It's part of what makes the Fest so interesting. Maybe this time someone will set up an Italian pasta stall."

"Wh-Why would anyone do that?"

"Well, it might just happen. Food for thought, you know?"

"Nice pun, Eri. Alright, I gotta head back."

"Let me get the door for y– eep!"

Eri was reaching for the doorknob, but when she took a step forward, the hem of her yukata got caught in her foot – theoretically, this shouldn't happen at all, so why it did was beyond me. At the same time, her sash came loose and unraveled by itself. She lost balance too on top of that and the upshot of it all was that she fell headlong into me with her yukata peeled wide open. The entire scene happened before my eyes in great detail, like I was watching slow-mo bullets and explosions from a scene in an action film.

I just stood there totally stunned while she clung onto me for dear life in her underwear and a seriously mussed-up yukata. Th-Those wouldn't be her breasts pressing so deeply into my chest now, would they?

…They were.

It wasn't that she was half-naked right now that fazed her, though. She berated me, "Neku! You didn't tie up the sash properly! It wasn't secure enough!"

It was wise of me to bring along tissues. Too bad I couldn't pack my nostrils in time.

What happened afterwards is up to your imagination.