She Comes And Goes As She Pleases (Part 63)
by BrDPirateMan
7 am. It's a little early for a day in summer break to be up and about, but we had plans for today and time was of the essence.
We were going to cook up a feast for lunch – it wasn't five-star stuff, but I had a soft spot for fried rice. Pair it up with prawn dumplings and it's a strong contender for best food in the world.
Right now though, we had a problem.
Our ingredients were sorely lacking. Half of them weren't even enough to scrape together a meal, the other half was completely missing. How did we get to this point? We're greedier things than I thought, huh? It's imperative that we make a trip to the supermarket, but we had to do it real soon; parking spaces were at a premium. A little longer and we might as well stay home and order pizza or something.
But I didn't want pizza! Not right now anyway. Sometimes when takeout gets too tacky for your taste, you gotta go for home-cooked meals.
The sleepyhead wasn't even awake yet. That's what happens when you stay up too long playing video games.
I guess it came down to me to get him back on his feet. Not the glamorous task in the world but someone's gotta do it!
What's that, you ask? Did I say 'him'?
You can put those conspiracy theories to rest already, boys and girls. The truth couldn't be more straightforward.
But give me a minute to rouse Mr Can't-Wake-Up-To-Save-His-Life and then I'll get right back to you.
Seriously though, look at him. Sleeping so blissfully… He even had a goofy smile on his face. If he was having a nice dream, it'd better be about me!
Oh well, time to burst his bubble.
"Hey c'mon," I said, nudging him by the shoulder. "Get up already."
Still asleep, he mumbled a reply. Something about swinging on vines. Weird. I shook him a little harder.
"Get up! Hello? Anyone home? Knock-knock! Who's there? Wake up! End of joke!"
No response this time? Really? No choice but to bring out the big guns.
"If you're gonna insist on being a lazybones… I'm gonna make you regret it, okay?"
I climbed on top of him and sat on his lap, being gentle not to apply too much pressure to his stomach. That woke him up quickly, and when he finally cracked his eyes open to see himself trapped underneath me, he mustered a reply through a foggy brain:
"Get off… I'm not a horse…"
"Good morning to you too, dozy cheeks."
He awoke fully at long last, mouth stretched wide open like a snake as he yawned.
"Oh, g'morning… Huh, what's with the cowgirl shtick? It's a little early for some action."
"Very funny. Do you know what time it is now?"
He glanced at the clock, mumbling, "Ten past seven?"
"I hope you're not planning on sleeping in. 'Cuz you promised fried rice. And prawn dumplings."
"I didn't forget. Alright, I'm up."
Good. Things were going according to plan. On any other day in this awkward position I'd tease him a bit and pretend I was giving him a little of the high horse action if you know what I mean. But we had a date to keep with fried rice and prawn dumplings. And much like an actual date, those are two foods you don't want to keep waiting.
"Let's have breakfast," I said, clinging onto his arm as we walked into the kitchen. "I've got eggs."
"Goodie. Over easy?"
"This time yours are scrambled." Then, seizing the chance for a joke, I added, "Mine are unfertilized."
He snorted amused at that little spot of dirty humour. No points for originality on my part though. I recycled that from a joke I'd read on the internet, but heck if that wasn't a more fitting time to bring it up!
"So?" I giggled. "Did that whet your appetite? In more ways than one perhaps?"
"I haven't even been up for five minutes and you're already talking about sex. You're a real handful, Eri."
"I'll take that as a compliment, Neku."
XOXOXOXOXO
Hiya everyone! You probably figured it out long ago, but just for the record, I'm not Neku. He's taking a break from being the main character. They say it's tough to be in the limelight all the time. That's why I'm temporarily relieving him of his obligatory duty to narrate the events of his life to you guys. I'm so nice!
So here I am! The name's Eri. Eri Tanikawa. Here in the 'Buya, I'm the wittiest, cleverest, funniest, prettiest, hottest girl around with a master's degree in sexiness. You'd be mistaken if I'm just another nice face to look at though. Amongst my myriad talents I'm an excellent swimmer and an aspiring fashion designer. I've worked part-time at a butler cafe serving spaghetti to drooling fangirls and have since moved on to modeling where I typically don't get to wear a lot. And thanks to a certain boyfriend of mine I'm a pretty good cook too. All in all, I'm quite an amazing person – kneel before my glory! Additionally, I'm so humble I don't boast about myself at all. Not one bit!
Well, okay, maybe a little…
The boyfriend I mentioned is one Neku Sakuraba and he's easily the nicest person I've met in forever. All of my ex-boyfriends had some kind of fatal flaw that led me to ditch their sorry butts in a hurry, but Neku's different. Sure, he's not perfect and I've had to set him straight at times, but he's as gentle as a lamb (if really snarky) and has a good heart underneath all the rough edges.
Neku's the best boyfriend a girl could ever ask for, and you know what the best part is? He's already taken. By me!
So all of you out there who are trying to get into his pants are out of luck. He's happily unavailable.
I'll brag about him later, though. Every good story starts with the protagonist. For everyone's benefit, let me talk about myself real quick.
XOXOXOXOXO
Growing up, I've always had a rebellious streak. If there were rules I didn't so much break them as bent them to my favour. Granted, not everything could go the way I wanted but I've always liked to see how much I could get away with before the curtains closed on my daredevil schemes. You know, like the times I secretly went skinny-dipping at the forest pond, to name one example.
Life in my hometown of Fukushima was nice enough. I liked the food that our housekeeper cooked and the friends I had were cool (Granny herself was no slouch in the coolness department). But it was also a sleepy place, with opportunities for excitement few and far in between. Not helping matters were my parents who were a constant presence in the background, dictating what I should and shouldn't do. Some of the things I wanted to do weren't allowed in the Tanikawa household, like going to parties and attending sleepovers.
So for a girl whose life revolved around thrills and adventure, Fukushima was like the proverbial dishwater: dull.
I didn't want to spend the rest of my days being the yes-man to my parents. I was missing out on a lot of things by conforming to their conservative ideals. And I had no interest in science, so becoming a doctor or engineer was a nightmare to me. We're looking at four years of college at the very least studying a course I didn't like, and then spending another couple or so decades down the road working my butt off for a job I couldn't care less about. Thinking about it threatened to make my head split from the horror.
After a great deal of thought I put my foot down and decided that this wasn't the life I wanted. I had to get out of there… carve a fresh start for li'l ol' me and finally fill myself in on all the cool stuff I was late to. I wanted to be my own person, rather than some near-perfect yet fake embodiment of my parents' wishes. I wanted to be me.
"Mum, Dad," I said over dinner one fine evening. "C-Can we talk?"
Dad immediately assumed I was up to my tricks again and his voice sounded gruffer than usual. It didn't help that I was caught the previous week kissing a boy I liked. The 'no-boyfriends' rule was one I often broke.
"If this is about attending Satoshi's birthday party next week, no. That boy is not to be trusted."
"Satoshi's my friend," I defended. "He's an okay guy once you get to know him."
"You said the same thing about your ex-boyfriends."
Whom you chased off, I thought bitterly to myself.
"Now, now," said Granny, ever the bastion of patience, "there's nothing wrong with going to a birthday party. It's just a little gathering between friends…"
"Satoshi is a delinquent," said Mum firmly. "I fear he might try something funny, like encourage all of the guests to start drinking."
I pursed my lips, having gotten real tired of the whole 'sheltering me from all the bad influence' routine. Ignoring my parents' caustic observations, I brought everyone back on track.
"Listen," I said, "forget about Satoshi for the time being. I've got a favour to ask. And… it's big."
Everyone sitting at the dining table was all ears. I gulped hard. Would this go well? Too late to turn back now… Just gotta jump into the crocodile's jaws and hope for the best. You know what they say: if you're gonna get burnt anyway, then you might as well give it your all and get fried till you're finger-lickin' good!
At least, that's how I thought it went. Anyway…
In faltering fashion I said, "Um, everyone, so… I've been thinking a bit. And, well, I think it's high time I try new things. There's not much for me to see and do here, not to the extent that I wish to experience anyway… So I feel that it might be best for me to move to a new place…"
Mum and Dad frowned in silence, not quite sure what to make of what I said. To be fair, the way I worded it was kinda ambiguous. Granny got my drift though.
"My, are you thinking of moving out?"
"Yeah, Fukushima is nice and all, but I've seen all that there is to see. And I'm the inquisitive sort; I like seeing new things, new environments… meeting new people. And having new experiences. It's time for a change."
Mum asked cautiously, "Where do you intend to go? Hypothetically speaking, anyway."
In a heartbeat I said, "Shibuya."
My reply was met with fierce disapproval from both of my parents. I'd just uttered something that was taboo in this family, almost as bad as a swear word. And they really tore into me. Dad was the most vocal about it.
"Shibuya?! Absolutely not, young lady. Have you any idea of how dangerous it is? It's a cesspit of crime and people of questionable morals. They won't think twice of taking advantage of someone as naive as you are. And the fashion in that place is embarrassing!"
"It's not embarrassing!" I fumed. "As a matter of fact, I'm very interested in it. I'd really like to design clothes like that. I'm – "
Mum cut me off urgently, her expression stretched wide with shock. "Are you saying you wish to become a fashion designer?"
"Yeah, it's something I have a real passion for. I'm gonna go pro and make all kinds of clothes that everyone can wear, and – "
"How much can you hope to earn as a fashion designer?" growled Dad. "Do you know how competitive that line of work can be? And that's if you can get a job in the first place…"
I'll just go ahead and omit the messy details. You really don't wanna know. In a nutshell I had a long, long feud with my parents lasting many weeks where a lot of our arguments went round in circles. I did my best to remain calm and civil throughout, but being the hot-blooded youth I was, it wasn't easy. With how stubborn they were, I thought I wouldn't have a chance. The only person who was open-minded enough to support me throughout was Granny, who pitched in her share of good words for me.
In fact, it's largely thanks to her that I was able to leave Fukushima in the first place. It took an absurdly long time for my parents to overcome the notion that Shibuya was a haven for sleazy characters (to be fair, the same could be said for anywhere). However, they weren't able to completely accept me pursuing a degree in fashion design; it's not something that can put food on the table, they claimed. Even when I was allowed to move to Shibuya for my dreams, it was a conditional offer.
Mum and Dad laid out some basic house rules. "You will first finish high school. Then when the time comes we'll enroll you into a college of your choice so think very carefully about that. We'll even foot your course fees. But if you don't get good grades at any one point, we will pull you out with immediate effect and have you take up an engineering degree instead. Do we make ourselves clear?"
It was a setup I was cool with, though I was aware of how reluctant they were to let go of me. Now don't get me wrong, I didn't relocate to Shibuya because I hated my folks. The opposite was true; I cared about them even with the heaps of tough love I'd been subject to my whole life.
But my thirst for freedom was too strong. There were many restrictions and they stifled me. I wanted to spread my wings but never got a chance. Every time I tried something bold and new I'd be scolded for being rash and doing something 'bad'. At this rate I'd be nothing more than a sheltered country bumpkin. And that was the last thing I wanted! I was destined for a better image than that!
I agreed to my parents' terms. When it was time for me to go, I had just barely turned fifteen. Can you imagine that? Fifteen years old and here I was about to brave the challenges of being in a totally new environment alone. It would not go smoothly. There was sure to be hiccups and setbacks. I might even get swindled out of half of my pocket money at some point. But I had to try or I won't get anywhere.
After bidding goodbye to my family, friends and neighbors, I boarded the train and off I went.
To Shibuya. The mecca of fashionistas and hip youngsters everywhere.
Oh, I couldn't wait!
XOXOXOXOXO
The going was tough in the beginning of my new life when I was still sorting everything out, but eventually I got into the swing of things. Thanks to my affinity for people I quickly made myself a bunch of friends.
Shiki was one of the first people I befriended. Our mutual love for fashion was what brought us together, and although we were very different from each other personality-wise, we became fast buddies. It's proof positive that opposites attract!
Some time later, I found Shiki hanging out with a new circle of friends which she was more than happy to induct me into. They welcomed me with open arms and would become something like a family away from home.
Beat's the hot-blooded guy who loved curry. He's a little dense and sometimes he doesn't get stuff that everyone else would be familiar with, but he's a nice guy through and through. Not only that, he cooks really well too.
His sister, Rhyme, is just too adorable for words. She's so sweet and gentle and… look, she's practically diabetes in human form. And when Beat tries to initiate some crazy scheme of his for the sake of excitement, she's usually the one who pulls him back to earth. Both brother and sister made a great team.
And, of course, there was… Neku. The main course, so to speak!
Funny thing is, it wasn't love at first sight. Sure, he was cute, but he didn't come across as boyfriend material at the time. He was a pal to a gal, and that was all. If you'd told me back then that I'd end up falling in love with him… why, I'd have thought you were out of your mind!
Despite his penchant for sarcasm, he was generally a likable fellow. We loved hanging out with each other. But again I say, it's not because we were secretly in love with each other or anything. The sexual tension would come in full force much later.
One of the biggest reasons I liked him was because he was such a huge dork. As the sane man in our circle, he was usually calm and collected and shared Rhyme's duty of keeping everyone in check. But direct a lewd joke at him or flash some skin in his face and he becomes a nervous wreck. His reactions were as hilarious as they were… addictive. Once I knew what made him tick, I was hopelessly hooked and teased him whenever an opportunity arose.
But exactly how did it all begin, you ask? What was the catalyst that started it all?
Behold, everyone. Exhibit A.
XOXOXOXOXO
It was a bright hot afternoon in June. The summer holidays were approaching… but until then we still had to attend classes in this searing heat. Whose bright idea was it to make it mandatory to wear vests in addition to our uniforms? Seriously! Never mind the lack of fashion sense; somebody in the Board of Education obviously had no common sense!
My clothes were drenched in sweat and it was yucky how they clung to my skin. The windows in the hallway had been opened to bring some ventilation to the place, but the air from outside was so hot it might as well be steam. It did nothing to abate the heat. Man, it'd be so nice if it wasn't against the rules to take your clothes off! Then again, having a bunch of teenagers running around naked in school would be a huge problem…
I'd normally be on my way home by now, but had one or two matters to attend to. By the time I was done, almost everyone had left the premises. I ambled past the classrooms alone, absentmindedly counting them in my head as I passed by.
Classroom 2-B loomed into view. Shiki and I shared this classroom, and so would Neku if he hadn't been transferred to one of the classrooms downstairs last year.
Suddenly I heard the sound of a chair being pulled back, coming from within 2-B. The breath hitched in my throat. If there was a couple using my classroom to do things of questionable nature, I couldn't just turn a blind eye to it.
I mean, I'd be missing out on a good show, right?!
My heart thumped like it had gone haywire as I crept up to the door. I pried it ajar, hoping to catch a glimpse of a couple of naked teenagers fiddling with a condom for the first time. It'd make for some great comedy before the main show. It's just too bad I didn't have any popcorn.
Instead, all I found was… Neku. No, he's not naked.
But that's Shiki's desk he was lingering near. What was he up to?
I slid open the door, which rumbled noisily. Startled, Neku jumped and when he saw me he immediately hid his hands behind his back. Aha! A mystery was afoot! What was he hiding?
Detective Tanikawa was on the case!
I closed the door behind me, ensuring we had all the privacy we needed. He stayed rooted to the spot, nursing a nervous smile as I approached him with all the casualness of a lioness going in for the kill.
"Whatcha doin'?" I chirped. "Aren't you going home yet?"
"I c-could ask the s-same about you."
I swayed from side to side to try and sneak a peek at what he was hiding, and he twisted his body accordingly to obscure my view. Ooh, playing hard-to-get, eh? That's so like him.
"What's that you've got?" I asked, with a faux innocent tone. "Can I take a look?"
He was grasping at straws with his reply. "Uh… it's… a secret. A man's secret. A man never reveals his secrets."
"So… a porn mag?"
"Wh-What?" he spluttered. "No! Of course not!"
I patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I can understand. But if you make a mess on Shiki's desk, I doubt she'd appreciate it."
"G-Gimme a break. I won't use her desk if I wanted to – no, what're you making me say?!"
That was worth a good laugh, but the great detective in me had already pretty much solved the case.
"Neku, if you want to give Shiki a love letter, you'd be better off leaving in her shoe locker."
His face grew a deeper shade of crimson. Jackpot! Except… not quite.
Resigned to his defeat, he gave up and showed me the letter that he was trying to hide this whole time.
"It… It's not a love letter," he squeaked. "I just wanted to invite her to the beach for summer vacation and I thought a written invitation is the best way to go about it."
Oh god, really? A letter? He wasn't very well-versed when it came to social matters, but this was a new low. Honestly, I felt bad for the guy.
I sat on one of the desks, letting my legs dangle freely. "You know, Neku… you could just ask her in person. Why go to all of the trouble of writing a letter? This isn't the Victorian era."
He shuddered at my suggestion. "I… I don't know… I'll probably fumble the asking part."
"It's not that hard. Just say that you're going to the beach this weekend and ask if she'd like to come with. There, done."
Incredulous, he scoffed, "You make it sound like it's so easy!"
"It is easy! What's the harm in a little question? The worst you get is a 'no'. You can always try again another time. Now, the really hard part is choosing what to wear. And you don't wanna go in a speedo. Or a thong. It'll be too much for poor Shiki to handle."
"I feel like we're skipping a few steps here."
"Oh yeah, and most importantly! If she wears a really sexy swimsuit, try to keep your swingy thingy under control, okay? You don't want to, ahem, stick out like a sore thumb."
The reddish tint on his face deepened, but for once he didn't go ballistic like he often did whenever he became embarrassed. It usually meant that he agreed with me, even if what I said sounded dirty.
"A-Alright, I got it. …By the way, what're your plans for summer break? You going to the beach too?"
I heaved a sigh, full of regret. "Nah, I gotta go back home for the holidays. My parents have all sorts of wonderful plans in store for me. For starters? Yet another crash course in playing some musical instrument I don't care about. Fun…"
Neku noticed the deflated tone I was using and expressed his sympathy. "What're they making you try this time? The clarinet?"
"…The saxophone. Ugh! It's so big and bulky. And it sounds like I'm farting through the mouth. In a musical way."
He laughed good-naturedly. "Jazz doesn't suit you, Eri."
"I know, right?"
Suddenly I became aware again of how hot it was and clutched at my vest. Stupid vest… I so wanted to take it off. Maybe I will. Yeah, I totally will.
"My god, what is with this heat?!" I groaned. "That's it! The vest has got to go!"
"Huh?"
In two seconds flat the vest was gone. The relief wasn't exactly instantaneous since I still had a very sticky shirt attached to me, but it was better than nothing.
"Whew!"
Neku wasn't looking at me. The eye contact wasn't there. He seemed distracted, somehow. Wait… was he staring at my… chest?
Ah, I knew why. The fabric of my shirt had turned translucent from sweat, and my bra was showing through as a result. But I paid him no mind, even if the sight was obviously turning him on. Neku's a chill kind of guy who's never done so much as hurt a fly, so I felt safe with him. Even now, he only took furtive glances at me now and again. He could talk to girls just fine, but when it came to more delicate matters like pursuing romantic interests (Shiki came to mind) and talking about what kind of girls he liked, his brain would overheat and he had to take the next two hours off resting. So depraved sex maniac he most definitely was not.
Speaking of overheating, it was still unbearably hot even without the vest. As much as I wanted to take my clothes off, I was still in the same room with a guy. The next best thing right now would be to undo a button or two.
Well, this was good ol' gentle little Neku we were talking about. He would not think of ravishing a defenseless young woman even if she threw herself at him.
I reached up to pry loose the second-to-top button, all while maintaining a normal conversation with Neku. Yup, ever so nonchalantly. I continued to ramble about my dislike for saxophones.
The moment my button popped open, however, that's when he started to lose it.
"E-Eri," he gulped, "wh-what are you doing?"
I didn't understand what he was talking about at first. "Huh? I'm not doing anything…"
"No, why are you unbuttoning your shirt?"
"Oh, that! Well, heck, it's hot like the dickens! I gotta ventilate!"
"D-Don't do that… I don't know where to look."
I just laughed, dismissing his concerns with a playful wave of my hand. "It's just a little skin, Neku. It's not even half of what I normally show off in my outdoor clothes. You've seen how I dress, right? You should be used to it by now."
"Y-Yeah, but… it's still indecent."
He's getting fidgety… He couldn't even look at me properly anymore, which was cute, in a hypocritical kind of way. Hang out with him in a crop top and mini-skirt, and he hardly bats an eyelid. But open up my shirt a little and he falls to pieces? Hmm… then what would happen if I tease him a bit…
"You're being awfully twitchy, Neku," I remarked, eyes locked onto his every movement. "Do you have a thing for boobs or what?"
"Don't all guys? …Wait, I didn't mean it like that!"
"Sure you didn't, Neku. Sure…"
He tried to keep things under control but wasn't doing a good job of it. "Cut me some slack, Eri… I'm just concerned that someone will see you like this and then it'd be awkward."
"You don't need to worry about that. The school's all but deserted now. There's no one left but us… so we're free to do whatever we like!"
Neku gulped audibly as I leapt off the table and approached him slowly. He backed away from me but couldn't get far, as he soon connected with the whiteboard behind him.
Grinning, I continued, "So… anything in mind?"
"Uh… n-no?"
"Really now? No wild fantasies running through that head of yours? No lewd thoughts?"
In a desperate attempt to save himself, he said, "Even if I did have any, I sure won't tell you about it!"
Now that's a response I didn't expect to hear. Digging himself deeper with each thing he said… Heh, how funny!
At that moment, something awakened within me… Seeing his troubled expression was so… exciting, somehow. I wanted to see more of it.
So I undid the next button on my shirt and spread the collar wide open, giving him a generous view of my bra. He just froze like a statue, his gaze hopelessly glued to my half-exposed chest. Playfully, I placed a hand on the wall, right next to his head, effectively pinning him to the spot. Well, he was free to run away at any time, but the shock from witnessing my antics left him helpless.
"Being a girl," I sighed in a fake complaining tone, "can be such a hard life. Just when you're starting to get used to your bra, your chest gets bigger and you need to buy a new one. See, Neku? See how tight it is?"
I wrapped my free arm beneath my breasts and pushed them upwards. Panicking, he snapped his gaze to the windows – the safest thing there was in the vicinity – like watching sunlight had become the in thing these days. But I wasn't about to be ignored so easily.
Stifling my laughter, I continued to harass him. "Geez, you're not looking… You're not listening to me either! It's a very real problem for us girls, you know?"
"Th-Then go buy yourself a new bra or something. And get off of me please. You're standing too close!"
"Say! Will you accompany me to Lacy Temptations afterwards? It's on our way back home!"
"I… I am not going inside a lingerie store, with or without anyone, under any circumstances, period! N-Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta be going!"
"Five more minutes, pretty please? I haven't finished complaining."
Unable to stand the embarrassment any longer, he nudged me aside without another word and zipped out of the classroom like a bolt of lightning. I could hear the tap-tap-tap of his shoes as he hurried away.
And I spent the next two minutes giggling my head off. He's so cute when he's put in a spot! It's like he's allergic to sexiness!
Heh, I just found myself a new hobby…
XOXOXOXOXO
That fateful day marked the beginning of my lifelong quest to tease Neku left and right.
Yes, it's stupid fun, but fun is fun all the same. Being able to turn him into mush with something as simple as hiking up my skirt was such a power trip. It's just the way he goes nuts that's so hilarious. No one else behaved the way he did so he's the go-to guy if I needed a barrel of laughs.
Ah… good times! Neku would not stay this way forever though. Over the years he built up a resistance to my jokes and pranks. Gradually, his overreactions became… reactions. His episodes of panic and arm-flailing grew lesser and lesser in intensity; instead he became more and more liable to come up with a sarcastic retort. Eventually he became the snark master he is now.
His witty remarks – always delivered with a flat, wry expression on his face – were a different kind of fun in itself, I guess. It didn't hurt that his sense of humour was developing well. Our interactions with one another slowly became something akin to a "funny man/straight man" comedy routine, as opposed to, um, "funny man/hapless person who is tormented by the mere sight of a little skin". Guy's gotta graduate from the personal hell his own hormones put him through at some point, right?
I do wish that just once he'd go ballistic. Hey, I get nostalgic, okay?
Actually, why don't I give it a go right now? I've got all the ingredients I need to get a rise out of him. All that's left is the right clothes…
Just look at him. Neku looked all nice and peaceful sitting on the bed, working on some assignment on his laptop. He was even munching on some Pocky chocolate sticks. Completely unaware of the surprise I was about to give him. Perfect setup. It's go time!
I sashayed over and climbed into bed, snuggling up to him. When he turned to see me, he was in for quite the treat. I was decked out in a dress shirt with no pants and underneath was my snuggest bra. The top few buttons were left undone and I pushed my breasts up with an arm. The cleavage was right in his face, the most scrumptious stuff you've seen this side of Shibuya. Heh, what do you think, Neku? Turned you on yet? Got your periscope waggling already?
Licking my chops, I slathered the seduction on him nice and thick.
"Hey handsome," I drawled, using a sultry voice. "You look like you could use a… pick-me-up."
He looked from me to the mounds of flesh I was parading so shamelessly, and back to me again. There was little emotion on his face, though there may be a ghost of a smile.
"That's nice," he remarked. "Here, have a snack."
Then he took one of his chocolate sticks and slipped it in between my breasts, before he went back to work and ignored me. Here I was, scantily dressed and feeling so sexy I could hump a table… and he was ignoring me? And this was the guy who used to break out in cold sweat whenever I flashed him! Talk about a real wet blanket!
He quickly noticed I was still there, frozen in that kinky pose and staring at him, with that darned Pocky stick jutting comically from my breasts. Just when I thought he was finally going to embrace his lewd side…
"Oh, still hungry? Here."
He jammed another Pocky stick into my cleavage. Needless to say, that didn't work for me.
Exasperated, I huffed, "Do you seriously think I can eat with my boobs? Last time I checked, they don't have teeth."
"Breasts with teeth… Now that's an image I won't be able to unsee for a while."
Sitting beside him in accepted defeat, I plucked both sticks out of my bosom and nibbled on them. Well, you win some and you lose some.
Typing away on his laptop, he asked, "What's with the getup anyway?"
"Well… I just wanted to take a walk down memory lane, and I was hoping you'd accompany me."
My answer was vague enough to make him stop his work and turn to me with a quizzical look. "Huh? What's that mean?"
I reached over and picked up his box of chocolate sticks, helping myself to a few. "When I teased you for the very first time, it went something like this, you know?"
He needed a while to recall the memory.
"Oh, that. Yeah, I remember. You were more decently dressed back then, though."
"You were so adorable when I made you all flustered. You even fled when it got too much for your cute little head. It was a long shot but I was hoping to reenact it with you."
He afforded a small smile. "The me from before and the me now are two different people. I've since done a lot of growing up. It won't be so easy to topple me now."
"Yeah, I know." I sidled closer to him, gently resting my head against his. "It's just that sometimes I miss the old you and your hilarious antics. Especially your nos– "
"I think I've lost enough blood for one lifetime, thank you very much."
"Heh, fair enough."
We unknowingly burned through the entire box of chocolate sticks while we were talking, and it was only when we were down to the last one that we realized it. He reached out to take it, but I was faster. Victoriously I waved it in his face.
"Not so fast," I said, with a wink. "How about a little game? It won't take two seconds."
"The Pocky game, I presume?"
"Well, what else would it be, 'pin the tail on the donkey'? C'mon, let's do it!" I stuck one end of the stick in my mouth, daring him to do the same with the other end.
"Um… I'm actually kinda busy…"
Ugh… so boring! Surely he could spare a couple of minutes for a quick game.
"The busiest man makes the most time!" I remarked. "Two minutes is all I ask. Saying you have no time for a game… is just an excuse!"
His fingers stopped dead on the keyboard and turned to me with narrowed eyes. I thought he was going to shoo me out of the room, but he simply put his laptop away. I finally persuaded him! Even if I had to guilt-trip him a bit.
"You're on," he hissed. "Seriously, the things I put up with…"
"Save your complaints for later. We've got a game to play!"
We sat together, our mouths on each end of that last stick. Then, at my signal, we nibbled our way to the middle. Closer and closer our faces drew, until there was but a sliver of an inch remaining between us. He suddenly froze in place, as though he forgot what came next. My heart thumped seeing that boyish face of his so close to me. He's not what one may conventionally call handsome – he's no Eiji Oji – but he's definitely cute in his own geeky way.
I flashed him a smile. Then, I simply lunged and closed the distance, our lips connecting.
And we kissed. It was glorious. That manly flavour of his in my mouth, mixed with the chocolate's sweetness, made for a very intoxicating aroma. It was perfect… except for the fact that there were icky crumbs stuck onto my teeth.
This, my friends, is what love tastes like.
Then I was in for a big surprise. He pushed me down without warning. On the bed I lay dazed, gazing up at him as he towered over me with that hungry gaze in his eyes. It was kinda awkward, seeing as he was taking his time to chew and swallow his half of the chocolate stick.
But when he was done eating, heck if the atmosphere didn't take a turn for the sexy.
"I took time off from doing my homework," he said. "You better make sure this is worth it."
"Wh-What are you going to do to me?"
"Just enough to drive you nuts."
"I've got a very high threshold. Do your worst!"
"I don't need to. I already know your weakness… and here it is!"
Quick as a flash, his hands repositioned themselves onto my breasts. My weak spot! I realized too late that this game was his to win. No, not like this!
To add insult to injury, he gave them a gentle squeeze. The pressure of his hands on my bosom was enough to send me to the heavens. My back arched like I'd been zapped with ten million volts and I saw all the colours of the rainbow. And I let out a great moan that was most definitely not safe for work.
"Aaaah…!"
…
WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. PLEASE STAND BY.
…
"Mmmnh…"
My eyelids creaked ajar, and through half-open eyes I ascertained my surroundings. I was splayed out in bed… Neku's bed. And I was still fully clothed – well, for what that was worth.
Had I been asleep or something? Seemed that way. But for how long?
I lolled my head to the side and saw Neku back at work. When he saw that I was awake, he casually tossed a remark my way, "Finally awake, are you?"
"Wh-What happened?"
"You were so overwhelmed when I groped you that you passed out. It's been about an hour since then."
"I was out for a whole hour?!" Shoot! I was supposed to seduce him, but he'd bested me at my own game! "Oh, um… this is embarrassing…"
"Hey, don't take it so hard. It's not like you can help having sensitive breasts."
I sat up, still drowsy from my nap. Suddenly gripped by the horrific realization that I may have bed hair, I snatched the mirror sitting on the bedside table and took a peek. To my relief, it's nothing that would give anyone nightmares. Nothing a simple comb won't fix.
As I went to work smoothing out the cowlicks in my hair, Neku spoke to me in a quiet tone.
"Eri, listen… I'm sorry I was kinda cold to you when you were trying to tease me earlier. I couldn't afford to waste any time. This report's kinda urgent, you see."
Having calmed down, I saw that I was more in the wrong than he was. "Nah, don't sweat it, Neku. I shouldn't have been so persistent knowing you had an assignment to rush."
"I guess that makes us even."
I got off the bed, giving him a smile. "Right, I shan't bother you any longer. Good luck with your homework!"
Just as I was about to turn the doorknob and leave, he called out for me from behind. "Hey, wait."
"Hmm? 'Sup?"
Sheepishly, he said, "N-Nothing, I just wanted to say you look really hot in that getup. That, and, um… once I'm done with homework, I was hoping we could pick up where we left off…"
I brightened up at the sound of that and couldn't resist the urge to jump back onto his bed and give him a big hug.
"Oh Neku, you big dork! This is why I love you. You're a total horndog!"
"D-Don't call me that…"
"Okay, I'll leave you to it. When you're ready, come find me in my room and I'll be in bed with no clothes on."
He chuckled. "I've never been more motivated to finish my homework than now."
I may have said that the old Neku was worth a barrel of laughs, but as he is right now, he's even more fun.
XOXOXOXOXO
It's the little things in life that keep us going. Even the smallest, most insignificant details do a lot.
"Eri?"
The tiniest gestures of kindness are a godsend. And of course, even the dumbest of jokes go a long way in helping to make our relationship stick.
"Um, hey, Eri."
Sure, to the outside observer, these little interactions of ours aren't much to write home about, but –
"Eri! You still here?"
"H-Huh?"
Neku sighed. "You were kinda staring off into space just now. I thought we're here to buy you some clothes."
I suddenly remembered that I was holding a blouse in my hands that I wanted to try out. Somewhere along the way I'd spaced out and started… narrating, for lack of a better term.
After changing into a shorts-and-spaghetti top ensemble, I whisked the fitting room curtain aside to show off my threads to Neku.
"Whatcha think?" I asked him.
Now, a little something to note when you're going shopping with someone like Neku. He's as fashion-illiterate as they come, and no matter how many times I've tried to educate him in the basics of street couture, he just couldn't care less at the end of the day. So expecting him to give me a detailed opinion on my clothes is like waiting for rocks to bear fruit.
You'd be lucky to get more than one or two words out of him. His replies were as short as my mini-skirt and frankly, it used to bother me (his replies, not the skirt). Now, I'm used to it. Or I just gave up getting him to open his mouth.
"Not bad," he said.
I flitted back inside the fitting room and emerged two minutes later in a dress with a generous cutouts at the shoulders.
"Neku, what about this?"
"It'll do."
Next I wore skinny jeans and the blouse I mentioned earlier.
"And this?"
Neku gave a long "hmmm", which raised my hopes that finally he'd be able to give me a proper opinion.
But they were dashed when he simply said, "Meh."
At this point, my patience wore thin and I chided him, "That's not constructive criticism! I need something I can work with! Something I can use to improve myself… so don't just 'meh' me."
We really were on different wavelengths when it came to fashion. He just looked like he was at such a loss of what to say.
"But what sort of opinion do you want me to give you?" he asked. "You want your critiques to be thorough."
"Just say what's on your mind but with, you know, more words!"
"I'll… I'll try."
He wore the look of someone who was about to take a five-meter dive into the ocean and didn't know if he should be wearing boxers or a speedo for the occasion.
A little later I waltzed out of the fitting room in another blouse and ripped denim shorts.
"Okay, Neku, what've you got for me? And remember: words."
The once-over he gave me was especially long. He probably wanted to stall for time to think things through. I could doze off on the spot… but luckily he spoke up at long last.
"So, Eri, uh…"
"Yes? What do you think? Anything you'd like to point out? Maybe elaborate on?"
"Y-Yeah. Um, there's a spider on your shoulder."
I froze. Slowly, with dread filling me up on the inside, I peered in the direction of my right shoulder, which he was pointing at. I couldn't see clearly because it was too near. Then it crawled a little down my sleeve. That's when I could see it in all of its creepy, eight-legged detail.
"AAAAAIIEEE – "
…
WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. AGAIN. PLEASE STAND BY.
…
In the end, I didn't buy anything from that store. Knowing that spider might have gotten its disgusting little legs all over everything, I just couldn't. I knew I'd break out in hives or something if I stuck around any longer.
Now we were chilling at a cafe so I could calm down. Thoughtful as ever, Neku bought us sodas, which helped to calm my nerves. Still shaken from the trauma, I emptied half of my drink in one sip.
"Um, Eri…? You hanging in there?"
He was concerned for my wellbeing, but I didn't want to worry him too much just because I screamed in public at a spider and made quite the scene.
"Oh, relax," I laughed. "I'm perfectly fine! What makes you think I'm not?"
Ever so blunt, he replied, "You're still pale, you're shaking all over, and you're strangling your soda cup so hard your knuckles have turned white. Hmmm, I'd say you're perfectly fine."
My protective shield crumbled like dust and I just gave up trying to look cool. Seriously, why did I even try? There's just no getting around my arachnophobia.
A sigh of defeat rattled my shaky frame. "Sorry… I can't stand spiders. At all. You know me! Even now, I can still feel it on my arm! When I get home, I'm gonna take a long shower to wash off the ickiness."
"I find it somewhat amusing that horror movies don't faze you, yet a tiny spider comes along and you make like Little Miss Muffet."
"Spiders are scary!" I protested. "And I don't like how they can climb on any surface. That means they could be hiding anywhere! What if they're on the ceiling, and decide it'll be fun to ambush me from above? Talk about maximum paranoia potential!"
Neku may not share my dislike for our eight-legged friends – he even thinks they're kinda cool, the horror! – but he never presses the issue too long. He's even surprisingly accommodating of my fear.
I shivered briefly, clutching my arm. "Ugh, sorry… I know I'm being such a drama queen."
"Hey, c'mon," he consoled me. "A lot of people get freaked out by spiders."
"Probably not to the extent that I do, though."
"We could hit up a public bath if you like. I mean, you probably still feel violated and stuff, so I can understand if you want to wash up."
I brightened up at his suggestion. "Heh, now we're talking! I think I'll do just that!"
With a visibly disappointed tone, he muttered, "Too bad the nearest bath doesn't have a mixed section…"
"You could always sneak on over to the women's bath if you're so inclined. I'm always cool with that."
"Sure, I'll consider it if I'm out of my mind."
"Heh!"
Once we polished off our sodas, we were off to get ourselves a good soak. I was actually feeling peppy now, a sharp contrast to the lifeless husk that I was just moments ago. Indeed, it was a pity there were no mixed baths where we were going. I'd have loved me some good old-fashioned in-the-buff skinship.
"Hey, Eri."
"Hmm? 'Sup?"
He scratched his cheek bashfully. "You know, the whole thing with the spider aside… that outfit you wore back then was pretty hot."
"Really?" Hoping to finally hear the critique I'd been looking for, I pressed him for details. "What part about it did you like? The trimmings on the blouse? The length of the shorts? Perhaps the colour coordination struck you as appealing?"
He gave it some thought before throwing me his answer.
"Uh… the whole thing."
And just when I thought he'd make some headway at long last.
Oh well, some things never change.
XOXOXOXOXO
Our relationship is pretty rosy as it is, save for the odd harmless spat here and there about him forgetting to put the toilet seat up or something like that. Yes, we're stupidly crazy over each other… and that's why I can't help being so possessive of him.
Part of me wants to move past this because frankly, I don't need to be possessive. Ever since I've known him, Neku has been nothing short of loyal to me, both as a friend and as a lover. He's not gonna ditch me for some other girl just because she parades the top half of her breasts around town (and to be fair, I tend to flaunt a lot more – he literally has no excuse).
Actually, that last statement is not one I can make without a hint of doubt in my heart. I mean, Shibuya's a big place. There's bound to be someone out there who makes cooler clothing designs than I do, is a better cook than me, or can even best me in the sexiness department.
Who's to say Neku won't get second thoughts?
Whenever I see him getting real friendly with a female acquaintance or friend, I get chills down my spine and not the good kind either. It's like even my body is saying, "Don't leave me, Neku."
The coldest chills yet froze my tail bone off one fateful afternoon. It was on a Thursday, and our Thursday classes finished at more or less the same time every week, so he'd swing by my college in his SUV to pick me up. On other days when our schedules didn't match up, I'd instead take the bus or pester my friends for a ride home.
Anyway, he'd already arrived on campus but I still had one or two piddling little matters to attend to, so I messaged him to wait for me and that I'd be right there in five minutes. Then it was off to clear a misunderstanding with a college buddy who claimed that we had swapped our underwear by mistake, after getting ourselves soaked from a can of soda that had been shaken too much as a result of a bet gone awry (long story).
The bet also involved flamingos, by the way. And fried eels.
But I should digress before things get out of hand. Really, I'd better.
After settling things with my friend, I went to the parking lot to meet up with Neku…
…but what's this? He's talking to another girl? And so happily too. They looked like they were having a great conversation.
I approached them and they took notice. The girl, who was rocking a tube top underneath a wrinkled hoodie, looked at me and then back at him. "Your girlfriend?"
"Yeah," he replied. "Alright, I need to get home now."
"I gotta jet too. Anyway, call me if you're interested. Or swing by my place so I can slide you the details. That works too."
"Cool. Catch you later."
The girl gave me a polite nod as a goodbye gesture and left.
"C'mon, Eri," said Neku. "Get in."
I clambered into the passenger seat and put on my seat belt, the engine roaring to life in the background. As he drove out onto the road I posed the question I found most pressing.
"Who's that girl? The one you were talking to."
He was very calm about it. "Oh, she's an underclassman whom I used to know back in high school. Didn't think I'd meet her here after all these years. Small world…"
"High school? How did you get to know her?"
"She's the younger sister of one of my teammates in the Baseball Club. She'd make cookies for the lot of us once in a while. Nice kid."
The hair stood on end at the back of my neck. 'Nice kid'? So he's on good terms with her. That was something I interpreted as a possible warning sign.
"She's cute, I'll give you that," I mumbled. "Uh, she said something about calling her?"
This time his answer was less fluent, more guarded. Another warning sign. "Hmm, okay. To the average person, this is going to sound kinda weird…"
"I'm listening."
"…but she's actually a manga artist."
"Huh, for real?"
"More like a hobbyist, at any rate. But yeah, a manga artist. She draws… uh…"
Why was he hesitating? "Draws what?"
He cleared his throat. Then, he finally coughed it out.
"Yaoi hentai doujins," he said. "Turns out she's been doing those for a while now."
I knew what that meant, of course. When you're dating an otaku, these words are bound to crop up in conversations sooner or later. This girl liked to draw fan comics about, well, men who were so madly in love with each other they'd hop into bed at the drop of a hat. There, I said it.
"As a matter of fact," he continued, "she's doing one right now in preparation for Winter Comiket. According to her, this will be her magnum opus, spanning over eighty pages. It'll require a lot of work and planning."
"What of it?"
"She needs help. She draws the main line art, but somebody has to assist her with darkening the lines, another with colouring and shading, and so on. Technically, she could do everything by herself, but it'll take too much time and she won't make it for this year's Comiket. And needless to say, as a college student, time is something she doesn't have a lot of."
"And she asked for your help?"
"Yeah. She's already got someone roped in for colouring, but she needs someone else for – "
Urgently, I cut him off. "A-Are you going to help her? Like, you really are?"
Neku didn't respond right away. An intersection was coming up with the traffic light showing red, and he took his time slowing down to a halt. Amidst the silence between us, the engine purred.
It was while we waited that he spoke up. "Why? What's wrong? You don't sound like you want me to help her out."
"I-It's not that. It's just… well…"
"You're not comfortable with me spending time alone with another girl?"
He got me. He got me good right there. That's another one of his good points. He's very perceptive and knows if something's up or everything's fine. He has demonstrated his ability to pick up on body language multiple times throughout our friendship, and no matter how many times I've tried to bluff and claim that "it's all right" or "it's nothing important, really" when the opposite was true, he'd insist that I should open up and talk about it.
With him, I knew it was futile to brush it off. He's a living lie detector, and his persistence in wanting to know the full story is proof that he's someone truly special to me. I decided to come clean.
"Yes. I'm sorry, Neku… I know I sound clingy, but I can't help being anxious, being…"
"Selfish?"
I gulped. There was always a negative connotation with that word, but there was nothing else that could accurately describe me.
"Uh-huh… I guess so…"
The traffic light turned green in a few moments and he drove onward for a short distance before making a left turn down a side street.
"Listen," he said, following that turn, "it's okay to be selfish when it comes to matters like this. I'd feel the same way if I was in your shoes. And if you didn't feel this way, I'd be rather worried."
I chose to remain silent and let him continue talking. But he had a good point to make there. I was anxious because I cared about him. I was anxious because I loved him.
"Don't worry about it, okay?" he continued. "Whether I help her or not, I won't ever toss you aside. Just for the record, though, I'm not really keen on giving her a hand. I've already got a lot on my plate as it is, what with my studies, coursework, my job… And also…"
"Hmm?"
"…I had a feeling you won't like your boyfriend working closely with another girl. That was something else I took into account as well."
Neku… all this time, you were thinking about me… Well, of course he was. I just wasn't confident enough about that. It's such a relief to know my streak of unfounded fears has not been broken. If he keeps being the way he is I don't think it'll ever be broken.
He spoke up again. "So… are we cool?"
I smiled. "Yeah, we're cool."
The tense atmosphere was thus quickly dispersed and we headed back home with no further issues. As soon as we were back in the comfort of our own apartment, I buried my head in his chest, much to his surprise.
"E-Eri?"
"Let me stay like this for a bit," I whispered. "You're nice and warm."
And just like the good boyfriend he was, he let me be, stroking my hair slowly.
Later, as Neku was sorting out the belongings in the backpack he took to classes, he suddenly remembered something.
"Oh yeah, that girl gave me a complimentary copy of one of her older doujins. Incidentally, I don't know which fandom this is related to… Anyway, wanna take a look?"
He fished out a thin booklet about the size of a sheet of A4 paper. On the front cover was a picture of two handsome men locked in an embrace. Their shirts were partially unbuttoned, affording a generous peek at their manly chests. Upon closer inspection, however, I noticed that one of the men – the dominant one in the depicted relationship, I presume – had a pair of horns on his head, like he was a devil or something. Indeed, the title of the book read, My Heart-Pounding Tryst with a Horny Devil! The exclamation mark was part of the title, by the way.
I gulped. "I have a feeling that if I take a look inside I'll never be the same again."
"Welp, you never know till you try."
He opened it up to the first page, and we were already treated to a steamy scene.
"No, Horatio-san… we mustn't do it here…"
"Oho, what's this now? Have you forgotten who your soul has just been bound to? You'd do well to listen to your master…"
"But… But this is the school library! We'll get caught – "
"Don't worry. I've put up a magical barrier around us. No one will be able to see or hear us."
"That doesn't make it any better! Please… stop this right now…"
"Heh… You're telling me to stop, yet your body says otherwise… I wonder why that is so, hmm? Now, enough with your prattle, mortal! Open your mouth wide so I can stick this in!"
The devil character Horatio was moments away from forcing himself on the other guy. The results of his actions would presumably be seen in the next page… but I wasn't sure I was keen on feasting my eyes on a hardcore love scene between a couple of guys.
"I… uh, I think I've seen enough for now, Neku."
He teased me, saying, "What's the matter? I thought the sight of a naked guy or two would get you doing the wolf whistle by now."
"Not if they're… copulating!"
"Heh."
"You seem unfazed by all of this explicit… imagery."
He just shrugged, with a smile playing on his lips. "I've had the craziest adventures with you. At this moment in time nothing surprises me anymore."
XOXOXOXOXO
I could go on bragging about Neku, but it's time I pass the storytelling baton back to him. It won't be fair to hog it all to myself just because I had a boatload to say. You'd have to find out about the rest of his awesomeness for yourself!
Perhaps one or two final thoughts will do and then we can wrap this up.
So he and I are quite different from each other as you know, right? I have to admit, there are times when even I wonder how the relationship works in the first place.
We didn't share a lot of hobbies, but even for those that we did, we're on opposite sides of the fence. The two of us are often at odds over what kind of movies to watch together, for example. He's a big sucker for an action film. Anything with big robots and explosions works. I prefer romance, horror and the odd R-rated sex comedy now and then.
Having different hobbies means we can't truly appreciate what the other is enjoying. And we hold different views over a number of topics. I bet if we went into politics, we'd be on opposing parties.
But the juxtaposition of us two halves of a very strange couple meant little concern at the end of the day. Really, does it all have to be so complex?
We're two people who love each other, differences be darned. That's all there is to it.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be quite busy in the next few minutes. Let's just say I have a… surprise… for him.
"Hey Neku," I said, "wanna see something cool?"
As he swung around on his swivel chair to talk to me, I noticed how calm he was. "What's that? A new bra?"
I stared at him in disbelief.
"H-How did you know?"
He looked at me from head to toe with a raised eyebrow that simply screamed "You think I won't?"
The kicker was what he said next.
"You're wearing a hoodie and no pants. 80% of the time you want to show off some new underwear you bought, that's what you'd wear and say. And then you'd flash me."
I gasped. "Is… Is my shtick getting old?! I never would have thought… wait, what do I do for the other 20%?"
"The same thing… minus the hoodie. And you squash your boobs in my face. It gets hard to breathe."
"Hmm, yeah. The reason I don't do that often is because it's no fun if there's no element of surprise."
"I think running up to someone in your underwear and jamming their face into your chest is plenty surprising already."
This didn't spell good tidings for me. Here I was, doing my darnedest to keep our love life hot and spicy… and my antics were losing their sexy thunder?! Maybe I should get creative. Like, real creative. Perhaps jumping out of a box might do the trick?
"Well, you've come this far, Eri. Least you can do is go through with it."
"Yeah," I sighed, "I suppose so. Okay, here goes!"
I pulled down the zipper of my hoodie and let it slip off my shoulders.
"Baby blue," he noted approvingly. "Cute."
I giggled. "It's teal, silly."
"As long as you look hot in it, it can be any colour for all I care."
"That's strangely flattering considering how colour-blind you are. And fashion-blind."
Neku just laughed it off. Standing up from his chair, he extended a hand and offered it to me. "You look lovely at any rate. May I have this dance?"
Amidst the hilarity of our banter, that was the one thing that genuinely caught me off guard. There were all sorts of ways he could retort, but this was new.
"You have one heck of a weird sense of humour, Neku. But sure, why not? However…"
"Huh?"
"…something as formal as a dance requires the right attire. You'll need to adhere to the dress code." Then, with a wink, I added, "Or undress code, for that matter."
"…And I thought my jokes were bad."
"Come on now, a little bad humour never hurt anybody. So… about that attire issue…"
He promptly flung his clothes off, leaving himself in his boxers – the yellow ones with red polka dots.
"Do I look presentable now?" he asked, offering me his hand once more. "I could wear a bowtie, if you so wish."
The thought of Neku looking like a male stripper at a bar made me break out in a quick laugh.
"Hee hee… That won't be necessary. Now come on, we have a dance to attend to."
He took my hand and led me to the living room where we had more space. I looped one arm around the back of his neck while I felt his hand resting on the small of my back. He grasped my other hand, the two of us assuming the classic dance pose. Faces close together, we just chuckled at each other. I bet when we really got down to dancing it'd get even weirder.
"Ready to do the waltz?" he growled seductively. "Or the tango. Whichever you prefer. Not that I can promise I'll be good at either, though."
"How about we do pole dancing instead… I'll do the dancing and you be the pole."
"…I-I'll stick to the normal stuff for now, thank you very much."
"Heh… waltz it is, then."
Oh, his face was reddening. How cute. Life's all about these little victories.
We tiptoed across the room. Turning. Spinning. Making sure his feet didn't step on mine. Without any music for us to time our movements, it wasn't easy to sync our movements and our legs often bumped together. Almost tripped and fell over too, once or twice. And doing it in underwear made the whole thing a comical affair at best. We'd be long shooed out of a dancing competition, never mind our choice of attire or lack thereof.
But none of that mattered. We were having fun.
The waltz ended with me doing one final spin around, and then it was done. It was quite the workout since I had to watch out for his two left feet, but it was enjoyable despite his overall awkwardness.
"Great going!" I said. "You stepped on my toes only twice the whole time, so I'd call that a success!"
As we returned to his room so he could get dressed, he gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I still say there's room for improvement for my dancing."
His dancing skills could use some fine-tuning, that's for sure. But as for his boyfriend skills? He's come a long way from the neurotic, panicky, nosebleed-spewing guy that he used to be so long ago. Neku's not perfect, but he's done really well with his character development.
"Eri, what's up? You're spacing out again."
"Oh, uh, nothing! I was just narra– I mean, thinking to myself."
"Anything on your mind?"
"I-It's nothing important. Let's just say I was thinking of ice cream." Yeah, 'cause you're such a stud I wanna eat you up!
"Ice cream, huh." He slipped his T-shirt back on and was fully clothed again. "Say, wanna head downstairs with me to the convenience store? I heard there's some new flavours in stock."
"You're treating me?" I gasped. "Of course I'm coming! Lead the way!" Overjoyed, I hooked my arm in the crook of his elbow and dragged him to the front door.
"Hey, hey, not so fast! Get dressed first!"
In my excitement I'd forgotten about my clothes. Ice cream does that to me sometimes. If it weren't for Neku, I'd have flown out the door in my unmentionables. See, that's another reason I love a boyfriend like him!
"Oh, whoops! Let me get my hoodie and we can – "
"Pants."
"Eh?"
"You'll need pants too, Eri. Get some pants or we're staying here."
I rolled my eyes to the ceiling as I scurried back to my room. "Oh, I know, mum. I'm not a dummy."
"Juuuust making sure."
Five minutes later, we were downstairs each with a cone of coconut ice cream in hand. Now, I've already said what I needed to say for this little story of mine, but before I finish up and say "That's all, folks!" there's just one last thing…
"Hold still, Neku."
"Huh?"
There was a dollop of ice cream on his cheek that needed tending to immediately. I leaned in and kissed it off. While he was busy burning his face off with that oh-so-cute blush, I… well, I was kinda red in the face myself. You know, from all the good feelings that came with it.
"Delicious," I giggled.
Bashfully, he chided, "D-Don't do that in public… It's embarrassing."
"I always did like how you taste, Neku."
"You have no idea how wrong that sounds, Eri."
"Heh!"