Hello, guys!
Here the two last installments of the festival arc. Two because it was too long and was forced to cut it. Apparently, I still had things to say about it...It's like this festival doesn't want to end! But don't worry. It's really over.
Next time, I'll take up the usual pace of the story, that is to say that I won't spend damn TWELVE chapters for just one day...
So, good reading~
Lost in the crowd, Momoi narrowed her eyes burned by sunlight and rubbed them. Her vision blurried, she blinked several times, trying to figure out the black shape of a witch and the immaculate form of a prince amidst the crowd. In her daze a huge shadow was casted upon her from behind. She flipped round and met the chest of her giant friend who didn't budge a inch as he was looking at the crowd with glazed eyes, slightly narrowed because of the light. That was until a fluorescent orange fly swat scratched his left arm provoking a frown on his nonchalant face. The purplehead glared at Midorima who returned his gaze silently, then bored by this glaring contest, he ignored him.
"Aaah, it's hot..." complained Murasakibara, currently craving for an ice cream as the wet air drained all his strength.
"Murasakibara-kun, do you see Akashi-kun and Asaka-chan?" Momoi was standing on tip-toe while she beheld the crowd without much result.
"Na, there's too much people."
"Really? What about Midorin?"
"I don't see them either." Midorima stated, watching a girl with braids lifted in the air by a bunch of boisterous guys. All of them were the classmates of their two friends. He scanned briefly people out there, noticing the Princess among a group of girls, the Queen and the three fairies getting praised by outsiders and those who played extra parts were chattering here and there; but as his green eyes finished to check the whole crowd, the Witch and the Prince were missing on the picture. "If Murasakibara doesn't spot them, then they must have moved somewhere else."
Murasakibara nodded, his long legs finally pulled up from the ground and started to make his way among the crowd, driving the other two to follow him. The tumult behind them and their view cleared, Momoi ran down the school courtyard once again, but noticing the two boys giving up on the search as they were moving on to the main entrance, she called out to them.
"Where are you going both?"
"Buy an ice cream. You don't want to eat one?" replied innocently the purple haired boy with a tilt of the head.
"But I want to find Akashi-kun and Asaka-chan before. It'd be nice to have all of us eat ice creams together!"
"Eh? We have to wait for everyone?...I don't want to." Murasakibara pursed his lips like a child. "That's too much trouble. Not only Asa-chin and Aka-chin are missing, but Mine-chin too."
At Aomine's mention, Momoi tittered, still troubled by their little quarrel. "H-He must be near."
"Well, we'll probably find that idiot over there." assured Midorima, directing his eyes to the food stalls. "And there's no hurry, we can find Akashi and Asaka later. They must be tired by the play. Moreover, we don't even know if they are together or –"
"They are together." Murasakibara's positive claim raised their attention. His purple eyes were stuck in the distance, he lifted his hand, pointing nonchalantly his finger at two familiar silhouettes.
Momoi let out a loud gasp, covering her mouth with both hands as she looked on the Witch hugging the Prince from behind. Witnessing from afar their intime moment, a light blush reddened her pale cheeks.
"Is she..hugging Akashi?" Midorima pressed his eyes, unsure if his bad eyesight caused him to see weird thing.
"She is..." answered Momoi in quavering voice, as stupefied as him.
"I didn't know they were this close." concluded the green haired boy, having his doubt casted away by the pink haired manager. His full attention on them, a innocent question cropped up in his mind. "Is she playing a trick on him? Look, she's laughing."
"I don't think she does. It's more like she tries to comfort him. Akashi-kun doesn't seem to bother." Without averting her eyes, she looked softly at the basketball club vice-capitain being cuddled by her ash blond friend with his eyes covered.
"There's no reason for him to be comforted. The play went well considering the miscast."
"...Hm, Aka-chin fell on the stage." recalled Murasakibara with a jaded expression.
"Why should he be bothered by that? The fault was all the Princess'."
"Ah...Or maybe he hurt his head, and Asa-chin is treating Aka-chin like a kid." Before the incrudulous eyes of his two friends, Murasakibara began to intone tonelessly a childish spell as he was lip-dubbing Ritsu's words. "«Pain. Pain. Fly away~!»...Something like this."
Midorima's hand was itching to slap him on the head with his lucky item. It was ridiculous. "In my opinion, I hardly see Akashi being happy to be teased in such outrageous way."
The giant boy shrugged without much interest, satisfied with his own idea of the situation. "Why don't we go ask him, Mido-chin?"
"I agree. Let's do that." He replied without a second thought.
The two boys walked in direction of their two friends.
"Eeeh?! Wait, wait! You can't butt in simply for «that»!" Momoi clenched both their uniforms, stopping them where they were.
"Why?" asked Midorima in a clueless voice.
"Because...er..." The girl tried to figure out a simple way to explain the situation to her dense friends, but Midorima was faster than her in responding.
"You said you wanted to see Akashi and Asaka, right? Then, we should go or they might leave."
Momoi gave out a sigh in defeat and follow the two boys who resumed their tracks while she preferred to laugh inwardly at their lack of sensitivity than going through the same trouble with Aomine. But still, she wondered where her childhood friend was, she wanted to make up with him. She let out another sigh, as always her concern went always for him.
"You won."
Ritsu's lips stretched into a reserved smile as the soft expression of the blazing Prince finally returned. He could be...no, he was quite adorable with those distinct smile of his that left bare his usual straight-laced face marked by social conventions, openly revealing an innocent and playful side of him like any teenager of his age. Ritsu laughed inwardly, this festival sure was a memory she would certainly remember her whole life, and it was especially due his presence, Akashi Seijūrō – an upright boy, and above all else a caring friend.
"It was an easy win. You surrender quite fast."
"I prefer to keep my remaining strengh for the quiz contest." She crossed her ams over her chest, contemplating his simple features shaded by tiredness. "But, we probably should rest a bit. My body is still feeling heavy!"
"If we must." Akashi brushed a messy lock of hair aside that tickled him, then looked plainly at her. "However, you should work on your stamina, Asaka."
She would consider it later, right now she was more concerned about his condition than hers. After the little break during the final act, she partially recovered her strength, in fact, they could go straight to the Friendship quiz contest. So she delibarately worsened her case to force him to rest. Compared to her, Akashi still hadn't gotten the time to breath. And she knew for a fact that if she had suggested the idea in participating in the quiz right this moment, he wouldn't have minded. Admittedly, he may have way more stamina than her and able to put up a straight front but he was still more or less affected by exhaustion. What happened on stage was suffisant to prove he needed a little break.
"Stamina or not, I take a fifteen-minutes break!" She declared as she stretched her arms. "Anyway, you can't participate in the quiz without me., unless you find some replacement."
"As I stated before, you're being surprisingly frank." He replied, fixing her with his red eyes.
"Well, I care for you as much as you do toward me, Akashi-kun. You went easy on me at some point. The two seconds interval. I should be grateful for it or I wouldn't have enjoyed myself so much! So, just take my stubborness as a thanks. You can do something as simple as this, right?"
"Do you need to thank me everytime?" He shifted his gaze away as a smirk cropped up on his lips.
"Oh, don't you dare say my concern is unnecessary or I'll get mad at you! I've had enough of hearing it."
"Eeeeh...Aka-chin is being scolded."
The two of them directed their attention to the source of the voice and met three pairs of eyes fixed on them with plain curiosity.
"I was right afterall." Murasakibara concluded with a hint of happiness, staring down Midorima who just ignored it, inconvenienced by the situation.
"It's you, guys. Do you need something from us?" Akashi asked casually, as if nothing ever happened. He noticed the greenhead glaring at him, then slowly trailing to Ritsu. The latter returned his gaze innocently, the least expecting they had witnessed the whole hugging scene.
"Yes. Actually I have a ques–" Momoi shoved her hand against his cheek, interrupting him deliberately before he would ask something very awkward. They seriously intended to ask Akashi about the hug!
"Yeah! We're here to congratulate you! It was a fantastic play!"
"Thank you." On those simple yet meaningful words, the girl offered them a radiant smile.
"It's a bit sad it's finished though..." She admitted timidly, but this shyness didn't last long as she looked up at them. "But since we're all here, why don't we go eat ice creams together? We have to celebrate this!"
Murasakibara could only be agreed with that as he responded to the suggestion with one firm nod. But Akashi asked a question that shattered his small hopes.
"Where is Aomine?" was the question. The redhead only counted three heads. A purple one, a green one and a pink one, leaving only the dark blue head out of the picture.
Embarrassed, Momoi lowered her eyes rendering Akashi perplexed as he kept staring at her in wait for a response. Aware of the cause of her nervosity, Ritsu decided to speak out to avoid her pink-haired friend any further embarrassement.
"I talked to Aomine-kun not long ago. About ten minutes ago, I think." Her statement made the pink manager to raise her head. Ritsu gave her a conniving look, bringing a shy smile on her lips. "He was heading to the food stalls. But I wonder if he is still there."
Akashi, though unaware of the situation, didn't try to meddle more into it. Upon hearing her friend's statement, Momoi smiled in relief. And it was a suffisant fact for him to leave this matter on Ritsu and his teammate's hands since they were likely aware of the current situation.
"Then, I let you all go check on him."
"You're not coming with us Aka-chin? We're talking about ice creams." Murasakibara made the remark with a frown on his face, thinking he would never get his ice cream at this rate. His reaction forced a smile out of Akashi. "We won't wait for you. There's nothing more important than ice creams."
"That's fine. Take Asaka with you since she's in her «fifteen-minutes break»." He simply said as he began to stride away. "Asaka, we'll meet up in front of the classroom event in fifteen minutes. Don't be late."
The bunch looked on the redhead quietly walking away.
"Ah! But I wanted all of us to eat ice cream." Momoi exclaimed, realising she just let go of Akashi when her main intention was to share a momentwith everyone.
"Well, it's better to leave him alone for now." Ritsu stated with a happy smile. "We can ask him again after the friendship quiz contest."
"The friendship quiz contest?" enquired Midorima about the curious event.
"An event of class 2-C. Akashi-kun and I will participate in it in fifteen minutes." She pressed thoughtfully a finger on her cheeks. "We wanted to do it before the play, but I don't know why, all of a sudden, Momoi's admirers hassled us, and we were forced to postpone it since we– Er, I had a hard time to shake them off. At least, you manage to escape from them!"
Momoi opened her mouth widely without a sound, then she darted her eyes to Midorima and shot daggers at him, the actual responsible of the mess. The latter felt uncomfortable by all the attention and looked away from her in a nervous silence.
Oblivious, Ritsu watched them when Momoi turned to her and hid this fact behind a nervous laugh.
"Why are you participating again?...With Akashi-kun, no less."
"He wants to win the chick bolster. It seems to have caught his eyes." Her smile frozen, she blinked as she tried to assimilate the information. She just heard something very funny. Akashi with a chick bolster? It sounded so ludicrous that her lips was twitching nervously.
"He's interested in...it?"
"What, isn't you who want it and drag him into your scheme, Asaka?" His brain unable to process with that weird image of Akashi, Midorima rejected the blame on her through spite.
"Actually, it's the other way round, Akashi-kun really wants it and drags me into it when I ran into him."
The green haired boy paused glaring at her then muttered faintly : "...This festival is getting weirder and weirder. I already predicted that everything would go wrong today as I almost missed Oha-Asa Horoscope this morning and arrived late at school without my lucky item..."
"That's the conclusion you get from overslepping, Midorima-kun?" Ritsu said in a half-hearted tone, wondering how exactly his logic worked. "Anyhow, let's eat ice creams together after the contest!"
Momoi nodded with some reserve. Despite the cheerful facade, she was certainly wondering if Aomine would be there with them by the time.
"Before we go search for Aomine, I better change myself. I'm covered in sweat."
"I'm going. I want my ice cream now." Impatient and very hungry, Murasakibara didn't let them react and stomped to the food stalls. "It's no fun to wait on everybody."
"Ah, wait!" exclaimed Momoi about to stop the giant who was unexpectedly followed by Midorima. "Midorin too!"
"I am thirsty. And if I may, you don't need us to get changed. We're going to check on Aomine at the food stalls for the time being, since Akashi told us to." He clarified and looked straight at Ritsu. "Fifteen minutes are short so instead of dealing with that idiot, use your break to rest yourself, Asaka."
Her lips slightly parted in surprise of his sweet attention.
"...Since it's none of your concern." He added, adjusting his glasses, and without a word he walked up to Murasakibara who was now meters away from them. Ritsu laughed a bit as he was shying away from an embarrassing moment.
As they lost sight of the two boys, both exchanged amused looks. Just as the beginning of the festival, here they were again together.
"Is it fine for you not to go along with them? They might find Aomine-kun."
Momoi shook her head in a slow motion.
"Did he sound very angry?"
"In my opinion, he was more confounded than angry. Aomine-kun didn't seem to know the exact reason of your anger." The pink-haired girl scratched her cheek with a strained smile. "And was probably more upset by that fact than against you."
"Maybe it's like you say...I hope." She declared convincing herself that her worries was baseless in spite of her uneasiness with the current situation, and she would better find a way to make-up with him. "Anyway, we have other things to think of instead of this ganguro!"
"Your face betrays your thoughts, Momoi-chan."
It was just a little tease from Ritsu. She didn't mean anything deep, instead she meant it as a compliment. She was a very honest girl, so much that her emotions was clearly perceivable by a single glance. One might take this as a flaw, but to Ritsu this was one of the best quality that could lie in a person. Honesty led one upon a simple, straight and above all else, a happy path in life. A girl like Momoi could only find happiness as long she kept this honest heart. And it was absolutely not too presumptuous from her to certify she wouldn't falter on this very road.
That was the kind of girl Momoi was. «A simple glow yet so warm».
"I-It does...?" She cringed, cupping her head with a blush.
Ritsu nodded. "If Aomine-kun sees you with this face, I highly doubt he can bear a grudge against you very long."
Her desire to mend their relationship was glinting so vividely in her pink round eyes that it was nearly impossible to actually feel a grudge toward her. Even Aomine would be receptive to such genuine intention.
"Our quarrels never last long. Whether it's him or me who's in the wrong, he never apologizes while I take all the trouble to patch up things!...And everytime he just shrugs it off and acts like usual."
"You two are almost like siblings." chirpped Ritsu. "You can't actually hate each other."
Momoi laughed lightheartedly. "Is it the same with your little brother?"
"Ah, more or less. We quarrel from time to time and it always ends in the same pattern." Her reply seemed to have aroused her friend's curiosity, certainly interested in the last part. "He sulks and I give in."
"You really have a soft spot for him."
"Kind of. Aomine-kun surely has one for you as well or he wouldn't be so casual around you. Childhood friends are really something!"
Both girls giggled together. When she looked up to her, it seemed she finally regained her usual spirit.
"Aaah!" Ritsu exhaled in relief. A festival without Momoi's smile wouldn't be so bright and merry.
"Aha, sorry Asaka-chan for troubling you with that when you're tired."
"Don't mention it! Since Midorima-kun and Murasakibara-kun went to look for Aomine-kun, I can focus on the quiz contest. And to do so, I have a favor to ask you, Momoi-chan."
The latter tilted her head in a innocent manner, looking at Ritsu who turned around and began to head to the main building.
"Eeeeh! You want me to brief you before the quiz contest!" Momoi's startled shout echoed loudly in the empty hallway.
"Yes. I can ask nobody else but you on that matter. As far as I know, you're one of the best in that field and the most familiar with the basketball club members."
"O-On Akashi-kun's datas...?"
"I need them. My knowledge of him is very restricted. So would you help me?"
"S-Sure!" The pink haired girl replied instantly. Then she looked upwards, pressing a finger on her cheek, thinking of something. "Wouldn't that be more efficient if I brief you two together about each others' datas?"
"Unfortunately, we don't have enough time for that. We only have less than ten minutes. So, we'll use the time I'm changing myself to learn more about Akashi-kun! And that way, he'll win his chick bolster!"
Likely, she was already set for the quiz constest. Momoi recognised the glint in her eyes that reminded her of Aomine's eyes burning with excitement before every games.
She hummed in a determinated way. "Akashi-kun will be very surprised by it! You really wants him to win it!"
"He kind of expects that from me when he chose me or else his choice would had been otherwise. He trusts me on that, so I'll do everything possible to help him." Her gray-blue eyes slid to Momoi's direction with a mischevious smile. "And aren't you curious to see him squeezing a chick bolster?"
"Totally! You treat him with care, Asaka-chan."
"Just as anybody else. I like you all."
"Tehehe, Akashi-kun seems to have a better treatment. I mean, you hugged him!" Momoi jerked her head forwards examinating closely Ritsu's face flushed instantly by the revelation. For a short time span, she didn't move one muscle despite the turmoil that was building up inside her.
"Oh...Ah...you saw it?" Ritsu looked upwards, tapping fingers on her chin thoughfully. So they have been seen by Momoi. And if she had witnessed it, then the other two also was in the same case. She didn't keep him in her arms very long, but still long enough to be seen. That was the worst...No, it could have been worse. They were fortunate enough that it was only them and not somebody else. "Does that count as a mark of affection?"
"Eh? Your question is weird."
"Sorry, it's just that...I don't consider my action as affectionate or whatsoever."
"When you hug someone, you're being affectionnate." said Momoi, her mouth curved up, with a hint of carefreeness in her voice. Upon seeing the slightly troubled face of her friend, she hit the side of her fist on the other hand as she deduced something out of her reaction, and stepped ahead of Ritsu boring a happy face like some child who gets happy to grasp the meaning of something they shouldn't be capable of. "Ah! Are you too embarrassed to admit you take a liking to Akashi-kun more than us?"
A pause ensued, the two girls stood frozen in place before Ritsu's footsteps drove away the silence.
"Probably, I did hug him, but something else would have worked too. For instance, making him trip or hitting him."
With hindsight, she thought of these alternatives only now. They could have been ways amongst other to get rid of that bothering feeling regarding Akashi's behavior. But after reconsidering them, compared to the hug, they were undoubtedly bad, thought the hug itself wasn't a good one either. Akashi wasn't in the best condition to allow anything even from his own friend. And yet, independently of all rationality, she held him in her arms. Out of anxiety.
In that case, could that be considerate as affection?
"You would have hit Akashi-kun! Y-You're being too casual around him. I already warn you, he is very hung-up on those kind of things..."
"I wouldn't. It was mere examples. I have too much respect for him to act like that."
"How do those ideas even cross your mind? Aside basketball members, only few people dare to take on Akashi-kun head on and act casual around him."
"To say the truth, even I was confused by my own act. But I simply couldn't stand him that way."
As a friend, she couldn't bear the idea of gazing at his back. Averting one's eyes from one's friends was the coldest act; turning one's back on one's friend was the crueslest; walking away was disregard. And that urge she felt in hugging him was certainly to avoid being ignored. This was the only logical reason she could find to define the blunt move. Recently even her was overtaken by events.
"Eh?" Brief and stamped with question was the sound that Momoi let escape upon hearing the last part.
"Momoi-chan, is Akashi-kun cold?"
"Eh?" The girl gasped once again, hinting her confused state. "W-Why the question...?..."
"I was asking myself. You know him better than I am."
"I doubt that." Momoi swung her head side to side while refuting her claim. "According to me, among all of us, you're maybe the closest to him. Our interactions with him mostly concerned basketball so aside it we don't speak that much together. In that aspect, you're a better friend to him than we are..."
"Don't put it like that. Akashi-kun can't think so lowly of you. That idea surely wouldn't even cross his mind. He may not speak fondly of friendship and such or get all friendly with everyone, but he does have esteem for those around him. The way he sticks around you people of the basketball club shows that much. Well, that's the impression I have of him when I see him hang around you guys."
"That's a very cute view of Akashi-kun..."
"Well, to me, he is a rather cute guy...At heart. I put aside his way of thinking, it's beyond me. He may be small but he thinks and acts quite fast, too fast for everybody to actually even know how he can reach weird conclusion! Oh, that reminds of a rule a senpai of the volleyball team said to explain us not to underestimate our opponents!" Ritsu cleared her throat and was imitating the senpai's voice and manner. "«Instead of giants, better watch out of everything small because the smaller they are, the more vicious they turn. Every small things are vicious to the core. They might not bite but can be very dangerous as you're unknown of what they might to do you since they don't bare their fangs! They can do a lot worst!», or something like that. Do you think that apply to Akashi-kun?"
The innoncent question threw Momoi into a fit of laughter. She laughed so hard that she stooped, placing her hands over the belly, filling the silent corridor with a sweet merry voice.
"W-W-What image do you have of him...?" S-She managed to say, wiping a tears in the corner of her eyes.
"A good one. I resume it like that : When you look at his back, you're admiring; when you look him in the eyes, you're aknowledged; and when you look at «him», you're watching over him. Quite simple, is it?"
While Momoi tried to figure out the meaning, still being in a hilarous state, Ritsu slid the door of the girl changing room open and stepped in with the latter by her side.
"At some point, we all are–"
Ritsu interrupted herself as faint sobs drew their attention to the small back of a pinkish silhouette that was sat down near a desk on the middle row of the classroom, seemingly crying. Momoi, who had stopped laughting upon hearing the sobs, sent a curious look to Ritsu, wondering why the Princess was crying.
"Himeno-san." She called her out, causing the girl to cut short her snivel as she just sniffled back all the mucus in her nose and wiped the tears hastily, then she turned to the two girls who barged in.
"W-What, don't you see I'm busy?..." She whimpered, glowering at them.
"Busy in crying?" Himeno folded her arms over the chest and in a contemptuous move of the head, giving them petty attention as she refused to spare them a look and also closed her eyes.
In spite of her tear-stained face, she was still remaining a hard character to deal with. However, in this kind of situation, Ritsu cared less about her attitude. Her wariness was understandable, even her wouldn't have liked to be caught up crying, especially after suffering rejection.
"If you have nothing to do here, just get the hell out!" She barked, irritated by their silence and their stupid gaze. "I'm sure you're here to laugh at me!"
"You're wrong. It's the last thing that would come to my mind now."
All of a sudden, the raven haired girl raised from her chair making it slammed abruptly against the desk behind. She swung around and looking daggers both of them who gawked awkwardly, which made the blood rush to her head.
"Like I can believe this! You two have already Akashi-kun's favor, you hypocritical bimbos! As if you'd care a little about my broken heart!"
"In a sense, you asked for it." replied Ritsu in a plain voice. "You went too far on the stage."
"Ah! I knew it! You're showing your true self, Asaka!"
"I'm just stating the fact. Akashi-kun didn't appreciate it."
"I won't listen! You're just here to brag about your close relationship with him! You must be happy to have his favor so easily and hung around with him like a stupid bee near a beautiful flower." Pained by that very fact, Himeno bit her lips while averting her eyes with bitterness. "...Toward you or that manager, Akashi-kun can't be cold...It's only to the other girls he doesn't even bother with. That's unfair! You two are unfair to be so close to him! Why you and not somebody else?!"
As Himeno gave vent her frustastion, Ritsu was silently observing the impact Akashi's «wrongdoing» had on their haughty classmate. And to say, he had a clear conscience about it while his classmate had been crushed by his words. However would he still feel that way even after seeing her crying...After considering the matter, she came to the conclusion he wouldn't have changed his attitude. Akashi said it himself, her determination was weak so her tear-stained face would have not effect on him and would only confirm his claim.
Reaching this conclusion, Ritsu pondered on his reaction, that was currently expecting nothing from Himeno, if the Princess were to know a proper ending in her festival time. Even though Himeno and her didn't have a single thing in common apart their fondness for Akashi, she still had sympathy for her. In spite of being an overly annoying, self-centered and very handful girl, she didn't deserve such a sad ending.
"Say something! Or are you actually laughing at me?"
Ritsu examined Himeno who could burst into tears at any moment now.
Moreover she didn't see what harm she could do by correcting Akashi's «wrongdoing». Being in their class, she was sure that if she didn't take this opportunity to mend those two relationship, she was already predicting a gloomy mood past the festival. So why not giving a little push to her in order to patch things up with Akashi?
"No, I'm not. But Himeno-san, are you giving up on Akashi-kun?"
"You would be happy if I do! You're a very deceitful girl, Asaka! You're pretending to be his friend when you only want to keep him for yourself! Just like that manager! She's using her position to get closer to him!"
"If you're satisfied with this image of me, go ahead and insult me. But don't speak ill of Momoi-chan. So will you give up?"
Himeno set herself against her remark.
"You're obstinate! Why should I answer you?!" She slammed violently the desk where she had been sat down. "I was rejected by him! You're happy?! He-He didn't even want to listen to my confession...! He told me I was...My feelings for him were being a nuisance...! He doesn't care at all!"
As she remembered the painful event, she clutched her skirt with bitterness.
"Even if I try again, he wouldn't listen to me...! I just know it!"
"Then why don't you to try again to be sure?"
"You're really the worst, Asaka! You're telling me to confess again when you already know he's going to reject me again!"
"That's for Akashi-kun to decide. If you don't try, you won't know."
"I just know! His eyes were very cold...! It...wasn't like him..."
At this rate, Ritsu felt it would go on forever if she didn't shake the poor girl. There was only one way to please Himeno and that was to flatter her ego. Maybe that way she would realise her genuine intention instead of being wary of any of her words like it was poison.
"Himeno-san, do you like Akashi-kun?"
"W-Why do you want to know it?! It's hilarous for you to know my feelings are one-sided...!" declared Himeno furiously. "But I tell you something, you hypocrite! I love him...! More than you or that manager or any other girls! Nobody can compete with my love for him!"
"It's a pity that he won't be able to hear it."
"I don't need your sympathy...! My love for him is real whatever you think!" She retaliated as a slight change in her tone could be noted. Her shrilly upsetting voice seemed to have come back, though it was faint as her dry sob was still tingled with a shred of sadness.
"That's what I'm saying it's a pity you give up so easily when you love him so much. In that case, you shouln't cry because of Akashi-kun but instead face him again with a smile that so particular of you and tell him «properly» your feelings." Ritsu delibarately emphasized on the word to prevent her from doing weird thing to him if she decided to confess again. No matter how kind her intention was, Himeno's happy ending only depended on herself and Akashi. "Even Akashi-kun won't stay indifferent to your determination."
"...Of course he will! I don't need you to hear that from you...! Me and him are bounded by fate, you witch! It is destiny for the Princess to end with the Prince!" She scowled, sniveling loudly while she marched toward Momoi and her. The simple reminder of her love for the redhead seemed to have lit up a faint glint of hope once again in her swollen eyes. "And all my plan was thwarted by you! It's because of you that he took it all out on me! You're the reason of my failure!"
"H-How so?" stuttered the ash blond girl, baffled by the turn of events, asking herself why she was suddenly blamed.
"You performance was only supposed to be second-rated! And yet you decided to fight back Akashi-kun and because of that you attracted the public to you only, when it was his time of glory! You stole all the glory from us!" Himeno yelled at her, frenetically poking her chest as she was accusing Ritsu of being the reason of her broken heart.
Falsely accused, the latter resisted the urge to sigh, avoiding to upset more the girl who seemed to have cheered up a little.
"But I won't let you be praised more than you deserve when your acting only depended on the Prince and my performances! I'm going to take back all the glory and Akashi-kun from you! By the end of the festival, it's you who's going to cry!"
"That's great. But try to stay simple or you'll get really disliked by Akashi-kun." Ritsu warned her, conscious of Himeno's bold character.
"Keep your advice for yourself! Even if you try being nice to me, you're still my ennemy! All the girl near him are!" The pinkish princess turned tail, walked confidently to the door when she stopped suddenly without sparing a look to the two girls. "But...Th-Thank you, Asaka..."
Startled, Ritsu didn't expect Himeno to be perceptive of her intention and above all, to be grateful toward her. When she looked at her, skipping lightly, she couldn't help but smile and hope that everything would go well for her.
Even if she was the one to cry in the end.
"Can I ask you one question, Himeno-san?"
She spinned round to face her. "If you want me to repeat my words, go to hell!"
"No, I was curious about something. Did Akashi-kun kiss you?"
Himeno narrowed her eyes suspiciously and ignored her.
"I won't tell one single thing to my ennemies! That's a secret between me and Akashi-kun!"
That being said, she skipped in direction of the exit and vanished in the hallway. Alone with Momoi, Ritsu heaved a heavy sigh.
"Asaka-chan, what was it about...?" inquired Momoi completely lost during their conversation.
"A proper ending to the play." Her friend tilted the head. "Since the Prince broke the Princess' heart. As I heard, she confessed to him on the stage and well Akashi-kun didn't very like it."
"Ah, you're talking about the moment they both fell! So that's the reason why the ending seemed a bit weird."
"Maybe, actually I wasn't there to watch it."
"Is that the moment you met Aomine-kun?"
Ritsu responded with a nod, staring at Momoi who gave a faint sigh.
"Aomine-kun and Akashi-kun won't probably be in a mood to eat ice creams with us..." She said feeling suddenly disheartened. "And to say, I want everyone to have a good memory of it! It's only once in a year!"
"I'm feeling the same. It'd be great to all of us have the same memory of this festival."
"Ah! I have an idea!" Momoi grabbed her arms and tugged them happily. "Let's take a photo together! It's the perfect souvenir!"
A photo with the whole colorful bunch was the best way to end a festival.
"If we manage to gather everyone for the photo, we can only be happy!"
Indeed, that would imply Aomine and Momoi's reconciliation. Ritsu agreed wholeheartedly to the idea. She wanted to keep this memory of the play, of every moment she shared with every one of them.
Because it only happened once.
"Before, we have to make Akashi-kun win his chick bolster! With it, he can only be happy."
Momoi giggled as she took a notebook out of her pocket, flipping its pages to reach Akashi's data. Did she always keep those with her?
"Ah! Hurry up, Asaka-chan! We only have a three minutes left!"
"O-Only three minutes?!"